Vortex FFP advice

ASHCROFT9491

Well-Known Member
Hi all

Wanting to have a try with FFP on a rifle I may use for stalking at times and wondered what people's experience is with the Vortex ebr-7c reticle on lowest magnification please

Ideally I'd get a look through one but covid rules that idea out with no shows or shops open that have one in stock
 
It's a really useful reticle, and it does scale well – so 5x isn't an issue.

However, the only thing I wouldn't use it for, is stalking.

My main concern is that the whole reticle illuminates (not just the centre dot/portion). As a result, it can be hard to see what's happening 'behind' the illuminated reticle. Even at the lowest setting, it's too bright for dusk/dawn. It's a bit like staring into an oncoming cars headlights, and trying to see who's driving.

See below, a simulation of something like a Swaro Z6i vs a Vortex EBR style reticle.

Illumination.webp
 
Hi all

Wanting to have a try with FFP on a rifle I may use for stalking at times and wondered what people's experience is with the Vortex ebr-7c reticle on lowest magnification please

Ideally I'd get a look through one but covid rules that idea out with no shows or shops open that have one in stock
I’ve now got half a dozen FFP scopes which I really love, but for target shooting!
At lowest magnification, the reticle is just too fine to see and is impossible to see in a low light background like woodland.
Try to get a look through one in the conditions I mention and you will instantly see what I mean, SFP is a much better choice for most conditions in my opinion.
 
I have several I use. I think the Vortex reticle in question is too busy for stalking but at the lowest magnification (3 or 4X) it's not an issue. I have a 3-15 GEN II Viper that has that reticle. I just don't like the physical size of the glass for a hunting rifle. What that FFP reticle does is allow for ranging targets quickly and hold over/correction. Illumination is never set past a faint glow so it's useable. Here, if you need to illuminate a reticle it's probably past legal shooting time, anyhow.

I prefer a standard duplex reticle for all my hunting rifles. ~Muir
 
It's a really useful reticle, and it does scale well – so 5x isn't an issue.

However, the only thing I wouldn't use it for, is stalking.

My main concern is that the whole reticle illuminates (not just the centre dot/portion). As a result, it can be hard to see what's happening 'behind' the illuminated reticle. Even at the lowest setting, it's too bright for dusk/dawn. It's a bit like staring into an oncoming cars headlights, and trying to see who's driving.

See below, a simulation of something like a Swaro Z6i vs a Vortex EBR style reticle.

View attachment 181537
It's not as bad as that image would have you believe. That brightness against the solid black makes it look worse. Tone down the illumination and place it over the pic to the left and it wouldn't be so visually jarring. ~Muir
 
Thanks chaps, I have a SFP vortex pst2 that I do quite like with the option to adjust the illumination

Was out this morning using a NSX at 3.5 power and to be fair would struggle with a smaller reticle at first/last light without an adjustable illumination think

think I talked myself out of FFP for a stalking option
 
Are you decided on Vortex and that particular reticle? I have a Nightforce NX8 1-8 which I bought to satisfy a similar itch to yours (although I specifically fancied a LPVO). The reticle is less fussy and only the centre is illuminated although, if anything, it might be considered too big at 8x (it really is like a red dot). I bought it for woodland stalking but it has become my ‘go to’ for everything and it is half the weight of similar FFP scopes. Not cheap but it feels solid and I’d recommend you look at it in comparison.
 
Have a look on Youtube for "Optics Trade". They do some good videos on subtensions!
 
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