Athlon Ares ETR UHD 15-60x30mm SFP

You gonna use the Ares at HFT Bill?
I am planning on it. Right now I'm just getting use to my relatively new Sightron S6 5-35 x 56 SFP. Already I like the Locking windage turret that the Sightron didn't offer. It (Athlon Ares ETR SFP) comes with a 5" steel wheel that attaches without burggering up the factory turret. It does parallax down to 10 yards and I haven't set up my wheel yet but I did notice a small difference between 50 and 55 yards in the parallax at 15 power the lowest magnification. It does not have a 16x mark on the power ring which I wished it did. I did receive the scope as promised on 8/22 .... two days after I ordered it at Amazon and it didn't cost a nickle to get here.
The BLR1 reticle is rather thin but adjusting the ocular lens brings it out pretty decent. The one thing I liked about it and I found this true in the Heras Model that the factory turret nob has range marks 10-20-30-50 and these marks line up with the real distance to the targets. Very few scopes I have ever owed I can say that about. I still have a lot of playing with it before it will go on my HFT rifle but right now I think it has potential and $400 less that my Sightron S6 5-35-56 or $900 less that the big S6 with factory wheel is a heck of a savings. Athlon offers a great warranty also but of the 6 Athlons I own I have had no need to return them for any reason. Stay tuned I still have a lot of time left before I make a final decision. Both this Sightron and Athlon only offer the lighted target dot in their IR set up.

Additional Info ........ This afternoon I took a 5 1/2" Black and White Gamo Bullseye target. The Target has 1/8" ring numbers on it in black and white. The numbers run vertically and Horizontally on the target starting with black on white and with value numbers 1 to 5 on a white back drop and 6 to 8 on black backdrop to the 9 ring which is 1" in diameter and white. The 10 ring is a white 1/2" circle. At 50 yards with both scopes I could just make out all the numbers. At 55 yards some of the numbers became a little blurry. At Forty yards both were easy to read forward and backward. A couple weeks ago I mentioned the new S6 had the best glass I have ever looked through. I am beginning to believe the ETR is just as good to this point. I don't pretend to be a scope expert but I am telling you what my eyes are telling me and the glass on both scopes at 15X and 16X respectively is pretty darn close.
New day more Info! 8/25/24 I spent 5 hours working on my scope wheel distance marks. I started at 10 yards and worked my way up to 40 yards. All went good until that point. After 20 yards my range marks are 2.5 yards apart until 55 yards. When I drew the 40 yard mark and went to 42.5 I could not distinguish 40 from 42.5, My 45 yards came in ok but again 47.5 looked the same distance. Ditto for 50 yards the at 52.5 yards I could not distinguish it different than 50 yards. The 55 yard mark looked good. This is pretty much the same story as I had with my new Sightron S6. I do believe a shooter that can consistently make a good shot can work these disadvantages to his favor. Example: Shoot a 40 yard shot a little high with the right setup and that 42.5 will fall to. Same all the way to 50 yards. Not what I was hoping for but doable with a good shot and a little luck.
My next question is what effect will the heat have on them. I already know that the S6 will rangefind that 55 yarder 5 yards further on my wheel when the scope tube exceed 80 - 83 degrees. I haven't noticed much change on the lower end distance but my rifle is also a little more forgiving on those shots. Would Love to know what you other guys think of them and if you get similar results. My scope budget is pretty much diminished until 2027 if I can make it that far. Personally, I think the ETR has a few more options and better bang for the price.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: steve123