PRS Scope shopping should really be called Reticle shopping...

Caliber is 6.5 Creedmoor. I was open on budget. I wanted to get a good scope.

I went into a local shop to look through scopes and play with the turrets. I checked out ZCO, Kahles, Nightforce and Vortex. I bought the Vortex Razor HD 6-36 gen3. because I got a smoking deal on the floor model. It was less than the new Europtic exclusive black version. Even at the regular price for the vortex, I could not see/feel enough of a difference to justify the extra dollars for the other brands. They're building a range a few towns over that will supposedly go up to 1800 yards. If true, there will be a new rifle and scope with my name on it for a retirement present in a couple of years. I'll re-assess then.

Vortex already came though for me. I did not realize that the flip cap for the eyepiece was not in the box. I wrote to vortex asking how I could get one and they immediately shipped a new set at no cost.

I went to the range yesterday to zero the scope. I'll admit that I had a tough time using their zero system. I like it, just wasn't used to it. I did not bring my sled. I had the rifle on a bipod. Holding the rifle steafy while adjusting the windage is apparently more than I am capable of... It took me a few more rounds than usual to get it locked in.

I really like this scope. I only shot at 100yds to zero the scope. Next weekend I'll test the tracking.
That’s a great choice, those Gen 3 razors are superb
 
Any of you folks have experience with Athlon ? Im in research mode for a prs rimfire optic and im having a look at the Athlon Ares etr 4.5-30 56
 
Any of you folks have experience with Athlon ? Im in research mode for a prs rimfire optic and im having a look at the Athlon Ares etr 4.5-30 56
ares is ok but is made in china, cronus is made in japan. 30x may be a bit of an overkill as well, i would think, but, why not.
 
I just put an Athlon Heras SPR 2-12x42 on a 10/22 to use for Appleseed shooting and it seems to be a solid scope. The high end Chronus BTR G2 shows up on more than a few precision rimfire rifles. It seems that only the scope snobs don’t care for them. They also have some great Black Friday sales.
 
I just put an Athlon Heras SPR 2-12x42 on a 10/22 to use for Appleseed shooting and it seems to be a solid scope. The high end Chronus BTR G2 shows up on more than a few precision rimfire rifles. It seems that only the scope snobs don’t care for them. They also have some great Black Friday sales.
Meaning snobs don't like the Athalon? What about the Arken Scopes?
 
Update got a great deal on a new/used/never mounted Athlon Ares ETR UHD 4.5-30-56 MILLS. I need to get better at MILLS come ups. I need to break my brain of moa conversions math.

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Meaning snobs don't like the Athalon? What about the Arken Scopes?

Snob here. Athlon is a lot like vortex in that they have a huge range of quality. The bottom tier is terrible, the top tier is great. I think some people miss that and judge the whole product line based on whichever one they experience first.

I like Arken 😅
 
My eyes are absolute garbage , extreme nearsightedness . I can look through 4 different brands of mid tier scopes from $700 to $1400 and really not define better or worse glass clarity. I did however shoot a fellow gun club members 6mm BR with a flagship $4K Schmidt & Bender . The clarity , brightness and crisp FOV was literally amazing even with my piss poor eyes.
 
i decided to spend a whole $225 on the 1-6x arken lpvo, will say what it is when i get it.
the rationale was to put a 3x prism on the new ar15 build i made, as pinty is great, but, i want to zero it at 200yds where i cannot use a red dot.
and any half-decent prism worth buying is now close to $300.

1-8x arken is presumably better, but is it a 34mm tube and heavier, and a $100 extra, and i do not really need 8x on that gun.
 
Got a chance to spend some quality time behind my Athelon Ares optic. VERY impressed at the brightness and clarity. Definitely slightly better glass overall than my Sightron SIII and my Burris XTRII IMO . Todays' session was bright sun , so i'm curious how the Ares looks through lesser light conditions. For the $700 I spent the Ares far exceeds my expectations.
 
Got a chance to spend some quality time behind my Athelon Ares optic. VERY impressed at the brightness and clarity. Definitely slightly better glass overall than my Sightron SIII and my Burris XTRII IMO . Todays' session was bright sun , so i'm curious how the Ares looks through lesser light conditions. For the $700 I spent the Ares far exceeds my expectations.
Most modern scopes are quite good optically. How good are they mechanically can be a different story. Ares and cronus are pretty good ones.
 
Most modern scopes are quite good optically. How good are they mechanically can be a different story. Ares and cronus are pretty good ones.

Both my Burris' XTR II's have overly stiff adjusting turrets (IMO). The Athlon has much less resistance dialing and the click detents feel more pronounced.
 
Both my Burris' XTR II's have overly stiff adjusting turrets (IMO). The Athlon has much less resistance dialing and the click detents feel more pronounced.
i had an athlon, it was nice, but i sold it as i decided to own only 2 types of reticles, so left only vortexes and arkens for now.
to my limited taste i see almost no difference between them, as i only shoot with long range scopes from a bench now, on nice dry sunny days.
therefore, the finesse and rigidity of expensive scopes is not too essential anymore. on rifles i would ever expect to use outside in any conditions, i got now vortex pst2 scopes.

scopes shopping is like a gun shopping, a hobby on its own. :)
 
People have been making hits at great distances with German #1, mil dot, and plex reticles. When I shop for a scope, I put emphasis on repeatability, clarity, and most of all tracking. Everything else is a matter of training and data collection. I’d put a well maintained data book higher in importance than one of those fancy confusing reticles. I like stadia lines and good old fashioned guess work. I don’t even own a kestrel. I do own a range finder tho. Man, do I wish we’d have those when I was wearing camo.
 
i decided to spend a whole $225 on the 1-6x arken lpvo
it arrived, preliminary it looks ok - it is as bright as pst2 vortex 1-6x, if not brighter, not much of any visible distortion at 1x and way more FOV - at 1x: 133.5', 24deg. vortex has 112'.
the sfp reticle is less annoying than ffp on 1-8x.
overall, considering a whopping price of $199 for the scope itself - quite a deal. if it will work fine, will see - still needs to be tested.

ps. i zeroed it, center dot is 1/2 moa, all works fine, no complaints.
 
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Are any of you guys “experts” on ExpertVoice. If not, you might want to check them out and try and become on. I got a really good deal on a Burris scope and also Vortex will give a nice discount. My next scope is going to be a Trijicon Acog. The price Trijicon is asking for a new one is less than most used ones I see for sale. I am surprised more people don’t join if possible, most manufacturers are there and the discounts are in the 30 -40% off.
 
EuroOptic had 50% off Vortex optics for veterans day. Best deal I've ever seen. Not sure if it's still going on.
 
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