Haven't had a chance to test if it holds zero, but mounts just fine and has nice clear glass. Centered vertically true to a plumb line with the crosshairs which is always a plus!It's a great th-cam.com/users/postUgkxc4K63Fd5LglDMObu7-Bgapxp_ef0W8hE scope. There's no parallax adjustment or focus ring, so may be limited to 3-7x, have to see how it is on the range. Also be aware that the rings are "look through" so you can still use irons, but they are really tall if you only intend to use the optics. On a 22LR no biggie since I'm not shooting competitions or worried about a hard cheek press. Will boresight and range test, if all goes well, I'll leave it at that!
I have an Athlon Ares 4.5-27x50 and its been fantastic! its tracked true out to max elevation shooting a 22lr to 400yrds and its always returned to my 50yrd zero without a hitch. Athlon is a major player in the budget optics market and is really blowing away their competition in bang for buck return on investment!
Very good. Optics are to expensive for trial and error. Good to see someone doing precision testing on rifle scopes. Looking forward to see other scopes tested. Keep up the good work!
I've always considered Athlon's premium options damn near the best bang for the buck in their class. As far as your testing procedure(s) and equipment, holy smokes! I'm sure as you do it a dozen times or so you'll get a heck of a lot quicker. I know this might sound like a big NO, but I personally think it would awesome if you picked some of the "Top Claimed" scopes out there and put them through your stringent ringer. Not to bash any companies or the prices they demand, but to just really show who and what makes a Good/Bad scope. Because honestly what's the point of only testing 1, 2, or $3k glass and stating these are quality! Like, what point of reference do I have? Just for the nerd factor of knowing that something that costs 3-4x as much as my primary arms, swampfoxes or budget minded vortex's is just more precise/clear and therefore just better?
Excellent job, Gavin. I'm also an engineer and have tried to develop targets to accurately test tracking and reticle markings but it wasn't easy, but this is ideally what I would have wanted to do. It is really great that you take your skills and time to do this for us. I'm looking forward to upcoming additions you mentioned to get objective comparisons. Keep up the great work!
You could add a light meter for both through the scope and a set reference point to test true light percentage pass through. Just a thought, keep up the great work!
I’ve used my wedge scope level Arisaka and my Wheeler bubble level at the same time. Both were pretty much spot on. I was mounting my Vortex PST Gen 2.
Over the years of watching your channel I come accustom to unbiased data driven reviews no matter what the product is you are reviewing. As of late rather waisting time looking at other TH-cam or magazine reviews on products I am looking to purchase, I just look to see if your channel did a review and judge my purchase based on your findings
Always nice to have someone else doing similar tests and showing them on various scopes, I didn't really see anything too much I couldn't pickup from say Cyclops, DLO, or Rex or Sniper's Hide for example. If I stopped their vid and look at their targets, I can pick that kind of stuff out. Some of the stuff they actually record there, isn't alway broken out the way you did it, such as the magnification confirmation. Some others are using larger spread turret tracking tests than you are too. CA is an important item to many people as well, finding a good way to show that may be a challenge. Seeing a comparison of the higher end Chinese chassis scopes such as this one, at this price point zone, vs the ones on the Japanese L.O.W chassis such as the Cronus, Stryker, Toric, Trijicon and Bushnell would be interesting too, as there are a number of those out there. You have opened a can of worms though, depends how hard you want to go at it.
Great to have someone curious enough to actually creat a test and then put it together professionally and then break it down for an ordinary joe like me to understand what I’m paying for and actually be useful for my next purchase, wonderful job guys
Perhaps , just perhaps you can greatly simplify your life by using metrics units when you test scope mith MRAD. This will be way more simple if you test your scope a 100 meter and not 100 yards . 0.1mrad = 1cm at 100m. Way simplier that your conversion calcul. On the other hand i love your job , pls continue.
Buying this optic, for the price and your in depth review I don’t think their is a better price option for what this optic delivers. Than you for the testing And extremely detailed review
Hi Gaven, really enjoyed your video on the Althlon rifle scope, I am still looking for the ultimate long range scope under $1500 and is very interested in Element Optics and if you could put al 3 of there scopes thrue the same trile as the Athlon Midas Tac that would be awesome to see if they are as advertised. I love your channel love the precision in your testing from bench press to well all of it just enjoy watching and overwhelming evidence in your studies to the best of every product mentioned. Thanks Gaven.
Element Optics would be my last choice for long range scopes. The Blackhound 4-32x56 is currently (December 17 2022) on sale for just over $1000 with their 40% off sale plus use CYCLOPS discount code fir an additional 5% off and free shipping. This scope is made in Japan and normally sells for $1799. The next step up is the Nightforce NX8. Element Nexus or Titan wouldn't even be considered IMHO based on negative value for dollar spent IMHO.
You're much better off buying a much better scope than an Element Optics Nexus scope such as the European made Meopta Optika 6 5-30x56 illuminated MRAD RD for $849.99 on sale currently at Sportsman's. This scope sells for $1299.99 everywhere else. Don't waste your money on Element Optics brand scopes you can buy much better scopes for a lot less money.
Love these geek out sessions. Please mention country of origin as well, since it does matter to a great many. Usually that is one of the top questions asked on retailer websites.Looking forward to seeing more in depth looks at various gear.
The Athlon Midas Tac and Ares BTR have better glass and turrets with zero stops that don't limit the total elevation travel compared to the Strike Eagle plus the Athlons are less likely to need to be sent in for warranty.
Fabulous video Gavin. What I would be interested in seeing is checking scope level using the bottom flat compared to a real good plumb line as I have also been able to confirm that regardless of the manufacturer of the scope, leveling off of the top of the elevation scope cap does not produce accurate results at all.
Good review but you might consider adding a test where you view into strong sunlight as the purple chromatic aberrations on my unit were unacceptable for me. I’m a glass snob though so I know my bar doesn’t reflect the average person’s definition of good glass. The turret was obnoxiously high so I couldn’t close my gun case, so these two issues made me return mine. Outside of those showstopper issues for me, I agree it’s a fantastic scope with excellent tactile feedback for a great value
You really need to stick with Japan made scopes if you are very particular when it comes to glass and image quality like I myself am. The Athlon Midas Tac, Ares BTR and ETR are so far the only Chinese scopes that IMHO can even come close to Japanese made scopes.
Thanks for the in depth review. I am looking for a medium budget $1,000 or less scope for my 6.5 Creedmoor build. This is one of the scopes in contention.
I'd go with the Blackhound 4-32x56 now on sale for 40% off and an additional 5% off and free shipping with CYCLOPS discount code as of December 17 2022. This will cost just over $1000 and normally sells fir $1799. This Blackhound scope is made in Japan and not China. The next comparable step up world get a Nightforce NX8.
If you haven't already purchased your scope, the Athlon Ares BTR Gen 2 4.5-27x50 is on sale at Amazon for $620 with Free shipping and free returns while all other places sell it for $869.99. I like it better than the Midas Tac.
Can you give us a lot of information about how confident you were in your testing but it didn’t really demonstrate any differences on the overall function in my opinion.
Hi Guy's, Please run this scope in a magnum hunting rifle to see how it holds up with magnum recoils. Please no muzzle brake, let it be a real magnum test.
dont they say that a rifle with a brake is more likely to damage a scope than with no brake, due to the brake stopping the recoil more instantly rather than a longer recoil that is absorbed by your body
@@sgtdicko buy your ammo and guns online at 🇺🇸 Riveraammunition.com they are certified FFL dealers, they sell all possible ammunitions and guns available...shipping is done all over the USA and worldwide (fast delivery services) so on. contact us Riveraammunition.com
This is great content no one else is doing anywhere. I would like to see the scope track after a few thousand rounds and also compare a low-end scope to a high-end scope
I've got this scope.Its okay.Nothing to really brag on.Idont care for the different turrets..One Tactical on elevation and one capped on windage. I'd rather have them matching. Compared to my gray colored Arken EP4 624×56 the Athlon is was below.Arken has Japanese glass and cost less money is why ..it was about half the price actually. I picked the Athlon when my SWFA Super Sniper crashed and they gave me 700.00 so I got the Midas Tace for $125.00.total. I have the Athlon Cronus BTR Gen 2 and it's a nice one. Great video Gavin
Great work. Love the testing. Could you test a well proven/ used scope as a bench make. ( nightforce ) To put scale on where it site with other scope brands / models.
This 34mm Midas Tac won't hold a candle to a Nightforce not even their entry level SHV. It does beat the Element Titan, Arken EP5, Vortex Viper PST 2, Strike Eagle, and most sub $900 scopes. Fir some strange reason the cheaper 6-24x50 Midas Tac with 30mm tube was a little sharper on high magnification compared to this one as image quality seemed a bit washed out and soft though a tad brighter.
Great video!!! I would love to see what kind of resuls you get from the Argos BTR Gen2 6-24x50 APMR FFP IR MIL scope. I've been using one on a Ruger Percision Rimfire in 22lr.
Subjectively , how does the glass compare on the Midas Tac 5x25 vs the Ares and Cronus? I know you guys are scientists, but the only thing we have without data is opinions. I would lie to hear yours.
I really like the Ares BTR 4.5-27x50 in the $700 price point and Midas Tac 6-24x50 in the $500 price point. I personally don't think the 34mm Midas Tac 5-25x56 is worth the extra cost over the lighter 30mm 6-24x50 that has 85moa of elevation travel and can just add a 20moa rail if needed. I have the Cronus BTR which is Japanese made vs China for the rest of the Athlon scopes. It's Athlons best scope but I personally prefer the Tract Toric ELR instead of the Athlon Cronus. I don't think the Ares ETR 4.5-30x56 is worth buying for $899-$999 especially since they are made in China. Just spend a little more for a Japan made scope instead.
@@commonsense5709 I ended up going with the Cronus. I would have like to looked at the Tract, but it was $500 more than what I paid for the Cronus and out of my budget. I have not used the Cronus enough in different conditions to make a judgement yet.
Would be very interested to see a super high-end scope put through this testing to get a comparative baseline, something like a Zero Comp 527 or a Tangent Theta
@@Tfox31 I would offer to send you my ZCO while I get my rifle rebarreled here soon, but I've painted/weathered it to match my post-apocalyptic setup, so people might find it a bit off-putting haha
I just bought this scope a week ago from cameralandny, I talked to Doug he helped me with my questions I had and set me up with 34mm rings too, I got a good deal and am happy with my first Anthlon scope.
Test durability build a rig to simulate recoil so you can put 1000s of rounds and measure scope deterioration and detect weakness that may lead to failure adjustments after recoil tests and after a large number of dial adjustment looks like you should be able to detect backlash with your current rig Keep up the good work
I have this cope on my lapua now but had a cheaper argos on it for 750 rounds. Dialing from 100-1000yds constantly and always returning to zero. Even with the recoil on a lapua it never failed. so i have no problem assuming this one will do even better then the argos. Ive only put 50 threw it since i upgraded and no issues yet.
I LOVE ATHLON!!! I had the Midas Tac and now the Cronus and BOTH of them are just awesome!!! I will always try to support Athlon, next is the Eres 20-60x80 spotting scope =)
Buy the Hawke Endurance 25-75x85 instead for under $500 whenever they go on on sale thank me later. It's a better Chinese spotter compared to the Ares 20-60x85 for much cheaper. High magnification is surprisingly clear especially for a Chinese spotting scope.
Machinists parallel to help level the scope. I like it! However, it would be nice to have a video on how you do this off the bottom of the scope. Thanks.
Test a shepherd scope same criteria. Actually any scope, that’s demanding top price without a scintilla of scrutiny such as what you just did here. At their prices, you’d figure they would be up front showing what sets them apart or justifies the cost etc....
I have the 30mm tube version of the midas tac and love it. My testing isn't as scientific. It boiled down to: Will it hold up to the bolt impulse of a M1A? Well, 1,500 rds later it's still holding strong. Still tracks and operates as when I first put it on the rifle. The only scope I have to compare it to is the vortex viper pst gen ii and it's pretty darn close. Overall, best bang for the buck. I don't see where anyone can go wrong with a athlon scope.
Great video. Once you get your testing process to the point you are satisfied, it would be great to do a side by side comparison (FFP Shootout) with Athlon vs US Optics vs Nightforce vs Schmidt & Bender vs Leupold etc. You would have to hold the objective lens the same (e.g. 56 mm).
I thought it was great , a little over my head but good to learn from. I have always reloaded and when ever I sight in my hunting rifle I just go to the reloading manual and look at the ballistics for the Cal, bullet, powder , speed ,and how far I want it zeroed in at. So for instance 6.5 Grendel shooting 120 grain GMX Hornady roughly going 2550 FPS, and I want it sighted in for 200yds, I will sight it in to shoot 1.75 in high at a 100yds. I have never used a tactical scope but I would like to learn how to. I just bought a 6.5 creed in a Mossberg Patriate , I put a Vortex 4x12x44 crossfire 2 on it .But I haven't shot it much yet. I am curious about the tactical scopes. A good rangefinder would be needed also. And I haven't seen proof of any long range rangefinder that will actually do what they claim they will do. Like if you are hunting coyotes and you see one out at 380 or 420 yds. running along a treeline or a fence line ,that they will pick up the trees but not the target, and that is no good to me. So I have always just stuck with the regular scopes. Mildot .
@@Tfox31 Quick question. I currently have a Vortex PST Gen 2 5-25. Would the Ares ETR be worth the upgrade? I've found a place that had the Ares for 899 and I'm just curious. Thank you
@@shanesizemore3654 Great question. I do have a PST Gen 1 and Gen 2. All three are great scopes. If you are talking about the Ares ETR that is the 4.5-30x50 that is a great price! that makes that scope jump up a ranking list for sure!
@@Tfox31 It definitely is. I would post the link but I don't think TH-cam would like that. It's a demo model on Eurooptic but in my experience, every scope I've ordered from them that was a demo still had the original seal
I think scope manufacturers should take a page from Blackhound Optics playbook and start including rings with the scope. I think it's garbage that I should spend $500 - $1,500 on a scope and then have to go out and buy a set of rings for an extra $75 - $200. Good job Blackhound!!!
There's no way for a manufacturer to know what rings will suit the buyers needs. I suppose they could throw in a set that'd work in most situations but personally I'd rather choose rings myself. I don't want to pay the extra cost for the rings they throw in with the scope that I may or may not use. That's just my way of looking at it.
I would rather have quality scope covers. And a sunshade. Ring height varies depending on rifle. But I like Black hound as well. Monstrum has affordable rings in all sizes and heights. Except 34mm. Arken and Vortex have a good selection in that size. Both retail at $59.
@@p47rr Stay away from Monstrum Tactical very poor quality scopes and rings. The rings can actually ruin your scope during recoil if you don't properly lap them.
Are the units you are actually testing for tracking accuracy and repeatability along with the glass clarity are these units you randomly bought yourselves from a retail location or are they units which were sent to you by the manufacturer for testing and review? The reason I ask is it is not uncommon for manufacturers to cherry pick the examples of a product they send out to be reviewed and tested hence the results or reviewers opinion may be influenced by the better example which the average retail buyer would not experience the same results or performance.
Excellent point. Reviewers typically get free scopes sent to them from the scope companies or from dealers representing the scope companies. They usually sell them after they review them and that's why you rarely see long term follow up reviews since the reviewed scopes are already long gone. Affiliate links provided by the TH-camr is another telltale sign they got financial benefits in the game.
I have that exact scope. It’s really impressive for the price! All I have to compare it to is a leupold mk5. Definitely not as clear, but it’s absolutely incredible for a sub $700 scope!
Scope errors are accumulative, not just angular. If you dial 1 mil at 1000 yards you're shooting a real hot rod. Try multiplying your error by some real world data. 2% is fine but it is there.
I have the Cronus and love it. I'd like to see more of these scope tracking tests. How does the cronus compare to other scopes. I personally got rid of my ATACR. Because I think the Athlon Cronus is brighter, clearer, and it definitely Parallax is better at range and the tracking is dead on
To me, it looks like you have the scope reticle (time 12:29) is very, very slightly to the right of the actual grid on paper. Look at the center dot and the vertical line below center - the scope reticle is not in the center, maybe this is why the tracking is a tiny bit off?
I'm curious how you identified the built in distortion of your camera chip. Most industrial vision components publish a distortion component, for both the CCD, and the lens. Basler might be one example I think. Was this part of the consideration? It might be what you call proprietary for now, but just wondering if that was considered.
Wayne- yes! We are using a camera with built-in lens distortion correction specific to the lens we are using. We checked by taking a picture of the target without the scope in the way (at closer range). Good question!
@@Ultimatereloader Gavin, excellent, and thank you for the answer. I wasn't specifically a vision expert, but worked as a mechanical automation guy for quite awhile. The conversations over accuracy of the lens versus resolution were always interesting conversations. Thankfully, when the FOV was increased there were some tricks and calibrations that could be helpful as the FOV showed the curvature. Always fun while measuring a straight line. Yeah, I got to build the calibration gauges... Appreciated. Wayne.
Haven't had a chance to test if it holds zero, but mounts just fine and has nice clear glass. Centered vertically true to a plumb line with the crosshairs which is always a plus!It's a great th-cam.com/users/postUgkxc4K63Fd5LglDMObu7-Bgapxp_ef0W8hE scope. There's no parallax adjustment or focus ring, so may be limited to 3-7x, have to see how it is on the range. Also be aware that the rings are "look through" so you can still use irons, but they are really tall if you only intend to use the optics. On a 22LR no biggie since I'm not shooting competitions or worried about a hard cheek press. Will boresight and range test, if all goes well, I'll leave it at that!
i would like to see a old bad scope on the test rig to show what would be a fail as a reference.
I'm sure we can make that happen!
I'd like to see this scope on US Optics test rig, that high frequency fibration zaps the hell out of them.
@@jeff9062 I have seen some tests of high end scopes on that rig. Interesting results…
Check out their review on the Monstrum Tactical scope they did. It was a fail.
I have an Athlon Ares 4.5-27x50 and its been fantastic! its tracked true out to max elevation shooting a 22lr to 400yrds and its always returned to my 50yrd zero without a hitch. Athlon is a major player in the budget optics market and is really blowing away their competition in bang for buck return on investment!
Very good. Optics are to expensive for trial and error. Good to see someone doing precision testing on rifle scopes. Looking forward to see other scopes tested. Keep up the good work!
I've always considered Athlon's premium options damn near the best bang for the buck in their class. As far as your testing procedure(s) and equipment, holy smokes! I'm sure as you do it a dozen times or so you'll get a heck of a lot quicker. I know this might sound like a big NO, but I personally think it would awesome if you picked some of the "Top Claimed" scopes out there and put them through your stringent ringer. Not to bash any companies or the prices they demand, but to just really show who and what makes a Good/Bad scope. Because honestly what's the point of only testing 1, 2, or $3k glass and stating these are quality! Like, what point of reference do I have? Just for the nerd factor of knowing that something that costs 3-4x as much as my primary arms, swampfoxes or budget minded vortex's is just more precise/clear and therefore just better?
Make sure an verify your printer for accuracy. As a retired IT professional I can testify to how often they are inaccurate.
Excellent job, Gavin. I'm also an engineer and have tried to develop targets to accurately test tracking and reticle markings but it wasn't easy, but this is ideally what I would have wanted to do. It is really great that you take your skills and time to do this for us. I'm looking forward to upcoming additions you mentioned to get objective comparisons. Keep up the great work!
I love this sort of technical testing. Please keep it up! Excellent video.
Wow, very thorough testing. It's amazing how much you get for your money compared to just a few years ago.
I first used Athlon on my CZ 22 rifle.So impressed.I've got Athlons on my Rem 7 mag and on my Winchester 270.Zero issues a great great scope !!
You could add a light meter for both through the scope and a set reference point to test true light percentage pass through. Just a thought, keep up the great work!
Great job. I love the detailed info. I’d like to see a video on how you level a scope using the flat bottom surface instead of the turret cap.
Great idea John. We can incorporate that in a video soon.
I would say you diffidently took scope testing to the next level. I almost passed on this video, as this scope is more scope than I need.
The cheaper Athlon Midas Tac 6-24x50 or 4-16x44 might be good enough if you want lighter weight.
Coming soon Ultimate Optics 😎🔭 from your friends at Ultimate Reloader 👍
Great idea!
I’ve used my wedge scope level Arisaka and my Wheeler bubble level at the same time. Both were pretty much spot on. I was mounting my Vortex PST Gen 2.
Impressive! Wondered for a while why no one on youtube does testing of the manufacturers data number claims on scopes. Cheers
Cyclops does good reviews. Very biased against Vortex. But do like his reviews in general
I wouldn't say he's biased, just gives his experience. He's not the only one who has had those experiences either...
Great work mate! Love your precision and pure data approach! 🔥🔥
Over the years of watching your channel I come accustom to unbiased data driven reviews no matter what the product is you are reviewing. As of late rather waisting time looking at other TH-cam or magazine reviews on products I am looking to purchase, I just look to see if your channel did a review and judge my purchase based on your findings
Thanks Thomas- glad you are finding the content helpful! Thanks for watching!
Always nice to have someone else doing similar tests and showing them on various scopes, I didn't really see anything too much I couldn't pickup from say Cyclops, DLO, or Rex or Sniper's Hide for example. If I stopped their vid and look at their targets, I can pick that kind of stuff out. Some of the stuff they actually record there, isn't alway broken out the way you did it, such as the magnification confirmation. Some others are using larger spread turret tracking tests than you are too. CA is an important item to many people as well, finding a good way to show that may be a challenge. Seeing a comparison of the higher end Chinese chassis scopes such as this one, at this price point zone, vs the ones on the Japanese L.O.W chassis such as the Cronus, Stryker, Toric, Trijicon and Bushnell would be interesting too, as there are a number of those out there. You have opened a can of worms though, depends how hard you want to go at it.
We are, 1 hoping to continue to improve scope testing on many levels, 2 we want to test all of the scopes that are out there!
Great to have someone curious enough to actually creat a test and then put it together professionally and then break it down for an ordinary joe like me to understand what I’m paying for and actually be useful for my next purchase, wonderful job guys
Nice work again. I have two Athlon scopes and they are great! You are my go to for accurate information.
Perhaps , just perhaps you can greatly simplify your life by using metrics units when you test scope mith MRAD.
This will be way more simple if you test your scope a 100 meter and not 100 yards .
0.1mrad = 1cm at 100m. Way simplier that your conversion calcul.
On the other hand i love your job , pls continue.
Buying this optic, for the price and your in depth review I don’t think their is a better price option for what this optic delivers. Than you for the testing And extremely detailed review
Hi Gaven, really enjoyed your video on the Althlon rifle scope, I am still looking for the ultimate long range scope under $1500 and is very interested in Element Optics and if you could put al 3 of there scopes thrue the same trile as the Athlon Midas Tac that would be awesome to see if they are as advertised. I love your channel love the precision in your testing from bench press to well all of it just enjoy watching and overwhelming evidence in your studies to the best of every product mentioned. Thanks Gaven.
Element Optics would be my last choice for long range scopes. The Blackhound 4-32x56 is currently (December 17 2022) on sale for just over $1000 with their 40% off sale plus use CYCLOPS discount code fir an additional 5% off and free shipping. This scope is made in Japan and normally sells for $1799. The next step up is the Nightforce NX8. Element Nexus or Titan wouldn't even be considered IMHO based on negative value for dollar spent IMHO.
You're much better off buying a much better scope than an Element Optics Nexus scope such as the European made Meopta Optika 6 5-30x56 illuminated MRAD RD for $849.99 on sale currently at Sportsman's. This scope sells for $1299.99 everywhere else. Don't waste your money on Element Optics brand scopes you can buy much better scopes for a lot less money.
Love these geek out sessions. Please mention country of origin as well, since it does matter to a great many. Usually that is one of the top questions asked on retailer websites.Looking forward to seeing more in depth looks at various gear.
Agree
Nearly all Athlon scopes are made in China with the only exception of their Cronus which are made in Japan.
My favorite Athlon product
Do the Vortex Strike Eagle 5-25x56…….deciding between Vortex or Athlon.
Great video. Thanks.
The Athlon Midas Tac and Ares BTR have better glass and turrets with zero stops that don't limit the total elevation travel compared to the Strike Eagle plus the Athlons are less likely to need to be sent in for warranty.
Awesome video!! You should try it on nightforce.
Fabulous video Gavin. What I would be interested in seeing is checking scope level using the bottom flat compared to a real good plumb line as I have also been able to confirm that regardless of the manufacturer of the scope, leveling off of the top of the elevation scope cap does not produce accurate results at all.
Precisely.
Great video, love the new testing details and methods... look forward to seeing more 👍
Good review but you might consider adding a test where you view into strong sunlight as the purple chromatic aberrations on my unit were unacceptable for me. I’m a glass snob though so I know my bar doesn’t reflect the average person’s definition of good glass. The turret was obnoxiously high so I couldn’t close my gun case, so these two issues made me return mine. Outside of those showstopper issues for me, I agree it’s a fantastic scope with excellent tactile feedback for a great value
That is what i was hoping to see!! thanks mate ,ill definitely will be getting a Delta Javlin over this..
You really need to stick with Japan made scopes if you are very particular when it comes to glass and image quality like I myself am. The Athlon Midas Tac, Ares BTR and ETR are so far the only Chinese scopes that IMHO can even come close to Japanese made scopes.
Great video apart from using 100 yards for a Mil scope when you should have used 100 meters makes me wonder if that's where the errors came from.
Gavin, thanks pretty good stuff !! All scopes should be put through the same test,
I bet we'll be surprised with the results with dollar vs results.
Thanks for the in depth review. I am looking for a medium budget $1,000 or less scope for my 6.5 Creedmoor build. This is one of the scopes in contention.
I'd go with the Blackhound 4-32x56 now on sale for 40% off and an additional 5% off and free shipping with CYCLOPS discount code as of December 17 2022. This will cost just over $1000 and normally sells fir $1799. This Blackhound scope is made in Japan and not China. The next comparable step up world get a Nightforce NX8.
If you haven't already purchased your scope, the Athlon Ares BTR Gen 2 4.5-27x50 is on sale at Amazon for $620 with Free shipping and free returns while all other places sell it for $869.99. I like it better than the Midas Tac.
Love this. Great setup/testing rig too!Would want more in-depth scope reviews like this.
What we need is a benchmark for all tests. Something to directly compare the results to.
Like they way you test the scope. But if you test a mil scope shouldn’t you do the tracking test at a 100m and not in 100yards?
0.1Mil = 1cm @ 100m
I've been using one of these on my Bergara B14R for PRS 22 matches and it works great. Tracking is dead on and repeatable.
Outstanding. The only thing I might add would be the ability to test brightness at various magnifications & relative to other scopes.
Very nice review. Very nicely done. And if you're not using it after this testing I'll take it 😁
I thouroghly enjoy all of your videos. Great content!
Can you give us a lot of information about how confident you were in your testing but it didn’t really demonstrate any differences on the overall function in my opinion.
damn i wish it had some type of illumination....everything else seems like a knock out of the park with this one.
Bought three Midas tacs over the years
Hi Guy's,
Please run this scope in a magnum hunting rifle to see how it holds up with magnum recoils. Please no muzzle brake, let it be a real magnum test.
dont they say that a rifle with a brake is more likely to damage a scope than with no brake, due to the brake stopping the recoil more instantly rather than a longer recoil that is absorbed by your body
@@sgtdicko fudd lore
@@sgtdicko buy your ammo and guns online at 🇺🇸 Riveraammunition.com
they are certified FFL dealers, they sell all possible ammunitions and guns available...shipping is done all over the USA and worldwide (fast delivery services)
so on. contact us Riveraammunition.com
This is great content no one else is doing anywhere. I would like to see the scope track after a few thousand rounds and also compare a low-end scope to a high-end scope
Side by side tests would be helpful
I have this scope on my 338 lapua and love it. For the price its hard to beat.
I've got this scope.Its okay.Nothing to really brag on.Idont care for the different turrets..One Tactical on elevation and one capped on windage. I'd rather have them matching.
Compared to my gray colored Arken EP4 624×56 the Athlon is was below.Arken has Japanese glass and cost less money is why ..it was about half the price actually.
I picked the Athlon when my SWFA Super Sniper crashed and they gave me 700.00 so I got the Midas Tace for $125.00.total.
I have the Athlon Cronus BTR Gen 2 and it's a nice one.
Great video Gavin
Great work. Love the testing. Could you test a well proven/ used scope as a bench make. ( nightforce ) To put scale on where it site with other scope brands / models.
This 34mm Midas Tac won't hold a candle to a Nightforce not even their entry level SHV. It does beat the Element Titan, Arken EP5, Vortex Viper PST 2, Strike Eagle, and most sub $900 scopes. Fir some strange reason the cheaper 6-24x50 Midas Tac with 30mm tube was a little sharper on high magnification compared to this one as image quality seemed a bit washed out and soft though a tad brighter.
Great video!!! I would love to see what kind of resuls you get from the Argos BTR Gen2 6-24x50 APMR FFP IR MIL scope. I've been using one on a Ruger Percision Rimfire in 22lr.
I like the new test. Any way you can do a color test? i saw you have a color bar at the bottom.
Subjectively , how does the glass compare on the Midas Tac 5x25 vs the Ares and Cronus? I know you guys are scientists, but the only thing we have without data is opinions. I would lie to hear yours.
I really like the Ares BTR 4.5-27x50 in the $700 price point and Midas Tac 6-24x50 in the $500 price point. I personally don't think the 34mm Midas Tac 5-25x56 is worth the extra cost over the lighter 30mm 6-24x50 that has 85moa of elevation travel and can just add a 20moa rail if needed. I have the Cronus BTR which is Japanese made vs China for the rest of the Athlon scopes. It's Athlons best scope but I personally prefer the Tract Toric ELR instead of the Athlon Cronus. I don't think the Ares ETR 4.5-30x56 is worth buying for $899-$999 especially since they are made in China. Just spend a little more for a Japan made scope instead.
@@commonsense5709 I ended up going with the Cronus. I would have like to looked at the Tract, but it was $500 more than what I paid for the Cronus and out of my budget. I have not used the Cronus enough in different conditions to make a judgement yet.
Nice way to quantify results and do away with the subjectivity built into most scope reviews.
Would be very interested to see a super high-end scope put through this testing to get a comparative baseline, something like a Zero Comp 527 or a Tangent Theta
We would love to do that!
@@Tfox31 I would offer to send you my ZCO while I get my rifle rebarreled here soon, but I've painted/weathered it to match my post-apocalyptic setup, so people might find it a bit off-putting haha
I just bought this scope a week ago from cameralandny, I talked to Doug he helped me with my questions I had and set me up with 34mm rings too, I got a good deal and am happy with my first Anthlon scope.
Doug is a great guy! I have dealt with him the past and he is a stand up guy.
Very, very cool. Love the testing protocol. I wish they would put that reticle in the lower mag Midas Tac.
@HighPriest VaticanAssainWarlok the PRS3 reticle is available for the Tac 6-24x50, I've had one for a couple of years...
Great results. Cool you thought about that camera mount. Nice pictures 👍
Test durability build a rig to simulate recoil so you can put 1000s of rounds and measure scope deterioration and detect weakness that may lead to failure
adjustments after recoil tests and after a large number of dial adjustment
looks like you should be able to detect backlash with your current rig
Keep up the good work
I have this cope on my lapua now but had a cheaper argos on it for 750 rounds. Dialing from 100-1000yds constantly and always returning to zero. Even with the recoil on a lapua it never failed. so i have no problem assuming this one will do even better then the argos. Ive only put 50 threw it since i upgraded and no issues yet.
Fuk, gotta level all my scopes upside down now! Thx guys!
I LOVE ATHLON!!! I had the Midas Tac and now the Cronus and BOTH of them are just awesome!!! I will always try to support Athlon, next is the Eres 20-60x80 spotting scope =)
Buy the Hawke Endurance 25-75x85 instead for under $500 whenever they go on on sale thank me later. It's a better Chinese spotter compared to the Ares 20-60x85 for much cheaper. High magnification is surprisingly clear especially for a Chinese spotting scope.
@@commonsense5709 Really??? I appreciate the feedback
Mine is Helo BTR,8X34X56 ,Has the same glass as yours, love it!!!
The Midas Tac has better HD glass compared the Helos which has good non HD glass.
Use an Arisaka wedge on that bottom surface to level a scope in the rings. It's cheap.
So where is this made. Is this made in the U.S.A ??? HMMM??
China
Machinists parallel to help level the scope. I like it! However, it would be nice to have a video on how you do this off the bottom of the scope. Thanks.
Test a shepherd scope same criteria.
Actually any scope, that’s demanding top price without a scintilla of scrutiny such as what you just did here.
At their prices, you’d figure they would be up front showing what sets them apart or justifies the cost etc....
Shepherd are made in Japan and not China thus the cost difference. Sone if the cheaper scopes might be made in the Philippines but not China.
Awesome review and awesome review process! Please do this for the Vortex lineup.
Always informative, always interesting and always entertaining. Thank you.
I have the 30mm tube version of the midas tac and love it. My testing isn't as scientific. It boiled down to: Will it hold up to the bolt impulse of a M1A? Well, 1,500 rds later it's still holding strong. Still tracks and operates as when I first put it on the rifle. The only scope I have to compare it to is the vortex viper pst gen ii and it's pretty darn close. Overall, best bang for the buck. I don't see where anyone can go wrong with a athlon scope.
Great setup, and optic. I want to try the Midas btr gen2.
Currently on sale at Amazon for under $500 with Free shipping and free returns.
Why no sunshade and why didn’t you show how the zero stops work or rotation of the knobs to see how stiff they are?
Is it just me or was there a slight hint of a blue halo around the target in the last image
It’s not you
@@ronmartblog chromatic aboration
Great video. Once you get your testing process to the point you are satisfied, it would be great to do a side by side comparison (FFP Shootout) with Athlon vs US Optics vs Nightforce vs Schmidt & Bender vs Leupold etc. You would have to hold the objective lens the same (e.g. 56 mm).
Oh thank goodness....the decent music has returned! If only for a moment...🇺🇸
if ANY scope makes the grade on this channel, just buy it
Put the Mark5HD through the same test.
There are optical test charts that can used to better quantify optical clarity.
Confused about Athlon. There are several different models but no indication of what is top level or differences between the options.
Midas HD SFP, Midas Tac, Ares BTR, Ares ETR, Cronus BTR they're all in order right here the only Athlons worth buying that's good enough IMHO.
Glass quality is fuzzy. About the same quality as lowest grade vortex Scopes under $400
There definitely had been a bad batch of them about a year or so ago.
Did you see when power was changed if the rectical stayed square? same for tracking
When the power is changed will parallax focus change?
Very cool testing process
I thought it was great , a little over my head but good to learn from. I have always reloaded and when ever I sight in my hunting rifle I just go to the reloading manual and look at the ballistics for the Cal, bullet, powder , speed ,and how far I want it zeroed in at. So for instance 6.5 Grendel shooting 120 grain GMX Hornady roughly going 2550 FPS, and I want it sighted in for 200yds, I will sight it in to shoot 1.75 in high at a 100yds. I have never used a tactical scope but I would like to learn how to. I just bought a 6.5 creed in a Mossberg Patriate , I put a Vortex 4x12x44 crossfire 2 on it .But I haven't shot it much yet. I am curious about the tactical scopes. A good rangefinder would be needed also. And I haven't seen proof of any long range rangefinder that will actually do what they claim they will do. Like if you are hunting coyotes and you see one out at 380 or 420 yds. running along a treeline or a fence line ,that they will pick up the trees but not the target, and that is no good to me. So I have always just stuck with the regular scopes. Mildot .
Good video. Would love to see this testing on a Sightron SIII or March 10x60.
Would love for you to review the Arken scopes. From what I have seen, they are hard to beat for the money.
Would love to see this compared to athlon Ares ETR or the Cronus BTR
We are well under way with the Cronus. Please keep your attention here we plan on testing every scope we can get our hands on!
VS Arkin EP4
@@Tfox31 Quick question. I currently have a Vortex PST Gen 2 5-25. Would the Ares ETR be worth the upgrade? I've found a place that had the Ares for 899 and I'm just curious. Thank you
@@shanesizemore3654 Great question. I do have a PST Gen 1 and Gen 2. All three are great scopes. If you are talking about the Ares ETR that is the 4.5-30x50 that is a great price! that makes that scope jump up a ranking list for sure!
@@Tfox31 It definitely is. I would post the link but I don't think TH-cam would like that. It's a demo model on Eurooptic but in my experience, every scope I've ordered from them that was a demo still had the original seal
I think scope manufacturers should take a page from Blackhound Optics playbook and start including rings with the scope. I think it's garbage that I should spend $500 - $1,500 on a scope and then have to go out and buy a set of rings for an extra $75 - $200. Good job Blackhound!!!
There's no way for a manufacturer to know what rings will suit the buyers needs. I suppose they could throw in a set that'd work in most situations but personally I'd rather choose rings myself. I don't want to pay the extra cost for the rings they throw in with the scope that I may or may not use.
That's just my way of looking at it.
I would rather have quality scope covers. And a sunshade. Ring height varies depending on rifle. But I like Black hound as well. Monstrum has affordable rings in all sizes and heights. Except 34mm. Arken and Vortex have a good selection in that size. Both retail at $59.
@@p47rr Stay away from Monstrum Tactical very poor quality scopes and rings. The rings can actually ruin your scope during recoil if you don't properly lap them.
Are the units you are actually testing for tracking accuracy and repeatability along with the glass clarity are these units you randomly bought yourselves from a retail location or are they units which were sent to you by the manufacturer for testing and review?
The reason I ask is it is not uncommon for manufacturers to cherry pick the examples of a product they send out to be reviewed and tested hence the results or reviewers opinion may be influenced by the better example which the average retail buyer would not experience the same results or performance.
Excellent point. Reviewers typically get free scopes sent to them from the scope companies or from dealers representing the scope companies. They usually sell them after they review them and that's why you rarely see long term follow up reviews since the reviewed scopes are already long gone. Affiliate links provided by the TH-camr is another telltale sign they got financial benefits in the game.
you put out awesome high quality content thank you
I have that exact scope. It’s really impressive for the price! All I have to compare it to is a leupold mk5. Definitely not as clear, but it’s absolutely incredible for a sub $700 scope!
Where did you find this optic for under $700?? The cheapest I can find it for is $850!
I got mine on sale at Walmart actually. $550
@@byrongough2385 He's probably referring to the cheaper 6-24x50 Midas Tac with the 30mm tube.
I really like the one that i have on my 6.5 PRC
Scope errors are accumulative, not just angular. If you dial 1 mil at 1000 yards you're shooting a real hot rod. Try multiplying your error by some real world data. 2% is fine but it is there.
I have the Cronus and love it. I'd like to see more of these scope tracking tests. How does the cronus compare to other scopes. I personally got rid of my ATACR. Because I think the Athlon Cronus is brighter, clearer, and it definitely Parallax is better at range and the tracking is dead on
To me, it looks like you have the scope reticle (time 12:29) is very, very slightly to the right of the actual grid on paper. Look at the center dot and the vertical line below center - the scope reticle is not in the center, maybe this is why the tracking is a tiny bit off?
I'm curious how you identified the built in distortion of your camera chip. Most industrial vision components publish a distortion component, for both the CCD, and the lens. Basler might be one example I think. Was this part of the consideration? It might be what you call proprietary for now, but just wondering if that was considered.
Wayne- yes! We are using a camera with built-in lens distortion correction specific to the lens we are using. We checked by taking a picture of the target without the scope in the way (at closer range). Good question!
@@Ultimatereloader Gavin, excellent, and thank you for the answer. I wasn't specifically a vision expert, but worked as a mechanical automation guy for quite awhile. The conversations over accuracy of the lens versus resolution were always interesting conversations. Thankfully, when the FOV was increased there were some tricks and calibrations that could be helpful as the FOV showed the curvature. Always fun while measuring a straight line. Yeah, I got to build the calibration gauges... Appreciated. Wayne.
Anybody have a link to a single machinist's parallel bar so I don't have to buy a set?
@Gavin Thanks for the video! Would you mind linking the machnists bar level?
How about eye relief and how forgiving the eye box is?
Great job excellent results
So.where's the part after you mount it on your 300 pc and take more then 5 shots ?
We have shot this scope on several rifles. I just had it on a 6.5 PRC and performed flawless!
I really liked it will this scope work on a 30-378 We or 300 Win mag