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why you must save for a FIRST FOCAL PLANE reticle

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cruft View Drop Down
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    Posted: December/03/2010 at 10:18
so yesterday came my vortex viper 2-7x unneeded scope, just because it was only $160.  way better than expected but will it hold up?  so while fondling it i remembered, this is a second focal plane and parallax is 100 yards.  so the 2 power needs some thought, and i spend my life avoiding that.  as for you this means that the only power the BDC dots align are at 7x, not 2x, or 4x just 7x.   now with a first focal plane reticle all drop points align thru the power range.  and those cost more than $160.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/03/2010 at 10:29
That is not exactly how BDCs work.  They can be "aligned" so to speak on any power, you just have to spend the time on the range working on your loads and drops to know. 

But using them on high is the easiest and typically the best way as it takes less time to learn them and figure them out. 

If you think about it, if you are shooting far enough that you need to use a hold over, then you would want to be on 7x anyway.  If you are shooting 300 or 400 yards, why would you want to be on 2x or 4x.  So if you think about it that way, a SPF is not such a bad thing. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ccoker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/03/2010 at 10:42
one negative thing on some SFP scopes is that the reticle becomes too small to be seen easily, especially in low light on low power settings...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cruft Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/03/2010 at 10:59
ST that is the way they work & I hate to think.  you proved both points.  thanks.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/03/2010 at 10:59
Originally posted by ccoker ccoker wrote:

one negative thing on some SFP scopes is that the reticle becomes too small to be seen easily, especially in low light on low power settings...


YOu mean FFP, right?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/03/2010 at 11:02
Originally posted by cruft cruft wrote:

ST that is the way they work & I hate to think.  you proved both points.  thanks.


This is where the Leupold CDS system or the Swaro turret scopes or really any turret scope come in handy.

With Leupold, you figure out your loads and data at the range with the bullets and velocity you want to use.  Then you send them all the data and your scope and they custom make a turret with the yardages on them. 

If you really want to make it stupid simple, that is probably the best way.  You still have to do the leg work up front, but you get a much better result than a BDC reticle or some generic BDC turret that is fixed for a generic round. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dale Clifford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/03/2010 at 14:15
A while back a poster had a good solution, On a weaver he estimated his drops by shooting, and at each 100 yd interval, took a small triangular file and notched the elevation turret, then used a different color sharpie for each range. Another advantage of sfp is -- its easier to bisect the target for "graded" holdovers and holdoffs, and the reticle you want may not be there in ffp.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ccoker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/03/2010 at 18:53
Originally posted by supertool73 supertool73 wrote:

Originally posted by ccoker ccoker wrote:

one negative thing on some SFP scopes is that the reticle becomes too small to be seen easily, especially in low light on low power settings...


YOu mean FFP, right?


DOH!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ccoker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/03/2010 at 18:54
Kalhles with the Multizero works on any magnification
5 preset levels of zero
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rich Coyle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/03/2010 at 18:55
One of my scopes has a mill dot reticle.  I don't think in mills, but I do think in inches and sorta minutes of angle since they are so close.  I know if I put the scope on 12X there are three inches between the cross hair and the first dot.  That allows me to think in 3",6",9", etc.  Very easy. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/03/2010 at 19:41
ST is right about just being an issue. At low magnification, most people are shooting at close enough ranges that it doesn't matter. On a scope that goes up to less than 10X, IMO, whether SFP or FFP doesn't much matter. I've only ever ranged on my 2.5-10 at it's highest power. What FFP can give you is this:

  1. Above say 5X or more realistically 8X, ranging @ any magnification
  2. The ability to correct a follow-up shot based on how far off the first shot's POI was from your POA, e.g. shot impact was .7 mils right so correct .7 mils left - no matter what magnification
Just an observation, although FFP reticles do get smaller and thinner @ lower magnification, most reticle designs then behave like a traditional duplex reticle. Again, at low mag you're generally shooting close enough not to worry about holdovers.

So cruft, don't feel like you've got to replace what you have. Shoot with it until you break it or really feel the need for something different.
Reaction time is a factor...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cruft Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/04/2010 at 15:14
 point being it doesn't matter squat when hunting as from say a coyote up in size.   MOSTLY use lower power for wide field with both eyes open.  in this case the target is LARGE (vital zone) and CLOSE.  heavy posts and illumination are best.  this is hunting and NOT benchrest or exteme long range hunting which requires very specific equipment. squirrels up to prarie dogs require parallax correction and higher magnification.  mirage is another post.  .   so for the young uns stop with the posts what 16x power scope is best for general hunting.  for general hunting say up to 400 yards  6 to 8x will do the trick and can keep both eyes open up to 2x.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/06/2010 at 00:00
Originally posted by Rich Coyle Rich Coyle wrote:

One of my scopes has a mill dot reticle.  I don't think in mills, but I do think in inches and sorta minutes of angle since they are so close.  I know if I put the scope on 12X there are three inches between the cross hair and the first dot.  That allows me to think in 3",6",9", etc.  Very easy. 
 
There is nothing in your statements that makes sense... what, in the name of Michael, the Archangel, ARE you talking about????
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/06/2010 at 07:27
KB, don't you know in the land of Bazzaro, the blind make sense in their own minds. lol 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/06/2010 at 07:35
Originally posted by Kickboxer Kickboxer wrote:

Originally posted by Rich Coyle Rich Coyle wrote:

One of my scopes has a mill dot reticle.  I don't think in mills, but I do think in inches and sorta minutes of angle since they are so close.  I know if I put the scope on 12X there are three inches between the cross hair and the first dot.  That allows me to think in 3",6",9", etc.  Very easy. 
 
There is nothing in your statements that makes sense... what, in the name of Michael, the Archangel, ARE you talking about????

Oh, it makes perfect sense if all you ever do is shoot at 100-yard targets on your ranging power (if it happens to be 12X). Isn't that what a mil-dot scope is for? Big Smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billyburl2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2010 at 19:01
Not to mention, at 100 yards a mil is 3.6 inches. Even more at increasing range. That .6" doesn't sound like a lot until you get out to 800yds, and all of a sudden its 4.8"!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gcp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/08/2010 at 22:12
What good is a BDC at X7 max? So I bought a second Versa Plex for my 7mag. Am I seeing this wrongly?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ed Connelly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/11/2010 at 10:19

Because they are cool.  You raise the power and the reticle gets real fat.........Bucky       

 

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/11/2010 at 11:00
Originally posted by Rich Coyle Rich Coyle wrote:

One of my scopes has a mill dot reticle.  I don't think in mills, but I do think in inches and sorta minutes of angle since they are so close.  I know if I put the scope on 12X there are three inches between the cross hair and the first dot.  That allows me to think in 3",6",9", etc.  Very easy. 


That is wholly awesome.

And by "awesome", I mean... well, we'll leave it a mystery.

I don't think in mills either.

Mills? Mils?
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