Athlon Optics recommendations

[steve123]

This is a good scope for a FFP hunting scope. Larger reticle at lowest power for easy seeing, low magnification for quick on target acquisition, a parallax adjustment that is generous enough to be set for mid-range field use or dialing for precise longer range target shooting, decent high-power magnification for longer ranges, good turrets, decent small footprint/weight, decent price, christmas tree reticle for holding over.

Helos BTR GEN2 2-12x42 FFP IR MIL | DMR Scope

A wide range field of view with ample magnification. A DMR scope ideally suited for riflemen preferring a MIL based reticle option.

athlonoptics.com

Absolutelymyfavoriteallarounder!

 

[ChefSparrowRagazzi]

Piggy backing on my other post.

Sample of one but my 3-ish year old Vector Continetal 5-30 gradually was the cause of odd POI issues. These were infrequent but enough to put me 1-3 points out of the top score at FT matches. Same with my daughter when sharing my gun. I thought it was my pellets until I got a Athlon Ares ETR on my Thomas. Mysteriously I was back to the scores I used to have back a season and a half before.

I sent it in last year and they sent me a newer generation which sat in the safe new for a long time. I recently mounted it on a older pcp but I'll be keeping a closer eye on it this time with my fingers crossed.

The turrets still fall short of the Athlon Helos G2 line but the upside is the weight is lower and I like the larger dot in the Vector reticle. Do I wish I had gotten a Helos G2 6-24 back then instead, yes I do.

That's odd. I have been using this scope for a month and have experienced no such issues. Holds zero perfectly. I agree that the turrets could be a bit more robust. But mine are not bad at all.
A comparable Athlon Helos BTR will set the OP back some 700.00.
The Vector, 219.00
I just don't think he will be getting 500.00 more scope for the money. Nothing against Athlon.

 

[steve123]

That's odd. I have been using this scope for a month and have experienced no such issues. Holds zero perfectly. I agree that the turrets could be a bit more robust. But mine are not bad at all.
A comparable Athlon Helos BTR will set the OP back some 700.00.
The Vector, 219.00
I just don't think he will be getting 500.00 more scope for the money. Nothing against Athlon.

Yeah your Vector would more compete to the Argos G2 line, but I haven't looked up what the Argos goes on sale for, or if a newer Gen is coming out, which would lower the price of these.
That's a good deal on the Vector though. The turrets markings remind me of looking like the old FFP BSA 4-14 which I used to use so I wonder if it's the same chinese factory making your scope for Vector?? That BSA wasn't that great a scope but it's been years so I'm sure there's been some gains made.

At times I like the center dot only lit and at other times I like the rest of the reticle lit. But if holding over most of the reticle being lit helps when shooting in dim conditions.

 

[ChefSparrowRagazzi]

Yeah your Vector would more compete to the Argos G2 line, but I haven't looked up what the Argos goes on sale for, or if a newer Gen is coming out, which would lower the price of these.
That's a good deal on the Vector though. The turrets markings remind me of looking like the old FFP BSA 4-14 which I used to use so I wonder if it's the same chinese factory making your scope for Vector?? That BSA wasn't that great a scope but it's been years so I'm sure there's been some gains made.

At times I like the center dot only lit and at other times I like the rest of the reticle lit. But if holding over most of the reticle being lit helps when shooting in dim conditions.

I have a feeling that most of the scopes manufactured in China are coming from the same umbrella, only engineering by specification is different.
The only scope in the Athlon line not made in China is the Cronus, which is made in Japan.
I've been very happy with the Vector, most surprisingly , its glass. Plus I got mine on black Friday for 172.00.
On top of that Miss Tan sent me a 30mm one piece mount if I wanted the option of using that, with a little note saying " Merry Christmas."
The reticle: Yeah I can see your point about the entire reticle lighting up for holdover at night. I went through that already with a Hawke scope.
It would light the entire reticle and I couldn't clearly see the intended target due to the wash out even on its lowest intensity setting.
I found out a bit later about an illuminated reticle and just the dot lighting up with my 4-28 IOR Recon, which was far far better at night while using an Olight

 

[DEO09]

I have a few of the 8x34 scopes. FFP...they are just fine. Bought a few 8-10 years ago as was cheap for ffp ... I have moved on to the newer athlon... but had zero complaints on the old ones. Should work well for you. I think they were about 389$ from optics planet 10 years ago.

 

[steve123]

I have a feeling that most of the scopes manufactured in China are coming from the same umbrella, only engineering by specification is different.
The only scope in the Athlon line not made in China is the Cronus, which is made in Japan.
I've been very happy with the Vector, most surprisingly , its glass. Plus I got mine on black Friday for 172.00.
On top of that Miss Tan sent me a 30mm one piece mount if I wanted the option of using that, with a little note saying " Merry Christmas."
The reticle: Yeah I can see your point about the entire reticle lighting up for holdover at night. I went through that already with a Hawke scope.
It would light the entire reticle and I couldn't clearly see the intended target due to the wash out even on its lowest intensity setting.
I found out a bit later about an illuminated reticle and just the dot lighting up with my 4-28 IOR Recon, which was far far better at night while using an Olight

You, and others, might be surprised to know that there are quite a few optics factories in china making different levels of quality. It's hard to describe but it's almost a reputation thing, like factory A is known for higher quality but factory Z in a different region is known for the poorest quality. The most common are companies competing against each other at a specific quality level so to get business they keep improving products in an effort to out do each other. That competition is good for us that buy these. The factory that makes the ETR line for Athlon is considered high over there, or even the highest, in regard to quality. The Argos line was made at a different factory known for mid quality and has greatly improved quality over the G1 version.

I bought a really cheap chinese scope at Big 5 one time as an experiment, which was on sale for $100-ish, that had gastly quality, but I figured it would work at least, lol nope, and probably made at factory Z. It broke within hours, no kidding, so I took it back.

I had a IOR FFP 6-24 that broke in the middle of a steel match one time but it was one of their older models. They sent me a new one which I sold ASAP NIB.


I'm definitely not saying yours, or Vector in general, are low quality Z rated scopes, but just was just mentioning the little I know about chinese scopes.

 

[ChefSparrowRagazzi]

You, and others, might be surprised to know that there are quite a few optics factories in china making different levels of quality. It's hard to describe but it's almost a reputation thing, like factory A is known for higher quality but factory Z in a different region is known for the poorest quality. The most common are companies competing against each other at a specific quality level so to get business they keep improving products in an effort to out do each other. That competition is good for us that buy these. The factory that makes the ETR line for Athlon is considered high over there, or even the highest, in regard to quality. The Argos line was made at a different factory known for mid quality and has greatly improved quality over the G1 version.

I bought a really cheap chinese scope at Big 5 one time as an experiment, which was on sale for $100-ish, that had gastly quality, but I figured it would work at least, lol nope, and probably made at factory Z. It broke within hours, no kidding, so I took it back.

I had a IOR FFP 6-24 that broke in the middle of a steel match one time but it was one of their older models. They sent me a new one which I sold ASAP NIB.


I'm definitely not saying yours, or Vector in general, are low quality Z rated scopes, but just was just mentioning the little I know about chinese scopes.

Kinda like the replica watches. Several different factories with higher and lower quality. The Noob factory made replica Rolex Oyster perpetual that a watchsmith/jeweler could not tell if it was real or not.They even appraised a few of them that were bought for about 300 bucks , appraised at 3500-4000 for insurance purposes. Really happened. lol

 

[engfred]

I have on my favorite rifles the following scopes
1. RedWolf with an Athlon Midas Tac 5-25 x 56 FFP
2. Delta Wolf with an Elements Titan 5-25 x 56 FFP
3. FX Crown with a Vector Continental 5-30 x 56 FFP

All scope turrets has zero stops and all return to home fine
They all work well but anyway small things then gets annoying.
All scopes are sharp enough to let me clearly see my impact point with a .177 slug on 210 yards

Athlon
In clarity and sharpness a clear win to the Athlon. Specially Video recordings is superior through the Athlon.
The Athlon is ok to range with with a Parallax wheel - Difficult to range accurate on +70 yards.
The Minimum parallax distance is 24 yards - When winter it becomes very blurry at 24 yards. And in my garden it is close to my shooting distance.
Also annoying that the windage turret is capped.

Titan
Very good glass and the turrets are a bit mushy but works well.
The best of the 3 scope for ranging with a Parallax wheel.
Not equally scharp over the complet image. Sharpest area is top right area.
Very good video quality through the scope.

Vector
Very good image - Though a bit foggy at 30x
Very difficult to range with - Distance focus on the parallax is very very close when you reach 55 Yards.
When shooting video through the scope- You get a lot of purple fringe on the bright areas and that's quite annoying.
It is a lot less dominant if you force the Gopro to exposure compensate -1.00


So it depends what you need -

I am happy enough with all my scopes - no plans to exchange any of them