Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
Guess I'm old and outdated and learned before such devices were available. All the laser did for me was extend my accurate cold bore range in new hunting territory.
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Ballistic Turret vs Hold Over Lines
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Coyote_Hunter
Well-Known Member
We do a lot of spot and stalk and range frequently, antelope, deer and elk, open grassland and sage to thick timber. Ranging isn't needed in the thick timber but is useful on the open parks. In the grasslands and sage, accurately determining the range past 300 yards is imperative, something I and almost everyone I now sucks at when not using a laser. The lanyard on my laser RF is around my neck and the RF is in a breast pocket.
For guys that won't shoot over 600ish, bdc type reticle is nice. Quick, lighter and no moving parts to fail. Past that, dial.
I never understand the ffp for hunting. Why do you prefer it? With rfs, a sfp performs the task for less money.
Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
The rational is holding for wind with less than full power. The drawback is most reticle designs need to be lit to have a clear aiming point on low power, esp in cover. I like FFP hunting in the open. Not a fan hunting in timber. I have both, my long range guns are all FFP. My 500 and under guns are all SFP. Neither are "Better", but one or the other will be more suitable for the style of hunting you do and the terrain you hunt the most if you only have one rifle.
Why not dial for wind if the shot is 500+? My hst is 16x for mil ranging. To each their own. I hunt wide canyons so we generally have time to dial both turrets. As usual, to each their own though 
Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
Its all in what you get used to. Like I said There is no "Better"Why not dial for wind if the shot is 500+? My hst is 16x for mil ranging. To each their own. I hunt wide canyons so we generally have time to dial both turrets. As usual, to each their own though
Well, for FFP, I have an S&B Zenith 1.5-6x42 Flashdot 7 on my primary deer rifle, and I've found I really don't mind the reticle changing sizes. At the high end of magnification, the fine center cross hair still does not cover enough of an animal to matter, even out to 400 yards. Now as for the Flashdot...THAT does cover a lot, and it ALSO changes size with magnification.
That said, I have MANY more Second Focal Plane optics, and I like them...Honestly
Mram10us:
A scope using SFP with stadia is usually setup for the highest magnification. There are situations where the light is dim and you cannot find the animal unless you twist to a lower magnification. Doing that will cause the stadia to become so far apart that it in many situation it will be useless. FFP stadia spacing remains the same regardless of magnification.
As to hunting in close quarters deep north facing slopes, like I prefer to do with cow elk, I also use a FFP but it has some features that make it very useful. It is a SWFA HD 1-6 illuminated. On 1X there is a circle and a tiny crosshair which naturally centers on the animal for fast shots. As magnification is increased the circle enlarges leaving a just the crosshair for more precision should a longer shot present itself.
For anyone interested it will have a sale price on Black Friday.
https://www.swfa.com/swfa-ss-hd-1-6x24-tactical-30mm-riflescope.html?___SID=U
A scope using SFP with stadia is usually setup for the highest magnification. There are situations where the light is dim and you cannot find the animal unless you twist to a lower magnification. Doing that will cause the stadia to become so far apart that it in many situation it will be useless. FFP stadia spacing remains the same regardless of magnification.
As to hunting in close quarters deep north facing slopes, like I prefer to do with cow elk, I also use a FFP but it has some features that make it very useful. It is a SWFA HD 1-6 illuminated. On 1X there is a circle and a tiny crosshair which naturally centers on the animal for fast shots. As magnification is increased the circle enlarges leaving a just the crosshair for more precision should a longer shot present itself.
For anyone interested it will have a sale price on Black Friday.
https://www.swfa.com/swfa-ss-hd-1-6x24-tactical-30mm-riflescope.html?___SID=U
Rich Coyle
Well-Known Member
Not addressing the stadias here but dim light. What is posted is totally opposite of my many tests when comparing optics. As darkness sets in one has to turn up the magnification to continually see the target.
There is a guy on 24hour who was in Africa at the end of the day. He was using a 1-6X scope and trying to see an animal but it was too dark. The guide told him, "Turn up the scope and shoot it!" So he did.
There is an optics writer who has a low light test. I think his name is John Barrness or something like that. He has confirmed this, also.
While most of my hunting scopes are SFP, and have gotten the job done very well, I have also used FFP scopes for hunting. Generally, the glass and mechanical performance is superb with the tier one models. No question, the "good" FFP scopes are pricey, and generally heavier then the SfP counterparts. IMO, not all FFP scopes are created equal, with some designs being impractical for hunting applications. A quality FFP scope with a well balanced reticle gives up very little in terms of target acquisition over the full range of shots encountered in LR hunting. A big advantage of the FFP is having a consistent retinal substention regardless of the power setting. I find myself frequently using the power ring to quickly locate game, and orienting the sight picture to to distance to accurately hit the target/animal while still being able to spot the hit.....Without worrying about being at the right power to use my windage hold offs. Once familiar with the process, I find the FFP much faster to use in time limited scenarios, a frequent accuracy being a whitetail fanatic. With weight, size, and even price, quite close to my SFP NF ATAC-R, my S&B 5x25x56 PMII with a P4 Fine reticle, has quickly become one of my favorite LR hunting scopes. The superb reliability, and optical/mechanical performance certainly adds to this preference. I'm very interested in taking a look at the new FFP 2.5x20 Nightforce F8 with it's lighter weight and more compact size. With the introduction of this scope, it's possible that more hunters will experience the benefits of a well designed FFP scope for LRH. IMO.
Rich,
I would like to read those articles that you reference.
Dave Miller set up a Leupold with custom reticle from Premier back when they worked on Leupolds. The scope's max power was 20X. He personally told me, he figured out exactly where 10X was and used it as a second set of stadia FOR DIM LIGHT.
I have a wonderful Swarovski Z6 2.5-15 x 44. The stadia spacing is set up for max magnification, 15X. I glassed up a nice coues wt at 450 yds with my 15 x 56 Swarovski binoculars on a tripod. I went prone to use the scope and needed the stadia to make the shot. I could not see the deer! I was able to lower the magnification setting and find the deer but had no idea how to compensate for the drop as the stadia spacing changed radically on 6-8X where I could finally see the deer.
I base my opinion on my experience and am willing to learn how others manage to make it work. After that debacle I switched to FFP and while the stadia would be useful across the magnification range, I choose to twist turrets for those longer coues wt shots.
I would like to read those articles that you reference.
Dave Miller set up a Leupold with custom reticle from Premier back when they worked on Leupolds. The scope's max power was 20X. He personally told me, he figured out exactly where 10X was and used it as a second set of stadia FOR DIM LIGHT.
I have a wonderful Swarovski Z6 2.5-15 x 44. The stadia spacing is set up for max magnification, 15X. I glassed up a nice coues wt at 450 yds with my 15 x 56 Swarovski binoculars on a tripod. I went prone to use the scope and needed the stadia to make the shot. I could not see the deer! I was able to lower the magnification setting and find the deer but had no idea how to compensate for the drop as the stadia spacing changed radically on 6-8X where I could finally see the deer.
I base my opinion on my experience and am willing to learn how others manage to make it work. After that debacle I switched to FFP and while the stadia would be useful across the magnification range, I choose to twist turrets for those longer coues wt shots.
