Re: Why so long for FFP reticles to become popular?
Aside from European scopes like Schmidt & Bender, which were not well known to U.S. shooters, the primary source of FFP scopes for many years was Leupolds modified by Premier Reticles with their superb Gen II mildot reticle - which is still the best tactical reticle there is.
Premier did a brisk business in those, while companies like Leupold and Nightforce snoozed on the sidelines.
I had Nightforce representatives at the SHOT Show in 2004 tell me that there was no market for FFP scopes, and that's why they weren't going to offer one.
I got the same response from them in 2005, although there was a hint that they were thinking about it.
When the Marine Corps went to Schmidt & Bender, thanks a great deal to the efforts of a Sniper's Hide member whom I won't name, I think it changed a few minds about the potential size of that market.
Now more folks are on board with the concept.
If you're a paper puncher who shoots at targets which don't move, on a square range in competitions with no time constraints, or a hunter who shoots once or twice a year at a deer at short range, there's simply no justification for a FFP scope.
If you shoot in tactical competitions, or on a two-way range with targets which shoot back, you'd be making an unintelligent choice to use anything else.
FFP scopes are the overwhelming choice of military snipers around the world, especially now that even the stodgy, slow-to-change United States Marine Corps has seen the light.