If the exit pupil diameter of your scope is smaller than your eyes pupil, the image you see through them will appear darker than it does with the naked eye. In this test, we mount all scopes on tripods, set their magnification to 20-power, and then measure how long they can see into the dark, averaging the results to assess performance. The Hawke AirMAx is THE ONLY scope that has survived my Diana 34 springer. Here are some great options to consider: This scope, which gets our number one overall recommendation right now, is a shockingly good value. That makes a great combination for hardscrabble backcountry hunters who dont want to sacrifice optical performance, knowing that seeing long distances can save them many miles and thousands of feet of elevation in their boots. We did notice a fair amount of slop in the threaded eyepiece adapter and would rather see a bayonet mount rather than the threaded ring. Like we mentioned above, the HD-ATS-80 HD is a fantastic scope body that you wont be disappointed by, and when coupled with their 20-60x eyepiece makes for a powerful spotting scope. $199.99. They even have a spotting scope eyepiece that functions as a binocular, with two eyepieces! If you want a spotter to carry into the field to help you assess distant game, then consider a mid-sized scope, generally 20-50-power built behind a 65mm objective lens. Rifle Scopes - Athlon Argos vs Vortex Diamondback Definitions aside, if youre in the market for a full-sized spotter and have limited funds, consider the Argos HD. Other labels you might see that all communicate the same thing are LD (low dispersion), SLD (special low dispersion), ELD (extraordinary low dispersion), and ULD (ultra-low dispersion). https://athlonoptics.com/product/rifle-scope-argos-6-24x50/, Looking for the best budget optic for my sniper rifle. They sent me a prepaid label without a fight. Only a few optics brands have new models, and those that are new for the year are product-line extensions, essentially new magnifications and sizes for an existing model. athlon ares rifle scope tract optics Product Description ARGOS BTR GEN2 For those of you that are just getting started in the PRS or are looking to start, take a close look at the Argos BTR GEN2 family of scopes. Most spotting scopes that zoom up to 60-power get so dark and grainy at that magnification that theyre really only useful up to about 50-power. 1.7 #7) Bushnell Trophy Xtreme Spotting Scope. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Makes sense. Very few other manufacturers give you that kind of choice with their high end scope options. 1:24 . Similarly, if you live anywhere with a lot of wildlife activity, it can be a fun thing to have a spotting scope set up on your back porch, trained on your local ecosystem. The ED glass works pretty well, but the real appeal here is the Horus reticle inside and tactical bling on the exterior. Superdoo. The optic with the highest Price/Value score wins our Great Buy award. Vortex is a well-known manufacturer of optical material such as binoculars, spotting scopes and rifle scopes. There is a range of designations that manufacturers use, and unfortunately there isnt much standardization. Fully multi-coated lenses increase light transmission and a silver-coated K9 glass prism . Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25X56 - Best for Long Range. In fact, those factors increase substantially as you go up in objective sizes. Vortex got mentioned above a lot, and there are good reasons. Delivery. Vortex Viper PST Gen II 5-25X50 FFP EBR-2C MRAD - Best FFP Scope Under $1500. These scopes have features normally only found on high-end scopes. But generally, the sweet spot between magnification and image quality is somewhere in the middle of the power range. You'll find a spotting scope useful for outdoors activities such as. NightForce ATACR 5-25X56 F1 - Best for Competition. VORTEX DIAMONDBACK 20-60X80MM SPOTTING SCOPE - Sniper Central The Vortex strike eagle 5-25x56 FFP The Athlon Midas TAC 5-25x56 FFP Are there people who have been able to compare these 2 scopes? I have a Hawke Vantage 3-9x40 on a Diana 240, and a Hawke Vantage SF 6-24x44 on a Savage Mark 2 22LR. If you spend a few hundred dollars, youre going to get something that will definitely improve on your naked eyes vision and help you be successful at whatever activity you are doing. They rapidly expanded into a full suite of optics products spanning the entirety of the price ranges, which they still are today, though they mostly focus on the lower/mid range. When looking through a scope with ED glass compared to another without it, there is a massive difference. The spotter with the highest overall score wins our Editors Choice awardthis year it went to Mavens CS.1. Is the Athlon Argos BTR Gen2 the Best Affordable Long Range Scope? $249.99. About Us Policies. They have been used and recommended by a lot of the most influential people in the industry, like Steven Rinella from Netflixs Meat Eater. Find Athlon Optics Cronus Gen II 20-60x86mm UHD Spotting Scopes-311004 with New Product and 20% Off today at Rangefinders.com +1-800-504-5995 Live Chat Contact Us Check Order Status. Spotting Scope Review - 24hourcampfire It'll give you some intel on Athlon . Updated: October 2, 2020, 79 optics, 152 reticles. Its a tough trade off, and has to be made based on your hunting style. Athlon Optics Spotting Scopes. The Diamondback HD spotter makes an accessible, extremely usable optic for any number of well-lighted conditions. But for hunters who aspire to own the best optics on the planet, this line of Zeiss spotters justifies the significant investment. free shipping & returns. Here are the scopes Id recommend for the budding astronomer: Celestron is kind of the specialist when it comes to astronomy equipment in the sporting optics world. The angled eyepiece and rotating tripod mount increase its versatility, and the controls are relatively tight and precise, especially for the at around $400. I don't really want more than 3-4 x on the low end at least around here MDs are putting targets close and starting at 6x makes things tricky. A nice feature it has that I wish more scopes would include (especially angled scopes) is a sighting line to help you line up with what youre trying to look at. Vortex Crossfire II 4-12x50 AO Riflescope with Dead Hold BDC Reticle (MOA). Check the classifieds on here for something in the next tier up. Shop Athlon Optics Argos BTR 6-24x50mm Side Focus Rifle Scope | 4.4 Star Rating on 92 Reviews for Athlon Optics Argos BTR 6-24x50mm Side Focus Rifle Scope + Free Shipping over $49. These describe the zoom and the objective lens size. The downside: Youre stuck with the 15-45-power zoom. Far less expensive than the other scopes on this list, it doesnt offer the same kind of glass or build quality as the more expensive scopes. Check them out at Bushnell.com. This pricey, indulgent, magnum-sized optic is the last spotting scope youll own, and it parses details like no other spotter in this category. But at magnifications above about 18, youre going to want to mount this, because the shakes introduced by your hands, or an improvised support, blur the image. And then, we perform a low-light test on several evenings. There is no such standard in the world of sporting optics, and the term is essentially meaningless. If youre just casually looking at wildlife and dont want to spend the dollars on a premium scope, then this Gosky model will fill your needs. Our Editors independently research, test, and rate the best products. 3 reviews. Vortex Diamondback Tactical 6-2450 FFP EBR-2C MOA reticle diagram. Whale watching is a very popular activity along the coasts for both tourists and locals. Athlon Optics Argos HD 20-60x85 Spotting Scope - Amazon.com Binoculars & Spotting Scopes | Costco The Harpia 95 has a little sister, the Harpia 85, thats a little more portable and only slightly more affordable. Doug asked me to review two Athlon scopes for him. Weighing a full pound less than its similarly sized peers, the Endurance ED would be a good choice for a backcountry hunter who insists on carrying a larger spotter. There are some spring airgunners that swear by the Hawke Sidewinder. I will test and be able to give better feedback as soon as I get to the range. Founded by Frank Galli in 2000, Snipers Hide has been offering informational videos, podcasts, and other support to its users in one location. Which makes it a perfect option for hunters. Unsurprisingly, letting more light in is what you want. You are using an out of date browser. A spotting scope helps you get crystal clear, up close views of birds, and can also help you take pictures of them. Spotting Scope, Soft sided case, Lens caps, Cleaning Cloth: Spotting scope^hard case^soft case^instructions^tripod: Athlon Optics 315001: 20-60X80 Spotter: Soft Carrying Case, 20-60x zoom Eyepiece, Spotting Scope, Soft sided case, Lens caps, Cleaning Cloth Item Dimensions: 16.9 x 4 x 4.5 inches: 18.25 x 6.5 x 9.5 inches: 16.5 x 3.75 x 6 inches The Argos HD is one of the best spotting scopes under 300 dollars that has a robust 20-60x magnification, 85mm objective, and is perfect for . However, with Vortexs best-in-class warranty, youll never have to worry if it fails to perform. Check the price here. We've rarely seen this much glass and optical horsepower for under $400. One example is hitting the coldbore shots on steel often out to 1122Y. If youre a hunter who packs in deep its worth serious consideration, as its lightweight frame makes it easy to carry into the backcountry. Vortex Diamondback vs Hawke Endurance ED vs Vanguard Endeavor ED Vortex Riflescopes | Buy Vortex Scopes - EuroOptic.com ArmorTek Technology: The build quality is as expected top-notch. Maven has a few great spotting scope options (all of which are customizable if you order through their website). Maven RS.4 5-30x56 FFP - Best Under $2000. What is the rep of the Athlon Argos 2-10x40 BDC 600? Clear glass combined with an oversized eyepiece and a rugged design will help you tag out season after season. 20-60x. If youve got a little more money to spend, its hard not to recommend the Vortex Razor series for you. Maven RS.1 2.5-15X44 - Best FFP Scope for Hunting. Athlon Ares Spotting Scope VS. Vortex Razor Spotting Scope Review 73,201 views Mar 13, 2016 263 Dislike Share Save Backcountry Brotherhood 8.15K subscribers Watch as we review the new. Its a pattern weve seen play out over two decades of the Outdoor Life optics test. The more powerful it is, the narrower the field of view. I have had both and still have the Athlon. Demerits include the slippery, non-textured armor and the underwhelming glass, which makes images above about 45-power pretty dark and grainy with some distorted edge detail. Youll want to ensure that the warranty is up to snuff, but our expectation is that this capable spotter will give you years of adequate service. Objective Lens Diameter. Dielectric-Coated Porro Prism. Joined Jan 16, 2018 . Alternatively, the rails allow you to mount the LMSS2 on either rails or a traditional tripod. Sold two to a friend(bought Athlon Ares and Tacticle). At about 40 ounces, it isnt the lightest scope, but it gives you an excellent performance to portability ratio. The Ultima 80 is the definition of the intersection between quality and affordability. But even more approachable scopes will set you back around $1,000. Argos BTR 6-2450 APMR | Precision Rifle Scope - Athlon Optics But for scouting use its perfect, or for spotting from the road. A full-size spotter that retails for under $400 should get wide attention, and careful handling. Vortex diamondback FFP scope also comes with elevated finger-adjustable turrets. These coatings help the scope transmit and gather light better, thus increasing the quality and clarity of the image it delivers. Athlon Midas BTR, Midas HMR, Midas TAC scopes - Also made in China to Athlon's specific specifications. The Argos HD 20-60x85mm falls into the perfect category of spotting scopes for high power use. So for a brief period of time, I had both the Athlon Talos 20x60x80 and this Athlon Argos 20x60x85 side by side for a detailed comparison. You can check the price today and see if its the right fit for you. At lower powers, you can get by without a stabilizing tripod. And its ultra-compact size means youll take this optic more places than a larger spotter or a big-boned binocular. Learn more about it here. Spotting scopes come in a very wide selection of sizes, more so than any other kind of optic. Also, they are generous with the hash marks on their mil dot. Get the Bushnell Match Pro over either. (130) Compare Product. $399.99. 6 Best Focal Plane FFP Scopes to Buy - ScopeExpert.com $139.99 - $169.99. Bushnell is owned today by Vista Outdoor, a large conglomerate of outdoor products companies. I'll be honest I wasn't looking forward to reviewing Athlon optics. Carefully consider exactly how youre going to use it. It requires little equipment, can often be done from your home, and offers unlimited opportunities for expanding on the hobby with trips to see exotic birds. We've also streamlined the exterior for a sleeker, snag-free profile, building in a helical focus wheel. The inexpensive Argos BTR and less expensive Talos BTR work surprisingly well for the price. I didnt think the turrets, lack of zero-stop, and mediocre glass would bother me. The best brightness and image quality will be at 20X, but the image will be smallest at that magnification. 1.8 #8) Athlon Optics Argos HD 20-6085 Spotting Scope. After consulting with other experts I compiled this guide that includes information about spotting scopes, how to choose the best one, and reviews of our favorites on the market right now. With televisions, High Definition has a technical definition that sets a standard of pixels a display has to have in order to earn the HD distinction. Check it out on Amazon. Is it going to be aimed permanently at the stars? Maven is a very unique company in the sporting optics world. Bushnell is one of the older players in the sporting optics world, having been founded in 1948. Vortex Optics Diamondback HD Spotting Scopes. At first sight, the Argos 10x42 is quite a compact binocular. As youll see in the two Athlon scopes in this years test, better-quality glass can double the price of a spotter. Easier to switch between binos and spotting scope. Another is I won State overall in Field Target air rifle in 2016 and my division last year. This Athlon spotting scope is nitrogen-purged to prevent internal fogging and is sealed for waterproofing, allowing the scope to be used in any weather. The most hard-wearing models have oversized controls that can be used with gloved hands, and they are double-sealed against dust, grit, and moisture. A 20-60x60mm scope at the lowest 20 power setting has an exit pupil diameter of 6020, or 3mm. The CS.1 is a great option for a hunter looking for a scope they can take into the backcountry. The Athlon Argos BTR is an excellent mid to long-range choice. Full Member. This lets you choose the size of scope that is perfect for the way youre using it. We glass near and far targets in all light conditions. Vortex Diamondback Tactical vs Athlon Argos BTR 6-24 First focal plane reticle stays valid at all power settings allowing you to fully utilize the specially designed reticle that shrinks or grows along with your target as you zoom in or out. Most amazingly, some of their highest end products are even assembled in the United States, a rarity in this industry. Is the foot large and strong enough to stabilize the optic? The 65mm size is just about right for most backpack pockets, and it pairs nicely with mid-sized tripods. The 10MIL locking turrets on the Match Pro alone make it worth going to the top end of your budget range. I hunted with this scope during Montanas elk season, and it took in stride all the temperature changes, bumps and drops, and dust the hunts dealt it. 5 Best Spotting Scope Under $500 {Expert's Choice} Best Bushnell Spotting Scope {Our Top Pickup} . All in, theres a lot of scope here for $800, a price that represents the savings possible from the direct-to-consumer optics brand. . When you see 20-60x85mm, that means that the objective lens (the one that points out towards whatever you are viewing) is 85mm in diameter. Athlon Optics / RIFLE SCOPES / ARGOS BTR GEN2 / ARGOS BTR GEN2 6-2450 APMR FFP IR MIL. trying to find the right scope (vortex, bushnell, athlon) | Airgun I haven't had a chance to mount and shoot it yet, but construction feels solid. And if youre shooting at really long ranges, an afternoon trip to the range can feel more like a lengthy hike. Their scopes are very high quality and Id definitely recommend them. This is the optic I have been testing for the last few weeks, and I can finally give you guys the full specs: 6-24 magnification, 50mm front lens. I regularly shoot out to 300 yds with my ar and have shot to 1k with a friends equipment. This is coming from someone who has never used either. Or is it to view in the bright light of midday? One of the lesser known technical specs that you may need to account for is eye relief. This is not a particularly exciting year for spotting scopes. This Hawke is classified as a mid-sized unit, with its 68mm objective lens diameter, though it has a magnification range more in keeping with 80 and 85mm scopes. I am looking at the ballistic reticle scopes in the 3-9x40 and 4/4.5-12x40/42 range in both product lines. Whether you choose an angled or a straight-body spotting scope is largely a matter of personal preference. Here are my top recommendations: If youre a serious bird watcher and want to see every detail of the birds youre looking at from a long way away, Swarovski is probably going to be your go to brand. Anything further out than that will not be visible. This scope has extra low dispersion glass, and is one of the least expensive options that has that critical spec. They have come to dominate those segments of the market. Vortex Diamondback HD vs Athlon Argos G2 UHD Binoculars Bullets4Bucks 18.8K subscribers Join Subscribe 212 Share Save 16K views 2 years ago Buy Here: Athlon Optics Argos:.