That is a nice scope! 

It costs about the same as my 4 rifles!!

Ffp is better bc most shouldnt be shooting at max power which makes sfp sub tensions useless bc they only make sense on max power. However most ffp reticles are not great for hunting. You want ones that still can be seen on min power when you want max fov up close but not too cluttered when you crank them up (no trees) The swfa reticles are a pretty balance of both, the glass on the 3x9s is a little better than the 3x15s (still perfectly adequate)  but I like having a little more power bc I sometimes hunt mouflon and southern whitetail and they are both pretty small. I have 2 of the 3x9s and 2 of the 3x15s. The 3x9 is only 20oz and the 3x15 only 22. Another reticle that's good is the maven reticle on the rs 1.2 but that's their only reliable model. I have two of those as well but they are a little heavier than the swfas. Great scopes though and they offer a great discount through govx if you are first responder. If you are on a budget the fixed 10 or 6 power swfa would be a decent buy the 10s can be found for 2-300 used. The 6xs are very hard to find and resell at a premium bc most like the fov of the 6 over the power of the 10 but I don't mind, I have two of them as well. I had some trijicon ten miles too before I went all in on ffp and the sfp retcle was good. The tree reticle on the ffp was too busy though I don't like trees. If you are just shooting inside 2-300 sfp still probably is fine but if you ever wanted to stretch it out go ffp mil and don't. Look back. The swfa 3x9 would be my first choice for that. Learn about quick drop and wind brackets and you'll be a better shooter. I've never worried about illumination either.

Aloha Tim
If you're only looking to shoot less than 200 yds then power wise any of the options you mention will work. As you mentioned in one of your replies hunting takes time and money. How much time and money depends on the hunt and what's involved in it. I hunt a lot here at home as well as all over the world one thing I've learned about optics is buy the best you can. That NF may cost as much as 4 of your rifles but its worth every penny.

If you can use a Picatinny rail on your rifles you can use one scope for all your rifles. So buying 4 $250 scopes for your rifles is the same as buying 1 $1000 scope. Just another way to look at it. You can only shoot one at a time anyway.

If you have any ? feel free to pm me

Aloha & happy hunting

That is a very good point about using one scope on multiple rifles!! 

I’ll likely just use it on only one rifle once I figure out out which I shoot best

I had been budgeting $600ish for a Trijicon credo

I would never want a 4x, or even a 3x, minimum magnification on a rifle I'd expect to take quick offhand shots on close targets with.

As a "do everything" scope, I'd rather have a 1-4x than a 4-14x. A good 1x, especially with an illuminated reticle, is in a class of its own for close range shots. A decent 4x can get you to 300-400 yards on a deer-sized target. A clear 14x is nice if you're trying to spot hits on paper through the scope, shooting tiny little targets, or taking shots at longer ranges than most would consider ethical.

I am tempted to buy that Nightforce for a designated longer-range rifle, but I wouldn't want to take it for a walk through shrubbery.

To each their own and that's what makes it what it is. An individual thing to consider what fits each best.

I have no problem shooting game close with 3x have shot hundreds of head of game like that. This is coming from someone who hunted most his young life with a 1x5. I'd take the 4x14 everytime. Mainly because l shoot a lot farther than 200-300 yds. And because l prefer higher power scopes from my own experience.

Begle
I’m not keen on fixed 6x scope.  The 2a member that sold me the 243 rifle mentioned he was going to a scope that had low magnification based on how he (or his kids) couldn’t “find” close deer with his scope.  I think he had a 4-12.  A while back, I picked up a 2-7 Pentax so that is what I might also use.  It isn’t durable like NF or Trijicon or have illumination….but I already have it….and I don’t plan to do much walking….so durability isn’t as critical would be a nice thing to have.  Too old, too fat and too high BP to do much walking.

I’ve been using my binoculars, an unmounted 1-4 Nikon and a rangefinder to see how they do after sunset looking at stuff about 180yards down the street. 

This weekend I’ll try to compare the 1-4 to a 3-9 at some park or area that doesn’t have a lot of ambient light after sunset.

I think the 1-4x24 might work for me out to 200 even at dawn/dusk.

Regarding the NF.  If you only plan to use it for paper 100%, durability isn’t as much of an issue.  Couldn’t a Viper do the job for $600 and leave $400 for ammo or reloading components?   Or would the NF be a 90% range and 10% hunting scope?

The used SWFA has set sail.  The seller hasn’t contacted me in about 2 weeks.