Need advice for scope ffp vs sfp. Read everything i could. Simple question

6.5x300 WBY

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First i have read sooooo many old posts on ffp vs sfp and i am getting dizzy.

I am looking to purchase a top end scope for a possible new rifle. I have only used in the field sfp scopes. I did purchase a swfa 5x20 ffp on a great deal i couldnt pass up.
I have ZERO desire to range anything at distance. Zero. Actually less than zero!! I want to dial after i range anything. I am pretty much disabled do to arthritis so my hunting will be in ground blinds or towers. I will not be walking anywhere in the mountains, only walking will be to my blinds. Deer are mostly my primary target maybe some black bear.

So if i am in my blind and a nice buck shows up and i range him a 560 yards and i dial for distance do i really need FFP scope? Now i am not sure but when people say (HOLD FOR WIND) WHAT does that mean in basic terms? I apologize for my ignorance in this but this is going to get expensive but i want the best. Explain that process. I have in my mind that hold for wind means old Kentucky windage if its a left to right wind at 10 mph i will hold off the deer so the bullet drifts into the deers vitals. Not using any reticles to assist. Zero use of hash marks just a guess.

I do kind of like the use of using the hash marks for wind if its known MPH and i can adjust accordingly. But as i said before i have zero desire to use reticle for range.

I am kinda thinking that sfp is petty much perfect for what i want but dont want to not be missing anything where a ffp will be just as good.

I know this has been talked to death but even reading everything i still come out confused on this topic.

Thx for any assistance on this topic

Brian
 
Yesterday shooting with two newbie shooters out to 900 yards. They also hunt and this topic came up. Two of us had the same reticle EBR7C and he was dialing all day long and lost his place. Had to start from 100 and go again. Other guy had a NF something and dialing all day. I never clicked my scope one time and I pointed it out. An hour lesson in using the reticle and both said WHY THE HELLO WOULD ANYBODY DIAL WHEN ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS AIM AND SHOOT? I said I don't know I guess it's cool or something it makes no sense to me. They both said I guess I better learn how to use this thing.
Of course then the question of FFP and SFP came up. I broke out my 28N with a VX6 3-18 with TMOA and lined all up on the bench. All the other scopes were on lowest power I think 5x. I timed them from standing to hitting the 500yd 12x12" plate. The only miss was a FFP and was the slowest to hit. Again, WHY THE HELLO WOULD ANYONE HUNT WITH ONE OF THOSE THINGS YOU CANT SEE THE FLIPPEN AIMING POINT? I don't know I guess they like it.
Yes a lot more discussion was had and they at this point are still with their original thoughts
 
FFP has nothing to do with ranging in hunting.

1. If you plan on zooming all the way in before you shoot every time FFP doesn't help you.
2. If you don't use the reticle at all FFP doesn't help you.
If your scope is however say a 4-24, 5-25, 4-32 or any other high power magnification (anything over 18 power at the top end. You will want a FFP.
The reason is you may want to shoot at a smaller target at say 300-600 yards and want to keep the power selection ring in the 12-18 range. If you do this with a second focal plane (SFP) you will NOT be able to use the reticle without doing even more fancy math.

Simple, ask yourself the top 2 questions. If you don't ever plan on NOT zooming in all the way and shooting with the reticle at say 6-12 power you don't need FFP.

At 18pwr FFP can be useful, in my humble opinion top ends of 14-16pwr kinda are a waist of having an FFP.
Think about this, any situation where you will say dial for elevation and use hash marks to hold for wind would be a situation where you want to make the most precise shot possible. This would also necesitate that you take the time to zoom all the way in. Granted your not trying to hold for wind on a tiny coyote at 18pwr when you scope goes to 32pwr why would you not zoom all the way in? (This is because as soon as you zoom in to 32PWR you can't find little coyote in your scope) If your scopes top end is 12, 14,15, or 16 I'ma bet you zoom all the way in. As soon as you do that the FFP is exactly the same as an SFP.
3. Thant said if any percentage of your hunting takes place in heavy timber/brush just go with SFP. You will miss more shots at game looking for the reticle in the brush than mis-judging you Kentucky windage whilst you try to shoot at 16pwr on your 18pwr scope.

Just my ¢2

Joel
 
FFP has nothing to do with ranging in hunting.

1. If you plan on zooming all the way in before you shoot every time FFP doesn't help you.
2. If you don't use the reticle at all FFP doesn't help you.
If your scope is however say a 4-24, 5-25, 4-32 or any other high power magnification (anything over 18 power at the top end. You will want a FFP.
The reason is you may want to shoot at a smaller target at say 300-600 yards and want to keep the power selection ring in the 12-18 range. If you do this with a second focal plane (SFP) you will NOT be able to use the reticle without doing even more fancy math.

Simple, ask yourself the top 2 questions. If you don't ever plan on NOT zooming in all the way and shooting with the reticle at say 6-12 power you don't need FFP.

At 18pwr FFP can be useful, in my humble opinion top ends of 14-16pwr kinda are a waist of having an FFP.
Think about this, any situation where you will say dial for elevation and use hash marks to hold for wind would be a situation where you want to make the most precise shot possible. This would also necesitate that you take the time to zoom all the way in. Granted your not trying to hold for wind on a tiny coyote at 18pwr when you scope goes to 32pwr why would you not zoom all the way in? (This is because as soon as you zoom in to 32PWR you can't find little coyote in your scope) If your scopes top end is 12, 14,15, or 16 I'ma bet you zoom all the way in. As soon as you do that the FFP is exactly the same as an SFP.
3. Thant said if any percentage of your hunting takes place in heavy timber/brush just go with SFP. You will miss more shots at game looking for the reticle in the brush than mis-judging you Kentucky windage whilst you try to shoot at 16pwr on your 18pwr scope.

Just my ¢2

Joel
This makes a lot of sense. I use way more scope ( if I'm honest with myself) than most. At 100 yards i am using a lot more magnification up to 8 to 10 or even 12 power. So seems with my eyes ffp has zero hindrance. To me that is.

I can EASILY use 6 to 8 power at 60 to 80 yards. Maybe ffp is the winner.

But like i said i want to dial for windage but use hash marks for wind when i need to. So foes that sound like a perfect Ffp scope
 
Advantages and disadvantages both ways. I prefer SFP because I don't want my reticle be huge at high magnification. If you have time to dial for elevation and wind then buy SFP and point and shoot. Practice in wind and get diligent. Dial it up and trust your dial. If you want to hold for wind then FFP will be easier to use because with SFP, the reticle is only correct at one magnification. With most SFP scopes, the only time the reticle is accurate is when the scope is on max magnification. Some are set up to be accurate at a magnification other than max but that is rare. That is how they are designed. You will need to practice either way, of course. if I were to get into PRS competition and was shooting against time, I would shoot FFP and hold for wind. I have gone back and forth on this myself for years. My dad likes FFP and I prefer SFP.
 
This makes a lot of sense. I use way more scope ( if I'm honest with myself) than most. At 100 yards i am using a lot more magnification up to 8 to 10 or even 12 power. So seems with my eyes ffp has zero hindrance. To me that is.

I can EASILY use 6 to 8 power at 60 to 80 yards. Maybe ffp is the winner.

But like i said i want to dial for windage but use hash marks for wind when i need to. So foes that sound like a perfect Ffp scope
At 60 to 80yards there is no need to hold for wind.

1. If your max range is under 400yd or your max power on the scope you want is 16 or less you don't need a FFP.
2.this could all change if you are trying to say build a dual purpose rig that shoots targets and running shots at coyotes at 200 yards and prairie dogs at 300 yards and targets/still coyotes at 600 yards.
3. FFP is more about the MAX power of the scope you are going to buy because being stuck at 25power for usage of the reticle is a handicap for some situations.
4. You said in your original post you could shoot a buck at 560yds from a blind. IF this means you want a 24,25,36 power scope to make that shot I'd go with FFP for the occation you want to shoot another buck at 300 yards in strong wind and you want to only zoom to say 15pwr because your excited and every time you zoom your scope to 32pwr you move around from excitement and lose the buck in your scope.

All this being said if you go out and buy a 4-16 you are going to be at 16pwr for every shot past 100yds and therefore have defeated the purpose of having an FFP scope.
 
I also have ZERO DESIRE for competition shooting or shooting steel. I can say 600 seems like a million miles. I am in NJ for now but will be moving in the next year or so. Most likely NC or SC with a chance at KY. So i can't see me shooting at >600. But i do want best glass i can get. ZC or TT will be my choices with outside shot at SB.

I inherited UNFORTUNATELY my brothers Rem 700 3006 which will get my SWFA 5X20X50. I AM interested in getting a custom 6mm most likely 240 wby built. Other custom will be a Muzzleloader from arrowhead custom. So these will take me through my life and do what i need/want to. Honestly deer are my game and can't see I'll ever get to pursue an elk. To expensive for guide. But u never know.

Appreciate all input. But now leaning that a FFP scope will be great for intended purposes. My perfect scenario is to dial for distance and hold/use hash marks for wind. Does that sound like ffp?
 
Sounds like you got it nailed down!
Thx. This stuff when you are not into this and experienced in it is so foreign. I know its easy for you but from me who's longest shot on a deer is about 97 yards its alien for sure. Just trying to make the most educated decision i can.

Thx all.
 
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