FFP scope?

Never used one and don't know anyone with one in 50 years of hunting. But thinking of trying one. My question is on a 4x16 power at what power roughly would the cross hair be about same size as a standard SFP? Wondering what power most of you keep yours on for standard hunting.

I have a 4-32 and my typical setting is somewhere around 8ish.

Different scopes have different reticle thicknesses, sizes and characteristics. So somewhere around 10-16 depending what scopes you're comparing and how they do their magnification.

It's not really apples to apples.

It depends on what type of reticle you pick, just like with an SFP. I sold the few SFPs I had left a few years ago and went to all FFP. I replaced a Swaro with a S&B T96 Polar. I will run 4x when I'm hunting in the wood or 12-16 when I'm shooting longer distances. I use the full range.

I carry on min power. I increase power until I'm just confident in my ability to see my aim point….for example, a 300yd shot would be about 9x. Maybe you want 15x. That might be better for you.

The reason I do that is I want to see what happens after I shoot. Does it drop? Run? Jump? Max power makes it hard to see where it goes.

Bang flop is a real PITA, if you don't know it dropped.

I set mine on roughly 22x

I'm replying to you as if you plan to use this at all magnifications and you think the reticle will be too small to see on low power. If that is not the case, ignore my response.
That usually is not a problem. Most ffp reticles I have seen are thicker on the sides and bottom of the crosshairs while at low magnification. This will act as a typical duplex reticle in this scenario.

I find the questions very interesting and relevant to someone who has never used one. I don't have a straight answer for you, however, I can say that on the low end of the magnification, the reticle is so small, I can't read the subtention values at all. At high magnification, it seems like the reticle occupies most of the field of view. If I has to guess on a 4-16x FFP, I would say around 8x to 10x would be similar to it's SFP equivalent.

coop2564 said:

Never used one and don't know anyone with one in 50 years of hunting. But thinking of trying one. My question is on a 4x16 power at what power roughly would the cross hair be about same size as a standard SFP? Wondering what power most of you keep yours on for standard hunting.

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The answer really depends on the attenuation(reticle sizing) difference between the particular SFP and FFP scopes. It's easy enough to figure it out looking at the attenuation diagram of the scope(s). They are not all created equal. Comparing my Nightforce 5x25 SFP(fine), the cross hair is about the same size as my S&B 5x25 FFP(fine) when both are set at max power. The S&B's crosshair will decrease in size proportionally as the power is decreased. This comparison seems to be a good general guideline. I will usually keep the power on the S&B between 8 and 10X when hunting which is a good sizing for me for general carry.

Like all have said, it depends a lot on the scope set up for reticle etc. I have both, use both, and generally have zero desire to use a FFP unless running a super high magnification range scope. For example, I would personally never run a 15x or lower scope in FFP for hunting long range. I would guess that every shot I've taken from 100-1000 on game has been at least 10x and most have been 14-15 even under 300. Example just shot a mountain lion last weekend at 200 and was on 15x. Past that I will typically run the high end of the scopes mag and send it. For me that means a FFP is SFP are generally that same and having the larger reticle in low light and close in shots is more helpful then not, and holds are generally not worth the conversation. In the end I'll bet you use the higher end of the mag range to send it and the lower to spot the target and get set. If you are hunting open plains and deal with a tremendous amount of wind the FFP is going to help with large holds but otherwise, it's such a toss up and user preference it's hard to know how you'll react to it. I think you'll be fine no matter what and will get used to it. I will say if you go FFP make sure and go MRAD so you are the most tacticool you can be. Call all your adjustments in as cool as possible. Echo Uniform 3.2 Whiskey Romeo .2, hold, send it. You'll impress everyone

I went to FFP probably 10 years ago, and never looked back. In low light, I use it at 4X with illumination. On the Zeiss LRP S3, it's just a center dot. Once the sun is up, I'll keep it about 12X, depending on the range I'll be hunting. I can see and use the reticle just fine, and i generally have enough field of view to be able to aquire my target quickly. For long range, and if time allows, I'll max it out to 24X.

Bang4theBuck said:

I find the questions very interesting and relevant to someone who has never used one. I don't have a straight answer for you, however, I can say that on the low end of the magnification, the reticle is so small, I can't read the subtention values at all. At high magnification, it seems like the reticle occupies most of the field of view. If I has to guess on a 4-16x FFP, I would say around 8x to 10x would be similar to it's SFP equivalent.

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Right I know it varies. That's why I specified 4x16. I do not like real high power scopes. All my hunting is done 700yds and in. With most shots under 300yd. The videos I've seen the retical is so small on lower power seems useless. Are the retical designs made where the rectical is in relationship to magnification power? In other words, if power is at 8 on 16 power max it would roughly equal retical size at 12 in 24 power? Or does the rectical just keep getting bigger in 24?

coop2564 said:

Right I know it varies. That's why I specified 4x16. I do not like real high power scopes. All my hunting is done 700yds and in. With most shots under 300yd. The videos I've seen the retical is so small on lower power seems useless. Are the retical designs made where the rectical is in relationship to magnification power? In other words, if power is at 8 on 16 power max it would roughly equal retical size at 12 in 24 power? Or does the rectical just keep getting bigger in 24?

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My experience with FFP is the reticle grows in size with the magnification. On the 4-16 it will grow from 4 to the 16 being the biggest and your subtension for the holds will remain the same for all power settings. I think you will be fine with either SFP or FFP but it really depends if you like to run on the higher end of mag for your shots. I tend to do so. I like to aim small, miss small, focus on the reticle.

Obviously it depends on the manufacturer / reticle, but it seems like they generally match a SFP around the upper-middle of the magnification range. Maybe somewhere around the 10-12 on a 4-16, at least in terms of thickness. Obviously it will keep growing as you zoom in, it doesn't stop growing at any point in the range. Once you hit max magnification it will be at its biggest, and that is generally the size it will need to be at for correct 1 to 1 tracking with your turrets.

Generally I always carry on the lowest power, then zoom in accordingly to the situation at hand. I very rarely use the upper magnification range except for sighting in or on very long shots