So I was browsing through that Hide website that I heard about on here, with all the Savage hate. Athlon Ares scopes seem to get a lot of love over there, much more so than Nikon or Vortex. Isn't Athlon a relatively new company? I know they say US company, but I also read somewhere they are made in China. Still in scope analysis paralysis..... I don't want to drop basically twice what I have in my rifle into a scope, to only wish I had bought something else. Thought I'd check the concensus here.... I know they have a similar warranty to Nikon and Vortex... anyone have any experience with them?
I love mine. It tracks as near perfect as one can get and always returns to zero. I have it on my FV-SR and shoot to 400 yards.
The Ares ETR is my next scope purchase.
Athlon scopes are assembled in China of U.S. made parts.
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Jester
The Dunning-Kruger effect is alive and well.
Sled,
You are having the same dilemma we've all had at some point. I was also looking at the Athlon line before I decided on the Nikon FX1000 4-16x50 for my Pop, which you and I have previously discussed. The reason I decided on the Nikon over the Athlon was the glass clarity. In order to get the same level of glass in the Athlon, I found that I had to go up to there $800 level to get the same clarity. As far as tracking reports, they both had good tracking reviews.
Paralysis by analysis my man!! I think that either scope will work for you, and you'll be happy with either one. The Nikon has the same warranty that Vortex has on their scopes... You just don't hear about it because guys don't have to use it very often.
I think you are right, you could spend weeks and weeks reading reviews for every scope and every one of them would have good and bad. I think I will just put the search away and go ahead with the Nikon.Originally Posted by SageRat Shooter
Good on ya Sir!!Now, all you have left to decide is... 4-16X or 6-24X...
For what it's worth, I had the same dilemma 2 years ago when I was looking for the optic that was going on my 260 Rem. I was looking at the the Vortex PST Gen 1 & Sightron SIII going back and forth, back and forth... I dropped by my Cabelas and at least checked out the Vortex glass, reticle, turrets etc.... Now, up to that point, I have never had a scope better than a Bushnell Trophy Hunter with a standard duplex reticle. I had never seen a tactical style scope except on TV/movies. I had never thought about paying the kind of $$$ I was about to spend either, yet I actually wound up buying my Sightron without even looking thru it first because of a review I watched on Youtube (Crazy... Right?). Well, the reviewer was right (in my case) and I have been extremely pleased with my choice... The point being... all the players in today's optic market place (provided you do just a little home work) are going to be pretty darn close in their performance and features (in the same tier) otherwise they wouldn't stay competitive. Now, I just did the same thing with the Nikon for my POP.... Still have to wait for his hand to heal up and the snow to melt to see how the turrets track.
I've pretty much decided on the higher magnification. I see no downside for at the range, and can just swap it for a hunting scope if I take the gun to the woods....Good on ya Sir!!
The downside to the Nikon is adjustment. It only has 58moa total elevation. Pretty sad for a mid level 30mm tube scope.
Ares BTR- 80MOA
Ares ETR- 110MOA
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Jester
I totally agree... Depending on the thickness of your woods and the ranges you may be shooting... turning down to 6x may still work for you. You'll just have to see. My 6-24 gives a pretty good field of view but the reticle gets so small it functions more like a red dot (center the ret on your POA).
PS. I added some stuff to my post above, just in cse you didn't see it.
That is true... which is one other reason i went with the 4-16 as it has 90 MOA total adjustment.
Well, it's going on a 20moa rail, so 58 ought to be plenty.....
Both are FFP, one is 30mm tube one is 34mm. One has a simple modified mil dot/hash the other a more complex Christmas tree reticle. One has a tone of vertical and horizontal turret adjustments the other not as much. One has a 56 mm objective, the other 50mm. The Nikon is a big name that will do fine for most shooters. The Athlon Ares is a refined tool with features most shooters will never use. I do have a friend that has a Midas Tac. If I was shopping for a scope in that price range I would get that it. Awesome features, accurate turrets and unbelievably clear glass(like a Nikon) and a great warranty. I have 2 Cronus BTRs and been thinking of selling one and getting an Ares ETR
The Dunning-Kruger effect is alive and well.
I picked one up for a recent build and really like it. I would not hesitate picking another one up for the right price.
After viewing this thread I searched Athlons and found this.
https://cameralandny.com/shop/brands...iation=1782871
I need something for my new 6.5 creed which will be a long range pdog/coyote gun. Before I was leaning toward Vortex, but this has all the options I would like except maybe lower power range.
I also found this, which would be a little more versatile hunting wise, but I would need to save a little while longer.
https://cameralandny.com/shop/brands...iation=1891758
The guys at Cameraland often work with you on price or will add accessories on some lines. Talk to one of the salesmen and ask. Otherwise it's MSRP and there are others that will work with you...on this forum.
The Dunning-Kruger effect is alive and well.
You should definitely call Cameraland. Could step up a level or 2 in either MIL or MOA.
https://cameralandny.com/shop/brands...iation=1614613
https://cameralandny.com/shop/brands...iation=1614470
Nm
Did you get the MOA or MIL DOT. I have never had a MIL DOT before, but never really shot over 600 yards either. Looking at one for a 6.5 and longer ranges
Run until your heart bursts
I had the same scope and got it at the same discounted price as you. I had only used it at 100 yards and noticed the side focus was way off scale and didn't think much of it. I finally got the chance to take it to the 800 yard range and it ran out of internal track before 250 yards. I sent it in to Athlon and they said, "yeah...we really don't have a way to test that but your scope does seems to be messed up". Since that model is no longer being made they sent me a Midas TAC 6-24x50 in its place. I personally never liked the alternating hash marks on the axis reticles and found them distracting. So I gave up the tree reticle and illumination for FFP and a zero stop system. I am waiting to get out to the long range again and see if this one performs...
Nm
Nm
Full disclosure: My retail shop is an Athlon dealer. However, we also dealers of Leupold and Vortex. That being said: I have Ares ETR's on several rifles (6.5CM, 300WM, 22-250) and an Argos BTR on a 22LR., all MIL. The 6.5CM and 22LR are match guns, so they get 'a few' rounds thru them.The company has done a lot of things to make the scopes better and more 'user friendly' in the past year or so. Of the, literally, hundreds (yes, "S" plural), I have had only 2 that required any warranty. Both of which, the customer had a new scope in their hands inside of 10 business days.
Here's a video I shot last night, regarding setting the zero stop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05nowHdU6WA&t=13s
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