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Longer range sfp scopes

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shoot4fun View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shoot4fun Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Longer range sfp scopes
    Posted: June/17/2019 at 08:36
Does anyone here shoot long range with a sfp scope? I purchase a vortex viper hs lr and thought it was ffp. It has an elevation turret and ao. It also has increments on the reticle. I am sort of lost with this because I like ffp scopes. I know you have got to be on max mag to use the turret. How about when you are on lower mag. All help appreciated.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DWilly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/17/2019 at 17:26
[QUOTE=shoot4fun I know you have got to be on max mag to use the turret.

this is wrong. you can use the turret on any power, just dial the correction. what i'm guessing you meant to say is to use the reticle for correction you have to be on max power. i prefer SFP for long range shooting because for most situations it seems to work better.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shoot4fun Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/18/2019 at 16:04
so I can use the elevation turret on any power? Just to use the bdc reticle it has to be on max power.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sparky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/18/2019 at 17:37
That is correct.
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shoot4fun View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shoot4fun Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/18/2019 at 20:42
thanks. I am new to long range shooting. Trying to set up a new rifle. I use ffp illuminated for hunting.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DWilly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/18/2019 at 22:22
Originally posted by shoot4fun shoot4fun wrote:

Just to use the bdc reticle it has to be on max power.

this is true for most SFP scopes. but some have a designated power where the reticle is correct. i have a scope that goes to 25X but the reticle is correct at 20X. i'm told the Nightforce ATACR 7-35, which is my next scope, is correct at 17.5 power. that makes the 35X a viable correct reticle at half value also.
 


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shoot4fun Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/19/2019 at 07:52
thanks for the answers. I was going to sell the scope but I might hold on to it now. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Atlas Shrug Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/26/2019 at 21:11
IMHO, FFP scopes that utilize BDC reticles have a sweet spot in the range where the top end magnification is at most around 18 to 21 (maybe 24) power.  
If the magnification is too high, you can loose quite a bit of the lower portion of the reticle (where you often need the magnification most - at the longest ranges). If the top end magnification is less then 8 or 9, then the BDC tree is often getting a bit too small to be really useful.

Thus scopes like 3-15, 3-18, 4-20 are some really usable optics, again IMHO.

So for a LPVO (1-4 or 1-6), or a high power range (24+ on top end), I often prefer a SFP scope.

It depends greatly on your usage, of course.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Denys Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/30/2019 at 13:13
Originally posted by shoot4fun shoot4fun wrote:

Does anyone here shoot long range with a sfp scope? I purchase a vortex viper hs lr and thought it was ffp. It has an elevation turret and ao. It also has increments on the reticle. I am sort of lost with this because I like ffp scopes. I know you have got to be on max mag to use the turret. How about when you are on lower mag. All help appreciated.


I shoot Long Range with an SFP scope.  In fact, in the game that I play, virtually everyone uses a high magnification SFP scope, with MOA reticles and knobs to match.

I shoot F-Class and my preferred course of fire is 3X20 @ 1000 yards.  Yes, I agree, this is pretty specialized and I dial the scope as well as do hold offs on the target.  Usually, I will set the elevation exactly and may put in some amount of windage to account for the predominant wind at that time.  Of course, at 1000 yards, the wind can and does change at random, so unless I have to hold off the target, I prefer to not dial windage, especially in switching wind conditions.

When I'm holding off, I can either use the rings or use the subtension on the reticle.  I currently use a March-X 5-50X56 riflescope that I keep at 40X almost exclusively.  At that magnification, the marks on the MTR-5 reticle are very meaningful and they help me in the placement of the shot, or in guaging the wind during the sighter period.  If I'm going to add wind, that's when I would do it, not after I have started my string.

Again, very specialized usage but that's where SFP scopes excel.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/30/2019 at 15:31
The primary value - to me - of FFPE (ranging a target of known size and adjusting fire on the reticle of a target at a known distance) is less significant on a known distance and static distance range.

And if always adjusting at the same magnification, your adjustments will always be the same, so it does not require max mag to work as needed.

Lots of long range shooting happens on SFP optics, they are great at the task.

As is usually the case, there is specific gear that is ideal for a specific shooter at a specific task, and ideal for me might be far less than ideal for someone else.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/31/2019 at 19:26
With a 2nd focal plane scope if I zero at say 100 yds and it has a ballistic reticle,  that zero is true at any magnification.    Ballistic reticles are typically built so the marks below the center X represent increments of 200yds, 300 yds 400 yds 500 yds 600 yds at the maximum power of the scope.
Say the scope is a 5-20 power scope and I want to dial down to 5x to shoot in low light.  Now I know that my marks below center no longer represent 200, 300 etc but they have to represent something.
So how do I figure out what they represent because 5x is always a know magnification that I can set the scope on. Now I go out to the range and Zero at 100 yds.  I drop back to 200 shoot three drop back to 300 shoot three drop back to 400 shoot three all the time aiming at the X and just letting the bullet strikes impact on the paper below the X now I go up to the target with a can of spray paint and mark where those 3 shot groups are on the paper.  Then I go back to those known distances and make notes with the scope on 5x what paint marking on the target matches up close to which mark on the reticle.  This way I and I can make a chart at any power   5x or 10x or 15x or 20x   looking through the scope will tell me how the marks on the reticle correspond to where the bullet strikes on the paper are at those known distances .

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/02/2020 at 10:19
Would it not be simpler/faster to put the scope on 5X and look at a heavy grid target at 100 yards? With that, you can mark the drop in inches at 100 yards and back-calculate either MOA or mils of drop, then verify with your ballistics calculator or existing dope card.

***A disclaimer: I do not - DO NOT - recommend using an SFP reticle for range or adjustment on anything but the designated power setting when shooting under potentially stressful circumstances.

Disclaimer #2: If you move between SFP and FFP scopes, don't do anything with the SFP reticle when not on specified power. Recipe for disaster!

Regardless of the process, none of it is true or meaningful till there are rounds on target at range to prove it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sparky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/02/2020 at 10:54
Originally posted by Rancid Coolaid Rancid Coolaid wrote:

Would it not be simpler/faster to put the scope on 5X and look at a heavy grid target at 100 yards? With that, you can mark the drop in inches at 100 yards and back-calculate either MOA or mils of drop, then verify with your ballistics calculator or existing dope card.

It's what I have done in the past.
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