Rifle Scopes Athlon Ares ETR
- Thread starter levi8599
- Start date
It will be available June of 2018, or so they are hoping
MAP will be $1199.99
It is a 4.5-30x56 FFP in MIL and MOA in your choice of Black or Brown
Locking Windage and True Zero Stop with ED Glass
110 MOA Adjustment
32 MIL Adjustment
25 MOA & 10 MIL Rotation Adjustment
It is between the Cronus BTR and the Ares BTR
More to follow once we get more info
Thank you for your continued support.
If there is anything else we can assist you with please let me know.
Doug
Camera Land
720 Old Bethpage Rd
Old Bethpage NY 11804
516-217-1000
Please visit our website @ www.cameralandny.com
MAP will be $1199.99
It is a 4.5-30x56 FFP in MIL and MOA in your choice of Black or Brown
Locking Windage and True Zero Stop with ED Glass
110 MOA Adjustment
32 MIL Adjustment
25 MOA & 10 MIL Rotation Adjustment
It is between the Cronus BTR and the Ares BTR
More to follow once we get more info
Thank you for your continued support.
If there is anything else we can assist you with please let me know.
Doug
Camera Land
720 Old Bethpage Rd
Old Bethpage NY 11804
516-217-1000
Please visit our website @ www.cameralandny.com
I'd like to see the Center dot christmas tree reticle in a moa version. In the Ares and Cronus, I'd buy one of each!
It is not replacing the Cronus or Cronus BTR. The Cronus was just discontinued due to the upgrading to the Cronus BTR. It will just be an addition to the Ares line. It will be in between the Ares BTR and the Cronus BTR. And yes, you are correct as far as glass. It will have Chinese ED glass as opposed to the Japanese glass on the Cronus BTR.
The Cronus BTR scope will have superior glass. The Cronus glass has a reputation for having near S&B glass and March glass.
The ETR glass should be very good and just behind the Cronus. I'd rate it above current Burris XTR glass or pretty even with the sub $2000 offerings of most Co's.
The ETR glass should be very good and just behind the Cronus. I'd rate it above current Burris XTR glass or pretty even with the sub $2000 offerings of most Co's.
In general Athlon has shown that they've been listening to what folks are asking for, producing scopes with high quality control and keeping their prices well below the parallel products. All in all a good business model
I have a fair amount of experience with only the Cronus btr and the Argos btr, Cronus btr was like NF nxs but a first focal plane, Argos btr was so identical to a Gen 2 HD but at a cost of 350 it was really hard to believe. This is only a comparison of glass quality to my eyes. The Argos has terrible turrets. If the ETR has decent turrets I’m sure it will be a home run for athlon
Was looking at trying to snag one of the gen 1 Cronus scopes, but this has my attention. I'm guessing more focus on internals than glass quality. I.e. legit competition with the burris xtr series. Being made in China always leaves me VERY wary, but I keep hearing that some good stuff can actually come out of commie-land.
I pre-ordered a few of the new Ares ETRs - sounds like a good deal at a very decent price. I've shot with a couple of the Ares 4.5-27x50s on my rifles, and have been very satisfied with the optical quality, and even though I've yet to shoot a box or tall target test with either of the ones I have mounted, they've responded well to any of the dialing I've done with them. Sold a couple of them to guys shooting 40X & V22 22RF repeaters, where they get quite a work-out as far as dialing goes. Only complaint from one of the guys was that his windage knob had rotated a couple of times when he drew the rifle out of its case - and the locking/covered windage knobs Athlon came up with will take care of that. Looking forward to trying one of the 34mm tube ETRs when they become available.
One of the things I'm insanely anal about is turret play. Does the ares line have any side to side turret play between clicks and do they line up? That and tracking are my biggest concerns. I.e. hash marks lining up spot on and NO play. Drives me nuts. Call me OCD but that's me.
They line up but have soft clicks.... they also track beautifully. Try one in a shop before you buy it boss.... my Ares BTR does not click like a Nightforce but it didn't cost as much either.
All the Ares scopes I've handled had turrets which lined up perfectly or so close it wasn't worth getting a magnifying glass out to examine closer. One example would be the 2.5-15 I had which had turrets with less lash/turret play and lining up better than my Bushnell LRHS 3-12, though turret action was on the light side.
A friends 4.5-27 has normal turret action and are very good turrets that line up well.
The ETR turrets on the pre production model at SHOT were superior to current Ares and about the same as the Cronus turrets but with a different feel.
The Midas TAC pre production models had very nice turrets as well and it'll be less expansive than the Ares line, though a more basic scope lacking illume and without a tree reticle.
A friends 4.5-27 has normal turret action and are very good turrets that line up well.
The ETR turrets on the pre production model at SHOT were superior to current Ares and about the same as the Cronus turrets but with a different feel.
The Midas TAC pre production models had very nice turrets as well and it'll be less expansive than the Ares line, though a more basic scope lacking illume and without a tree reticle.
I'd sure like to see a 2.5-15x version of this optic... and/or of the Cronus, to be honest. I only need so many Hubble Telescope-sized optics, and a 2.5-15 would be great for most hunting rigs.
FYI, We are accepting pre-orders and Athlon will be working with us to make sure the pre-orders we take will be filled in a very timely fashion.
Please give us a call to discuss it, 516-217-1000
Please give us a call to discuss it, 516-217-1000
In regards to the 'made in China' issue where it causes a concern for the quality of a product - I've spoken with importers who've been buying manual lathes & knee mills from the Chinese, and the general consensus seems to be that for the past several years, they've proven to have the ability to build these machines to whatever quality level/price point a company's business plan calls for. I feel this is being proven to be true in the optics department as well. While I don't have a lot of experience with Athlon's lower-end scopes, I've seen an improvement from the first Midas sfp scopes I bought a few years back to the Ares scopes I started buying last year. Have yet to see any of the new Midas ffp or 34mm Ares models, but would not be surprised to see what I feel would be improvements in build quality as these new models become available. The guys at Athlon seem to be working steadily towards selling scopes & other optics that represent a very good value, and I'm glad to see that they're continually moving towards offering scopes with more attractive features as each year's new models are announced.
I've yet to try the Cronus.
I'm sure they're listening though as it's very common feedback.
I'll be keen on a Midas Tac at some stage so hoping the turrets have a more positive feel.
I'm sure they're listening though as it's very common feedback.
I'll be keen on a Midas Tac at some stage so hoping the turrets have a more positive feel.
Anyone get theirs yet and can give some feedback? I pre-order-bought months ago. Frothing at the bit to get it...
I preordered one too. Athlon told me a few weeks ago that they get them mid July. Will go through in house QC and them ship to vendors first part of August.
I got to play with one a couple weeks back at a local shoot where they brought out a bunch of glass for folks to demo and get feedback on. I was very impressed...we were running an XRSii with the H59 and a PSTG2 with the EBR2C reticle on the rifles my girlfriend and I were shooting. I had been up for something like 36hrs straight at that point so my eyes weren't in the best shape to judge glass, though I've found that fatigue plays a big role and shouldn't be ruled out when judging glass. I've been impressed by scopes before and when my eyes get tired it goes to hell. That being said, I would honestly put the ETR in the middle between the two scopes I was running that day, though it's closer to the XRSii. Clarity was superb (considering my eye fatigue), as was the feel, fit, and finish of the scope. It felt like it would give my XRSii a run for the money, and while I love the PSTG2, I'd pick an ETR over it all day long...glass was brighter, a bit more crisp, and the new reticle rocks, plus the turrets were a bit nicer with the clicks being more solid and crisp.
At the same time we were using another squad members NF to do some spotting (ATACR 5-25) so I got a good comparison side by side with a few price point scopes. I love the NF, owned a 7-35 but couldn't justify keeping it and having that much $$ tied up in one scope. So I replaced it with the XRSii as I love the center floating dot reticles and it was a good bang for the buck. My girlfriend runs a PST as it's more than enough glass for her, but we plan on upgrading to the ETR for her gun when I can get one. She loved the ETR and said the glass was close to the XRS in her eyes, but she preferred the reticle on the Athlon due to the simpler design over the H59. While I don't feel it was a better scope than the XRS, I certainly wouldn't put it that far behind. It kicks the PST's butt IMO, and that's coming from someone who really likes the new PST and the value they give you for the money. Biggest standout to me was the reticle...they listened to consumers and it shows when you take in the features of the scope, but the reticle is outstanding...it's simple, yet precise, and I can't wait to run one. I did ask if they planned on putting the reticle in a Cronus BTR and they were looking at next year maybe for that...that will be a scope I'll own for sure. Hope my ramblings helped at least a bit.
You are correct, the Cronus BTR is getting a floating dot reticle. I believe its debut is going to be at Shot Show!
midwayusa.com lists the ares etr with a backorder/in stock date of early/mid-July, depending on model and color choice. I hope that's true, but i'm mentally prepared to wait awhile longerif need be.
Having been one that already bought this scope thru Doug at Cameraland --I'd bet they're right.
Preordered from @gr8fuldoug as well, really loved that reticle! This is going on my rimfire trainer, and if i like it enough gonna get one for the match rifle. That reticle is exactly what im looking for.
I don't think Athlon was expecting that Midas TAC to turn out so good, LOL. I love that scope! It's now the best bang for the buck of any scope I know of right now.
My Argos BTR's and Talos BTR's would be someone else's right now if the TAC had a .2 mil tree reticle in them!!! Even so I'm keeping mine, it's that good. The .2's one mil out from center are keeping me satisfied for now.
My Argos BTR's and Talos BTR's would be someone else's right now if the TAC had a .2 mil tree reticle in them!!! Even so I'm keeping mine, it's that good. The .2's one mil out from center are keeping me satisfied for now.
Maybe Doug from CameraLand will provide an update on this thread.
I’ve heard August very recently from the tech dept. once they get in, every scope will go through a QC check before it goes out. I talked to the boys in the shop just a couple weeks ago. Ordered a mount from Phil over at MPA, and he needed measurements to make sure the erector housing would clear the bottom of the one piece mount, so I gave the Athlon shop a call to check on it for me. Sorry for the ramble, I’m tired as crap.
so sounds like we are a month out from getting them in hand from the vendors. Gonna be a long month.
Last week got a chance to stop by Athlon in Olathe,Ks. and got a chance to look thru the Ares ETR as compared to a Cronus. Very impressed by the picture quality by the Ares which I liked better based on picture alone. Looked sharper all the way through the power range.
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