Just got this in email
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Notes on rifle scope reticles:
ANY ranging reticle in a Second Focal Plane (SFP) Optic is only correct at one power, usually the highest and many times not then, you will have to do MATH to make the corrections.
First Focal Pane (FFP) scope reticles have to walk a fine line between the highest and the lowest power as if the retical is fine enough for precision work at distance it is virtually invisible at the lower power. I attempted to address this with some success on a reticle that I designed for the scope company I worked for. The center was a very fine floating reticle, kinda looked like this " + " with a space between it and the next stadia mark which was much heavier. SO at low power you had the full reticle but the center was VERY fine, on higher powers the center was good for precision work but the stadia were pretty big. For reference the scope was a 1 - 6X and a 1 - 10X.
The magic of a FFP scope is that you can dial in a certain zero and just hold your shots from there once you have the MATH figured out.
IF you get a FFP reticle MAKE SURE your turrets match the reticle IE: MOA reticle 1/4 MOA adjustments, Mil reticle 0.1 Mil Adjustments, IPHY (Inch Per Hundred Yards) 1/4 IPHY adjustments. A lot of scopes out there have a Mil Dot reticle and 1/4 MOA adjustments which means you have to do more MATH.
Have I mentioned that to truly optimize the use of a scope you need to do MATH?
We haven’t even started talking about ballistics yet which is MORE MATH.
I speak all three languages and can translate if you would like some help.
Cheers,
Craig6
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Any word from @Gunner502?
Chatted with him a few times, haven’t seen him in a bit.
Cheers,
Craig6
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I know he has a lot going on right now. He’s buying a house and is dealing with the realtors and bankers and trying to get ready to move.
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If I might muddy the waters a bit at this late point? Ignore it as it drifts off topic a bit. But you aren’t going to play with the long range gong ringers with a 5.56-223. Before you spend much on a good scope you might want to start saving for a 224 Valkyrie Upper or more complicated 6.5 Grendel. Both will reach out and touch things at greater distances than 500 yards. The 223 is great for Pig hunting and even deer. I have friends that shoot coyotes with the 223 as well. When you get into long range shooting it is a bit like getting into drugs. Soon you are watching videos of people reaching out with Barrett 416s well past 1000 yards having their own personal spotters with them. OK maybe that is extreme but I lost a good shooting buddy to a 6.5 Creedmoor and a new group of shooters.
Just pointing out that you optics will depend on what you want to use your weapon for. You may return to your previous program. (said in my best announcer voice)
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I’m still here! Life’s been super busy lately so free time is hard to come by! Addressing the scopes, I have used a ton of optics and on my carbine I use an EOTech holographic with a 3x magnifier. I’m pretty good with that out to 300ish yards. Reaching out to 500 I go with something like the trijicon 4x RCO. Some of them have graduated range markers too to assist in range estimation and adjusting for elevation. Getting into full size rifle scopes you can definitely get some longer distances if you and your weapon are capable. Only down side is at closer range and more kinetic situations, it’s difficult to form a proper sight picture firing from cover or on the move.
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On scopes of any kind, I stumbled upon a company which sells products especially for cleaning and care of scopes.
I ordered some cleaning supplies from them, gonna try it out.
I remember that cotton or patches that we normally use to clean firearms - can, I regret - scratch lenses. That we should use special cloth materials and special glass cleansers.
They deal with vintages scopes, and of note - they can even replace “glass”/lenses, restore, refurbish old hard to replace scopes.
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