Turbulent Turtle
F-TR competitor
As I dig deeper into the Wide-Angle end of the pool, I can’t help but want to make some comparisons between various riflescopes, at least on paper and see if where the data would lead.
The first item of business was to come up with a method to compare the riflescopes using the sometimes-sparse data provided by at various manufacturers' websites. I also wanted to come up with a simple number that would be useful to me in extrapolating the actual FOV at various distances and magnifications.
The lowest common denominator between the various websites is the FOV at minimum and maximum at 100 yards, or 100meters, usually both. I evolved a formula (further refined by @Fred Bohl ) where given the FOV at maximum magnification and what that max magnification is, a number pops out that I call the “apparent angle of view”, or AAOV. This number ranges from a low of 17 to a high of 26, so far, in the various riflescopes I have analyzed. When I take this value (it's the same for meters or feet) and divide it by the desired magnification, then multiply by the constant 5.235 (60*1.047/12), I get the FOV at 100 yards in feet. So, let's say your preferred riflescope has an AAOV of 20; at 100 yards, at 25X, the FOV would be 4.2 feet. Then you can multiply by the result of (distance/100) to get the FOV at whatever distance you want. For example, at 300 yards, the FOV would be 4.2 feet * (300/100) = 12.6 feet. Easy peasy.
The trick is to compute the AAOV and for that we go back to trigonometry class. The formula is built into the accompanying spreadsheet.
I computed the AAOV or the FOV at various distances for a number of riflescopes, the usual suspects in F-Class and PRS. I’m sure there are other out there that I missed, and that why I provide the spreadsheet so you can add them in for yourself.
I also built a small calculator at the top of the spreadsheet; the first two rows are for that calculator. For Name, put in what you want. In B2 put in the FOV at max magnification that you will find in the specs of your favorite scope. Some provide the values in meters, other provide it in feet, and a few provide it in both units. Whichever value you put in B2, make sure to indicate F for feet, or M for meters in C2. in D2, put in the maximum magnification value for that riflescope and in E5, put in the magnification for which you want to compute the FOV in feet at 100, 600, and 1000 yards. Regardless of the unit, in C2, the AAOV in F2 is the single number that I want to use for comparison purposes. The higher the AAOV, the wider the FOV in the riflescope.
The FOV calculated at 100 yards uses the AAOV and the magnification in E2. If you try to use a magnification that is higher than the specs for that rifle, you’ll get a 0 in G2, H2, and I2.
WARNING: This is still very preliminary and subject to abrupt and complete change or eradication as I continue to dig. I welcome comments and let’s try to stay on the subject. (Yeah, look who’s talking/writing.)
The first item of business was to come up with a method to compare the riflescopes using the sometimes-sparse data provided by at various manufacturers' websites. I also wanted to come up with a simple number that would be useful to me in extrapolating the actual FOV at various distances and magnifications.
The lowest common denominator between the various websites is the FOV at minimum and maximum at 100 yards, or 100meters, usually both. I evolved a formula (further refined by @Fred Bohl ) where given the FOV at maximum magnification and what that max magnification is, a number pops out that I call the “apparent angle of view”, or AAOV. This number ranges from a low of 17 to a high of 26, so far, in the various riflescopes I have analyzed. When I take this value (it's the same for meters or feet) and divide it by the desired magnification, then multiply by the constant 5.235 (60*1.047/12), I get the FOV at 100 yards in feet. So, let's say your preferred riflescope has an AAOV of 20; at 100 yards, at 25X, the FOV would be 4.2 feet. Then you can multiply by the result of (distance/100) to get the FOV at whatever distance you want. For example, at 300 yards, the FOV would be 4.2 feet * (300/100) = 12.6 feet. Easy peasy.
The trick is to compute the AAOV and for that we go back to trigonometry class. The formula is built into the accompanying spreadsheet.
I computed the AAOV or the FOV at various distances for a number of riflescopes, the usual suspects in F-Class and PRS. I’m sure there are other out there that I missed, and that why I provide the spreadsheet so you can add them in for yourself.
I also built a small calculator at the top of the spreadsheet; the first two rows are for that calculator. For Name, put in what you want. In B2 put in the FOV at max magnification that you will find in the specs of your favorite scope. Some provide the values in meters, other provide it in feet, and a few provide it in both units. Whichever value you put in B2, make sure to indicate F for feet, or M for meters in C2. in D2, put in the maximum magnification value for that riflescope and in E5, put in the magnification for which you want to compute the FOV in feet at 100, 600, and 1000 yards. Regardless of the unit, in C2, the AAOV in F2 is the single number that I want to use for comparison purposes. The higher the AAOV, the wider the FOV in the riflescope.
The FOV calculated at 100 yards uses the AAOV and the magnification in E2. If you try to use a magnification that is higher than the specs for that rifle, you’ll get a 0 in G2, H2, and I2.
WARNING: This is still very preliminary and subject to abrupt and complete change or eradication as I continue to dig. I welcome comments and let’s try to stay on the subject. (Yeah, look who’s talking/writing.)
Last edited:
