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Rifle Scopes Noob questions about FFP vs SFP?

Roadwild17

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 6, 2009
229
1
40
Central East Texas
Hey guys first post. I searched for an answer to this but didnt find one.

I have a question on FFP scopes.

Say its a 4-16 FFP scope and the ret is X size at 4x zoom, will the ret be 4X at 16x, because you zoomed in by a factor of 4?

If so, isn't that basically the same sight picture, just with more detail and a smalled FOV from 4X to 16X?
 
Re: Noob questions about FFP vs SFP?

If you go from 4X to 16X with a SFP scope, the field of of view becomes 4 times smaller than it is at 4X. Of course, that's true with a FFP scope. The difference is that the reticle in the SFP scope stays the same size, while the reticle in the FFP scope gets 4 times bigger.

 
Re: Noob questions about FFP vs SFP?

As Turk indicates, with an FFP scope, you can use the scope reticle for holdovers, holdunders, wind holds, and moving target leads at any magnification.

With an SFP scope, the reticle is accurate at only one magnification. However, if the reticle of a SFP scope is accurate at maximum magnification, with a little work you can scale it to use at half of that power. See:

Optically Checking Rifle Scopes
 
Re: Noob questions about FFP vs SFP?

Lindy, Hang on; I have to get a pencil and pad and perhaps a scientific calculator! Not that I know how to use it!
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Re: Noob questions about FFP vs SFP?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lindy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">just buy the FFP scope, and you won't have to remember which way to scale when you dial down...
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Should be engraved on rifle barrels through out the country......LOL
 
Re: Noob questions about FFP vs SFP?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lindy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Do not be surprised if the half-power mark is not close to the manufacturer’s mark which would correspond to this power. One Leupold 8.5-25 I performed this procedure on recently had the half-power point exactly on the 2 of the mark which indicated 12X – so it was off by 2. If you follow the procedure carefully, you can trust your measurement a lot more than you can trust the manufacturer’s marks.


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Interestingly enough, my 6.5-20 Leupold's halfway point is also on 12x. I'm using the TMR reticle, which has half mil hash marks, so at 12 power each line is a mil instead of just the longer lines. It's easy for me to remember that way.