Testing the Leupold Mark 5 3.6-18X44

February 3, 2026Optics, Product review3.6-18x44, leupold, leupold optics, mark 5coldboremiracle

Preface

Over many years I have had a variety of different Leupold optics, for a long time I had several of the old Mark 4 scopes. I have always been a fan of Leupold’s brand you could say, so I am excited to bring you a review of one of their more recent scopes. Today’s subject is the Leupold Mark 5 3.6-18X44 riflescope. The Mark 5 line of scopes promises high-quality imagery, with professional grade optics, and built with quality in the USA. Leupold has kept a finger on the pulse of professional and precision shooters alike, so it comes as no surprise to see them often in both arenas of shooting.

leupold optics, leupold, mark 5, mkV, 3.6-18x44, mark 5HD, desert tech, srs Carbon SD, two vets tripod, — shooting the rifle from my **Two Vets** **Carbon Fiber Tripod**

This particular model of the Mark 5 line, is one of two more compact models. The Mark 5 2-10X and 3.6-18X are both smaller objective scopes, with shorter overall lengths. This while retaining all the same Mark 5 long-range features, and with a lighter weight. Making them ideal for smaller precision rifles and tactical carbines.

The Leupold Mark 5 3.6-18X44

I have wanted one of these for some time, I think they would be fantastic on one of my hunting rifles. The Mark 5 low profile turret system offers three revolutions of the 10.5 MIL turret. Locking the turret is done using the Zero-lock feature, this requires pushing the button to release the turret from zero.

Left: here you can see the lock button (depressed) and rotation indicator . Right: you can see the coil that guides the locking pin and rotation indicator

Being built on a 35mm tube is a small but significant difference. It does reduce mounting options but I suppose it might give some travel advantage. The physical dimensions of this scope are impressively compact, and it is also much lighter than similar scopes. This is one of fewer modern scopes I’ve had that don’t feature an illuminated reticle, which likely also keeps the weight down.

The magnification ring also features a removable throw lever, to aid in quickly transitioning from one setting to another. Taking it off is handy for when it interferes with bolt manipulation.

Specifications

Adjustable Parallax	Side Focus
BDC Dial Included	No
Custom Dial System (CDS)	No
Daylight Bright Illumination	No
Elevation Adjustment Type	M5C3
Electronic Reticle Level	No
Illuminated Reticle	No
Locking Dial	Yes
Magnification Type	Variable
Motion Sensor Technology (MST)	No
Nightvision Compatible Illumination	No
Reticle Focal Plane	First Focal Plane
Revolution Indicator	Yes
Reticle	FFP PR-1MIL
Rezero Type	Set Screw
Reticle Type	First Focal Plane
Adjustable Objective	No
Windage Adjustment Type	Capped
Weight (oz)	26
Elevation Adjustment Value per Click	0.1Mil
Elevation Adjustment Range (MOA)	100
Elevation Adjustment Range (MIL)	29
Elevation Adjustment Range (cm @ 100m)	291
Elevation Adjustment Per Revolution	10.5 MIL
Elevation Dial Travel Limit	30MIL
Windage Adjustment Value per Click	0.1Mil
Windage Adjustment Range (MOA)	80
Windage Adjustment Range (MIL)	23
Windage Adjustment Range (cm @ 100m)	233
Windage Adjustment Per Revolution	10 MIL
Magnification Max	18
Magnification Min	3.6
Objective Lens Diameter (mm)	44
Linear FOV Low Mag (ft@100yds)	28.3
Linear FOV High Mag (ft@100yds)	5.8
Angular FOV Low Mag (Degrees)	5.4
Angular FOV High Mag (Degrees)	1.1
Eye Relief Low Mag (in)	3.5
Eye Relief High Mag (in)	3.8
Minimum Parallax-Free Distance (yd)	50

Mounting the Mark 5

Due to the 35mm tube of the Leupold Mark 5, it was necessary to use a 35mm mount. Leupold offers a 35mm mount that works great for this. There are other 35mm ring options, but this was an easy button so that’s the way I went.

leupold optics, leupold, mark 5, mkV, 3.6-18x44, mark 5HD,

With the scope mounted and level, I set to zeroing the rifle. The first host for this scope was the brand new Desert Tech SRS Carbon SD rifle, chambered in 308 Winchester. On the rifle range it was a quick job of adjusting the Leupold to match the rifles point of impact. I was a little thrown off by the witness mark of the windage turret, located higher than the typical centerline of the tube.

I fired several rounds to confirm zero and see how the scope and rifle worked together. During this process I found my first flaw with this scope, I am not a big fan of the Tremor reticles . Maybe I am the flaw, but I just don’t like all the dots and such. Chalk it up to personal preference, but I would have picked a different reticle. Looking at my 100 and 200 yard targets I could easily make out great detail through the sharp image of the Mark 5.

leupold optics, leupold, mark 5, mkV, 3.6-18x44, mark 5HD, tikka, t3x, krg, bravo, — additional testing was done on my custom Tikka 25 Creedmoor

On the Firing Line

I am not a big fan of public ranges, and if you find me there it’s usually more labor than love. So my next trips out with the Leupold Mark 5 were into the frozen Rocky Mountains and the dry winter ranges of the desert. This would give me more opportunity to scour the distant ridges through the scope. Allowing me to evaluate clarity and other qualities.

The bright environment made for excellent target identification. I practiced my typical routine of picking out targets, usually small rocks protruding from the snow. Snow makes a great indicator when the light is just right, sometimes you can even see bullet holes from great distances.

Dialing the elevation turret for various target distances put me in touch with its function pretty quick. I like the locking zero, and the rotation indicator feature lets you know where you’re at in the numbers. The clicks on these turrets are crisp and easy to count. I mentioned my reticle preference, but the Tremor obviously gives plenty of use for holding wind corrections.

Optical Clarity

I have always liked the look through Leupold scopes, and this one was no chump. Great detail and crisp imagery made this scope very useful in this big country. One of the reasons this scope is so appealing is because it is one of few good scopes that are this compact. The 44mm objective keeps this scope low, and its short length and light-weight make it optimal for a sharp-shooting mountain gun. Together with the SRS SD this scope would make an excellent night-vision or thermal combination. Despite the smaller objective and proportions this scope’s HD lenses still gives a great impression of downrange detail. That said I do feel like some of the 50 and 56mm scopes do look better. Its a trade-off.

Controls

I really like mid-range variable scopes, the 3.6-18 power is a very useful range in my opinion. The power ring of the Mark 5 is smooth and fairly easy to turn, I wouldn’t say too easy but it is close. The removable throw-lever is handy if you need it, and removable if you don’t.

I found the optical focus features of this scope to be very helpful as eyes begin to show their age. Both the ocular adjustment, and the parallax turret gave very fine adjustment, making those images pop.

leupold optics, leupold, mark 5, mkV, 3.6-18x44, mark 5HD, desert tech, srs Carbon SD, — my Desert Tech SRS SD rifle also uses an **Area 419 ARCA rail** and **Atlas Bipod**

The curious design of the elevation turret is both effective and functional. The coiled path underneath keeps the rotation indicator accurate, and the scope was always on zero when left there. With a total of 29 MRAD in elevation adjustment, there’s not many shots where you’ll need to hold over with the Tremor reticle. But its nice to have the option if you’re that kind of shooter.

leupold optics, leupold, mark 5, mkV, 3.6-18x44, mark 5HD, turrets — here you can see the unorthodox windage witness mark

The capped windage turret I thought was going to bug me, but it ended up not being an issue at all. I found it really wasn’t worth the risk of having it exposed, and I didn’t need to use it much.

Value

There are a few other competitors scopes that closely mimic the features of this one. Most of them are 30mm tube though, and they are also about half the cost. As a rampant 3-18 power enthusiast I have a variety of them in my collection, and this one is definitely at the top of the price points. That means it has big shoes to fill, and I expect Leupold is up to it.

Having been chosen for the main optical sight for the US Army’s M110 sniper rifle is certainly a feather in their cap. Leupold claims the scope was designed with input from elite shooters, a claim I take at face value since I wasn’t asked…

At the end of the day I feel this scope while expensive can certainly justify its heritage. Military use isn’t necessarily the golden ticket that so many manufacturers portray it to be. But it definitely does mean something, and brings value to both the brand and the scope.

Pros and Cons

As I mentioned already, this scope is very light considering its features. It is also quite compact and optimal for use with other optical tools like clip-on thermals and night-vision. Its sharp imagery and easy to operate controls make it a slam dunk if you want such a scope. I suppose the only downside to this scope is its cost, with a street price around $2300.00 it might be a stretch for some shooters. And if you want illumination which might be necessary if you plan on using it with night-vision it’ll cost you another 350 clams.

Last Words

Few other optics in this category enjoy such heritage. So it should come as no surprise that if you want the top dog in the short and small game, you’re gonna pay for it. Luckily with Leupold you get more than just a good scope, you get the name behind it and the warranty and customer service that comes with it. Scopes like this make me wish I hadn’t sold off all my old Mark IV’s, even if just for the nostalgia.

-CBM

Practice with the Mantis Titan X Dry Fire Training Pistol

February 2, 2026Electronics and Tech, pistols, Product reviewdry fire, mantis, mantis titan x, mantis x, titan, trainingcoldboremiracle

Introduction

Mantis is a firearms training tool manufacturer, the Illinois company manufactures a variety of differing products all designed to help gun owners improve their skills. Today we are taking a look at one of those products, the Mantis Titan X. Like other Mantis products, the Titan X uses both technology and props to help you sharpen your practice. By adding some technology to dry firing and some structure to training, Mantis offers a great value in practice and savings in ammunition.

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, magazine

Mantis Background

The Titan X is a polymer training pistol that can be had in various copies of popular pistols like the Glock 19 used here today. The pistol has onboard electronics to monitor the movements and trigger manipulation by the user. This and other data is sent by bluetooth to your phone, where the Mantis app analyzes and gives you feedback on every aspect of your draw, presentation, and trigger pulls. The whole idea is to perfect dry-fire training, and improve your handling.

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, — the Titan fir perfectly into my **Safariland Holsters**

This is the trend with Mantis products; using their technology to give excruciating detail of firearms handling. Giving you the ability to watch your own movements and replay every trigger pull. Additionally, the Titan X has an adjustable laser that fires when the trigger breaks, illuminating the “impact” of your shot. This alone is extremely helpful in dry fire practice.

Mantis Features

The Titan X comes in a padded soft-case, with the instructions, charging cable and two magazines for reloading drills. As a copy of Glock pistols, it can accept your favorite weapon lights and lasers. And it has an optics cut to accept RMR and RMSc red dots on top of its immovable slide.

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, optic, red dot, optics cut, rmr, rmsc, — the Titan is optics ready for your RMR and RMSc red dots

The weighted magazines offer a realistic feel and fit to the whole ensemble. It really feels just like a Glock in your hand, and sure to fit in your holsters just like your live fire pistol.

The Mantis App was free to download, and very simple to connect to the Titan X. Charging the Titan X pistol is done using a micro USB cable that plugs in where the chamber would be (if it had one). There is a single button on top of the chamber used for syncing the pistol and other operations.

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, app, mantis x app, — the Mantis X app gives you feedback on your trigger finger movement, and how it moves the pistol upon firing

The Titan’s internal sensor can tell exactly what direction the pistol is pointed. It can tell where the gun is aimed and any movement between shots, as well as trigger inputs. This is all recorded and can be replayed in real time or slow motion so you can see your overtravel on the target, as well as the movements you put in while pulling the trigger. You can even watch live as you shoot with the gun to see all the right and wrong inputs you are doing. Or have a partner watch on your phone and give you coaching.

Other Mantis Products

Other products from Mantis are in a similar style of training but offer different use cases. The Mantis X system is a phone based app training module that uses a sensor attached to your firearm. It gives feedback on handling and aiming while using your actual firearm. The X2 version of the product is designed for use as dry fire practice only. Adding live fire to the training is done with the X3 version, which allows the same drills and skill practice while running live ammunition on the range.

The Mantis 10X version combines all features of the X series products, and maximizes your ability to train both on the range and at home. And not just handguns either, it can be used with long-guns and even archery tackle.

The Mantis Laser Academy is another training module, again using your phone and other props in addition to a laser cartridge chambered in your gun to practice shooting. Its quick and easy setup allows you time on the trigger of your favorite gun without leaving home and saving ammunition costs along the way.

The Mantis Blackbeard system is a product you install on your AR15 rifle, it allows you to dry fire the rifle without having to recharge the rifle every shot. The Blackbeard resets the trigger for you, and its optional laser also gives you a witness of the impact from each trigger pull. This helps build handling skill and again saves ammo costs. There is another model called the BlackbeardX that combines the Blackbeard system with the MantisX technology giving you the best of both.

Mantis Titan X Review

I dry fire a LOT, ask anyone who knows or works with me. I am always practicing my draw from holsters, and presentation of whatever gun I happen to be carrying that day. Up until now, the only feedback I could give myself was based on the sights location when the trigger breaks. Watching to see where my red dot is on my point of aim as the striker snaps, as I’d imagine many of you do as well.

The Titan X is perfect for this practice as it adds something you can’t do with a real firearm, at least not safely. The laser impact on your aimpoint serves the same purpose as a bullet when you shoot. After all; shooting is simply a process of aligning sights, cleanly breaking the trigger, seeing the impact and adjusting accordingly for the next shot. The Titan X allows you to do all those things without ear protection, without leaving home, and most importantly without blowing through your ammo stash.

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, case

Operation

With the Titan X you can practice with the pistol, complete with your favorite accessories such as red dots, weapon lights, holsters and such. And execute the same training by drawing, aligning the sights, and breaking the trigger. Seeing the laser as the impact gives you the exact same ability to analyze your sight alignment, trigger pull and more. The only thing missing is the recoil and noise. Add to that the data record captured by the Mantis app, that allows you to analyze every aspect of your shooting and trigger pull. Additionally, the laser is far more consistent than even quality ammo can be. That translates to better training because your gun is literally a laser beam, and the “hits” will be more valuable because you are removing the anomaly of variations in ammunition. Sim guns, rubber bullet guns, and even airsoft can offer some of the same training aspects, but some of those are semi-destructive to your home decor. And none of them are as accurate as the laser.

Shooting the pistol right out of the box I found it immediately useful. Seeing the laser “impact” right where the sights lined up gives you that immediate feedback much like a bullet does. I had no reason to adjust the laser out of the box as it lined up great with the sights.

But because I usually shoot with a red dot it wasn’t long before I decided to install one. For that purpose I went with an easy choice, the Gideon Optics Alpha red dot. Its RMR footprint which would make it easy to attach. At that point you could either adjust the red dot to match the laser impact. Or vice versa adjusting the laser with an Allen wrench to match the red dot.

In Business

With the sight mounted and everything lined up, I got busy shooting the Titan X. The very best part of this product is you can train at home in your pj’s if thats what you desire. I found a spot in the house with roughly 8-10 yards from a wall. Then got to work making my way through the various drills included in the Mantis app.

Following the training regimen in the Mantis app, I found a variety of drills that were both fun and educational. Drawing from both CCW holsters and OBW holsters gave good insight to my draw and first shots after. The realistic weight and feel of the Titan made it very natural. It should have come as no surprise to me how much better you can focus on your trigger control when it isn’t covered up by noise and recoil. And if you add to that the impressive after analysis with the app you can really quickly find what you need to improve on. The Titan gives you the ability to really shoot without burning up ammunition. This gives you much better insight on what happens before the bullet leaves the muzzle.

It only gives you analysis after the fact, so don’t expect the Mantis Titan to make any corrections to your execution (it’s not a training wheels). You will still have to do everything but load magazines. So don’t count on the Titan to correct your finger placement or grip angle, you will still need to know the fundamentals. What it will do is show you if your finger placement is causing you to pull one direction or another.

Lessons Learned

The more I used the Titan, the more holes I found in my shooting. And if nothing else, the Titan did an excellent job showing me what I’m doing wrong. So I know what to work on. Much like an honest friend, the Mantis Titan will tell you what you suck at. No sugar coating here, just the straight truth of how your handling flows. And the Mantis app keeps a history of your training, so you can go back and see how you’ve improved over time.

Obviously there is never any danger with the Titan, as it cannot be loaded. This also makes it very useful for training. Whether you are at home, in the office, or elsewhere you don’t have to worry about office pops. Which is a concern with dry firing your regular pistol. The bright red color also gives the impression of a training pistol. I doubt it would keep an unlearned cop from turning you into a deadly training story.

The Mantis X App

Not only does the app come with a list of various popular drills, but additionally several courses of training. They are set up in progressive sections, finishing one with a high enough score opens the next. You can create a profile, and the app will track your progress and scores.

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, app,

Much like a video game you can configure the drills depending on skill level. With difficulty levels of beginner, intermediate, advanced, and even a custom setting.

The drills have a shot timer built in that signals you to fire just like at the range. And you can adjust the delay to your liking as well.

The app helps you analyze your own handling of the pistol. Giving you times from the holster to breaking the trigger, and your time between shots etc. You can watch every draw and watch the muzzle tracking as you do, and every trigger pull is also shown allowing you to see what needs work. What it doesn’t do is give you a target, anything you choose can be an aimpoint. The Titan tracks the aimpoint based on where you shoot. You could quite literally set up targets in your house and run drills on them. There is really a lot more to the app than I can go over here, but I found it to be very helpful in analyzing my shooting.

Mantis Titan X Pros and Cons

There is very little I can judge against the Titan based on its purpose. It does what I expected it to do, even better than I thought it would. I didn’t really think I would like a training pistol this much, the immediate feedback of my shooting really blew my mind. I suppose if I had to say something I’d like improved on the pistol it might be this; I would like it if the slide was operational, even though it’s not really necessary. I’d like it for the reloading drills, so you could actually operate the slide lock and such. The adjustment screws for the laser were slightly janky. I never did figure out exactly which size Allen wrench I used to adjust it, but I made it work. The battery life lasts longer than expected which means you can get a lot of trigger time on the gun.

As it is there are a few different pistol models of the Titan. Mantis is also taking what appears to be suggestions on their website. I expect they are looking to see what the next most popular model is that should be produced.

Mantis Titan X Report Card

Shootability (A) it feels like every other Glock 19 clone you’ve handled and shot

Reliability (B+) I seems like the laser wandered slightly with use, but the laser never didn’t go bang

Ergonomics (B+) Gen5 Glock feel, no finger grooves and undercut trigger guard

Accuracy (A) The laser can’t miss when you aim properly

Value (A) For the amount of training the Titan is an exceptional value

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, surefire x300, gideon alpha — the Titan worked great with the **Gideon Optics Alpha red dot** and **Surefire X300 weapon light**

Mantis Titan X FAQ’s

How realistic is the trigger?

I found the trigger to feel very comparable to the Glock and Glock clone pistols that the Titan is designed to mimic. The take up and snap of the trigger feels close enough that if blindfolded I would likely not distinguish it from any other random Glock copy.

Does the slide move on the Titan?

The slide of the Titan is fixed, and not meant to move as far as I can tell. There is no need to operate the pistol slide anyways, as all operations are done without it.

Is it compatible with standard holsters?

In my experience, the Titan fit perfectly in my various collection of Glock 19/17 holsters. Several different Safariland ALS holsters, as well as the IncogX and Gravity holsters.

How do the smart magazines work?

The Titan senses the magazine when seated, which is used during various reloading drills. I also found that standard Glock magazines will fit in the Titan as well for additional training.

Accessories for the Mantis

I used several accessories together with the Mantis Titan X, for starters a Gideon Optics Alpha red dot. I also used my Surefire X300 weapon light because I wanted to run the gun from my Safariland holsters. And the Titan X fits perfectly with the holster and light combo.

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, safariland, holster

It’s nice that the Titan X uses the popular RMR and RMSc footprint, and since the gun doesn’t recoil you needn’t worry about it shifting on the base plate. And using the Titan together with my holsters that I use every day make drawing practice more valuable. And reloads can be performed using the mag-caddy’s on my gun-belt.

Final Thoughts

For the asking price of $199 I think the Mantis Titan X is a great deal. Sure you can argue that you can get something like a PSA Dagger for just $50 more. But the Titan X will save you far more in ammunition and practice. That is where the value comes in, the Titan X costs only a bit more than a case of ammo for training. And you can certainly argue that you’ll get more training out of the Titan. It gives you all the ability of safe dry fire and nearly live fire practice, with exceptional analysis of your practice with the Mantis app. I was a bit skeptical of this kind of product when I first saw it, but it only took a few moments to see what a great asset it can become.

-CBM

VEEKTOMX Portable Charger

January 14, 2026Electronics and Tech, Product reviewveektomx, VEEKTOMX Portable Chargercoldboremiracle

The VEEKTOMX charger is a compact battery pack that has several different built-in cables. The various cables allow you to charge the unit, as well as connect to various different devices to charge them.

The VEEKTOMX power pack also incorporates a small screen indicating its readiness and power level. You can use USB, USB-C, Micro USB and Apple Lightning cables to charge most small portable electronics. One of the cables does double duty as a wrist strap.

This power pack has 9 layers of protections with various overcharge and heating protection features. It is TSA friendly according to the manufacturer, which I assume means you can take it on planes. The 10,000 mAh charger can charge your phone, camera, or other device quickly and on the go.

VEEKTOMX Portable Charger Built-in Cables,10000mAh Power Bank — the Screen indicates power bank charge status

My Experience

I’ve been using the VEEKTOMX charger for several months now. I’ve taken it on planes, to keep my phone charged. I’ve carried it in my backpack into the frozen Rocky Mountains to keep my camera and thermal scopes charged up. It has been very handy, allowing me to keep my electronics in peak condition. For the $30 that it costs, I think this is a great lightweight power bank to keep with your equipment. Whether it be hunting, hiking or just to keep a speaker powered up while ice fishing in my Ice Tent, I think its a great option.

Primary Arms SLx 3X Microprism Sight

January 10, 2026Optics, Product review3x, acss, microprism, primary arms, rap[tor reticle, SLXcoldboremiracle

Introduction

I have been very happy with the direction Primary Arms has taken since I picked up on their brand. The folks at Primary seem to keep their finger on the pulse of what the American shooting public want. Using this information they either source or make their own products to fit what shooters want. Today I am taking a look at one of their own branded products that seems to have a very close following; the Primary Arms SLx 3X Microprism sight.

Primary Arms, SLx, Prism, micro Prism, 3x, primary arms SLx, Desert Tech, Quattro 15,

I was first turned onto microprism sights by a friend. The reticles within them offer more options than a red dot by comparison. One of the advantages of this product is its 3X magnification, which can give you an edge when shooting certain distances. But does this advantage outweigh the benefits of the 1X version of the SLx?

Unboxing the SLx Microprism

I had ordered the SLx together with the SLx Anti Reflexion device. I like these not necessarily because I’m afraid of being picked out by a sniper, but mainly because they prevent fingers and other things from touching my lens.

primary arms, slx, 3x, microprism, prism, acss raptor reticle,

In the box with the Microprism came various mounting options. Like other PA Microprisms it came with the Trijicon ACOG compatible footprint. This would come in handy for those looking for that kind of interface. I was surprised to find that Primary also threw various cantilever options in the box. This allows you to select your mounting location by having shorter or longer cantilever distances.

Additionally it came with a battery and all the tools needed to mount and adjust the optic. All this in a handsome box padded with foam to keep it all intact. I wasted no time in lifting it from the foam to see the image through the three-power magnification, and inspect the ACss raptor reticle.

primary arms, slx, 3x, microprism, prism, acss raptor reticle, honeycomb, lens shade, 10/22, bro-22, back rain ordnance, — Here you can see the honeycomb lens shade threaded onto the front of the SLx 3X

Specifications

Battery Type CR2032 3V Lithium Coin

Click Value 1/4 MOA

Color Black

Exit Pupil Diameter 7.4mm

Eye Relief 2.70 in

Field View 100 38.00 ft

Focal Plane Prism Scope (fixed magnification)

Illuminated Illuminated

Magnification 3X

Mount Compatibility Trijicon Mini-ACOG, Primary Arms MicroPrism

Night Vision Compatible Night Vision Compatible

Reticle ACSS Raptor

Reticle Color Red

Total Elevation Adjustment 80 MOA

Total Windage Adjustment 80 MOA

Turret Features Exposed Turrets, Low Profile, Tool Adjustable

Weight 7.95 Oz.

Mounting Options

The Primary Arms SLx prizm came with three different mounting stems. This allows the user to adjust the cantilever effect of the mount, as well as the sight height over the picatinny rail. There are also other mounting options you can use, but I found this one to be perfectly adequate. The picatinny foot is attached by three robust screws, offering a very stout connection. The foot itself also uses large fasteners with good gripping power.

Shooting the SLx 3X Microprism

The 3x SLx does give a nice clean image of your target, and the ACSS reticle gives you a few tools for holding and measuring on targets. I do think I might prefer the 1X microprism after using the 3x for a while. This is because its a very small aperture you are looking through, and when you magnify it three times it can be a little harder to pick up in a hurry.

it was hard to get a good picture of the reticle, it is clearer and sharper than it appears here

That said, it’s a great image, and allows accurate placement of shots. Making more precise shots at somewhat further distances is definitely better with 3X vs. 1x. The reticle of the SLx gives several different hold-over options, as well as wind holds. This comes in very handy when shooting beyond your zero distance. Having a low profile sight like this with three-power magnification and the ability to use it to accurately engage targets as far away as six hundred yards is very handy.

primary arms, slx, 3x, microprism, prism, acss raptor reticle, honeycomb, lens shade, desert tech, quattro 15, cmmg, dissent,

The Raptor BDC reticle gives you hold points for every hundred yards out to six-hundred. As well as windage holds for the four, five and six-hundred distances. These of course can be used as needed for other purposes as well. The model I tested here has the 7.62×39 BDC reticle, but obviously can be used for other calibers with slightly different results.

We used the SLx on various firearms, but mostly .223 carbines. But it was also very useful on .22Lr and other short to medium range firearms. My SLx also came with a honeycomb style lens shade, which slightly conceals the lens from everything like fingers to sticks and brush when hiking. These types of shades often darken the image slightly, but I found it to be barely noticeable.

primary arms, slx, 3x, microprism, prism, acss raptor reticle, honeycomb, 10/22, 22lr,

Pros and Cons

First off, this thing is very compact. Other than a red dot, you’d be hard pressed to find a more compact optical sight. And the SLx has 3X power, allowing much better definition of the target and target area. Also, the image is very bright and clean. I suppose it’s easier to make clear optics when they are fixed power, and low magnification as well. And the Raptor reticle is very handy for making on the fly adjustments while you are shooting. The various mounting solutions included with the SLx are also very convenient.

On the down side, I did mention the 3X magnification can occasionally be a little much at close range. I will admit that after more use, it bothers me very little, to the point that indoors it is quite useful. This might sound a bit petty but the rheostat control for the reticle feels a touch squishy, but perfectly functional. I’d also say I’d like off settings between brightness settings. But because the SLx has the AutoLive feature that shuts it off when motionless for 3 minutes, it is not really a concern. The only other thing I would say, and it’s purely subjective to my taste; I don’t like how far back on the gun these need to be mounted. I just think it looks weird, there isn’t any functional problem with it, but I can’t unsee it. It might seem like 335-dollars is a touch steep for something so small, but I think the SLx is well worth it. I am not aware of many other compact comparable sights with magnification and reticle options like this.

Conclusion

As it turns out, the Primary Arms SLx 3x Micro Prism is an outstanding little weapon sight. For a small carbine or similar firearm I think its fantastic. It gives a great deal of dexterity in shooting, allowing you excellent aiming abilities at both close and medium ranges. It does so with excellent clarity as well as with illumination should you need it. All this in a very professional package, that won’t clutter up your rifle. I expect to use this little sight for years to come.

-CBM

Big Windows from Gideon Optics: Gideon Storm and Omega Red Dots

January 9, 2026Optics, Product reviewgideon optics, omega red dot, Red dot, storm red dotcoldboremiracle

Introduction

As my love for shooting develops more depth, I have greatly come to enjoy the use of red dot sights, particularly on my pistols. Today I am bringing you a look at two new to me red dots, both from Gideon Optics. Both of them use big windows for a broad field of view. First of the two is the Gideon Omega, which has been around for a while. The newer of the two sights is the Gideon Storm.

gideon, gideon optics, storm, storm red dot, red dot, rds, shadow systems, dr920, 9mm, omega, red dot, rds, bca, bear creek arsenal, grizzly, grizzly 101, glock clone,

While these two sights are similar, they have some distinct differences that might appeal to different shooters. We’ll go over the features of these two sights, and why you might select one over the other.

gideon, gideon optics, omega, red dot, rds, bca, bear creek arsenal, grizzly, grizzly 101, 9mm, glock clone,

Specifications

	Gideon Omega	Gideon Storm
Footprint compatibility	RMR	Delta Point Pro
Weight	1.6 Ounces	1.37 Ounces
Battery	CR1632	CR1632
Material	7075 Aluminum	7075 Aluminum
Reticle	3MOA dot or 45MOA circle/dot	6MOA Dot
Reticle Color	Red or Green	Red or Green
Click Value	1MOA	1MOA
Shake Awake	Yes	Yes
Waterproof	Yes	Yes
Lifetime Warranty	Yes	Yes
Dimensions	52.5mm x 30.7mm x 31.7mm	47.7mm X 31.2mm X 30.8mm
Screws Included	6-32 x 0.374″4-40 x 0.25″M3.5 x 0.6 x 11mm	M4x0.7×8.6mm and M4x0.7×10.1mm

On paper these two sights look pretty similar, and I would say they could easily share similar duties. The Omega is very similar in looks to the Trijicon SRO, the shape and everything makes it look like a clone. But the Omega offers a little diversity in reticle options, with its circle dot versus just the dot option. What it doesn’t copy is the impressive price, the Omega can be had nearly a quarter the price. The fine 3MOA dot of the Omega gives some dexterity in aimpoints, it’s easy to accurately pinpoint targets, or bracket the target inside the circle dot version of the reticle.

The Storm on the other hand, closely resembles my Holosun 507 Comp being just a bit smaller. It uses the more traditional square shaped display, versus the Omega’s rounded look. Both of these optics come with a selection of screws to make it easier to attach these optics to their base. They also come with a tool to both tighten the screws, as well as adjust the reticle of the red dot. The Storms big window and 6MOA dot are quick to get on target, and easy to find in a hurry.

gideon, gideon optics, storm, storm red dot, red dot, rds, shadow systems, dr920, 9mm, nightstick,

Both of these dots use Gideon’s shake awake feature, that preserves battery life by shutting down when motionless for 255 seconds. They instantly revive when any movement is made. The Storm red dot incorporates a rear sight notch, in the event the rear sight is removed when installing a red dot. Both units came with a picatinny base mount, should you wish to mount it to a rifle.

Mounting Gideon Red Dots

To experience these two red dots together, I decide to mount them to two comparably sized pistols. The Storm would get mounted to my Shadow Systems DR920, a nice clone. Meanwhile the Omega would be mounted to my Bear Creek Arsenal Grizzly 101, another clone of the popular Glock 17.

gideon, gideon optics, storm, storm red dot, red dot, rds, shadow systems, dr920, 9mm, nightstick, mounting, — both red dots came with tools and other extras for mounting options

Luckily I was able to find the right screws to mount both sights, and with a dab of blue loctite I tightened them down. Using the supplied tool, I adjusted the reticle to co witness with the iron sights. And it was time to hit the range.

On the Firing Line

We took both pistols to the range, and with a bucket of 115gr ammo, we went to town. We started with targets up close, 7-10 yards away. Later we would shoot more targets at further distances like 15 and 20-yards.

Presenting the pistols from the holster gave a good chance to evaluate how the larger windows aided in rapidly getting on the target. Using the different reticle options between the two gave interesting contrast. The finer dot was more concise, while the 6 MOA dot was easy to just cover the target and squeeze. I think I prefer the circle dot options though, this has been the case with other red dots with the option as well.

Over the course of shooting, I ran several boxes of ammunition through both pistols. I love shooting pistols, and using these two red dots added to the enjoyment. Their bright reticles showed up excellent in both bright afternoon light, and especially in the dull overcast skies. I didn’t experience any shift in the reticle once they were zeroed, we just plowed through the shooting.

Quality

Both of these dots come with a lifetime warranty, but so does everything these days. For that matter a huge portion of red dots come from China, and despite the taboo of 中国制造, so many of these red dots are more than adequate for the folks who use them. I couldn’t find anything about these dots to complain about, especially considering their price. The lenses were clear with no significant effect on my ability to find and engage the targets. The finish on the aluminum was fine, and I’d expect it last for the lifetime of the optics. The bright reticles looked good against my targets, and they were well defined with no worse or better bleed than others.

gideon, gideon optics, strom, storm red dot, red dot, rds, shadow systems, dr920, 9mm, nightstick, — my DR920 seen with the Storm and the **Nightstick Weapon** light

Reliability

I saw no zero shift from these dots during testing, none that was discernible anyways. The control buttons were a touch squishy, but not bad. You can feel the click of each button when pushed.

Using side tray battery installation is a nice feature, and one that is becoming standard for most red dots. This makes it so you don’t have to remove the sight to change the battery. Using these dots over time will give more insight as to how well they are made and how reliable they will be. But I also have a Gideon Alpha that has been going for almost two years now, swapped across various pistols. It has neither gone dead or crapped out on me in any way during that time. I expect the Omega and the Storm will do the same.

gideon, gideon optics, strom, storm red dot, red dot, rds, shadow systems, dr920, 9mm, nightstick, safariland — the Storm and Omega both fit neatly in my **Safariland holsters** molded for large optics

Value

Both of these optics offer a pretty good deal. I already mentioned the difference in price between some of these. That’s not to say I’m making a direct comparison between these optics and ones that cost three or four times their cost. But for what these red dots cost they are certainly a good value. The Omega can be had for $170 on Optics Planet, which is fifty-bucks less than you can get the Storm for $220 on Optics Planet. I expect many might make their decision based on budget, I myself am a little more about aesthetics.

Conclusion

If I had to choose between these two optics, it would be a little tough. The Omega is a better deal, but I prefer the look of the Storm. But whether you go for beauty or value, I don’t think you’ll be let down by either of these sights. Your choice between them might also be based on the footprint. If you’re lucky, you might have a pistol with a configurable footprint like my Ruger RXM and run either of them.

-CBM

22 ARC: The little ARC

January 8, 2026blog22, 22 arc, arc, cartridge, Hornadycoldboremiracle

Preface

The newest member of Hornady’s Advanced Rifle Cartridge family also happens to be the smallest yet. The 22 ARC is the little ARC, made by necking the popular 6 ARC down to .224 caliber. But do we need another centerfire .224 cartridge? Or perhaps the better question is what does the 22 ARC offer that we don’t already have? Today we will dive straight into the subject and get some answers so grab a drink and a notepad.

The Case for the ARC

The 6mm ARC was designed for many of the same reasons as its parent case, the 6.5 Grendel. Both were designed to shoot heavier bullets out of a case that could fit in an AR-15 magazine. The 6 ARC shoots bullets in the 60-110 grain class at velocities much higher than the popular .223/5.56 cartridges that most AR style rifles use. This gives a very big advantage at further distances or up close.

22 arc, 6 arc, 6.5 Grendel, hornady, — the 22 ARC (left) seen with the 6 ARC and 6.5 Grendel

Shooting heavier bullets has a great effect on power delivered to downrange targets. And it also greatly improves ballistic performance, shooting flatter and preventing deviation from wind. All of this from a cartridge that can fit into most any AR-15 receiver, of course using a different magazine and giving up a few rounds of capacity.

Making the 22 ARC was a natural evolution, as it seems handloaders are fascinated by making new cartridges out of existing ones. But the ARC isn’t just another .224 caliber cartridge, there is more to it than its neck. With it’s short body, and faster specified twist-rate, this chubby little cartridge was also built for pushing bigger bullets.

The 22 ARC feeds well from various magazine systems, you can read more about my Howa Mini 22 ARC here

A Different Approach

Cartridge designers made the case shorter than cartridges like the .223 Remington, this helps fit the longer heavier bullets into the case. And also allows these cartridges to cycle in actions when loaded with these long bullets. In order to boost capacity to make it worth the trouble, the cartridge was also enlarged to the case-head size .441. Making it larger in diameter and shorter gave it the capacity and proportions needed to exceed the performance of other cartridges.

22 arc, 22-250 remington, .223 Remington, — As you can see, the 22 ARC has much more seating room than the 22-250 (center) and .223 Remington (right)

For example, when compared to the .223, the 22 ARC case is shorter, allowing longer bullet seating. The popular 22-250 is even longer than the 223, which allows even less room for seating bullets out. Most 22-250’s use slow twist rates like 1:12 or 1:14 which means they can’t shoot heavier bullets anyways. Limiting their use to 40-55 grain bullets for the most part.

22 ARC Specifications

22 Advance Rifle Cartridge Specifications
Max O.A.L.	2.260 inches
Bolt Face	.441 inches
Trim Length	1.525 inches
Shoulder Angle	30 Degrees
Case Capacity (H2O)	34.6 grains
Barrel Twist	1:7 standard
Bullet Weight Range	60- 90 grain (typical)

So why would you want to shoot heavier bullets? I’ve been loading 75-grain BTHP bullets for AR-15 rifles for decades. Because they simply perform better at further distances. Once upon a time, many years ago my brother and I were shooting a steel target at roughly 700 yards if I recall correctly. I was dinging the steel repeatedly using my AR loaded with 75-grain bullets. My brother shooting his 22-250 was having trouble hitting it with 50-grain bullets. This made a lot of sense once we retrieved the target and found his bullets barely sticking into the wooden target hanger like a dart.

The much higher velocity of the 22-250 burns off too fast in a small bullet for long-range shooting. That’s why in this case my .223 chambered AR was superior, and a rifle chambered in 22ARC would have been even more superior. Shooting 70-90 grain bullets at higher velocities than the .223 can hurl.

my 22 ARC is a **Howa Mini**, seen here with a **Lucid Optics MLX** scope

But what if you don’t wanna shoot far you might be asking? Well, then the 22 ARC still has a lot to offer you. Shooting lighter bullets up close, the 22 ARC gives devastating performance just like the aforementioned 22-250.

Loading the 22 ARC

Rolling your own 22 ARC cartridges is easily done, getting brass from Hornady. You can also get it from Alpha Munitions and Petersen Cartridge Company. Small rifle primer pockets are used in the ARC, and modest charges of powder will get you excellent velocities.

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Looking Through the Gideon Optics Guardian 1-6X24 LPVO

January 4, 2026Optics, Product review1-6, gideon, gideon optics, guardian, lpvocoldboremiracle

Preface

Gideon Optics draws its name from the the historical character in the bible. Leading the charge with affordable sighting options seems to be the mission for them, and today we are looking at another product from the manufacturer; the Gideon Optics Guardian 1-6X24 rifle scope. The Guardian is a low power variable optic (LPVO) which has become a very popular choice for carbine and short-range rifles. I’ve been a bit of a fan since I got my first LPVO, so as my collection grows with the Guardian 1-6 it already had a variety of competitors for comparison. In today’s review we are going to evaluate the Guardian 1-6 as it compares to other similar LPVO’s, and see if Gideons value makes it worth your consideration.

Gideon Optics Guardian 1-6

Gideon’s 1-6 LPVO joins a family of scopes including their 1-10 Guardian that uses a 34mm tube and exposed turrets. There are both FFP and SFP options in the 1-8 sized Guardian, so the 1-6 is in good company for sure.

Built on a 30mm tube, the Guardian 1-6 has a 24mm objective. The reticle is placed in the second focal plane, and has a very sharp red or green illuminated dot at the center of its reticle. Its controlled by a variable rheostat on the left-side of the turret housing. Additionally the reticle features a couple different hold points for either measuring or corrections. The low-profile capped turrets are .25 MOA per click, and reticle subtensions are in MOA as well.

The Guardian comes with a removable throw-lever installed to make quick changes in magnification. It can be purchased together with a Gideon scope mount for a discounted price as you’ll see here. As is typical in the optics market, the Guardian comes with a set of flip-caps, battery, and tools for zeroing.

Specifications

Magnification: 1-6x
Objective Lens Diameter: 24 mm
Main Tube Size: 30 mm
Turrets: Capped
Click Value: 0.25 MOA per click
Parallax Free: At 100 yards
Illumination Brightness Setting: 12 levels
Illuminated Dot Size: 0.6 MOA
Power Supply: 1x CR2032 3V Lithium battery
Shockproof: 1000G
Waterproof: IPX7
Elevation/Windage adjustment range: +/- 70 MOA (Total 140 MOA)
Field of View: 125.0 ft – 20.0 ft
Eye Relief: 3.9 in
Exit Pupil: 9.1- 3.5 mm
Weight: 19.4 oz (approx.)

Mounting and Zero

I mounted the Guardian using the Gideon 30mm cantilever mount, which of course was a perfect fit for my AR15 rifle. ThenI leveled the scope and torqued everything down before I boresighted it. I did this using my traditional method, looking down the bore of the secured rifle, and adjusting the reticle to coincide with the boreline. After adding a suppressor to the rifle, I was ready to head to the range.

Shooting with the Guardian

My first trip was to a public range, where I typically don’t go. But this was an opportunity to do some good testing of the scope on paper. But before I even fired a shot, I spent a good deal of time simply looking through the scope, and getting a feel for it. I was quite happy with the optical presentation of the Guardian 1-6, at all magnifications it looked very bright and clean. I didn’t notice any significant blurring around the edges or other aberrations. And the bright illumination of the dot stood out with great contrast against the downrange view.

gideon optics, guardian, 1-6x24, lpvo, low power variable optic, riflescope, scope, reticle, illumination, — It’s hard to get a perfect picture through a scope, but it does look better than these pictures portray

I removed the caps of the turrets in preparation for some adjustments, and fired a few shots. It took very little adjustment to get on target, this rifle typically shoots around 1 MOA patterns. And with a zero confirmed at one-hundred yards, we went to shooting. With distances as far as two-hundred yards on the range, it was simple and fun to engage small targets holding over with the Guardian reticle.

Later the rifle would come along with us on various trips into the open country of the wintery Rocky Mountains. For fun we typically set up a variety of shooting drills and transitions, this allows plenty of opportunity to shoulder the rifle and adjust the scope. We did shoot as far as four-hundred yards using the Guardian 1-6, holding over the targets using the reticle. Most of it was done using 55-grain ball ammo.

Optical Quality

The Guardian 1-6 had great transmission of the target image, with sharp detail. I am a big fan of adjustable parallax scopes, but I understand that it doesn’t always make sense for scopes in this power and price range. And that said, I found the fixed parallax of the Guardian to be perfectly serviceable. Picking out things as small as tiny birds on the hillside 200 yards away was easily done, even allowing identification of them. Using this scope for sport shooting inside the effective range of a 5.56 carbine would make target acquiring and engaging very doable.

Controls

The controls of the 1-6 Guardian are simple and effective. The resistance on the magnification ring is just right. I don’t like it when they are too easy or hard to turn. And only the ring turns, not the whole eyepiece.

Illuminating the center dot is done by turning the left-side turret. There is an “off” setting between each of the 12 brightness settings allowing you to keep it close to ready but not powered up.

gideon optics, guardian, 1-6x24, lpvo, low power variable optic, riflescope, scope, turret, brightness,

Value

Optical quality is very subjective, as my eyes age I seem to notice a little more between glass qualities. I have several other 1-6 LPVO’s that I have used quite a bit over the years, and so far I feel like the Guardian 1-6 stands up to the same useability as my others. Sure there might be some in my collection with an optical quality higher than the Guardian. But it usually comes down to the users choice.

For the price of $299 I think the Guardian is an easy choice for those looking for a good LPVO for their carbine. Any of the big names in optics are going to cost you more for a comparable scope, and lower cost will only come from other bargain brands. Gideon’s warranty mirrors what has become the standard in the optics industry, with a lifetime warranty against defects. So you can count on their products being there when you need them.

gideon optics, guardian, 1-6x24, lpvo, low power variable optic, riflescope, scope, ar15, carbine, yhm , yankee hill machine, fat cat, suppressor, cole tac, python, quattro-15, — this rifle is perfected with the **YHM Fat Cat Suppressor**, and a **Cole-TAC Python suppressor cover**

Pros and Cons

I really like the optical quality of this scope, it has a forgiving eye-box, and I found it easy to focus for clear reticle definition and target clarity. The textures of the controls surfaces are not too flashy and they work perfectly. Capping the turrets was a good choice for a scope like this, as I don’t anticipate doing much dialing. I’ll throw in an honorable mention for Gideon’s cantilever scope mount, the four bolt caps are just right for properly clamping down your scope, and the foot makes excellent contact with your picatinny rail. I especially grateful they didn’t put the cheap protruding nut fasteners on the foot, which alway get hung-up in things.

gideon optics, scope mount, scope rings, cantilever, mount, — **Gideons Guardian Mount** was a perfect fit

The only things I would like to add to this scope would also drive it’s cost way up. And that would kind of defeat the purpose of an affordable 1-6. But I’d love to see an option with MRAD exposed turrets, and adjustable parallax. But those are features probably better suited for the 1-8 or 1-10.

Last Thoughts

Having used various Gideon Optics products over the last few years, I feel pretty confident that they will be around for a while. And providing additional options for those looking for quality sighting products. The Gideon Guardian 1-6 is a great choice for a short to medium range rifle like the one I used here. The variable power gives the shooter dexterity in aiming options. Whether you are after a fast shooting sport rifle optic, or something for defensive situations, the Gideon Guardian 1-6 gives a great value and performance.

-CBM

DiscoveryOpt ED-PRS 5-25X56 Gen 2 Riflescope Review

December 12, 2025Optics, Product review5-25x56, discovery, discovery optics, discoveryOpt, ED, gen 2, PRScoldboremiracle

Preface

As the shooting sport optics market continues to grow, it can be challenging to keep up with all the options. I try to keep informed on so many of the optics manufacturers, but admittedly it can be challenging at times. Today I bring you another optics brand that is new to me called Discovery Optics, oddly shortened then lengthened again to DiscoveryOpt Optics. Like some other Asian optics companies, DiscoveryOpt offers a variety of riflescopes at surprisingly affordable prices. According to the company’s mission statement, they seek to deliver scopes that rival the worlds best at factory direct prices. In order to evaluate this proposition, I present for you today a review of the DiscoveryOpt ED-PRS 5-25X56 Gen 2 Riflescope. I spotted these optics on display at the final Snipers Hide Cup at Rifles Only, and I was interested enough to give a closer look.

DiscoveryOpt ED-PRS 5-25X56 Gen 2, Riflescope, discovery optics, Desert tech, SRS M2, Anubis defense, banish, suppressor, two vets, tripod,

DiscoveryOpt Optics

Discovery Optics has a broad line of products, composed of just about every type of optical sight type you can imagine. It seems many Asian optic manufacturers start out their product lines based on what they see in movies. We have all seen the memes of Temu scopes stacked with ridiculous levels of bells and whistles. Yet the quality of any one of those features is questionable.

Discovery Optics seems to have moved past that, though browsing their website I still see some interesting products. But they also have done a very good job at emulating proper products that I wanted to try out. That is where the ED-PRS 5-25X56 Gen 2 riflescope comes in, on paper it boasts most the of desirable features we precision rifle junkies are after.

Zeroing the rifle and scope combination, the **Athlon Chronograph** as a luxury accessory

The DiscoveryOpt PRS Gen 2

When the box arrived, I was quick to open it. Quality packaging protected this scope, with a foam-lined box. Inside the box I found a selection of included accessories:

The ED PRS Gen 5-25X56 scope
A sunshade
Ocular and objective flip caps
A lens cloth
Manual and Spec card
Tool for adjustment
A lens pen
A scope leveling tool

I unpacked everything, and was quickly impressed with it all. The scope itself seemed really large, its turrets might be the largest of any riflescope I’ve ever used. The turrets are adjusted with no tools needed, you can remove them using only your fingers (all five of them if you want). The control surfaces have a nice texture to them, and they included a removable throw-lever on the magnification ring.

My initial inspection running the turrets and other controls up and down confirmed everything worked as designed. The reticle illumination fired on command, illuminating only the center of the reticle out to 1 MRAD. Parallax adjustment went from 25, 50, 100, 200, 500, Infinity. I spun on the shade, which made a flawless transition on the objective. Just for fun I installed the flip caps which were also pretty nice, they looked similar to Tenebraex caps but likely not as tough. After a few more minutes tinkering, it was time to mount this scope and see how it worked with a rifle.

Specifications

Mounting

I decided to mount the Discovery scope in my one-piece Anubis Defense scope mount. It too is a bit overbuilt and robust so I figured it would match. Leveling the scope was easy using the scope leveling tool included by DiscoveryOpt. There is a baseplate and a wedge you can use to ensure the bottom of the scope housing is perfectly parallel. It’s really a nice little tool, and can be used to setup scopes in a variety of configurations. It will definitely be staying in my toolbox.

I intended to mount the scope on my Desert Tech SRS M2, where I do a lot of my scope testing. This rifle makes it extremely easy to swap scopes around, and has very predictable accuracy to evaluate the scope performance.

Zeroing Turrets and Zero-Stop

After zeroing the scope to the rifle, it was time to slip the turrets back to zero. This is very easy using the finger secured turret caps. Just spin them loose and lift them off the inner hub. You can set the turrets back to zero, and snug the caps back in place.

DiscoveryOpt ED-PRS 5-25X56 Gen 2, Riflescope, discovery optics, Desert tech, SRS M2, Anubis defense, banish, suppressor, — slipping the turrets back to zero after zeroing the rifle

Setting the zero-stop is easily done during this process as well, using the provided tool. Loosening the screw that clamps the stop to the turret hub, you can slide it down against the base of the housing, and turn it clockwise against the stop lug. With the stop in place you snug the screw back up, and reinstall the turret.

With the turret zeroed, and the zero-stop set I was in business. Part of the reason I used my SRS M2 for this review is because I have exhaustive experience shooting it. The dope I have for the 6mm GT barrel is as predictable as the sunrise, so it would be perfect for testing the performance of the DiscoveryOpt PRS Gen 2 Scope.

Shooting the PRS Gen 2

My initial concerns about the eye-box being to tight weren’t warranted. By that I mean it was a little touchy getting perfect eye relief for a concise image, but once I got on the rifle it was much easier. With the rifle setup the way it fits me, I didn’t even really notice the slightly tighter eye-box. My experience has shown me that less expensive scopes tend to be touchy like that.

I moved to shooting from a 100 yard distance to a much wider canyon area. This allowed me to shoot as far as I dared, but for starters I picked out a small patch of snow sitting on a rock at 405 yards. I dialed my correction, and fired a shot that would scatter the snow.

Both at the range and in the field I found the DiscoveryOpt ED-PRS scope to be very easy to use. The turrets can be felt and heard with every click, making it easy to adjust blindly. Though it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if they were a touch sharper. Shooting back and forth from near to far, I had no problems focusing the reticle for sharp contrast on the target. The included throw-lever made it easy to swing between magnification settings.

Quality

The feel of this scope is robust, it feels well built. With its oversized turrets I would expect it to stand up to bumping into and getting smacked during use. As I moved from target to target while shooting, not once did I feel like I was looking through a cheap scope. It looked like the sharp clear images I am used to seeing, allowing me to see the wind moving snowflakes across the hundreds of yards to the targets. And picking out the details of distant landscapes

the parallax adjustment was a bit touchy, but perfectly serviceable

Durability

Turning the controls of this scope in the freezing temps of the high Rocky Mountains didn’t change much to its feel. The way this scope seems a little bit overbuilt and gives the impression it will last through tough use. Time will tell of course if that proves to be the case, I’ll continue to use it as designed to see how it lasts. If you’d like to hear about that, check back in the future as I’ll update this review as time goes by.

So far, the bouncing about in a scabbard on an ATV, or in a soft case in the bed of the truck haven’t seemed to phase the scope. Carried on a sling through snow and brush, dialing back and forth sweeping both power and corrections it hasn’t lost zero or focus. Which I’d consider the bare minimum for durability

Accuracy

I like to bolt down scopes to a sturdy mount, and see how they measure up against their actual travel. To do this, I put out a yardstick at 100 yards, and measure the travel of the reticle. I do this both against the yardstick, as well as the reticle measurement to see how close they measure up. This way I can confirm repeatability and actual travel vs. the indicated.

On paper you can also see this manifest doing a box test. DiscoveryOpt’s scope was more than close enough for most of the shooting I do. Making corrections and come-ups precise enough for first rounds hits time after time.

Pros and Cons

There are many things to like about this scope, but there are a few things I would count against it. These aren’t a huge deal depending on your shooting practices and budget, but they are things you should know before you buy it.

Cons

First off, this scope is pretty big. You can probably tell in my pictures that is is bulkier than most comparable scopes. I have many 56mm objective scopes, this one has the largest external diameter of all of them, many of them easily fit inside this one. And it’s not just the body of the scope, turning the turrets on this bad boy make you feel like a Soviet Akula submarine operator.

the large turrets with their big numbers are easy to see even for failing eyesight

Ok, maybe I exaggerate a little, but they are the biggest I’ve seen. Additionally, as soon as I picked up the box containing this scope, I knew she was gonna be heavy. At 44-ounces it might be the heaviest 5-25X scope in my inventory.

But even with all that said, I must temper it with the price point. At print, the MSRP of this scope is $359.99. Which is $200 less than the comparable Arken I recently reviewed. And after shooting the Discovery Optics scope, I think the only reason I’d choose the Arken over this would be weight requirements. And these days people are throwing weights and extra things on their rifles anyways so it might not even be a problem. For some folks, the Chinese origin is reason enough to second guess one of these products. I’ll leave that up to your discretion.

Pros

Now let’s get to what I like about this scope; Optically it punches above its weight, a decade ago I would have expected looking through a Chinese scope under four-hundred dollars to look like a glass of tea. But even as my eyes begin to show their age, I think this scope looks pretty good. Sharp detail and good focus make placing precise hits and target identification great. The parallax adjustment is a bit touchy but fully functional, similar to the eye relief.

I mentioned the berthy turrets, but other than their size they are fantastic. Seeing the numbers up close is great with how big they are printed, and ten-MIL turrets are a must. And being able to easily and quickly slip the turrets to zero without any tools is a great feature. And the robust zero-stop is the coupe de gras for me.

The reticle inside is pretty close to what everybody is making these days. There is plenty of detail and subtensions for every need. I like that only the center 1MRAD is illuminated as well.

Pictures don’t do it justice, like most scopes, it looks better than photos can show

Value for your money might be the big thing here, the included extras and performance for such an entry level price would have blown the pants off of 2005 me. I can’t believe that as little as a decade or so ago, I paid more than this for scopes I would consider borderline trash today.

My Conclusion

My initial impression looking through these scopes was pretty positive, and after taking one out for some serious shooting my positivity remains. The concerns we all typically have with inexpensive scopes made in China seem to have been overcome these days. For at least this scope, I feel like the performance more than warrants its price. Giving judicious shooters a great value with all the features we like in our precision rifle scopes.