Athlon HERAS SPR Scopes "perfectly suited to airguns"

[Gear_Junkie]

Athlon finally came out with their line of airgun scopes - the HERAS SPR line:

HERAS SPR - Athlon Optics

Athlon's modern take on the hunting riflescope The Heras SPR incorporates cross-over features such as locking turrets and SFP and FFP reticle options.

athlonoptics.com

This is the one that I am interested in for FT:

HERAS SPR 6-24x56 APLR7 SFP IR MOA - Athlon Optics

Push your small caliber firearm or airgun to new distances with a wide high magnification range of 6-24X.

athlonoptics.com

There looks to be a nice variety of magnifications and reticles that all focus down to 10yds. Some of the scopes are definitely on the heavy side though. I was talking with an Athlon customer service rep yesterday, and he said these should be available next month. He also told me about one more scope in this line that is coming out but asked me not to share anything about it. It should excite quite a few FT people. I asked him about the glass quality, and he said it's one step behind the ARES BTR line of scopes.

I'm excited for these to finally come out!

 

[steve123]

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to help critique the pre-production versions of the Heras line up! That was a fun week comparing them to my other scopes, mounting them on various PB's and AG's, and of course all the shooting I did.

I liked the 2-12 the most but its one of those scopes that I personally have little use for since I don't hunt much and already own two of the Helos G2 2-12's. It'd be pretty much the optimal scope for the medium range hunter looking for more features than usual. The saying "not your daddy's old duplex reticle 3-9" might apply.

Finding the Heras 4-20 in mil almost ideal I kept it and replaced the Talos 4-16x40 on my 5mmFBI varmint rifle with that new scope! Very nice and a big upgrade in quality and glass compared to the former! For what I use this gun for a SFP is more suitable and it works out well that mils are correct at 20x where I will be most of the time. Plus I like .2 mil reticles so there's that too.
4x if I hunt coyotes close in with a full size reticle and FOV. 20x on steel farther out.

Holding out for that new FT scope and not sure if it will be a Heras or not.

I'm interested to see how well the Heras (non FT) mystery scope is accepted when it comes out.

Fun fun.

 

[Gear_Junkie]

That's pretty cool that you got to check these out in advance! How did the clarity compare between the Helos and the Heras? I would love it if the mystery scope was of a higher line of glass - at least ARES BTR level. Hopefully we'll find out at Shot Show.

 

[Scotchmo]

The Heras 6-24x56 FFP MOA looks a lot like the existing Helos 6-24x56 FFP MOA. Any significant difference?

 

[Tack425]

Do they offer a FFP MIL/MIL version?

 

[Scotchmo]

Do they offer a FFP MIL/MIL version?

I see a Heras 6-24x56 FFP MIL and it too looks a lot like the Helos 6-24x56 FFP MIL.

 

[Tack425]

Copy that, I will look into that. Thank you sir.

 

[steve123]

That's pretty cool that you got to check these out in advance! How did the clarity compare between the Helos and the Heras? I would love it if the mystery scope was of a higher line of glass - at least ARES BTR level. Hopefully we'll find out at Shot Show.

The lower powered Heras 2-12 and the mystery scope had VERY good glass but part of that was probably because they weren't high magnification scopes. I'm glad Athlon made the reticles thicker in the production version of the 2-12 than the one I had for a week.

If comparing my Heras 4-20 to an Argos, the Heras has much better glass than the ones I've owned. Though a few months ago a friend of a friend visited that had an exceptionly clear Argos G2, why who knows????

The higher powered SFP Heras seemed close to the Midas TAC level of glass. But SFP will help glass to look nicer than FFP if the same level. The FFP Heras 6-24 was much like the Helos G2 6-24 I have.

 

[steve123]

I see a Heras 6-24x56 FFP MIL and it too looks a lot like the Helos 6-24x56 FFP MIL.

Yep a Heras but with a 30mm tube, a basic .2 mil reticle option, and only the windage turret locked. Though some things could have changed for the production run???

 

[Scotchmo]

Yep a Heras but with a 30mm tube, a basic .2 mil reticle option, and only the windage turret locked. Though some things could have changed for the production run???

Helos 6-24x56 FFP MOA
Retail: $787.49
Tube: 34mm
Vertical adjustment: 100MOA

Heras 6-24x56 FFP MOA
Retail: $787.49
Tube: 30mm
Vertical adjustment: 70MOA

So far, it looks like the Helos would be my choice. What am I missing?

 

[Centercut]

A few things I noticed, first off was the across the board jump UP in prices... must be Covid-19 related.
I didn't see their new high mag scope, like the Argos 10-40X but it's an Ares BTR, I think. But 10-40x or 12-50X, something like that. I saw it at EBR...

 

[steve123]

Helos 6-24x56 FFP MOA
Retail: $787.49
Tube: 34mm
Vertical adjustment: 100MOA

Heras 6-24x56 FFP MOA
Retail: $787.49
Tube: 30mm
Vertical adjustment: 70MOA

So far, it looks like the Helos would be my choice. What am I missing?

The Helos G2 would be my choice as well.

Lighter weight for the Heras which some might prefer??

 

[Scotchmo]

The Helos G2 would be my choice as well.

Lighter weight for the Heras which some might prefer??

Helos 6-24x56: 34.5oz
Heras 6-24x56: 32.2oz

It's lighter, but not by much. And there are lighter weight options, especially in 50mm (Midas TAC). So is it worth giving up the adjustment range?

The 6-24x56 FFP Heras looks like a fine scope, but nothing compelling that I can find. I think it needs to be priced a little lower than the Helos to sway some people. The SFP version makes some sense as it costs a little less, and does not have a comparable Helos model,

 

[steve123]

A few things I noticed, first off was the across the board jump UP in prices... must be Covid-19 related.
I didn't see their new high mag scope, like the Argos 10-40X but it's an Ares BTR, I think. But 10-40x or 12-50X, something like that. I saw it at EBR...

The last time I talked to Kevin at Athlon he mentioned that he was trying to improve the glass of the new FT scope at highest magnification.

One annoying thing to me is high magnification scopes with mediocre glass so hopefully this one performs above average for its price range.

 

[csolf]

Anyone tried one of these yet?

 

[jps2486]

A few things I noticed, first off was the across the board jump UP in prices... must be Covid-19 related.
I didn't see their new high mag scope, like the Argos 10-40X but it's an Ares BTR, I think. But 10-40x or 12-50X, something like that. I saw it at EBR...

Price increases are not Covid related, but related to fuel and energy price increases which increases manufacturing and transportation costs. We can thank our fearless leaders in Washington for that.

 

[jps2486]

Anyone tried one of these yet?

Yes, a Heras 6-24 SFP. I think it's better than the Midas-Tac in terms of FOV and equivalent in terms of optical quality.

 

[Mr.H]

Anyone tried one of these yet?

I bought the 2-12. Really nice for the money. There some reviews on this page if you go back a few weeks

 

[steve123]

Yesterday it occurred to me that I should sell my Nikon 3-9x32 which is on my HK300 and replace it with that Heras 2-12. The Nikon is the only MOA scope I have left so it'd be nice to totally transition to MIL/MIL for "all" my scopes.

 

[peaceful_ruler]

I'm seriously interested in the Heras 6-24x56 SFP Mil for my HW97K. It seems to have just the right combination of features for what I use the 97...FT, Benchrest, backyard sniping pests and plinking...seems to have it all.

The Midas TAC 6-24 is an awesome scope...but it's FFP and no illumination. This is truly the first scope that seems to have the right feature set that I'm looking for... Plus, it's a 30mm tube...I've made a personal vow to avoid 34mm scopes...