OpticsTalk by SWFA, Inc. Homepage SWFA     SampleList.com
Forum Home Forum Home > Scopes > Rifle Scopes
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Inexpensive low-mag FFP scopes with BDC reticles?
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Visit the SWFA.com site to check out our current specials.

Inexpensive low-mag FFP scopes with BDC reticles?

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
greywolf View Drop Down
Optics Journeyman
Optics Journeyman
Avatar

Joined: April/25/2005
Status: Offline
Points: 310
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote greywolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Inexpensive low-mag FFP scopes with BDC reticles?
    Posted: May/06/2009 at 23:03

Anyone make a decent (not awesome/incredible/break-the-bank) scope with a FFP, a bullet-drop/ballistic plex reticle, and that is say a 1.75-7x or 2-7x range of magnification?

 

I like BDC reticles like the Burris, Vortex Dead-on, Zeiss Rapid Z, but don't like that I have to dial it up to a max magnification to get the benefit.  I figure an FFP would do me better.

 

 

Back to Top
koshkin View Drop Down
MODERATOR
MODERATOR
Avatar
Dark Lord of Optics

Joined: June/15/2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 13182
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/07/2009 at 03:21
There aren't a whole lot of inexpensive FFP scopes out there that are of good quality, and I can't think of any currently available in the configuration you are wondering about.

The closest is probably Meopta Meostar 2000 2-8x42 with #4B reticle.

Somewhat close would be IOR's 2.5-10x42FFP scope with MP-8 reticle for about a $1000 (not exactly inexpensive, I know).

Falcon's 4-14x40 scope is a bit cheaper, but even more dissimilar configuration wise (same story for the upcoming Weaver Tactical scopes).

Ed Verdugo keeps on trying to bring out a FFP scope with his reticle and has some Korean-made prototypes, but they need work.

If you move up in price, you can have US Optics 1.5-6x28 with any reticle you want.  US Optics scopes are a bit hit and miss in my opinion, but the good ones are very good and they are good people to work with.

The cheapest way to stop worrying about which magnification you are at is to use a fixed magnification scope.  There are a few 6x42 scopes out there with holdover or mil-based reticles: Meopta Artemis 2000 6x42 with #4B and IOR 6x42 Tactical, for example.

ILya
Back to Top
greywolf View Drop Down
Optics Journeyman
Optics Journeyman
Avatar

Joined: April/25/2005
Status: Offline
Points: 310
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote greywolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/07/2009 at 09:04
Thanks, Koshkin.  With so many options out there these days it is a stone-cold bitch trying to figure out what to get.
 
Hell, I should just get the IOR, pay once and hurt once, and if I don't like it I can always sell it for close to what I paid for it.
 
That MP-8 dot reticle on the IOR is just too damn neat.
 
When I was hunting in Namibia, I found that most of the time my Zeiss Conquest with #4 reticle was on 4x, even for shots at 200 yards.  The only time I cranked it up was on a few 400-550+ yard shots on baboons - and that is where I wish I had a ranging reticle/BDC - and a FFP might have been nice as well if I hadn't had time to crank it up to the usual 10x for ranging.
 
As much good as I hear about Sightron, I wish they made a FFP optic.
 
Back to Top
greywolf View Drop Down
Optics Journeyman
Optics Journeyman
Avatar

Joined: April/25/2005
Status: Offline
Points: 310
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote greywolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/07/2009 at 19:51
Well, I found out that a lot of the Pride-Fowler scopes are FFP - any experience with those and their optic quality?
Back to Top
koshkin View Drop Down
MODERATOR
MODERATOR
Avatar
Dark Lord of Optics

Joined: June/15/2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 13182
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/07/2009 at 19:56
I have only looked at them briefly.  They are OK scopes and are made by Light Optics Works in Japan.   Make sure that your ammo works with the reticle.

ILya
Back to Top
John Barsness View Drop Down
Optics Optimist
Optics Optimist


Joined: January/27/2009
Status: Offline
Points: 785
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John Barsness Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/07/2009 at 20:22

I would really consider a fixed 6x for your purposes and budget. There's a bunch of good 6x scopes that would do the job, with good optics.

To many hunters think the field of view of a 6x is too small for close-range hunting, but this is holdover from when 6x scopes had 3/4" or 7/8" tubes and correspondingly small oculart lenses. A modern 6x has a FOV of around 4 feet at 20 yards, which is plenty for aiming at deer or even elk, especially since we only want to shoot the front half of the animal. I have shot running deer at 20-25 yards with a fixed 6x. They work.

Back to Top
tooldude View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: November/30/2007
Location: Buffalo, MN
Status: Offline
Points: 24
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tooldude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/09/2009 at 00:43
How about Hawke Optics?
Back to Top
koshkin View Drop Down
MODERATOR
MODERATOR
Avatar
Dark Lord of Optics

Joined: June/15/2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 13182
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/09/2009 at 00:46
Originally posted by tooldude tooldude wrote:

How about Hawke Optics?


I am not aware of any FFP Hawke scopes.

ILya
Back to Top
greywolf View Drop Down
Optics Journeyman
Optics Journeyman
Avatar

Joined: April/25/2005
Status: Offline
Points: 310
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote greywolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/09/2009 at 06:13
The Hawke looks interesting, but I don't think they are FFP, and they appear to be somewhat cheap/low quality in the optics department.  The reticles are neat, as is their software, though.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.01
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.211 seconds.