Athlon Optics Helos BTR GEN2 2-12x42 AHMR2 FFP IR MOA

A whitetail at 60 yards in the timber and another across a cut at 400 ask one rifle to do two jobs. The Athlon Helos BTR GEN2 2-12x42 AHMR2 FFP IR MOA covers both with the AHMR2 MOA reticle: a center cross inside a 12 MOA circle, holdovers for every 100 yards out to 700 from a 100-yard zero, and a ranging ladder sized to a whitetail buck, in the first focal plane, so the holds read true from 2x to 12x.

Key Features

• What the AHMR2 MOA reticle is. Athlon designed it "for hunting and mid range application and the popular hunting caliber rifles". Its holdover points are computed for 11 loads Athlon lists, from .223 Rem 55 gr to .338 Win 200 gr, and the dots on the holdover lines are for "5 mph and 10 mph wind". To range a deer, fit its 18-inch belly-to-shoulder depth into the ladder above the bottom post and read the distance, 200 to 600 yards.
• First focal plane. At 2x the reticle "becomes a center cross for effectively engaging games at short range", and at 12x it shows finer detail for long holds, with subtensions valid at any power.
• Lit center. Athlon says "the illuminated center portion of the reticle provides great visibility during dusk and dawn low light conditions". An off position sits between brightness settings, and one CR2032 battery powers it.
• Locking turrets and zero stop. Clicks are 0.25 MOA, 25 MOA a turn, with 110 MOA of elevation and 80 MOA of windage. Pull a turret up to dial, push it down to lock, and the zero stop returns elevation to zero.
• Built for weather. Parallax adjusts from 10 yards. Lenses are advanced fully multi-coated with an XPL outer coating, and Athlon rates the argon-purged one-piece tube waterproof, fog proof and shockproof.

Ideal For

• Hunters, the ideal application Athlon lists, with short and long range as alternatives.
• MOA or MIL? The MIL version has a different AHMR2: a 0.3 mil dot in a 4 mil circle above a drop line marked in mils, with 0.1 MIL clicks. Pick this MOA one for yardage holds built around hunting loads; pick MIL if your data is in mils.
• Weighing the Kite B6 LR. The Kite B6 LR 2-12x42 is lighter (23.0 oz against 25.4) with more elevation (140 MOA against 110), but its reticle sits in the second focal plane and its parallax is fixed at 100 m. The Helos gives first focal plane holds and side focus from 10 yards, and costs less.
• More reach. The Helos BTR GEN2 4-20x50 APLR6 reaches 20x on a 50 mm objective.