There's been talk FFP, SFP, what about front FP ?

[Dano3467]

Was recently talking to Opticsplanet, And asking what Front focal plane is.
Is this an improvement over others, and superior to others, just some hype. Just a little Confused ??

[Short Action Precision]

There are pros and Cons to both. Depending on what your task is will help determine which one is better suited for your needs. In a Second Focal Plane (SFP) scope the reticle stays the same size no matter what power it is on. This means most reticles in SFP can be a lot thinner which helps to not cover up smaller targets. If you need to use the mildots for hold overs you need to make sure it is set on the right magnification, or you have to figure out the math which depending on what your using the scope for can be a hindrance. In first Focal Plane (FFP) scopes the reticle gets bigger as you zoom in which makes the reticle thicker which can cover up small targets. FFP is nice though if you need to do hold overs with the mildots and dont want to be fully zoomed in. Hold overs allow for fast transitions between multiple targets. For most bench rest guys they are only shooting one target so that is not high on the priority list. So to decide between the two you need to figure out what you will be doing with the rifle and go from there. Most of the times FFP models will be higher priced then SFP models. If I missed something Im sure some one else will comment on it.

[Dano3467]

Was wondering about FRONT FOCAL PLANE

[Short Action Precision]

Front Focal Plane = First Focal Plane.

[Dano3467]

So sorry, yes first FP...

[Dano3467]

front FP, this crap is so confusing

[Iloveguns]

What are you confused about?

[DRM6000]

Second Focal Plane - Reticle size remains the same size regardless of image magnification. If you range a target with the reticle, the magnification must be set at a specific power (usually 10x).

First Focal Plane - The reticle size changes with image magnification and maintains the same relationship with the image. Ranging can be done with the reticle at any magnification power.

[bender152]

Google is your friend. There's TONS of info out there.

Neither type is necessarily better, it just depends on how you plan to use the scope.

FFP (First Focal Plane) scope

In a FFP scope the reticle shrinks and grows in direct proportion to the target as you change magnification settings (the reticle subtensions are thus always accurate). This allows you to estimate the range to target at any power, unlike SFP (Second Focal Plane) scopes, which have to be dialed to a specific magnification setting in order to range accurately. (The reticle subtensions in SFP scopes are only accurate at one magnification).

Because FFP scope reticles "grow" as power is increased and "shrink" as power is decreased reticles must be chosen with care. At high magnification certain reticles may appear "thick", obscuring the target, while very fine reticles may seem to dissappear at lower magnification.

SFP (Second Focal Plane) scope

In a SFP scope the reticle size remains constant as you change magnification settings. Thus no worries about the reticle appearing too thick at high magnification or too fine at low magnification. However, the trade-off is that in order to "range" accurately the scope magnification must be dialed to a specific setting (whatever magnification the reticle subtensions are calibrated at). Again, the reticle subtensions in SFP scopes are only accurate at one magnification.

[CWDraco]

its fairly easy to learn. 2 minute video.

[Dano3467]

Good video. it say's a lot. And that is also the type of reticle that would work well for me, again thanks, that was awesome...

[ExtremeX]

FFP or SFP... Its an application and preference driven option...

I have both... but prefer FFP scopes in general if I have the option.

For dedicated target rigs I prefer SFP... generally you can find scopes with thinner reticle subtensions which make it eaiser to target shoot with if you are shooting groups. Most of the time I am at max magnification anyways so I see no benefit to a FFP scope for this type of application. I generally range objects at max mag, which is where reticle subtensions are typically true for most scope manufactures.

FFP is great for holdover shots, hunting, and other applications. Crosshairs are often thicker when compared to their SFP counterparts. Reticle subtensions stay true across the magnificaion range. One thing I really like about it is when long distance shooting, its much eaiser to dial back magnificaion for a wider FOV to spot your own shots and measure correction off bullet splash at the range without having to apply correction factor based on magnificaion.

Both have their pros and cons.