FFP scopes worth it?

B

BoogieMan

New member
Jump in price with ant given manufacturer is pretty significant once you choose FFP. Is there an advantage to a FFP othe than range finding?
With the markup I could easily buy a dedicated range finder and still be under the cost difference of going to a FFP.
I should mention in this case I am discussing higher power range scopes. 24x or more. I am probably going to go with sightron. Also considering nightforce, but its considerable more expensive and I'm not sure the quality is better.
 
Rest assured that NF scopes are well above the level of Sightron scopes. As for whether or not you'll see any advantage from an FFP scope, I think your intended use will decide that. If you hunt, with shots inside 300 yards, you don't need FFP. If you are a long range target shooter, you will appreciate an FFP scope with turrets. You will still have use for a rangefinder.

I have SFP scopes mostly, but bought one FFP scope - a Vortex Viper PST 4-16 FFP - a few years ago. I don't use the turrets much, so I'm underutilizing the scope, but I have gotten really fond of it. For the money, I think that scope offers a ton of value for the price. I bought it because of seeing coyotes and pigs on my place at ranges beyond 400 yards. For the sake of discussion, I see a coyote out in the hayfield. Grab the rangefinder and see that he's at 475 yards. With a duplex reticle scope, and a rifle shooting a bullet at 3000 fps and sighted in at 200 yards, the drop at 400 is 20 inches, and at 500 is 40 inches. Good luck at guessing the holdover. Put an FFP scope on that rifle, dial the clicks for that distance (which you tested previously), and drop the coyote. Bottom line is that you can shoot with more precision at distance with a turreted FFP scope. So, is that something you really need?
 
The NF SHV F1 4X14X50 is $1,250.00. Considerably less than the NXS, Beast and ATACR lines. Dang good scope though, typical NF quality, excellent optics, tough as nails, Zeroset, center only illumination and fantastic light gathering.
 
Rangefinder is another piece of equipment, and one that can fail. One wouldn't want to be out in the field on a hunting trip and have that happen and ruin the day- or more.

That said, if this isn't a critical consideration then I'd stay with SFP.

Every scope in the family is SFP, we only shoot long range steel at known ranges so I've seen no advantage. I've also regarded the reticle "growing" with magnification to be a real disadvantage with small targets, at long ranges. They obscure much of the target. Aim small...miss small.

JMO, YMMV.
 
^^^^ this

Competitive tactical precision shooters I know all use FFP because targets are unknown distance and range finders aren't allowed.

OTOH, Competitive F-class (i.e. target) shooters shoot for score at known distances, and the F-class shooters I know all use SFP for the reason tobnpr offered.

For me, if I needed/wanted distance estimation, I'd get a FFP. Otherwise, I'd go SFP.
 
That answers a lot of questions for me. I will likely stick with the sfp. Everyplace I will be shooting I will know the distance. The cost savings will also come in handy.
I get a very good pricing sightron, luepold and a few others. So I will be using one of them. Thinking the 32x sightron at this point
 
I run out a little past 1100 yards for target shooting but only to about 350 for game....no need for an FFP here.
 
I will second 603country on Nightforce and Sightron. That said I shoot F Class at known distances, so the Sightron is a awesome scope. I run a 8-32 x 56 Fine Crosshair. Tracking is just perfect and been repeatable now for years. I have also looked at the Nightforce, have had opportunity to shoot with a few. Way crisper picture and looks, That said-As far as tracking and such- No difference at all. Someday I will bite the bullet and get a NIghtforce, but for now- No complaints on the Sightron at all. Perfect all around.
 
Tradeoffs!

It depends on how you use your reticle.There are advantages to having the reticle values on target stay the same throughout the variable range.
If you use a dot or crosshair to define a point,not so much,but if you havea scale of any kind,Mildot,BDC,MP-8,etc,for ranging or hold off,FFP has value.
It helps if your reticle and turrets use the same unit,eithe Mil/Mil or MOA/MOA.

A Mil reticle with MOA adj is more thinking
 
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