Athlon Scopes

[1100winger]

Ran into this website recently, and a shooting buddy uses them for his long-range rig. He recommended an FFP scope even for hunting. Pros / Cons? Worth the money? Normally I hunt from stands, the longest shot is 300 yards.

[Dubious]

Buy equipment that matches your hunting style. You don’t need alpha glass to smash white tails at 300 yards you don’t even need turrets for that. The long range game is a money pit it takes a lot of cash and time to become competent at first shot on target where you want it to hit.

[catnthehat]

A FFP scope for hunting is not always the best, especially at lower power in the evening .
IMO a SFP scope is superior in hunting conditions at 200 meters. On a 3-9X for example you can turn the power down in the early morning or evening and still see your cross hairs at 200 meters
You would have a difficult time doing that with a FFP scope..
Keep it simple, as Dubious said , you don't need high power or high bucks to hunt well at 300 meters. I tend to use 4 and 6 power scopes on my hunting rifles.
Cat

[1100winger]

Thanks, I use decent glass now. Use the higher powers at the range, most times they are dialled down to the lowest setting. The scope my buddy was recommending was 1G, that's a lot of hunting/shooting gear.
Last year, three shots, three deer. The longest was at 250 yards. I had no trouble acquiring the target.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by 1100winger

Thanks, I use decent glass now. Use the higher powers at the range, most times they are dialled down to the lowest setting. The scope my buddy was recommending was 1G, that's a lot of hunting/shooting gear.
Last year, three shots, three deer. The longest was at 250 yards. I had no trouble acquiring the target.

In that case go with what is proven and what you know!
Cat

[Dubious]

I wouldn’t change a thing in your system then looks to be working really well for you.


These seems to be a bit of a keeping up with the Jones’s when one of the guys starts to get into longer range shooting. It made everyone in my group want to shoot sub moa at 500m and “just dial and shoot with the Huskemaw advantage” but sadly there’s the External ballistics monster waiting out there in the bushes for them. I hunt with the average hunter type who buys 20 rounds and has it lasts 5 years dosnt want to buy all the support gear learn reloading spend days at the range learning wind and tinkering with there loads and rifle setups. Some of the guys don’t even use laser range finders and estimate distance on there gps screens and scope reticle apps like the Nikon monarch app. All that combined has made for some extremely poor shooting and a lot of head scratching at the range.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Dubious

I wouldn’t change a thing in your system then it seems to be working really well for you.


These seems to be a bit of a keeping up with the Jones’s when one of the guys starts to get into longer range shooting. It made everyone in my group want to shoot sub moa at 500m and “just dial and shoot with the Huskemaw advantage” but sadly there’s the External ballistics monster waiting out there in the bushes for them. I hunt with the average hunter type who buys 20 rounds and has it lasts 5 years dosnt want to buy all the support gear learn reloading spend days at the range learning wind and tinkering with there loads and rifle setups. Some of the guys don’t even use laser range finders and estimate distance on there gps screens and scope reticle apps like the Nikon monarch app. All that combined has made for some extremely poor shooting and a lot of head scratching at the range.

There are many people that buy every gimmick advertised on the long range shooting shows, that have issues trying to shoot longer ranges, because they depend 100% on equipment, with very little actual shooting practice. I have watched several people show up at the range, take out their wind meter, take readings, then enter the wind, temperature, humidity, and load data into their phone, adjust their scope, and proceed to miss a clay at 500m. Then they shake their head in disbelief, and proceed to adjust their scope, and walk their bullets onto the target. These people don't take into account that the wind can change direction and speed over 500m, or that the published B.C. can be in error, or that the muzzle velocity can vary with powder lots, as well as with temperature. One particularly clueless individual showed up at the range with a new Huskemaw scope on his A-bolt in 270 win, he zeroed at 25 yards and then started packing up. His friend asked if he was going to shoot at longer range to verify the trajectory, and the response was that it would just be a waste of time and ammunition, because he had custom turrets to match his load, so there would be no issues with trajectory.

[1100winger]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

There are many people that buy every gimmick advertised on the long range shooting shows, that have issues trying to shoot longer ranges, because they depend 100% on equipment, with very little actual shooting practice. I have watched several people show up at the range, take out their wind meter, take readings, then enter the wind, temperature, humidity, and load data into their phone, adjust their scope, and proceed to miss a clay at 500m. Then they shake their head in disbelief, and proceed to adjust their scope, and walk their bullets onto the target. These people don't take into account that the wind can change direction and speed over 500m, or that the published B.C. can be in error, or that the muzzle velocity can vary with powder lots, as well as with temperature. One particularly clueless individual showed up at the range with a new Huskemaw scope on his A-bolt in 270 win, he zeroed at 25 yards and then started packing up. His friend asked if he was going to shoot at longer range to verify the trajectory, and the response was that it would just be a waste of time and ammunition, because he had custom turrets to match his load, so there would be no issues with trajectory.

For years I used topo maps to estimate longer ranges, and kentucky windage for shooting. These days I use summer to lazer distances. It makes for a cleaner harvest. There is a lot of fancy gear on WildTV, I would expect peeps just gobble it up. Even outdoor shows are well staged.

[DiabeticKripple]

I find glass around the $1000 is worth the money over glass that is $350-$600.

Much more clear, especially around sunrise and sunset when you want to be able to see well.

[midgetwaiter]

I got myself a FFP 5-20 scope with a custom BDC reticle from Quigley Ford last year. I like it but I didn’t get out with that rifle last season because of the problems cat was alluding to. I find my particular scope is decent in lowlight conditions overall but the problem is the reticle, it’s so fine at 5x that it’s difficult to focus on it. In static hunting situation where I have time to find the target and adjust that’s not too bad but it’s hopeless for spot and stalk situations where quicker action may be required. Just means if I’m pushing bush then I’ll take my lever action, lesson learned.

Honestly the 3-9 that I already had on there and just left at 6x was a more “all round” solution. I wouldn’t bother doing a FFP scope for hunting again unless I had a really particular need.

[32-40win]

The one FFP I have is nice from 12x and up, but at 4.5x it is more like a dot. I really hummed and hawed on the Athlon Cronus BTR, but, weren't any to be had in Cda at the time, so, went with a Delta Stryker, essentially the same scope, different reticle, was 3-400.00 cheaper at the time on a Black Friday sale. Apparently the Cronus, Stryker and a Trijicon version are all made by L.O.W in Japan, and other than reticles, are pretty much the same scope.
That scope wasn't bought for hunting though. I wouldn't mind another one for my 223 gopher gun though. May do an Athlon 6.5-24 yet, maybe next Xmas.