Best Scope for an AR15 DMR

Big-Shooter · Sep 2, 2021

Greetings Hide members!
I just got a new AR15 DMR with a stainless/nitride Criterion barrel and I’m excited to see how far I reach-out. Looking for recommendations on the best cope for an AR15 that will be used at both close-range and distances up to 500 yards. Price range is ~$1000 with first focal plane, illuminated reticle.

I’m considering the new Athlon Ares ETR 1-10x24, but haven’t seen one or gotten any feedback yet. It checks all the boxes, except that I would prefer exposed turrets and fully illuminated Christmas tree.
I also have an opportunity for a good deal on a Sig Tango6 2-12x40. That has exposed/locking turrets and very nice glass, but is heavy and has a rather narrow field of view. I considered this same scope for a recent AR10 build, but went in a different direction there…

So, looking for feedback on those scopes or other options for ~$1000 or less. I appreciate the insight many of you have provided in the past!

fdkay · Sep 2, 2021

There isn't a lot of good press on the Athlon offering. Seems a bit of a miss.
Take a look at the trijicon creedo 2-10. It has an amazing FOV, looks like a pretty good reticle, it is illuminated and FFP.
The PST 2 2-10 is pretty solid.

schmi015 · Sep 2, 2021

Just got one of the trijicon credo 2-10x36's, a lot of bang for the buck. Call eurooptic you can get it for less than 900.

White Death · Sep 2, 2021

I've got a nightforce nx8 2.5-20x on my ar15 dmr. It's above your ideal price range but is spectacular.

Big-Shooter · Sep 2, 2021

I haven’t seen the Trijicon Credo before. I checked-out the Trijicon Ten-Mile for an AR10 build and was quite impressed. Anyone have details beyond those on the website? Where’s it made? Build quality? Etc…

Big-Shooter · Sep 2, 2021

@White Death A local shop had a Nightforce NX8 2.5-20. I will agree that’s a spectacular optic, but unfortunately it’s more $$$ than I can afford right now. There was one posted on the Optics Exchange for $1550, but that’s still outside my budget.

schmi015 · Sep 2, 2021

Its made in Japan, build quality is good, glass is sharp. Reticle illum is real good. I'm not diggin it out of the safe right now but It goes from barely noticeable, noticeable, to bright, then nuclear bright. If I recall there are ten illum settings. Clicks are positive and don't really make noise. For the price its really hard to beat, IMHO.

This convinced me to pick one up: https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/trijicon-credo-2-10x36-ffp-review.7023229/

Big-Shooter · Sep 2, 2021

@schmi015 Thanks for the info! I literally just finished reading the review you linked, just before reading your reply! The Credo is looking like a good option! I like the reticle, and built-in throw lever. I’m a Michigan boy, and Trijicon is a local company (even if the scope is made in Japan). The only thing I’m not a fan of is the capped windage turret, I prefer an exposed/locking turret. But, that’s a much smaller concern than poor optics or a bad reticle.

4thandbleek · Sep 3, 2021

Save a few more bucks and for about 1k out the door get a Bushnell Elite Tactical DMR FFP 3.5-21x with the G2 reticle.

Night Vision Viking · Sep 3, 2021

I've used the S&B 5-20x50 PMII UltraShort and love it. I went from shooting A-C hits to doing 5 shot groups within 4-5 cm.

I understand the 5x minimum may not be perfect for close-ups.

Most of the SF and DMR went for 3-20x or the S&B 1-8x24 Dual CC Shortdot, also a very nice sight but pricey.

Going to try out the S&B 3-20 UltraShort now, which the Canadians went for.

Night Vision Viking · Sep 3, 2021

I have the Athlon Helos BTR 1-10x28 Gen 2 here with me. Made in China.

It's pretty decent, go for it! Reticle may be a bit "big" for fine work at a distance.

z71rat · Sep 3, 2021

Arken Optics Gen2 6-24 is a far better choice than the Athlon in my opinion. They are in stock as well. $449.00!!

DK

fdkay · Sep 3, 2021

Big-Shooter said:
@schmi015 Thanks for the info! I literally just finished reading the review you linked, just before reading your reply! The Credo is looking like a good option! I like the reticle, and built-in throw lever. I’m a Michigan boy, and Trijicon is a local company (even if the scope is made in Japan). The only thing I’m not a fan of is the capped windage turret, I prefer an exposed/locking turret. But, that’s a much smaller concern than poor optics or a bad reticle.

Most folks do not dial wind. They dial elevation and hold for wind. There is no reason not to have a capped or locking windage. Caps are simpler, cheaper and more reliable.

schmi015 · Sep 3, 2021

Night Vision Viking said:
I've used the S&B 5-20x50 PMII UltraShort and love it. I went from shooting A-C hits to doing 5 shot groups within 4-5 cm.

I understand the 5x minimum may not be perfect for close-ups.

Most of the SF and DMR went for 3-20x or the S&B 1-8x24 Dual CC Shortdot, also a very nice sight but pricey.

Going to try out the S&B 3-20 UltraShort now, which the Canadians went for.

Dude that so awesome for recommending a Schmidt when it's 3x the price limit the OP was asking about. @Big-Shooter dont worry about the capped windage , that's why you have the christmas style reticle

Steel head · Sep 3, 2021

fdkay said:
Most folks do not dial wind. They dial elevation and hold for wind. There is no reason not to have a capped or locking windage. Caps are simpler, cheaper and more reliable.

On an AR15 even a DMR I’d prefer capped elevation and windage, I plan on replacing the 1x4 on my SPR build for just that reason.
It’s faster and simpler to hold everything at reasonable 223 distances.

stefan73 · Sep 3, 2021

schmi015 said:
Dude that so awesome for recommending a Schmidt when it's 3x the price limit the OP was asking about. @Big-Shooter dont worry about the capped windage , that's why you have the christmas style reticle

So you're saying he wouldn't want a Steiner M8Xi?

drewthebrave · Sep 3, 2021

If you could afford the Razor G3, that's probably the 1-10x optic worth getting. If you're limited to a max $1000 budget, I'd look at a 1-6x (Delta Stryker) or 2-10x (Trijicon Credo) instead. For what it's worth, I have an Athlon Ares BTR 2.5-15x Gen 1 on my Mock12 SPR and absolutely love it. The Ares Gen 2 is on sale at Camerland for about $700 at the moment, and I think it's one of the better value optics you'll find.

You can also get the new 3-18x ETR for under $900 right now, which seems like a smoking value -- but it's about a half pound heavier than the Ares:

Product Description

Product Description | Camera Land NY

cameralandny.com

smoothy8500 · Sep 3, 2021

Night Vision Viking said:
I've used the S&B 5-20x50 PMII UltraShort and love it. I went from shooting A-C hits to doing 5 shot groups within 4-5 cm.

schmi015 said:

Dude that so awesome for recommending a Schmidt when it's 3x the price limit the OP was asking about.

Click to expand...

Yeah, but look how much more accurate it made him.....

Big-Shooter · Sep 3, 2021

Thanks to everyone for all the feedback! Just as a reminder, this is basically a 10-500 yard rifle, so I’m not looking for extreme magnification. I’m looking for something in the 1-8 up to 2-12 magnification range, and the $1000ish price range is pretty firm. I would love a Nightforce, Steiner or Schmidt & Bender, but then my marriage would probably end badly! LOL!
@drewthebrave I saw the sale at Cameraland and I’m looking at the 3-18 Ares ETR you mentioned for a .308 AR10 build, and will probably pick that up this weekend.
@koshkin gave the Ares ETR 4.5-30 a pretty good review. He also has positive feedback for the Delta Stryker, but I was looking for a little more than 6x magnification,
I was interested in the new Ares ETR 1-10x24 for this AR15 build, but a couple people have suggested this new release might not be as good. I know they are new, but I was hoping maybe another member might already have one/give some feedback. Several recommendations for the Trijicon Credo at a similar price may make that the way to go…

TurboTrout · Sep 4, 2021

Got a Swarovski 18x and RDS on a 45 offset on mine.

Night Vision Viking · Sep 6, 2021

schmi015 said:
Dude that so awesome for recommending a Schmidt when it's 3x the price limit the OP was asking about.

Yeah I noted the price range a little too late. Hence my other recommendation and 2nd post. You're welcome.

Big-Shooter · Sep 10, 2021

Thanks to everyone for your advice! I wasn’t the only one who thought the Tango6 was a good deal, someone else beat me to that one. I was able to check-out the Trijicon Credo in 1-6x24 FFP, 2-10x56 SFP and 2.5-15x42 SFP. The 1-6x24 and 2.5-15x42 had great glass and we’re very bright! I wish I could find a 2-10x36 locally to check-out, but the view from the others puts the Credo high on my list.

Nobody around here carries Athlon, but I checked online reviews for the Helos 2-12x42 and the specs are pretty much exactly what I would want (except China built). Good reviews and Cameraland can’t seem to keep them in-stock, which leads me to believe it might also be a solid offering. But, I’m reluctant to order without getting hands-on experience with anything from the Athlon line-up.

I know it’s a very specific ask, but does anyone have experience with both?

drewthebrave · Sep 10, 2021

While I can't compare my Athlon Ares to a Credo, it's a solid step above my SWFA 3-15x in terms of image resolution. The SWFA is built to survive the apocalypse and tracks like a champ, so I'll probably keep it forever on my backup hunting rifle - but the Ares is my new favorite optic for the price. Tracking is damn near as good for all I can tell, glass is nicer, reticle is fantastic, locking turrets & zero stop are very nice, and illumination is a great bonus. Looking through the SWFA is fine, but the Athlon resolves more details on targets obstructed by brush and shadows in the field, making it the perfect fit for my SPR/coyote gun. It's no Razor HD, but it's well worth the asking price. Based on my experience with the Ares BTR, I have the Helos 2-12x on a shortlist for my mini-Recce.

charnicus · Sep 10, 2021

I was gonna mention the Athlon 2-12 too. Sub your price range. Looks pretty decent for what it is and something I wish more manufacturers were paying attention to form wise.

JDB55 · Sep 12, 2021

If you want a 1-6x which will get you out to 500 yards(albeit not with as good of PID) get the delta Stryker 1-6x24 which has already been mentioned. You won't regret it. Email Charles Follett at darnfineshot.com, ask him for his best price. If you want to see "behind the scope" go watch C_does review on YouTube. It'll tell you everything you need to know.

If you want more magnification and can wait a bit and spend a bit more money, Tract optics is releasing a 2.5-15x44 illuminated ffp and sfp sometime at the end of this year, will come in around $1100 and will be a nice japanese scope. I'm waiting on this for an AR10 DMR.

Tract is also releasing there new 1-8x24 illuminated LPVO at the end of this year if you want something with a 1x but a bit more than 6x magnification, it should be a decent scope and run around $1200 as well. Just throwing some other names in there.

ChrisAU · Sep 12, 2021

I have a Credo 2.5-15x42 and an Athlon 2-12x42. The Credo is nice, I paid less than $800 for it and I can’t find anything I like enough to replace it. However, I LOVE the Athlon. The Athlon has a better reticle and better turrets imo. I like it so much that I have another 2-12 and a 4-20 coming that I should get tomorrow. The glass on the Trijicon is slightly better but I don’t have any complaints looking through the Athlon.

Big-Shooter · Sep 14, 2021

@JDB55, Thanks for the info on Tract. I am giving serious consideration to the Toric 4-20x50mm with 30mm tube for an AR10 build. The specs on that scope are everything I am looking for on that build, except the weight at 34oz. I’ve heard lots of good things about the Tract scopes though, so I might convince myself that the features (great glass, great reticle, locking turrets, etc..) are worth the weight penalty.
I had also looked at their current 3-15 and 2-10 offerings and I’m not excited about the reticles and lack of illumination. I want to shoot both rifles this fall, but I will check-out the new models if I delay my decision they long. I definitely appreciate the insight!

JDB55 · Sep 14, 2021

Big-Shooter said:
@JDB55, Thanks for the info on Tract. I am giving serious consideration to the Toric 4-20x50mm with 30mm tube for an AR10 build. The specs on that scope are everything I am looking for on that build, except the weight at 34oz. I’ve heard lots of good things about the Tract scopes though, so I might convince myself that the features (great glass, great reticle, locking turrets, etc..) are worth the weight penalty.
I had also looked at their current 3-15 and 2-10 offerings and I’m not excited about the reticles and lack of illumination. I want to shoot both rifles this fall, but I will check-out the new models if I delay my decision they long. I definitely appreciate the insight!

Yeah, no problem. I agree about the 4-20, it's a good mag range but the weight is really high. I've looked through the higher mag toric, the 4-30 I think, glass was great and it's fit and finish are excellent, they are just really heavy scopes if your not going to be shooting from a bench rest. I'm hoping the 2.5-15x44 is going to come in well under 30 ounces but as of yet they haven't been able to give me a weight estimation when contacting them..for the price though it should be a good scope.

Clayman · Sep 14, 2021

Big-Shooter said:
Greetings Hide members!
I just got a new AR15 DMR with a stainless/nitride Criterion barrel and I’m excited to see how far I reach-out. Looking for recommendations on the best cope for an AR15 that will be used at both close-range and distances up to 500 yards. Price range is ~$1000 with first focal plane, illuminated reticle.

I’m considering the new Athlon Ares ETR 1-10x24, but haven’t seen one or gotten any feedback yet. It checks all the boxes, except that I would prefer exposed turrets and fully illuminated Christmas tree.
I also have an opportunity for a good deal on a Sig Tango6 2-12x40. That has exposed/locking turrets and very nice glass, but is heavy and has a rather narrow field of view. I considered this same scope for a recent AR10 build, but went in a different direction there…

So, looking for feedback on those scopes or other options for ~$1000 or less. I appreciate the insight many of you have provided in the past!

How would you feel about something like the Vortex PST GEN II 3-15x44 EBR-7C MRAD FFP with an offset red dot? It would probably push you budget a bit after mount and red dot but it's a good option imo.

14", 28oz

Big-Shooter · Sep 14, 2021

@ChrisAU, Just to confirm, is your Athlon 2-12x42 the Helos? I can see why you would like the reticle on the Helos better than the Credo 2.5-15x42, as I believe that one is SFP with no Christmas tree. The 2-10x36 is a Christmas tree reticle with 0.5 MRAD scaling on the main axis & 0.2 MRAD scaling for the hold marks below, making it nice for precision work. While the Helos features the circle-dot for quick low-mag target acquisition and also has 0.5 MRAD scaling on the main axis, the hold marks are scaled at 1 MRAD, making it a little less precise. If I could combine those 2 reticles and add the locking turrets of the Helos, that would be the ideal DMR/SPR scope in my opinion.

Any chance that you’ll post a quick review of the Helos 4-20 when it arrives? That seems like another potential option for my AR10 build, with similar features to the Toric at less cost than the Toric or the Ares ETR 3-18 that I’ve been looking at…

Big-Shooter · Sep 14, 2021

drewthebrave said:
While I can't compare my Athlon Ares to a Credo, it's a solid step above my SWFA 3-15x in terms of image resolution. The SWFA is built to survive the apocalypse and tracks like a champ, so I'll probably keep it forever on my backup hunting rifle - but the Ares is my new favorite optic for the price. Tracking is damn near as good for all I can tell, glass is nicer, reticle is fantastic, locking turrets & zero stop are very nice, and illumination is a great bonus. Looking through the SWFA is fine, but the Athlon resolves more details on targets obstructed by brush and shadows in the field, making it the perfect fit for my SPR/coyote gun. It's no Razor HD, but it's well worth the asking price. Based on my experience with the Ares BTR, I have the Helos 2-12x on a shortlist for my mini-

Clayman said:
How would you feel about something like the Vortex PST GEN II 3-15x44 EBR-7C MRAD FFP with an offset red dot? It would probably push you budget a bit after mount and red dot but it's a good option imo.

14", 28oz

I would absolutely consider a PST Gen2 with the EBR-7C reticle! But, I didn’t think Vortex was using that reticle on the PST Gen2. On their website, they are showing the EBR4. An online retailer recently had the PST Gen2 with EBR4 reticle on-sale, and I got excited because the image they posted had the EBR-7C, but a little investigation confirmed no Christmas tree…

Are there some PSTs out there with the EBr-7C?

roostercogburn98 · Sep 14, 2021

Like this?https://www.focuscamera.com/viper-pst-gen-ii-5-25x50-ffp-riflescope-ebr-7c-mrad-reticle.html

Big-Shooter · Sep 14, 2021

@Clayman, I have to correct myself! I checked the Vortex website again and they do offer the PST Gen2 on 3-15x44woth the EBR-7C reticle! Thanks for the advice! Another solid option, with larger high-end magnification.

Clayman · Sep 14, 2021

Big-Shooter said:
@Clayman, I have to correct myself! I checked the Vortex website again and they do offer the PST Gen2 on 3-15x44woth the EBR-7C reticle! Thanks for the advice! Another solid option, with larger high-end magnification.

Haha you had me confused for a minute, I was like, was my dumbass looking at the wrong thing? All good.

If you want to save a little bit of money they discontinued the ebr-2c model and some retailers have them for $650. Reticle is almost the same and illuminated area isn't quite as good but it's still a decent Christmas tree.

https://www.eurooptic.com/Vortex-Viper-PST-3-15x44-EBR-2C-MRAD-PST-3158.aspx

If you were interested in buying anything mentioned you should give @Spartan Precision Arms a dm. Very good prices, fast free shipping and no sales tax.

ChrisAU · Sep 14, 2021

Big-Shooter said:
@ChrisAU, Just to confirm, is your Athlon 2-12x42 the Helos? I can see why you would like the reticle on the Helos better than the Credo 2.5-15x42, as I believe that one is SFP with no Christmas tree. The 2-10x36 is a Christmas tree reticle with 0.5 MRAD scaling on the main axis & 0.2 MRAD scaling for the hold marks below, making it nice for precision work. While the Helos features the circle-dot for quick low-mag target acquisition and also has 0.5 MRAD scaling on the main axis, the hold marks are scaled at 1 MRAD, making it a little less precise. If I could combine those 2 reticles and add the locking turrets of the Helos, that would be the ideal DMR/SPR scope in my opinion.

Any chance that you’ll post a quick review of the Helos 4-20 when it arrives? That seems like another potential option for my AR10 build, with similar features to the Toric at less cost than the Toric or the Ares ETR 3-18 that I’ve been looking at…

Yes sir, got it in yesterday and I really really like it just like my two 2-12x42’s. The 4-20 reticle is a more traditional tree with a floating dot. My Credo is the 2.5-15x42 SFP, and I like the idea of the 2-10x36 Credo I just find myself having a really hard time buying anything else right now with those Helos’ available. If I wasn’t such a snob I might even replace the Mark 5 3.6-18 on my 6.5 PRC with one, I like them that much for the price. I currently have a 2-12 on a 224 Valkyrie and on a 6.5 Grendel, and will put the 4-20 on a Jard 17 WSM I am building. I may grab another 4-20 for a bolt action 300 PRC. Nothing in the $500-$1000 bracket interests me anymore with these new Athlons. Time will tell if they are durable and reliable, that is definitely the unknown right now with them being so new, but they feel like tanks which is confidence inspiring and yet at the same time are in the 24-27 oz bracket. If a bigger name such as NF or Leupold made the exact same scopes with different badges on them and added $300-$400 for the name and say some Japanese higher level glass they’d be the only scope I owned.

sparky702 · Sep 15, 2021

Clayman said:
Haha you had me confused for a minute, I was like, was my dumbass looking at the wrong thing? All good.

If you want to save a little bit of money they discontinued the ebr-2c model and some retailers have them for $650. Reticle is almost the same and illuminated area isn't quite as good but it's still a decent Christmas tree.

https://www.eurooptic.com/Vortex-Viper-PST-3-15x44-EBR-2C-MRAD-PST-3158.aspx

If you were interested in buying anything mentioned you should give @Spartan Precision Arms a dm. Very good prices, fast free shipping and no sales tax.

I picked one of those up from euro-optic . they are having close out sale's . 699.00 out the door free 2nd day shipping . It is a perfect fit for my 18 inch 5.56 rifle .

Gustav7 · Sep 15, 2021

ChrisAU said:
Yes sir, got it in yesterday and I really really like it just like my two 2-12x42’s. The 4-20 reticle is a more traditional tree with a floating dot. My Credo is the 2.5-15x42 SFP, and I like the idea of the 2-10x36 Credo I just find myself having a really hard time buying anything else right now with those Helos’ available. If I wasn’t such a snob I might even replace the Mark 5 3.6-18 on my 6.5 PRC with one, I like them that much for the price. I currently have a 2-12 on a 224 Valkyrie and on a 6.5 Grendel, and will put the 4-20 on a Jard 17 WSM I am building. I may grab another 4-20 for a bolt action 300 PRC. Nothing in the $500-$1000 bracket interests me anymore with these new Athlons. Time will tell if they are durable and reliable, that is definitely the unknown right now with them being so new, but they feel like tanks which is confidence inspiring and yet at the same time are in the 24-27 oz bracket. If a bigger name such as NF or Leupold made the exact same scopes with different badges on them and added $300-$400 for the name and say some Japanese higher level glass they’d be the only scope I owned.

This is what I keep hearing about these Helos models. I just picked up a 2-12 today from @gr8fuldoug. Should be a perfect match for my Bergara BXR and one of my SPR's until I get another scope down the line. Hard to resist that price tag and the glowing reviews from them.

JDB55 · Sep 15, 2021

The Meopta optika6 3-18x50 is also another good option I had researched out. I really like the reticle DLO made for them.

MotoSinge · Sep 15, 2021

Kahles K318i

BCP · Sep 15, 2021

I have a couple older leupold tacticals with the m3 dials which are great AR15 "DMR" scopes. The Bushnell LRHS 3-12 is a good choice too.

Big-Shooter · Sep 17, 2021

ChrisAU said:
If I wasn’t such a snob I might even replace the Mark 5 3.6-18 on my 6.5 PRC with one, I like them that much for the price. I currently have a 2-12 on a 224 Valkyrie and on a 6.5 Grendel, and will put the 4-20 on a Jard 17 WSM I am building. I may grab another 4-20 for a bolt action 300 PRC. Nothing in the $500-$1000 bracket interests me anymore with these new Athlons. Time will tell if they are durable and reliable, that is definitely the unknown right now with them being so new, but they feel like tanks which is confidence inspiring and yet at the same time are in the 24-27 oz bracket. If a bigger name such as NF or Leupold made the exact same scopes with different badges on them and added $300-$400 for the name and say some Japanese higher level glass they’d be the only scope I owned.

Thanks for the update on the Helos 4-20! I have the same “snob” problem you do. I really like everything I’ve read about the Helos 2-12x42 (and 4-20 too) but I just can’t convince myself that these inexpensive optics can truly compete with options like the Trijicon Credo or Vortex PST without actually seeing it for myself. I may just have to reach-out to @gr8fuldoug at Cameraland to see what he has left from this last shipment and get my hands on one. Nobody in lower MI seems to stock Athlon…

Big-Shooter · Sep 17, 2021

JDB55 said:
The Meopta optika6 3-18x50 is also another good option I had researched out. I really like the reticle DLO made for them.

Thanks for the link! I watched the comparison video. The Meopta Optika looks nice, but I prefer a fully illuminated reticle to the illuminated crosshairs only. Great comparison to the PST though!

308ftWIN · Sep 17, 2021

The PA GLX 2.5-10 has been tempting me lately. Made in Phillipines. Only thing that looks like a detriment is not daylight bright, but the ACSS horseshoe reticles are relatively usable without illumination.

jwynne5227 · Sep 19, 2022

I just pulled the trigger on the Helos 2-12 with all the good I've been hearing about it and Amazon has a $150 coupon for it bring it to about 380 before tax, too good a deal to pass up!

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