Do FFP scopes range better, or worse, or the same as 2nd FP scopes?
I wasn't clear. I meant by using the parallax focus for ranging rather than the dots.
TIA
In GENERAL, FFP scopes have been made, up until recently, in rather low magnifications.
This has carried over and some people think they range differently, or less effectively.
Truth is that given a set of glass and reticle, there is no reason why a FFP scope should range any different than a SFP scope.
EXCEPTION would be the newest, LCD reticles that MAY provide a worse image when placed in the FFP and used at high magnifications. But most of the ultramodern scopes are low mag because they already have LRF incorporated and there is no need to use other methods to range (unless you are talking FT), the sport is going to be parked in the 20th century for quite some time still.
BUT, going back to the main question: a wire/plate reticle will behave optically speaking pretty much the same wherever it is, an engraved glass reticle, IF not properly made, COULD offer some problems when the reticle itself gets magnified and along come any and all imperfections.
Personally, I have found that in quality scopes, you can go up to 24X FFP and still have good ranging characteristics comparable to SFP.
If you want something FFP, of good quality, on the budget side, just to make a test, try the Discovery Optics 6-24X50 RF FFP scope. That will tell you if you can range at 24X or you need 30-32x and up.
HTH
HM
If you want something FFP, of good quality, on the budget side, just to make a test, try the Discovery Optics 6-24X50 RF FFP scope. That will tell you if you can range at 24X or you need 30-32x and up.
HTH
HM
I have a Discovery 3-12 FFP and the optics and build are very very good! The only problem I have with the FFP is the reticle is very fine and at low powers it is difficult for me to make out the crosshairs and ranging marks. If I move it up to 6X it gets quite clear. I seldom shoot at 3X, so no harm no foul. The Discovery is an excellent buy!
regards,
Kindly 'Ol Uncle 
First thing I'll say is that the adjustable objective (front or side) is meant to eliminate parallax. You typically set the objective to the distance that you will be shooting at. That should give you a clear sight picture and eliminate parallax.
FT shooters realized early on that when they had no idea of the target distance, they could adjust the AO for the clearest focus, and it would (some scopes better than others) give them a decent estimate of the distance to the target. I think that's the reason that airgunners now look for scopes that focus-range-find.
Very few manufacturers are designing scopes with the intent of focus-range-finding. The primary range finding feature that is specifically designed into scopes is the reticle. But using the reticle for that purpose requires knowledge about the target.
As far as SFP vs FFP scopes when it comes to focus-range-finding, as Hector said, I don't think the reticle location makes any difference. I used a Monstrum 6-24x50 FFP G1 scope all of last year. I have shot FT with three different 6-24x50 scopes, one was SFP and two were FFP. I would say that the Monstrum FFP was the best by a small margin for focus-range-finding. I'm currently using an Athlon Helos 6-24x50 FFP MOA scope, and even though it may not be the best for focus range finding, it does have the best reticle of the three.
Instead of worrying about the ability of a scope to focus-range-find, I would recommend a laser range finder. Even the <$100 brands range OK at close distances, and once past 60-50 yards, the LRF will do better than even the best focus-range-finding.
If you are shooting FT, you are generally not allowed to use any separate range finder (or laser device). If that's your plan, then you will probably want to consider how well a scope can focus-range-find.
Higher magnification helps with focus-range-finding. FT targets can be as close as 10yds. A good number of the 24x FFP scopes will focus down to 10yds, but few of the >24x FFP scopes will.
The Monstrum 6-24x50 FFP G3 is in the same price range as the Discovery, and has a better reticle. So it would be another to consider if you are looking at a lower cost FFP scope to try. The G3 reticle looks to be designed specifically for FFP. It has graduated outer stadia that are coarser, so they are easily visible at the lower magnification settings.
As many people have noted, the reticles in some FFP scopes get unusable at low magnifications. That can be addressed with good reticle design. Your reticle choice is important when looking at FFP scopes.
If you will be shooting FT and are OK with large, high mag scopes, then you will have a much better selection, and best focus-range-finding in SFP.
If you will be doing stadiametric range finding (bracketing), than a 24x FFP scope with a well designed reticle will range find better.
HFT is my intended use. I now have three scopes to try out; 1 SFP and 2 FFPs. One of them is 6-24x56. The other 2 are 6-24x50. All of them range down to 10 yards. I'm in Ohio and the weather sucks so it may be awhile before I get to compare them. Outside of HFT all my shooting is at KD.
HFT is my intended use. I now have three scopes to try out; 1 SFP and 2 FFPs. One of them is 6-24x56. The other 2 are 6-24x50. All of them range down to 10 yards. I'm in Ohio and the weather sucks so it may be awhile before I get to compare them. Outside of HFT all my shooting is at KD.
If you were talking about true HFT, than focus-range-finding is not allowed.
If you are talking about AAFTA Hunter Division (more like FT, not HFT), than focus-range-finding is allowed, but you are limited to 16x. I have read that a larger objective can improve focus-range-finding. Some Hunter Division shooters use the same large objective scopes as Open and WFTF, which are almost exclusively SFP, like the Sightron 10-50x60. But you will have to turn it down to 16x to shoot in the Hunter Division.
What's KD?
