Just took mine outta the box 5 minutes ago. Scope looks and feels quality. My first experience with FFP reticle. Damn that thing is small, fine and faint looking at 3 power.
I bought the scope anticipating using it at longer ranges (500 yds) by dialing. This might take some getting used too. I think I understand the purpose is to keep reticle marks consistent across the power range for "on the fly" ranging adjustments? At shorter ranges, I shouldn't need the marks?
Do they make dial scopes in SFP? Wish me luck. Always been a shorter range, set it and forget it, Kentucky windage kinda guy.
The purpose of keeping the marks consistent across the power range is for much more than just estimating range. Holding off for wind drift, measuring the necessary correction for a miss, etc, are common applications of the reticle. You're correct that when you're on low power you won't need the marks, and the reticle appears like a simple duplex for point-and-shoot opportunities. They do make reliable dialing scopes in SFP, but that would be a step backwards for your intended use. The SWFA SS 3-9x is going to be more to your liking as a general hunting scope that is capable of making precise LR shots, while the non-illum. LRTS is more of a specialized scope for LR precision shooting in decent light, due to the fact that the "posts" in the reticle are a series of hash marks rather than bold, black posts like you see in the LRHS, so are more faint and difficult to see in poor light. The illuminated LRTS is closer to a general LR hunting scope than the non-illum version, but the non-illum LRTS is slightly better for precision shooting in good light, due to the center of the reticle being a little finer.
