Scope

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Primary Arms SLx 3-18x50 Gen 2

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  Quality optics have become affordable for most shooters in the last few years. One no longer needs to spend $1000, or more, to get a clear quality optic. Primary Arms has been aiding us shooters with these types of optics. Their new Gen 2 SLx 3-18x50 FFP is one of those. This optic has features that should make it cost twice the price. 

  The Gen 2 SLx 3-18 is packed with features. Coming in first is its First Focal Plane (FFP) reticle. Yes, this $500 optic has a FFP Christmas tree style reticle. So when you zoom in, all the reticle’s MIL marks stay the same. This allows you to hold over for bullet drops, or wind, at any reticle setting. This particular optic uses Primary Arms’ ACSS Athena BPR Mil reticle. I won’t go much into the reticle’s design as it uses MIL’s in a very useful pattern. But, the reticle is illuminated to help one see better in low light. It’s pretty bright for this size of optic. This ACSS reticle also uses a small center chevron, think triangle, for aiming. Most optics like this just use a small dot. The top point of the chevron can be used for very precise shots, more so than if one were to use an optic with a small center dot. The other nice aspect to this reticle is its built in ranging ladder. The ladder is in the upper right hand portion of the optic. This puts it out in the part of the reticle that is seldom used. I really like how Primary Arms designed the ACSS Athena reticle. It is easy to use, even for someone like me that is used to using a MOA reticle. I even mentioned to Primary Arms that they were starting to convert me to MIL reticle scopes. Part of that comment was due to the SLx 3-18x50.

At 18x, Tower Light is approximately 350 yds away. Light is also 15” wide for ranging purposes.

  Since I was talking about the reticle, let's go into the optics themselves. This SLx 3-18 gen 2 is exceptionally clear. This is why I say it far exceeds its class. I had zero problems with the clarity, even at its full magnification of 18x. I could easily make out 17 HMR holes in targets at 100yds. The crispness of the glass is also really good, though I did find it to drop off a little at longer ranges and at higher magnification, but it never caused any problems. I did find the parallax adjustment to be a little touchy. At least when focusing the parallax adjustment on targets between 200-400 yards. They were the hardest to get focused. Other ranges didn’t seem to be as touchy, even the lower ranges like 15-100 yds. I will give the SLx credit for having a parallax adjustment that goes from 10 yds to infinity. Other than those minor issues, the SLx 3-18 gen 2 has great glass for the money.

  The function of the SLx 3-18x50 gen 2 has some outstanding features also. My absolute favorite is that this optic has a true zero stop on the elevation turret. Once you find out where your zero is, just set the stop and you will never have problems finding your zero again. No matter where you adjust to, just turn the back down until it stops, you are now at your zero setting. The turrets have been upgraded over the first gen SLx 3-18. They are larger so you can get a better feel on them. This also makes them easier to turn. These turrets also have fairly good clicks to them. You can feel and hear them. The elevation turret is a target style and not capped. The windage turret is capped….unless you want it to be a target style turret. Primary Arms includes a target style turret that you can replace the capped one with. So essentially you have the best of both worlds. I typically don’t dial for windage, so I left the turret in the capped version. One other feature, that Primary Arms added to the SLx 3-18 gen 2, is their changeable throw lever for the magnification ring. Instead of being stuck with whatever the optic company gives you, Primary Arms gives you options. The throw lever, that comes installed, is fairly tall and makes it easy to adjust magnification. But, if it’s not your thing, just take it off, or get one of the other throw lever options.

  I installed the SLx 3-18x50 gen 2 on my semi-precision 243. Being that the 243 is not your standard 1000 yd cartridge, more of a 800 yd one, I thought this magnification range would be a perfect fit for it. All I can say is that it worked out great on this rifle. Don’t get me wrong, the SLx 3-18 gen 2 is perfectly capable of going out to 1000 yds clearly. My eyes are old and like a little more magnification when reaching out farther. A while back, 10x was adequate for 1000 yds. I view a 3-18 as more of a mid to long range optic. If I was looking for something in the longer range category, I’d look into the Primary Arms 5-25x56.

  Primary Arms did a great job designing the SLx 3-18x50 FFP gen 2. Basically it reaches above its pay grade and into the realm of optics that cost twice its price. It has good optical clarity and a top notch reticle. The SLx 3-18 gen 2 also functions extremely well with those large turrets and zero stop. It is a little on the heavy side, but for $500 you can’t go wrong. So if you think you might need a top notch, value priced optic, in the 3-18 power range, do yourself a favor and check out the SLx 3-18x50 gen 2 from Primary Arms

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

First Focal Plane mid-power optic with a great feature set

Target Market:

Precision shooters and hunters

Features & Benefits of this product:

  • CR2032 3V Lithium Battery

  • Eye Relief: Low: 3.5in. / High: 3.9in.

  • Field View at 100: Low: 35ft. / High: 5.9ft.

  • First Focal Plane

  • Red Illuminated Reticle with 6 brightness levels

  • Length: 13.6 in.

  • Magnification: 3X - 18X

  • ACSS ATHENA BPR MIL Reticle

  • 0.1 Mil Click Adjustment Value

  • Total Elevation Adjustment: 100 MOA

  • Total Windage Adjustment: 64 MOA

  • 30mm Tube Diameter

  • Weight: 32.04 oz

  • Zero Stop Elevation Adjustment

  • Lifetime Warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Apollo 6.5cr/224v and 308/6.5g reticles     

What others are saying?:

Nothing found as of publishing

Link to other reviews:

Hunt Fish Shoot on YouTube  

Price point:

MSRP = $499.99

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Clear Glass

  • Price

  • Zero Stop

  • Larger Turrets

  • Extra Dial Turret for Windage

Cons:

  • Parallax adjustment is touchy

  • Heavy

Score:  8.00 Great

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Hawke Vantage 30 1-8x24 Fiber Dot

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 It seems like everyone is making quality Low Power Variable Optics (LPVO) nowadays. The Hawke Vantage 30 1-8x24 Fiber Dot falls into this category nicely. This particular LPVO uses a new Fiber Dot, second focal plane reticle. The L4A illuminated Fiber Dot reticle is what makes this optic shine above most others in its class.

  As one can guess, the Hawke Vantage Fiber Dot comes with a bunch of features. It uses a 30mm tube to help you get a decent field of view at 8x. Of course it also has all those normal features like multi-coated optics, fast focus eyepiece, capped turrets, and a zero reset on the turrets. The adjustment ring also comes with a removable throw lever, which I actually like because it’s not super tall. The Hawke Fiber Dot also weighs in a little lighter than some of its competition with a weight of 16.5 ounces. To go along with that, it also comes in at an overall length of 10.5 inches, which is right where most of these LPVO’s fall. Lastly the Hawke Vantage Fiber Dot has a respectable eye relief of 3.8 inches. I found the eye relief to be somewhat forgiving at 8x, which surprised me a bit. At 1x I didn’t even notice it.

1x at around 5 yds

200yd steel at 8x

  Now that the standard specs are out of the way, let’s talk about the Fiber Dot reticle of the Hawke Vantage 1-8x24. With the Fiber Dot reticle, Hawke took their standard L4A dot reticle and gave it fiber optics. Yes, it still uses a battery for illumination and has 11 brightness settings. But, by adding in fiber optics, the center red dot of the reticle is now bright enough to be seen on the brightest of sunny days. This gives the shooter the ability to use the Vantage Fiber Dot as you would a standard red dot. Just turn the scope down to 1x and that center fiber dot just glows bright, just like a red dot. It glows bright at 8x too, but I’m using it at 1x for fast, close up, shots. Okay, maybe not exactly like a red dot, since the reticle still has crosshairs in it and it is etched into the glass. Being etched allows it to not “starburst” out, like a normal red dot would do for those of us with an astigmatism. Those crosshairs will also help draw your eye to the center dot and improve shot to shot time. The crosshair is also a 30/30 type reticle, at least when the magnification is adjusted to 4x. This means the thin stadia lines are 30 inches from the center dot out to the thicker outer post. This gives you a way to measure distance. 4x seems to be a weird place to make the reticle measure correctly, as most manufacturers do it at full magnification for a second focal plane optic. It works, and I doubt most people are using a 30/30 LPVO to range with. But it is there if you need it. I will also mention that the optic is super clear to look through, even at 8x. 

  The Hawke Vantage 1-8 Fiber Dot works very well. I didn’t have any problems with the LPVO whatsoever. I really like that Hawke is using this fiber optic technology to make reticles brighter. The center illuminated dot is great. That center dot is not as bright as a true red dot, or some of its competition, but it is very usable in bright sunlight. Being able to crank that thing up to 8x is really useful for hitting farther away targets, or for target identification. Plus, I was really impressed with the clarity at 8x. The center dot is also fine enough that it is easy to make those precise shots when needed. I did like the fact that the Vantage is a little bit lighter than other manufacturers 1-6 and 1-8’s. The magnification ring is also super smooth and doesn’t take a bunch of force to turn, making it much easier and quicker to adjust. I was also very pleased that the turrets had decent clicks to them when making adjustments. They are also capped, so you won’t knock off your zero when trekking through the woods. 

  I’ve been very pleased with the Hawke Vantage 30 1-8x24 with the L4A Fiber Dot reticle. As mentioned, it has super clear glass. But, even better is the ability to have a bright red dot type reticle that can be seen in bright sunlight. The smooth adjustment ring and forgiving eye box make it really nice to use. If you are looking at an LPVO, where the illuminated reticle can actually be seen in sunlight, go take a look through the Hawke Vantage Fiber Dot and see if it’s what you like.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Daylight bright center red dot reticle in a LPVO

Target Market:

Those wanting a daylight bright reticle in a SFP LPVO

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Magnification: 1 - 8x

  • 30mm Scope Tube

  • 11 Levels - Red illumination

  • Field of View: 115ft @ 1x -14.4ft @8x both at 100yds

  • Eye Relief: 3.8in

  • Capped Turrets

  • ½ MOA windage and elevation adjustment clicks

  • 210 MOA adjustment range

  • Fast Focus eyepiece

  • Power Selector: Knurled Posi-Grip with Removable Zoom Lever

  • Fully Multi-Coated - 11 Layers

  • SFP (Second Focal Plane)

  • Length: 10.5″

  • Weight: 16.5oz

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Different Reticles

What others are saying?:

Nothing found as of publishing

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found as of publishing

Price point:

MSRP = $559.00

Retail = $499.99 at OpticsPlanet  

I need it now! Availability:

Hawke Optics or OpticsPlanet

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Simple SFP reticle

  • Bright center dot

  • Smooth adjustment ring

  • Lightweight

  • Clear glass

Cons:

  • Reticle accurate at 4x

  • Price compared to others in this market

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link:  Endurance Red Dot review

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Primary Arms SLx 1-6x24 ACSS NOVA

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  Primary Arms has come out with a new Low Power Variable Optic in their SLx line, it’s the 1-6x24mm SFP Gen IV with the Illuminated ACSS Nova Fiber Wire Reticle. The difference between this new 1-6x24 LPVO, and others, is its new fiber wire reticle. The fiber wire produces an actual daylight bright center red dot. The SLx 1-6x24 Nova reticle also has a bunch of other upgraded features when compared to the SLx gen 3's. Let’s go check it out. 

  This new SLx 1-6x24 comes packed with features. Of course it has 1 power magnification so you can use it like a red dot. Or you can crank it up to 6 power to identify and engage targets at longer distances. To change the magnification, Primary Arms has upgraded the throw lever to their new dovetail style. This new throw lever can be taken out and swapped for different heights, including a fold down style. The magnification ring moves about 180 degrees between 1x and 6 x, which is nice. The SLx 1-6 is still a second focal plane optic, but now has different reticle options, including the Nova Fiber Wire reticle. To zero in the reticle, the SLx 1-6 uses capped turrets that adjust in 0.1 MIL increments. The turrets have a good audible clicks to them. There are also 3 tiny set screws to loosen and set those turrets to a known zero position. The scope weighs in at 17.9 ounces and is 10.4 inches long, which is a good balance for this style of optic.

  It’s time to talk about the SLx 1-6’s Nova fiber wire reticle. This Nova reticle is one of the reasons the Gen 4 SLx shines. Using a fiber optic wire allows the Nova reticle to have a center illuminated red dot. I used to complain when companies would say “daylight bright”, not anymore. The red dot inside the SLx 1-6 is BRIGHT. Not only can you see it in direct bright sunlight, but I'm pretty sure it can be seen while aiming it at the sun, but I wouldn’t recommend trying that. The dot is bright enough that it also doesn’t wash out when using a weapon light, a big plus in my book. Because the SLx is an etched reticle, the red dot does not starburst out for those of us that have an astigmatism, something I can’t say for normal red dots. The illuminated dot size measures 0.6 MOA at 1x and 3.6 MOA at 6x. Brightness for the center dot is adjusted on the left side of the scope. It has 11 levels of brightness with only one off position. It is not night vision compatible, the dot is just too bright at level 1 for that. Also included in the reticle are MIL hash marks. The vertical crosshair’s marks are at 1 MIL intervals. There are narrower 0.5 MIL subtension marks between the large 1 MIL ones. These 1 MIL marks decrease in width as you move down the crosshair. This is to estimate a 18” target’s width to help determine what range the target is at. Being a SFP optic, these stadia marks only are accurate at 6x. The horizontal crosshair has marks for wind or travel speed. These are 3,6, and 9 MPH as you move out away from the center dot. The Nova reticle is a great multi-purpose reticle that can range targets or be used as a red dot.

  Since the Primary Arms SLx 1-6x24 is now on the fourth generation of upgrades, this means the user gets upgraded glass. This upgraded glass gives the SLx fantastic clarity. To my eye, it compares to the clarity of my GLx 1-6, which is the next higher level of optics in the Primary Arms optics line. Eye relief on the SLx is stated at 4 inches, but it is very forgiving. The eye box is also pretty good for a scope in this class range. These two specs actually make it very easy to find the optic when shouldering the rifle.  

  I mounted up the SLx 1-6x24 Nova fiber wire on my purple AR15. For this particular rifle, the SLx is great. It is super clear and easy to pick up the reticle. That fiber wire makes the center dot so bright that I can actually use the scope like a red dot at 1x, in bright sunlight. The dot is so bright that I had to turn the brightness way down to get a good picture of the reticle, if that tells you anything. The turret adjustments give me good clicks, so when I turn them, I can tell when they moved. My only complaint about the SLx is the throw lever. It is too stiff for my liking. Even though it’s stiff, the throw lever’s movement is super smooth.

   If you are even remotely looking into getting a LPVO, the Primary Arms SLx 1-6x24 Nova reticle needs a look. The glass clarity is great. The reticle is top notch for a “one optic” rifle. Plus that red center dot has got to be one of the brightest of any LPVO in this price range. I would encourage you to go take a look at the SLx 1-6 Nova from Primary Arms. It might be one of the best LPVO’s in its price range

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Low power variable optic with a super bright red dot

Target Market:

Those wanting a LPVO that is actually daylight bright 

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Integrated Magnification Throw Lever

  • ACSS NOVA Fiber Wire Reticle

  • Battery Life: Up to 500 hours

  • Magnification: 1x – 6x

  • Second Focal Plane (SFP) 

  • Objective Lens Diameter: 24mm

  • Exit Pupil: 10.6mm – 3.8mm

  • Eye Relief: 4 in.

  • Total Windage/Elevation Adjustment: 120 MOA

  • Field Of View @100 Yards: 120 ft. – 20 ft. (Low – High)

  • Illumination: Red, 11 Illumination Settings

  • Click Value: 0.1 MIL

  • Length w/o Lens Covers: 10.4 in.

  • Weight w/ Included Battery w/o Lens Covers: 17.9 oz.

  • Lifetime Warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Different Reticles

What others are saying?:

5/5 Stars at PrimaryArms.com

THE NEW STANDARD FOR BUDGET LPVO'S

Absolutely lives up to the hype, punches well above its price point. Yeah, it's going to get compared a lot to the PST Gen 2, and I can honestly say the overall glass quality and image/FOV/Reticle, and illumination are frankly better than the Vortex. Still doesn't quite match the Vortex in build quality or external controls, and the eyebox is a tad less forgiving, but this Nova scope is hands down the best LPVO on the market under $500.

Link to other reviews:

Lynx Defense

Price point:

MSRP = $339.99

Retail = Same, but Primary Arms runs sales often

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms

Our Rating: 

Pros:

  • Super brightly lit dot in center of reticle

  • Removable and changeable throw lever

  •  Lightweight 

  • Mil style reticle

Cons:

  • Second focal plane

  • Stiff throw lever

Score: 8.50 Great

Favorite Link:  Timber Creek Enforcer Review

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Primary Arms Classic series 1-6x24

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  Primary Arms’ Classic series of optics is their budget or entry level line. But don’t stop reading just yet, this Classic series 1-6x24 still has a bunch of decent things going for it. The Classic series has good visual clarity as well as an illuminated dot in the center of the reticle. So let’s dive deeper into what the Classic 1-6x24 has to offer.

  Since the Primary Arms Classic 1-6 is an entry level scope, it uses a second focal plane reticle. For anyone that doesn’t know, this means that the reticle stays the same size throughout the 1-6 power magnification range. Since the Classic 1-6 uses a duplex dot style reticle, this doesn’t really affect much. You probably won’t be trying to range target distances with it. Something that amazed me on the Classic 1-6 was the optic clarity. For an entry level scope, everything was real clear, even at 6 power. I’ve seen entry level stuff that isn’t near this clear.

  The little Classic 1-6 has some other notable features. For one, it uses a 30mm tube that helps let light through the optic, plus it’s pretty much the industry standard for low power variable optics. The adjustment turrets are capped. This helps to keep your adjustments from getting changed. These caps are decently knurled to make them easy to take on and off. However, the windage and elevation adjustment turrets don’t have any marks to line up the turret with the body of the scope. So if you want to go 4 clicks, there’s no indication that you went there. Primary Arms does put a moveable “zero” piece on top of the turret, but without a mark on the scope body, it’s useless. I’d put a tiny dot of paint on it for location purposes. Even though there’s no visual reference on zero, the actual clicks on this Classic series are great. So it’s easy to count how many clicks you moved the turret. Each click is 0.5 MOA, so approximately ½” at 100 yds. There’s also a full 120 MOA of adjustment in the scope. Last on this feature list is the nice throw lever. It sticks up high enough to easily adjust the magnification, but it’s not super tall either. If you don’t like throw levers, it is simple to remove and then you are left with a standard style adjustment ring.

  One of my favorite aspects of the Classic 1-6 is its reticle. The reticle is a duplex dot style (see picture). The 3 heavy duplex lines draw your eye to the center of the reticle. Then in the center are some fine lines that point to a center dot. The center dot measures 2 MOA. This center dot has red illumination, if you want it to. The illumination has 10 settings. These pretty much go from barely visible to pretty bright. I say pretty bright, because in bright sunlight the dot illumination isn’t visible. But it’s a $200 scope and 90% of the time, you will be able to see the illumination of the center dot. This reticle works great on something like a standard AR, where the cartridge shoots pretty flat out to 300 yds. Plus, being a 1-6 power, at 1x it’s almost like using a red dot. The reticle really impressed me.

  I mounted the Classic 1-6x24 on a standard 16” AR in 5.56. I will say it works well for close targets. Even at 3-5 yds it performed respectfully. Moving out to 200 yds and jumping the magnification up to 6x, the Classic 1-6 still worked well. Targets were clear, but getting in the right eyebox window was a little challenging. With this Classic 1-6, you really need to have your eye in that sweet spot of the eye relief. This was the scopes biggest downfall for me. I also had to remind myself that it is an entry level LPVO. Especially since the glass was so much better than I expected. So much so, that it was easy for me to hit, and see, 4” plates at 200 yds, while using the Classic 1-6.

  If you are looking into trying out a LPVO, or just want a budget one, the Primary Arms Classic 1-6x24 is a great place to start. Its reticle is simple to use and it has great optic clarity for something in this price range. I'd say, for the price, you'd be hard pressed to find something as good. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Budget friendly 1-6 power optic

Target Market:

Those wanting a quality budget scope

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 1-6x Magnification range

  • Illuminated Duplex Dot reticle, Dot is 2 MOA

  • Second focal plane design

  • Fast focus eyepiece

  • Fogproof, dustproof, and IP67 rated waterproof

  • 6063 Aluminum body with matte black anodized finish

  • Integrated magnification lever

  • Uses 1 - CR2032 battery (included)

  • Includes lens covers

  • Click Value - 1/2 MOA

  • Eye ReliefLow: 3.5in. / High: 3.9in.

  • Field of View at 100yds - 1X: 113 ft. / 6X: 18.8 ft.

  • 120 MOA windage and elevation adjustments

  • Weight - 17.21 oz.

  • 30mm tube diameter

  • Lifetime Warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars at PrimaryArms

GREAT VALUE

Don't expect top-tier performance (the highest illumination is not daylight bright, bare-bones reticle, eye box can be tight) but a budget LPVO can't really get much better than this - Clear glass and features every functional feature (capped turrets, audible adjustments, illuminated reticle center). 100% recommended if you're in the market for a high-value optic.

Link to other reviews:

Lynx Defense   

Price point:

MSRP = $199.99

Retail = Same, but Primary Arms has sales quite often

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Simple reticle with red center dot

  • 2 MOA center dot

  • Lifetime warranty

  • Clear

  • Price

Cons:

  • Narrow eye box

  • No marks for turret adjustments

Score: 7.50 Good

Favorite Link:  Timber Creek

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Primary Arms SLx 4-16x44 FFP

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  Recently Primary Arms updated the SLx 4-16x44. This update gave the feature rich, SLx 4-16 some new reticles. One of those is the ARC-2 MOA, a simple, yet effective, illuminated reticle. I was excited to put this optic through its paces and it did not disappoint. Primary Arms’ SLx line is what I like to call performance packed optics at a price everyone can afford.

  To put it simply, the SLx 4-16x44 FFP has magnification of 4x to 16x. It has a 44mm objective lens and a 30mm tube to help gather as much light as possible. Magnification is adjusted with a ring back by the eyepiece. The ring has a raised “fin” that can be removed if you don’t like it. It has a side parallax adjustment that goes from 20 yds to infinity. On the end, of said parallax adjustment, is the illumination ring. It has 11 values to illuminate the ARC-2 reticle. The lowest 2 settings are night vision compatible. The highest setting is “daylight” bright. I can actually see a little bit of red illumination in bright sunlight, something I can’t always say when things are “daylight bright”. The adjustment turrets on the SLx are of the tactical style. They are not capped, nor can they be. They have a pretty good tactile feel for the 1/4 MOA clicks, but are not very audible, if at all. These turrets are resettable to zero with the supplied allen wrench. No zero stop, but I can’t knock a $300 scope for that.

  Now that you have a general rundown of the optic, it’s time for more. I’ll start with the glass. For this being in the SLx line, the glass clarity is great, even at full 16x magnification. I could make out a wire fence at around 500 yds, see picture. The fast focus eyepiece gets the reticle super clear and the parallax adjustment gets the image spot on at all different ranges. I really am amazed at how clear the glass is for a $300 scope. The only real downfall of looking through the optic is its eye relief. Primary Arms specs the eye relief at 3.6 - 3.9”. So you really have to be in that 0.3” range to get a good eye box picture. Especially at those higher magnifications. I’m not using this on fast moving targets, so it doesn’t bother me much.

  The Primary Arms 4-16x44 FFP has a few different reticle options. Some are their ACSS style, but I’ll be focusing on the ARC-2 reticle of this particular scope. I chose the ARC-2 MOA reticle because it is not cluttered up with stuff, like so many “christmas tree reticles” are. First off, the reticle is in minutes of angle, which is what I prefer. Second, it’s a first focal plane (FFP) reticle. So all the subdivisions, or hash marks, stay the same size throughout the magnification range. The reticle grows as you increase the magnification. This is so those marks in the reticle stay the same, and are usable for windage and elevation holdovers, at any magnification. On that note, Primary Arms did a nice job with this reticle. Almost all of the MOA marks are visible when at 16x. I’ve seen FFP optics that, a big portion of, the reticle disappears when at full magnification. The reticle itself is essentially just a crosshair with little marks spaced every 2 MOA apart. Every 10 MOA, there is a larger mark and a number, at least on the elevation portion of the reticle. Windage is a little different, with 2 MOA marks for the first 10 MOA, and then marks every 5 MOA past that. See the reticle picture for values. This reticle is very clean. It’s kind of old school mil-dot meets new school technology. Did I mention that the grid portion of the reticle is illuminated? Well it is, in red, with 11 brightness settings. I really like the style of simple and useful reticles like the ARC-2.

  The ARC-2 is such a great reticle, but adjusting your scope is still very important. That brings us to the target style turrets on the 4-16x44. If you are into dialing your scope for windage and elevation adjustments, you want good target turrets. I found these to be repeatable, at least in my testing. If I dialed up 15 MOA, and then back down 15 MOA, it shot where I expected it to. I didn’t do a tracking test, But this isn’t a $1000+ scope, so I didn’t see any need for me to do that. The clicks on the turrets feel really good but you can’t really hear them. I prefer feel over hearing them anyway. They also have a little resistance to them, which is nice, so they don’t move if you bump them in the field. Each turret adjusts in 0.25 MOA/click and 15 MOA per 1 revolution of the turret. It has over 85 MOA of total adjustment, or about 6 full turns of the turret. L/R and UP are marked next to or under the turret, depending on which one it is. There is also a little mark to use for setting zero. The SLx 4-16 has the ability to set the turret dials to zero, after you have sighted it in. There’s 3 tiny set screws at the turret's top, loosen them and rotate the knob to zero. Tighten them back up and your zero is now set. 

  I have the Primary Arms SLx 4-16x44 mounted on a “varmint style” AR. The scope weighs in at 25 ounces. But in this case, it is the perfect scope for this particular rifle. The SLx has performed super well for me. It’s super clear for a scope in this price range. It’s easily adjusted, if needed. It has an illuminated reticle for low light use. A parallax adjustment that goes super low, so if I wanted to use it on something like a .22lr, I could. I wouldn’t hesitate to take this hunting in the brush. I think it would make an excellent hunting scope as the ARC-2 reticle doesn’t take up a lot of room in the scope. The magnification range is also great for this AR’s use case.

  If you're in the market for a feature rich FFP optic, the Primary Arms SLx 4-16x44 ARC-2 might be it. I just can’t get over all the options you get in this optic, and at an incredible price. It performed better than my expectations for sure. The updated SLx scopes from Primary Arms are definitely worth checking out.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Quality low priced FFP optic

Target Market:

Those wanting excellent quality in a mid range optic, but at a reasonable price

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • First Focal Plane ARC-2 MOA reticle

  • Partial Red Reticle Illumination, Visible in Sunlight

  • 11 brightness adjustments, including 2 that are Night Vision compatible 

  • Side Parallax adjustment

  • Click Value: 0.25 MOA

  • FOV @ 4x / 100 yd : 26.6 ft

  • FOV @ 16x / 100 yd : 6.5 ft

  • Total Windage and Elevation Adjustment: > 85 MOA

  • Zero resettable turrets  

  • Weight (with Battery, without Lens Covers): 25.4 oz

  • Tube Diameter: 30 mm

  • Eye Relief: 3.6 – 3.9 in

  • Fast Focus Eyepiece

  • Fog Resistant

  • Fully Nitrogen Purged, IP67 Waterproof Standard and Dust Proof

  • 6063 Aluminum with Anodized Matte Black

  • Flip-up Lens Covers Included

  • Uses one CR2032 Battery (Included)

  • Lifetime Warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Tons in the SLx line    

What others are saying?:

Nothing found as of this review

Link to other reviews:

Same - nothing found

Price point:

MSRP = $299.99

Retail = Same, but Primary Arms always has sales going on

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Price

  • First Focal Plane reticle

  • Reticle options

  • Good Illumination

  • Clear field of view

Cons:

  • Non-forgiving eye box

Score: 8.50 Great

Favorite Link:  SLx 1x Prism

Primary Arms is an advertiser on the Gun & Gear Review podcast. This does not give them a better review than any other company. 

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Timber Creek 30mm scope mount

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  If you know anything about Timber Creek Outdoors, it’s that they make bright anodized and cerakoted AR parts. They happen to have a new 30mm cantilever scope mount. This mount is part of their “Enforcer” line of AR parts. Because of this, it comes in all of Timber Creek's colors.

  The Enforcer Cantilever Scope mount is a top quality scope mounting platform. It is made from 6061 aluminum. This gives the mount plenty of strength while still being lightweight. It weighs in at 6.56 ounces on my scale. This is quite a bit lighter than a lot of mounts in this category. Yes, it is for use with 30mm scopes, so you have plenty of options in the optics arena. There are 4 clamping screws to clamp it to your picatinny rail. These screws also act as the recoil lugs for this mount, making it extremely rigid to the mounting rail. Timber Creek also uses Torx head screws throughout, so no stripping the heads out on this mount.

  I opted for the Tungsten Grey cerakote finish on the Cantilever scope mount. As mentioned, the mount comes in Timber Creek’s assortment of colors. Some are anodized and some are cerakoted. From previous experience, I know that Timber Creek does a great job with their anodized colors. This is partly why I chose Tungsten cerakote. The cerakote on this mount is nicely done also, in fact maybe too nice. When I installed the scope, I had to sand the cerakote down inside the rings. Not all of it, just enough to smooth it down because there was some slight binding during the initial installation. The slight sanding cured it. I attribute this to the Tungsten cerakote being a slightly rough finish. Other products I’ve used with Tungsten cerakote also have this same feel to them. I suspect that smooth cerakote options, as well as the anodized ones, might not have this problem. But I really do like how the mount looks on a black AR, it adds just a hint of some color.

  Ring height on the TC Enforcer scope mount is 1.5”. Why do you care, you might ask. The 1.5” height is pretty much an industry standard. This height also gives you a proper cheek weld, on an AR rifle, with most optics. I installed a Primary Arms SLx 4-16x44 into the cantilever mount. There is plenty of room between the rail and the objective lens. I’d venture to guess that all 50mm objective lens scopes would still have plenty of clearance between the scope and the rail. Being a cantilever style mount, it also places the scope farther forward to give you proper eye relief on your favorite AR rifle.

  The Timber Creek cantilever mount won’t have any problems living on your AR rifle. But, I wouldn’t hesitate to use it on something larger. With those 4 mounting lug screws, it should handle some serious recoil. You could even mount it up on a bolt gun, if so inclined. It only comes in a standard 0 MOA base, but for most of us, that won’t make any difference. I’m pretty pleased with what Timber Creek has done with this mount. Being in the Enforcer line, means that it will match other Enforcer series parts.

  Timber Creek has done a fine job with the Enforcer Cantilever mount. It’s rugged and lightweight construction should last you eons. Having colors to match your other AR parts is a bonus too. If you are looking for a lightweight scope mount that is made in America, go check out the Cantilever mount from Timber Creek Outdoors. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Lightweight 30mm cantilever scope mount

Target Market:

Anyone who wants a lightweight scope mount, especially for AR style rifles

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Made from 6061 aluminum

  • 30mm ring size

  • Ring Height - 1.5”

  • Cantilever design

  • Weight - 6.56 ounces

  • 4 clamping screws also double as recoil lugs

  • Torx screws throughout

  • Made in USA

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Different anodized and cerakoted colors

Price point:

MSRP = $224.99

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

Timber Creek Outdoors or maybe Primary Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Lightweight

  • Rugged

  • Color options

  • Made in USA

  • Standard 1.5” height

Cons:

  • May need some fitting or sanding

  • No 34mm option as of yet

  • Price might deter some buyers

Score: 7.50 Good

Favorite Link:  Walker Defense

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Primary Arms GLx 1-6x24 FFP ACSS Raptor

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  When I opened the box with the Primary Arms GLx 1-6x24, I was super excited. The GLx 1-6x24 is one of Primary Arms’ mid-tier optics. So it falls, price and feature wise, in between their SLx and PLx lines. This particular GLX 1-6x24 has an ACSS-Raptor reticle and is a first focal plane (FFP) optic. This low power variable optic (LPVO) is packed with features.

  Since the reticle is such an important part of your optic, let's start with the ACSS Raptor M6 reticle. The Raptor M6 Advanced Combined Sighting System, or ACSS, is a range estimating and bullet drop compensating reticle. Being that it is a FFP optic, the ranging and estimation properties stay the same throughout the magnification range. This is a big plus as one doesn’t have to recalculate anything at different magnification ranges. The Raptor M6 reticle is calibrated for these cartridges: 5.56 NATO, 5.45x39, .308 Win, 6.5 Grendel and 6.8 SPC. Give or take a few differences in actual ballistics. I mounted it on a 5.56 AR with a 16” barrel and the drop estimations seemed to work well, at least for the ranges I could test. 

1x - targets at 50, 100, & 200 yds. Full reticle illumination

6x - 200 yd targets. Full reticle illumination

  A description of the Raptor M6 reticle is probably in order. The Raptor is a horseshoe style reticle. So there's a larger circle around a chevron aiming point (think triangle). The circle is missing the bottom portion, hence the “horseshoe” name. Then the Raptor has a vertical line, with short horizontal lines on it, to compensate for bullet drops at various ranges. There’s also some dots for wind holds, if needed. On the right and left side of the chevron are MIL ranging lines. These are to quickly assess the range of a 5’ 10” target. The middle chevron aiming point is where precision comes into play. Use the top point of the chevron for accurate aiming. Or just put the chevron over something for quicker shots. The bottom triangle point will be your 200 yard holdover, and then the bottom of the chevron will be your 300 yard holdover. All of this is in Primary Arms’ manuals, I’m just trying to give you a quick summary. Now, if you turn the GLx 1-6 down to its true 1x, the reticle gets pretty small. Don’t fret, this is actually very useful. Now you can use it for super quick shots up close. Very similar to a circle dot reticle in a red dot. Even with both eyes open. Oh, did I mention the chevron is illuminated? It is, but it and the horseshoe are the only parts that are illuminated, the rest of the reticle stays black. 

  Primary Arms also stuck their “Autolive” on/off into the GLx 1-6. The autolive turns the reticle off after 3 minutes of no physical movement, then quickly turns it back on when a tiny bit of movement happens. I love the autolive function and in the case of the GLx, it gives around 600 hrs of battery life. They say it is a daylight bright reticle, but in direct sunlight, the red illumination is pretty non existent. Any time besides direct sun, the reticle’s illumination is easy to see and brightly lit up. It has 10 brightness levels, with and off between each one. I like that there's an “off” between each “on.”

  Now that the long winded reticle explanation is done, we can focus on the glass in the GLx 1-6. Primary Arms uses low-dispersion glass that is multi coated. Why do you care? Because it makes everything look super clear and bright. Yes, the glass is really that clear. The magnification ranges are true to the numbers, so 1x is really no magnification, and 6x is really 6 times normal. I really appreciate the true 1x for running close targets at the range. The 6x makes it pretty easy to hit targets at various ranges also. The field of view is pretty decent, specs are below if you're interested. The eye relief is pretty forgiving at 1x, it’s around 3 to 3.5 inches, but you don’t need to be perfect with it. At 6x that’s a different story, you really need to be in the scopes sweet spot. The clarity of the glass really does rival some of the higher end 1-6’s

  If you are not using the GLx’s Raptor reticle for bullet drop compensation, it has some pretty nice turrets to use instead. The GLx 1-6 comes from the factory with capped turrets. But hold on, there’s something more in the box. Also included is a single exposed turret. Yes, you can replace the elevation turret with a non-capped one. I suppose you could put it on the windage turret also, but why.  Now you can dial in the adjustments as necessary without having to take the cap off. I get that if you are running around in the woods, or doing secret squirrel stuff, you might want the advantage of having capped turrets. But for me, I instantly installed the tactical, non-capped turret. Adjustments are the same either way and adjust in increments of 0.1 MIL’s. These adjustments also use a steel on steel mechanism. This means you’ll have consistent adjustments and repeatability for a lifetime. The GLx 1-6 does have some physically large turrets. This makes it much easier to adjust with gloves, or just in general. The clicks are fairly decent and audible. They feel a tad bit mushy to me, but that’s probably due to the sealing that keeps water and dust out. In all, the turrets adjust well. These turrets can also be loosened up and set to zero. Not a zero stop, but at least you’ll have a zero point to adjust from. 

  There are a few other notable aspects of the Primary Arms GLx 1-6. One is the throw lever. The throw lever makes it easier and quicker to adjust the magnification ring. The ring adjustment operates smoothly, but having the throw lever is really nice. It sticks up about ½” above the ring. So it isn’t really in the way, but is still large enough to matter. Primary Arms also made the lever removable and changeable. It is screwed onto a tiny dovetail. Just unscrew it and slide it off to change it to a larger one, a folding one, or just to leave it off. This next aspect is its weight. It weighs in at 21 ounces. This is a few more ounces than some others in this mid-tier. When I say a few more, it’s like 3 ounces difference, so not much. But on the plus size of the weight, the GLx 1-6 is built like a tank. It is solid. I wouldn’t hesitate to use this LPVO harshly.

  If you are in the market for a top quality LPVO, but don’t want to pay top-tier pricing, the Primary Arms GLx 1-6x24 might be everything you need. The glass is super clear, it has a very useful FFP reticle, is pretty much indestructible, can range objects on the fly, and turns on and off automatically. What more could you want? I’d definitely look into one of these if you intend on running your stuff hard. You can check the GLX 1-6x24 ACSS Raptor M6 out at Primary Arms, as well as all the other products they have over there.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Mid-tier low power variable optic (LPVO) with first focal plane reticle (FFP)

Target Market:

Those wanting a quality mid grade LPVO

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 1-6x Magnification

  • 24mm objective

  • 3.3" - 3.5" of eye relief

  • FOV: 104 ft at 1x, 18 ft at 6x

  • 30mm main tube

  • High strength one-piece 6061-T6 aluminum body

  • 10.25" long

  • Weighs 21.3 Oz

  • Premium grade glass

  • Steel-on-Steel precision adjustments

  • Tactile and audible 1/10 MIL click value

  • Turrets are user configurable between Tactical or Capped

  • Movable and replaceable magnification ring fin

  • Partial reticle illumination - Inner part only

  • First Focal Plane ACSS Raptor M6 Reticle

  • Autolive motion activated illumination

  • 10 total brightness settings, 2 of which are night vision compatible 

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Griffin M6 reticle   

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars at Primary Arms

EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED

Using this for an old m1a, as a red dot and magnifier don't really work for that platform. The glass is very clear and good eye relief, I zeroed and used out to 400 yards. Impact at 200 and 300 worked well on the bdc reticle, but I had to hold about 450 to hit the 400. I have access to longer range but haven't had chance to try it out yet. I let my friend shoot it and he was very impressed by the glass. Great scope for the price, it is bright on 11 but not like an aimpoint when shooting in the sunlight

Link to other reviews:

Thin Line Defense on YouTube it’s the Griffin reticle, but close enough 

Price point:

MSRP = $599.99

Retail = Same, but Primary Arms runs sales all the time

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Super clear glass

  • Ranging reticle

  • Large capped turrets

  • Optional Elevation turret that replaces capped one

  • Autolive motion activation

  • Removable Throw lever

Cons:

  • Reticle is not daylight bright

  • Heavy-ish

Score:  8.00 Great

Favorite Link:  Walker Defense Research

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Athlon Midas HMR HD 2.5-15x50

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  A lot of variables can go into selecting a mid-range optic. Price, clarity, features, and so on. Athlon optics has a ton of options available to fit what best suits you. I decided on the Athlon Midas HMR HD 2.5-15x50 AHMR with the  illuminated reticle, for what I needed. The Midas HMR brought everything I was looking for together in one fantastic package.

  One thing you notice, when pulling the scope out of the box, is its quality. It has a feel to it that makes you happy. It is the typical smooth, matte black anodizing we are all accustomed to. It has some weight to it, but it really only weighs 26 ounces. Which is a tiny bit lighter than some of Athlon’s other mid-range optics. It is also 13.8 inches long, so average length for this type of optic. You also end up noticing that the Midas HMR runs capped turrets. Probably so you don’t bump your zero off in the field. 

  For a scope in the $500-550 retail range, the Midas HMR 2.5-15x50 has a ton of features. The magnification range is 2.5x to 15x, as you can figure out from the model. This magnification range is perfect for closer in shooting, but still gives you the ability to see at distances. The 30mm tube and 50mm objective lens give you plenty of light to see what you're aiming at. The low dispersion HD glass and lens coatings also help you see through the scope better. The Midas is a second focal plane reticle, so it stays the same size throughout the magnification range. For hunting, this works out well for me. The reticle is illuminated, but more on the reticle later. Athlon also put a side parallax adjustment knob on the Midas. The great thing about this parallax adjustment is that it adjusts down to 10 yds. Since I mounted the Midas HMR on a PCP air rifle, this was a needed adjustment. Lastly, the Midas has a fast focus eyepiece to get that reticle crystal clear.

  The Midas HMR HD has 2 reticle options available. A BDC option and an AHMR option. I’m not big into BDC reticles, so I chose the AHMR reticle. The AHMR reticle (see inset pic) is an MOA reticle with marks every 2 MOA, both for windage and elevation. No Christmas trees or anything like that, just simple crosshairs with little hash marks. The inner reticle can be illuminated red by turning the side knob to one of 6 brightness settings. The brightness knob also has off positions between the settings, a nice touch so you don’t have to cycle through them all to turn it off or on. The illuminated part of the reticle measures 10 MOA. Everything outside of the 10 MOA is not illuminated. The whole marked reticle has measurements to 30 MOA. Might I mention, all these MOA values are measured at 15x. One would have to calculate them for the lower magnification ranges. I just use an app on my phone that does it for me. I am a huge fan of the AHMR reticle. Athlon made a great reticle for hunting and precision shooting, all in one. It is not too busy to distract you from whatever game you are hunting. Also, the center aiming “plus” and 2 MOA marks provide an excellent choice for precision shooting. 

  As mentioned, I mounted the Midas HMR on a pre-charged pneumatic air rifle. So I didn't do any work past 100 yds with it, of course I did look at targets past 100. The clarity on this scope is amazing. I could easily spot the pellet trace, when looking through the optic, at the same time I was shooting. Especially at 50 and 100yds, there’s a lot of drop on a pellet slug at 100yds. The reticle is super clear also, even at full magnification. The magnification adjustment ring is super smooth. It has some resistance, it's not very stiff, but it stays in place. There’s also a little raised bump on the adjustment ring to help turn it easier, not that it’s needed on the Midas. Under the capped turrets are the ¼ MOA adjustment knobs. The clicks on these are pretty outstanding. No mush to them at all. After you get your zero, you can set the turrets to read zero. Just use a coin to loosen the center, pull the cap off, set it back on at “zero”, then tighten the screw down. I would have liked to have seen a Zero stop on this optic, but that’s not an option. Eye relief on the Midas is stated as 3.9”. It’s pretty forgiving, even at 15x.

  I was pleasantly surprised at how well I like the Midas HMR. I can’t get over how clear the optic is. The reticle is so simple to use and didn’t get in the way for me at all. I think this would be an awesome scope to put on an AR style rifle. In fact, I have thought about moving this one over to a varmint rifle style AR. The click adjustments make it easy to adjust for bullet drops, if needed. Those 2 MOA marks work so well for hold-overs that I really didn’t need to use the turrets. When I adjusted the turrets, the scope always returned to zero without any deviation. The Midas performed better than I expected.

  So if you are looking for a second focal plane mid-range optic, the Athlon Midas HMR 2.5-15x50 might be the ticket. It is even its own product line in the Athlon catalog. The Midas did everything I was hoping for and more. It is super clear, is priced right, and has a fantastic reticle. Athlon Optics has a ton of different optics options, so go take a look and be sure to check out the Midas HMR when you’re there.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Extremely clear second focal plane optic with illuminated reticle

Target Market:

Hunters, competition shooters, or anyone just wanting a good mid-range distance optic

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Fully coated, low dispersion HD glass

  • XPL protective coating

  • 2.5-15 magnification

  • 30mm tube

  • 50mm objective lens

  • 3.9” eye relief

  • Field of View: 41.8 ft - 6.8 ft

  • Side parallax adjustment to 10yds

  • 0.25 MOA click adjustment value

  • Capped turrets - adjustable for zero

  • Length - 13.8”

  • Weight - 26 ounces

  • Second focal plane Illuminated AHMR reticle

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

600A reticle 

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars at Athlon Optics

I have used a wide variety of optics on various rifles, from high-end tier 1 optics to cheap rimfire scopes. I wanted a SFP optic for a long-ish range hunting rifle. This scope is, IMO, perfect for this application.

The eyebox is very forgiving at max mag, the glass resolves very well and shows good contrast, and the color rendering is neutral. There's a bit of barrel distortion at the low end of the mag range, but it's reasonable for the zoom range and it's pretty much unnoticeable after 8x or so. All the controls move easily and smoothly. This scope really shines in low light at lower mag where the 50mm objective gives you a very large exit pupil that really maximizes the available light. The AHMR reticle is, IMO, the perfect width for this application being thin enough not to obscure the aiming point and bold enough to see against all but the darkest of backgrounds (and then there's the illumination for those conditions). Parallax is marked down to 10 yards and I've tested it down to 8 yards at max mag. As the magnification is lowered the depth of field really expands making it possible to leave parallax set, let's say for 100 yards, and the image stays in focus for objects up close (25 yards) and far away (250 yards). Optically this scope is really well balanced for hunting.

Unlike many scopes with capped turrets, the turrets on the Midas HMR are tactile and solid with no play between detents - they feel like the turrets of a tactical scope that have been scaled down to fit under the caps. It doesn't have a zero stop, but the turrets are resettable. This makes it actually useful as a long-range hunting scope where you might need to dial for a ballistic solution. The parallax knob is very smooth and moves easily making it easy to dial out parallax and focus on the target. I can say that this scope has the best mechanical feel of any hunting scope I've used.

This is really an impressive package for the price, and IMO it may be the best value in a SFP hunting optic out there. And of course, it's backed by Athlon's outstanding reputation for customer service. I have zero regrets about buying this scope and recommend it 100% for a mid- to long-range hunting optic.

Link to other reviews:

The Firearm Blog 

Price point:

MSRP = $649.99

Retail = $519.99 at Brownells

I need it now! Availability:

Athlon Optics or Brownells

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Super Clear

  • Tactile click adjustments

  • Parallax adjustment

  • AHMR reticle

  • Illuminated reticle

Cons:

  • No zero stop

  • No Auto on or off for the illumination 

Score: 9.00 Amazing

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