One thing I realized recently has to do with a "benefit" of SFP scope.
I was thinking of rezeroing the .22LR at the top of the 5 mil mark on the vertical reticle line. This would enable 10 mils of "up hold" capability and thus would allow the main subtended part of the reticle to be used out to 325yards. This would avoid having to estimate the mils between 5 and 10 on the lower duplex.
At 325 yards, being zeroed at 200yds requires holding about 6.7 mils up, being zeroed at 150yds requires about 9.8 mils up. So zeroing at the top of the 5 mil mark would allow better aiming out the 325yds.
But then I realized if I continue to use the 3.5x power, I can divide the adjustments by three (using Leupold 3.5-10x TMR) and would not have to rezero. So this is a previously unrealized benefit. The 6.7 becomes about 2.25 and the 9.8 becomes about 3.25.
Of course the downside, is that this "benefit" comes at the expense of loss of magnification. Re-stated I lose the ability to "aim small/miss small" by staying with the 3.5x magnification. But for me the point is that I now more clearly realize that there is some benefit buried in here as well. That with lower power on an SFP scope, you have more "mils" to work work inherently.
This opens up a broader question for me and that is when is it best to use lower power and when it is best to use higher power on scopes? You might think it is always better to use higher power, but I've had one experienced scoped rifle shooter tell me he thinks you always want to use lowest power. I need to ask him to amplify that statement. My thinking has been that to "aim small/miss small" you want to use highest power. I make an exception for a night rifle. For a night rifle, I do not inherently have a wide FOV, my only FOV comes from looking through the scope. So having the scope on lower power gives me more FOV to see the quarry, if hunting. Also, in my case, the NVD maker recommends magnification of no more than 6x to avoid lose of clarity. I have shot on 10x and it can be done, but I am shooting at paper targets and I know exactly what they look like, so loss of clarity is not as much of an issue. It would be an issue when hunting. During the day, with both eyes open, I have more FOV than just what I can see through the scope and I would be more likely to be taking a longer shot and hence could gain more benefit of higher power to "aim small/miss small". But I do believe this topic is more complex than I originally thought.
Any thoughts welcome.
I was thinking of rezeroing the .22LR at the top of the 5 mil mark on the vertical reticle line. This would enable 10 mils of "up hold" capability and thus would allow the main subtended part of the reticle to be used out to 325yards. This would avoid having to estimate the mils between 5 and 10 on the lower duplex.
At 325 yards, being zeroed at 200yds requires holding about 6.7 mils up, being zeroed at 150yds requires about 9.8 mils up. So zeroing at the top of the 5 mil mark would allow better aiming out the 325yds.
But then I realized if I continue to use the 3.5x power, I can divide the adjustments by three (using Leupold 3.5-10x TMR) and would not have to rezero. So this is a previously unrealized benefit. The 6.7 becomes about 2.25 and the 9.8 becomes about 3.25.
Of course the downside, is that this "benefit" comes at the expense of loss of magnification. Re-stated I lose the ability to "aim small/miss small" by staying with the 3.5x magnification. But for me the point is that I now more clearly realize that there is some benefit buried in here as well. That with lower power on an SFP scope, you have more "mils" to work work inherently.
This opens up a broader question for me and that is when is it best to use lower power and when it is best to use higher power on scopes? You might think it is always better to use higher power, but I've had one experienced scoped rifle shooter tell me he thinks you always want to use lowest power. I need to ask him to amplify that statement. My thinking has been that to "aim small/miss small" you want to use highest power. I make an exception for a night rifle. For a night rifle, I do not inherently have a wide FOV, my only FOV comes from looking through the scope. So having the scope on lower power gives me more FOV to see the quarry, if hunting. Also, in my case, the NVD maker recommends magnification of no more than 6x to avoid lose of clarity. I have shot on 10x and it can be done, but I am shooting at paper targets and I know exactly what they look like, so loss of clarity is not as much of an issue. It would be an issue when hunting. During the day, with both eyes open, I have more FOV than just what I can see through the scope and I would be more likely to be taking a longer shot and hence could gain more benefit of higher power to "aim small/miss small". But I do believe this topic is more complex than I originally thought.
Any thoughts welcome.
