ok.. i need a scope for a gun i havent ordered yet.

Take a spin through the FT rules. Handbook is downloadable from the AAFTA website. Lots of rules that don't effect scope choice but look at the various classes, there are some differences. Like Hunter is a 16x (or turned down to 16x, factory mark required) max and you can't touch the scope other than to adjust the parallax so FFP doesn't get you anything (within the FT Hunter class). But if you want to shoot Open, you may want a higher mag (no scope limitations in open) to make rangefinding easier. WFTF would be the same but maybe more scope dependent since power is limited to 12FPE (rather than 20fpe for ALL others)and ranging becomes that much more important,

There are lots of over lapping rules/differences between classes, just trying to highlight a couple things that may impact your scope choice-.

Cant speak to those scopes but I've heard good things. Just don't be surprised if you get to a shoot and the guy next to you has a March 8-80. Happened to me while sporting a $200 scope, It didn't make him a better FT Shooter but I sure bet he could identify distance to target more accurately that I could.

Take a look at the Bushnell Engage 4-16x44 30mm side focus scope. If you’re military, ex military, first responder, firefighter or police you can get one for about $260. I have two, and IMHO they are the best scopes out there for under $600. Clear glass, great reticle, solid repeatable turrets, light weight. What more could you want?

I look at the Field Target "equipment" in the open class and I just shake my head. Those things are about as far from a "gun" as a indy 500 car is from a daily driver. For me that's not a good thing for others it must be.

I occasionally travel to shoot with one of the Texas FT clubs as well as our local. ( four hours to Dallas one way. but I drive a lot for work so no biggie.) 

My experience and recommendation is to start with shooting Hunter class. It's the largest class in most FT organizations so you will always have a class to shoot in. And it's been my observation over the last several years of shooting FT, this class you can do without taking gout a second mortgage. Decent gun and optics, ammo, shooting sticks and something to sit on without a back rest is all you need.

.177 is recommended unless you only have a .22 and cannot afford a .177. I saw a bunch of different guns from the trusty stock Marauder up to Thomas' and Styer.

(In WFTF piston a Whiscome 65 was there. $$$$$$$) 

Some clubs require you to shoot a gun with less than 20fpe at the muzzle. Most all .177 will do that. In addition, the .177 is smaller thus more capable of hitting a 3/8" KZ ( had a couple this last weekend ) than a .22. Plus, a .177 will have a flatter trajectory over longer distances keeping your holdovers to a minimum. 

As for optics, maximum magnification you can use in HFT is x16. That is not to say you can't have a higher magnification scope, you just can't use over x16 when shooting. A scope with 1/2 mil dots is highly recommended. The more aim points you have, the better. You will need and want them when making a range finding card.

FFP or SFP scope?

I used a SFP up until recently since FFP scopes have become more affordable. I think I addressed the advantages of using a FFP in FT and showed how I set up for making a range card elsewhere on this forum but basically when using a FFP scope, your POI doesn't change with your magnification. The holdover is the same at x24 as it is at x16.This is an advantage when making a range card. At the match in Dallas, half the HFT were using FFP. 

So just my 2 cents. You will have a ton of fun. 

Do you want lots of mil-dots for more holdover aim points? Or do you want them for stadiametric range finding? Or for both. That will affect your decision.

As you turn magnification up, an SFP scope will give you more usable aim points (i.e. - at 24x, you'll have twice as many as at 12x). An FFP scope has the same number of usable hold points at all magnifications, which has it's own advantages.

1/2 mil-dots will provide more. I prefer MOA reticles when using FFP over 16x.

Starting next year, I plan on using an Athlon Helos 6-24x50 MOA for all three Hunter/Open/WFTF Field Target Divisions. It cost a lot more than $300 but has all the features that I wanted. The Athlon Argos is a lower cost alternative, but still over $300. The glass on both is good (I'd rate them an 8/10 for glass). Though both can be ordered with the same good milliradian reticle, I wanted an MOA reticle. Even though the millliradian reticles are the same on both the Argos and Helos, the MOA reticles are not. The MOA reticle on the Helos has a better layout. The Helos also has locking turrets. The Athlons have a lifetime warranty.

Another scope that I compared side by side with the Athlons was the ACME Machine 6-24x50 MOA. Based on it's similarity to the Athlon scopes, I would guess that it is made at the same Chinese factory as the Athlon Argos and Helos. The glass is the same good quality as the Athlons. The ACME has a better MOA reticle than the Argos, but not quite as good as the Helos. The ACME is usually available for $299.99. I would rate it between the Argos and Helos (Argos>ACME>Helos). The ACME 6-24x50 scope has a lifetime warranty.

A lower cost alternative that I have done well with is the Monstrum 6-24x50 FFP G1. Available for about $220, it has a decent MOA reticle, though not as good as the ACME or Helos. They have several current versions and I can only speak for the most recent G1 versions. The G1 has locking turrets and 1 MOA spacing on the vertical subtensions. They also sell the G2 (non-locking turrets) and G3 (2 MOA extended reticle). The turrets on the G1 work well and lock positively (better than the Athlons). But I would only rate the glass a 6/10. The Monstrum has only a 1 year warranty, but so far their customer service was good when I had to return a problem scope.