Ep. 192 | Can You Hunt With a FFP Riflescope?

Yes you can, it is all I hunt with. FFP also allows you to range an animal 🦒 if needed. Hunt with what ever you are competent with. FFP all the way for me.

I've switched all my scopes to FFP MRAD. Best decision I've made in hunting. SFP long gone and so happy i did it. Just wish i did it years ago.

I like using Maximum Point Blank Range where you sight your scope about 3" above point of aim at 100 yards to give you plus or minus 4" for as long a yardage as possible. Let's say you've got a 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge, then you can stay in that 4" window nearly all the way out to 300 yards. Now you just aim center of vitals at everything up to 300 yards. Only if you have to go over over 300 yards do you need to use a holdover. Now you set the scope to max power and use the holdover marks. Second plane is just fine for this kind of usage.

Hunted with both, I think if I was taking most my shots ranging from 200-500 yards I would lean more towards FFP. Most my hunting is between 30 and 200 yards so SFP with a duplex reticle works very quickly.

This scope is exactly what I’ve been waiting for, excited for it to finally come out so I can order one

I think most manufacturers have optimized their reticles for long range precision shooting and hope the hunting market can make the adjustments necessary for hunting at various ranges. What they should do is optimize the reticle more for hunting. For example, If they optimized it for a maximum range of maybe 600 yards on big game. Have the illumination automatically turn on below a certain power. The illumination should also include a big doughnut that would still be easily picked up at lowest power. I find the the illuminated center portion of the reticle on most FFP's a little small when shooting quickly on moving close range shots. For these shots the ACSS types of reticles are probably better. I realize these reticles lack the precision wanted in long shots.

As for first focal plane scopes, Bausch & Lomb Balvar scopes produced in the 60s were ffp scopes, including the 6x24 varieable target model. It was very popular among long range hunters in places like PA. in lieu of the more popular Unertle target scopes. They used a tapered cross hair etched on glass for the reticle. I used one for about 25 years with an after market micrometer dial made by Kuharsky.

Great talk guys. Thanks

Great information guys!!

14:41 What Jim is talking about can also be seen in SFP scopes with BDC reticles. The Crossfire II has different yardages in correlation to the reticle. First hash mark down is 200 yards for .308 Win. But it is 300 yards for .300 Win Mag. 18:18 another good point. We are naturally drawn to look at the crosshairs. So, dialing elevation works for that. And windage, if you know the wind is constant, such as the high plains states, with winds at a constant 20 MPH. Just dial it, you know that you want to. That being said, it is easier to do on a scope with exposed "tactical" turrets. As opposed to the BDC scopes that have caps on the turrets and those are designed to just shoot with the BDC marks. Or, like some guys do with a duplex scope, zero for 25-250 and aim somewhere around the shoulder and pray for the heart shot.

FFP OR SFP no matter which you use you need to go out and practice with it and become familiar with your equipment. Either can be effective at any range if you know your equipment.

I chose the FFP Diamondback Tactical 6-24x50 MRAD for my 308 hunting rifle. It’s a pretty versatile scope, and most the hunting in my area is in the mountains or prairies so the extra magnification is useful

That’s why they have field charts for hunting with 2nd plane bdc scopes for magnification adjustment. Nikon had that mapped out on the old spot on app years ago.

I want that scope lol. I was hesitating with the LHT but this one is all I want in a scope.

I always hunt with a FFO scope. I have been looking to get a lighter FFP scope for my bolt rifle and this is it. I was going to buy a Bushnell LRHSI but now it’s going to be another Vortex to match my other Cortex scopes.

Yes its amazing for coyote hunting. Hold overs are always correct on little targets when your in a rush

I have been using BDC reticles for years and variable power standard crosshairs. I check my bullet drops at different power ranges and compensate if I'm at half power on a standard 3 to 9 3030 rectal at 9 power. It's two meals drop and half that power. It is four meals drop. You can use your BDC recticles the same way

I've switched all my scopes on all my rifles but one to ffp and mils. Diamondback HP 2nd fp I'll keep on one of my 300 win mags, great hunting scope and it can't be found new anymore

I love ffp for hunting to long range honestly i use swfa 10x for anything at 30 to 500 yards for my tikka t3x lite in 300 winmag

Great info and timely. I'm seriously considering a FFP scope for my 6.5 CM. It will probably be a Vortex.