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Rifle Scopes Best 1-6 or 1-8 FFP scope?

sititunga

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Apr 20, 2009
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What's the best FFP 1-6 or 1-8 powered scope with the brightest daylight visible red dot reticle on the market?
 
The two that come to mind are:

Vortex Razor HD 1-6x

U.S. Optics SR-8 1-8x

Both daylight visible red dots. Both great scopes.
 
If I had way too much extra cash laying around, I'd buy one of these: Leupold 1.1-8x24 Mark 8 CQBSS 34mm Riflescope

If we are talking realistic value, the SWFA SS 1-6x is an amazing optic for its price. The gem of the 3 gun world right now seems to be the Swaro Z6i 1-6x. It is a beautiful image at 1x, truly stereoscopic and optically perfect, IMO. Several nice optics at each price point. March and IOR both have 1-10x available with mostly glowing reviews.

What application were you thinking of one for?
 
If I had way too much extra cash laying around, I'd buy one of these: Leupold 1.1-8x24 Mark 8 CQBSS 34mm Riflescope

If we are talking realistic value, the SWFA SS 1-6x is an amazing optic for its price. The gem of the 3 gun world right now seems to be the Swaro Z6i 1-6x. It is a beautiful image at 1x, truly stereoscopic and optically perfect, IMO. Several nice optics at each price point. March and IOR both have 1-10x available with mostly glowing reviews.

What application were you thinking of one for?

3-gunning. I hear the MK8 like the MK6 has eye box problems with the illuminated reticle at x1. Apparently you have to position your eye just right behind the glass to see the reticle. I could be wrong but I don't think the IOR or March are Aimpoint daylight bright. I agree the Swarovski is probably the best, I'd get one if they had a TMR reticle. Failing this I think the S&B 1-8 would get my nod.

Has anyone got any news from SHOT on new products?
 
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3-gunning. I hear the MK8 like the MK6 has eye box problems with the illuminated reticle at x1. Apparently you have to position your eye just right behind the glass to see the reticle. I could be wrong but I don't think the IOR or March are Aimpoint daylight bright. I agree the Swarovski is probably the best, I'd get one if they had a TMR reticle. Failing this I think the S&B 1-8 would get my nod.

Has anyone got any news from SHOT on new products?
The BRT reticle is based in mil/half mil graduations

The Kahles 1-6 scopes are also worth taking a look at as well. They offer more reticle selections.
 
3-gunning. I hear the MK8 like the MK6 has eye box problems with the illuminated reticle at x1. Apparently you have to position your eye just right behind the glass to see the reticle. I could be wrong but I don't think the IOR or March are Aimpoint daylight bright. I agree the Swarovski is probably the best, I'd get one if they had a TMR reticle. Failing this I think the S&B 1-8 would get my nod.

Has anyone got any news from SHOT on new products?

The March 1-8x24 is daytime bright and is every bit as good if not much better than my CQBSS I owned a while back. The issue you have with any 1x-whatever optic is you will NEVER have a true 1x. You are moving the focal point 6-8" out in front of your face so you will notice that, at least I have in every single one of the 1x-whatever optics I have owned or demod. The march is small and still has the great turrets like their other optics have. I have it on top of a LWRC SPR and have no problems engaging targets from 10 yards to 500 yards+ .
 
I know you said FFP and in long range scopes I am all for FFP but I have shot the Vortex 1-6x this past year on my 3 gun rifle and SFP is really no draw back in that low power range or for 3 gun. When shooting close in the dot is perfect and out to 200 yards with a 50/200 zero it's either aim a little high or low on the target. Reticle not even used. Anything past 200 yards the scope will be on max power and scope reticle used.

My previous scope, a S&B 1.1-4x, was FFP and I was hesitant at first going to the SFP Vortex but after using it I have no reservations at all. Just something to think about.
 
I agree. FFP isn't a must. Personally if it's a gun that will serve multiple purposes I would rather have a nice compact 3-16 with a rmr on a 45* mount. At 100 and in if you can't just point the rifle with a natural point of aim and hit a human sized target something is wrong. I guess it all depends on what you will be using it for...

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March-F 1-8x24 FMC-2
U.S. Optics 1-8x27

These ones are fantastic scopes and you don't need to look for something else.
 
I've used several 1-6 &1-8 and UsOptics SR8c is the best of all of them in my opinion. Very bright red dot and true 1x.
 
Yup, the USO 1-8 is awesome. You cannot go wrong with that optic, and it's worth every cent.
 
If your targets are static, SFP will do. If your targets tend to move about, FFP is indispensable even below 10x. YMMV.
 
The March 1-8x24 is daytime bright and is every bit as good if not much better than my CQBSS I owned a while back. The issue you have with any 1x-whatever optic is you will NEVER have a true 1x. You are moving the focal point 6-8" out in front of your face so you will notice that, at least I have in every single one of the 1x-whatever optics I have owned or demod. The march is small and still has the great turrets like their other optics have. I have it on top of a LWRC SPR and have no problems engaging targets from 10 yards to 500 yards+ .

Are you talking about this March Sniper's Hide » BigJimFish Review of March-F 1-8x24mm Illuminated Rifle Scope or a different one?

To say that the illumination is not daytime bright is misleading. The illumination is not daytime visible at all. I am embarrassed to say that initially I thought it might be broken or the battery dead. I changed the battery to no avail. Since I was at Kelbly’s doing the testing at the time I walked in and asked how to turn the illumination on thinking maybe I’m just a fool or perhaps there is some special ritual or sacrifice that I need to perform. Jim Kelbly looked at me like I was an idiot when I ask. It’s the big button on the side of the parallax. All I could think was how embarrassing for the both of us
 
FFP isnt that important for a 1-6 scope. I mean who would use substentions on 1-5 powers or could actually read them well enough.
 
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Should be the same, pictured below. I will see if I can grab some pictures of the reticle tomorrow while at the range which should be a nice and sunny day but pictures never work well for me and optics but I will try. I glanced at the review a while back and don't recall if it mentioned the two illumination versions/modules that I was told they had. Yes on the 5-40x56 fx model it's not really daytime bright but the 1-8x24 that I have is. To me the leupold mark8 was less visible in daylight

rehuse7e.jpg


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One the second setting it's way way to bright for dim lighted areas. First click is perfect though. With the 5-40x56 I have to pay attention on the first level or I can't really tell it's on

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Should be the same, pictured below. I will see if I can grab some pictures of the reticle tomorrow while at the range which should be a nice and sunny day but pictures never work well for me and optics but I will try. I glanced at the review a while back and don't recall if it mentioned the two illumination versions/modules that I was told they had. Yes on the 5-40x56 fx model it's not really daytime bright but the 1-8x24 that I have is. To me the leupold mark8 was less visible in daylight

rehuse7e.jpg


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FFP isnt that important for a 1-6 scope. I mean who would use substentions on 1-5 powers or could actually read them well enough.

I have no problem with the subtentions. It's a little more pronounced than a 5-25 optic for example. At least imo it is.

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I know this is In my garage but this is pointing directly at a overhead light and the reticle is easily seen. Even from a phone. I'll try to get a picture tomorrow when I'm at the range. I also want to say that no at 2-4x I'm not looking at the subtentions but at 8x yes all say long. This one lives around 1.2x or 8x. Generally nothing in between.

taha7e9y.jpg


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It isn't cheap, but I really like my Bushnell Elite Tactical SMRS. Its FFP 1-8.5. Being FFP, when illuminated at 1x it is daylight bright and looks just like a red-dot when you turn up the illumination.

But then you can increase the mag and you see mil compensation marks, pretty effin sweet. I love it.
 
Those are nice also. Bushy has done a great job here in the last few years on their higher end line up and bringing them at a fraction of the cost as some of the other options. I love my xrs and a lot of the times pick it up over the S&B or Steiners and do not see 2k differece at all, if anything maybe 500 buck difference if I had to quantify it. It's being demoed by a buddy now but I've got plenty of March optics to get me by with a big smile on my face.

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I kinda want to replace the z6is on my 3gun rifles with something 1-8x, but after reading BigJimFish's review of the March above and the ones below, I dont really see any reason or justification to ditch what I have.
No matter which of the four 1-8s I look at, I seem to be giving up something I really like for adding 2x on top, which isnt really all that important in 3gun anyway.

Bushnell SRMS 1-8: Sniper's Hide » BigJimFish Review of Bushnell Elite Tactical SMRS 1-8.5x 24mm Illuminated Rifle Scope.
Leupold CQBSS 1-8: Sniper's Hide » BigJimFish Review of Leupold Mark 8 CQBSS 1.1-8x24mm with Horus H-27D
USO SR8 1-8: Sniper's Hide » BigJimFish Review of the U.S. Optics SR-8C 1-8x27mm Scope with C2 Reticle

For a FFP scope for 3-gun, I'd probably go with the MK6. If you dont really care that much if its SFP or FFP and just want the best scope for 3-gun, I'd go for the z6i with the BRT reticle. I might be somewhat partial since I own two of them, but if I thought there was something better in 1-8 out there, I'd buy it. However, it seems like the 1-8s arent really there yet. Maybe the next gen of them will, but for now it seems like 1-6 is the way to go (at least for 3-gunning).
 
FFP isnt that important for a 1-6 scope. I mean who would use substentions on 1-5 powers or could actually read them well enough.

You asked "who" so here's your answer: I do. My targets (coyotes and other small varmints) are always moving; anywhere from 6 to 25 mph. The average distance from me to the target is 15-150 yards and at 25 mph they're moving about 100 yards every 8 seconds. There isn't much that satisfies like giving a running coyote the dirt roll.

For me, low magnification is indispensable to pick up fast moving targets at close range and FFP is indispensable, not only for holdovers but also for leads.

I'm not saying someone else should prefer SFP or FFP. I only posted this to provide some perspective into how other people may take advantage of a FFP optic with magnification below ten power.
 
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What about the Trijicon VCOG? Has anyone used one? That broken circle reticle looks like it would be easily visible @ 1x. Haven't gotten to see one in person yet; hoping to get a look at one at the Great American Outdoors Show next weekend.
 
For those who have used the Swaro and Razor Gen 2, which one had the more forgiving eye box? I was just about the pull the trigger on a Swaro (because of weight), but if the Razor has a significantly more forgiving eye box, I will probably just go with it.
 
3-gunning. I hear the MK8 like the MK6 has eye box problems with the illuminated reticle at x1. Apparently you have to position your eye just right behind the glass to see the reticle. I could be wrong but I don't think the IOR or March are Aimpoint daylight bright. I agree the Swarovski is probably the best, I'd get one if they had a TMR reticle. Failing this I think the S&B 1-8 would get my nod.

Has anyone got any news from SHOT on new products?

I have the Mk 6 and at 1X I do not have the illumination problem you mentioned.
 
I think a lot of the eye box / illumination stuff is going to boil down to that person. People bitch about the eye relief on March optics but I don't any issues with any of the march optics I have and notice zero different between the march and my S&B and Steiner scopes.

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USO and S&B own this market...everything else is competing for 3rd. USO wins on price point and quality, S&B has the quality but at a much higher price point. If I had to pick I would go USO.
 
No, that's not the one. The one BigJimFish reviewed is March-F 1-8x24 FMC-1 and is truely rather poorely daytime illuminated. The one you should look at is March-F 1-8x24 FMC-2. This model is perfectly daytime illuminated. An utterly superb scope.

Correct. The model I have is the March-F d8v24fiml with the fmc-1 reticle and I never went or had the need to go to full brightness on a day like today where is was partly cloudy. On the 2nd brightness setting it was perfect. On a perfectly sunny day it's still very bright and easily seen. I've only had the option to use the uso once and owned a S&B short dot for a few weeks until I was made an offer I couldn't refuse. I prefer the turrets on the march and usually keep the magnification around 1.5 or all the way on 8x which is perfect for that 600 yard shot. I'm not sure of a change was made but to my knowledge there were/are two different illumination modules which may explain why mine is daytime bright and the review from jimbigfish mentions the illumination may not necessarily be daytime bright.

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USO and S&B own this market...everything else is competing for 3rd. USO wins on price point and quality, S&B has the quality but at a much higher price point. If I had to pick I would go USO.

Agreed.
 
I have the Mk 6 and at 1X I do not have the illumination problem you mentioned.
I have one as well and while it's not a finicky as some writers have made it out to be, it is touchy on the eye box and the illumination will disappear if you move outside of dead center by just a small amount. I think it comes down to too many folks expecting it to act like an Aimpoint, when it's in fact something completely different.
 
I think that's what most expect on 1x, basically an aimpoint and while some replicate that better than others I haven't used one that are perfect. The models that have a dual illumination setup do a decent job at this but I will stick with the march 1-8 or a dedicated aimpoint or a rmr or aimpoint on a 45* mount with a magnified optic like a 3-24 which does add bulk but gives me the most amount of flexibility.

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