Athlon vs Vortex

[ash_hendo]

Wondering if anyone has any direct experience with either these scopes (all 2.5-15x)

Vortex Viper LHT (2.5-15x44)
Athlon Ares HLR (2.5-15x42)
Vixen MilDot ( 2.5-15x50)

I have no shop local where I can compare the scopes, so any thoughts appreciated. Ta.

edit:
I was after a scope to focus down to 25m fro 22lr Field Target comps and have a duplex or #6 that is ok for hunting, not a fine target reticle. have a decent FOV (40ft at 100y) and 15 or 16 top end and not weigh a ton...... fussy eh...... hats off to Leupold and Swaro for keeping their scopes hunting light, but why only 50y focus?

[Damo300]

Having no shop makes it hard, especially at that price point. You don't really want something your eyes don't like looking through.
I'm a stickler for glass quality, but I'm old.

Does it have to be those brands?
I ask this because, imo and for my eyes, my Burris fullfield IV has better glass than any vortex, and it was only $450.
Leupold are second to none, for my eyes (some blokes are cussing me) the best on the market to look through, especially in low light.

Nightforce SHV is tough as nails. In fact, if you lose your hammer, you can use the scope.


Good luck. I know I'm not helping with the brands you're after, but I'd be very cautious about purchasing something that someone else likes.


In saying that, they'll all work as a scope.

[Wapiti]

Mate, look up Cyclops scope reviews on Youtube.

He does a lot of reviews on Athlon, which has been available in the US for quite awhile.

Do not expect a good review on most Vortex scopes, he says it like it is and when compared side by side to almost all others, exhibit the qualities of Chinese sh*t.

Personally, I have a Vixen scope (although mine is a 1-8x), and it is made in Japan and has very good glass. Very nice to look through.

Nearly all of the everyday guns here wear Leupold, these are probably the best value for money on the market, especially anything in the VX-Freedom range.
I would advise though, a step up to VX3 if you can save a few weeks more and cash in all those 10c cans.
For the money, and the optical quality including the way they take drops, hits, rattling around and use, pretty much crap on anything out there.
And are priced at or around Chinese rubbish, which is insultingly priced at 2-3x what it costs the importers to get here.
So you are being ripped off.
The only time we step up to better glass than Leupold is for special guns, usually those that are pampered. Then, I won't look at anything else than Swarovski where there are no compromises whatsoever, but I know that's not the price point you are in.

Hunters have brought Vortex scopes out here made in China, and after constantly looking through dusty, busted up farm Leupolds, looking through the Vortex scopes in anything but a bright, sunny day is just so obviously bad I just CANNOT recommend them to anyone.
My joke is that they make my eyes point in different directions after using them, maybe that's a silly thing to say but the alignment and quality of the lenses and the soft lead-like tubes is just insulting.

The scope is the most important part of the whole unit.
People buy a $1500 rifle then suggest a $500 scope is too much. Wrong.
People obsess over the latest 6.5mm fad cartridge in another new "game changer", then scope it with junk.
Buy once, cry once.
You will have a good scope for life, if you but compromise it is a waste of money when you realise this and buy a better one and that initial purchase is sitting on the shelf.

[Fester]

I like to look through scopes before buying, but had to get a couple through the mail, and got lucky.
Our eyes are all different, and get way worse with age.

Don't write off some cheaper scopes like Athlon and the Vixen.
I have a Vixen 4-16 that was about $600, and the more I use it, the more impressed I seem to be.
It's only on the 22, and not done much field work, but it seems clear and crisp, and held zero.

I had no decent scope to see my. 22 holes at 200, and a great bloke who would give you the shirt off his back said try this, and left it with me to use. It was an Athlon spotting scope in the normal big size, and the holes were easily seen.
I said this thing s_ts on mine, and he said he has seen .223 holes at 300m easily enough.
I replied, wow, how much? He said it was around $1,500.
Only mirage will stop it working, apparently.

I once had a nice young bloke try and spot for me @300m, and even his big Nightforce scope on an F-class open rifle couldn't make out the holes. I was on when I scored a lift-out to get the target.
I think he used an Athlon before the Nightforce.

[ash_hendo]

Having no shop makes it hard, especially at that price point. You don't really want something your eyes don't like looking through.
I'm a stickler for glass quality, but I'm old.
Does it have to be those brands?
I ask this because, imo and for my eyes, my Burris fullfield IV has better glass than any vortex, and it was only $450.
Leupold are second to none, for my eyes (some blokes are cussing me) the best on the market to look through, especially in low light.
Nightforce SHV is tough as nails. In fact, if you lose your hammer, you can use the scope.
Good luck. I know I'm not helping with the brands you're after, but I'd be very cautious about purchasing something that someone else likes.
In saying that, they'll all work as a scope.

Thanks Damo, appreciate your thoughts, I love my Swarovski's (no brainer...) but I need to focus at 25m and they don't. I do have a Burris Fullfield and for the price it's bloody good, just the reticle is a bit fine and eye box a bit tight on full mag for what I want. But almost there. Agree about Leupold, owned several and loved them, but again the 50m parallax is going kill me.

[ash_hendo]

Mate, look up Cyclops scope reviews on Youtube.
He does a lot of reviews on Athlon, which has been available in the US for quite awhile.
Do not expect a good review on most Vortex scopes, he says it like it is and when compared side by side to almost all others, exhibit the qualities of Chinese sh*t.

Thanks for the YouTube recommendation, I'm after a reviewer who is happy to trash a scope even if it was provided to them for free!!

Personally, I have a Vixen scope (although mine is a 1-8x), and it is made in Japan and has very good glass. Very nice to look through.

Nearly all of the everyday guns here wear Leupold, these are probably the best value for money on the market, especially anything in the VX-Freedom range.
I would advise though, a step up to VX3 if you can save a few weeks more and cash in all those 10c cans.
For the money, and the optical quality including the way they take drops, hits, rattling around and use, pretty much crap on anything out there.
And are priced at or around Chinese rubbish, which is insultingly priced at 2-3x what it costs the importers to get here.
So you are being ripped off.
The only time we step up to better glass than Leupold is for special guns, usually those that are pampered. Then, I won't look at anything else than Swarovski where there are no compromises whatsoever, but I know that's not the price point you are in.

Hunters have brought Vortex scopes out here made in China, and after constantly looking through dusty, busted up farm Leupolds, looking through the Vortex scopes in anything but a bright, sunny day is just so obviously bad I just CANNOT recommend them to anyone.
My joke is that they make my eyes point in different directions after using them, maybe that's a silly thing to say but the alignment and quality of the lenses and the soft lead-like tubes is just insulting.

The scope is the most important part of the whole unit.
People buy a $1500 rifle then suggest a $500 scope is too much. Wrong.
People obsess over the latest 6.5mm fad cartridge in another new "game changer", then scope it with junk.
Buy once, cry once.
You will have a good scope for life, if you but compromise it is a waste of money when you realise this and buy a better one and that initial purchase is sitting on the shelf.

Appreciate your comments, I forgot to mention the main reason I was looking at these and not a Leupold is the 25m parallax requirement.

I can talk myself into spending more, but I can't talk my preferred scopes into focusing at 25m

[ash_hendo]

I like to look through scopes before buying, but had to get a couple through the mail, and got lucky.
Our eyes are all different, and get way worse with age.

Don't write off some cheaper scopes like Athlon and the Vixen.
I have a Vixen 4-16 that was about $600, and the more I use it, the more impressed I seem to be.
It's only on the 22, and not done much field work, but it seems clear and crisp, and held zero.

I had no decent scope to see my. 22 holes at 200, and a great bloke who would give you the shirt off his back said try this, and left it with me to use. It was an Athlon spotting scope in the normal big size, and the holes were easily seen.
I said this thing s_ts on mine, and he said he has seen .223 holes at 300m easily enough.
I replied, wow, how much? He said it was around $1,500.
Only mirage will stop it working, apparently.

I once had a nice young bloke try and spot for me @300m, and even his big Nightforce scope on an F-class open rifle couldn't make out the holes. I was on when I scored a lift-out to get the target.
I think he used an Athlon before the Nightforce.

Thanks for that, seems Vixen is made in Japan at least.

Trouble with Vortex (and Athlon I guess) is they have several lines (Talos, crossfire) etc and I know I wouldn't want them, I don't know when they cross over into being ok.....

[Damo300]

Ahh, copy that.
I'm assuming it's a bench rest scope.
Nice and cheap.

https://www.xhunter.com.au/vector-optic ... cle-scol58

[Wapiti]

Appreciate your comments, I forgot to mention the main reason I was looking at these and not a Leupold is the 25m parallax requirement.

I can talk myself into spending more, but I can't talk my preferred scopes into focusing at 25m

Sorry mate, my bad.
I can only comment really about hunting scopes without parallax adjustment.
The magnification range in a proper hunting scope doesn't need this adjustment, nor is there time to screw around with it.

The other real important thing is when buying a scope that if it doesn't have that adjustment feature, that it doesn't also have any parallax at your hunting ranges. That is a factor of the quality of manufacture.
And unfortunately something very hard to check in a shop, when you take the thing out of the box and it's not solidly mounted and outside.

I have a few of each NF NXS and Leupold Mk4-6 bigger scopes but those big things are on long range rifles and I've never even considered seeing how close the 3rd knob adjusts parallax at such close ranges, because they aren't used up close in the bush.
And frankly, even high-end gear is the last thing it'd best for.
I can imagine an indoor shooter like airguns needing that maybe? But then, I don't understand why such high magnification is required. Because up close, field of view is so slow in finding targets. I can't extrapolate that for field use so don't ever consider it, so my opinions are skewed.

[Fester]

I only use the parallax knob on the PCP and the .22lr, and have none on my main walking mountain rifle as simplicity on the mid-low priced scope could be why it holds zero, even when bashed around.

The long-range rifle also needs it to stay clear at different ranges.

For me it's like having variable power scopes; can set them and leave them, and use them when needed.
Best of both worlds really, but some blokes still swear by fixed power and winge about them no longer being available.
The humble 3-9 must have just about taken over from having a fixed 4 or 6, surely.
No other adjustments needed, and not used to see holes in paper.
Parallax should be fine to aim and shoot critters between 60 and 140, give or take.

I never leave home without checking the zoom dial is on 4x.
No rookie mistakes like shouldering the rifle and not seeing the deer in the scope with both eyes open to help if it's moving.
I just need those few seconds to assess what could be behind the target, as you never know in the forests.
If I don't get those few seconds, chances are I wouldn't have got the good shot off anyway.
They are very flighty where I hunt and often just move off with no real shot opportunity, but that's forest hunting.

I once had a fox walk right up to me, but I had the bow, with no arrow knocked and clipped at the ready.
It slunk away too quickly for me. Can see why a no-mag scope would be good in those situations but where are they set at with parallax distance?

[ash_hendo]

Ahh, copy that.
I'm assuming it's a bench rest scope.
Nice and cheap.

https://www.xhunter.com.au/vector-optic ... cle-scol58

The scope I'm looking for is for Field Rifle/hunting with a lightweight 22lr.

I have a 10-50x60 sightron that looks similar to the Vector Optics you posted, it is great except it's about the length and weight of my 22lr It's good for Benchrest, really good.

Hoping for something half the weight and zoom factor that still does 25m focus. my 5-25 swaro would be absolutely perfect if it focused...... 10x at 25m and 25x at 50m would work a treat...... and it's only 536grams......