mttinman59
Well-Known Member
I cant seem to find and advantage of ffp scope please explain. 2 m hash mark @ 22x is 4m @ 11x and 8m @ 5.5x with a retical that can be seen. Am I missing something?
Ffp vs sfp
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The point is with FFP you don't have to do math like that at any magnification or range MOA or MRAD it doesn't matter. I have an FFP MRAD scope from Sig, 1 Mil in the scope is the same regardless of if I zoom it in or out.
As far as being able to SEE the reticle part of it is knowing how to set your focus/paralax. The other part is not buying CHEAP ffp scopes most good scopes are set up in such a way that you can see the reticle fine at lower power. An example would be the nightforce and trijicon scopes, both can be had wit reticles that when Zoomed out will show a illuminated diamond (much like a red dot) my Sig and many Luepold scopes have thicker outer crosshairs to draw your eyes to the center when Zoomed out.
As far as being able to SEE the reticle part of it is knowing how to set your focus/paralax. The other part is not buying CHEAP ffp scopes most good scopes are set up in such a way that you can see the reticle fine at lower power. An example would be the nightforce and trijicon scopes, both can be had wit reticles that when Zoomed out will show a illuminated diamond (much like a red dot) my Sig and many Luepold scopes have thicker outer crosshairs to draw your eyes to the center when Zoomed out.
jimbires
Well-Known Member
mttinman59
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the responses, I guess my issue with ffp is the smaller reticle at my lowest power. As a hunter not sure about giving that up ( I guess that's why you have choices) , using my sfp nxs I haven't had any issues again thank you for the help.
Rick Richard
Well-Known Member
I purchased a FFP this year and thought I might not like it based on all the opinions I have read, but surprisingly I like it. So, "don't knock it until you try it". Just saying.
D
Deleted member 103481
Guest
Advantage
when I am in the moment I can make my magnification fit the best image of my target/terrain and not worry about my wind holds, because my reticle graduations are always the same value. So I can shoot on 12 power, 14 power, 7 power, 4 power 18 power it doesn't matter, and my hash/dot is still 1 moa or whatever it is no matter what. If you hold for elevation then the same thing here
disadvantage
Most ffp reticles are small on very low power and hard to see when low at dusk without illumination
I can make both work. But it's nice to be behind the gun and not constrained to only 3/4 powers of magnification that I remember I can use. Instead, I make the mag comfortable and shoot. It's also nice to see my reticle at dusk. I've yet to find the perfect scope.
when I am in the moment I can make my magnification fit the best image of my target/terrain and not worry about my wind holds, because my reticle graduations are always the same value. So I can shoot on 12 power, 14 power, 7 power, 4 power 18 power it doesn't matter, and my hash/dot is still 1 moa or whatever it is no matter what. If you hold for elevation then the same thing here
disadvantage
Most ffp reticles are small on very low power and hard to see when low at dusk without illumination
I can make both work. But it's nice to be behind the gun and not constrained to only 3/4 powers of magnification that I remember I can use. Instead, I make the mag comfortable and shoot. It's also nice to see my reticle at dusk. I've yet to find the perfect scope.
General RE LEE
Well-Known Member
I had a ffp Leupold Mark 5HD. Amazing scope but as a hunter I didn't like the small reticle on low power. I sold it and much prefer the sfp firedot duplex on my VX5HDs.
As already said, the advantage to FFP is that the reticle is always correct.
For SFP, you need to know exactly what magnification you are on and then proportion the reticle. A couple problems with this:
-Magnification rings are not always marked correctly. You won't know if you're on 11 or 10.2 or 11.6, and so there is inherent error here. You also won't find a magnification ring marked at every single power interval, so you are tying your hands on how much of the optic you can actually use with SFP reticle. So while in theory you could proportion the subtensions based on the magnification, in practice, not so much. As an option, you can use a calibrated chart and mark out every magnification interval, but you'd still be subject to the next problem.
-Another issue is that under any sort of stress (hunting, competition, etc.) you are setting yourself up for failure by adding an additional step in your process, which is contingent on your ability to perform quick arithmetic. For every shot, you'll need to quickly figure your reticle subtension times the max magnification (or whichever mag the reticle is set to), and then divide by the magnification that you are currently on. Again, you're unnecessarily baking inherent error potential into the process.
For long range hunting/practical rifle, a SFP reticle is a liability. With a variable power scope, you should be setting the magnification for the distance you are shooting. A FFP reticle may be "small" in appearance on low mag, but think about the distances that you would shoot on low mag - you only need a duplex in that scenario. Basically every FFP reticle will be useable at 5x or 6x and higher.
For SFP, you need to know exactly what magnification you are on and then proportion the reticle. A couple problems with this:
-Magnification rings are not always marked correctly. You won't know if you're on 11 or 10.2 or 11.6, and so there is inherent error here. You also won't find a magnification ring marked at every single power interval, so you are tying your hands on how much of the optic you can actually use with SFP reticle. So while in theory you could proportion the subtensions based on the magnification, in practice, not so much. As an option, you can use a calibrated chart and mark out every magnification interval, but you'd still be subject to the next problem.
-Another issue is that under any sort of stress (hunting, competition, etc.) you are setting yourself up for failure by adding an additional step in your process, which is contingent on your ability to perform quick arithmetic. For every shot, you'll need to quickly figure your reticle subtension times the max magnification (or whichever mag the reticle is set to), and then divide by the magnification that you are currently on. Again, you're unnecessarily baking inherent error potential into the process.
For long range hunting/practical rifle, a SFP reticle is a liability. With a variable power scope, you should be setting the magnification for the distance you are shooting. A FFP reticle may be "small" in appearance on low mag, but think about the distances that you would shoot on low mag - you only need a duplex in that scenario. Basically every FFP reticle will be useable at 5x or 6x and higher.
The benefit of FFP vs SFP is very dependent on the reticle. If it is just crosshairs, obviously, a FFP would make very little sense. If, on the other hand, a reticle has various usable features throughout the range of magnification, then FFP can be really helpful. It's nice to have what looks like a dot when you are in low magnification, but have more information such as Bullet Drop Compensators or cross wind indicators when the magnification is increased.
brcfo_outdoors
Well-Known Member
I think what you are missing is the application. Optics are tools and not every one is useful for every job.
If I want to ping steel at 1400 yards I want a FFP reticle with all the hold over trimmings. It makes precision shooting and corrections extremely easy.
If I am looking for an animal at 300 yards, but it might pop up at 10, and it might be dark out, then I want a SFP reticle.
Nightforce and Vortex (as examples) FFP low power variable optics are improving their reticles so that they appear more as a red dot at low magnification and then give you your wind/dope holds at high magnification. They are, however, more designed for tactical shooting not hunting.
motrapper
Well-Known Member
50 years of using SFP
October of 2019 bought a FFP and will never look back.
At any power I can use the hash Marks.
Low power never had a problem squaring the crosshairs on an animal that close
October of 2019 bought a FFP and will never look back.
At any power I can use the hash Marks.
Low power never had a problem squaring the crosshairs on an animal that close
Jcalloway8603
Well-Known Member
This is exactly for my why I ditched my FFP scope for hunting. In the twilight hours when you have to roll your scope way down in power to get that last little bit of light, the crosshairs are so tiny, I didn't like it. With that being said, all other times of the day it was perfectly fine.
Depending on where you live or hunt and the average distance you get a shot at should determine which Reticle best fits.From about 50 yards to 400 yards I would pick a SFP and anything further I'd take a FFP.
In areas where you dont have enough time to dial in the parallax the SFP beats out the FFP .I live in Southeast TX about 20 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico and a FFP doesn't fit this terrain well as the shots a usually hurried and from 400 yards or shorter
Most of my 34 scopes are FFP because I enjoy shooting Long Range targets.But for hunting around here my 270 Win and 7mm Mag have SFP scpoes.I
And been killing deer since age 8 with SFP scopes. Heck 10 years ago I'd never seen of a FFP scope.
So I humbly disagree with your assessment. I dont think you are setting yourself up for failure with a SFP scope
