Athlon Optics Ares ETR UHD 15-60x56

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cavedweller

cavedweller

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Dec 5, 2018
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Mobile, Alabama, United States
I just got my

Athlon Optics Ares ETR UHD 15-60x56​

in last night and did a quickie mounting this morning. More on that later.
First impressions were VERY positive.
Beautiful package complete with sun shade, lens covers AND a very well made Parallax wheel!

More to come!

Starting this weekend, I'm full on setting up my .25 Redwolf EFT rig. This means closest targets at 20 Yards = check.
This also means furthest target is 100 yards with a 4" KZ = check.
as this is a second focal plane scope, SFP, it will mean i should set my dope card (click values) up on a specific magnification, lets say at the max of 30X, but, I'm aware target acquisition is and FOV is much harder at max mag, so for acquistion and ranging I'll probably use 20 X the up the power to 30 X to take my shots. In case you are not aware, a second focal plane scope holdover points change as you change magnification levels.
First Focal Planes remain the same.
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boscoebrea said:
I thought you also had the Sightron scope somewhat like that; if so, how do they compare? Oh, I also think the Sightron costs hundreds more.
Click to expand...
I have "MANY" scopes... but i also have many airguns and I don't like swapping scopes between them as it really messes up my dope...
I have three sightron S-3's and one of them is the PLR but it's max mag is 24x so i didn't want to leave 10x on the table unused. I also have the Sightron's newest Field Target S6 - incredible scope and incredible glass but I'm still working on how to best range with it from 35-60 yards... touchy buggar. Currently my 2 S3's are on my primary and backup HFT rigs. the S6 is like $1K more than this Athlon.
 
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Tumblinginflight said:
A FFP reticle in that zoom range would be tough to pull off! Trying to think if anyone else has even come close..?
Click to expand...
Yep at 15x Athlon would need a much thicker reticle which then means most wouldn't like the reticle on high magnification for target applications such as Benchrest.

This scope is awesome for Benchrest because I can easily see 22 cal holes at 100Y in poor lighting and 1/8th moa clicks for finer adjustment.

I like this scope more for Benchrest than FT because the reticle is so thin and I lose the hashes sometimes in dimly lit target locations which would be a problem if I used those hashes all the time like in Hunter class. If Athlon could bump the illumination brighter and illuminate the entire reticle then I'd be fine with it for FT as far as using the hashes for the holds in the reticle. As it is I shoot in Unlimited locally and have been shooting FT for so long I don't use the hashes anyway because I know pretty much how far out to aim. I like the illuminated center dot and have it all the way up then pick the spot on the steel I want to aim at for wind with whatever magnification I like at the time and I dial for elevation.

However I prefer FFP whenever I can get away with it. One reason this scope is so clear is it's SFP using fewer lenses and which FFP would probably not be as nice as a FFP. So a catch22.

I hadn't heard about a G2 ETR version but that'd be cool.
The Cronus really needs a G3 version because other Co's already have their G3's. I hope a new Cronus would be more of a G4 version to be even better.
 
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steve123 said:
Yep at 15x Athlon would need a much thicker reticle which then means most wouldn't like the reticle on high magnification for target applications such as Bench rest.

This scope is awesome for Bench-rest because I can easily see 22 cal holes at 100Y in poor lighting and 1/8th moa clicks for finer adjustment.

I like this scope more for Bench-rest than FT because the reticle is so thin and I lose the hashes sometimes in dimly lit target locations which would be a problem if I used those hashes all the time like in Hunter class. If Athlon could bump the illumination brighter and illuminate the entire reticle then I'd be fine with it for FT as far as using the hashes for the holds in the reticle. As it is I shoot in Unlimited locally and have been shooting FT for so long I don't use the hashes anyway because I know pretty much how far out to aim. I like the illuminated center dot and have it all the way up then pick the spot on the steel I want to aim at for wind with whatever magnification I like at the time and I dial for elevation.

However I prefer FFP whenever I can get away with it. One reason this scope is so clear is it's SFP using fewer lenses and which FFP would probably not be as nice as a FFP. So a catch22.

I hadn't heard about a G2 ETR version but that'd be cool.
The Cronus really needs a G3 version because other Co's already have their G3's. I hope a new Cronus would be more of a G4 version to be even better.
Click to expand...
@steve123 Your take on this scope and it's purpose in life, matches mine exactly.

My plan for this scope is to use it for a single EFT event. Textreme 6-9 Dec in Clifton, Texas. Clifton location doesn't involve dark lanes and seems (to me), to be wide open with bright skies = provided there is no rain.
After The December Textreme event, this Athlon Ares ETR UHD 15-60x56, will be moved to it's permanent home on a full time Bench Rest platform.

My dabbling into Bench Rest has been a quest to find the right gun / scope / front rest, yadayadayada combination, that works for me.
I thought I had my BR choice search narrowed down to just TWO setups: #1 a Ghost Blaze edition with a .22 FADY K 28" World Record Barrel
or #2 a .177 or .22 regulated USFT Mac1; both using Leupold 45x45 target masters. However, when i started shooting a new edition of the .177 Redwolf HP my thinking changed dramatically. That Redwolf HP barrel is something of a marvel; so much so that i bought a highly adaptable PRS Chassis (two pounds more weight in just the chassis) and a 700 cc Bottle (more weight) with the full intent of using it for one thing and one thing only = punching little holes in paper at 25 and 50 meters. The Leupold 45x45 target masters are indeed great scopes for BR, but to my 68 year ol eyes they don't have near the clarity or "pop" that this Ares model has.
 
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