Got the chance to do a very brief hands on with an Athlon Ares BTR 4.5-27x50 which was originally purchased for $450 a year or so ago or may be was that $400 the original buyer forgot and stated was either $450 or $400 brand new on sale for around half price.
I had no interest to buy at that time due to its 25 yard minimum focus didn't matter if it was half price since I'm too accustomed to using 10 yard minimum focus scopes on air rifles. I'm not that much of a fan of FFP scopes either due to the center of the reticle disappearing at lower magnification under real world out doors shooting situations.
Both of the turrets are nearly inaudible when clicking. The detents can be felt but aren't distinct compared to other scopes of varying price range and at most best to describe it sounds like chewing a chocolate bar. I have a Gen 1 Argos that has slightly more audible clicks but the glass is pretty terrible compared to the Ares BTR.
I'm assuming this is a Gen 1 Ares BTR.
The glass is atleast decent better than average especially for a Chinese made scope.
Image quality is nice and clear at high magnification up to 25x. Going past 26 to 27x adds slight noticeable chromatic aberrations in certain lighting conditions.
My eyes aren't the greatest but I also have a Chinese made Bushnell Engage 6-24x50 SFP 10 yard focus side by side and the Engage looked over all almost just as clear and little brighter to my own eyes. Other eyes may or may not be different. The Bushnell turrets feel more positive as well but has no zero stop. It had been mentioned Bushnell warranty is not like they used to be so beware.
Then compared them to an AIMS Alpha 6 4.5-27x50 10 yard focus which is in the typical $200 selling price point and it looks noticeably brighter than both the Ares BTR and Engage. Clarity according to my eyes the at the highest magnification 26 and 27x compared to the Ares BTR at 26 and 27x about the same but the AIMS looked brighter and the Engage at 24x biggest difference AIMS was optically superior in clarity and brightness. The turrets feel better on the Alpha 6 compared to the Ares BTR but the Engage felt the best. This is a ridiculous comparison with a $200 to $300 to $400 or $450 scope. Actually the Ares BTR is a $850 to $1000 scope and Bushnell $600 and AIMS $400 retail.
If you use the AIMS from 4.5 to 25x it is unbelievably bright and clear especially for a Chinese made scope. If you use it as a 4.5 to 20x you might not even believe its Chinese. Illumination looks noticeably brighter than the Ares BTR during the day light hours.
Since all of these are are made in China any way if given the option to buy the Athlon with comparable glass at the same price as the Bushnell and you can live with a 25 yard minimum focus parallax then buy the Athlon due to their well known proven first rate warranty service but this can be taken either in a positive or negative way depending on how you look at it.
AIMS unknown on how good their warranty is with no known reports about how their brands life time warranty is. Had been preached it is not a clicking scope while few say they click with no issues must be over all QC being Chinese made you know how it goes with Made in China stuff even with Athlon brand. I have a sample of ONE AIMS scope on hand so I must have gotten a good one I guess it tracts fine on my gun so far. Not privileged as another member going through 20 different Arkens who posted all wear no good at higher magnification. So who knows if he had all 20 bad ones?
If a 10 yard minimum is required and you can live a FFP with no illumination option made in China then the Midas Tac 4-16x and 6-24x may be worth buying when on sale seen as low as $470 on Amazon. They have HD glass like the Ares BTR.
Main question will this one track equally as well as the current Gen 2 version?
There are sellers on EBay selling Gen 1 Ares BTRs for premium Gen 2 prices with Gen 2 description that don't match the seller model number.
I don't have any issues buying Chinese made scopes as long as they aren't over priced since there are other options to buy European and Japanese made scopes to purchase for around the same or less money. I also have the cheap AIMS Alpha 6 to compare to as well which made me disappointed when compared to my older Hawke Side winder 30s and Air Maxes and especially Gen1 Argos better off buying the AIMS over these ones for sure.
The Chinese AIMS is likely the nicest cheap scope from China money can buy for what it is. Rather shocking when compared to other more expensive brands. If you ever buy one your expectations on other higher priced Chinese made scopes will likely go up by a huge margin.
Still waiting for Japan to build a 4500 psi portable compressor and waiting for long term reliability reports for the European Hill brand compressor.
I had no interest to buy at that time due to its 25 yard minimum focus didn't matter if it was half price since I'm too accustomed to using 10 yard minimum focus scopes on air rifles. I'm not that much of a fan of FFP scopes either due to the center of the reticle disappearing at lower magnification under real world out doors shooting situations.
Both of the turrets are nearly inaudible when clicking. The detents can be felt but aren't distinct compared to other scopes of varying price range and at most best to describe it sounds like chewing a chocolate bar. I have a Gen 1 Argos that has slightly more audible clicks but the glass is pretty terrible compared to the Ares BTR.
I'm assuming this is a Gen 1 Ares BTR.
The glass is atleast decent better than average especially for a Chinese made scope.
Image quality is nice and clear at high magnification up to 25x. Going past 26 to 27x adds slight noticeable chromatic aberrations in certain lighting conditions.
My eyes aren't the greatest but I also have a Chinese made Bushnell Engage 6-24x50 SFP 10 yard focus side by side and the Engage looked over all almost just as clear and little brighter to my own eyes. Other eyes may or may not be different. The Bushnell turrets feel more positive as well but has no zero stop. It had been mentioned Bushnell warranty is not like they used to be so beware.
Then compared them to an AIMS Alpha 6 4.5-27x50 10 yard focus which is in the typical $200 selling price point and it looks noticeably brighter than both the Ares BTR and Engage. Clarity according to my eyes the at the highest magnification 26 and 27x compared to the Ares BTR at 26 and 27x about the same but the AIMS looked brighter and the Engage at 24x biggest difference AIMS was optically superior in clarity and brightness. The turrets feel better on the Alpha 6 compared to the Ares BTR but the Engage felt the best. This is a ridiculous comparison with a $200 to $300 to $400 or $450 scope. Actually the Ares BTR is a $850 to $1000 scope and Bushnell $600 and AIMS $400 retail.
If you use the AIMS from 4.5 to 25x it is unbelievably bright and clear especially for a Chinese made scope. If you use it as a 4.5 to 20x you might not even believe its Chinese. Illumination looks noticeably brighter than the Ares BTR during the day light hours.
Since all of these are are made in China any way if given the option to buy the Athlon with comparable glass at the same price as the Bushnell and you can live with a 25 yard minimum focus parallax then buy the Athlon due to their well known proven first rate warranty service but this can be taken either in a positive or negative way depending on how you look at it.
AIMS unknown on how good their warranty is with no known reports about how their brands life time warranty is. Had been preached it is not a clicking scope while few say they click with no issues must be over all QC being Chinese made you know how it goes with Made in China stuff even with Athlon brand. I have a sample of ONE AIMS scope on hand so I must have gotten a good one I guess it tracts fine on my gun so far. Not privileged as another member going through 20 different Arkens who posted all wear no good at higher magnification. So who knows if he had all 20 bad ones?
If a 10 yard minimum is required and you can live a FFP with no illumination option made in China then the Midas Tac 4-16x and 6-24x may be worth buying when on sale seen as low as $470 on Amazon. They have HD glass like the Ares BTR.
Main question will this one track equally as well as the current Gen 2 version?
There are sellers on EBay selling Gen 1 Ares BTRs for premium Gen 2 prices with Gen 2 description that don't match the seller model number.
I don't have any issues buying Chinese made scopes as long as they aren't over priced since there are other options to buy European and Japanese made scopes to purchase for around the same or less money. I also have the cheap AIMS Alpha 6 to compare to as well which made me disappointed when compared to my older Hawke Side winder 30s and Air Maxes and especially Gen1 Argos better off buying the AIMS over these ones for sure.
The Chinese AIMS is likely the nicest cheap scope from China money can buy for what it is. Rather shocking when compared to other more expensive brands. If you ever buy one your expectations on other higher priced Chinese made scopes will likely go up by a huge margin.
Still waiting for Japan to build a 4500 psi portable compressor and waiting for long term reliability reports for the European Hill brand compressor.
