However, this being a public forum, a healthy discussion of different preferences does not hurt.
ILya
agreed, the problem we see here is group and pack mentality. Its like global warming. everyone agrees so it must be correct. I personally feel the industry is too fixated and that most shooters would be generally best served with optics that have less power than the ones currently being pushed. For a hunting scope I see no need for a scope to be greater than 15-16x on the high end. I can shoot half MOA with a 3.5-15x nightforce @1000 yards. If I was always shooting that far might I pick a scope with more power, probably. but 1000 yards is really too far for anyone to be regularly shooting at big game animals, and 15x on the high end still gets the job done. When I shoot at an animal and the shot requires hold over or holding off or anything more than point and shoot. I am not rushing a shot of this nature. If you use a scope of 15x or less there is no reason not to just crank the scope to max. So what changed in the optics business? why were all the older scopes SFP? because they were generally less power and were designed for hunting. FFP has been popularized by tactical shooting and PRS style shooting. which is a totally different shooting dynamic. Maybe a quick shot at 400+ yards at something moving is desired. In which case there is a good reason to not be on max power to make that shot. Since the optic maxs at 25x on the high end, its desired to not be on max power because of mirage OR because more FOV is desired. Again all benefits of FFP.
both scope designs have a trade off. No one seems to care to acknowledge this around here. its like FFP or nothing. You yourself said the markings on FFP aren't useable on the lowest powers. they are only use able at mid to high power. That is still a trade off and most definitely not usable at any power like so many people claim. For a hunting scope, you need ONE thing most importantly, you need to be able to actually see the reticle on the lowest power and in the lowest light because that is when animals are most likely seen. early in the morning or late in the evening. Low light performance is a huge deal. illuminate the reticle some would say. Ok what if the scope got left on and the battery is out? what if the battery isn't working and is dead because you forgot to replace it? The illumination argument is monkeying around too much and its not ideal anyways in low light.
lastly, koshkin, what scopes do you feel offer FFP AND acceptable reticle visibility on the very lowest power without illumination? the 3x9 SWFA scope isn't bad, what others?
