Best FFP Scopes under $550 “retail” for NRL

[Teber66]

Like stated above the Athlon Argos is going to be tough to beat for base class. I think dollar for dollar Athlon is some of the better scopes for their price range. I’ve used the Midas Tac, Ares BTR, ETR and Cronus for NRL22/PRS22 style matches before switching to a Gen II Razor(mostly to standardize all my scopes to the same ones.) only complaint I have about Athlon scopes up to and including the Cronus is they tend to have a tight eye box. But they have all tracked well and were repeatable. You can roll the dice with some of these other low end companies but in the long run you’ll probably wish you didn’t. At least not for the 22 game where we dial for elevation as much as you do in a match. Plus Athlon has the better choices In reticles. I’ve heard a few people mention Hawke but after getting the AirMax 30 compact for my HW95 I don’t believe I’ll ever purchase another product from them. Maybe their higher end scopes are better but I won’t gamble on them with my money.

 

[Dairyboy]

Checking out that Bushnell Match Pro I gotta say I really like the looks of it. The illuminated version is now available. My only real complaint about the Argos is the MIL reticle just wasn't for me. Big fan of floating dots so I'd likely try the Match Pro due to my preference for reticles but yeah if they offered a better reticle in the Argos for the MIL then I'd still stick with that recommendation. But again personal matter on if you like the reticle or not.

 

[JungleShooter]

Checking out that Bushnell Match Pro I gotta say I really like the looks of it. The illuminated version is now available.

Big fan of floating dots so I'd likely try the Match Pro due to my preference for reticles.

 

[Odoyle]

If you are an Athlon lover the Bushnell is made in the same China factory and Bushnells are sold for a lot cheaoer too and carries a full lifetime warranty as well.

The Bushnell Match Pro may likely be the Ares brother for cheap. It is said it uses the Bushnell Forge turrets and likely shares the same glass as well.

 

[steve123]

I learned over time years ago that I hated numbers that exist in a reticle "just off" the vertical crosshair for holdovers in respect to holdoffs. It so happens that they put those numbers right in the most inappropriate place which is 3/4-1 mil from the crosshair.

The APLR's and the APRS6 mil reticles in the Athlon line up are some of the best holdovers reticles in the scope world regardless of price for this reason ^^^^.

Too stay near the $550 street price you'd need to be in the Helos G2 line to get into the APRS6 reticle. Or buy used Ares BTR's. IMO the Talos 4-14 doesn't have quite enough magnification for some of the NRL22 stages.

 

[Hearkens]

Steve,

the Rules of NRL of $1,050 for base class rifle and scope are unfortunately based on retail rather than street price. If you buy a Tikka Or CZ rimfire for 500-650... you have to buy a scope that retails between 400 -$549. 

 

[steve123]

Steve,

the Rules of NRL of $1,050 for base class rifle and scope are unfortunately based on retail rather than street price. If you buy a Tikka Or CZ rimfire for 500-650... you have to buy a scope that retails between 400 -$549. 

I skipped over that, sorry.

Reticle wise the Talos BTR 4-14x44.

Magnification wise, and with a zero stop, the Argos BTR G2 6-24x50.

I use an early production Argos BTR 6-24x50 for FT since that scope came out and it's been working great.