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Rifle Scopes How does zoom power effect the reticle on 2nd focal plane scopes?

SWWI Shooter

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
May 30, 2018
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I’m in the market for a new scope and prefer 2nd focal plane. I’m looking at the NF nx8 2.5-20x but know that most of the time I won’t go above 10x. I know that at 10x I just double what it shows in the reticle BUT my question is: If l‘m in a hurry and zoom it to say 9x or 11x, how much off is the reticle going to be at say 400 yards? … As I’m typing this, my brain is telling me how to figure it out so I probably answered my own question but I will ask what others have experienced with that kind of setup?
 
Best would be to look at a ballistic app like strelok it allows you to zoom in and out on sfp reticle to show the holds at different zoom levels
 
Screenshot_20220507-102907_Strelok Pro.jpg
Screenshot_20220507-102918_Strelok Pro.jpg

First one is a 5x36 bar at 20x second one is at 10x on a mil-c sfp to show what I mean
 
I second the Strelok app. I have the pro version. The user interface takes some getting used to, but you can PM me if you have questions. It’s got pretty much all the reticles except Horus ones, who threatened to sue if the app maker didn’t take their reticles off them.

You can also choose from a ton of targets to simulate. Crows, whitetail deer, roe deer, prairie dogs, competition targets etc. and it can show wind drift up to 10mph too.

Of course it can also create a table with xls output that shows drop/drift if you like tables.
 
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I've gotten so used to strelok I don't know if I could use anything else
 
Hmmm there seems to be a bug for some Nightforce reticles in Strelok, at least on my iPhone. The wind drifts don’t show, and the wind mph doesn’t show either. So, I used a Leupold MOA reticle. Forgive me lol.

714C3553-C42C-49F5-AE96-168E80D2B0DF.jpeg


48D37F4B-FD4A-4430-BCC0-358802E81156.jpeg



Below is a sample table. You can configure it with MRAD or MOA, drop in inches, time of flight, etc etc etc. In my sample, the zero is 150yds, and I have the option checked for Strelok to show the effect of wind on drop. In this example, at 150yds the zero is slightly affected by the crosswind because of the right hand spinning of the bullet. Pretty neat.

EC5A0C82-5F4A-4A33-94D9-5A5279252655.jpeg



I tried a number of apps and Strelok made the most sense to me. I’m sure the more advanced apps are better for some stuff, but I’m currently at level 2 of 10 as a shooter (Level 2 - Dumbass), so Strelok works for me at this point.
 
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maybe get the ffp version of that scope? or get a sfp scope that maxxes out at 10.

in time-dependent situations (matches or hunting) you might not have time to check strelok so maybe consider a cheat sheet with the conversions or memorize some of them.

the big downside to a ffp scope is a tiny reticle at the low end of the magnification range. an illuminated reticle helps with that. as does getting a scope that doesn't have a crazy wide mag range, or a max mag that will rarely be used.
 
Best would be to look at a ballistic app like strelok it allows you to zoom in and out on sfp reticle to show the holds at different zoom levels
I didn't know that it had that feature. I can do that. Thanks!
 
maybe get the ffp version of that scope? or get a sfp scope that maxxes out at 10.

in time-dependent situations (matches or hunting) you might not have time to check strelok so maybe consider a cheat sheet with the conversions or memorize some of them.

the big downside to a ffp scope is a tiny reticle at the low end of the magnification range. an illuminated reticle helps with that. as does getting a scope that doesn't have a crazy wide mag range, or a max mag that will rarely be used.
I have a ffp Maven now (my first ffp) and just can't warm up to the ffp. Hard to teach an old dog new tricks I guess.
I would prefer to get an nxs 2.5-10x 42 but they are impossible to get right now so that is why I was thinking the NX8 and just using it to 10x most of the time. I'm not so concerned with the calculations to make a perfect shot off the reticle as much as if I try to spin to 10x and hit 11x instead, how much will that throw off my shot as that will help my decision on waiting for a nxs 2.5-10x or just going with a nx8 2.5-20. If I have the time at the shot to calculate with the Strelok, I can just make sure I have the zoom set a 10x which makes the math easy or dial it.

The reason for the question is that I coyote hunt at night with a light and so it is low light conditions. I can try to dial to 10x but in those conditions, I may be off of 10x a smidge one way or the other- hence the question what effect that will have on the shot. Strelok should tell me that. Just haven't used it that way before. Thanks
 
I’m in the market for a new scope and prefer 2nd focal plane. I’m looking at the NF nx8 2.5-20x but know that most of the time I won’t go above 10x. I know that at 10x I just double what it shows in the reticle BUT my question is: If l‘m in a hurry and zoom it to say 9x or 11x, how much off is the reticle going to be at say 400 yards? … As I’m typing this, my brain is telling me how to figure it out so I probably answered my own question but I will ask what others have experienced with that kind of setup?

It's a linear ratio: simple math. Figure it out.

Better yet stop using the "I'm an old dog" excuse and learn how to use a scope with a FFP reticle.