Athlon Argos HMR 4-20

[cedestech]

Saw it mentioned, bought one to play with and this is a reasonable (for the price) silhouette scope.

Glass is good, box tests good. Turrets don’t rise as you dial but there is 24 minutes to a revolution so you really have to try and go around the bend…. Don’t know how many years it’ll stay true with tracking but at sub-$400 it’s hard to complain. Reticle is actually really good. The dot is much larger than the drawings, .70 per the specs.

[Emietenkorte]

Saw it mentioned, bought one to play with and this is a reasonable (for the price) silhouette scope.

Glass is good, box tests good. Turrets don’t rise as you dial but there is 24 minutes to a revolution so you really have to try and go around the bend…. Don’t know how many years it’ll stay true with tracking but at sub-$400 it’s hard to complain. Reticle is actually really good. The dot is much larger than the drawings, .70 per the specs.

And it focuses down to 10 yards! Especially nice for the indoor crowd!

I was really surprised by how clear the glass actually is.

[ter]

I received the Argos scope yesterday. I mounted it up today on a HW100 sporter air rifle. It focuses well at 10 yards. The reticle and glass are pretty good, better than I expected. I guess like a Weaver T24. glass? The dot is bigger than the 1/2 MOA leupold, and even bigger to my eyes than the 5/8 dots Cheryl installed, that I just removed from the HW100. Again to my eyes it is 100X better than the goofy new diamond efr. The Argos heavy plex is easily heavier than a heavy leupold plex. I was surprised to see the turret is brass, I kinda expected plastic or aluminum. The tube has about 5 inches to place the scope mounts, much shorter than the Leupold EFR. The Argos weighs is about 2.5 ounces heavier than the newest 6.5-20X EFR. Given the CZ452 American (5.9 pounds) and Tikka T1X (5.7 pounds), and Anscuhtz 64 (5.1 pounds), weigh in less than 6 pounds, that only leaves 20 -28 ounces or so for scope rings for the current 8.5 hunter weight limit.
Today was my first quick look, but I think the Argos can sit on the air rifle, because that is a no dial application. That will free up a 5/8 dot EFR for an outside rifle.

[Grantmac]

I wonder how much weight would be saved without illumination?

[ter]

On my fancy 8 dollar kitchen scale, about 10 grams or 0.32 ounces, by removing the battery and battery cap.
Newest VX3HD is listed at 18.2 ounces, so with the battery, the argos is 3.5 ounces heavier. I imagine most could use the same 1 inch rings even though the Argos has a 50mm objective. Argos fits easy in my HW100 with medium Sportsmatch.

I imagine most use high rings, so I measured high sports match at 3.60 ounces, and high BLK at 2.30 ounces. Had the scale sitting there and my bag-o rings on the same table, so I thought that was interesting to know.

I don't know how the argos would track long term. But for a new shooter with a rifle at under 6 pounds, it would be easy to make weight at 8.5 pounds. Like I said, if my Argos works out, it can sit on one of a few air rifles, and those don't get dialed frequently. I have PCPs, so no recoil issues.
That brass turret is a good sign, but most cheap scopes don't track long term, so I am pessimistic. I did some searches, and owners seem pretty happy.

[cslcAl]

Ter. I bought one of these and put it on a 700 hunting rifle I just rebarreled with a 24 in factory sporter take off. I’m going to try shooting some hunter rifle matches with it.
I am impressed with the scope and if it ever warms up I’ll get a chance to try it out.
I don’t know about shooting in our indoor league with it. My is not clear at 28 ft. 50 ft would be fine though.
After I get to shoot it I’ll be back with a more detailed review.
I do love the dot though.

Al Foust

[ter]

Al, I just bought a second one from Midwayusa, and both are clear at 28 feet. I had to adjust the occular to get it to be clear on 20X. It seems to be a bargain compared to sending an already expensive 6.5-20 EFR to Cheryl for an additional 300 dollar dot. I just sent her a cherry VX3 with varmint reticle for a dot. I wish I would have found these scopes earlier.