New Scope Help!!!!

[SidecarFlip]

I just bought the same but a SFP. I want to be able to range with the scope. FFP makes that basically impossible. It's heavy. Actually too heavy for packing.

[joseph]

Originally Posted by SidecarFlip

I just bought the same but a SFP. I want to be able to range with the scope. FFP makes that basically impossible. It's heavy. Actually too heavy for packing.

How do you figure a FFP makes ranging basically impossible? With a FFP you can range at any power setting, but with a SFP you have to adjust your power at the manufactures power setting for ranging. Also the FFP reticle stays the same thickness in relationship to the target at all powers. As for weight my rifle weighs 14.7 pounds and I packed it all over the place in Wyoming.

joseph

[SidecarFlip]

Originally Posted by joseph

How do you figure a FFP makes ranging basically impossible? With a FFP you can range at any power setting, but with a SFP you have to adjust your power at the manufactures power setting for ranging. Also the FFP reticle stays the same thickness in relationship to the target at all powers. As for weight my rifle weighs 14.7 pounds and I packed it all over the place in Wyoming.

joseph

You must be a young buck, I'm not. I want as light a rig as possible for a couple reasons, one, I'm a flatlander so out west, where the air is thinner, it's harder for me to carry additional payload and two, anything over 10 pounds or so means leaving something behind, like granola bars. For lightness, I'm looking at a Savage 111 Lightweight Hunter in WSM. 5.5 plus a light scope is ideal for me.

You reside there, I don't. Not only is the terrain markedly different here, so is the atmospheric pressure.....

FFP optics have a constant reticle magnification throughout the magnification range, SFP scopes do not. Not saying you can't, just saying it's more involved. At some point I may buy one to add to my collection. Took me a while to advance from iron sights to optical glass as it is.

Results may vary with the individual. What is ideal for me may or may not be ideal for you. Thats what is great about forums like this. Allows one to 'test drive' options without doing a First Article, real world test and laying out the FRN's.

[davewilson]

i fall into the old fart catagory although i'm in pretty good shape i still try to keep weight down. but as with most things, there's a trade-off. these high end optics are heavy but also VERY rugged. they'll take more abuse than the lighter ones. generally speaking. same with optical quality. you pay a lot more for a little extra. is it worth it, each will have to decide that for themselves. personally i value functionallity of the scope over the picture quality. i think you are on the right path with the PST scopes. they are a great value for the money. many people, not just Joseph, lol, had to say that, are very impressed and happy with the performance of their PST scopes. personally i don't want the illuminated reticle. i have a viper HS and am very impressed with it's function. i've done 2 tracking tests with it and it repeats with the best of them. a great scope for the money as i think most of the Vortex scopes are.i have a fairly lightweight carry gun that i need a scope for. i'm seriously thinking about the Bushnell 2-16. seems to be a good scope for my needs.

[SidecarFlip]

Dave...

I'm thinking along the same lines. Savage in short action=light weight and a light weight optic.

95% of my shooting is done at low power (the lowest setting on any scope I own) because the field of view and light transmission is better at low magnification. My LR shooting would be/will be very limited becaue there just isn't any place around here to do LRS... Maximum yardage without obstruction on our property in northern Michigan is around 300 yards, most shot opportunities range from 8 feet to 100 yards maximum.

I can easly get by with a lower power lower priced optic (because it's apparent from perusing the ads for scopes of all brands, price is dictated on magnification more than any other attribute), with FFP coming in second....

Frankly I can't remember a time where I've dialed my magnification above the low setting except when fiddling with a scope. All field use is on the low end.

I suspect a 2x on the low end and 18x on the high would be fine for my uses.

I have a Leupy 4.5x20x50 and 4.5 is a bit much.

I looked at Len's offerings as far as pre-built rifles on his (attached to this forum) Internet site and all are what I would consider to be excessively heavy. Excellent shooters without a doubt, but I don't want to or need to lug an anchor around, which is maybe why I like a sidearm more, especially around here. My 44 magnum is very carryable and capable.

We've been discussing a November hunt out west and one of my shooting partner's comment was..."You'll need an extra pack mule just to carrythat 'howitzer' you have"... referring to the 111-.338 Lapua.....

Maybe I can con my wife into coming along..........................lol

[Loner]

Originally Posted by SidecarFlip

FFP optics have a constant reticle magnification throughout the magnification range, SFP scopes do not. Not saying you can't, just saying it's more involved. At some point I may buy one to add to my collection. Took me a while to advance from iron sights to optical glass as it is.

You seem to have your terms backwards. FFP grows and shrinks the reticle with the
power setting. Much easier to range with.

[davewilson]

Flip, you have to understand this is a long range hunting forum. most comments are geared with that in mind. if you're only shooting 300 yards once in a while, i would think a 2.5-10 power scope would be the ticket. the only reason i'm considering a 16x scope is because i intend to shoot to 1k and farther. i was seriously considering a Swaro 3-10 because it has a great reticle and is very light and compact. but, i just wanted more magnification to shoot with and look at things way out there. my suggestion would be a 2-10 viper HS. they have a ballistic reticle that you could shoot 6-700 yards with and 10x is plenty for most to shoot big game with. there are quite a few scopes in this power range that are reasonably priced. then again March makes a 2.5-25 that's quite small also. it may be a compact scope but the price is not!