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Help for an "Old" newbie

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ChuckOz View Drop Down
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    Posted: November/09/2013 at 21:27
I have recently discovered the joys of target shooting after 30 years absence from hunting kangaroos with open sights. I now find that I need a scope to hit anything beyond the far end of the barrel.
I have purchased a Remington 700  and am mainly interested in shooting cardboard.
I purchased a heavy barrel (.223) and added a Bushnell 4.5-30x50mm scope.
With this combo I can put 5 consecutive rounds in the bull at 100 yards. I would like to do the same at 220 yards (limit of our local Range) but I find the 30 magnification is insufficient for my 60 year old eyesight. I'm thinking an 8-80 scope would give me 220 yards plus, but I don't know enough about scopes to choose between ffp or sfp. I want a tactical scope that I can zero (like my Bushnell Elite) with a mil-dot reticle.  Price is not a consideration (great being divorced Big Smile) but lousy eyesight is my main handicap.
Beyond that, I would really appreciate any advice on brand, ffp vs sfp, illuminated reticle etc.
regards
Chuck
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Kickboxer View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2013 at 21:56
You've obviously been looking at March scopes.  great scopes.  8-80 is SFP, but should be outstanding for your target applications.  
I have the March 3-24 Tactical FFP… love most things about it.  Eye box on it is more "critical" than I like, but that is overcome by other features the scope has.  I'm partial to FFP scopes, but also have a Hensoldt SFP 6-24x72 my wife gave me that is the most amazing optical hardware I've ever had the privilege to look through… great for everyting, including stargazing...
Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.

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ChuckOz View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ChuckOz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2013 at 22:19
For a newbie like me - what is the "plain english" comparison between ffp and sfp?
regards
Chuck
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Urimaginaryfrnd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/09/2013 at 23:01
First focal plane the reticle appears very small at low powers and increases in aparent size as the power increases.  Second focal plane the reticle always appears the same no matter what power the scope is set on.  First focal plane reticles are used as a measuring device one that is mil dot based the dots are always one mil apart no matter what power the scope is set on.  If you do not need to use the scope as a rangefinder to range known size objects and use a formula to  determine distance then you probably dont need a first focal plane scope.  One advantage though is that one can shoot at a target observe how far right or left and up or down it is from center then using the mil dots or moa marks measure then dial in the correction based on using the reticle as a measuring device.
At 57 I find it hard to believe that you need more magnification and would think that better glass would be preferable to more magnification.  I would pick Heinsoldt for the scope even if the power range was less.  You should probably look at Swarovski for a spotting scope. I can use a low power scope and do well at long range even though I cant see the bullet hole through the low power optic.  To me there is a point at which the additional magnification is less helpful than better quality glass at lower magnification. I can look through a cheap 60x spotting scope and not have the same quality of image as I do with even a good 20x scope.  

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ChuckOz View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ChuckOz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/10/2013 at 01:46
Just placed an order for a Carl Zeiss Optronics Hensoldt ZF 6-24x56 Mildot RiflescopeBandito
regards
Chuck
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