Sightron vs. athlon?

[nomojo65]

Looking for a new FT scope and I figured I would just go with a sightron S6FT @1900.00 with parallax wheel but the Athlon Ares 10-60x56 FT scope caught my eye plus I “think I would like the reticle better? And the scope Is about $500 cheaper. I guess what I’m wondering if anyone has real life experience with this scope especially in HFT Comp’s and especially if you have used both scopes to compare.

 

[cavedweller]

Looking for a new FT scope and I figured I would just go with a sightron S6FT @1900.00 with parallax wheel but the Athlon Ares 10-60x56 FT scope caught my eye plus I “think I would like the reticle better? And the scope Is about $500 cheaper. I guess what I’m wondering if anyone has real life experience with this scope especially in HFT Comp’s and especially if you have used both scopes to compare.

Do you mean​

ARES ETR UHD 15-60×56 BLR1 SFP IR MOA​

?

 

[cavedweller]

Looking for a new FT scope and I figured I would just go with a sightron S6FT @1900.00 with parallax wheel but the Athlon Ares 10-60x56 FT scope caught my eye plus I “think I would like the reticle better? And the scope Is about $500 cheaper. I guess what I’m wondering if anyone has real life experience with this scope especially in HFT Comp’s and especially if you have used both scopes to compare.

What class field target do you shoot?
I own the new S6 and it’s amazing but
For HFT you can’t go above 16x so purely a waste

 

[nomojo65]

Yes, and yes HFT but I also shoot 25m BR with the same gun. So I can use the magnification maybe not 50-60x but easily 45x and SFP is a must!

 

[cavedweller]

Yes, and yes HFT but I also shoot 25m BR with the same gun. So I can use the magnification maybe not 50-60x but easily 45x and SFP is a must!

@nomojo65 = Well if money isn't the issue the Sightron is the winner for a one scope, one gun, 3 disciplines thing.
You will also notice on the S6 that although you have a great spread (270 degrees) on the wheel from 9-55 yards, once you hit 35 yards, at 16X, it's like all the other many, many, scopes on my shelf.... trying to focus sharply between 1 yard distances isn't gonna be easy.
Turn that same scope up to 30X and you can differentiate by the 1/2 yard past 60 yards shazam...
Almost makes me want to throw my butt on a bumm bag or shoot open/unlimited or whatever.

 

[nomojo65]

I hear that! I looked through the S6 FT at the pyramid air cup at the venders stand I tried to buy the demo but they won’t sell them. This late in the season I have plenty of time to decide!

 

[JBHC]

I bought an SII and it arrived. I really like the reticle that this one has. Fine cross hairs with a tiny dot.
Looking forward to shooting with it!

 

[steve123]

Personally I feel the reticle is a bit too fine in the ETR 15-60 for Hunter using holds. I use mine in unlimited so I'm dialing as well as turning the illume all the way up. Maybe for young eyes it'd be different??

However for benchrest it's fantastic and part of that is because the reticle hashes are so fine. I aim at the rings for my holds using the center dot with the illume on.

 

[nomojo65]

Does it snap in as well as the sightrons?, I know after this last weekend I need a lighted reticle!

 

[WNYBill]

I have the Athlon Ares 15-60 MOA 30mm tube and couldn't be happier. Usually use it on 45-50x. Tiny dot that will illuminate.

 

[steve123]

Does it snap in as well as the sightrons?, I know after this last weekend I need a lighted reticle!

Probably very similar but I had a chance to compare both one time and I felt my ETR had more contrast. Only the center dot can be illuminated but not the hash marks.

 

[pesty3782]

Does it snap in as well as the sightrons?, I know after this last weekend I need a lighted reticle!

Per the boss lady, Barbara, she loves her scope. Ares ETR 15-60X56. She of course leaves it at 15, but says the clarity and focus are so perfect for her she doesn't miss 16X at all. Ranges great, super clear, lit reticle, and she is knocking it out of the park at HFT with it. She will be shooting in the Arizona State Championships this weekend using it.

PAC and Cajuns a lit reticle is a huge help. My Midas Tac doesn't have one and there were lanes I couldn't tell where the reticle was until I pulled it off target and attempted to get the hold over and bring it back over to the KZ.

Tony P.

 

[Bill Day]

@nomojo65 = Well if money isn't the issue the Sightron is the winner for a one scope, one gun, 3 disciplines thing.
You will also notice on the S6 that although you have a great spread (270 degrees) on the wheel from 9-55 yards, once you hit 35 yards, at 16X, it's like all the other many, many, scopes on my shelf.... trying to focus sharply between 1 yard distances isn't gonna be easy.
Turn that same scope up to 30X and you can differentiate by the 1/2 yard past 60 yards shazam...
Almost makes me want to throw my butt on a bumm bag or shoot open/unlimited or whatever.

I agree the big S6 10-60x56 was not designed for Hunter Field target. Mine has what I call a dead spot that take up 2 inches of the wheel between 47.5 yards and 50 yards. Haven't tried it over 16X so maybe I will try that unlimited class next year. Would likely work well for ERB also. The S6 5-30x56 SFP acts more like FT scope at 16x than it's big brother but still nothing to write home about. I do like the mag wheel and real lighted reticle on the big S6 but the documentation for both is pretty lean. I haven't seen any great reviews anywhere but there sure was a lot of pre-hype. I feel like it was a little deceiving of Sightron to call it a FT model and boast about the 16X designation.

 

[Bill Day]

Does it snap in as well as the sightrons?, I know after this last weekend I need a lighted reticle!

I agree the reticle is so fine that one can get lost on dark targets. The so called lighted reticle is only the dot that lights up. I shipped mine back because I found it unfriendly to use in HFT but I guess some do well with it.

 

[cavedweller]

I agree the big S6 10-60x56 was not designed for Hunter Field target. Mine has what I call a dead spot that take up 2 inches of the wheel between 47.5 yards and 50 yards. Haven't tried it over 16X so maybe I will try that unlimited class next year. Would likely work well for ERB also. The S6 5-30x56 SFP acts more like FT scope at 16x than it's big brother but still nothing to write home about. I do like the mag wheel and real lighted reticle on the big S6 but the documentation for both is pretty lean. I haven't seen any great reviews anywhere but there sure was a lot of pre-hype. I feel like it was a little deceiving of Sightron to call it a FT model and boast about the 16X designation.

I’m shooting HFT at the Shutzenfest in Boerne TX This weekend, I’ll have the S6 on top of my Redwolf. This maybe the S6’s last HFT as I’m intentionally testing it out in an unknown location with unknown targets. Using it on the home turf creates a false sense of ranging ability. If I was shooting open or unlimited and clicking, then the S6 is supreme; HFT at 16x not so much. Stay tuned. The challenge is 35-55 yards, as with all great scopes 16X is still 16X. If I can’t differentiate well this weekend and experience ranging errors, I will move the S6 to my EFT rig. Minding that 9.5 yards to 35 yards is crystal. Last thought is the S6 reticle is very stingy with the holdover markings.