Q&A for Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 2-12x42mm Field Eval

[BBob]

So when is the highly touted by the "Stick" "Barken Arken" going to get tested?

 

[JGRaider]

7 whitetail does, 14 hogs, and only 150 rds total so far, my 2-12x gas been great. Includes lots of ride time in my Ranger, banging around looking for big mule deer. Time will tell I guess.

 

[sndmn11]

Just got the tracking number from Athlon today for my replacement scope. That was a pretty quick turn around. I appreciate the company standing by their warranty but I wish their products were more durable though.

@Ryan Avery or @Formidilosus have a picture of unknown origin of a different scope with similar, ahhh "angle".

This is @JustSomeGuy35 's scope after the Mini-eval, but I don't know if it was like this prior, is standard, or is indeed damage. In my Mini-eval the focus was very messed up by the 36" drops. This might explain that if it is damage and not standard.

 

[Ryan Avery]

 

[IDMilton]

So I am not trying to argue with Form or Ryan or anyone, I am just sharing my experience with the scope so far. Based on Forms recommendations I have bought three 6X, two 3–9, and one 1-6 SWFA and they have been great. I just bought one of these scopes based on the positive comments on another forum and took it to the range for the first time last Wednesday.

I got it sighted in in three shots. Then I dialed up six mils, which is the maximum I could do on the target I had. Fired then dialed back down, then back up, then back down. This was on a very accurate TIKKA with sports match rings mounted correctly.

everything looked good to me, except that it was hitting .3 high when I would dial up. I shot some other rifles and came home. That night, Wednesday, I found this thread and thought oh no, if they are three for three failing I had a mistake buying this scope.. Then I read where form told someone just to go try theirs out. So I went back to the range Friday.

I shot once to check zero and than dialed up six mils. Then I dialed back down, then back up, then back down. Everything hit right where it was supposed to but it looked like I was now getting .2 high when I would dial up. Between shots I was dialing way back and forth and zooming in and out and messing with the parallax.

Then I put my shooting pad, which is 1 inch thick so obviously very different than the half inch pad used in the other tests, and dropper the rifle three times from 36 inches on its left side, on the top of the scope, and on the right side. This was on hard packed snow. so nine drops total.

I skipped the 18 inch drops and shooting between drops and did nine and fired and my first shot was a little bit right, maybe 2/3 of an inch. Then it went right back to where it should and dialed up and down fine.

I thought maybe I was being too gentle so I took it to the parking lot which was ice covered asphalt and did nine more drops the same way and went back and shot again. It was right where it should be and dialed right back where it had been, which was the .2 high.

The ground was hard enough the rifle was bouncing and smacking pretty hard. Maybe I just got lucky or it will die soon but so far I am pretty impressed with it for the cost. The elevation knob is a little stiff to lift but the clicks are good and that windage is just right.

I know I should be shooting the 20 rounds to find the true group center, etc. and this isn’t a very valid test, but I thought I would just share my two range trips with the scope.

 

[Lawnboi]

View attachment 487121

Hey my first athlon did that!

Never again chinuh

 

[JustSomeGuy35]

So I am not trying to argue with Form or Ryan or anyone, I am just sharing my experience with the scope so far. Based on Forms recommendations I have bought three 6X, two 3–9, and one 1-6 SWFA and they have been great. I just bought one of these scopes based on the positive comments on another forum and took it to the range for the first time last Wednesday.

I got it sighted in in three shots. Then I dialed up six mils, which is the maximum I could do on the target I had. Fired then dialed back down, then back up, then back down. This was on a very accurate TIKKA with sports match rings mounted correctly.

everything looked good to me, except that it was hitting .3 high when I would dial up. I shot some other rifles and came home. That night, Wednesday, I found this thread and thought oh no, if they are three for three failing I had a mistake buying this scope.. Then I read where form told someone just to go try theirs out. So I went back to the range Friday.

I shot once to check zero and than dialed up six mils. Then I dialed back down, then back up, then back down. Everything hit right where it was supposed to but it looked like I was now getting .2 high when I would dial up. Between shots I was dialing way back and forth and zooming in and out and messing with the parallax.

Then I put my shooting pad, which is 1 inch thick so obviously very different than the half inch pad used in the other tests, and dropper the rifle three times from 36 inches on its left side, on the top of the scope, and on the right side. This was on hard packed snow. so nine drops total.

I skipped the 18 inch drops and shooting between drops and did nine and fired and my first shot was a little bit right, maybe 2/3 of an inch. Then it went right back to where it should and dialed up and down fine.

I thought maybe I was being too gentle so I took it to the parking lot which was ice covered asphalt and did nine more drops the same way and went back and shot again. It was right where it should be and dialed right back where it had been, which was the .2 high.

The ground was hard enough the rifle was bouncing and smacking pretty hard. Maybe I just got lucky or it will die soon but so far I am pretty impressed with it for the cost. The elevation knob is a little stiff to lift but the clicks are good and that windage is just right.

I know I should be shooting the 20 rounds to find the true group center, etc. and this isn’t a very valid test, but I thought I would just share my two range trips with the scope.

That's awesome that you tried the drop test yourself. Thanks for sharing your findings with us!

 

[waldo9190]

View attachment 487121

Sharpshooters in WWI would LOVE to have had that optic back in the day! A dialing trench optic.

 

[Huntmx]

Form,
What mounting system do you recommend for a Remington 700 LA. Looking for a 4x16x44 optic. Cant decide between Talley two piece rings or doing a picatinny rail and rings to mount to that.

This will be a hunting rifle for big game and fun shooting.

Thanks for all the reviews these Evals are amazing info!!

 

[JustSomeGuy35]

Form,
What mounting system do you recommend for a Remington 700 LA. Looking for a 4x16x44 optic. Cant decide between Talley two piece rings or doing a picatinny rail and rings to mount to that.

This will be a hunting rifle for big game and fun shooting.

Thanks for all the reviews these Evals are amazing info!!

I asked him the same question a year or two ago and he recommended the Hawkins hybrids. They're similar to Talleys but more robust and have built in bubble level. I took his advice and am very pleased with them.

Hawkins Precision - Scope Rings - Long Range Hybrid

Enhance your long-range shooting with Hawkins Precision Long Range Hybrid Scope Rings! Designed for 30mm scopes, they provide superior strength and precision.

redhawkrifles.com

 

[Huntmx]

I asked him the same question a year or two ago and he recommended the Hawkins hybrids. They're similar to Talleys but more robust and have built in bubble level. I took his advice and am very pleased with them.

Hawkins Precision - Scope Rings - Long Range Hybrid

Enhance your long-range shooting with Hawkins Precision Long Range Hybrid Scope Rings! Designed for 30mm scopes, they provide superior strength and precision.

redhawkrifles.com

Awesome! Thanks for the reply

 

[Formidilosus]

Updated…

 

[JustSomeGuy35]

Updated…

I looked at the results of your driving test. That's interesting that it jumped 0.2 mils again. Is that caused by the turret binding?

 

[Formidilosus]

I looked at the results of your driving test. That's interesting that it jumped 0.2 mils again. Is that caused by the turret binding?

I’m not sure. Going to keep shooting it and see if there is a pattern.

 

[Akblazer45]

wow this is great info. I was just getting ready to purchase a helos 2-12x42. Think I’m going to hold off now.

 

[IA1865]

This is a shame. I just got an Ares BTR for an AR, will definitely be performing some tests and returning ASAP if it craps the bed similarly to the Helos.

 

[TNhuntsman]

This is a shame. I just got an Ares BTR for an AR, will definitely be performing some tests and returning ASAP if it craps the bed similarly to the Helos.

The Ares is a couple hundred dollars more than the Helos so hopefully that means better components. So far my Ares BTR has been fine dialing out to 1000 yards and back but this evaluation does not inspire confidence.
I am saving money for a 6.5 creedmoor that will inherit my Ares Gen 2 and I will be purchasing a NX8 to replace it on my 6.5 prc, until then I will be monitoring this thread.

 

[KenLee]

Dropping rifles is real easy. Easier in fact than not dropping them. Everyone needs to drop their own because even if the scope is solid through a drop the mounts or rifle bedding might not be.

Dropping rifles is really easy when you're as clumsy as me. Dropping, knocking them off truck seats onto cement driveways, knocking them off shooting ledges in box blinds, banging them on trees, beating them on rungs of ladder stands, etc.

 

[Formidilosus]

Updated.

 

[TxLite]

Updated.

The end of that post was unexpected, but welcome. Good shooting