Athlon Optics Ares BTR GEN3 HD 2.5-15x50 APRS13 FFP IR MIL

A rifle that hunts in the fall and shoots field matches the rest of the year needs holds it can trust at any magnification, and turrets in the same unit as the reticle. The Athlon Ares BTR GEN3 HD 2.5-15x50 APRS13 FFP IR MIL gives you a first focal plane MIL reticle, 0.1 MIL turrets with a zero stop and 29 MIL of elevation in a 27.3 oz scope. Athlon designed the APRS13 reticle "for a wide range of applications from hunting to precision rifle work."

Key Features

• APRS13 reticle. An open center with a 0.05 mil floating dot keeps the target clear, and 0.2 mil subtension spacing gives fine holds. The holdover tree starts with dots 1 mil to either side at the 1 mil drop line and widens to 4 mils at the 10 mil line, with small dots every 0.2 mil and larger ones every 1 mil.
• Holds at every power. In the first focal plane the reticle scales with the image, which Athlon says gives "ranging capability and valid holdover points at all power settings," from 2.5x to 15x.
• Illuminated center. Athlon lights the main crosshair from -2 to +6 mils vertically and 2 mils either side of center, a method it says "quickly draws the shooters eye to the center in low-light situations." The dial has an off position between each brightness setting, and one CR2032 battery powers it.
• Turrets in mils. Exposed turrets click 0.1 MIL (ten clicks move the impact 3.6 in at 100 yards), with 10 MIL per turn and 29 MIL of elevation and windage. A brass plate under the elevation knob sets the zero stop; the windage turret has none.
• HD glass. Athlon's low dispersion lenses give "better light transmission, and brighter and sharper images," with advanced fully multi-coated lenses and an XPL coating that protects the outer lenses from dirt, oil and scratches.
• Wide at 2.5x, side focus from 10 yards. The field of view is 41.8 ft at 100 yards at 2.5x and 6.8 ft at 15x, and parallax adjusts from 10 yards to infinity.
• Sealed one-piece tube. A 30 mm one-piece aircraft-grade aluminum tube, argon purged, waterproof, fog proof and shockproof.

Who It's For

• Hunters who also dial for distance, the mix Athlon describes: "Whether you're nailing targets at the range, or on your next hunt."
• MIL shooters. Reticle and turrets share the same unit, so a hold you read in the reticle dials straight onto the turret.
• Long shots on a flat base. Athlon centers the reticle at the factory, so roughly half of the 29 MIL, about 14.5 MIL, is left above a 100-yard zero; for more, Athlon's manual suggests "an offset 20+ MOA scope rail."
• Choosing a version. The APLR13 FFP IR MOA version is the same scope in MOA, with 0.25 MOA clicks, 25 MOA per turn, 100 MOA of travel and a 0.2 MOA floating dot over 1 MOA hashmarks. The 4.5-27x50 APRS13 keeps this reticle and the 27.3 oz weight, with more magnification, 24 MIL of travel and side focus from 25 yards.
• Cross-shopping at 2.5-15x50. Alpen's Apex 2.5-15x50 WBDC-A is also first focal plane, weighs 1.6 lb and costs less, with MOA turrets and 40 MOA of elevation. This Ares answers with mils, 29 MIL (about 100 MOA) of elevation and an illuminated reticle.

Accessories & Compatibility

• Rings. It takes 30 mm rings. Athlon's drawing gives 2.2 in of tube ahead of the turret housing and 1.8 in behind it, so check ring spacing on your rail.