What's the difference between fixed power and variable power for a mil-dot scope? Which would be better?
Rifle Scopes Mil-Dot
- Thread starter godawgsdv8
- Start date
Re: Mil-Dot
Um fixed power you don't have to adjust, As a var. you will have to set it to the power setting that the factory set it for. IE my 4-16 I have to be on 10 power to get my mil to be correct. OR you can do the math for each power setting. Most "snipers" have a fixed 10 power for your soon to be "sniper" rifle.
Hope it helps......
Um fixed power you don't have to adjust, As a var. you will have to set it to the power setting that the factory set it for. IE my 4-16 I have to be on 10 power to get my mil to be correct. OR you can do the math for each power setting. Most "snipers" have a fixed 10 power for your soon to be "sniper" rifle.
Hope it helps......
Re: Mil-Dot
or you can run FFP....
godawgs, try this:
http://demigodllc.com/articles/practical-long-range-rifle-shooting-optics/
or you can run FFP....
godawgs, try this:
http://demigodllc.com/articles/practical-long-range-rifle-shooting-optics/
Re: Mil-Dot
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dmpowder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Um fixed power you don't have to adjust, As a var. you will have to set it to the power setting that the factory set it for. IE my 4-16 I have to be on 10 power to get my mil to be correct. OR you can do the math for each power setting. Most "snipers" have a fixed 10 power for your soon to be "sniper" rifle. .</div></div>
This answer only applies to second focal plane scopes. First focal plane scopes can range and use holdovers with the mildot at any power.
A variable power gives you many more options, as does the ffp.
What is your intended use for said scope and what's your budget?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dmpowder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Um fixed power you don't have to adjust, As a var. you will have to set it to the power setting that the factory set it for. IE my 4-16 I have to be on 10 power to get my mil to be correct. OR you can do the math for each power setting. Most "snipers" have a fixed 10 power for your soon to be "sniper" rifle. .</div></div>
This answer only applies to second focal plane scopes. First focal plane scopes can range and use holdovers with the mildot at any power.
A variable power gives you many more options, as does the ffp.
What is your intended use for said scope and what's your budget?
Re: Mil-Dot
I think FFP comes in handy on high magnification scopes. For example, let's say that your scope is 6-24x. If your mildot reticle is on SFP and is only accurate at maximum magnification, it may be too much zoom to range your target. That's when a FFP comes in handy. You can zoom to any magnification that you feel comfortable with and your mildot will still range correctly. A lot easier than having to halve your calculations at 12x and such.
At really low magnification such as an SWFA SS 3-9x, that FFP is pretty useless imho. The reticle will get so small that it becomes too hard to read.
I think FFP comes in handy on high magnification scopes. For example, let's say that your scope is 6-24x. If your mildot reticle is on SFP and is only accurate at maximum magnification, it may be too much zoom to range your target. That's when a FFP comes in handy. You can zoom to any magnification that you feel comfortable with and your mildot will still range correctly. A lot easier than having to halve your calculations at 12x and such.
At really low magnification such as an SWFA SS 3-9x, that FFP is pretty useless imho. The reticle will get so small that it becomes too hard to read.
Re: Mil-Dot
I think a lot of it comes down to speed.
If your spotter has a spotting scope with a mil reticle, he can use this easily communicate information back to you, and you can disect this information easily with a FFP scope.
Another advantage of the FFP mil dot reticle is that you dont have any error occuring from reading height in mil that might be occured from the actual scope itself... to explain that, say my Nightforce needs to be on 22x to be able to range using mil dot / MLR reticle... how can I be certain that my scope is truly on 22x when the lines on the scope body and zoom ring meet? I cant and this can vary from scope to scope, so unless I manually check this I cannot be certain.
And for the record my scope moves a tinny bit past the 22x line.
I think a lot of it comes down to speed.
If your spotter has a spotting scope with a mil reticle, he can use this easily communicate information back to you, and you can disect this information easily with a FFP scope.
Another advantage of the FFP mil dot reticle is that you dont have any error occuring from reading height in mil that might be occured from the actual scope itself... to explain that, say my Nightforce needs to be on 22x to be able to range using mil dot / MLR reticle... how can I be certain that my scope is truly on 22x when the lines on the scope body and zoom ring meet? I cant and this can vary from scope to scope, so unless I manually check this I cannot be certain.
And for the record my scope moves a tinny bit past the 22x line.
Re: Mil-Dot
Can't you setup a 3.6" target at 100 yards and check that it reads exactly 1MIL on your scope? Or if you want to mark an 11x location on your ring you can setup a 7.2" target at 100 yards and turn down your magnification until it reads 1MIL. Then you've got a handy marked spot on your ring to range things using your reticle then halving the MIL reading at 11x.
Can't you setup a 3.6" target at 100 yards and check that it reads exactly 1MIL on your scope? Or if you want to mark an 11x location on your ring you can setup a 7.2" target at 100 yards and turn down your magnification until it reads 1MIL. Then you've got a handy marked spot on your ring to range things using your reticle then halving the MIL reading at 11x.
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