Rifle Scopes Athlon Cronus vs Ares ETR

[Hogg0494]

Hi guys.i have evertyhing for my first rig ordered.tikka ctr 6.5c 24”.i ordered a Cronus and am awaiting delivery but just saw the Ares ETR has a sweet floating dot recticle.my question is for $400 less and a nicer(my opinion)recticle is the Ares a big step down from the Cronus?am i going to see a knowticable difference in glass and other features?also if anyone has a Ares ETR how is the dot on longer ranger targets?800-1k yds?it looks small and wondering if it will get lost?as always thanks and input appreciated

 

[jinxx4ever]

i can only tell u on the Cronus, debated between the 2 for weeks. Right now there is about $350 difference. Went with the Cronus because of the Jap glass. Very Very impressed. I also own NF, Steiner, and Kahles besides some lower tier scopes.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

It would be our pleasure to discuss the differences and take care of you on either one. Please give us a call to discuss it
Doug

 

[Dthomas3523]

My skmr and smkr3 reticles have a .035 floating dot. The ares has a .03.

I don’t lose mine on 1k targets.

Also keep in mind unless you’re dialing wind or have very little wind, you won’t be using the center dot at 1k.

 

[Hogg0494]

This im my first build.so i will probably dial until i get familiar with the recticle.thanks for the info

 

[Zack_va248]

Hi guys.i have evertyhing for my first rig ordered.tikka ctr 6.5c 24”.i ordered a Cronus and am awaiting delivery but just saw the Ares ETR has a sweet floating dot recticle.my question is for $400 less and a nicer(my opinion)recticle is the Ares a big step down from the Cronus?am i going to see a knowticable difference in glass and other features?also if anyone has a Ares ETR how is the dot on longer ranger targets?800-1k yds?it looks small and wondering if it will get lost?as always thanks and input appreciated

Curious as well on this, been hung up on ETR, Cronus BTR or Razor gen2

 

[Hogg0494]

My cronus will be here monday but i also ordered a ETR that will be here in about a week.gonna do a comparison test and send back the one i dont want.for about $15 in return shipping i figured it’s better to test them side by side.i will post a comparison thread here in about a week

 

[Zack_va248]

Sounds good! Yea that’s definitely the way to do it. I think the etr is probably on par with my pst gen2 vortex

 

[walleye slayer]

I have both and the ares is definitely legit! Its probably just me but i think the glass is just as good in the ares as it is in the cronus. Its a solid scope!

 

[Zack_va248]

I have both and the ares is definitely legit! Its probably just me but i think the glass is just as good in the ares as it is in the cronus. Its a solid scope!

How about the turrets between the two? Tracking? Thats what im more worried about than glass quality. If it has nice positive detents and tracks true then im game to save the money and go etr

 

[skinnj1]

I like the etr turrets better than cronus, clicks more positive plus locking windage.. glass is close but not quite as good. Hunted the ETR yesterday, low light performance was great

 

[flatland1]

I've got a lot more experience with the pre-BTR Cronus scopes than the Ares ETR, having shot a couple of season's worth of 22RF PR matches with Cronus scopes mounted on 40X & XB, as well as V-22 repeaters. But shooting from 600yds with the ETR on a custom 7-08 Improved 30* & a pre-BTR Cronus on a 6 Dasher on a dark, overcast day late this past summer, I was very impressed with the ETR's optical quality. Felt it was at least as good as the Cronus, in both brightness & resolution. Haven't shot with those two scopes together again since, so don't have an opinion as to how they compare in brighter, more normal conditions. Have yet to put the ETR through a tall target & box tracking test, but its click detents are definately more distinct than those of the Cronus. However, I prefer the Cronus' floating crosshair on movers, especially the pre-BTR's thicker, heavier crosshair. I normally dial back to 10x-12x for movers, and while the Cronus' crosshair remains pretty distinct at that magnification, the ETR's floating dot won't be seen at all.

 

[Zack_va248]

I've got a lot more experience with the pre-BTR Cronus scopes than the Ares ETR, having shot a couple of season's worth of 22RF PR matches with Cronus scopes mounted on 40X & XB, as well as V-22 repeaters. But shooting from 600yds with the ETR on a custom 7-08 Improved 30* & a pre-BTR Cronus on a 6 Dasher on a dark, overcast day late this past summer, I was very impressed with the ETR's optical quality. Felt it was at least as good as the Cronus, in both brightness & resolution. Haven't shot with those two scopes together again since, so don't have an opinion as to how they compare in brighter, more normal conditions. Have yet to put the ETR through a tall target & box tracking test, but its click detents are definately more distinct than those of the Cronus. However, I prefer the Cronus' floating crosshair on movers, especially the pre-BTR's thicker, heavier crosshair. I normally dial back to 10x-12x for movers, and while the Cronus' crosshair remains pretty distinct at that magnification, the ETR's floating dot won't be seen at all.

It's such a tough choice. I watched a youtube vid of Tiborasaurus Rex tracking testing with the ETR and his tracked perfect.... Doesn't mean they all will though. So I take it with a grain of salt

 

[Eoddave27]

I have quite a few Athlon scopes from base models up to their higher end models and I have not had a single tracking issue with any of them. On top of that if you did by some chance get one that did have issues their CS is fantastic by all reports. I have bought all my Athlon products from Doug at Camera Land and he has always taken really good care of me. Regardless of which one you buy do yourself a favor and give Doug a call. I know I will be calling him soon to get a Athlon Midas TAC for one of my trainer rifles.

 

[skinnj1]

When judging Ares ETR vs Cronus BTR, my eyes seemed to like the Cronus minutely better, another friend when the parallax and diopter were adjusted for him, same day/same lighting thought they were very similar in image quality....

 

[Zack_va248]

Hi guys.i have evertyhing for my first rig ordered.tikka ctr 6.5c 24”.i ordered a Cronus and am awaiting delivery but just saw the Ares ETR has a sweet floating dot recticle.my question is for $400 less and a nicer(my opinion)recticle is the Ares a big step down from the Cronus?am i going to see a knowticable difference in glass and other features?also if anyone has a Ares ETR how is the dot on longer ranger targets?800-1k yds?it looks small and wondering if it will get lost?as always thanks and input appreciated

If your interested in either, give Doug at Cameraland a call 516-217-1000, today being veterans day is a great opportunity to grab one for an excellent price!

 

[260284]

View attachment 6969293
When judging Ares ETR vs Cronus BTR, my eyes seemed to like the Cronus minutely better, another friend when the parallax and diopter were adjusted for him, same day/same lighting thought they were very similar in image quality....

How do the Athlons compare to the Bushnell 4.5-18?

 

[skinnj1]

@260284

Answer here:
https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/athlon-btr-vs-bushnell-xrs-ii.6904348/#post-7283635

 

[260284]

@260284

Answer here:
https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/athlon-btr-vs-bushnell-xrs-ii.6904348/#post-7283635

Thanks. I have a LRHS and a LRSTi, both in 4.5-18. I am looking at the Ares ETR and the Cronus BTR for a dedicated match rifle. I am wanting the .2 mil for windage holds and a finer reticle for matches.

 

[skinnj1]

@260284

Originally I thought the cronus reticle was the better mousetrap but after a month and a couple thousand rounds of .22 I am digging it (Ares ETR floating dot)more than the ares btr/cronus .2 mil crosshair reticle I have on some other rifles...

Cronus has more of a track record but I bought a second ETR after I got my first because of the percieved value. Either way you will be happy....

 

[psipower00]

I also prefer the floating dot in the ares vs the cross hair in the Cronus. Turrets on my etr are better than the Cronus IMO. Haven’t had enough time yet to decide which glass is better.

 

[bigmac55]

It would be our pleasure to discuss the differences and take care of you on either one. Please give us a call to discuss it
Doug

Doug are you the cameraland rep?

 

[gr8fuldoug]

Yes, I am from Camera Land.

 

[bigmac55]

doug

im looking to buy a scope for a 6.6 creed i just bought and am trying to justify the etr2 vs the cronus, can you help me understand why one is better than the other other than the turrets?

 

[gr8fuldoug]

The ETR is optically close, however, at higher power the Cronus BTR will have less color fringing. The ETR is excellent and is priced substantially less. It would be my pleasure to discuss this with you. I am back in the store 1st thing tomorrow morning, 516-217-1000
Have a great evening
Doug

 

[502Chevelle]

I know that we are talking about scopes here, but Doug just made me a very fair deal on a set of Cronos 15x binos. Good guy to deal with. Impressed initially with them, will give a better review in a couple weeks once I put a couple matches on them.