{"id":411389,"date":"2023-10-09T09:00:26","date_gmt":"2023-10-09T14:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/?p=411389"},"modified":"2024-10-10T23:58:36","modified_gmt":"2024-10-11T04:58:36","slug":"the-vortex-strike-eagle-ffp-lpvo-maximum-flexibility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/the-vortex-strike-eagle-ffp-lpvo-maximum-flexibility\/","title":{"rendered":"The Vortex Strike Eagle FFP LPVO: Maximum Flexibility"},"content":{"rendered":"

Low Power Variable Optics (LPVO) are all the rage in some circles, and with good reason. Used properly, a good LPVO provides many of the advantages afforded by a red dot. This, while allowing the shooter to easily range far beyond a standard red dot\u2019s capabilities, offers maximum flexibility in dynamic environments. A recent high-profile police incident featured an effective LPVO employment, which seemed to be doctrinal, as in the officer in charge yelling \u201cPush the LPVO!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Vortex
Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8 FFP LPVO is a great scope with nice features. (Author’s Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

LPVOs are reportedly performing well in Ukraine, providing soldiers with options they\u2019ve seldom experienced before now. Civilian shooters have embraced them for hunting, self-defense, and competition. The LPVO market is full of great choices, and when Vortex offered a 1-8 First Focal Plane (FFP) Strike Eagle<\/a> for testing, I jumped at the chance.<\/p>\n

First Focal Plane vs. Second Focal Plane<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I\u2019ve been running a Vortex Strike Eagle LPVO for about three years now. My first Strike Eagle was a 1-6x Second Focal Plane (SFP) scope<\/a> that I liked quite a bit. However, once I researched the difference between first and second focal plane scopes, I knew I wanted to try the FFP.<\/p>\n

This article isn\u2019t about the ins and outs of FFP vs. SFP, so I\u2019ll keep it simple, based on my experience and why I ultimately chose one over the other. My SFP Strike Eagle was great, but the bullet drop compensator (BDC) reticle\u2019s etched elevation and windage adjustments were only valid when the scope was at full power. That\u2019s because the reticle stays the same size no matter where you set it. So, the holds can only be valid at one setting. That setting is, and should be, at full power. Honestly, that\u2019s when you need them the most, but I wanted the option to change magnification and still use the BDC if I wanted.<\/p>\n

\"Vortex
The Strike Eagle’s throw lever (circled) is easy to reach and very positive. It’s also optional, meaning you can use the well-serrated ring instead. (Author’s Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The FFP Strike Eagle allows me to do that. The reticle changes size as I adjust the magnification. The higher the setting, the larger the reticle, and vice versa. Honestly, the reticle is so small at 1x that I can barely make out the hold markers, but since I don\u2019t need them at 1x\u2026not a problem. The only small issue is that the dot is also very small and hard to pick up. But Vortex eased that problem with three posts, from the three, six, and nine o\u2019clock positions, in which the shooter centers the target at low power. If you center a man-sized target in those lines, you\u2019re golden. So, there is a trade-off, but it\u2019s one that I can live with, and I prefer the FFP.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t hurt that FFP scopes require better-quality glass than SFP models. It\u2019s not a night and day difference, but comparing the two, the FFP is a bit clearer than the SFP. That\u2019s a big reason why the FFP Strike Eagle costs more than the SFP version.<\/p>\n

Vortex Strike Eagle FFP Specifications<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Now that FFP and SFP are out of the way, let\u2019s look at the FFP Strike Eagle\u2019s specs:<\/p>\n