Any info on Apex Optics?

[Clark33]

Hunter 3-15x44 Non-IL

Apex Hunter3-15x44: Precision hunting scope for rifle shooters

apexoptics.co

Says they're Canadian design and Japanese built. Curious if anyone has had some insider experience with these. Specs look decent and a $1,200 price tag. Looks like something that could fit the discontinued Bushy Elite LRHS/LRTS.

 

[ID_Matt]

Really nice specs and seems fairly priced. Need someone to test the durability!! Wish NF would make something similar to this.

 

[XLR]

Have a buddy running the 4-32 for PRS and we have been pretty impressed with it! Turrets are super impressive and the glass is on par with a mark 5 or XTR Pro.

 

[Wrongside]

They had a demo of their Hunter scope at the precision rifle match a buddy and I shot last weekend. Seems like a nice package. Good glass. Don’t love the reticle design for a hunting scope, and wish they’d capped the windage. But those are just my personal preferences. Time will tell on durability.

There were several guys shooting the match that had their big comp scope, the Rival.

 

[Clark33]

I called them last Friday just to ask about their testing. Like most he said their scopes are impact tested, and that they’re designed by shooters/hunters for shooters/hunters. I’ll be following these.

 

[Moose83]

They had a demo of their Hunter scope at the precision rifle match a buddy and I shot last weekend. Seems like a nice package. Good glass. Don’t love the reticle design for a hunting scope, and wish they’d capped the windage. But those are just my personal preferences. Time will tell on durability.

There were several guys shooting the match that had their big comp scope, the Rival.

What didn't you like about the reticle? Highly curious about these as they seem to be a reasonable option for us Canadians.

 

[Wrongside]

What didn't you like about the reticle? Highly curious about these as they seem to be a reasonable option for us Canadians.

It’s not terrible, definitely useable with illum. Id just prefer a simpler reticle, with bold symmetrical posts that come closer to the center, and draw the eye in. Much easier to take quick, low light shots. I don’t know anyone wholl take a shot on game when you need 6 Mils of wind in the reticle anyways. Let alone hold for 10 Mils ele. It’s just not realistic outside of some competitions. Think TT Hunter Ret, SWFA MilQuad or, if you really want a Xmas tree Ret, even the G2H in the LRHS.

But overall, Apex is headed in the right direction and it’s nice to see a company try to fill the rather large crossover scope void. Seem like nice folks too.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

While a RS drop test would be nice, if it fails it may not be covered by their warranty:
We also don’t cover theft or intentional/neglectful damage or destruction.

It is very similar to Vortex's lauded warranty:
The VIP Warranty does not cover loss, theft, deliberate damage or cosmetic damage that does not hinder the performance of the product.

 

[Moose83]

It’s not terrible, definitely useable with illum. Id just prefer a simpler reticle, with bold symmetrical posts that come closer to the center, and draw the eye in. Much easier to take quick, low light shots. I don’t know anyone wholl take a shot on game when you need 6 Mils of wind in the reticle anyways. Let alone hold for 10 Mils ele. It’s just not realistic outside of some competitions. Think TT Hunter Ret, SWFA MilQuad or, if you really want a Xmas tree Ret, even the G2H in the LRHS.

But overall, Apex is headed in the right direction and it’s nice to see a company try to fill the rather large crossover scope void. Seem like nice folks too.

Thanks for the insight. I was thinking pretty much the same looking at their website but thought maybe it could possibly be different looking through it in real life. I think that's my biggest hangup with FFP scope reticles is that they don't seem really useable on the lower powers.

 

[Clark33]

While a RS drop test would be nice, if it fails it may not be covered by their warranty:
We also don’t cover theft or intentional/neglectful damage or destruction.

It is very similar to Vortex's lauded warranty:
The VIP Warranty does not cover loss, theft, deliberate damage or cosmetic damage that does not hinder the performance of the product.

I wouldn’t look too much into that, NF, Trijicon and Bushnell all have similar warranty language. The only one that doesn’t is swfa.

 

[Wrongside]

Thanks for the insight. I was thinking pretty much the same looking at their website but thought maybe it could possibly be different looking through it in real life. I think that's my biggest hangup with FFP scope reticles is that they don't seem really useable on the lower powers.

You’re welcome.

But IME, a well designed FFP reticle is useful at all magnifications. I’ve hunted exclusively with non-illum FFP rets for the last 7-8 years, and never regretted it. But I’m fussy about reticle design. And that’s why I’ll opt out on the Apex Hunter, at least until they hopefully offer another reticle. The owners definitely seem open to input.

Anyways, hope you’re happy with the scope of you end up with one. It’s got potential.

 

[Beetroot]

I'm surprised this scope hasn't gotten more traction on this forum.

Seems like its what everyone has been asking for in a FFP hunting scope.

I'm not keen on the reticle either (big centre dots makes zero sense for any application IMO) but it could certainly be a lot worse.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

With all the love, the want to believers should buy one and have it drop tested.

 

[khuber84]

I found a used one on snipershide for $700, will let ya all know how it all shakes out. I have saw the drop tests, but don't know full extent of process, I'll find and print out. I have a 22gt in a manners pro hunter I'll test it on.

 

[boatdoc]

Thought I would try to give these Canadian guys a try. Called with some questions, no sorry no one here to answer your questions today.
Ok someone will call me back , excellent.
Got an email 3 days later from Kylleigh the National Sales Director , sent a reply askeing my questions, got a reply 2 days after that , will have to ask the engineer and get back to me, ok.
Got an email a week after that with web links to their website, informed by the Nation Sales Director that the website will answer my questions. Um now if the information I wanted was on their website why would i have called for more information.
I asked that why send me to a website that i obviously had already read, yup no response.
Could be because i berated her ability to do her job?
I didn’t even bother to call back and try to speak to someone more important than the National Sales Director, big title eh.
I won’t be buying anything from these people.
Make up your own mind but their idea of customer service doesn’t work for me.
Can’t imagine the fun of a warranty return.

 

[Beetroot]

Thought I would try to give these Canadian guys a try. Called with some questions, no sorry no one here to answer your questions today.
Ok someone will call me back , excellent.
Got an email 3 days later from Kylleigh the National Sales Director , sent a reply askeing my questions, got a reply 2 days after that , will have to ask the engineer and get back to me, ok.
Got an email a week after that with web links to their website, informed by the Nation Sales Director that the website will answer my questions. Um now if the information I wanted was on their website why would i have called for more information.
I asked that why send me to a website that i obviously had already read, yup no response.
Could be because i berated her ability to do her job?
I didn’t even bother to call back and try to speak to someone more important than the National Sales Director, big title eh.
I won’t be buying anything from these people.
Make up your own mind but their idea of customer service doesn’t work for me.
Can’t imagine the fun of a warranty return.

What questions did you have?
They must've been awful specific to get a response like that.

As far as I can tell Apex is a very small company that is only a few years old, I'd be suprised if they more then a couple of staff members.
I'd also guess that talking to the Engineer meant the OEM not their own design/engineering department.

 

[Ryan Avery]

We have asked for a scope a couple of times.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[khuber84]

Well I received my 2nd hand 3-15 hunter unit. I'm sending it into Apex for inspection. With the turrets unlocked, the hashes on the turret cap, do not align with hashes on scope body. This isn't a Nightforce where you can loosen a set screw and adjust to center, they are spline aligned, and they are not machined properly. When you lock the turret, it aligns, but is obviously dialing you 0.05 mil above or below you're zero. I know a tenth of a mil is tough to shoot the difference of, but this is purely a mechanical machining problem with my particular scope. This is apparent on the locking elevation and windage turrets. Also the illumination is just supposed to be center dot only, anything over 20% illumination on the side dial, bleeds so badly it flares out into the entire reticle. They've agreed to take the scope back and evaluate, repair or replace. Pray to god it's a replacement, as this one's junk. I only paid 700$ for it second hand, but had I bought directly from Apex I'd just be asking for a refund.

Positives: smooth magnification and parallax knobs with good tension, not too much/too little. Tactile audible turret clicks that feel like a slightly clickier nx8 turret. Reticle is usable at low power, clear crisp glass viewing off my Tripod out to 300y(furthest I can reach from my house before the timber blocks views.

 

[boatdoc]

What questions did you have?
They must've been awful specific to get a response like that.

As far as I can tell Apex is a very small company that is only a few years old, I'd be suprised if they more then a couple of staff members.
I'd also guess that talking to the Engineer meant the OEM not their own design/engineering department.

Here is what I asked:
Couple questions in regards to the Apex Hunter scope.
Any plans for additional reticle options?
Can you tell me if and how these scopes are tested for return to zero and impacts?
If impact tested then some details please, dropping, recoil ect.

Not rocket science questions in my opinion and really I would totally accept an answer that says hey we don’t have plans for any different reticle and we don’t actually drop test or check return to rero.
For sure they are a small company trying to get a place in the market so I honestly would expect them to try really hard to answer questions and communicate well with potential customers. Is that not one important part of growing a business.

 

[Beetroot]

Here is what I asked:
Couple questions in regards to the Apex Hunter scope.
Any plans for additional reticle options?
Can you tell me if and how these scopes are tested for return to zero and impacts?
If impact tested then some details please, dropping, recoil ect.

Not rocket science questions in my opinion and really I would totally accept an answer that says hey we don’t have plans for any different reticle and we don’t actually drop test or check return to rero.
For sure they are a small company trying to get a place in the market so I honestly would expect them to try really hard to answer questions and communicate well with potential customers. Is that not one important part of growing a business.

They definitely should know the answer to those question, or atleast be able to find out.

Did they comment about additional reticle options.