Vortex Diamondback 4-12×40
We tested the Vortex Diamondback 4-12x40.
Score Card
- Optical Performance: Fair
- Aiming System: Very Good
- Design: Very Good
- Price/Value: Excellent
Key Features
- Second-plane “Dead-Hold BDC” reticle
- 1-inch tube
- Fixed 100-yard parallax
- Capped rezeroable turrets tuned to .25 MOA
Pros
- At 14.6 ounces, very lightweight
- Liberal mounting dimensions
- Excellent warranty and customer service
- Excellent turret tracking
Cons
- No illumination or parallax control
- Some sticky turret movement
A very good all-around scope that smart shoppers will be able to buy for about $250, the Diamondback underwhelmed on our optics evaluation, but charmed our test team on our “shootability” assessment. It’s a versatile workhorse that’s home on rimfires to centerfire deer rifles.
We can’t talk about the Diamondback without mentioning what I would call a fixable failure. Part of our test is assessing turret/reticle tracking. We shoot every submission at 25 yards at a Redfield Sight-In target, using the grids to measure precision as we dial up, right, down, and left, and then back to our original zero. It’s a test that assesses precision and mechanical reliability. At some point, after wowing testers with exceptional precision, the Diamondback’s elevation turret locked up. We took the turret apart, gave it a few sharp raps on the bench, and things straightened out. But it’s the sort of performance problem that most shooters would use to activate Vortex’s legendary warranty.
Outside of that hiccup, the Diamondback’s mechanics are adequate. We noted some stickiness of the turrets and magnification ring, but the turret/reticle agreement are right-on. The “Dead-Hold BDC” reticle is similarly useful. We’d like to see a little more definition of the reticle, which gives shooters more than a suggestion of holdover and holdoff hashes, and which could be more distinctive and provide faster aiming references.
The Vortex performed well on our resolution test, but disappointed in low-light performance. But where the Diamondback shined was in our price/value assessment. There’s a ton of value in this simple, honest, and versatile scope. And if it fails, it’s important to know that Vortex and its fully transferable lifetime warranty has your back. All that optical talent, and all that back-end support, allowed the Vortex to be a very close runner-up for our Great Buy award.
Athlon Talos BTR Gen2 10×42
We tested the Athlon Talos BTR Gen2 10x42.
Score Card
- Optical Performance: Good
- Aiming System: Very Good
- Design: Good
- Price/Value: Excellent
Key Features
- Fixed 10-power scope
- Second-plane MIL-based reticle
- 30mm tube
- 10-yards-to-infinity parallax adjustment
- Tall, exposed, rezeroable turrets tuned to .1 MIL click values
Pros
- 10-power magnification nicely accords with MIL reticle
- Useful turret indexing
- Fixed-power magnification simplifies aiming
- Excellent price for abundant versatility
Cons
- 10-power limits utility
- Turret movement inconsistent
No scope in our budget category caused as much consternation and conversation as Athlon’s throwback Talos BTR. Some thought that the fixed 10-power construction was too limiting, others countered that the 10x magnification is the perfect companion to a MIL-based reticle, which is based on a power-of-10 scale. It should be noted that the Talos BTR Gen 2 comes in three different configurations, ranging from a 1-4×24 version and a 4-14×44 version. Like the 10×42 scope, these other versions come in either MIL or MOA-based reticles.
Our 10×42 sample didn’t wow us optically. Its low-light performance was near the bottom of the field, and its resolution was better, but not by much. Testers liked its vibrant and distortion-free image, and gave high marks to both its interior aiming system (which considers the reticle style, clarity, and utility) and exterior aiming system (turret positivity, turret indexing, and ability to return to zero after shooting a square grid). Testers reckoned that, with an excellent close-focus capability, this is an excellent rimfire scope that can step up into just about any mid-magnification center-fire task.
Are you going to mount the Talos BTR on a close-range turkey shotgun or a dangerous-game rifle? Probably not. But it would be a good choice for a long-range silhouette target scope or atop an elk rifle. The Talos BTR is built around a useful hash-style reticle that offers 10 MIL holdover references and 8 MIL windage references on either side of the .09 MIL center dot. Because the Athlon is built on a second-plane system, the reticle references don’t change, so you get a second-plane scope that operates pretty much as a first-plane scope works, and the hashes are useful for everything from rimfire plinking to medium-range target work, though serious shooters will be disappointed not to have windage holds on either side of the vertical stadia.
Because of the simplicity of the design—no power-changing gears to strip or bind—we expect the Talos to be a long-wearing optic. But in case of malfunctions, Athlon’s lifetime transferable warranty is a comforting consolation.
Our team’s final conclusion is that the Athlon’s wide versatility and extremely useful MIL-based reticle—along with its extremely appealing price—qualified the Talos BTR Gen 2 as our Great Buy in the Budget Riflescope category, which because it’s competing against price-point peers, is a double bonus for a handy, smart, and useful scope.
Sightmark Presidio HDR2 2.5-15×50
We tested the Sightmark Presidio HDR2 2.5-10x50.
Score Card
- Optical Performance: Good
- Aiming System: Good
- Design: Good
- Price/Value: Good
Key Features
- Second-plane HDR2 ballistic reticle
- 30mm tube
- Six-step center-dot illuminated reticle
- Throw lever
- Capped rezeroable turrets tuned to .25 MOA
- 90 MOA total internal elevation adjustment
Pros
- 15 yards to infinity side parallax adjustment
- Oversized eyepiece
- Clear and simple reticle references
- At $400, an approachable price
Cons
- Crappy low-light performance
- Reticle could use bolder references
I hope you’re picking up on one of the themes of this category: For every merit is a demerit, and for every asset is a liability. That dichotomy is on full display with Sightmark’s solid and approachable Presidio.
Testers had a hard time determining the quality of its glass. It scored near the bottom of our low-light test—especially surprising because the Presidio boasts a big 50mm objective lens—but it posted decent resolution scores. Testers rated its optical quality near the middle of the pack of budget scopes.
The HDR2 reticle similarly received mixed reviews. Some found the reticle, which features a .2 MOA illuminated floating center dot and three elevation references that enable holdovers out to 20 MOA, to be a fast, simple, and relatively intuitive hunting reticle. Others wanted either more or fewer references inside the German 4 plex design.
Regardless, the Presidio brings features, namely parallax adjustment and reticle illumination, rarely found on price-point scopes. And for an MSRP of $400, Sightmark throws in decent lens caps and a throw lever, which further boosts its value proposition. The Presidio was one of a handful of rifle scopes that competed hard for our Great Buy award, and was held back mainly by its limited lifetime warranty that applies to the original purchaser with proof of purchase. Many of its peers offer fully transferrable lifetime warranties.
Overall, it’s a useful scope that should get strong consideration as a rimfire optic that can do double duty on a deer rifle.
Hawke Vantage 30 WA IR 3-9×42
We tested the Hawke Vantage 30 WA IR 3-9x42.
Score Card
- Optical Performance: Fair
- Aiming System: Fair
- Design: Good
- Price/Value: Very Good
Key Features
- Second-plane L4A dot duplex reticle
- Center-dot illumination in red and green
- 30mm tube
- Capped turrets tuned to .25 MOA click values
- Fixed 100-yard parallax
Pros
- Liberal mounting dimensions
- 120 MOA internal elevation adjustment
- Wide field of view
- At 17.5 ounces, lightweight
Cons
- Underwhelming glass
- Turret indexing hard to read
With more varieties and configurations of rifle scopes than just about any brand around, Hawke has a scope for just about any platform, including airguns and crossbows. The Vantage 30 WA, which has been on the market for a few years, brings wide utility, rather than niche specialization, to shooters. The scope is built around a fairly pedestrian 4A duplex reticle, which benefits from both red and green illumination.
The center dot subtends 3.5 MOA at 4-power, with 5 MOA of drop to the top of the lower vertical stadia, and nearly 30 MOA of drop to the lower bold crosshair. But that level of precision will be lost on most shooters, who will correctly use this as a simple plinker and dead-hold hunting scope. Hawke makes a version of the Vantage 30 WA with its .223/.308 Marksman reticle that features illuminated drops out to 600 yards with standard bullets in those two popular calibers when the scope is set on 9-power.
Testing the Hawke Vantage 30 at the range. Scott Einsmann
In both versions of the Vantage 30, the glass is fairly forgettable. The Hawke scored near the bottom on both our low-light and resolution evaluations, and testers detected some edge distortion. They also wished for focus control for shots inside about 30 yards. And testers rightly complained that the indexing on the small, low-profile turrets is hard to read.
But if you’re looking for a dressed-up duplex reticle that can handle just about any shooting situation, brings a very light 17.5 ounces to the task, and does it for well under $300, the Hawke is worth a hard look.
Best Mountain Hunting Scope: Maven CRS.1 3-12×40
We tested the Maven CRS.1 3-12x40.
Score Card
- Optical Performance: Good
- Aiming System: Fair
- Design: Good
- Price/Value: Good
Key Features
- Second-plane CSHR wire reticle
- 1-inch tube
- Parallax fixed at 100 yards
- Capped turrets tuned to .25 MOA click values
- Lightest scope in our test
Pros
- At 14.2 ounces, very lightweight
- 50 MOA total internal elevation and windage adjustment
- Ships with neoprene cover
- Fast, simple hunting reticle
Cons
- No illumination
- Poor turret indexing
- Fuzzy focus inside 75 yards
This was a case where our empirical testing disagreed with our subjective testing. On paper, Maven’s whisper-light scope should have scored even lower. It posted the second-lowest low-light results and its resolution score was middling. But testers raved about the image, noting its brightness and clarity. The empirical scores are likely a result of the configuration; with a 40mm objective, the CRS.1 can’t compete with 50mm scopes as light-gathering instruments. But the Maven is built around a better class of glass than many of its price-point peers, an ingredient that accounts for its $450 price.
On the rifle range, though, the Maven produced consistent results. Its reticle—it stands for Classic Simple Hold Reticle—is basically a dual duplex with decreasing weight that leads the eye to the center crosshair. It has three drop references that offer 80 MOA of drop at 3X, or 20 MOA at 12X. Practically speaking, a shooter can zero a standard caliber at 100, and have holds out to 400 yards. There aren’t readily useful wind holds, though the duplex taper could serve as a reference in a pinch.
Testers recommended that these reticle references be more bold to enable quick shooting. As it is, you have to screw your eyes to pick up the fine elevation marks. But the faint reticle is nothing compared to the turret references. To a tester, we complained about the vanishingly small zero indexing, which made our exercise in dialing to aiming solutions slow and frustrating. If you intend to zero your rifle and then leave the turrets alone, it’s no big deal, but if you spend any time trying to dial to distance, you’ll beg for larger and cleaner indexing.
You’ll also beg for a parallax adjustment if you do much shooting inside 75 yards. Targets were fuzzy in most rimfire range, though we had no problem with focus beyond about 75 yards.
Bottom line, it’s an elegant, useful scope that was runner-up to the Leupold VX-3HD for our featherweight award. Each of us testers imagined the lightweight sheep rifle that would be the perfect match for the CRS.1.
Leupold VX-3HD CDS-ZL 3.5-10×40
We tested the Leupold VX-3HD CDS-ZL 3.5-10x40.
Score Card
- Optical Performance: Fair
- Aiming System: Good
- Design: Good
- Price/Value: Fair
Key Features
- Second-plane duplex non-illuminated reticle
- 1-inch tube
- Fixed 150-yard parallax
- Exposed elevation turret with push-to-turn “Zero Lock” feature
- Turrets tuned to .25 MOA click values
- 55 MOA internal windage and elevation adjustment
Pros
- Compatible with Leupold’s Custom Dial System
- Throw lever included
- Good glass and coatings
- Lightest scope in the class
- Liberal mounting dimensions
Cons
- Mushy turrets
- Blurry inside about 50 yards
- Windage turret needs zero index
Given our decades-long love affair with this scope, we were a little surprised that it didn’t outright win our test. But a few details held it back. The first is its configuration. Just like the 40mm Maven, the VX-3HD isn’t able to bring the optical horsepower of a 50mm scope. Even so, the Leupold was runner-up in our low-light test, though its resolution score was in the middle of the pack. Unlike the Maven, though, testers were generally unimpressed with the image’s contrast and color.
The second reason the Leupold lagged is that we didn’t include one of its main value propositions: a custom elevation dial that conforms to the specific bullet drop of our choosing. The reason: we strap scopes on so many different rifles during the course of our test that custom dials tend to be more trouble than they’re worth. In the case of the Leupold, however, a CDS would have allowed us to rate its distance game. As is, we were left with the duplex reticle and standard .25 MOA clicks. I have several VX-3HDs with custom dials, and my experience is that dialing to a specific range is fast, easy, and fairly precise, though gnat’s-ass precision is dependent on feeding the CDS system very specific data, including muzzle velocity, your bullet’s BC, your elevation, and temperature.
While we’re on the topic of turrets, testers complained that the windage knob has no zero index, the lack of which frustrated our tracking and return-to-zero exercise. And we noticed that images inside about 50 yards were very blurry, a function of the scope’s fixed parallax at 150 yards. But the elevation turret, with its push-to-turn locking mechanism and crisp positivity, received rave reviews.
Overall testers felt that the price, $499 (hitting its head on our under-$500 demarcation) was a little rich for the configuration. “For that price, I’d like to see a 12-power,” said one tester. But when you consider that the buyer of a VX-3HD is eligible to receive one free custom turret, which costs about $80, the price is in line with its lightweight, field-worthy peers.
The Leupold’s light weight and overall handling, including liberal mounting dimensions on its 1-inch tube that makes mounting on long-action rifles a cinch, made this a consensus pick to pair with a lightweight mountain rifle.
Best Crossover Scope: Riton 3 Primal 3-18×50
We tested the Riton 3 Primal 3-18x50.
Score Card
- Optical Performance: Poor
- Aiming System: Good
- Design: Good
- Price/Value: Fair
Key Features
- First-plane “LRH” MRAD-based reticle
- Full-reticle red illumination
- 30mm tube
- 10-yards-to-infinity parallax adjustment
- Tall, exposed, rezeroable turrets tuned to .1 MIL click values
Pros
- Zero stop
- Ships with flip-up lens covers
- Ships with multi-height, multi-position throw lever
- Overbuilt erector system
- Airgun rated
Cons
- Disappointing glass
- Heavy
Riton went back to the drafting table and redesigned their line of rifle scopes, beefing up the erector system and adding a better class of glass. The 3 Primal aims to fill that middle price point, but this scope is a true cross-over, a first-plane precision scope with hunting chops that sells for just ($1) under $500.
Because it’s a different species from most of the other scopes in the budget category, some of our evaluation criteria cost the Riton some points. Testers weren’t fans, for instance, of the tall exposed target turrets after handling so many low-profile capped dials. They also thought the LRH (Long Range Hunter) reticle had too few references for true precision target work and a few too many for fast hunting action.
Testers liked the Riton’s dual position throw lever. Scott Einsmann
Most noticeably was the Riton’s underperforming glass. The 3 Primal finished at the bottom of the low-light test and posted a middling resolution score. Testers noted some color fringing and peripheral distortion. But mechanically, the scope is an over-performer. The turrets turn with precision and fine feedback, and the reticle/turret agreement was one of the best in the test, though we had a hard time seeing the finer reticle references until about 8X.
“Love at first sight,” wrote tester Luke Coccoli, who shorthanded his perspectives on the reticle to “Nay hunt, yay precision.”
Other nice touches are the multi-position “Dual Throw Lever” system that allows users to adjust the placement and the height of the throw lever to their preference, the 10-yard parallax adjustment that makes this a fine choice for a rimfire competition scope, and the daylight-bright red illumination.
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SEE PART III