Dumbfounded, tired of looking, need scope suggestions.

[Vetmx]

Well which NX8 did you order? I bet it will be a winner.

NX8 2.5-20x50 F2. It seems to be what I’m looking for but I won’t know until it’s on the gun for a week or so. I never owned a Nightforce scope so that’s exciting. The price isn’t but a scope is no different than our guns. As we evolve, we become very picky in what we want for certain situations. Unfortunately sometimes it’s costly. There are fantastic scopes for under a grand, but I just wasn’t willing to bend. So it cost extra. In pellet gun land, those Athlons are good scopes. It’s the only FFP I kept.

 

[Vetmx]

I'm late to the discussion....

What scope did you get, Frank? (I'm not finding Spray1Marks' recommendation ....)



About the reasoning in favor of SFP — I'm somewhat wavering in my previous FFP-or-bust commitment. ;-)

(1) At close ranges I use a low mag and my quarry is within PBR — so no need for a POI adjustment. 

(2) At far ranges I use a high mag and because of range I do need a POI adjustment. So, at high magnification I want my reticle to be true (in the case of a 4-24x scope, the reticle should be calibrated at 24x). 



BUT counterintuitively most SFP reticles are NOT calibrated at maximum magnification — instead they are calibrated at 10x (or 15x as the mentioned Athlon* Midas BTR Gen. 2 4.5-27x50 SFP). 



So, yeah, this makes little sense to me. I would have to carefully look and check that my magnification is right at the calibrated setting.... Not helpful when trying to line up a shot on a moving critter.... I only found one scope that at least lets you feel (with a click) when you're reaching the calibrated magnification. 



I am really trying to like SFP scopes.....

Matthias



*Well, this particular Athlon has a 30y minimum parallax — that's a deadly deal breaker for me.

I jumped on the FFP bandwagon like it was in route to the Playboy mansion. But in my particular shooting/hunting situations, the most beneficial part of the whole FFP thing was not as helpful as I thought. With my Athlon Helos, when I’m at maximum magnification, I can only see 20mils for hold over. The other 20 are hidden until I turn the scope down. So with that particular FFP scope, 6-10x is almost useless for quick acquisition of my crosshairs and I can’t use my full tree until I come down from 24x to around 15x. Like Centercut, I realized if I have time to be looking at something on maximum magnification, I generally have time to click. I don’t worry about where there reticle is calibrated at with my SFP scopes. I can get my trajectories to jive with Strelok by playing with the magnification in the app if I have to. Then I print one of these and stick it on my scope for when I don’t feel like clicking. Eventually you kinda memorize it. 

 

[L.Leon]

@vetmx, why use holdovers at max magnification with an FFP as opposed to dialing? I agree that with my Helos with the APLR2 MOA reticle I lose half of the vertical hash marks at 24x. But it doesn't matter, if I'm at 24x I'm dialing. Where FFP shines for me is that all my dialing corresponds to my holdovers. So when anywhere from 10x to 24x, sub 100 yards on pests or targets I can dial or use holdovers as situation dictates. At magnifications below 10x? At that point I'm shooting sub forty yards and just use the center of the reticle. Many, many kills at 6x with same scope out to forty yards. I'm sold on FFP for my shooting needs.

 

[CyberDyneSystems]

4-20x50 just happens to be the specs on my absolute favorite scope.

It is a Meopta Optika 5 I bought used here on this forum. It's optics are the best I have looked through. I'd use it for night work, absolutely. Mine is SFP, MOA turrets and a very uncluttered reticle view. It has illumination, but not the crosshairs, just the dot in the middle.

https://www.meoptasportsoptics.com/us/produkt/optika5-4-20x50-rd-16181/

 

[oldsparky]

I too am frustrated. Looking for an airgun scope. I have bought Aztec, both Leupold EFR's 6.5-20 with a custom shop reticle. That I couldn't see. I kept the 3-9 duplex. I have bought a couple Hawke sidewinders I kept the 17110 6.5-20 half mil, its not great but I like the reticle better than anything I have on an airgun. I tried a NX8 it was just ok I couldn't see the reticle great shooting from outside to a dark barn and I didn't realize the entire 2nd focal plane reticle didn't illuminate. I ordered a Athlon HMR this weekend. So far I always go back to my Sightron Big Skys two have a mil dot and one has a duplex. The mil dots are really too far apart for my rifles trajectory's. I would love to have something 2nd focal with a reticle like the half mill Hawke bold enough for my eyes. I don't care for a tree reticle. Magnification around 20-25 top end with nice clear glass. 



How is that for picky

 

[Vetmx]

That’s not being picky. I’ve been a Sightron guy since the mid 90’s. Never had one I didn’t like. For some reason I’m not a fan of their reticles on airguns. Maybe it’s because we don’t shoot far, have horrible trajectories and shoot stuff with tiny kill zones. If you are having difficulties with the scopes you mentioned and like your Sightrons, maybe a visit to an optometrist is in order. Happened to my dad and now after some fixing, he’s better than me. Thanks again for the heads up in the PM.