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Athlon Helos gen2 2-12x42

R

rybe390

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Minuteman
Dec 13, 2017
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I just stumbled across the Athlon Helos BTR GEN2 2-12×42. I know it is an incredibly new optic, but I am wondering if anyone here has their dirty hands on one yet and can provide some initial impressions.

Magnification range, reticle, elevation adjustment, etc all look amazing to me. The reticle is really the piece I'm drawn to the most, it's perfect for the DMR application. This would go on my 20" .223 wylde gas gun. I thought the S tac would be the ticket here, but that might end up on the cz455 now after discovering this 2-12.

Inb4 it's chinese glass hur dur. I really like finding good value optics. The 90% point of diminishing returns is where I pretty much live my life. I love my pst gen 2 and HMR combo, and am saving for a razor. All my rifles can't have a razor, so I'm hunting for great value options to put on top of my rifles, and have one piece of gucci glass.

I understand there is shit tier glass in this price range. I also understand some things punch well above their class in this price range.

Looking for input on this optic, as well as potential other sub $1,000 DMR tier optics. Holler.

Ffp and mil a must.
 
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Interesting. The reticle is servicable:
AHMR2-FFP-IR-MIL-212PWR.png


ret.png


Nice parallax from 10 yards, length of 11.8 inches but a little chunky at 25.4 oz (720 g).

I'm intrigued if they hold zero and are optically decent.
 
I like that reticle a lot for the same purpose as OP. Very interested in this now.
Anyone find a online source/price?
 
It's a cool reticle, reminiscent of the new ATACR 1-8 design.

I do wish they had extended the horizontal stadia to provide a half mil reference from center
 
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This thing is appealing for my next AR build. I'm torn between it and the Primary Arms SLx 3-18x50mm. Looking forward to some hands on reviews of the Athlon for sure.
 
NHR said:
It's a cool reticle, reminiscent of the new ATACR 1-8 design.

I do wish they had extended the horizontal stadia to provide a half mil reference from center
Click to expand...
I would agree for sure. Starting at 1 mil is a bit far, but, it's one of the only donut/Christmas tree style reticles I've seen in a budget optic.

Who else does the donut/Christmas hybrid with a mil reticle in the 1-10 or 2-xx range? Vortex on the 1-10, nf on the atacr, atibal?, Athlon with this and the 1-10.
 
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steve123 said:
Supposedly I'll get mine ASAP when they arrive at Athlon??!!

I'll be sure to give immediate first impressions. Man I have high hopes for this scope.
Click to expand...
Have you ordered one? Did they give an ETA?
 
brazz04 said:
This thing is appealing for my next AR build. I'm torn between it and the Primary Arms SLx 3-18x50mm. Looking forward to some hands on reviews of the Athlon for sure.
Click to expand...
If you're looking at the 3-18, Id recommend upping your budget a couple hundred to the GLx line. Ive had the 4-14 ACSS, 3-18x apollo, and now have a 6-24 Athena BPR Mil, and a buddy just got the 2.5-10. The 6-24 and 2.5-10 are both GLx lineup and quite a bit better than the SLx lineup with the 3-18 for not much more. Its probably not real far off to say that the GLx line is just their platinum line with a 30mm tube made in the Philippines.

If I remember right the 3-18 is in the $500 area,

The 2.5-10 is right around $600 maybe a hair more for better turrets and glass
 
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rybe390 said:
I would agree for sure. Starting at 1 mil is a bit far, but, it's one of the only donut/Christmas tree style reticles I've seen in a budget optic.

Who else does the donut/Christmas hybrid with a mil reticle in the 1-10 or 2-xx range? Vortex on the 1-10, nf on the atacr, atibal?, Athlon with this and the 1-10.
Click to expand...
No one, that's why it's such an interesting scope, I've been wanting a 2-12 scope with this kind if reticle for years so am excited to see how this turns out.

jLorenzo said:
I like that reticle a lot for the same purpose as OP. Very interested in this now.
Anyone find a online source/price?
Click to expand...

It's still not in the wild yet, Doug from Cameraland said they have arrived to Athlon for QC so will hopefully be available in the next few weeks.
 
I am supposed to get the 2-12x Helos once they get here. I am very curious about it and the reticle makes sense to me. I have been preaching reticles of this type to a bunch of brands over the years and even put one into the 3-18x50 Meopta Optika6, but they made the tree larger.

I do have Primary Arms 2.5-10x44 GLx here, as well as the Meopta. They are not all the same price or mag range, but it will still make for a nice side-by-side.

ILya
 
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koshkin said:
I am supposed to get the 2-12x Helos once they get here.
Click to expand...
I'm about 100x more excited now for the arrival of these new Helos.
Can you ask them to send a 4-20x50 too as for the $650ish price range appears to offer an excellent lower weight, thicker reticle cross over type scope.

Maybe I'll have to pester you about these in your next live stream...
 
beetroot said:
I'm about 100x more excited now for the arrival of these new Helos.
Can you ask them to send a 4-20x50 too as for the $650ish price range appears to offer an excellent lower weight, thicker reticle cross over type scope.

Maybe I'll have to pester you about these in your next live stream...
Click to expand...

Honestly, I do not want to overextend myself. I am already behind as is. When I talked to them a month or so ago, I gave it some thought and isolated the Helos 2-12x, Ares 1-10x, Ares 3-18x50 and Ares reticle spotter as the things I want to look at from Athlon this year. I do not want to harass them any more than this until I get through what is already planned.

ILya
 
Planning on putting one of these on a 12.8" Grendel I'm almost finished building.
 
koshkin said:
Honestly, I do not want to overextend myself. I am already behind as is. When I talked to them a month or so ago, I gave it some thought and isolated the Helos 2-12x, Ares 1-10x, Ares 3-18x50 and Ares reticle spotter as the things I want to look at from Athlon this year. I do not want to harass them any more than this until I get through what is already planned.

ILya
Click to expand...

Fair enough sounds like you look through a lot of scopes.
Look forward to your opinions on all those Athlon scopes.
 
koshkin said:
I am supposed to get the 2-12x Helos once they get here. I am very curious about it and the reticle makes sense to me. I have been preaching reticles of this type to a bunch of brands over the years and even put one into the 3-18x50 Meopta Optika6, but they made the tree larger.

I do have Primary Arms 2.5-10x44 GLx here, as well as the Meopta. They are not all the same price or mag range, but it will still make for a nice side-by-side.

ILya
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How do you like the PA and which reticle do you have?
 
I hope the illumination on this can be bright.

Would love to see Eotech make their 2.5-10 with the reticle they put in their 1-6 FFP SR1 to compete.
 
308ftWIN said:
I hope the illumination on this can be bright.

Would love to see Eotech make their 2.5-10 with the reticle they put in their 1-6 FFP SR1 to compete.
Click to expand...

I have been experimenting with using conventional magnified scopes as OEGs and if the illuminated area is not too big and is symmetric, it works surprisingly well, especially when the light is not too bright.

It is not a new idea, but with the eyepieces of modern scopes getting bigger, I was curious if it will still work. On quite a few, it is workable: just close the front cap.

ILya
 
This is a very interesting looking scope and i would love to put one one an AR. The reticle reminds me of the Bushnell donuts of death in the LRHS. I have a 4.5-18 LHRHSi that I like a lot.

The glass probably won’t be as good as the LRHS, but it’s shorter and lighter. I wonder if the fov is better as well
 
koshkin said:
I am supposed to get the 2-12x Helos once they get here. I am very curious about it and the reticle makes sense to me. I have been preaching reticles of this type to a bunch of brands over the years and even put one into the 3-18x50 Meopta Optika6, but they made the tree larger.

I do have Primary Arms 2.5-10x44 GLx here, as well as the Meopta. They are not all the same price or mag range, but it will still make for a nice side-by-side.

ILya
Click to expand...
I'm waiting with baited breath for the first look and eventual review!
 
I’m interested in the 4-20 version for a rimfire build. Figured they would be out by now.

it’s between this, PST 2 3-15 or another LRHSi/LRTSi for me and I’m leaning towards the trustworthy bushnell unless these wow people
 
Ilya, have thoughts solidifying yet on the Althons you received, and how they compare to the PA Glx and the Optika6 with your reticle? No rush if not.
 
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