Most LR shooters don't use the reticle for elevation correction. They typically dial for elevation, and use the reticle for:
- Wind correction. The wind is so variable and constantly changing, so dialing in wind correction can be very impractical
- Judging correction needed after a miss. When you can spot your misses through your scope and use your reticle to estimate the needed correction, it makes it a simple matter to dial that extra correction into the scope, or to hold a little more or less windage
- Target size estimation. It's often handy to use the reticle to determine how big your target is, if that info is not previously known
- The reticle appears big and bold on low magnification, and fine and precise on high magnification. In low light on low mag, you can be at minimum mag and you see the big bold posts, which is handy at dusk or dawn. In good light for long shots, you crank up the mag and the fine center crosshair is magnified and you can see the little precise markings on the reticle that aren't very apparent when the scope is on low mag
- For extreme range shooting, when your erector travel is maxed out, you can dial your elevation turret until it tops out, and use the reticle for additional elevation correction
FFP makes all this simpler by removing the guesswork regarding reticle subtensions vs. magnification. Anybody who says that FFP is useless either shoots at nothing but known targets at known distances, uses only 1 or 2 magnification settings on their scope, or else they don't use their reticle to its potential.
