So I am thinking of returning my Minox riflescope since I think it is defective. I bought it from our board advertiser from NY as an "open box" special "which had not been mounted" and it appears that there is something optically out of order since it produces color fringes around high contrast subjects. It just about gave me a headache at the range trying to sight on my black and white target with the fringing. The scope should be fine with this type of target since it is the same type I have used for the last year and I have sighted in an untold number of scopes with them.

In considering returning the scope, I doubt I could get the same one (unless I wait for it to be repaired) since it was discounted as an open box item) so I am considering upping the ante and replacing it with the Viper PST 4-16 FFP scope. Given that this is going on my long range coyote gun (Savage 12 LRP 343 Win) I think I should have sprung for a better scope in the first place, but I expected it to be AT LEAST the equal of my Nikons.

So those of you who did spring for the Vortex PST 4-16 FFP, what are your thoughts ?

I imagine that learning to lead running dogs or hold for wind should be simpler with the FFP reticle, where with the SFP Nikons the "hold over" would be different for every magnification and these are typically very fluid situations...

I might add that Coyote hunting here in the Midwest is pretty challenging. In 6 months of hunting, being out virtually every weekend, I have only had 3 coyote sightings, resulting in 2 misses, 1 wounded dog that ran off and 1 dead dog..... Ranges have been 130 yards (dead dog + missed dog) to 250 yards (wounded dog) to 350 yards (missed dog). All of those with my 223 and 55gr Vmax ammo except for the 2 at 130 yards which was my learning experience with 75gr match ammo and 200yd zero (3" high at 100 yards). Hence the thought that I may be better off with the 243 for most of the longer range stuff.