Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Athlon Helos BTR GEN2 2-12x42 vs SWFA 3-15x42

In 51 years of hunting, I've yet to drop mine like that.

Hunting a corn pile for 51 yrs will do that

The drop tests are interesting, for sure. The SWFA seemed to fare better in that regard. In this case, what I found even more interesting was that this particular BTR didn't seem to track from the get-go.

Haven’t had that issue with a sample of 1.

After reading the positive comments about them here I ordered one of the Athlon scopes and thought I would share my experiences.

I took it to the range today and shot it on a very accurate Tikka.

When I dialed at six mils I got 6.3. It was very consistent with RTZ. I really liked the reticle and the illumination and it is very clear. The windage knob pops in and out correct but the elevation knob takes a lot of force to lift. I like the scope after one day I don’t think I’m going to drop test it myself, though...

If falling or hard hits to the scope are the measure of the brand then the Simmons Aetec wins hands down. I was hiking across some avalanche scree in the outback of Alaska years ago and took a tumble after loosing my footing and I unavoidably hit the scope on the rocks which scratched and dinged the scope pretty good but after getting back to camp I checked the zero and it hadn’t moved an inch. A couple months later I took that rifle and scope combo (I didn’t have the resources to go out and replace it without budgeting for it) over for an elk hunt on my buddy’s ranch. We were shooting our rifles earlier that day at the range on the ranch so we knew we were dialed in. That night we had a “gathering” of friends over to the ranch and threw a great party. The GIANT barn has the upstairs setup as a recording studio for various bands but mostly because my buddy and his brother are big time musicians having played with a lot of famous bands but mainly they played with Heart and its various members. About 2am I went out to the truck to bring my rifle inside with me and after slinging it over my shoulder I closed the truck door and took one step on the ice before landing hard on the rifle and scope. I really beat that scope this time I thought after seeing the huge dent and gouge I’d put in the objective lens. The next morning we all slept in 😂 and after a good breakfast in town I went to see how much the scope was off at the ranch range. I could NOT believe my eyes but that rifle and scope was dead on!…..as precisely as the day before. I did finally put a different scope on that .338WM but it wasn’t because of the scope. A guy that knew me and knew about the toughness of that scope offered me $150 for it which I happily took. I hunted with that scope for 7 years before replacing it and I had paid around $125 for it at the time so I can’t complain.

If all scopes were as tough as that Aetec the customers as a whole would benefit.

😳

Yes, even though it was only one day and it didn’t dial perfectly, I did like it’s other features.

I have found many of my scopes to be off by a click or three and as long as it is repeatable I just make my drop charts to offset that. That is with three Bushnell elite tactical‘s, three Weaver tactical, six SWFA’s, two Bushnell elites, One Nikon, and many Leupolds. the only two I could remember dialing perfectly out to 10 mils were a Sightron S3 and an Athlon Chronos

This is yesterday with the scope. Ignore the targets above the rifle, that was an A.R. pistol and a different load. I dialed between shots for those two that are .3 high, and after dialing back to zero and back up 57 clicks instead of 60 shot the bullet right in front of the magazine. I should have continued shooting that was out of time so I need to go back out and repeat it.



What I am finding troubling is the two posts on the other forum mentioned where the scopes failed drop tests. I fall a lot because of the terrain I hunt and vision problems. I need a very robust scope. I was wondering if anyone, especially big stick with his large sample of scopes, has had a chance to drop test there’s yet?

Obviously, they are everywhere.

What distance were you shooting to test the scope click values? Are you sure of the exact distance and did you make sure your target’s delineation for 6 mils is accurate ?

I've yet to see a glitch or a bobble and pards shoot more than a "few" too. Hint.

With said wares in hand and a gent can't answer their own question about same,is more than a touch revealing. I've seen a rifle/scope get a bump/bruise/scratch from actual use and it's an expectation,given reality. Scopes puke with farrrrrrr greater frequency than rifles and mounting systems matter a "smidge" too. Hint.

If only Reupold,could make something as good. Hint.................

“What distance were you shooting to test the scope click values? Are you sure of the exact distance and did you make sure your target’s delineation for 6 mils is accurate ?”

I was shooting at a range where varmint for score is shot and the targets are exactly 100 yards. I just put the yard stick up for a quick reference. Target to target dot was exactly 21.6 inches.

“With said wares in hand and a gent can't answer their own question about same,is more than a touch revealing. “

Big Stick,
I just got that scope and it was my first time using it so I have not had time to answer my own questions yet. Plus, this is a single example. I was wondering if you had done any of your tests where you had thrown the rifle on the rocks as I have seen in some of your videos before.

Regarding the rifle and mounts, I used the same rifle and mounts and did 36 inch drops onto a shooting pad on concrete with a 3–15 weaver tactical. I bent the windage knob but the scope held zero and tracked afterwards. I did get a lot of grief about it when I posted had I done it, though.

21.6" is an interesting "approach". Hint.

Tall Targets reveal MUCH and quickly. 5 Mil/18" values are easily discerned and extrapolated. Your system is mounted flat,but I'd want to know how it behaves in full extent of available travel and multiple stops between same and zero. I'd also flog on zoom selection and parallax. Then I'd weigh those findings,against the proven virtues of the rifle itself and extrapolate in kind. Premise being,a SOUND Rifle in nice conditions,will quickly discern all and tidily. A sheet of plywood,plum bob and 8' of paper,will answer all questions. Hint.

Your mounting system,wouldn't be fielded by me. Ring spacing and surface area matter. Hint.












I've yet to see a glitch or a bobble and pards shoot more than a "few" too. Hint.

Just saying...............

Just kidding little buddy!

You had to steal your Avatar too,what were the "odds"...you "lucky" kchunt. Hint. Congratulations?!?

Fortunately for you,Imagination and Pretend are free,so even YOU can "afford" to "contribute". Pardon wares that exist. Hint.

Fhuqking LAUGHING!...........

Thank you for the detailed response and the photos.

I used 21.6 inches because the range I was at yesterday won’t let you put up boards or gongs or anything and that is all I could test for yesterday. I normally test to 10 mils because I don’t shoot much farther than that but I have done tall target tests in the past.

I have Picatinny rails on other rifles to give me better ring spacing that on this one and an identical (except it has a 6X mill quad on it ) rifle for one of my kids I used the sportsmatch to save weight.

I did check POI at low power and high power and everything was good, but did not think to check different parallax settings.

I am glad to hear they are working well for you and your shooting partners, I really like a lot about the scope, especially for its price. I will get out and test it some more but I’m just not sure I want to Drop test it. When I have drop tested other scopes intentionally in the past I just hang onto them because I don’t feel comfortable selling them or returning to the factory After intentionally abusing them

The results from the Field Eval were interesting. It wasn't a little shift.

These scopes are cheap chinesium. In really don’t know why it’s a surprise to some they fail. I’d be shocked if they didn’t.

More parallax today,ala Waypoint Seex Kreed and 112's. Hint.

Hipshot round #1,bore sighted and fired round #2 at 25yd paper. Shots 3,4 and 5 here,on 100yd paper. Square Smooch,single powder charge,bone stock other than TT trigger tweak. Hint.






Made slight adjustment,set zero stop and zero'd turrets,then shot LR come-ups,before the weather puked again. Hint...............

That's part of what I was hinting at in the 3rd post of this thread.


You can only expect so much with Chinese manufacturing.