Rifle Scopes 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

triggerspace,

I have that scope. Bought in Nov. 09. Used it in 2 training classes (3 days total), 1 Tactical Comp, and general range time. About 600 rounds in all. I still like it, glass is clear, and tracks true, and love the MP-8 Special reticle and I haven't broken it yet.

No regrets over the purchase, waiting for the 3-18x50mm FFP, MIL/MIL, Illum. version to come out in April-May 2010, so I can buy another one, for a new rifle build.

So far, so good,

Bob
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

It is on my list of FFP scopes I'm trying to decide between along with the Vortex 6-24 Viper PST & Leupold Mark 4 ER/T 6.5-20. I'm interested in hearing what people have to say too
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

I have owned a Gen 1 and now a Gen 4.

I love both, the Gen 4 is a great scope and to be honest, its the only scope I like on the market for the cost to quality to options ratio.

John
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

jlowell,

+1

I know you know what it looks like, as do I, but for others interested in the 3-18x42 Snipers Hide Edition, FFP, MIL/MIL,here is the MP-8 Special Reticle:

MP-8DotModFFP-1.jpg


The full 15 MILS of holdover is available up to 14x. At 18x, you have 10.5 MILS of holdover. This decrease in available MILS is due to the FFP lenses.

In use this reticle is not busy at all, and the floating center dot is very prominent at all powers over 5x. The space including the center dot is 0.5 MILS.
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

Something I recently learned is that if you split the thickness of any of the lines it is .05 milrad....a tiny measurement which allows you to range small objects accurately or ...distant and small objects, something I never knew and came across by accident. I learned that in this post by Jon Boyette on another forum. I don't think he will mind me putting it here. He explains it better than I could. Sorry John........First the reticle w/measurements....

Again..the words below are John Boyette's not mine.
smile.gif


A5-1.jpg



The reticle in the IOR 3-18x42 FFP is 100% based on .1 MILRAD in measurement. For ranging this is a critical step. To accurately measure and engage an object past 700yds with the standard calibers most sniper teams deploy with “5.56mm, 7.62mm” you would need to get to the .05 MILRAD reading. By doing this with the A5 “now the modified MP-8” reticle all you must do is split the thickness of any of the lines to gain the .05 MILRAD reading in the reticle as a whole.

Here is a simple chart to show you the difference in getting the .05 and not.

milscale.jpg



As you can see, as the distance grows the .05 MILRAD reading helps. Look at the last target size of 36”. With a 1.7 MILRAD reading you would range the target at 588yds. With a 1.8 MILRAD reading you would range the target as 555yds. That’s a difference of 33yds. Keep in mind, we are within intermediate target engagement range for 7.62mm SWS and at the upper end of a 5.56mm SWS engagement range. Will that 33yds cause you to have a miss? It might. Run the numbers yourself and see the difference the .05 MILRAD reading makes. The main adjustment is small targets at longer ranges such as this chart.


milscale2.jpg



If you can read the .05 MILRAD reading you can now get a much closer ranging of the target to its true distance from you.

Using the reticle for holds:

You have a total of 15 MILRAD elevation an 5 MILRAD per side for windage. Holds are just as accurate as dialing when done correctly. IF you must engage multiple targets, movers, shifting wind and the like holding off is the best way to go due to the speed and accuracy gained by doing so. This reticle helps in such situations due to the ease of use of its design.

Optic Adjustment

The optic adjusts in .1 MILRAD. This is the best way to run any riflescope with a MILRAD based reticle. Why you ask? Well if you have to hold 1.3 MILRAD for a 300yd shot, you can also dial 1.3 MILRAD and engage that same distance. You o not have to flip/flop to a MOA dial. That same shot with a Leupold 3.5-10 MK4 with MOA adjustment and a MILRAD reticle would read like this:
4.50 MOA dialed or 1.3 MILRAD hold two units of measure MOA / MIL for no good reason

With the IOR 3-18x42mm FFP would read like this:
1.3 MILRAD dialed or 1.3 MILRAD hold

I see no comparison to a MIL/MIL optic over a MOA/MIL optic. It’s just a better system. To take this sideways, a MOA/MOA system is hands down better than a MOA/MIL system.

The adjustment of .1 MILRAD is at 100yds .36inches of measurement. So for three clicks you are at 1.08 inches. I like this just on the fact that 3 clicks = 4 clicks on a ¼ MOA scope less adjustment. Now, let say you are shooting at 600yds and you see your shot is .9 MIL high and .8 MIL right. Well you can hold off for the 2nd shot like any other riflescope OR like any other rifle scope in a MIL/MIL setup, just dial down 9 clicks, and 8 clicks left.

So basically you adjust to what you see. Try that with a MOA/MIL setup like a Leupold. To make my point this would be your adjustment.
.9 Mil high = 3.0 MOA down
.8 MIL right 2.75 MOA left

Unless you have a calculator or a mil-dot master right at your side you have to convert your adjustment from MIL in the reticle “the splash you see” to MOA to adjust. This kills time and allows the wind to shift more so than a faster follow up shot.

The elevation knob has 10 MILRAD in one turn. This is more than enough elevation in one turns to get you from a 100yd ZERO to 1000yds with most 7.62mm SWS. If you go with a MK-13 type system, you can get well past 1000ys in one turn. If you want to run this on a MK12 style system you will spend the life of the rifle in less than one turn of the elevation knob.

The merit of the MIL/MIL system is well known, I have just touched the surface of how it aids the shooter. This is a lesson the U.S. Army and Marine Corp are learning now. You will also see the Marines have dropped the MOA/MIL optics, and some units in the U.S. Army have also.
The ability to use the First Focal Plane “FFP” reticle is also a step up from a Second focal Plane optic “SFP”. If you are a shooter that shoots on a static range, no movers, no dynamic target engagement than a SFP optic like the Leupold 4.5-14 or 3.5-10 is fine. BUT if you shoot movers, pop-up ranges, unknown distance, practice mechanical offset, danger space and the like a FFP is not needed. But it will take out half of your misses down range and not let you make mistakes.
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

Orkan,

The center turret housing is pretty far back, as seen below:

SDC10637-1.jpg


Here you have three 3-18's. The AR-10 on top has a Gen 4, my LTR in the middle a Gen 4, and on the bottom a Gen 2. All have the supplied sunshade affixed.

None of us has any problems getting proper eye relief. But some folks have had a problem getting the eye piece back far enough for proper eye relief without shadows.

The eye box on the 3-18 is very good from 3x to about 14x, then gets pretty small from 14x to 18X. The scope has a 6x zoom. To get something in optics you have give up something. That something is seen from the design of the scope, and the turret housing, and critical eye box @ top powers.

Bob



 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lowlight</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I sort of wish they would stop using the SH name as "I" had nothing to do with that scope...

it was SH Members and not Sniper's Hide </div></div>

I think it's just the general people that are labeling it SH model or SH edition than it is IOR or even IOR retailers. IOR just states it was made in 2007 as a special request.
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

These are from when I had a Gen III:
Not the greatest, but not bad. I didn't have a problem with the high magnification.
The post is at 420 yards.
Sorry, but I didn't take one at 18. I spent most of my time at 12-16x and 18 for measuring and checking impacts.


10x
ior10x.jpg


16X

IOR16x.jpg
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

I have a Gen III I purchased from a member here for my LTR it's been running great! I might get a Gen 4 soon for a build I'm planning. My only gripe is the windage knob is mushy on mine but the elevation is pretty crisp.

Here's a shot through it at 10X Buck was at the other end of the field I never was able to see his whole body but I was thinking 350 - 375 yds.
IMG_0469123.jpg

 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: orkan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I see what you mean Bob. Thanks for pointing that out.

Do you know of any "through the scope" pictures that show the eyebox getting small that you are talking about? </div></div>

Orkan,

I will try and take some through the scope pictures tomorrow for viewing. But by "eyebox" I mean the forward to aft movement of your head on the stock. As scope power goes up, the eye box gets smaller. Perhaps I'm just not explaining it well.

By this I mean sweet spot where you can see the full reticle without any shadowing. But if you move your head forward or back much, you get shadowing, and loose the full sight picture. The eye box on the IOR 3-18 is relatively small @ 18x, gets bigger at lower powers. Not sure the pictures will revel that, but I will try.

Bob
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Enkry</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lowlight, just look at it as free advertising, after all its the members that make Snipershide.com what it is. </div></div>

No it implies that I approved it, or acknowledge it as a SH endorsed scope, and SH has not endorsed it or does it receive anything from the use of the name
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: springer01</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think it's just the general people that are labeling it SH model or SH edition than it is IOR or even IOR retailers.</div></div>

One of their retailers, Liberty Optics, does use Snipers Hide in their advertisement/listing for the scope.

It's listed as: "3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4"
http://www.libertyoptics.com/contents/en-us/d73.html

I don't really follow IOR products, so I don't know if other vendors use SH as well. *IF* I ever considered buying an IOR, it'd probably be from LO.
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

Sorry using SH's name to get "Street cred." is crap. what if BSA used it? there has got to be some laws broken here. I'll check my books tmrw...I'm drkn
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BobinNC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">But by "eyebox" I mean the forward to aft movement of your head on the stock.
Bob </div></div>

You mean eye relief? The eye relief changes and gets touchy at high powers?

Thanks for the pictures guys!
smile.gif
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Memo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a Gen III I purchased from a member here for my LTR it's been running great! I might get a Gen 4 soon for a build I'm planning. My only gripe is the windage knob is mushy on mine but the elevation is pretty crisp.
</div></div>

Memo,

Thats not the reticle I did for IOR that the others are talking about. You have one of the many variations of the MP-8

John
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lowlight</div><div class="ubbcode-body">No it implies that I approved it, or acknowledge it as a SH endorsed scope, and SH has not endorsed it or does it receive anything from the use of the name </div></div>

And that's a valid concern if my experience is anything to go by. I'm just starting to "get serious" about long range tactical shooting, subscribed to this site instead of anonymously snooping every 6 months, etc. When I ran across the "Sniper's Hide Edition" moniker, I thought it was somehow officially sanctioned by the site.
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

I love the scope and as others was concerned due to the first gens reputation, mine is running great and the reticle is cats ass. Also waiting on the new one to come out.
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: biodegraded</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lowlight</div><div class="ubbcode-body">No it implies that I approved it, or acknowledge it as a SH endorsed scope, and SH has not endorsed it or does it receive anything from the use of the name </div></div>

And that's a valid concern if my experience is anything to go by. I'm just starting to "get serious" about long range tactical shooting, subscribed to this site instead of anonymously snooping every 6 months, etc. When I ran across the "Sniper's Hide Edition" moniker, I thought it was somehow officially sanctioned by the site. </div></div>

Hmmm.... That's why I decided to give this scope a try.

Jamie
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rijndael</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
One of their retailers, Liberty Optics, does use Snipers Hide in their advertisement/listing for the scope.</div></div>That Scott dude is a bad, bad man!
wink.gif


I suggest that he change the name to the SHAME (Sniper's Hide Amended Members Edition)...or just call it the "member."
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

I almost bought one about a month ago, but a few things ultimately kept me from finally pulling the trigger. First and foremost, the customer service issue really was a deal breaker. I honestly did not feel like I could expect the kind of service I've become accustomed to with Sightron, Leupold, and Burris, and simply could not drop $1500 on an optic that may or may not have support 3-5yrs from now. Two, the resale with the higher end IORs doesn't seem to be as good as other manufacturers in the price range, and I believe this has a lot to do with customer service concerns. Finally, I could buy two Sightron SIII's for the price of one of the IOR's. Instead of having one 3-18 IOR, I now have a SIII 6-24x50 on my 5R and a SIII 3.5-10x44 on my AR10.
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

I almost bought one... but I just bought the Razor HD instead. I wanted the illumination, the zero stops and it has more adjustment internally... Plus vortex warranty is amazing!
 
Re: 3-18x42 35mm FFP Sniper's Hide Edition GEN 4

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Badbowtie03</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I almost bought one... but I just bought the Razor HD instead. I wanted the illumination, the zero stops and it has more adjustment internally... Plus vortex warranty is amazing! </div></div>

Vortex in front of IOR...is just a matter of taste but maybe is just me being subjective (i'm Romanian)