Burris Fullfield II 3-9x40 with Ballistic Plex Reticle?

[4535jacks]

Chaps/Chapesses,

My scope for a light weight 1" tube 40mm scope continues. Due to an unexpected bill for a toy, my budget has reduced and so I have been looking at the Burris Fullfiield II 3-9x40. I have read some good reviews from the US and have found a couple S/H scopes for sale but they have the Plex reticle.

However, a lot of the reviews rave about the ballistic Plex reticle and so should I hold out for one of these or is this pointless for stalking?

What are people's thoughts on these reticles?

Thanks in advance,

Gary

 

[ferretmanabu]

Very good scopes for the money. I have of them on a few of my rifles. The ballistic plex is useful as the increments are quite good with the common calibers e.g. I could zero my 308 at 100 yards and when shooting out to 200, the first notch below the cross hair would pretty much be spot on to compensate the drop.

Chaps/Chapesses,

My scope for a light weight 1" tube 40mm scope continues. Due to an unexpected bill for a toy, my budget has reduced and so I have been looking at the Burris Fullfiield II 3-9x40. I have read some good reviews from the US and have found a couple S/H scopes for sale but they have the Plex reticle.

However, a lot of the reviews rave about the ballistic Plex reticle and so should I hold out for one of these or is this pointless for stalking?

What are people's thoughts on these reticles?

Thanks in advance,

Gary

 

[Southern]

I have three of the 3-9x40 BPlex scopes, and three of the 2-7x35 BPlex scopes and really like them. The reticle is fine enough for precision placement at long range, yet sharp enough to not have to hunt for it in poor light or on moving game. As ferretmanabu says, the marks are right on the money for many standard loads. I have tested mine on a .270 Win and .308 Win. The stadia, being of known MOA, can be used for ranging the target, as well. I have even used these scopes on a .22 LR, making 100+ yard shots a snap. They offer the 3-9x40 and 2-7x35mm for the .22 LR with a 50-yard parallax setting.

The newer FFII E1 BPlex has some improvements: a crosshair-dot with hashes below, etched reticle, and Swarovski type power ring that does not move the ocular lense. It is very nice, a bit more expensive, and harder to find at a discount than the FFII.

Another good scope which copies the Burris reticle very well, is the Vortex Diamondback. I have a 4-12x40mm VDB on a .30-06. Like the Burris FFII, these scopes are slim and light weight, also with lifetime warranties.

 

[mereside]

I have one on my 270, its been all over the world up mountains dropped on rocks when my strap broke its still going well furthest i have used it 500m in nz, would i buy another yes indeedy i really like it, atb wayne

 

[4535jacks]

I have three of the 3-9x40 BPlex scopes, and three of the 2-7x35 BPlex scopes and really like them. The reticle is fine enough for precision placement at long range, yet sharp enough to not have to hunt for it in poor light or on moving game. As ferretmanabu says, the marks are right on the money for many standard loads. I have tested mine on a .270 Win and .308 Win. The stadia, being of known MOA, can be used for ranging the target, as well. I have even used these scopes on a .22 LR, making 100+ yard shots a snap. They offer the 3-9x40 and 2-7x35mm for the .22 LR with a 50-yard parallax setting.

The newer FFII E1 BPlex has some improvements: a crosshair-dot with hashes below, etched reticle, and Swarovski type power ring that does not move the ocular lense. It is very nice, a bit more expensive, and harder to find at a discount than the FFII.

Another good scope which copies the Burris reticle very well, is the Vortex Diamondback. I have a 4-12x40mm VDB on a .30-06. Like the Burris FFII, these scopes are slim and light weight, also with lifetime warranties.

With that many you are abviously a fan! I did look at the Diamondback but have read more positive reviews for the Burris. How do the two compare in low light?

Do you find the lack of a magnification rings an issue and does this prevent you from using flip up lens caps?

I have looked at the E1 version and like the look of it but as you say there certainly aren't as many discounts and very few being sold second hand (maybe that is a good sign!)

When buying secondhand is there a way of checking if the scope's parallax is set at 50 or 100m?

Gary

 

[Southern]

The Burris FFII and Timberline are marked for Rimfire or Slug, if they have 50 yard or 75 yard parallax settings. The rest are 100 yard setting.

I don't use a lot of flip up caps, only on my all-weather rifles, and I leave the diopter set for my eyes and the power set to 4x or 6x on those. If I am going to make a long shot using the BPlex hashes, it has to be turned to the top power ( 7 or 9x ), but I will have time to do that and it only moves the cap lid over about 30 degrees, so no problem.

I have not shot the 4-12x Vortex in dim light, but have compared the Burris FFII side by side with a 3-9x36 Swaro, 3.5-10x50 Leupold Vari-X III, and a 4.5-14x Zeiss Conquest, at various power settings, throughout the day while working outside on my patio, from bright sun to sunset. The Burris gave up nothing to any of them until the sun was gone, or in looking 600 yards out across a field and into dark pine woods; the Swaro and Zeiss had the edge in both those comparisons. In bright light, the Burris at 9x could show the rust on a chain link fence at 400 yards. I dim light, I am going to have any variable turned down to the lowest power, and the shots are not going to be over 200 yards, so they all work for me. I like the light weight and slim lines, good finger-adjustable 1/4 minute knobs on the Burris.