FFP worth extra cost?

[Pdvdh]

The size of the cross hair is best controlled in SFP. Covers less target at long range, and more at close range. SFP has that advantage over FFP. This is something I like in SFP scopes when taking long shots.

And now that I dial turrets for corrective dope, the FFP really offers me no advantage. Most LRH will agree that dialing turrets is advantageous for the really long shots.

But if a fella wants to use the cross-hair for hold-offs and hold-overs out to 800 yds, I can see where the FFP offers some advantages. I wasn't a turret twister until about 1 1/2 years ago, and used mil-dot or IOR MP-8 reticles for holdovers. Did OK that way. But I now prefer adjusting the turrets for the corrective dope. I see only disadvantages to FFP for the turret twisters.

 

[royinidaho]

still consider the ability to range at any power a week argument!

Roger that!!

In fact, according to my experience with the Mil Dot reticle its as useless as tits on a boar hog. MOA reticles can't be far behind.

When game animal species are of uniform size things may be different!!

 

[theodore]

At 4x on my horus scope, the reticle is so small that it is difficult to see, have to crank it up to about 7x before becoming comfortable to just use the cross hair. Thats the main disadvantage on my ffp scope, can't use it at minimum power.

At max power, the field of view is sometime too small for me that I have to back down a little and am disadvantaged if using SFP. That is if recoil is too much and am trying to gain more view of the field.


I'm not trying to argue here or saying which focal plane is king. I know this is about if ffp is worth the extra cost, this forums is also helping other folks finding out what they want to use or even know what focal plane is.

But I do know that SFP is dangerous to the uneducated shooter. Look at Cabelas selection of scopes, 99% are in SFP and a lot of 'em have reticle for long range. All the salesperson I met still don't know what focal plane, I found out the hard way. It was dangerous. Cabelas is a mile from my home and they are open til 9pm.

good luck.

 

[davewilson]

i now understand what you mean by the SFP scopes are dangerous to the uninformed and agree. the great equalizer to that is most shooters will be on the highest power when attempting a longer shot.
i also now understand how you can aim at 3" rocks at 1300 yds. and the trade off is a reticle that's very difficult to see on lower powers. if it's not an illuminated reticle, hunting in low light would be almost impossible. this is my point on why i don't think FFP reticles are the best way to go for a hunting rifle, especially a long range rig.
i think SFP scopes get a bad rap because you can't range on all powers. i consider this "BFD" myself and everyone i know uses a rangefinder and the reticle is a "backup" system, that you can still do with a SFP.
some like Ford, some like Chevy. i guess it's a Ford-Chevy thing!

 

[orkan]

My use of FFP is due to much more than ranging at all powers.

Let me pose one scenario of many:
Shooter is on the rifle with a SFP scope which for the sake of argument happens to be a heavy recoiling rifle, making it impossible to spot your own shots. The shooters buddy is "spotting" for him with another SFP optic. Shooter fires, and misses.

What does the spotter say to the shooter to ensure a 2nd round hit?

 

[davewilson]

if his reticle has moa markings, he gives him the correction in moa. absolutely the same as a FFP. if there's no markings on the reticle, he gives him his best guess as to how far he's off and they figure a correction or hold off. absolutely the same as a FFP.

 

[Pdvdh]

if his reticle has moa markings, he gives him the correction in moa. absolutely the same as a FFP. if there's no markings on the reticle, he gives him his best guess as to how far he's off and they figure a correction or hold off. absolutely the same as a FFP.

Dave,

You should have mentioned that when the shooter employs a scope with SFP, the result is more often than not one-shot, one kill.

 

[theodore]

...some like Ford, some like Chevy. i guess it's a Ford-Chevy thing!

LOL

Love the chevies but I drive a ford! LOL

 

[davewilson]

i'll give ya 3 guesses as to what i drive!

 

[orkan]

if his reticle has moa markings, he gives him the correction in moa. absolutely the same as a FFP. if there's no markings on the reticle, he gives him his best guess as to how far he's off and they figure a correction or hold off. absolutely the same as a FFP.

What power are they on when all this is going on?

 

[davewilson]

i assume the shooter is on the highest power where he is using his reticle for hold correction. of course if he's good he can also use a power that's a 50 or 200% multiple of whatever the scopes reticle is calibrated for. the spotter is probably on the highest power also. i'd much rather be in close to see the impact, i'm not a follow the trace guy, would rather just concentrate on the impact. but he also has the option of backing out to half or twice the value that the reticle is set up for.
i'd be the first to agree that a FFP is more flexible in that each can put it on whatever power they want and still be functionable. but the small advantages they have get more than outweighed by the disadvantages.

 

[Pdvdh]

Does this mean I can only hunt with buddies that have the same scope FFP/SFP, that I do? Or that I have to pressure them to purchase a scope identical to mine?

By far and away, most scopes are SFP in the USA. Seems like a swim against the tide to expect everyone else to purchase FFP.

 

[orkan]

but the small advantages they have get more than outweighed by the disadvantages.

What disadvantages of FFP are you speaking of?

 

[royinidaho]

It's about as relative as this: I drive a Habitat Invasion Vehicle - Carrier (HIV-Carrier) or aka Suzuki Sidekick......