Optics

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AimWin PE320

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Aimwin PE320

Enclosed Emitter

Red dot Review

  In today's market, there are a bunch of good pistol style red dots. They basically come in two categories: open emitter and closed emitter. Aimwin recently released their PE320. The PE320 is an enclosed emitter red dot with a multi-reticle system and a solar fail safe. 

  As with any quality red dot, the Aimwin PE320 comes with everything needed. In the box you get the optic, a battery, extra screws (including one for the battery tray), wrenches, cleaning cloth, etc. Probably the most important included item is the Acro to RMR adapter. This gives you the ability to mount it on anything that uses the RMR mounting footprint. There are lots of pistol options using a direct RMR footprint. 

  Mounting the PE320 is pretty straightforward. However, it does come with two options. If you happen to have something with an ACRO mounting footprint, like a riser or a plate adapter, you can mount the PE320 directly to that. If you have a direct mount RMR cut/footprint, you can use the supplied ACRO to RMR adapter. This is what I did. Just screw down the RMR plate onto your slide and then clamp on the PE320. It's really that easy.

  Now that the Aimwin PE320 is mounted, you can take it to the range. To initially turn on the PE320, just click the “+” button. The buttons to control the PE320 are located on the left side of the optic. These are rubberized raised buttons labeled “+” and “-”. They are pretty large and easy to use, even if you are wearing gloves. Of course, tapping on a “+” or “-” button will increase or decrease the brightness of the red dot. There are 11 total brightness settings, the 2 lowest are night vision compatible. Now that the PE320 is on, you can sight it in. A nice feature on the Aimwin is its click adjustable windage and elevation screws. Each click adjusts the point of impact 1 MOA, which is fine for these types of red dots. Now that it is sighted in, and you want to completely turn it off, just hold down the “-” button until the dot disappears. 

  The PE320 uses Aimwin's “aim awake” feature. The “aim awake” is their auto on/off feature. Once you turn on the PE320 this feature is enabled. Aim Awake works like any of the other auto on/off systems. After the optic sits idle for a short time, the dot will turn off. Once you barely move the optic, the dot will turn back on. The aim awake feature helps with battery life, giving the PE320 around 50,000 hours of run time. I am a huge fan of these auto on/off features. 

  Aimwin's PE320 is not just a red dot. It features a multi-reticle system. So you get the option of either a circle dot, just a circle, or just a red dot. If using one of the options with the circle, the circle also has little hash marks in it that are located every 90 degrees (similar to an Eotech). To cycle through these 3 reticle options, just hold down the “+” button until it changes. The PE320 uses a 36 MOA circle with a 3 MOA dot, or any combination of the three. I like having reticle options and the PE320's are useful for whatever you need or want. 

  The multi-reticle system of the PE320 is housed inside a large window. How large is the window? 0.94 inches wide by 0.79 inches high. It's a big window, which is really nice for finding the reticle. However, because of its large window, the PE320 is a little wider than a lot of the enclosed ACRO footprint optics. This isn't bad or good, it really just depends on what trade offs you want.

  The last notable feature of the PE320 is the solar panel on top of the optics housing. This solar panel adds a “solar failsafe” to the optic. So if your battery is low, and there is enough light, you will still see the reticle. The Solar Failsafe also works when the battery is completely dead, as long as there is enough light. I tried it with the battery out, and the reticle still comes on under normal room lighting. Don't expect it to work in a dark room without a battery. The Solar Failsafe is a nice option to have, especially if you forget to change the battery out once a year. When you do need to change that battery, the PE320 uses a side mount battery tray for easy use.

  I mounted the Aimwin PE320 to a Polymer 80 with a Grey Ghost slide. This particular slide is cut to direct mount an RMR footprint. So I ended up using the PE320’s ACRO to RMR plate. I chose this pistol because I use it in various different forms, one of those is using a Recover Tactical 20/80 brace system. This let me try out the PE320 in a chassis style system and as a standard pistol. I put a ton of rounds through it and even beat the crap out of the PE320. No loss of zero and no other problems, even when using the optic as a slide racker off the benches at the range. With the PE320’s adapter plate, the red dot does sit a little higher up on the pistol, but still below the top of the slide. If you want the PE320 to co-witness with iron sights, you will probably have to get some suppressor height ones. Those still might not be tall enough to clear the PE320’s deck height. Speaking of size, the PE320 is large for a pistol style red dot. Not so much height wise, but more width wise. It definitely is wider than a standard Glock slide. I only see this as a problem if you are carrying it inside the waistband. On a rifle, this could be a bonus. Especially since the window size on the PE320 is fantastic. It made finding the dot real easy. I like the 3 MOA dot size, it is a good compromise between speed and accuracy. Since I live in Oregon, it also rains a lot here. Having an enclosed system also makes it way easier to wipe the rain off of the lenses. 

  If you are in the market for an enclosed style pistol red dot, the Aimwin PE320 might be worth looking at. It has a decently large window and different reticle options. Being larger in size, it would also make a good rifle dot. If you forget to change your battery, it might still work for you thanks to that solar failsafe. It is also durable and held up to my abuse. So go check it out over at Aimwin.com.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Enclosed pistol red dot with large window

Target Market:

Those wanting a large windowed enclosed red dot

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Weight: 2.19 ounces (62g)

  • Dot Size: 3 MOA with 36 MOA ring (selectable) 

  • Window Size: 24.0mm x 20.0mm (0.94" x 0.79")

  • Dimensions: 45.3mm x 35.0mm x 31.2mm (1.78" x 1.38" x 1.2")

  • Housing Material: Hard-anodized 6061-T6 Aluminum

  • Adjustment per Click: 1 MOA

  • Windage & Elevation Range: ±50 MOA, total range 100 MOA

  • Footprint: ACRO, RMR adapter plate included

  • Battery: Side load CR2032

  • Solar Guard Fail Safe

  • Battery Life: 50,000 hours (low brightness)

  • Aim Awake mode

  • Operating Temperature: -30℃ - 60℃ (-22°F - 140°F)

  • Brightness Settings: 9 Daylight / 2 Night Vision Levels

  • Water Resistance: IPX7

  • Vibration: 2000 G’s

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

5 out of 5 stars on Amazon

 Very Nice Enclosed Optic

Just picked this up for my H&K P30L. Had to change the optics plate (Langdon Tactical cut) to an ACRO mount, but it fits perfectly on it and locks down solid. The body appears to be pretty durable and stout without being overly heavy. Controls are nice and large so adjusting brightness and/or choosing dot style is pretty easy. ACRO mounts are probably the easiest installation of any of the footprints since it works like a pic rail. No screws into the plate to worry about getting torqued just right. It does really need a torque spec listed for the clamp screw, though. Never really liked "make it tight, but be careful not to over tighten it" with no spec for what "tight" is. Dots are extremely bright on the max setting and much calmer on the lower settings. Again, it is nice to be able to choose different reticles for different situations. Battery is side loading, which is nice as you don't have to remove the optic for swaps. Only issue I have with the battery compartment is that the tiny screw that holds it in place seems easy to lose as it is not captured. So be careful swapping batteries. We'll see how it does at the range this weekend at holding zero. Adjustments are nice and tactile with just enough resistance to turning to make me think they will stay put pretty good. May wind up being awfully high if you were to use the RMR to ACRO adapter that comes with it on most RMR cut applications. But sits at a nice height on the ACRO specific plate I have installed.

Link to other reviews:

Chris from the 740 on YouTube  

Price point:

MSRP = $359.95

Retail = $240

I need it now! Availability:

Aimwin Optics or Amazon 

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Multi reticle

  • Solar fail safe

  • Large window size

  • Acro footprint w/RMR plate

  • Auto on/off (Aim Awake) 

Cons:

  • Optic is physically wider 

  • Deck height is pretty tall

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link:  Grey Ghost Glock Slide Review 

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Magne-Tech Scope Mount

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Magne-Tech Magnetic

Scope Mount Review

  Optics mounts are everywhere nowadays. You can get them in just about any flavor imaginable. If you are looking for a quick change optics mount, and want something modular and unique, look no farther than the Magne-Tech Magnetic Rifle Scope Mount. This scope mount uses extreme magnets to hold the optic onto the mounting rail, and it works.

  The Magnetic Rifle Scope Mount is a pretty neat setup. It consists of a 2 piece system. The ring mount and the picatinny scope base. I was sent the 30mm scope mount, a 1 inch and 34mm are coming soon. These two parts can then be easily hooked together by the built in magnets, thus making one solid scope mount. An advantage to this system is the ability to quickly change to different, types or styles, of optics

  Magne-Tech uses a 3 magnet base for the scope mount. This base is about 6.5 inches long with 3 rare earth magnets installed in it. Of course it mounts to your top picatinny rail on most firearms. This base uses Magne-Tech's dual locking system. The first lock is the magnets. The second lock is a spring loaded side lock. That side lock then clips into the side of the scope ring mount. On the side clip mount is also a thumb screw. The thumb screw can be tightened down rendering the side lock lever inoperable and thus giving the mount extra security. 

  Before I get into the ring mount portion, let me explain how the scope mount works. If you have not figured it out, the Magne-Tech scope mount uses rare earth magnets to hold the 2 pieces of the mount together. One might ask why or how can this work? Magnets stick themselves together. So Magne-Tech has 3 of these magnets in the base, and 3 in the ring mount. When coming close together, these magnets attract each other strongly. Thus connecting the 2 halves. One might think, “how can that be accurate or repeatable?” Magne-Tech created the mount and base with various protrusions and angles. These angles center the mount into the base. So the scope mounted to it, sits in the same spot of the base, every time. 

  The Magne-Tech ring mount is pretty straightforward. It starts with the 3 magnet mount that attaches to the base. This particular one is for a 30mm scope tube. The rings are built into the mount. The rings themselves are very sturdy and spaced about 3.5 inches apart. Printed on the rings is a toque spec of 15 in-lb’s. That way you don’t have to go looking for what to torque them down at. When the mount is stuck together, it gives a center scope height of 1.516 inches from the top of the rail. This is a pretty standard height, especially if you mount this on an AR style rifle. If you are looking for something with more options. Magne-Tech also sells a 6 inch picatinny rail section that mounts onto the scope base. The base and the rail can be purchased separately to make a mount kit that doesn’t use rings. The 6 inch rail can be used to mount other styles of optics, say for a quick change in the field. This can be very handy if mounting a thermal optic, or something that you might not use during daylight hours, or something that doesn’t use standard rings. If your State doesn't allow hunting with certain illuminated optics, this 6 inch extra rail might make it easier to swap those optics out to something legal. 

  I have been using the Magnetic Scope Mount for a bit. I used it on my Bergara, both with and without the MDT chassis. This particular rifle is a great test platform for a quickly removable optic base. Mainly because it shoots really well. After getting the rifle sighted in with the Sight Mark Presidio, I immediately removed the scope and then snapped it back on. I was really curious if the stated 0.25 inch point of impact shift would show up. It did not for me, as I was shooting in the same spot as a few minutes earlier. I think Magne-Tech gives out that impact shift specification to be safe. I really didn’t see any point of impact shift. I have removed this optic plenty of times and everytime I go back to the range, it still shoots point of aim. Would I use this on a rifle shooting 1000 yards plus? Probably not, but I feel that is not what this mount is designed for. This mount is made to quickly change optics depending on what you need that particular day. Because of the way the Bergara and scope combo fit, I do have a complaint about the Magne-Tech scope ring mount. I was barely able to put the scope far enough forward in the rings. If there was a cantilever style ring mount, this problem wouldn’t have been there. I also noticed that if you have one of those safes that cram rifles together to fit more in, having the ability to take the scope off makes it fit in there way easier. This is especially true if you have some super large optic on the Magne-Tech mount.

  Along with the scope mount, Magne-Tech sent a 3 inch pic rail. As with the 6 inch previously mentioned, it can also just mount to the scope base. The 3 inch pic rail only has 2 magnets instead of 3, but it will still mount to the scope rail base and lock down with the side lever. It has the advantage of being able to be mounted forward or rearward on the base, since it is shorter. Magne-Tech also has various bases to mount this 3 inch rail on. I didn't end up using the 3 inch rail yet, but it will snap on the M-Lok mount that has my Magne-Tech Rigel light on it. This 3 inch pic rail section would work great for mounting one of the red dots that can not use regular rings. 

  If you have an application where quick change optics are needed, the Magne-Tech Magnetic Scope Mount might be worth looking into. The mount is built really well and holds up to abuse. Having the ability to quickly change optics is a huge plus, especially while maintaining zero. If you want a quality, quick change scope mount, go take a look at what Magne-Tech has to offer.  

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Magnetic scope mount with features to maintain point of impact

Target Market:

Those who change optics on a regular basis 

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Quick change magnetic scope mount

  • Interchangeable magnetic mounts

  • Maximum 0.25” point of impact shift

  • 7075-T6 aluminum construction

  • Hardcoat anodized

  • Rare earth magnet technology

  • Dual-redundant locking system

  • 1.516” centerline scope height off of pic rail (same as most AR mounts)

  • Receiver mount weight: 5.4 ounces

  • 30mm Ring mount weight: 6.5 ounces

  • Total weight: 11.9 ounces

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

34mm and 1” 

What others are saying?:

Awesome Product: 5 out 5 stars from Brian at ScopedOut

These are no joke. Quality is awesome and the magnetic field is very strong. It will have no issue holding zero. This product is perfect for attaching specialty scopes on multiple rifles (NV / Thermal). Expensive yes, worth the cost, absolutely.

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found as of publishing

Price point:

MSRP = $349.99

6” pic rail = $124.99    

3” pic rail = $93.99     

Retail = $265 ish

I need it now! Availability:

Magne-Tech or Optics Planet

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Held zero for me 

  • Thumb screw lock on mount

  • Interchangeable mounts (3” & 6” pic rail mounts)

  • Standard centerline height

  • Quality made

Cons:

  • Not 100% zero shift guarantee 

  • Needs cantilever mount option

Score: 7.50 Good

Favorite Link:  Magne-Tech Rigel II Review    

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Primary Arms SLx RS-10R

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Primary Arms

SLx RS-10R Review

  Primary Arms has come out with their new SLx RS-10R. This is an updated version of the original RS-10 reflex style red dot. One of the big complaints about the original was the mounting footprint it used. Well, the SLx RS-10R has fixed that issue. 

  As with the original, the SLx RS-10R is packed with features. More important than all of those is the “R” designation at the end of the model number. That “R” stands for RMR. I don't think Primary Arms can say it, but we can. What that means for you is that the RS-10R now uses a RMR footprint. Or a Holosun 407C/507C footprint since they are essentially the same. The only drawback to using the RMR footprint is that the RS-10R now uses the smaller cr1632 battery instead of a cr2032. But through some magic, you still get 25k-50k hours of battery life. 

  Now back to the rest of the specifications. The RS-10R runs a 3 moa dot. I find the dot size to be a good compromise, no matter if you mount it on a pistol or rifle. It has 11 brightness settings. Of which, the bottom 2 are night vision compatible. To adjust the brightness, the RS-10R has soft touch buttons on the left side. When you reach the highest brightness setting, the dot will flash so you know when the limit has been reached. You also don't have to worry about turning the RS-10R on or off. It uses Primary Arms’ “Autolive” technology. This tech automatically turns the optic off when it is stationary and then on when it senses movement. Worth noting is the RS-10R has 1 moa click adjustments that uses a flathead to adjust. One can even use the rim of a spent case to adjust it, which I have done before. No trying to find the correct allen wrench. These clicks are tiny, but way better than no clicks at all. 

  Window size in these small red dots can be hard to understand sometimes. Manufactures spec the window size out, but it doesn't take into account if it is rounded or squared. Or where it is rounded and squared. I recommended looking through them to see if you like the window shape. Even though the RS-10R doesn't have a huge window, it is very well shaped to pick up the dot easily. Primary Arms specifies it as 23x19mm. I really like the shape. It is easy for me to see. Other people who I asked about it said the same thing, it's easy to find the dot. Primary Arms also fixed the refresh problem on the RS-10R. The original RS-10 would “galaxy” out because the refresh rate was too slow. The RS-10R does not have this problem. The dot stays consistent when moved and doesn't flash. 

  The SLx RS-10R uses an aluminum housing. They use 7075 aluminum which is a little stronger than the commonly used 6061. I like how the housing sticks out farther than the lens, giving it a little more protection from drops. One drawback to the RS-10R's construction is the higher deck height of the mounting surface. It sits higher up than some red dots. This doesn't hurt anything, but you do notice it when installing taller iron sights.  

  I ended up mounting the RS-10R on the Fusion XF-Pro. The XF-Pro uses a mounting plate system. This leads to you noticing the RS-10R’s deck height even more. It didn’t bother anything and I can pick up the dot easily. The dot on the RS-10R is pretty clear, even with my astigmatism. What I really like about the RS-10R, besides being an RMR footprint, is the window. For some reason I just pick the dot up quickly with the way the window is shaped. I am glad Primary Arms updated the RS-10 to an RMR footprint and fixed the refresh problems. It performs great.

  I know there are a million reflex pistol red dots on the market now, but the Primary Arms SLx RS-10R is a great option. You get a lifetime warranty. It has a side-loading battery with their “Autolive” on/off function. Plus it now features that RMR footprint everyone was asking for. If you are in the market for a pistol red dot, definitely go check out the new SLx RS-10R. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

RMR footprint red dot

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a pistol style red dot with a RMR footprint

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Battery Life: 25,001 - 50,000 Hours

  • Battery TypeCR1632 3V Lithium Coin

  • Side-loading CR1632 battery

  • Click Value: 1 MOA

  • Open Emitter

  • Finish: Hardcoat Anodized

  • 7075 Aluminum construction

  • Mount Compatibility: Holosun 407C/507C, RMR

  • Night Vision Compatible

  • 11 Brightness settings

  • 23 x 19mm window

  • 3 MOA Dot

  • Lifetime Warranty

  • Weight: 1.1 oz.

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Original SLx RS-10

What others are saying?:

Nothing found as of publishing

Link to other reviews:

Beyond Seclusion on YouTube   

Price point:

MSRP = $209.00

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms, Midway USA, or your local gun store

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • RMR / Holosun 507c footprint

  • Click adjustments

  • Side loading battery

  • Autolive

  • Lifetime warranty

Cons:

  • Deck height

Score: 8.50 Great

Favorite Link:  Fusion XF-Pro Review    

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Sightmark Presidio 5-30x56

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Sightmark Presidio

5-30x56 LR2 Review

  When it comes to magnified optics, prices and quality can range drastically. Sightmark is not new to these magnified optics and has various different product lines. Sightmark's Presidio line is somewhere in the middle of what they have to offer, which fits with what I was going to do with it. 

  I was looking for a fairly high power magnified optic. That is where Sightmark came in. They have a first focal plane Presidio in 5-30x56. It has a mil style Christmas tree reticle called the LR2. It was perfect for the Bergara I was reviewing. This much magnification makes it easier for my eyes to see targets at distance. So testing accuracy on the Bergara was easy thanks to the Presidio 5-30.

  The specifications of the Presidio 5-30 are really what make it a great optic. That 6x zoom makes it possible to see fairly close up and still reach out. Its large 56mm objective lens allows good light transmission so you can see your target, even at dusk on high magnification. The 30mm one piece body makes it easy to find scope mounts. The parallax adjustment is adjustable from 20 yds to infinity, so the Presidio can still work well on a PCP style airgun or even a 22 long rifle. It has an illuminated red reticle so you can see it better at dusk or dawn. Plus, if you want it, Sightmark throws in a throw lever. All the other details are down below in the Features and Benefit section.

  Sightmark uses their LR2 Mil reticle in the Presidio. This reticle is a pretty standard First Focal Plane Christmas tree style reticle (see picture). Since it is a first focal plane, the stadia marks of the reticle stay the same size throughout the magnification range. The LR2 reticle has windage and elevation marks at 0.5 mil increments, with mil numbers at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 mils. Out at the outer left, right, and top are 0.1 mil marks. They are intended to give a more accurate range estimation, when using the reticle for determining the range to a target. The Christmas tree dots can be used to combine wind and elevation holds, giving you a precise reference on where to aim. Lastly, the stadia line thickness is 0.03 mils, so you get a super precise aiming point. If you want the full hash marked reticle in view, you can only adjust the scope’s power up to 18x. After that the reticle starts to get cut off in the window. At 30x, you get about 2⁄3 's of the reticle’s marked stadia. 

  When looking at optics in this price range, optic clarity is huge. The Presidio 5-30 pleasantly surprised me for a $500 optic. When looking through the optic, it is very clear and has very little chromatic abrasion throughout the magnification range. Eye relief is decent. However, I did notice a slight difference between 5x and 30x. The weird part is that 30x seemed more forgiving than 5x, Usually it is the other way around and the lower magnification is more forgiving on eye relief. The field of view, or the width of what you see looking through the scope, is a little narrower than some optics. So finding a target at the higher magnifications can be a little more difficult. I wouldn’t call this a deal breaker for sure, just something to note for some shooters. 

  Having an illuminated reticle on the Presidio is nice. It is not daylight bright, but it is not intended to be. If you are shooting in lower light, or even cloud cover, it works nicely. There are 6 brightness adjustments on the left turret. In between each level is an “off” resting spot. I really like having an off position between brightness levels. That way I don’t have to try and remember to turn the knob all the way to the off position. Sightmark says the battery life on the Presidio has a 150 hour average. So at lower levels you can get up to 500 hours. This may not sound like a lot, but that's basically a week of being turned on all the time, or more. 

  The Presidio 5-30 uses target style turrets. I think these style turrets were a good option for the Presidio. They don’t stick up too far and are large enough to get a good grip on. The turrets produce a decent click when adjusting them and it can be felt. Each click adjusts the scope by 0.1 mil. The elevation turret has numbers 0-9, with 10 hash marks between the numbers. Each number is 1 mil and each hash mark is 0.1 mil. The windage knob has a zero position, then it is marked either 1R, 2R, etc, or 1L, 2L, etc. Each number is also 1 mil with 0.1 mil hash marks between them. For example, if the bullet needs to go left, just move the dial toward 1L. Both the windage and elevation knobs can be set to zero once you are sighted in. On the left side of the Presidio is the parallax knob and the brightness knob. These are pretty self explanatory. A win for the Presidio is that it also comes with a zero stop. This is very uncommon for optics in the Presidio’s price range. The zero stop is also easy to install. 

Radio tower lamp is approximately 300 yds away

  As mentioned previously, I mounted up the Sightmark Presidio on a Bergara bolt action rifle. The rifle is a 308 win. I found the Presidio to perform well enough on that platform. The eye relief made it harder to get the scope forward enough with normal picatinny rings. If I had an extended pic rail mounted on the Bergara, that would have helped. One disadvantage of the Presidio is its 30 mm tube. Because of this, you only get 18 mils of travel out of it. With the Bergara’s 20 moa base, I still only get 12.5 mils of up adjustment in the Presidio. That means that I can only dial the optic out to a range of around 1100 yards with the 308 cartridge. I don’t expect to ever shoot this past that, but it is something that I feel needed mentioning. The Presidio 5-30 is heavy, like 2 pounds worth. I know it isn’t a small optic, and other optics in this price range weigh about the same, but I was hoping for a little lighter. Other than that, I have been happy with the Presidio. I just can’t get over how clear the optic is.

  If you are looking at a decent optic to get into longer range shooting, the Sightmark Presidio 5-30x56 may be it. It has great glass for an optic in this price range. The nice turrets and zero stop make it a great choice for whatever you are doing. Yes it has some performance limitations, but in this price range, that can be expected. If you are looking for that decent, entry level, long range optic, the Sightmark Presidio might be a good choice for you.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Variable power, budget friendly, high magnification first focal plane optic

Target Market:

Anyone looking for a quality higher powered first focal plane optic 

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Reticle brightness settings: 6

  • Magnification (x): 5-30

  • Objective lens diameter (mm): 56

  • Eyepiece diameter (in/mm): 1.74 / 44.1

  • Exit pupil diameter (mm): 36.6

  • Eye relief (in/mm): 3.7 / 95

  • Field of view (ft @100yd): 22ft - 3.7ft

  • Tube diameter (mm/in): 30 / 1.18

  • Parallax setting (yds): 20 - ∞

  • Mil adjustment (one click =): 1/10

  • Windage adjustment range (MRAD): 18

  • Elevation adjustment range (MRAD): 18

  • Zero stop included

  • Throw lever included

  • Maximum caliber: .338

  • Battery type: CR2032

  • Battery life (hours): 150 - 500 hrs

  • Shockproof, Fog proof 

  • 1st Focal plane

  • IP67 - waterproof and dustproof

  • Body material: Aluminum

  • Fully multi-coated lenses

  • Operating temperature (°F/°C): -20 to 160 / -29 to 71 F/C

  • Length (in/mm): 15.67 / 398.02

  • Width (in/mm): 3.79 / 96.25

  • Height (in/mm): 3.02 / 76.71

  • Weight (oz): 33 oz

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

3-18x50

What others are saying?:

5 out of 5 stars from Randy on Optics Planet  

I was skeptical at first, decided to take a chance because it had a lifetime warranty and I watched a video on it from one the head tech/designer at Sightmark. I was impressed so I bought it. I wasn’t disappointed when I got it. This scope feels like a much more expensive scope. Turrets are solid, audible and precise. Has an elevation stop and removable turret caps to set back to zero when you’re done sighting. The throw lever on the magnification works really well. Clarity is very good, high and low. It weighs as much or more than scopes costing twice as much. I have it on an AR 50 A1 - .50 BMG and have put 12 rounds on it with no issues so far. As solid as it is and the few rounds I’ll shoot a lot of .50 BMG I don’t see any issues forthcoming.

Link to other reviews:

The Gun Zone  

Price point:

MSRP = $539.97

Retail = $449.97 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Amazon, SightMark, MidwayUSA, or your local dealer

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Great clarity

  • LR2 mil reticle

  • First Focal Plane

  • Illuminated reticle

  • Target turrets

  • Zero Stop

Cons:

  • Long

  • Heavy

  • Long eye relief

  • Small elevation adjustment range

Score: 7.50 Good

Favorite Link:  Bergara B-14 Ridge SP Review  

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ZeroTech Thrive HD 1-8x24

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ZeroTech Thrive HD

1-8x24 Review

  ZeroTech Optics sent Rusty and I one of their new Thrive HD 1-8x24 Low Power Variable Optics (LPVO). For a bit I was trying to decide what to put it on. Then SRU and Foxtrot Mike made the decision for me, by sending me a bullpup kit. The new Thrive HD was a perfect fit. ZeroTech’s new LPVO has some great features, some clear glass, and some other stuff.

  The ZeroTech Thrive HD 1-8 is the first LPVO in the Thrive lineup. The Thrive series of optics is primarily built for hunters, but that does not mean that there is not crossover into other types of shooting. In fact, the bullpup kit I mounted it on probably won’t see a day of hunting in its lifetime. Unless the random coyote pops up when I have it on hand. Being that the Thrive HD 1-8 is a second focal plane optic, it does lend itself nicely to hunting. However, the way the reticle is set up also works well for run and gun type competition. I think it is more of a dual duty style of optic.

  Construction on the Thrive HD is somewhat simplistic. ZeroTech constructs the 1-8 using 7075 T6 aluminum. 7075 is stronger and lighter than the typical 6061 that a lot of other scope manufacturers use in their $450 price range LPVO’s. It weighs in at 22 ounces, which also falls right in line compared to other LPVO’s. As with most LPVO’s, the Thrive HD uses a 30 mm outer tube diameter. The adjustment turrets are of the capped style. This gives it a clean look. Since this is not a scope for long range work, the capped turrets do not detract from anything.

  ZeroTech throws a few “extras” in the box that are pretty nice. Up first is the Thrive HD’s flip up covers. These are not your everyday plastic ones. They are aluminum and screw on. Using the supplied tool, you can tighten them down to your preferred location. This is especially nice for the ocular lens with the fast focus eyepiece. Since you need to focus the eyepiece to your eye, you can then loosen the flip cap, align it, and re-tighten it, so it works correctly. The 1-8 also comes with a removable throw lever. This throw lever uses a little rail type attachment. So one just slides it on and tightens the little screw. Also included is a neoprene style one piece scope cover. It is a really nice cover.

  When looking at optics, the reticle can be really important. The Thrive HD 1-8 uses ZeroTech’s PHR 4 illuminated reticle. This reticle, for some reason, reminds me of the old German #1 reticle. It is not even close, but here is my best explanation. The PHR 4 has 3 fairly thick crosshairs, 1 up from the bottom and then 1 on each side. These then reduce down to 0.5 MOA thick lines. These lines extend 7.5 MOA out toward the center reticle. There is then a 2.5 MOA space until the center reticle starts. Yes, there is a center reticle. The center reticle is also the part that illuminates. They call this a floating reticle and is more akin to a standard small thin crosshair reticle. It measures 5 MOA. It also has a 0.5 MOA dot in the center. Of course all of these measurements are at 8x. There are 5 brightness settings on the Thrive HD. On/Off and adjustment are a little different than what you might be used to. On the left side of the scope is the battery cap. In the center of the cap is a button. This button is pressed to turn on the red illumination, in the last setting that was used. Just push it again to cycle through the 5 brightness levels. It cycles from brightest to darkest, and then repeats itself. Since the Thrive HD does not have any shake awake function, you will want to remember to turn it off when done. To do this you just hold the button down for about 3 seconds and the illumination turns off. The brightness is not daylight bright, but is very useful. ZeroTech does not sell the Thrive HD as daylight bright, so I was not expecting it to be.

  The Thrive HD 1-8 has capped turrets for adjustment. To adjust the LPVO, you must first remove the caps. Underneath are some decently nice knobs. These are easily adjusted with your fingers. The ¼ MOA clicks are a tiny bit mushy, but can be heard and felt easily enough. The ¼ MOA adjustments are a nice feature. A lot of 1-8 LPVO’s have ½ MOA adjustments. These windage and elevation knobs can also be set to zero, after the initial sighting in. That way you at least have a reference when making further adjustments.

  I was impressed with the clarity on the Thrive HD. Looking through it produces clear images with no detectable color differences. It did not seem to matter if it was at 1x or 8x, nothing seemed distorted. However, the eyebox on the 1-8 is unforgiving at 8x. You have to be in just the correct spot to get a good image. At 1x, I did not notice any problems getting a clear picture through the eyebox. This is my only real complaint about the Thrive HD 1-8.

  As mentioned, I mounted up the Thrive HD to a bullpup. This required me to put it in a higher optics mount. I used a Geissele 1.93 scope mount and it was perfect for the 1-8. You can read the SRU review to find out why the mount is turned around. I mention this so you get the idea of how I used the Thrive HD. This LPVO is really clear for its price range. I would compare it to some optics that are priced a couple of hundred more. It really shines at 1x with the PHR 4 reticle. Then the 8x gives you enough magnification to identify targets easily. The adjustment ring, with its optional throw lever, operates super smooth. Those flip covers take a little bit of getting used to, they are a bit stiffer than the normal ones I use. All those little add-ins are a nice touch too. The Thrive HD did everything I wanted it to do.

   The Thrive HD 1-8x24 is a good option for those looking for a LPVO. It is decently priced for the quality and clarity you get. It has a very useful illuminated reticle. The throw lever, to adjust the magnification, is super smooth. You really get a lot of optic for your money with the ZeroTech Thrive HD line. Go check out Zerotech’s line of optics, they might have something that fits with your shooting style.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

1-8 power LPVO with a hunting style MOA reticle

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a LPVO in the 1-8 power range

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Focal Plane Second (SFP)

  • Reticle calibrated magnification power: 8x

  • Magnification Range: 1-8x

  • Objective Lens Diameter: 24mm

  • Main Tube Diameter: 30mm

  • Main tube Material: 7075 – T6

  • Turret Index Value: 0.25MOA

  • Internal Elevation Adjustment: 90 MOA

  • Internal Windage Adjustment: 90 MOA

  • Parallax Adjustment Range: Fixed 100 Meters

  • Exit Pupil Diameter: Low: 8mm; High: 3mm

  • Eye Relief: 3.58-3.94 inches or 91-100mm

  • Field Of View @100 Meters: Low: 41.6 m; High: 5.1 m

  • Field of view @ 100 Yards: Low: 124.8 ft; High: 15.5 ft

  • Lens Coating: Fully Multi Coated (FMC)

  • Weight: 22 ounces or 624g

  • Illumination: Yes

  • Waterproof Rating: IPX7

  • Aluminum flip covers

  • Adjustment tool

  • Neoprene scope cover

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

G4 reticle    

What others are saying?:

Nothing found as of publishing

Link to other reviews:

Precision-rifle.com

Price point:

MSRP = $449.00

Retail = Natchez Shooting Supply

I need it now! Availability:

ZeroTech Optics

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Good clarity

  • Easy to use reticle

  • Brightness adjustment

  • Throw lever

  • Premium flip covers

Cons:

  • Tight eyebox

  • Only 5 brightness levels

  • No shake awake brightness feature

Score: 7.50 Good

Favorite Link:  SRU Bullpup Chassis review  

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Triclops Sights

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Triclops Sight Review

  I have a serious astigmatism and normal red dot sights are an issue for me. During one of our podcast episodes we discussed products from Triclops Sights. They manufacture, what can be best described as, an analog red dot. These are iron sights that contain fiber optics.

  The front sight is tall, like a suppressor height sight. The rear sight is a rectangle that has red fiber optics at the 12, 3 and 9 o'clock positions. 

  The sights are firearm model, caliber, and eye dominant specific. They have sights for the Beretta APX, Desert Eagle in 41 Mag, VP9, Smith & Wesson M&P line, CZ75 and many more. The pulldown menu is on their website. 

  I have a Glock 19. I'm right handed and right eye dominant. I received my sights in November 2023 and had them installed immediately. My friend Nick had a sight pusher. He got these sights installed quickly for me. All that was left for me to do was install the fiber optics by sliding them into place, cutting them to size, and burning the tip to keep them in place. It was quick and easy.

  The Triclops sights work due to your eye naturally centering the green front sight between the red rear fiber optic posts. I'll take a quote from Triclops Sights website, “Geometric centering is your eye's natural ability to find the exact center of a shape. This concept incorporated in the Triclops Sight allows you to aim and acquire your target faster than traditional notch and blade sights.” This new sight picture may take effort for some to run. It is simple if you don't overthink the sight picture. It is the same principle as centering your AR15 front sight post in the center of your rear sight aperture. 

  According to the company website, the Triclops sights help you fire with both eyes open. They help you shoot more accurately, faster, and assist in increasing your situational awareness when you're shooting.

  I planned on using these sights during different types of shooting and in various conditions. I used them at indoor matches, action shooting matches, Police Combat Competition, and training classes around the country. I fired the Triclops sights under the pressure of timed competition. I feel they were faster when shooting and transitioning from target to target than regular bladed sights. Close targets got smoked quickly!  The second I saw the green front sight anywhere on the target, I squeezed the trigger. When I moved back to the 25-yard line, it was easy to stay in the center of a B27 target or IDPA targets.

  I took the Dynamic Rifle 2 class with ROC Training at the South Jersey Shooting Club on a sunny October day. While running drills, we would transition to our handgun when our carbines ran empty. These sights really popped outside. Shooting and moving, firing weak hand, and from cover I was hitting the targets effortlessly.  During one training iteration at 50 yards, these sights easily equaled, or beat, other students that had more expensive pistols equipped with red dots. Sucseffully hitting a full size IDPA steel target five times in a row.

  My reviews generally are long term reviews. I've been using Triclops Sights for 15 months. They have been used and abused in training class, competitions, and practice. They are carried as my everyday carry in the Fattac Standard Holster. It also works in the JX Tactical Fat Guy Holsters and the Hailey Strategic G-Code Incog RMR tuckable holster. These holsters all have been designed for a red dot mounted Glock 19.

  I read concerns that the Triclops sight looked large. I saw comments that it looked as large as some red dots. I had the Vortex Defender CCW Micro Dot on hand. It has the Shield RMSc footprint. At 1.6 inches long theDefender CCW is considered a small red dot. It looks huge next to the Triclops Sight.

 The Triclops Sights have held up to my use, which is to put it mildly, rough. I have not broken the fiber optics. There is a small bit of surface rust on the side of the sight that lays against me while I carry. 

  Triclops Sights are what the website says and more. I believe these sights are in a category between traditional sights and red dots. Especially if you have astigmatism like mine. Which nearly every red dot looks like a rorschach test.

  These sights allow me to see faster, and shoot accurately faster, than regular bladed sights. My scores and times in competition reflect these facts. They cost less than all but the lowest priced red dots. They don't require batteries. They are tough. These sights have been used to rack the slide during one hand manipulation drills. There's been no damage or loss of zero. I recommend these Triclops sights to anyone that has astigmatism or just wants to try an “analog red dot” sight. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

This product is great for people with bad astigmatism. It's also a good alternative to suppressor height sights. It's a step between traditional sights and a red dot optic. 

Target Market:

It is faster than iron sights with much less of a learning curve than red dots. It has a smaller footprint than every red dot on the market with fast sight acquisition. Triclops Sights are less expensive than every quality red dot on the market. 

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product 

  • Triclops Sights are for people who have problems seeing traditional sights 

  • They are an analog red dot for people that have issues with astigmatism 

  • They help shooters shoot accurately faster due to a larger sight picture and faster sight alignment 

  • Constructed from 4140 steel. 

  • Red and green fiber optic rods are included

  • Available for a bunch of different handguns

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Much like Henry Ford's Model T, You can have it in any color. As long as that color is black. 

What others are saying?:

"I want to thank Sean at TriclopsSights.com for hooking me up with this sight system to test and evaluate. Pretty much an analog CCO and NVD capable. First 15 rounds with the sight were at 7 meters doing first round draw drills. First two were flyers b/c I wasn't using the sight correctly. I was skeptical at first but now all I can say is wow. Put the threat in the TV screen and squeeze.” - Colton Baitch

I took my small little sub compact to the range with my new Triclops sights. Started close around 7yds to get a feel for the sight. It happened quickly, around 5 shots before I was in a small ring. This was amazing as it is but what really surprised me was being able to shoot quite a long distance somewhere around 25 yards with my small little carry gun and be extremely accurate. I was also happy with how quickly I could now shoot my carry gun. I plan on trying these sights on one of my larger full size competition guns and can’t wait to see the results. So more to report later- Hope Lewellen

Link to other reviews:

Triclops Sights Review: New Sights for Old Glock

Price point:

MSRP = $119.99

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

Triclops Sights

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • High-quality iron sights 

  • The sights are faster to acquire than traditional sights at close range 

  • The sights are faster and easier to shoot at long range than traditional notch and blade sights 

  • They are tough. I haven't been able to break them

  • They have no batteries

  • They double as suppressor height sights 

  • Fiber optics are inexpensive and easy to replace 

  • They are easier and faster to learn and acquire a sight picture to those untrained in the use of a red dot 

  • They are easier to conceal and are less likely to snag clothing because they have a smaller footprint than every red dot on the market 

Cons:

  • It looks unusual. Instructors and friends all have, initially, look at this with suspicion. 

  • It has a slight learning curve. It took a few range trips to understand how to get the most out of the product 

  • If you don't have one of the firearms models listed on their website you'll have to call the company to inquire if the sight will work on your firearm 

Score: 9.25 - Amazing

I think it's a sighting system between traditional sights and red dot optics.

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Primary Arms SLx 1-10x28 ACSS NOVA

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Primary Arms

SLx 1-10x28 ACSS NOVA Review

  A few years ago, Primary Arms started making their NOVA fiber dot reticle. This bridged the gap between the Low Power Variable Optic (LPVO) and the red dot. Primary Arms has recently put the NOVA reticle into their SLx 1-10x28 optic. This is huge for those wanting more magnification over the SLx 1-6x24 NOVA. 

  The Primary Arms SLx 1-10x28 NOVA is packed with features. For starters, they increased the tube to 34mm from 30mm’s in the 1-6. This allows more light to get into the optic and back to your eye. This larger tube lets you see better at lower light levels as well as at the full 10x magnification. They also throw in flip up lens caps to keep the glass clean when not in use.

  Next on the feature list is the capped turrets. The turrets are a vital part in setting up your optic. Or at least getting it sighted in. I am not super thrilled with the turrets that Primary Arms uses on this LPVO. The clicks are fine and can be felt easily. My gripe is that they remind me of something that was used on scopes 20 years ago. They are small plastic knobs with a flat piece of metal that rotates to set your zero position. Then there is a tiny recess, in the threads, to line up your “zero” with. I was just hoping for something more like the SLx 1-6x24 NOVA. The caps that cover the turrets are nice. They have good texture to unscrew them. The windage knob cap also has storage for an extra 2032 battery. Yes, it comes with an extra battery already in the cap. On the left side of the LPVO is the brightness knob. It has 11 brightness settings from low light to burn your eyeballs out bright. However, it is not night vision compatible. The SLx 1-10 does not have Primary Arms’ Autolive. However, I did install their Autolive battery cap and it works like a charm.

  Eye relief for the SLx 1-10 LPVO is pretty good. Primary Arms states 3.2 - 3.5 inches, which seems about right. I did notice that the eyebox is pretty forgiving. I did not need to be exactly in the stated window to see through the optic clearly. The SLx also has a fast focus diopter so you can adjust the reticle to be crystal clear. Also, on this end of the optic is the magnification throw lever. Of course it goes from a true 1x all the way to 10x. The magnification adjustment is very smooth and rotates right at 180 degrees from 1x - 10x. Primary Arms also uses their removable throw lever. This one is about ¾ inch long. You can get different height ones from Primary Arms, as well as a fold down lever. 

  Now it is reticle time. The SLx 1-10x28 uses Primary Arms ACSS NOVA fiber wire reticle. This gives you a daylight bright red dot in the center of the reticle’s crosshairs. Basically a red LED travels through a fiber optic cable to the reticle, thus illuminating the reticle dot much brighter than a normal illuminated reticle. The center dot is roughly 0.6 MOA. Some people say the dot is too small to use it like a red dot. I am not one of those people, I love the Nova red dot. The rest of the ACSS NOVA reticle is a Mil based Second Focal Plane optic. So the reticle stays the same size throughout the magnification range. This also makes the Mil subtensions only accurate at the highest power, or 10x in this case. For elevation, there are 4 mil stadia lines below the center red dot. They are spaced 1 Mil apart, with ½ mil dots between them. These Mil stadia are wider at the top and progressively get narrower as you go down the reticle. This is so you can use them to range distance on an 18 inch wide target. On the horizontal stadia, there are 2 dots. These 2 dots represent approximately 3 mile per hour wind holds each. The crosshair taper can be used as a 3rd wind hold. The reticle is very useful for all kinds of things. I am a huge fan of the ACSS NOVA Mil reticle.

  When I first received the SLx 1-10x28, I had not received the rifle I was hoping to put it on. Since I had a “Range Day” competition coming up, I mounted it to my Primary Weapons piston AR15. Primary Arms had also sent their GLx 34 mm cantilever mount to use with the 1-10. It is a great mount by itself and puts the optic at just the right height for an AR. During the competition, I was able to use it like a red dot at 3-7 yard targets. Then I moved it up to about 3x to shoot some index cards at 50 yards. The optic performed great for that particular competition. And no, I didn’t win anything. The SLx 1-10 Nova now sits on a Global Ordnance Monolith, which was the rifle I was waiting to install it on. The 1-10 fits the rifle well and doesn’t add too much weight to it. After all, the SLx 1-10x28 Nova only weighs 19 ounces. I have also done a bunch of drills with the SLx on this rifle. The SLx worked great on it also. When I was shooting for groups, I had the SLx’s magnification turned up to 10x. On 10x the targets were easy to make out. The only problem I ran across was that at 10x, the scope is not as clear as at 1x. There was not a bunch of difference, but enough that I could notice. Even though it was noticeable to me, I could still make out 22 caliber holes at 100 yards easily enough. 

  I am a huge fan of the ACSS NOVA reticle in the SLx 1-10x28. Not only can you use this LPVO as a normal optic, it also can double as a red dot. You can even range targets with the Mil reticle. Pair it with the Primary Arms Autolive battery cap and you have an optic that is ready to go when you are. So if you are looking for that LPVO that has a little bit more magnification,  but still can be used fast and up close, give the Primary Arms SLx 1-10x28 ACSS NOVA a look.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Quality , inexpensive 1-10x optic with good features

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a quality LPVO at a fair price

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Battery Type: CR2032 3V Lithium Coin

  • Click Value: 1/2 MOA

  • Exit Pupil Diameter: Low: 9mm / High: 2.8mm

  • Field View 100: Low: 110 ft / High: 10 ft

  • Focal Plane: Second Focal Plane

  • Illuminated MRAD NOVA fiber reticle, red color

  • Eye Relief: 3.2” - 3.5”

  • Length: 10.5 in.

  • Magnification: 1X - 10X

  • 34mm tube

  • Objective Diameter: 28mm

  • Total Elevation and Windage Adjustment: 40 MOA

  • Low Profile Capped Turrets

  • Warranty: Lifetime

  • Weight: 19.1 oz.

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

ACSS Raptor and ACSS Griffin reticles

What others are saying?:

5 out of 5 stars at PrimaryArms.com

Coyote Hunting 25-200 Yards

by Coyote Cam - 

  So, as we all know... the SLx 1-6x24 Nova has been the standard for the red dot bright LPVO with the Gen4. When I saw that they now make the exact same Nova illumination in the 1-10x28, it was time to pull the trigger on a 1-10x LPVO, but with any 1-10x I was a bit hesitant at first... but let me tell you, I am amazed at how clear this is out to 200 yards on 10x.

  Now... understand that this is for my dedicated Coyote setup out to 200 yards max, but also I have a heavy brush/timber area that I need to dial it back on and this 1x is running amazing.

  The red dot illumination helps when the reticle fades in the sun/tree line, which is why I wanted the Nova, but I needed more than 6x for target identification in dim light.

  If you are wanting something for the same reasons as I did, do not hesitate, the glass is actually super clear.

Link to other reviews:

Lynx Defense

Price point:

MSRP = $449.99

Retail = Same, but Primary Arms runs sales that take it below $400

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms, Amazon, or your local dealer

Our Rating: 

Pros:

  • Red Dot NOVA reticle

  • Mil lines for ranging

  • Lightweight for size

  • Battery storage in windage knob cover

  • Capped turrets

  • Decent throw lever

Cons:

  • Old school turrets with no real zero setting

  • Little fuzzy around the edges at 10x

Score: 8.00 Great

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Gideon Omega

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Gideon Optics

Omega review

  I was looking for a new pistol mounted red dot to install on my Rost Martin. I knew I wanted a larger window size reflex sight for that pistol. So I did what any good reviewer would do and hit up the good people at Gideon Optics. Gideon had just what I was looking for in their Omega series. When they asked which version I wanted to review, I said the green dot only version. So a few weeks later I received it. That is where the story takes a twist.

  The Gideon Omega arrived at the perfect time. I had just received a lightweight 10/22 kit and it needed a lightweight dot. So even though I had intentions of mounting the Omega on the Rost Martin, it proceeded to get mounted on the 10/22 with the CP Firearms Dragonfly kit. The Omega was perfect for it. Its large window lets you see the dot quickly on this little rifle. Plus the Omega came with a pic rail adapter already installed, so all I had to do was tighten it on the rail. The Gideon Omega has an RMR footprint so it will fit on a ton of pistols cut for an RMR optic. Which is exactly what I originally had planned for the Omega.

  Gideon Optics has hit the ground hard with the Omega. It is their larger window RMR footprint reflex sight. The window size is 0.88 inches tall x 1.06 inches wide and round shaped with a flat on the bottom. I found it extremely easy to pick up the dot in the Omega. Probably because round objects draw the human eye to the center. Having an RMR footprint makes the Omega very versatile. There are so many mounting options for it, either direct or some sort of picatinny mount. Even offset style mounts can be had with RMR footprints.

  For this review, I asked for a green dot version of the Gideon Omega. It also can be had with a red dot, a red circle dot, or a green circle dot. The dot versions have a 3 moa sized dot and the circle dot versions have a 45 moa outer ring with a 3 moa dot inside the ring. I chose the 3 moa green dot because green is usually clearer for me. I also am not a fan of circle dot reticles on pistols, even though some people love them. The dot is bright enough to see on a hot summer day with zero clouds in the sky. The Omega has 10 brightness levels in case you need to turn the brightness down, 2 of those are night vision compatible. I am also a big fan of being able to set the brightness where I want it. I am also pleased with the clarity of the green dot. It just does not star out like a lot of red colored ones do for me. The dot was easy to pick up and super fast on that little lightweight 22.

  Auto on and off is a feature every new optic should have. The Gideon Omega has this auto on/off feature. Essentially, when you move the sight, it automatically turns back on to whatever brightness setting you have it set at. Then, after sensing zero movement, it turns off after 225 seconds, or just under 4 minutes. The Omega does have a twist to this auto on/off. If you leave the Omega sitting for 12 hours, it will turn off completely to save battery life. I have a love/hate relationship with this. Since I use it on a 22 rimfire rifle, this feature is great. But if you want this optic for a bedside firearm, the auto on might not work when you need it. Mainly because the gun will probably not get moved enough to keep the auto on/off working. For duty use, it is probably fine because the movement of it being on you will keep the sight from turning off. Something to think about. Gideon does have other optics without the 12 hour off feature, so one can always check those options out.

  Another feature I like on the Omega is the top load battery. With the top load battery, you will not have to take the sight off to change it. Gideon gave the Omega a CR1632 battery. They spec the battery life at “up to 50,000 hours”. So if you leave it on the brightest setting, I do not know how long the battery will last. But I really do not think anyone has to really worry about the battery life.

  The Omega is super light. Gideon states that it weighs 1.8 ounces with the battery. This is one of the reasons I decided to mount it on that lightweight 10/22. As far as physical size, it is 2.06 inches long x 1.21 inches wide x 1.25 inches tall. So even though it has a good window size, the Omega is still small. 

  Sighting in the Gideon Omega was super easy. It was almost centered up after mounting. I even sighted it in right before a local steel challenge competition. I set a target about 15 yards away and went to town. Adjustments on the Omega have actual clicks. Yes, they are tiny sounds and feel, but at least it has them. I am a fan of clicks on these micro optics. If it does not have them, how do I know how far I actually moved the adjustment screw? Thank you Gideon for putting actual clicks in the adjustments.

  I was really happy with how the Gideon Omega works. I know it will handle the recoil of a pistol, at least based on my previous experiences with other Gideon Optics. I was surprised at how well I liked the Omega on a small rifle. It performed fantastic. Yeah, I am not a fan of the 12 hour auto off function, but since I have it on a competition 22, it does not really matter. Would I recommend it to someone? Yes, it is a fantastic green dot reflex optic. 

  Sometimes life throws you a curveball and you hit it out of the park. I had not planned on mounting the Gideon Omega to a 22, but I did. The Omega works so well on that 22 that I am not taking it off to install it on a pistol. The green dot is clear and a great size. Gideon is really the one that hit the home run with the Omega. I love the size and features it has. If you want to check it out, head over to Gideon Optics.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Large window reflex sight mainly for pistols, but also at home on rifles

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a quality large window red dot at a fair price

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Magnification: 1x

  • Lens Dimensions: 22.3mm tall x 27mm wide

  • 7075-T6 aluminum body

  • Elevation/Windage adjustment range: 45 MOA (Total 90 MOA)

  • Click Value: 1 MOA per click

  • 3 MOA Dot

  • Parallax Free: Beyond 33 yards

  • Red Dot Brightness Setting: 10 levels (8 visible, 2 NV compatible)

  • Power Supply: 1x CR1632 3V Lithium battery

  • Battery life: 50,000 Hours

  • Top load battery

  • Auto Wake/Sleep: 225 Seconds after no movement, Deep Sleep after 12 hours

  • Shockproof & IPX7 Waterproof

  • Dimensions: (LxWxH) 52.5mm x 30.7mm x 31.7mm

  • Weight (with battery installed): 1.8 oz (approx.)

  • RMR footprint

  • Picatinny mount included

  • Lifetime Warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Red Dot only, Green Circle Dot, or Red Circle Dot

What others are saying?:

The Gideon Omega does exactly what it needs to. It provides a big window, competition style optic that performs. Shake-awake type functionality is welcome and is essentially the only "advanced" feature an optic like this really needs. I also appreciate the easier to actuate buttons versus some other brands. This is a tradeoff of course as you could get some accidental presses in some situations, but it suits my preference for fast adjustment. After my first 200 rounds with the Omega I've noticed zero issues and will be running this solution for competitions going forwards (and saving hundreds in the process).

Link to other reviews:

The Armory Life   

Price point:

MSRP = $229.99 discount code “GGR”  knocks it down to $206.99

Retail = $195.99 at JSD Supply   

I need it now! Availability:

Gideon Optics or JSD Supply

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Large window

  • RMR footprint

  • Clear dot

  • Auto on/off

  • Top load battery

Cons:

  • 12 hour Deep Sleep mode

Score: 8.50 Great

Favorite Link:  Gideon Judge Review

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Gideon Optics Judge

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  Another red dot sight manufacturer has entered the arena. This new sight company is Gideon Optics. Gideon has come on the market strong with an assortment of micro and mini red, and green, dot sights. I’ve known the owner of this new optics company for some years now, so I am excited to get into the “Judge” red dot that they sent out for review. The Judge is Gideon’s micro red dot reflex sight and uses the RMSc mounting footprint.

  When the Judge arrived, I was excited to mount it up. Part of the reason I was excited is because I was looking for a red dot for my G43ish carry gun. The Judge fit that bill nicely as my G43 slide was already cut for a RMSc style sight. The other half of the excitement came from the Judge's auto on/off ability. In today's market, I see no reason why a red dot shouldn’t be auto on/off. Gideon also includes 4 different pairs of mounting screws. So you should have something that fits. More important, in my opinion, is that Gideon also includes a sealing plate with the Judge. This is important since the Judge uses a bottom load battery. The sealing plate does just that, it seals the battery from moisture and dust.

  The Judge has an option for either a red or green dot. I chose the red dot because my eyes just seem to pick it up faster. The Judge uses a 3 MOA dot size, which is a good size for all around use. If you have an astigmatism, like I do, the dot will probably look larger because of the “flare”. Don’t worry, the Judge’s dot is fairly clear in pictures, so I know it’s me and not the sight. To adjust the 10 brightness settings, the Judge has a brightness up button on the left side and a brightness down button on the right side. I actually like this better than the red dots that have both the up/down on the same side. There’s just no doubt which button I am pushing. With the Judge, you get 90 MOA of total adjustment for windage and elevation. More importantly is that the Judge has actual clicks for the 1 MOA adjustments. These clicks are not something you find in competitors' products, but the Gideon Judge has them.

  Construction of the Judge is pretty sound. You get a 7075-T6 aluminum housing, not the less durable 6061. It is also waterproof to 1 meter for 30 minutes plus. Let’s just say that I have not broken it yet. The Judge also only tips the scales at around 0.6 ounces with the 2032 battery. Probably more important to the user, is that the judge has a window size of 16x21mm. This size is really nice for such a small reflex sight. I was able to get a good sight picture fairly quickly. Essentially, the window is big enough to make it easy to find the red dot. 

  The Gideon Judge just runs. I can’t seem to get the Judge to stop. It has given me zero problems since day one. It’s bright with very little tint to the lens. It has held zero through all my abuse. Granted, I didn’t drop it on concrete, but I also don’t want to actually break it just to break it. I love the click adjustments. In all, I have had a good shooting experience with the Judge.

  If you are in the market for a micro red dot, definitely give the Gideon Judge a look. Maybe even judge it compared to others in this market space. It has some great features at a respectable price. I might even give it style points for its looks. Even if you are looking for a different style of red dot, Gideon Optics might have what you want, so go check them out.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Small Red or Green dot that fits RMSc slide cuts

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a small red or green dot optic

Features & Benefits of this product:

  • Magnification: 1x

  • Lens Dimensions: 16mm tall x 21mm wide

  • 7075-T6 aluminum body

  • Elevation/Windage adjustment range: 45 MOA (Total 90 MOA)

  • Click Value: 1 MOA per click

  • Circle Dot Reticle: 3 MOA Dot

  • Parallax Free: Beyond 33 yards

  • Red Dot Brightness Setting: 10 levels (8 visible, 2 NV compatible)

  • Power Supply: 1x CR2032 3V Lithium battery

  • Run Time: approx 40,000 hrs

  • Auto Wake/Sleep: 225 Seconds after no movement

  • Shockproof & IPX7 Waterproof

  • Dimensions: (LxWxH) 41mm x 25mm x 24mm

  • Weight (with battery installed): 0.6 oz (approx.)

  • 1913 picatinny rail mount and screws

  • T10 tool

  • Adjustment tool

  • Sealing plate

  • Cleaning cloth

  • One pair each of the following mounting screws: M4 x 0.7 x 10mm, M4 x 0.7 x 8.6mm, M3.5 x 0.7 x 10mm, M3 x 0.5 x 12mm

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Green Dot Version

What others are saying?:

Dan @ OpticsPlanet

Very happy

I purchased this for my PSA 5.7 Rock. Could not be happier clear Len and crisp dot.

Link to other reviews:

Caleb Downing on YouTube   

Price point:

MSRP = $229.99

Retail = Same but use code “GGR” for 10% off at Gideon Optics

I need it now! Availability:

Gideon Optics or JSD Supply

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Bright Dot

  • Actual click adjustments

  • Auto on/off

  • Includes Sealing plate

  • Includes various mounting screws

Cons:

  • Slightly fuzzy dot

  • Bottom Load battery

  • Only a 3 yr warranty

Score: 7.50 Good

Favorite Link:  Patmos Arms Judah slide review

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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 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. 

,

Primary Arms GLx 1-6x24 FFP ACSS Raptor

,

  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

,

Primary Arms SLx RS-10 red dot

,

  When I first learned about the new Primary Arms SLx RS-10 mini reflex sight, I was very interested. Then I received one, and was even more excited. This little, open reflex, pistol mounted red dot is everything they said it would be. Including a great price of $199.99.

Autolive in action

  The SLx RS-10 is packed with features. It runs a 3 MOA red dot that is easily picked up. It has 11 brightness settings. Of which include night vision compatibility and daylight bright. I couldn’t try out the night vision setting, but the daylight bright setting is really bright, even in direct sunlight. You should have zero problems seeing the dot in any light. The RS-10 also has easy to use controls on the left side. These buttons are only raised slightly above the RS-10’s surface. Of course they control brightness as well as actual on/off. I say “actual” because the RS-10 features Primary Arms’ “Autolive”. The Autolive is an automatic on/off function that works fantastic. Just barely move the sight and the dot turns on. After about 3 minutes of zero sight movement, the sight turns off. Any teeny movement will keep the RS-10 on. Back to the “actual” on/off. To turn the sight off, as if you are going to store it for a long time, just hold the up and down buttons simultaneously for a few seconds and the sight will permanently turn off. Then to turn it back on, and into the Autolive feature, just hold either the up or down button a few seconds until the dot turns on. Primary Arms specs the battery life at 40,000 hours with a CR2032 battery. So if you change the battery out once a year, you should be good to go and never have the dreaded dead dot. If you couldn’t tell, I really like the Autolive feature.

  Primary Arms also stuck some other features into the RS-10. For strength, they manufacture the housing out of 7075 aluminum. This is the same grade aluminum that quality AR receivers are made from, so it should be good to go. I really like the shape they chose for the housing and window. The rounded, almost square shape seems to draw my eye to the dot. I seem to find the dot much faster than other pistol mounted red dots. Primary Arms says the window size is 23mm and even if it is a smaller window than some brands, see the above comments. I mentioned battery life earlier, but the RS-10 does have a side loading battery tray. That means you can change the battery without having to remove the sight from your desired mounting platform, keeping your zero intact. Coming in at just over an ounce, the RS-10 shouldn’t weigh you down either.

  Anymore, the mounting method for a reflex sight is very important. Mainly because one needs to know if it will fit on their handgun. The SLx RS-10 uses the fairly common Docter/Noblex footprint to directly mount to stuff. Primary Arms also includes a picatinny rail mount and a Glock MOS plate. That way if you aren’t mounting it directly to a pistol, you have some options. For instance, it would make a great 45 degree offset red dot for a rifle. I ended up mounting it on a Strike Industries Liteslide for a G19, as it has a multi optic mounting platform. The SLX RS-10 mounted in perfectly. Primary Arms decided to go with the Docter mounting footprint so they could use that CR2032 battery and have it side mounted. Since the battery is physically larger than other options, you end up getting more battery life out of it. For the small size of the RS-10, a different mounting footprint just wouldn’t work. 

  The SLx RS-10 is a great little red dot. This doesn’t come without a few tiny gripes. If you hold the RS-10 on target, and start shaking it a tiny bit, in a circle, the dot will galaxy out. So it literally looks kind of like a little galaxy inside the window. Does it bother anything? Nope, when shooting the pistol I didn’t even notice it. Even on moving and circling targets. Most people probably wouldn’t even notice it. I also would have liked to see it on a RMR footprint, but Primary Arms didn’t do this because of those “battery” reasons. I can understand this. Now, on a good note. Even for me, with my astigmatism, the dot is fairly clear. So those with normal eyes will see a nice crisp dot. 

  I am going to say this, the Primary Arms SLx RS-10 is currently my go to red dot pistol sight. This red dot impressed me more than I expected. I can find the dot easily. I haven’t destroyed it yet. Even if I did, it has a lifetime warranty. The size doesn’t get in the way. I’d say it is somewhere between one of the super small mini reflex versions and a Holosun 507. The RS-10 is always ready to go because of the “Autolive” feature. The click adjustments for windage and elevation make it easy to make adjustments, unlike other mini reflex sights that have no clicks. I ran this thing fairly hard and have had zero problems. 

  If you are looking for a mini reflex red dot, the SLx RS-10 from Primary Arms might be it. It is priced under $200. At that price, it’s a great deal for this feature packed red dot. With the Autolive function, you won’t have to worry about if the dot is on or off, because it will always be on. I don’t think you can go wrong selecting the Primary Arms SLx RS-10 mini reflex sight. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Quality Mini Reflex red dot sight for a great value

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a decent priced pistol mounted red dot

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 7075 aluminum body

  • Side-loading CR2032 battery compartment

  • Convenient push-button controls

  • 11 Brightness settings

  • Daylight bright and night vision compatible brightness levels

  • 3 MOA dot

  • Picatinny Rail Mount and Low Profile Adaptor Plate for Glock® MOS Slides Included

  • Autolive motion activation

  • 40,000 hour battery life

  • Weighs just 1.07 Oz

  • 23mm window

  • Lifetime warranty

  • Docter/Noblex footprint

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

5 out of 5 stars on Amazon 

Another great option from PA

Mounted on my Canik Rival with no issues. Great product for the price. Will highly consider getting another in the future.

Link to other reviews:

Lynx Defense  

Price point:

MSRP = $199.99

Retail = $199.99 but Primary Arms is constantly running sales

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Autolive motion activation

  • Price

  • Dot is easily picked up

  • Side loading battery

  • Actual “click” windage and elevation adjustments 

Cons:

  • Doctor / Noblex footprint

  • Galaxies when circling a target fast

Score:  8.00 Great

Favorite Link:  Walker Defense Research

,

Athlon Midas HMR HD 2.5-15x50

,

  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

,

Athlon Midas TSP1 Prism

,

  I’m starting to convert some rifles over to 1x prism sights from red dots. This is because they offer a reticle without the need for a battery. Thus, the Athlon Midas TSP1 prism sight was right up my alley. Prism sights usually have an illuminated reticle option. As does the Athlon TSP1. The Athlon Optics Midas TSP1 prism sight has been out for some time now, I just finally have one I’ve been using, for about 3 months, with good results.

  Let’s start by why I am converting over to prisms. The main reason for this is that, if for some reason the battery happens to die, prism sights have an etched in reticle. Similar to your typical scope. Some prism sights, as with the TSP1, have a non-magnified option, or 1x. This makes them an ideal replacement for your everyday red dot optic. Prism sights are also usually pretty compact.

  The Midas TSP1 comes feature packed. Like any good scope these days, it has all the fancy lens coatings, is nitrogen purged, fog proof, shock proof, and waterproof. The TSP1 has a 21mm objective lens that gives good light transmission. It even comes with both hi and low mounts. Zeroing adjustments are made in 1 MOA click increments by using the top side of the turret caps. Just unscrew the cap, flip it over, and the flathead built into the cap fits perfectly into the adjustment screw slot. Lastly, it uses a single AAA battery for the reticle illumination.

  Most prism sights aren’t as small as a comparable red dot. However, the Midas TSP1 is not much larger than your current, tube style, red dots. For one, the TSP1 is only 2.7” long. Height is always determined by what mounting base you have on it. But with the high base, it measures 2.5” to the top of the battery compartment, from the mounting rail. I measured the width to be about 1.9”, this is from the battery compartment to the outside of the adjustment buttons. As you can see, it’s not very big at all. It also isn’t very heavy, weighing in at 6.25 oz’s. 

  Now for the most important part, the reticle. The Midas TSP1’s reticle is top notch. It is mainly calibrated for 223/5.56, but should work reasonably well with other calibers. For reference, I mounted it on a 5.56 AR15. The reticle design works really well. It is a horseshoe style with a few usable differences. The outer ring is 66 MOA, or the equivalent of an average size human at 100 yds. In the middle of the ring is a 3 MOA dot. Sight the 3 MOA dot in at 50/200 yds for the rest of the holdovers to work properly. Below the 3 MOA dot, is a 2 MOA dot. This is your 300 yd aiming point. Having a smaller dot below the main dot may seem odd, but it isn’t. The smaller dot actually makes it easier to see your 300 yd target because it doesn't obscure it as much. Below that dot, is a vertical line with a couple of hash mark lines. The top of the line is your 500 yd aiming point. It is also your human height range estimation for 300 yds. The wings on the edges of the reticle really just let you know how level the gun is, or where the center point is for range estimation. The actual MOA numbers for all the dots and lines are in the Midas TSP1 manual, or online, if you are curious. The TSP1 also has a fast focus eyepiece to get that reticle crystal clear.

  The Athlon TSP1’s reticle is also illuminated. But not just your normal red illumination, the TSP1 also has green illumination. Most other prism sights only give you the option of one color. One can switch between the two colors by pressing both the up and down brightness buttons at the same time. I really like the options of green or red. I usually leave the TSP1 on green, as the reticle is clearer for me in that color. Not to be misunderstood, the red illumination is also clear, but I prefer the green in this case. To initially turn the illumination on, just push the brightness up button. To turn it off, hold the brightness up button for 3 seconds. Once it’s on, just use the +/- buttons to increase or decrease the reticle brightness. There are 10 brightness settings to choose from. Both colors are daylight bright and neither washed out for me in direct, bright, sunlight. The Athlon TSP1 also has a 6 hour auto off function. So if you haven’t pressed any buttons in that time frame, it will turn off. The TSP1 does not have an auto on function. Remember, it has an etched reticle, so you will still have an aiming point. Of course, once you turn the TSP1 back on, the brightness is where it was last left. The soft touch brightness buttons are large enough that I don’t have trouble using them, something I can’t say about some of the other optics I have used. 

  I am really enjoying the Athlon Midas TSP1. It is super clear. The etched, illuminated reticle also doesn’t affect my astigmatism like red dots do, so no “starburst”. Which is another reason I am switching over to prism optics. The somewhat limited eye relief didn’t seem to be a problem. When I say somewhat, the reticle is still visible at 12” of eye relief, it is just harder to locate because the window size gets smaller. The TSP1 also performed very well for me when I used it in a big local shooting match. Athlon doesn’t state battery life, but the initial AAA battery is still going strong. After all, the AAA batteries are super easy to find, even at a tiny store in the middle of nowhere.

  Athlon Optics did a pretty good job with the Midas TSP1. The MSRP may seem a little high, but street price is right on par for a 1x prism sight. Plus you get multi-colored reticles and it uses that AAA battery. If you are like me and want a good 1x prism sight, check out the Athlon Midas TSP1. It’s a good all around prism to replace that fully battery powered red dot.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

1 power prism scope with green or red illuminated reticle

Target Market:

Those wanting a non magnified optic with the benefits of having an etched reticle

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Obj. Lens - 21mm

  • FoV ft @100Y - 66ft

  • Red or Green illuminated etched reticle

  • 1-10 illumination settings

  • Center Height - 0.88” Low mount / 1.50” High mount

  • 1 MOA windage/Elevation adjustment

  • AAA battery

  • Weight - 6.25 ounces - 7.8 ounces with high mount

  • Length - 2.7”

  • 6hr auto off

  • Multi-coated lenses

  • Has Aimpoint T1 mounting footprint

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

3 and 4 power 

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars at Athlon Optics  

Really nice optic. It needs more information,

A representative told me the mount is proprietary. It however does in fact work on Industry standard T1 Micro Style mounts. Fits good in an ADM Mount, RS Regulate for AKs, or even a low mount for Shotguns or PCCs like the Scorpion/Stribog.

Athlon if you were open about this tidbit, you'd sell a lot more! It's a prism scope with a similar size to other micro red dots and it takes T1 mounts. Almost perfect for what it is.

Link to other reviews:

Nothing worthwhile found

Price point:

MSRP = $337.49

Retail = $269.99 at Brownells

I need it now! Availability:

Athlon Optics or Brownells 

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Etched ranging reticle

  • AAA battery

  • Green or Red Illumination

  • T1 compatible mount

Cons:

  • Eye Relief

  • No auto on

Score: 7.50 Good

Favorite Link:  JSD Supply

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Atibal SLR-1

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  I first learned about the Atibal SLR-1 red dot at Triggrcon. To say the least, I was impressed with the prototype I handled. After some time, the production versions were released and they sent one for review. The SLR-1 is 1x20 red dot sight.

  There are a lot of red dots on the market, but only a few are even similar to the Atibal. The Atibal SLR-1 is solar and/or battery powered. The solar works so well that I even ran the red dot without a battery, in overcast weather. Because the SLR-1 is so efficient, it has a combined battery life of over 100,000 hours, that’s over 11 years! Another innovative feature is the removable solar panel, should you break it or something, just order a new one. Much better than ordering a whole new sight. When in the “solar” mode, brightness adjustment is done automatically depending on ambient light. One can switch over to “manual” mode if they want to set the brightness level.

  As with most red dots, the Atibal SLR-1 has a bunch of expected features. The SLR-1 has a 2 moa dot or a 35 moa circle dot reticle. 8 brightness settings, 1 of them is night vision compatible. It’s shockproof, water proof, parallax free, nitrogen filled, and has multi-coated lenses. The battery is easily accessed on the side of the sight, as are the multi-use buttons. Length on the SLR-1 is 3”. Weight is 5.6 ounces. It comes supplied with a very nice AR co-witness mount, but has mount compatibility with Aimpoint T-1 and H-1 mounts

  Now that all the technical stuff is out of the way, let’s dig into some of the good stuff. My SLR-1 came in a nice plastic padded case with everything needed to mount it, zero it, clean it, and cover it, they even threw in an extra battery. I can’t say enough good things about the supplied mount. Most supplied mounts are usable, but not great. The Atibal mount is sturdy, good looking, and mounts very securely. A wrench is even supplied to tighten down the mount.

  Actual use of the SLR-1 is where it shines. The dot and circle dot are very clear. Looking through the 20mm tube, I see little to no color differences. Because the solar panel is mounted on top, it picks up light well. When using the “solar” mode, the brightness of the dot is automatically adjusted. One drawback to the “solar” mode is that you can only use the 2 moa dot reticle, not the 35 moa circle dot. The auto brightness function adjusted brightness extremely well, never did I feel like the dot was too bright or too dim. It is also very responsive to changes in ambient light. To switch over to the “battery” mode, just tap the “+” button and you are now using the battery. Here you have manual brightness adjustments. As you can guess, “+” increases the brightness, and “-” reduces the brightness. The dot does flare when turned up, but that’s pretty normal for any red dot. Since we are on “battery” mode, if you hold down the “-” button for about 3 seconds, the reticle will change over to the 35 moa circle dot. After using the circle dot, I think I prefer a 65 moa dot over the 35 moa dot. Mainly because the bottom of a 65 moa circle is the height over bore zero of an AR at 7 yds. Now if you want to switch back to “solar” mode, just hold down the “+” button for about 3 seconds.

  I’ve been using the SLR-1 for around 4 months. I really like the 2 moa dot and hardly ever use the circle dot. Like mentioned before, it is super clear and easy to find the dot. It has held zero, even with me bouncing it off a wooden bench. It’s light, so it fits in well with the carbine it is on. One design aspect I like is the protected turrets. Yes, it makes it harder to get the caps on and off for adjustment, but protects them from being broken off. Speaking of caps, the turret caps also can be turned over and used to adjust the windage and elevation, both of which are 1 moa adjustments. The actual clicks on the adjustments are pretty good also. There is no problem hearing or feeling them. 

  Atibal did a stand up job designing the SLR-1. It’s clear, tough, and has some of the best battery life in the game. The use of industry standard mounts is smart, as is the multiple reticle option. Plus it has a lifetime warranty. Atibal has been upping their game in the optics industry, definitely give them a look.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Solar Red dot sight

Target Market:

Those wanting a red dot with solar capability

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Solar and battery powered with run times in excess of 100,000 hours

  • Removable solar panel

  • Parallax Free

  • Easy accessible battery (no tools needed)

  • Shockproof

  • Multiple Dot System (MDS)

  • 1 Hour Auto Shut Off when in battery mode

  • Multi-coated lens

  • 2 MOA dot, 35 MOA circle dot

  • 1 MOA click adjustments

  • Brightness - 8 Settings (1 night vision, 7 daylight)

  • Detachable Co-witness mount

  • Lifetime Warranty

  • Nitrogen Filled

  • Water Proof

  • Battery - CR2032

  • Length 3"

  • Weight 5.6 oz

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

Rich F. on Atibal 5/5 stars

Sweet dot!

Competitive 3-gunner, USPSA shooter, steel challenge ringer, and firearms enthusiast. I’ve owned the SLR-1 for almost a half year now. I have almost a thousand rounds with it on my competition shotgun. It's had up to 1,400pfs shells through it throwing 1 3/8 ounce of shot and don’t forget about slugs and buck shot. I can’t wait to run this thing next season in competition. Awesome dot, slim, good looking, love the solar feature and dual reticle. The circle dot setup maybe perfect on the shotgun! I'm proud to own four Atibal optics, and I’d recommend them to anyone. The price and no BS warranty seals the deal on these guys! Great job Atibal, I'm excited to see what other optics you guys come out with. I’d recommend this brand and product to anyone.

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found

Price point:

MSRP = $379.99

Retail = $323.00 at Rainier Arms

I need it now! Availability:

Atibal or Rainier Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Clear, Crisp Dot

  • Solar

  • Replaceable solar panel

  • Circle dot

  • Industry standard footprint

  • Protected turrets

Cons:

  • 35 MOA circle dot

  • Dot only when using solar

Score: 8.50 Great

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Favorite Link:   Gun and Gear Cult

Holosun hs503c micro red dot/circle dot

  Holosun has been around for a while now. Some of their products are innovative in the red dot market. Lets take the HS503C for example. It starts as a red dot, adds in a circle dot option, and then adds in solar power to increase battery life. I contacted Holosun to get one in for review, and they graciously complied. 

  I was intrigued by the 503C's solar power. I will do my best to explain it. The solar panel sits on top of the optic and does not charge the battery. Don't be disappointed though, it runs the circle dot very well. In fact it will actually run the circle dot in daylight, without the battery! When talking with Holosun, they mentioned that the 403C even works better with solar power, and probably would run without a battery in pretty low light, but it is a red dot only. However, when running the 503C on the solar setting, only the circle dot works. The option of having a red dot or circle dot reticle only works on battery power, which was kind of disappointing. When using the battery power, one can switch between the dot or circle dot by holding down the "-" button. To switch between solar and battery, and vis-versa, hold down the "+" button. 

  The HS503C comes with everything you need. When you first open the box, you notice that the red dot is already attached to a riser mount. This gives you a lower 1/3 co-witness with an AR rifle's iron sights. You can remove the riser and put on the supplied low mount if you are mounting it to something that doesn't need the extra height. Also in the box are tools to mount and adjust the sight, a screwdriver to remove and install the battery, a cleaning cloth, and a set of rubber caps. I mounted this one on an AR. One of the big downfalls of this sight are the teeny screws that hold the battery in, make sure you use the proper phillips head screwdriver so as to not strip them out. The HS503C has an industry standard T1 mounting size, so any aftermarket Aimpoint T1 mounts should work, but I would try it beforehand, just in case.

Circle Dot Reticle

Battery Tray partially open

  Now on to some specs. The HS503C has a 2moa dot or a 65moa circle with a central 2moa dot. The adjustments are 1/2 moa with the caps serving as the adjustment screwdriver. Also inside the cap are the markings for up/down and left/right. On the right side is the battery tray, it is held in by 2 screws. Also on the right side is the brightness and on/off buttons. To turn the sight on, push the "+" button, to turn it off, hold down both buttons. In the battery only mode, you can adjust brightness by pushing the "+" or "-" buttons. In solar mode the dot will auto adjust for brightness. There are 9 daylight brightness settings and 2 night vision ones. Holosun states 50,000 hours of runtime with the dot at the 6 setting and 20,000 with the circle dot, so on par with other brands. 

  I have been using the HS503C for some time now. The sight is very clear. The 2moa dot allows for precise engagements. Having the 65moa circle dot is a nice option, and it really shines when shooting up close. But my favorite part is probably the self adjusting solar setting. Even in direct bright sun light, the circle dot was easily visible on the solar setting, the same in low light. I haven't treated the Holosun very nice either, it has been thrown in the back of a pickup a few times, dropped on the ground, and it has held zero. 

  People sometimes ask if I would recommend certain products. The Holosun is on that list. It has done everything I could ask it to do. If your looking for a good mid priced red dot, check them out. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Solar and battery powered Micro red dot or circle dot

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a quality combination red dot or circle dot reticle 

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 2 MOA dot or 65 MOA Circle Dot

  • 20,000 hr battery life with Circle Dot

  • 50,000 hr battery life with 2 MOA dot

  • 9 Daylight and 2 Night Vision brightness settings

  • Waterproof to 1 meter

  • Weighs 4.4 ounces with tall mount

  • 2.6" Tall x 2.5" Long x 1.4 "Wide with tall mount

  • 0.5 MOA adjustments

  • Uses 1 CR2032 battery

  • Operating Temp: 14F to 122F

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Red dot only (HS403C) 

Protected adjustment knobs (HS503CU)

What others are saying?:

4/5 stars on Amazon

PRICE is awesome for what you get

Let's start with the positives, PRICE is awesome for what you get!!! The glass is really clear and the dot / circle dot are just about perfect. Easy to sight in and it works just as advertised. Best buy for the money hands down. Now there are a couple of fustrating things about it. The battery tray screws trust me these things are tiny and a Philips head to boot put down a white towel when the come loose and hit the ground they disappear. Ask me how I know. A torx bit or hex head would make installation much better. The dot adjustment buttons are smallish and are much easier to use using your trigger hand if you are right handed. This doesn't sound too bad until you try it. I also feel that I'd you like to shoot wearing gloves the size of the pads are just too small. Now that being said I still am extremely happy with this purchase and would and will buy it again.

5/5 Stars on OpticsPlanet

Great little optic

HS503C... Buy it you wont regret it! After looking around and doing research for an optic for my new lightweight AR build I decided to go with the holosun and man I'm glad I did. The HS503C has a Crisp circle reticle and dot amazingly cleaner than the EO tech. I love the option of being able to switch between the 65 MOA circle with a 2 MOA dot and the single red dot. It's easy to zero and function, the solar option is a great feature but the battery life is even better. Bang for buck you can't beat it!

Link to other reviews:

The Truth About Guns

Price point:

MSRP = $282.34 @ Holosun

Retail = $239.99 @ Brownells

             $239.00 @ Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Holosun, Brownells, or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • 65 MOA circle dot

  • 2 MOA dot

  • Lightweight

  • Everything needed comes in the box

  • Good Daylight visibility, even when on Solar power

  • Solar and Battery powered

  • Turret caps double as adjusters for windage and elevation

Cons:

  • Battery Tray screws

  • Operating Temperature seems low

  • 65 MOA circle dot only in solar mode

 

Score:  7.5 Good

 

Chads Favorite Link of the Day: AR-15 Podcast

 

 

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