Chad Wallace

May 17, 2026

Optics, review

Primary Arms PLx 1-8x24 RDB

Chad Wallace

May 17, 2026

Optics, review

Primary Arms PLxC

1-8x24 RDB LPVO Review

The PLx series from Primary Arms Optics is their top tier “premier” optic line. Recently they updated their PLx Low Power Variable Optics (LPVO) with “Red Dot Bright” illuminated reticles, or RDB as they call it. They sent over one of the PLx 1-8x24 RDB with the ACSS Raptor G2 reticle. This is their first focal plane (FFP) reticle for 5.56/308 that has ranging capabilities. Is it perfect? No, but it does have some fantastic features.

When you first see the Primary Arms PLx 1-8 you notice it. The lines are very sleek. It is not a target scope with huge turrets. Which is what you would expect from a LPVO. It is compact when compared to some other FFP optics in this tier. It is also fairly lightweight. All the controls are easy to get to and function better than expected. Then there is the super clear glass.

First, I am jumping right into the reticle. The PLx 1-8 has 2 different reticle options: The ACSS Griffin MIL G2 and the ACSS Raptor 5.56/.308 Yard G2. I opted for the ACSS Raptor reticle, the Griffin is more of a standard MIL reticle and I wanted something where I didn’t have to think too much for bullet drop. Both are FFP reticles and get larger when you zoom in. This is because all markings on the reticles stay the same actual size for ranging and bullet drop compensation.

The ACSS (Advanced Combined Sighting System) Raptor reticle was designed primarily for 223/5.56 rifles, but it also will work on 308 rifles. I will explain it for 5.56. The Raptor is a Bullet Drop Compensating (BDC) reticle that also does range estimation and has MIL markings. Pointing toward the center reticle are 3 solid lines, these can only be seen between 1x and 2x. When zoomed in past that, you only see the inner reticles. There are then MIL marked lines toward the inner most BDC reticle. The inner BDC reticle is where all the magic happens.

The Raptor BDC part of the reticle allows one to range targets and adapt for wind. In the very center is the horseshoe chevron reticle. The horseshoe is roughly 2.5 MIL’s in diameter and then has a small center chevron (open triangle). You sight in at the top point of the chevron. This gives a very precise aiming point. The BDC marks are then below the chevron marked with 4,6, & 8. These numbers are in yards for bullet drop. The bottom of the chevron would be 200 yards and the top vertical stadia mark would be 300. This mark is also at the bottom of the horseshoe. There are wind holds, or lead dots, for 5, 10, & 15 MPH at the BDC ranges. Horizontal to the horseshoe are 3 more dots. These are for leading a target also, but they are 3, 6, & 9 MPH which corresponds to a human's walk, jog, and run.

Simplified ranging can also be done with the ACSS Raptor reticle. In the reticle, on each side going toward the outside, are vertical lines. These lines get larger as you move toward the outside of the reticle. There are 5 lines with a number on every other one. The numbers designate a range in hundreds, so the #6 represents 600 yards. These lines fit an average height person. So if the person fits perfectly in the #4 line, you know they are at approximately 400 yards. To take the ranging one step farther in the Raptor reticle, there are also width ranging lines that run down the vertical BDC marks. These horizontal small lines are used to measure a 18 inch wide target, like a USPSA one. Or the average width of a human torso. Essentially you use it the same way as the height ones. Fit the target in the proper line, say the #6 line, and you know the target is at approximately 600 yards. The ranging is actually pretty easy, once you get the hang of it.

Now that you know about the reticle, let’s adjust it. The PLx comes with capped turrets. This helps with the low profile of the 1-8. The turret covers are about 1.5 inches in diameter and have pretty sharp knurling on them. So it is easy to unscrew them, even with thick gloves on. Inside those covers are the turrets themselves. They are about 1.375 inches in diameter with aggressive texture on the top to aid in adjustment. Both windage and elevation turrets adjust in 0.1 MIL increments.and go 10 MIL’s per complete revolution. The windage knob has numbers with both and R & L so you know which way you went. Of course the elevation knob has numbers 0-9, the 10 being the zero again. Both knobs have 3 tiny screws that hold the knobs in place. Once you have sighted in the optic, loosen the screws on the turrets and adjust it to the zero position, then re-tighten the screws. Primary Arms also includes a target style elevation turret. So if you want an adjustable turret without having to take off the cap, you can install it. I say target style because there is no cap, the target turret is still low profile in design. The actual adjustment clicks on the PLx are fantastic. Not only are they solid, but there is very little play when turning them from click to click. They aren’t as audible as you might think, but since they are super tactile, I do not care. The turret adjustments are steel on steel gears. This is one thing that sets higher tier optics above the cheaper ones. Plus they don’t wear out as quickly and return to zero with no error.

The PLx 1-8’s red illumination is bright. That is why it has the RDB label, it stands for “red dot bright”. I can attest that with the new technology Primary Arms is using, this reticle is super bright. Yes, it can be seen in direct sunlight, easily. With the reticle at 1x, it really can be used as a red dot and even kind of looks like one, because the horseshoe ends up looking like a bright red dot. When you zoom in to 8x, it is still just as bright, but does have some problems. If you look at all the info on the RDB, it shows only the horseshoe and chevron being illuminated. The problem with high brightness and magnification is that the small lines and numbers become tiny illuminated dots. It muddies up the reticle in my opinion. Turning down the reticle's brightness does help. I have a non RDB Primary Arms LPVO that does this a little bit also, so it’s not just the PLx line. Along with the illumination, the PLx 1-8 also has Primary Arms’ Autolive feature. This is their shake away auto on/off for the reticle. It helps save battery life and works fantastic. The battery is housed inside the brightness knob. There are 10 brightness settings with an off position between each one. Each setting has a positive detent to keep it in place.

How clear is the PLx 1-8? I'd say near perfect thanks to the Japanese ED glass that is used. Light transmission is also fantastic. The clarity is where you really notice the quality of the glass. I can't really explain it, it's just clear with no edge distortion. Eye relief is pretty decent and forgiving, even at 8x. I can look through this optic without the eye strain I get from lower tiered optics.

The PLx 1-8 also has a nice magnification adjuster. It is nicely knurled and super smooth to adjust. It also comes with a removable throw lever. These throw levers can be swapped for shorter, taller, or folding ones, but they have to be purchased separately. Either way, the throw lever on the magnification ring works nice and is the perfect height.

I ended up installing the PLx 1-8 RDB on a Flat Dark Earth 16 inch AR build. This AR has a bunch of high quality parts on and in it, so I figured it would be a great host for the PLx. Also having the 16 inch barrel puts the optic in its sweet spot for the BDC. Primary Arms also sent one of their 2.04 PLx mounts for the scope. I wasn’t sure if I would like the 2.04 mount at first, but it is kind of nice. Okay, back to the PLx 1-8. I do like that this optic is made in Japan and not China. Japan has some of the clearest optic glass around and it really shows in the clarity of the PLx. I also really liked that the PLx weighs just over a pound. It would be nice if the PLx 1-8 could have a zero stop in the turret. It may not be that “type” of scope, but a zero stop would be a good addition. The anodizing color is close to FDE, but looks more bronze colored to me. This is just another reason why we have 50 shades of FDE. The bullet drops from the Raptor reticle seemed close enough for me. This is more of a fighting optic for me, not a precision one, which is why I like the ACSS Raptor reticle. Of course, having the autolive illumination makes the LPVO ready whenever you are. The Primary Arms PLx 1-8 is a fantastic optic with a very useable magnification range.

If you are looking for a LPVO that really does it all, check out the Primary Arms PLxC 1-8x24 FFP RDB scope. There is a good reason this thing is in Primary Arms’ Premier line of optics. It has fantastic clarity, a sunny daylight bright reticle, and can be used both as a red dot and something for distance. If you are interested, head over to Primary Arms and take a look at the PLx 1-8x24 RDB with the ACSS Raptor G2 reticle.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Top tier LPVO

Target Market:

Those needing a rugged, precise, super clear LPVO with useable features

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

Red Dot Bright Diffractive Reticle technology
ACSS Raptor 5.56/.308 Yard G2 Reticle
Premium grade Japanese ED glass with enhanced clarity and light transmission
First focal plane reticles stay true at every magnification
High strength 30mm tube
Easy to swap dovetail throw lever
1-8x magnification range is red dot fast in close quarters and accurate at medium range
AutoLive Motion-Sensing illumination technology
Steel On Steel (SOS®) Adjustable turrets
Adjustable illumination from Daylight bright to night vision compatible
Water proof, shock resistant, and fog resistant
Durable hardcoat anodized flat dark earth finish
Made in Japan
Battery Type: CR2032 3V Lithium
Click Value: 0.1 Mil
Exit Pupil Diameter: Low: 8mm / High: 3mm
Eye Relief: Low: 3.2 in / High: 3.7 in
Field View 100: Low: 121 ft / High: 14.6 ft
Length: 9.28 in.
Night Vision Compatible
Objective Diameter: 24mm
Total Elevation Adjustment: 100 MOA
Total Windage Adjustment: 100 MOA
Capped Turrets
Weight: 16.95 oz.
Lifetime warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Griffin Mil G2 reticle in black or FDE

What others are saying?:

5 out 5 stars on Optic Planet

As good as it gets

Got this on a sale and paid just under 1500 after tax and shipping. For the price, you won't find a better LPVO. This thing rocks. Got the ACSS Raptor reticle as I'm running this on a 14.5 super duty and prefer the 50yd zero and ballistic drop reticle over the Griffin. Glass clarity is superb all through magnification range. And yes, this thing is absolutely red dot bright even on 7/10 setting. Maybe at high noon on a glacier you would need to go higher than 8/10 on the illumination setting. Don't bother getting scope rings with this as you will do away with the near invisible scope feature when you're at the lower magnification settings. That is also an amazing thing about this scope: at 1x, with both eyes open, the scope itself is barely perceptible when looking at your targets. Once you get the diopter adjusted to your eye (both eyes open!) there is no noticeable shift in your view when taking turns closing each eye to see the shift.

Link to other reviews:

C_Does on YouTube

Price point:

MSRP = $1749.99

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms, Midway USA, or your local shop

Our Rating:

Pros:

Red dot bright reticle
Ranging reticle
Super clear on 1x or 8x
Lightweight
Edge clarity
Smooth power adjustment

Cons:

FDE is more bronze’ish colored
No zero stop

Score: 9.00 Amazing

Favorite Link: Primary Arms SLx RS-10R Review

Chad Wallace

May 9, 2024

Review

Primary Arms GLx RS-15

Chad Wallace

May 9, 2024

Review

When it comes to mini reflex red dot sights, everyone seems to have one or more in their catalog. Primary Arms has them also. The difference is that Primary Arms has broken the “same old dot” mold by designing and using an innovative reticle called the ACSS Vulcan. They have put this reticle in their brand new GLx RS-15 mini reflex sight. I tested the GLx RS-15 on a shotgun and a pistol just to see how it worked.

For everyday purposes, the Primary Arms GLx RS-15 is a reflex red dot sight. That is only the beginning of the story. First, the RS-15 is in Primary Arms’ GLx line. The GLx line is Primary Arms’ mid-tier optics line. That means you get a higher class of technology and materials at a fair price. The RS-15 comes in at $359 dollars, which isn’t bad when you count how many features are in it. In this line you tend to get new and innovative reticles and sharper glass, leading to a crisper dot. It also has the ACSS Vulcan reticle. Which I will explain, at length, later. Some of the other features it has include: A top load battery, 7075 aluminum housing, and Autolive technology, just to name a few.

Camera is closer to optic, to give an almost complete view of the reticle

The GLx RS-15’s ACSS Vulcan reticle is an innovative design. For simple explanation, it is essentially a 3 MOA red dot. Then it has an outer ring around that dot. That outer ring is 250 MOA. So what happens is that when you hold the RS-15 at arms length, the outer ring is not seen if the dot is in the center of the window. If you move the sight up/down or left/right, the outer circle starts to come into the window's view. This allows the shooter to see which way the gun needs to move, so you can get back to having the dot centered. Take for instance you see a curved line in the right or left side of the window. Just move the muzzle of the firearm toward the direction of that curved line, and you should then see the aiming dot. Same with up or down. If the curved line is on top, move the muzzle up, if it is toward the bottom of the window, move the muzzle down. The ACSS Vulcan reticle is a great reticle to learn how to shoot red dots on pistols. Yes, it even helps out seasoned shooters like myself. After you use the Vulcan reticle for a while, and want to try just a normal dot sight picture, it has an option to turn off the outer ring so that it is just the 3 MOA dot. Just hold down the brightness down button for 3 seconds and it will cycle between the two modes. I’ve been really impressed with the ACSS Vulcan reticle.

Primary Arms’ Autolive function is also built into the GLx RS-15. However, it works a little differently than their normal Autolive version. After around 10 seconds of no movement, the RS-15 shuts off the 250 MOA ring and leaves just the 3 MOA dot. Then after around 4 minutes of no movement, it shuts down the dot reticle. Have no fears, just barely move the RS-15 and the full Vulcan reticle will come back on. This helps aid in longer battery life. Battery life is pretty good. Primary Arms states 25,000 plus hours on medium setting with just the dot, and around 5,000 hours with the Vulcan reticle. It may sound substantially less, but 5000 hours is still 200 days of continuous “on.” And with the Autolive, it will not be continually on for 200 days. I’m a big fan of Autolive, or any of the auto on/off systems.

Mounting the GLx RS-15 might lead to some hassles. The RS-15 uses a C-More mounting footprint. Trying to find an actual C-More footprint optics cut is not easy. Slides with these optics cuts are available, but not nearly as prevalent as a RMR footprint cut. However, If you have a slide cut for a Delta Point Pro (DPP), and it doesn’t have the recoil lug bosses built in, the RS-15 will mount right up. This is because the screw hole spacing is the same for a DPP or a C-More footprint. This mounting footprint is the GLX RS-15’s biggest flaw. First I mounted the RS-15 up to a shotgun, with the help of a Warne Red-dot Shotgun Rib Reflex Mount. On a side note, the Warne mount is fantastic. It mounts to the shotgun's rib, securely, and has options for just about any red dot footprint imaginable. I then proceeded to put it on a P320 with a Grey Ghost Precision (GGP) slide. I did this because the GGP slide is cut for a DPP and doesn't have any recoil bosses to make the RS-15 not bolt up. That is where it stays. Not because it didn’t work on the shotgun, but because I like it better on the pistol.

Besides the ACSS Vulcan reticle and Autolive functionality, the GLx RS-15 has some other great features. First up is the actual window size, which is 26x20mm’s. The window size is decently large and seemed easy for me to get on target with. Next is the RS-15’s top load CR2032 battery. Which also comes with a combo wrench to make removing the battery cover easy. The 7075 aluminum housing is stronger than comparable sights that use 6061 aluminum. Probably most notable, is that the RS-15 has 0.5 MOA click adjustments. Almost all mini reflex sights use a 1 MOA adjustment, and some do not have clicks. Lastly, the buttons on the right side control brightness. It has 13 brightness settings, 3 of which are night vision compatible. The top brightness settings are super bright.

The GLx RS-15 is one of the clearest red dots I have used. The clarity is just amazing. I say this because with my astigmatism, red dot’s are usually a little starred out for me, making them a little blurry. Not the RS-15. I don’t know what Primary Arms did to get this red dot so clear, but I like it. Maybe it is the very slightly tinted blue lens. Either way, it works. In fact, it is the first time, in a while, that I can turn the brightness all the way up and not have the dot look distorted.

I mentioned running the GLx RS-15 on a shotgun. I wanted to try out a non conventional use for it. I really liked shooting trap with the RS-15. However, the 250 MOA outer ring didn’t really do anything for the shotgun. Something about looking down a long gun barrel that tends to line up the sight. I am not sure if it helped me shoot trap better, but I see how having something like the RS-15 on a field shotgun could be immensely useful. The dot just made aiming at a moving target easier.

After the shotgun try out, I proceeded to go conventional. Using the GLx RS-15 on a handgun is where it really shines. This is where the ACSS Vulcan reticle can be used to its full potential. I ran some drills with the RS-15 to test it out. I am a little faster, shot to shot, under recoil thanks to the Vulcan reticle. One because it is so clear, and the other because the reticle just helps you find the dot faster. This is definitely a more useful sight on a handgun.

If you are looking into a red dot that can help you shoot better, the Primary Arms GLx RS-15 might be a good option. Partly due to its innovative ACSS Vulcan reticle. For new red dot shooters, it helps you find the dot and get used to it. For seasoned shooters, it helps you to find the dot faster. The GLx RS-15 even works for non-conventional uses like a shotgun. I have a hard time deciding what would be my favorite feature of the RS-15. Is it the Vulcan reticle, or the sights' clarity? Go check out the Primary Arms GLx RS-15 and see for yourself.