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Rifle Scopes Athlon Optics Argos BTR Gen II 10-40 x 56
- Thread starter Lesloan
- Start date
The Gen 2 is a big upgrade in turrets. I've looked through plenty we've sent customers, of course you're not going to get NF BR series glass at a fraction of the price, but for your needs I'm sure it would work well. Haven't had any complaints from those we've sent out.
Picked up a Gen 1 10-40x56 awhile back for really cheap. The reticle is nice for shooting off the bench. Haven't used it much but comparing against my Vortex GEs and Sightron SIII 45x45, the resolution isn't as good and the picture is darker but is definitely useable. Can't complain about a pretty decent scope for $230. I'm putting together a 221 Fireball to see how accurate I can get it at 100 yards and will use the 10-40 on that. I most likely won't buy any more made in China scopes after this virus crap though.
I have a gen 1 6-24x50 on my 6.5 creed due to budget constraints. Its definitely a cheaper scope and you can see it in clarity but Iv took this one out to 765 yards and it dials within 2% based on my tall target test. This is the second Iv had. My first one would be erritatic trying to zero so I called them and I believe it was the owner that answered the phone and was very helpful. He asked me to run a tall target and call him back so I did and it failed. He asked me to mail it in. 6 days after I dropped it off at the UPS drop off I had a brand new one at my door. All this customer service for a scope I only paid $285 for. I'm well pleased. Cant wait to try this scope out to 1000. With the 20moa base and 100 yard zero I still 60.25 moa of elevation left too!
Thanks for the response! Where in heck did you get one for $230? I was looking at one on Optics Planet for about twice that and it was advertised as being a big sale price! Is yours the Athlon Argos BTR Gen II 10-30 x 56?
Drat! I checked on line and the price is really $430, not $230. Still the best price I've found so far, though, so if I decide to go this way Camera Land is probably where I'll buy. Much obliged!
I've done a little more searching, and found that Camera Land, Optics Planet and Amazon all have it for the same price, $430. Haven't looked anywhere else. As an Amazon Prime member I get free 2-day shipping but still have to pay Arkansas sales tax of about 10%. With my Amazon Visa I also get a small rebate on the purchase price but it's not a lot, maybe $10 or so. Do you know if the others do the same? With all of them having the same price then tax and shipping costs would be (maybe) the only real difference.
Before you buy it online give doug a call on Tuesday. He also doesnt charge sales to all states.
I'd love to chat if you like, we include a lever, level, shipping, and no tax with our orders
, along with a discount on rings or mounts at the same time....aaaaaand a 'hide specific discount.
I'm an Athlon Whore running a Athlon Argos BTR 10-40X56 on my Savage 6.5CM based FrankenGun. Mines a Gen1 and I'm never giving it up. It's the only scope that rivals a Vortex Golden Eagle for a fraction of the price.
VooDoo
VooDoo
I had a gen 1 and now have a gen 2 and I’ve had a Golden Eagle. I had a Cronus on my .22 but it was overkill for bench shooting so I bought the gen 2. The gen 2 turrets are much improved and feel like a Midas TAC. The glass is good for its intended purpose of shooting benchrest targets. It won’t be as good as a GE but my GE didn’t exactly have mind blowing glass.
From what I can tell, the next step up would be a Sightmark Latitude 10-40 in the $700 range. The only info I could find in those is they are made in the Phillipines. Supposedly that Sightmark line and the Pinnacle line are better quality than the rest of their stuff. There are also some Sightron SIII 10-50 closeouts floating around in the $600 range but reticle choices are limited and the ones I’ve seen have capped turrets. I also like the zero stop on the Argos gen 2. I go from 50 to 200 yards with a .22 and getting back to zero at 50 quickly is a nice convenience.
The only negative on my sample wasn’t readily apparent. The turrets line up perfectly out of the box, however when they are reset after zeroing they may or may not line up right. I might check with Athlon about this depending on how it turns out when I re-zero for different ammo.
From what I can tell, the next step up would be a Sightmark Latitude 10-40 in the $700 range. The only info I could find in those is they are made in the Phillipines. Supposedly that Sightmark line and the Pinnacle line are better quality than the rest of their stuff. There are also some Sightron SIII 10-50 closeouts floating around in the $600 range but reticle choices are limited and the ones I’ve seen have capped turrets. I also like the zero stop on the Argos gen 2. I go from 50 to 200 yards with a .22 and getting back to zero at 50 quickly is a nice convenience.
The only negative on my sample wasn’t readily apparent. The turrets line up perfectly out of the box, however when they are reset after zeroing they may or may not line up right. I might check with Athlon about this depending on how it turns out when I re-zero for different ammo.
I got to handle and play with a Gen2 Argos and the turrets are no better than my Gen1 which was a late run of the Gen1 scopes. So I maybe got the turret upgrade in my late model Gen 1?
I really wanted a GE but having looked thru a few and played with them I just don't see it being 3X the scope of the Athlon. Basically I'm buying these for the reticle....the glass really is not a driving consideration for me.
VooDoo
I really wanted a GE but having looked thru a few and played with them I just don't see it being 3X the scope of the Athlon. Basically I'm buying these for the reticle....the glass really is not a driving consideration for me.
VooDoo
Exactly. I’m shooting a black and white target exclusively with this rifle. I don’t need low light capability, superb contrast, perfect color rendition, etc. I need a clear image and reliable mechanicals, and the Argos delivers for my purposes.
That got my attention, however that model was mil dot with moa knobs from what I remember. Been there, never again.
I suppose the Argos line would compare to the Vortex Diamondback, but not really sure. It all depends on the line, I think the Ares ETR is much nicer than the PST II, and I’ve had both. Many people say the Cronus is up there with Razor G2. Generally speaking I believe the lower end lines compare with scopes from well known brands that are ~ $50-75 more in street price than the Athlon equivalent. The 10-40 has nothing comparable in the general price range so it’s hard to say exactly.
The one thing I can offer is that once you stop doing the comparison and online research dance and just pull the trigger and order, you will be happy for the intended purpose. I have a Gen 1 on my Ruger RPR and it’s a fine scope for the price. I also run an Ares on my 6mm Creed and while it’s certainly a step up, i was really surprised at how well the Argos stood up against it.
Comparison can be subjective. Clarity is something each person will decide what is acceptable and what is not. Now tracking the turrets can be measured head to head. My Eres ETR I would put up against scopes at 2x the price. It tracks with amazing repeatability, the clarity is very very good and it has a pretty decent Christmas tree type reticle. The reviews have been nothing but great. It's priced in a middle field class at $1100. There is a lot of good scopes for that money. $$ for $$ I'd say once you get out of the low end budget scopes Athlon's quality is above a majority of the similar competition. YMMV.
I got my gen ii 10-40x56 a couple of months back. I have it on my 22-250 and it’s great. I liked it so much I bought a Midas TAC 5-25x56. I’m just getting back into shooting after returning from sabbatical. I find myself replacing my old scopes with different model Athlons because they’re so much better.
You’ll be happy with the Gen ii Argos 10-40x. Their tracking is dead on, great zero stop, center dot reticle and I can see 22cal holes at 200yards. You can’t beat Athlon without paying a whole bunch more. That’s just my humble opinion
You’ll be happy with the Gen ii Argos 10-40x. Their tracking is dead on, great zero stop, center dot reticle and I can see 22cal holes at 200yards. You can’t beat Athlon without paying a whole bunch more. That’s just my humble opinion
Thanks! I did get one, from a local guy. It has everything you mention PLUS it came with a set of flip-up lens caps and a sunshade, saving me about $50 on buying them separately. Haven't had a chance to try it yet (my ring bases haven't come in), so I can't comment on the optics. FWIW, it's not my first Athlon. I got a Midas 6-24x50 a couple of months ago and it has the same features, except it didn't come with lens caps or sunshade. I like it very well; so much that it was the reason for my buying the subject Argos.
I forgot about the lens covers that came with mine but it didn’t have a sunshade. I bought a cronus gen 2 btr 4.5-29 x56 this morning from a guy on here that had 4 Cronus’ for sale. I can’t wait to put it on my first custom rig that I’m in the process of building. I tell you what, Athlon has a scope for every occasion and at a fair price.
I finally got a chance to try the scope at the range. For the most part, it's a very nice scope. Repeatibility is perfect, the turrets couldn't be better and it has a really solid, simple and effective zero stop. The optics at 40x (the only magnification I used) were good but not great. I'd rate them "acceptable". The only real criticism I have is that the reticle is too fine. I'd really like for it to be a bit coarser and easier to see. It's acceptable, I'd grade it a "C", but better visibility would be nice. Otherwise I think this is a heck of a scope for the money but I don't think I'd recommend it to anybody who has vision problems.
See, it's all subjective. I love the super thin reticle and center dot....I never run mime at 40X unless I'm counting holes...at 32X it rocks glass wise. I found the same with the Vortex Golden Eagle. At absolute max. magnification shit starts to fall apart...don't run them wide open.
Run them conservatively and not at absolute max and you'll have a better opinion of all of the higher magnification scopes regardless of price. I love that super thin reticle with tiny center dot...it's not too fine depending on what yer doing with it.
None of the scopes except those that cost what a car does look all that good at max mag.
VooDoo
Run them conservatively and not at absolute max and you'll have a better opinion of all of the higher magnification scopes regardless of price. I love that super thin reticle with tiny center dot...it's not too fine depending on what yer doing with it.
None of the scopes except those that cost what a car does look all that good at max mag.
VooDoo
Thanks for the suggestion, Voodoo. I'll give it a try. When I was shooting yesterday it was a bright, clear sunny day, and I was shooting an orange & white "sighting in" target at 100 yds. I'm afraid That when I'm shooting at a B&W target on an overcast day, as I often do, the reticle might completely disappear. But maybe it'll be better at reduced magnification. I hope so, 'cuz there is really a lot to like about this scope.
By the way, when I finished shooting I found a small flat nonmetallic washer laying on the bench. Obviously it came from one of the turrets when I was resetting to zero, or maybe when I was setting the zero top. The turrets (among the best I've ever seen) work just fine without it, but I still like to put it back where it belongs. Any idea where it goes? I don't know which turret it came from.
A suggestion - dialing the diopter "out" as far as possible "for your eye", will make the reticle appear slightly thicker. You want the reticle focused still but at the far edge of the focus.
No Clue. Never had any issues with my Athlon *but* I'm not tearing it apart on the shooting bench either. I dry fire a lot and get everything all set up the way I want it before I hit the range. Then make adjustments as needed but I have never had stuff come out of the scope. I just adjusted mine to zero at 100 yards and pulled the elevation knob and reset it to zero and rocked on. Seems GTG out to 1000 yards. In my limited experience *none* of the ultra high magnification scopes look as good at 40X - 60X as they do at 32X or so. Running anything wide open is pushing the limits.
Then there is mirage and heat off the barrel at high mag - if you have not yet experienced this you will. After a bit in the hot sun at higher mags the sight pix gets shitty. Wait ten minutes and cool the barrel and it goes away but comes back with heat. High magnification is awesome the first ten minutes and then not so much.
Not the scopes fault.
VooDoo
I never said it was the scope's fault, and I didn't "tear it apart". All I did was to remove the turret caps to reset them to zero and to set the zero stop on the elevation turret. Apparently my eyesight just isn't good enough for this scope. I love everything about this scope except the reticle is just too fine for me to see easily. I have another Athlon, a 6-24 x 50 Midas TAC that I absolutely love and have no problem Seeing the reticle. When I get around to it I'm gonna pull the elevation turret to see if it has a washer like the one on my Argos. My guess is it's there to keep out moisture, as the turret works just fine without it. But thanks for your comments.
My bad...bad choice of words. Mine has nylon washers under the elevation and windage knobs so I'm guessing that's where your washer came from. The reticle is certainly fine and if it doesn't work for you...well, that sucks.
I'm betting you can get rid of it pretty easily and not lose much of your investment or maybe trade out.
Best of luck.
VooDoo
I'm betting you can get rid of it pretty easily and not lose much of your investment or maybe trade out.
Best of luck.
VooDoo
Thanks. I really hate that the reticle is too fine for these old eyes, 'cuz I really like the scope in so many ways. But if I can't use the reticle nothing else really matters.
I have used one and to me it seemed so bad at higher mags in terms of blurriness it was pretty much unusable.
How would you compare this scope to say a vortex crossfire 2 6-24 power?
The 40x (even ran on 32x) is appealing to me for 200 -300 yard load development.
My Argos btr gen ii 10-40x does everything and more. At 200yards my old eyes are able to see all the 22 cal bullet holes in my target. Even the holes that overlap are distinguishable. Like others have said at max magnification it does loose some clarity but at 32x it’s clear. It has saved me miles of walking and I didn’t have to buy a spotting scope to lug around with me.
I wasn’t sure if I’d like the moa because I run Mil on my other rifles. However the 1/8 moa adjustment allows better fine tuning of my POI than a mil turret. Then it occurred to me, if I’d went with moa on my long range rigs I would have been able to make finer adjustments even with a 1/4moa Vs .1mil. Oh well if I ever replace those mil scopes I’ll definitely get moa next time.
I wasn’t sure if I’d like the moa because I run Mil on my other rifles. However the 1/8 moa adjustment allows better fine tuning of my POI than a mil turret. Then it occurred to me, if I’d went with moa on my long range rigs I would have been able to make finer adjustments even with a 1/4moa Vs .1mil. Oh well if I ever replace those mil scopes I’ll definitely get moa next time.
My Athlon 10-40x 56 replaced a vortex crossfire 2 6-24x56. I still have it....nice scope. The Athlon blows it's doors off for me.
VooDoo
VooDoo
I’ve got a Golden Eagle , 2 Sightron 10-50 and an Athlon 10-40 . Haven’t used Athlon very much so can’t give accurate statement . But both Sightrons I can run at 50 . Golden Eagle isn’t great at 60 . If I knew that I would have saved 500 bucks and bought another Sightron .
Just got two Athlon scopes, an 8-34x and a 10-40x. The 8-34x was put on a .223 AR for hunting and works great. The 10-40x was put on a CZ 457 bench gun in 22LR, and it would NOT zero at 50 yards -- not enough elevation, even at four full turns up (away) from the zero stop... Elevation DID adjust, but not quote enough. And the parallax markings were way off too... focus showed about 27yds at actual 50 yards, and 75yds at 100 yards. Called the company, and they said the markings for parallax aren't expected to be accurate at all (even though the 8-34x I just got from them was) and aren't covered as a warranty issue... and neither is the fact that it couldn't quite get enough elevation at 50 yards to get to zero... they said "get a canted rail". That same CZ457 didn't have any such problem with the Weaver T36 nor a Vortex 6-24x Diamondback. I'm not happy at this point, but I've gone ahead and ordered a 25 MOA rail.
I've sold a decent number of those 10-40x Argos with definite favorable reviews. I would agree on parallax numbers not lining up, that's somewhat random although things should be fairly close to the displayed number. That is seen across all optics, all lines IMO.
Let me give some initial feedback regarding post #47 in this thread. Athlon Optics folks are on the ball, and they monitor things here at Snipers Hide! Someone had seen my post here and realized it was the same person (me) that had called their customer/tech service department that afternoon. They called ME today even though I hadn't left them my contact info... I guess they just went back and looked up caller ID history! I definitely appreciate that they didn't just leave it at the "get a canted rail" phone response. Anyway, they've asked for photos of the mounted scope just to make sure it wasn't an issue with where I'd placed the rings or some other obvious user-made problem, and have offered to have the scoped shipped back to them at their expense to check the internals. THAT is the type of customer service and concern for product satisfaction we all hope for. I will provide more information after they've had a chance to examine the scope and give me feedback and/or, a repaired or replaced scope.
As a bit of additional background, I use my CZ457 for competition, and in our local range's Precision Rimfire Rifle series' "Sporter Class", there is a $1500 limit on MSRP of rifle plus scope (similar to NRL22 but with more leeway), and I wanted to put on a higher power scope than the Vortex Diamondback I've usually been using, and one with 1/8 MOA clicks and a nicely marked reticle, but still stay under that dollar limit... and the Athlon BTR Gen II 10-40x56 fits the bill nicely. I'm sure we'll get this resolved one way or another, and I look forward to sharing more info here as it develops.
As a bit of additional background, I use my CZ457 for competition, and in our local range's Precision Rimfire Rifle series' "Sporter Class", there is a $1500 limit on MSRP of rifle plus scope (similar to NRL22 but with more leeway), and I wanted to put on a higher power scope than the Vortex Diamondback I've usually been using, and one with 1/8 MOA clicks and a nicely marked reticle, but still stay under that dollar limit... and the Athlon BTR Gen II 10-40x56 fits the bill nicely. I'm sure we'll get this resolved one way or another, and I look forward to sharing more info here as it develops.
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