New to airguns and seeing the FFP scopes are the new thing if I am shooting 50 yards and under are there any benefits to using a FFP type scope?
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Are There Benefits To Using FFP Scope Under 50 Yards?
- Thread starter brawler1588
- Start date
.i find the distances over 50 yards in ffp scopes harder to see my target (which is usually a pellet hole or something about that size)...the crosshairs get too thick... most 3-9x40ao, or sf scopes should be fine for you. maybe 3-12x if youre like i am lately.. the different colored reticles arent much useful unless the 30 min around dusk or dawn... just adds weight and we leave the batteries on. if you can find a mildot scope - all the better. i generally use a 3-9x40ao mildot on most of my springers.... i get by with centerpoint, sometimes the older hawke hd scopes - which used to be around $76 shipped from optics plannet... but i dont have magnum springers anymore (hawke hd for sure there). i tried a 3-9x32ao bug buster, but i cant pull it far enough back on the rail (neck injury-football) for my comfort......brand new, in the box.... need to sell or trade that one. other guys love those short-scopes. i just never liked spending more on a scope than the gun and kept returning scopes until i found some that for under $80 would last.... the older air force scopes that were imported by sun optics were virtually in-destructable in the 3-9x40ao , and 2-7x32ao sizes and had mildot - i used those on the hatsan 125's and other hard magnums..... some guys use the bsa sweet 22 scopes - probably the cheaper way out, but i havent tried them on magnum springers or rammers. if you have a gun that doesnt recoil or kick (pcp, co2, pumpers) you dont have to spend extra for an 'ag' (airgun rated) scope which are designed for the double recoil of spring/piston guns. - paul .
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I use a discovery 6x24 ffp it has super thin reticle. I use it for 50yd benchrest and it works great for my old eyes.
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VT-T 6-24x50 SFVF-N Only wish it had illuminated reticle. Other than that it’s great for under $300.
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The “crosshairs get too thick” you’ll hear this a lot. It is “not true” of all FFP scopes. You just have to look for a reticle you like, do a bit of research. I ended up with an Aztec Emerald FFP 5.5-25. At 25x the reticle does not obscure the target... I can see my .22 pellets holes easily at 50 yards. There are benefits, but you have to decide if they outweigh the perceived negatives. Good luck in your search. My next scope will also be an FFP. An illuminated reticle is a plus, I don’t use mine all the time, but it comes in very handy indeed when I do need it. The Aztec has five levels of illumination, 5 green/5 red, the whole reticle is lit, not just the center. And there is no “blooming” even at the highest settings. I am still very happy with mine six months in.
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Here is my dilemma I had the discovery HI scope with second focal plane 5-20×50 and looked really good but had an issue and took the credit and put it towards the discovery HD 5-20×50 in first focal plane and I don't know if its because I'm not use to it but it seems weird and not sure if i made the right decision. Like said I fear the crosshairs will get to big and the are very think at 4 magnification and need to turn the light on to see it.
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G
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I can only speak from an FT perspective...
Some shooters use mil-dots for hold-over at the various distances: 10-55 yards.
Most shooters zero at 25-27 yards so that at the closer distances (10-15 yards) they never have to hold under (the scope is above the barrel, remember?).
In my case at 16X I am holding 3.7 mil-dots up (10.34 grains at 885fps) at 10 yards.
If shooting offhand some shooters find it difficult to hold at 16X so they reduce the power of the scope and for a 2nd Focal Plane scope that requires an adjustment of your mil-dots.
In my case at 8X and 10 yards my hold over becomes 1.8 (2) mil-dots and at 4X a .9 (1) mil-dot.
Of course one would want to practice at all anticipated ranges, if one wants to change the power on one’s scope.
With a First Focal Plane (FFP) this amount of legerdemain is not required as when you reduce the power of your scope, the mil-dots come closer and your hold data remains the same regardless of the power selected.
Practice, practice.
Remember to return your scope to 16X after that stage....
Some shooters use mil-dots for hold-over at the various distances: 10-55 yards.
Most shooters zero at 25-27 yards so that at the closer distances (10-15 yards) they never have to hold under (the scope is above the barrel, remember?).
In my case at 16X I am holding 3.7 mil-dots up (10.34 grains at 885fps) at 10 yards.
If shooting offhand some shooters find it difficult to hold at 16X so they reduce the power of the scope and for a 2nd Focal Plane scope that requires an adjustment of your mil-dots.
In my case at 8X and 10 yards my hold over becomes 1.8 (2) mil-dots and at 4X a .9 (1) mil-dot.
Of course one would want to practice at all anticipated ranges, if one wants to change the power on one’s scope.
With a First Focal Plane (FFP) this amount of legerdemain is not required as when you reduce the power of your scope, the mil-dots come closer and your hold data remains the same regardless of the power selected.
Practice, practice.
Remember to return your scope to 16X after that stage....
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But at let's say 4x at least on my new scope the mils or lines can't be seen they are so small and start getting visible at around 8x but still small, so I'm not sure.
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At magnification lower than 10x, are the hash marks/lines really useful? I just use the centerpoint to aim with if shooting at low magnification and inside of 40 yards.
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This is sort of what I'm saying if I'm only shooting 50 yards would a SFP scope do fine and did I overkill it will swapping out the scope and should of just got a new one of the same scope.
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It is much simpler with a fixed power scope. I'm not sure why more people don't understand that.
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In response to the thread opener, yes there are benefits, I use FFP all the time in FT matches and don't plan on ever going backwards to SFP again. I used one for the last 3 years, winning state and my division twice. When it's windy the hash marks coupled with ballistic program app on the cell phone have been invaluable.
Have Athlon Talos BTR FFP 4-14's for hunting and have used it up close, the reticle is plenty visible at 4x, without being illuminated.
cmshooter, everything is a compromise, fixed power scopes aren't always the solution, examples coming. 2.5x is good for up close but compromised for small targets at distance, I know from Vintage Sniper comps. 20x the FOV is too small for hunting up close, I know from the SWFA 20x, it's not that you can't find the target, it the extra time it takes. Fixed high magnification scopes are only really useful for target, maybe varmint at distance on occasion - understand now??
Try the FFP 5-20 and if you don't like it then sell it.
Have Athlon Talos BTR FFP 4-14's for hunting and have used it up close, the reticle is plenty visible at 4x, without being illuminated.
cmshooter, everything is a compromise, fixed power scopes aren't always the solution, examples coming. 2.5x is good for up close but compromised for small targets at distance, I know from Vintage Sniper comps. 20x the FOV is too small for hunting up close, I know from the SWFA 20x, it's not that you can't find the target, it the extra time it takes. Fixed high magnification scopes are only really useful for target, maybe varmint at distance on occasion - understand now??
Try the FFP 5-20 and if you don't like it then sell it.
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https://youtu.be/DK1wsBGlokA
heres Hajimotos review of my scope. Thin reticle at all distances.
heres Hajimotos review of my scope. Thin reticle at all distances.
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Sighted it in today and seemed to do well but didn't really go below 10x magnification here is a 40 yard grouping 8 shots. All the other shots were from earlier when sighting it in.
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