Airgun Nation Peoples, (warning long read)
I’ve been on a humble quest to find and purchase a airgun scope that would excel in the type of airgun shooting I do. Must have features of my airgun scopes include: a mil reticle with some manner of windage aim points, side parallax focus adjustment (down to 10 yards), a wide magnification range, illuminated reticle, and preferable $500-ish or under price point.
Only learned about the concept of first focal plane scopes a year ago, and they seemed very intriguing to me. But my old-faithful Hawke Airmax 30 second focal plane scopes where doing their duties just fine. The only snag was that I set and zeroed all my second focal plane scopes to 10x magnification and basically left them there. I memorized my holdovers at 10x magnification. Using different magnifications or zooming in on long range holdover shots changes POI. They require more trajectory math and frankly take too long to figure out on a 15 second or less window for a kill shot on game. Making the zoom feature almost useless for shots requiring hold over. On the bench maybe with range cards and smartphone apps but in hunting way to slow. Enter the first focal plane concept.
FIRST FOCAL PLANE (FFP)
First focal plane optical systems have their reticle positioned toward the turrets of the riflescope, after the magnification system. As such, the visible size of the reticle changes with an alteration to the riflescope’s magnification – the target image behind the reticle will stay in proportion to the reticle as the magnification is adjusted. This means that the reticle’s aimpoints are correct on all magnification settings. At lower magnifications the visible reticle size will be smaller. At higher magnifications the visible reticle size will be larger.
SECOND FOCAL PLANE (SFP)
Second focal plane optical systems have their reticles positioned toward the eyepiece of the riflescope, before the magnification system.As such, the visible size of the reticle does not change with an alteration to the riflescope’s magnification – only the target image behind the reticle will increase and decrease as the magnification is adjusted.
Each reticle is designed with its aimpoints calibrated on a specific magnification. At lower magnifications the target size between the aimpoints will be larger.At higher magnifications the target size between the aimpoints will be smaller.
My game changer = the 2018 Hawke Sidewinder First Focal Plane 6-24 x 56!!! The scope I have been wishing for!!! I have been close to pulling the trigger on the Aztec Emerald scope because I really like its reticle and features, but this Hawke FFP has raised the bar with a very similar reticle but has illumination and its First Focal Plane! The reticle thickness is perfect zoomed in or out. Attached to my FX Crown Walnut .25 it is a match made in heaven! No more 10x zoom only, holding over at any magnification with no POI shift is magical!! How a scope should work. Oh boy! Anybody in the market for a new scope should take a serious look at these new Hawke Sidewinder First Focal Plane Scopes! I highly recommend them! The sidewinder platform has been around and is proven, may not be everyones cup of tea but I think its very good. Like it so much I ordered a second Sidewinder 4-16 x 50 FFP for my FX Streamline!
Pyramid Air links below:
https://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Hawke_Sidewinder_FFP_6_24x56_Scope_FFP_MIL_IR_Reticle/8565
https://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Hawke_Sidewinder_FFP_4_16x50_FFP_MIL_IR_Reticle/8564
Check out the pictures.
I’ve been on a humble quest to find and purchase a airgun scope that would excel in the type of airgun shooting I do. Must have features of my airgun scopes include: a mil reticle with some manner of windage aim points, side parallax focus adjustment (down to 10 yards), a wide magnification range, illuminated reticle, and preferable $500-ish or under price point.
Only learned about the concept of first focal plane scopes a year ago, and they seemed very intriguing to me. But my old-faithful Hawke Airmax 30 second focal plane scopes where doing their duties just fine. The only snag was that I set and zeroed all my second focal plane scopes to 10x magnification and basically left them there. I memorized my holdovers at 10x magnification. Using different magnifications or zooming in on long range holdover shots changes POI. They require more trajectory math and frankly take too long to figure out on a 15 second or less window for a kill shot on game. Making the zoom feature almost useless for shots requiring hold over. On the bench maybe with range cards and smartphone apps but in hunting way to slow. Enter the first focal plane concept.
FIRST FOCAL PLANE (FFP)
First focal plane optical systems have their reticle positioned toward the turrets of the riflescope, after the magnification system. As such, the visible size of the reticle changes with an alteration to the riflescope’s magnification – the target image behind the reticle will stay in proportion to the reticle as the magnification is adjusted. This means that the reticle’s aimpoints are correct on all magnification settings. At lower magnifications the visible reticle size will be smaller. At higher magnifications the visible reticle size will be larger.
SECOND FOCAL PLANE (SFP)
Second focal plane optical systems have their reticles positioned toward the eyepiece of the riflescope, before the magnification system.As such, the visible size of the reticle does not change with an alteration to the riflescope’s magnification – only the target image behind the reticle will increase and decrease as the magnification is adjusted.
Each reticle is designed with its aimpoints calibrated on a specific magnification. At lower magnifications the target size between the aimpoints will be larger.At higher magnifications the target size between the aimpoints will be smaller.
My game changer = the 2018 Hawke Sidewinder First Focal Plane 6-24 x 56!!! The scope I have been wishing for!!! I have been close to pulling the trigger on the Aztec Emerald scope because I really like its reticle and features, but this Hawke FFP has raised the bar with a very similar reticle but has illumination and its First Focal Plane! The reticle thickness is perfect zoomed in or out. Attached to my FX Crown Walnut .25 it is a match made in heaven! No more 10x zoom only, holding over at any magnification with no POI shift is magical!! How a scope should work. Oh boy! Anybody in the market for a new scope should take a serious look at these new Hawke Sidewinder First Focal Plane Scopes! I highly recommend them! The sidewinder platform has been around and is proven, may not be everyones cup of tea but I think its very good. Like it so much I ordered a second Sidewinder 4-16 x 50 FFP for my FX Streamline!
Pyramid Air links below:
https://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Hawke_Sidewinder_FFP_6_24x56_Scope_FFP_MIL_IR_Reticle/8565
https://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Hawke_Sidewinder_FFP_4_16x50_FFP_MIL_IR_Reticle/8564
Check out the pictures.
