Category Archives: Optics

Riflescope Review: Zero Tech Trace X 5-25

October 13, 2026Optics, Product reviewrifle scope, scope, trace, trace x, zero tech, zero tech opticscoldboremiracle

Introduction

As the sea of riflescopes deepens around us, it can often be challenging to know what to pick. It seems every time I open my Instagram there is a new optics company trying to get my attention and money. And because I am both a humanitarian and a rifle-junkie, I chose to take a leap for you the reader to put eyes on all of them to gain insight for prospective buyers. Today we are looking through the brand new Zero Tech Trace X 5-25×50 riflescope. Building off of the companies Trace line of scopes, the Trace X line offers all the popular features that zealous riflemen are after.

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I’ve been using this scope now for four months, in anticipation of its official release to the market. It fits nicely into my collection of precision rifle optics, and should therefore get a good comparison to its peers. With production facilities in both Japan and China, there are Zero Tech scopes in the premium quality tier as well as more affordable options.

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Zero Tech has been around since 2018, which might not sound like a long time. Though the company maintains that their team has decades in the optic market, design and engineering. Originating in Australia, Zero tech has spread quickly across the rapidly advancing optics market to include North America, Europe and Africa. They manufacture scopes, binoculars, spotting scopes and smaller sights like red dots.

The Zero Tech Trace X 5-25×50

The Trace X scope is built on a 34mm tube, which has become the preferred option for precision shooting aficionados. With a 50mm objective lens up front, and a 5x variable zoom the Trace X also has the power to compress great detail into your view.

I like the all metal construction, with no rubber or plastic features to get damaged. The magnification ring has a removable throw-lever, with two different mounting locations to avoid occlusions with bolt handles and fingers. There is a metal locking ring on the ocular adjustment diopter, to allow you to lock the focus which is a nice touch.

zero tech, zero tech optics, trace x, trace, 5-25x56, throw lever, — here you can see both the locking ring and the two throw lever mounting locations

On the erector housing you’ll find the typical trio of turrets. Up top there is a 10-MIL elevation turret marked with 1/10 MRAD marks. Loosening the two Allen screws allows you to remove the turret cap, exposing the zero-stop underneath. It is a very robust aluminum ring that can be zeroed at any location. The elevation turret itself has 33 MRAD of elevation in three turns of the turret.

On the right side you’ll find a capped windage turret, it too has 10MRAD per turn, but is labeled 5R or 5L depending which direction you turn it. I like having the windage capped, as I rarely dial windage outside of zeroing. Opposite the windage turret there is a battery housing and push-button control for the reticle illumination. This is stacked on top of the parallax focus adjustment in a clean seamless look which is nice.

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Trace X Specifications

Magnification	5-25X
Objective Lens	56mm
Tube Diameter	34mm
Focal Plane	First Focal Plane (FFP)
Material	6061-T6 Aluminum
Zero Stop	Yes
Turret Value	0.1 MRAD per click
Internal Elevation Adjustment	34 MRAD
Internal Windage Adjustment	17 MRAD
Parallax Adjustment Range	20m to infinity
Exit Pupil	Low: 9.5mm; High: 2.2mm
Eye Relief	97mm
Field Of View @100 Meters	Low: 8.3m; High: 1.6m
Dioptre Adjustment	-3/+2
Waterproof	IPX7
Reticle	Illuminated RMG-H

zero tech, zero tech optics, trace x, trace, 5-25x56, desert tech, wlvrn, anechoic, anechox 35, suppressor, silencer, — more testing done using my **Desert Tech WLVRN**

Mounting and Initial Impressions

Initially I planned on mounting the Trace X to my Desert Tech SRS M2. This is one of my favorite rifles, and it is boringly accurate and repeatable. Which is an excellent host when testing a scope. The SRS M2 uses a 30 MOA canted scope rail, to that I attached a set of Vortex rings that gave me perfect height for mounting the Zero Tech scope.

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Once mounted, I did a little bit of looking through the scope. My first thought was that its quite bright, and clarity was also very good. Changing magnification as I looked over the details of trees and other landscape details gave a general positive impression.

Shooting the Zero Tech Trace X

Over the course of several weeks and various trips to the range and into the mountains, we put the Trace X through its paces. We do a lot of shooting in these mountains, chasing squirrels and Marmots at high altitude and often long-range. Miles of open country covered in trees and brush also give excellent opportunities to view and engage targets through the Zero Tech scope.

glassing targets from elevation supported by the **Two Vets Tripod**

My SRS kitted out with the 6 GT barrel is one of my most reliable and predictable barrels. Which would make a very solid test platform, as I’ve got years of hard dope from shooting with many other high quality scopes.

My first trip would be a to rifle range, to get a solid zero and test some of the tracking and zero-stop. Most of that work was done at 100 yards, where I would shoot groups and make sure everything was buckled down. After I felt confident that I could drop bullets through other bullet holes with the Trace X, it was time to hit the real world range.

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In the field

Luck would have it that I would be able to test quite a variety of conditions due to some odd summer weather patterns. Not only was I able to read mirage through the triple digit heat of summer, but I’d also get to shoot through clouds and rain. Even some frozen precipitation would hit us at nine-thousand feet. And later still the haze of distant wildfires would test the sharpness of the Trace X lenses.

Some of these conditions would closely represent a typical day of deer or elk hunting in these mountains. And I like seeing how my equipment stands up in less than ideal weather.

Optical Clarity

Zero Tech uses Schott lenses which are famous for high quality image transfer. My initial impression was very positive, the image was bright and the details crisp. Whether looking at the ragged edges of bullet holes in paper, or the hair of small animals rustling in the breeze.

the RMG-H reticle as seen at low and high power

The focus/parallax has a broad sweep of adjustment, which made it easy to find the best image when focusing. Shooting the scope in early morning light as the sun rises, as well as the aforementioned clouds and smokey skies proved the Trace X’s lens quality look to me. Those of us who have been around scopes for a long time can certainly appreciate the optical performance compared to the price. We once paid two or three times the cost for scopes that offered less than this one. But as I mentioned, the sea of scopes continues to rise and competition is making a performance like this more affordable.

picking out Marmots from across a canyon as I typically do but this time using the Trace X

Reticle

Reticles can be very subjective to the shooter. I think the RMG-H reticle gives a great balance of subtensions without clogging the view within the scope. For those that prefer the Christmas tree style reticles you might prefer the RMG 2 or RMG 3 reticle.

Elevation is marked at half and whole MIL’s, numbered from 1 to 10. While the windage is subtended in .2 MIL and .5 MIL for the first 3 MIL’s and then switches to whole and half MIL’s out to 8 MIL’s. The windage is numbered even only. The open center with a dot makes for a perfectly fine aim point without cluttering the area.

Parallax and Focus

Removing parallax from your target image is easily done with the long parallax adjustment on the Trace X. Making images easily analyzed by the eye. Getting a sharp focus of both the reticle and the target can be done nicely using the Trace X’s controls. And that sharp focus makes the scope an excellent tool for precise shooting.

Repeatability

Over the course of this past summer, I’ve been able to work the knobs of this scope repeatedly. Swapping it from one rifle to another, zeroing and re-zeroing, setting the zero-stop. All this the scope does very well, staying set and tracking true. Regardless of the conditions, it went right along with whatever shooting activity I had planned for the day. Riding along on bumpy dirt roads for miles on the back of ATV’s caused no problem for the Trace X.

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Value

With an MSRP of $899, I expect the Trace X will find a following among shooters looking for value coupled with performance. The Trace X falls right into that meaty bit of the optics market with great performance to cost ratio. With all the competition, this scope has its work cut out, but it has the pedigree to do very well.

Pros and Cons

Zero Tech’s Trace X has a great set of lenses, which produces sharp images. Even in the triple digit heat of summer, I was very pleased with my ability to pick out prairie dogs through the mirage. Strong turrets with crisp clicks and a solid zero-stop make it a great choice for dialing corrections. The broad parallax adjustment gives great alignment of reticle and target, giving marksman with taste little to complain about.

The only issue I had on occasion, was the push-button illumination. While transporting a rifle in a soft case, the illumination had been turned on. I am not sure if it was me accidentally pushing the button when loading the gun into the case, or if it got bumped during transport. Either way, I was surprised to find my reticle blazing red once I got on the firing line.

My Verdict on the Trace X 5-25×50

I’ve spent several months now playing with the Trace X, and putting it to good use in the various shooting applications I enjoy. Its given the opportunity to see how this scope stands up to the many others that I often use. Perhaps the most obvious thing I’ve learned during that time is how the optics world is changing. One used to have to spend a great deal of money for a reliable precision optic with features like these. The Zero Tech Trace X is a great example of how that is no longer the case, you can get a great riflescope for a reasonable price. And you can still get the features like great optical quality, reliable tracking, great reticle, zero-stop and more. It really does make it hard to justify spending a thousand or two dollars. I expect this trend will continue, and we will see additional great optics coming from manufacturers like Zero tech.

-CBM

Check out more scope reviews here

Hunting Down the Steiner Optics H6Xi 2-12x42mm

September 21, 2026Optics, Product review2-12x42mm, H6Xi, hunting, steiner, steiner opticscoldboremiracle

Introduction

Steiner has been manufacturing high quality optics since shortly after the most recent world war. Built in Germany for decades, Steiner has become well known for their high quality binoculars and in more recent times their rifle scopes. After some modern partnerships, Steiner has also started manufacturing some of their products here in the US. I have always been happy with the Steiner products I’ve used, which led me to our topic today; the Steiner Optics H6Xi 2-12x42mm riflescope. The H6Xi line is focused on hunters, particularly those that take their shooting very seriously.

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Besides the 2-12 we are looking at today, Steiner also makes a 3-18 and 5-30 version of the H6Xi line. Which gives hunters an excellent option to chose regardless of their magnification preference.

The Steiner Optics H6Xi 2-12×42

As it is built for the hunting public, it comes as no surprise that the Steiner H6Xi comes on a 30mm tube. This tube size has become basically the standard, and its ideal for hunters as it offers great size for internal travel and lens structures. And it does this without weighing as much as 34mm scopes likely would.

With its 42mm objective, the little Steiner can be kept closer to the barrel. And again the weight of a 42mm objective will be lower than a 50mm. Some of the more interesting features are the first focal plane reticle, and a single rotation elevation turret. It definitely gives the vibes of a scope meant for hard and heavy hunting while keeping things simple as possible at the same time.

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Additionally, the turrets of the Steiner H6Xi are configurable. The windage turret come with a cap, but obviously could be left open if you like. It also came with an extra undersized elevation turret that can replace the standard one, as well as a cap that will cover the smaller elevation turret. So you can run this scope completely exposed turrets, or completely covered. Another handy included accessory is a throw lever that you can install for faster magnification adjustment. The H6Xi can be had in either MRAD or MOA, with associated reticles.

Specifications


Magnification	2-12x
Objective Lens	42mm
Tube Diameter	30mm
Focal Plane	First Focal Plane (FFP)
Reticle	STR MIL
Illumination	Rotary dial
Illumination Levels	11 brightness levels with off positions
Field of View	55–8.5 ft. @ 100 yards
Eye Relief	3.85–3.52 in.
Exit Pupil	9.8–3.8mm
Diopter Adjustment	+2 to -3
Parallax Adjustment	Side focus
Parallax Range	25 yards to infinity
Click Value — MHR	0.25 MOA
Elevation Range — MHR	70 MOA
Windage Range — MHR	70 MOA
Click Value — STR MIL	0.1 MRAD
Elevation Range — STR MIL	20 MRAD
Windage Range — STR MIL	20 MRAD
Light Transmission	92%
Glass	HD glass
Construction	6061-T6 aerospace-grade aluminum
Waterproof / Fogproof	Yes
Shockproof	Yes
Nitrogen Filled	Yes
Operating Temperature	-13°F to +145°F
Battery	CR2032
Length	11.8 in.
Weight	23.2 oz.
Country of Assembly	USA
Warranty	Steiner Heritage™ Warranty

Unboxing and Mounting the H6Xi

As usual with Steiner products, the H6Xi came in a nice white box with a few accessories. Quality packaging always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling, knowing the product got here in one piece.

I lifted the scope from the box, and inventoried its contents. The extra turret and cap I mentioned, as well as the throw lever. There was also a set of flip caps to protect the lenses, as well as a battery and some documentation.

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I’d also gotten some of Steiner’s H-Series 30mm rings, which would be perfect for mounting the scope on its first host rifle; the Seekins Havak PH3. The rings fit perfectly onto the 20 MOA canted picatinny rails on the rifles receiver. It was then time to level the scope and torque down the rings carefully. One thing I did notice is that the front portion of the tube between the erector and the objective is pretty small. This made it a touch sensitive to where the rings could go, but for this rifle it was perfect.

steiner, scope rings, steiner optics, steiner optik, H-series, 30mm, mounting, — **Steiner’s H-Series rings** were made for the H6Xi

Initial Impressions

With the scope mounted, I spent a good deal of time just looking through it and getting a fell for it. Low magnification scopes like this usually look pretty good, as the magnification doesn’t show off flaws as much. But the Steiner H6Xi with its HD lenses looks particularly good. According to Steiner, the scope has a 92% light transmission which makes the image quite bright.

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I quickly found several things about the scope that I quite like. Among those was the locking ring for the diopter at the back. I really dislike it when you put a scope up to find it slightly out of focus, because the diopter got rubbed against a pack or something causing it to turn slightly. The locking ring on the H6Xi prevents that from happening. The low profile of the turrets is also nice, to help avoid snagging on hunting gear. And the whole thing has that Steiner quality feel to it.

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Shooting in the Field

Our first trip out with the Steiner Optics H6Xi 2-12 was to a rifle range, to get a solid zero and check some tracking performance. Bore sighting the scope was easy, and in no time we were on paper shooting groups. The 7mm PRC Havak shoots quite well, which made it a good host to test the functions of the Steiner.

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Later we would take the rifle into the high country of the Rocky Mountains to evaluate its performance in the exact kind of places where it would be used for hunting. Looking across deep canyons and valleys, picking out small details and targets is a great way to get comfortable with a scope.

Optical Clarity

The HD lenses of the Steiner H6Xi make a great looking image through the scope. Across various scenarios we inspected all kinds of things through the scope. Full sunshine, rainy and cloudy days, as well as early morning during sunrise. I found the Steiner to provide a great image of my targets, and clear presentation of the area around the target as well.

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Reliability

With it simplistic function, the H6Xi doesn’t have a lot to go wrong. The ability to run both turrets either exposed or capped can remove the possibility of inadvertent turret movement if thats a concern for you. And its single turn elevation will prevent you from ever getting lost in the turns. The 180 degree throw of the magnification ring requires only one motion to adjust. And the throw lever makes it fast and easy to do as well. I also mentioned the lock ring for the diopter to prevent that from being turned accidentally which I wish other scopes of mine had.

The only thing I was a bit concerned with was the reticle illumination. The knob to change the brightness settings of the reticle has lower friction than I would like. I could see it possibly getting turned accidentally, resulting in a dead battery.

Accuracy

Again I’ll mention the simplicity of the H6Xi, a single turn elevation turret means there are fewer things to go wrong. And with 12MRAD of elevation on the single turn, you’ve got enough to cover most shots that hunters will make. For example at my density altitude; The 7 PRC test rifle we used for this review only needs about 8 MRAD to reach a 1,000 yards.

The repeatability of this little scope made it an excellent candidate for a precision hunting rifle. It always returned properly to its zero setting, and it tracks true to its indicated reading.

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Value

The Steiner H6Xi is not an entry level scope for sure. Its MSRP is just over sixteen-hundred dollars, which might scare some folks off. The street price for this scope is usually between $1100 and $1300 depending on where you look. While that is better than sixteen-hundred, it is still enough to cause some to think hard about the scope. Steiner optics come with not just a warranty, they come with some rugged prestige as well.

You can find other 2-12 power scopes, probably some that are even comparable to this one for less. But we all have our tastes, and preferences. And if my choice is between German parts assembled in Colorado and something made in Asia, I’ll take the Steiner every time. “Nothing escapes you” is their slogan, and one many people trust in.

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Pros and Cons

Great Image Quality- HD lenses	Low Friction Illumination Control- easy on
Robust Construction- built like a Steiner	Smaller Mounting Real Estate on Tube
Simple Design- fewer things to go wrong
Configurable Turrets- capped or not, your choice
Throw-Lever Included- for enhanced control
Locking Controls- stay where you want them
First Focal Plane- for fast shots and corrections
Not Particularly Heavy
Great Parallax Adjustment- fine tuned focus
American Made- the assembly part anyways

Conclusion

I have quickly grown quite fond of this little Steiner, it packs a lot of quality into a compact scope without weighing a ton. Its excellent for its purpose which is a precision hunting scope, giving hunters a sharp image with clean parallax adjustment. And simple hold-over operations that will allow for perfect shot placement at extended shooting ranges.

-CBM

Check out other Steiner optic reviews here

Compact Precision From the Athlon Midas HMR Gen2 2-12×42

September 9, 2026Optics2-12x42, athlon, athlon optics, gen2, HMR, midas, riflescopecoldboremiracle

Preface

One of the companies that is flooding the optics market with dozens of different great optic products is Athlon Optics. I have been fortunate to use several different products from the company, and I must say I haven’t been let down. So it is my pleasure to bring you another riflescope review from Athlon; this time it’s the Athlon Midas HMR Gen2 2-12×42.

fresh out of the box with all its factory accessories

The Athlon Midas HMR Gen2 2-12×42

The Midas HMR 2-12 is a compact rifles scope optimized for precise shooting, and lending itself heavily to hunters. The Midas is built on a 30mm tube, which offers a larger range of internal travel. Up front you will find a 42mm objective lens that captures your image without being oversized and heavy.

In the middle of the scope is the erector housing that features an exposed elevation turret, a capped windage turret, as well as a parallax adjustment and illumination control. Pretty standard setup for todays market. The elevation turret has 10 MRAD per rotation with a total of 29 MRAD of turret travel.

Athlon makes several first focal plane (FFP) 2-12 scopes, but the Midas HMR Gen 2 is not one of them. Second focal plane (SFP) scopes are usually more affordable, I expect they are simpler to make as well. As such, the Midas’s APRS-H2 reticle stays the same regardless of magnification, which some folks prefer.

The occular housing of the Midas has a ring to adjust the magnification range of the scope, with the number 12 highlighted in red. This indicates where the reticle values are accurate for measuring use. Also on the magnification ring there is a removable throw lever that threads into the ring. This gives better purchase when cranking quickly on the magnification adjustment.

the APRS-H2 SFP IR MIL reticle of the Midas, note illuminated center dot (inset)

Inside, the reticle itself also offers some great features. With MRAD subtensions marked in whole and half MIL’s out to 4, and .2 and whole MIL’s out to 10. Windage is similar but ending at 6 MIL instead of 10. This gives you the shooter some dexterity in your aiming and correction plans. The center dot illuminates when powered up, giving an almost red dot feel to the scope.

Specifications


Manufacturer	Athlon Optics
Model	Midas HMR Gen2
SKU	213057
Magnification	2-12×
Objective Lens	42 mm
Tube Diameter	30 mm
Reticle	APRS-H2 SFP IR MIL
Focal Plane	Second Focal Plane (SFP)
Illumination	Illuminated
Adjustment Type	MIL / MRAD
Click Value	0.1 MIL
Parallax	Side focus, 10 yards–∞
Field of View @ 100 yd	55.7–9.6 ft
Eye Relief	3.62 in
Length	12 in
Weight	19 oz
Tube Construction	One-piece aircraft-grade aluminum
Lens Coating	Fully multi-coated
Purging	Argon
Waterproof	Yes
Fogproof	Yes
Shockproof	Yes
Turret Style	Exposed
Precision Zero Stop	Yes
Battery	CR2032
Finish	Black / hard-anodized
Ideal Application	Hunting / long-range shooting

Mounting the Midas 2-12

I would end up using the Midas on a couple different host rifles, but first up I would put it on my CVA Cascade SB. This is a short barreled 18-inch 6.5 Creedmoor, which is real handy for hunting. And with the Midas on top, it would be a perfect little combination.

I settled the Midas into a set of Wheeler 30mm rings and torqued everything down evenly. I adjusted the diopter at the rear of the ocular housing for the best image of the reticle, before bore-sighting the scope and heading to the range.

the CVA Cascade SB was an excellent compact rifle host for the Midas, you can read my review of the rifle here

First Shots on the Range

I must start by saying; I am huge fan of rifle scopes. And some people might think that high power rifle scopes are the bee’s knees. I myself quite enjoy lower power scopes like this 2-12. One advantage to lower power scopes is their simplicity, they may not make your target look as big, but they also don’t magnify flaws. Your flaws or the flaws of the scope itself.

At 2X the Midas is wide-open, meaning you can see everything including the muzzle of your rifle. This might be very handy for a close range rifle where things could be close, like something you might shoot at a charging animal. And at 12X you have enough power to make shots that are out there a lil’ bit. My son for example took his first Mule Deer at 480 yards last year using 12X.

Zero

I boresighted the scope to the host rifle, using my tool-less technique. After which I sat down behind the rifle to shoot a few shots on paper. After a couple shots and adjustments, I was hitting where I wanted it to. It was then time to zero the turret. I was a little irritated because it seemed the Allen wrench included was not the right size for the tiny set screws. But once I’d found the right one it was pretty straightforward.

With the turret unlocked (lifted) I unscrewed the single screw in the top of the turret so the turret itself could be lifted off. Underneath there is an interesting little star piece that looks similar to a WWI iron cross. Its four corners are cut to interface with a tooth on the ring of the elevation turret. One of its corners is cut to prevent turning past it, so when you set that corner against the tooth at zero, you cannot dial below that point. When dialing up, the tooth hits the iron cross, and rotates it allowing you to continue dialing upwards.

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From there it was pretty easy, once reassembled. The turret would not rotate below the 100-yard zero of the rifle, but would go up to the mechanical maximum of the scopes erector. Which depending on the scope setup could vary greatly. Adding a 20 or 30 MOA canted based would give additional room more mechanical movement.

Adjustments

Adjusting the turrets to their high and low extremes with the rifle clamped in a vise allowed me to see how consistently the reticle moved. Dialing up, right, down and back to the left seeing how it returns to its zero location is a good way to evaluate a scopes reliability.

In the Field

Optical Clarity

At only 12X, the Athlon Midas HMR isn’t a particularly high power scope. But it does very well at clearly magnifying the image from downrange. I enjoyed the sharp contrast of the reticle against the clearly focused target area. This is easier to do I suppose with a second focal plane scope with relatively low magnification, but it is great to have none the less.

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Early mornings and right before sunset are always the challenge for best performance, and the image of Midas HMR was surprisingly good. Comparable to scopes that cost significantly more.

Reliability

During our testing, the Athlon Optics Midas HMR functioned perfectly. Never noticed any skips or hangups in reticle or turret movement. All the controls worked as expected, and the only unpredictable issue was the reticle illumination coming on during transport.

that is the **Grayboe UMC chassis**, all together a nice setup with the CVA and Athlon

Controls

The turrets of the Midas HMR are just right; perfect resistance, clean crisp clicks. Conversely, the parallax adjustment is a bit stiffer than I would like but still quite serviceable. With parallax adjustable down to 10 yards there is some great dexterity in use as well.

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I was unsure if I’d like the push-button reticle illumination or not. Changing the brightness settings and on/off feature of the reticle are all done by pushing the button on the center of the parallax turret. On at least one occasion I did find the reticle was on without my doing, I can only assume that it got pressed somehow in the rifle case while maneuvering. In the end I think I’m ok with the push button, its simple and I don’t need it often.

I like the addition of the throw lever on the magnification ring, it makes it quick to adjust. And if you don’t need it, it can be threaded out.

Value

I have always found Athlon Optics to be a good value. Their quality and features are often above average when compared to similarly priced scope from other manufacturers. They have a great warranty also should you ever need to use it.

Pros and Cons

Great Lens Quality	Inadvertent Illumination issue I mentioned
Simple Second Focal Plane Design	Zero-Stop could be easier
Great Turret Quality
Reliable, Repeatable Turret Operation
Great Reticle for Corrections
Compact and Lightweight
Removable Throw-lever
Available in both MRAD and MOA

Why Should you Pick The Midas 2-12

If you are looking for a low power variable scope for a rifle that you anticipate shooting some distance, this scope would be a good option. I imagine myself hunting bears where shots might be up close and personal or perhaps five-hundred yards away. This scope would do well in that scenario. It has a relatively small footprint for a hunting rifle, and its 42mm objective allows mounting it low to the barrel. And its 10 MRAD turrets give plenty of room for corrective long-range shooting. All this with good quality lenses and a crisp, clear sight picture. In a field of scopes that vary greatly in price, the Athlon Midas HMR Gen II is worth taking a look at.

-CBM

Check out other Athlon Scopes here

Variable Prism Proposition Apex Optics Vapor Prism 1-4

September 2, 2026Optics1-4, apex optics, atom, prism, Red dot, sight, vapor, variablecoldboremiracle

Preface

Prism sights are nothing new exactly, but they have certainly taken off in the last decade or so. When Trijicon brought the ACOG to the market, and it began showing up on military weapons, other manufacturers started paying attention. With their compact size and etched reticles, prism sights quickly became popular aided by their clarity and easy sight picture with magnification. One of the reasons they are so durable is because of their simple fixed magnification, some would also consider that a down sides of prisms. Today we are taking a look at one new option from Apex Optics, and this one carries a variable magnification feature. It also carries a few other feathers in its cap, so lets get into the Apex Optics Vapor 1-4×22 prism sight.

The Apex Optics Vapor Prism

The Apex Vapor is a variable zoom prism sight designed with CQB shooters in mind. Or maybe 3-gun if you are a civilian. With its 1 to 4 power zoom, it gives a great sight picture for those shooting fast and on the move. According to the manufacturer it provides unmatched clear magnification in a compact professional grade optic.

One of the main appeals of prism optics over a traditional LPVO is they eye box. Prisms have a more forgiving eye box that doesn’t require such a refine eye relief. This is ideal for someone who can go from shooting within the room to hundreds of yards downrange in the same engagement. And especially when lives are on the line.

The Vapor incorporates an adjustable diopter to focus the reticle, as well as a capped windage and elevation adjustment. The reticle is lit red by a variable rheostat on the left side, with 11 different brightness settings. The etched FIRE™ reticle has a fine aimpoint as well at a large ring for bracketing close targets. And for targets that are a bit further out, there are several holdover points on the reticle for corrective holdovers.

Specifications


Magnification	1–4×
Objective	22 mm
Ocular Lens	35 mm
Eye Relief	3.64″ / 88 mm
Field of View @ 100 yd	127.53 ft @ 1× / 34.94 ft @ 4×
Parallax	Fixed at 100 yd
Reticle	FIRE™ etched prism
Focal Plane	Second focal plane (SFP)
Adjustment	½ MOA per click
Adjustment Range	80 MOA
Clicks/Revolution	60
Length	5.5″ / 140 mm
Weight	13.9 oz optic only / 15.8 oz with mount
Body	6061-T6 aluminum
Battery	CR2032
Waterproof	IPX7
Shock Rating	1,000 G
Operating Temperature	−4°F to 140°F
Objective Coating	7-layer proprietary coating
Glass	Japanese ED apochromatic glass
Light Transmission	99.7% per lens
Mounting	RMR-pattern red-dot mounting capability

And if all that wasn’t enough, the Vapor also incorporates a built-in piggyback option for your favorite RMR footprint red dot. Many short range combat weapons incorporate something similar to allow an up close zero parallax aiming option. Additionally Apex Optics offers a 45-degree mounting plate so you can add the red dot sight to the side of the Vapor if you don’t want it on top.

the **Apex Atom red dot** fit perfectly on the 45-degree mount

Mounting Solutions

Mounting the Vapor can be done a few different ways. There is a picatinny clamp option that uses several screws to clamp the foot of the optic to your rifle. They also have a QD option that allows you to clamp the optic in place, or remove it with a quick motion.

Additionally they have different heigh foot spacers that allow you to mount the Vapor in a high or low position to better fit your needs. After unboxing the Vapor, I took a few minutes to familiarize myself with these different options and swapped a few things around. I was surprised they even installed stub screws into the screw holes to prevent them getting damaged or filled with crud.

stub-screws that keep the threaded bosses protected

I also took a moment to mount the 45-degree red dot mounting plate with the provided fasteners. Since I had it, I installed an Apex Optics Atom red dot with its compatible RMR footprint.

On the Range

I would end up using the Apex Vapor on a few different rifles, all semi-automatic carbines. Various trips to the range. Shooting distances as close as 20 yards and as far away as 400 yards.

Optical Clarity

Even from the very first time I lifted the vapor to my eye, it was impressively clear. Prisms are usually impressively clear and sharp for their size, and the Vapor was no different. At all points in its magnification zoom, it looked fantastic with sharp detail.

Reticle

After shooting with the Apex, I did a little looking around on what others are saying. I was surprised to see how many people have a problem with the reticle, as I found it to be quite useful. People will always argue over minutiae and their preferences for subtensions and hold-over points.

I found the Fire reticle to be perfectly useful, with a typical large ring around the central portion of the reticle. This large ring creates a much smaller one when the Vapor is zoomed out to 1X, making a nice small point to put on your target while squeezing the trigger. And when zoomed-in, the large circle allows you something to bracket the target.

the reticle offers a variety of hold-over points for further ranges

The various hold-over points on the lower elevation of the reticle give you repeatable marks to hold on your further targets. The indicated values in the manual are handy, but at the end of the day I just see where each point coincides with a given distance and keep those results tabulated.

Controls

The only significant controls on this optics are the zoom feature, and the brightness settings for the reticle. The brightness is similar to everything else you’ve ever tried, there are 11 settings with an off between them.

The zoom feature on the other hand is a bit unorthodox, with a throw lever attached to the magnification ring up front. It does feel a bit odd reaching to the front of the optic to adjust the magnification. But because its so small though, its not a far reach. I did find one thing that I wouldn’t call a problem, but felt weird. The throw of the lever is pretty short, and when it reaches the end of either end, there is a solid stop. So you don’t want to get too aggressive pressing on it.

Durability

Obviously time and use is the best way to test a products durability. While I fully plan on giving the Vapor a solid wringing out over the next year or so, that takes time. Fixed prism sights in general are tougher than variable magnification optics, but the Vapor itself is also variable. So it stands to reason that it might be less durable than a fixed prism sight. Time will tell.

here you can see the magnification throw lever up front

Value

The Apex Vapor is not what I would consider an inexpensive optic, with an MSRP of $950 it is certainly not entry level either. Additionally, the Vapor has a relatively specific purpose, which makes purchasing the Vapor a very deliberate choice. If you are looking for a variable zoom prism though, there aren’t so many options.

the host **Quattro-15 rifle** outfitted with the Wolfpack Armory Romulus suppressor

Perhaps it would be somewhat comparable to evaluate it against a 1-4 power LPVO. Of which there are many options and you can probably get them for a lot less than the Apex Vapor. But a bunch of cheap 1-4 LPVO’s does not equate to what this optic offers you. In fact, comparing it to some of the nicer 1-4 LPVO’s like those from Steiner, Trijicon and Leupold would be a better comparison. The Vapor is cheaper than those options, and other than tactical style turrets it has many of the same benefits in a more compact sight.

next to a small LPVO riflescope, the Vapor has a smaller footprint

There are a couple larger 4x and 5x prism sights from companies like Steiner and Burris, but they are fixed power. And depending on the model they might be only slightly cheaper.

Mounting Options

The Apex Vapor is available with a couple different spacers to change the optic height. Additionally you can get it with either a screw clamp foot or a QD foot. One can give you fast optic swap, and one is more compact and less likely to get snagged on your gear. Both of them give a solid interface with the host weapon.

you can choose the Vapor with either a screw-clamp foot or the QD lever foot.

Pros and Cons

Compact Size	Costlier than Most Smaller Prism Sights
Sharp and Clear Image
Very Usable Reticle
QD Foot for Faster Install and Removal
Short 45-Degree 1-4X Throw
Easily Mounted Piggy-back Red Dot
Tethered Caps That Double as Tools
Etched Reticle

the 45-degree mount for a red dot rotates perfectly into place for point-blank shooting

Final Thoughts

I really quite like the Apex Optics Vapor. I’ve been on an LPVO kick for a few years now, and the Vapor’s size is refreshing while still bringing the sighting options. The images seen through the optic are fantastic and clean, and its factory piggy-back red dot options make it easy to pick. And Apex Optics thought through the Vapor, with variable mounting heights and QD mount. If you are considering a high quality 1-4 power sight for your carbine, it certainly is worth taking a look at before making your decision.

-CBM

Check out other Prism Sights here

A New Classic: The Mueller Optics 8-32×44

July 20, 2026Optics, Product review8-32x44, mueller, mueller optics, rifle scope, scope, tacticalcoldboremiracle

Introduction

If you’ve been in the precision shooting game for a long time, you probably remember the old days when we dreamed about having something as simple as a scope with matching turrets and reticle. I remember wanting to build a custom long-range rifle, and put a true long-range scope on it. Today we are taking a look at a scope that embraces that traditional design. The Mueller Optics 8-32×44 tactical rifle scope with side focus matches what I wished for. Today we are going to see how this scope stacks up against its contemporary challengers.

Mueller Optics 8-32×44

This scope is built on a 30mm tube, using a 44mm objective lens. The slightly smaller objective allows closer mounting which some folks see as an advantage. It uses a four power zoom going from 8x all the way up to 32x. One of the key features of this scope is the side focus which believe it or not was not always as popular. We call them side focus, but that also incorporates parallax adjustment in the same feature. This allows the shooter to clarify the target detail while at the same time removing parallax from the view of the target. This is an important feature needing correction when shooting long-range.

Inside the Mueller 8-32 you will find a traditional MIL-dot reticle. The original “tactical” reticle, a MIL-dot reticle uses mil-radian graduations that the marksman can use for measuring distance, target sizes, as well as corrective movements when shooting at long-range.

mueller optics, mueller, tactical, 8-32x44, side focus, mil dot, mil-dot, reticle, mil-dot reticle against clear sky, — classic MIL-Dot reticle

The reticle is housed in an erector that uses 1/8 MOA turrets. That is a much finer graduation than what most scopes use today. Moving the reticle 1/8 MOA per click gives a total of 7.5 MOA of travel per rotation of the turret.

Fine knurling of the control surfaces make adjusting the scopes controls easy. And a diopter on the occular housing allows for fine reticle focus to give optimal clarity. The scope comes with a bikini cover, and a three-inch sun shade.

mueller optics, mueller, tactical, 8-32x44, side focus, mil dot, mil-dot, CVA, Cascade, cascade sb, turrets, — solid turrets and parallax adjustments made the scope easy to use

Specifications

Eye Relief	4.0″
Length	16.25″
Weight	26.0 oz.
Tube Size	30 mm
Color	Matte Black
Lenses	Fully Multi-Coated
Magnification	8 – 32 × power
Objective	44 mm
F.O.V.	9.3 – 2.5 feet @ 100 yards
Parallax	10 Yrd Min
Click Value	1/8 M.O.A.

I had chosen to mount the scope on a CVA Cascade SB 6.5 Creedmoor. Having used the rifle extensively for testing various scopes, and it would be a good host for this one as well. I attached the scope using a set of Vortex 30mm low rings. Even so the scope was a touch higher than I’d of liked for my cheek weld. So I also installed one of my Triad Tactical stock packs. It allows spacers to be added to increase comb height, and the comfortable fabric feels soft against your face.

mueller optics, mueller, tactical, 8-32x44, side focus, mil dot, mil-dot, CVA, Cascade, cascade sb,

With eye relief set, and scope leveled I torqued down the screws. With the rifle set firmly on my kitchen table, I removed the bolt and did a quick bore-sight job in preparation of the first range trip. Then I grabbed some ammo and the rest of my gear before heading to the firing line.

Continue Reading Here

mueller optics, mueller, tactical, 8-32x44, side focus, mil dot, mil-dot, CVA, Cascade, cascade sb, ammunition, — big thanks to Wideners Shooting Supply for supplying ammunition for this review

mueller optics, mueller, tactical, 8-32x44, side focus, mil dot, mil-dot, CVA, Cascade, cascade sb, adjusting turrets on shooting bench, — Zeroing the turrets after getting the point of impact right

picking out varmints with this scope is easy

I like the all metal construction, no rubber components here

mueller optics, mueller, tactical, 8-32x44, side focus, mil dot, mil-dot, CVA, Cascade, cascade sb, shooting rifle from shooting bench,

Vector Optics Paragon Micro Prism Magnifier Combo

July 3, 2026Optics, Product reviewmagnifier, micro prism, optic, paragon, sight, vector opticscoldboremiracle

Introduction

One of the most popular sighting configurations in use today, is the use of a Micro Prism and magnifier combo. Micro Prism’s are basically a compact scope with a reticle. Commonly they are used in similar situations as red dots, for shorter range firearms. These Micro Prisms give some shooters a more precise aim due to optical alignment issues. Folks with an astigmatism may have trouble defining a red dot aim point, whereas with a prism they can focus much better. The magnifier adds a level of optical magnification for additional precise placement on targets. This configuration is a bit newer to me, but I’ll walk you through my own experience as we test and evaluate the Vector Optics Paragon Micro Prism magnifier combo.

one of my test rifles, the **DS-25 6.5CM** seen here with my **Silencerco Omega 36M**

Vector Optics Paragon

Paragon Prism

Vector Optics makes a variety of different optical sights, including rifle scopes, red dots, and todays topic; the Paragon Micro Prism and magnifier. There are several different options including 1x, 3x, and 4x micro prisms. And they also make both a 3x and 5x magnifier to put behind the micro prism.

The Paragon Micro Prism uses two push-buttons to power up the reticle. You can power it up or down by holding the front button, while toggling brightness is done using either button. On the left side of the optic there is a battery housing for the CR3023 lithium cell, which makes it easy to change without messing up your zero.

on longer rifles like this 16-inch AR, the 3x magnifier allows shots well into a quarter mile

Zeroing the reticle is done using a windage and elevation adjustment screw on the top and right side of the optic. A small flat screwdriver works great for adjustments. At the rear of the optic you can adjust the diopter for best focus. This optic can be a standalone sight, giving you a simple 1x view of your target area.

Paragon Magnifier

Adding the Paragon 3x Magnifier to the Micro Prism gives you an additional magnified image of the target area. And it does this without interfering with the prism or point of impact. The magnifier comes with a spring loaded mount that allows you to quickly pop it out of the way should you wish to use the simple 1x of the prism sight. And just as quickly snap the 3x back into place should you need a closer look at the target.

Dark Storm Industries, DS-25, modern fighting rifle, MDR, 6.5 Creedmoor, short barreled rifle, sbr, vector optics, micro prism, magnifier, — simply pushing down on the button at the base of the magnifier allows it to swing 90 degrees out of the way

Vector’s spring-loaded mount has a small button on one side that when pushed, allows the magnifier to swing 90 degrees out of the way. In this position the magnifier is off to the side of your sight rail. Much like the prism, the magnifier is easily mounted on a picatinny rail using a small torx driver.

pushing the spring-loaded button to fold the magnifier out of the way

You might wonder why the magnifier has elevation and windage adjustments when it features not reticle inside. That is to allow you to center the magnifier over the reticle as seen through the prism optic in front of it. It also has an adjustable diopter at the rear to maximize focus and clarity.

Specifications

Specification	Paragon 1×18 MiCRO PRISM	Paragon 3×18 Mini Magnifier
Magnification	1x	3x
Objective Lens Diameter	18 mm	18 mm
Focal Plane	N/A	N/A
Exit Pupil	N/A	6.0 mm (0.24 in)
Eye Relief	95 mm (3.74 in)	67 mm (2.6 in)
Field of View	78.8 ft @ 100 yd (26.3 m @ 100 m)	7.4°
Lens/Optics Coating	Fully Multi-Coated	Fully Multi-Coated
Side Focus	100 yd	N/A
Click Value	1 MOA	N/A
Turret Function	N/A	N/A
Elevation Adjustment Range	>100 MOA	Yes
Windage Adjustment Range	>100 MOA	Yes
Elevation & Windage Adjustment	Separate adjustments	Yes
Diopter Compensation	-2 to +2	-2 to +2
Illumination	Red & Green; 8 Daylight, 2 Night Vision settings	N/A
Battery Type	CR2032 (not included)	N/A
Battery Life	N/A	N/A
Waterproof Rating	IP67	IP67
Fogproof	Nitrogen Filled	Nitrogen Filled
Shockproof	1000 G	1000 G
Housing Material	6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy	6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy
Finish	Black Matte	Black Matte
Mount	Picatinny clamp	Flip-to-Side Quick Release Picatinny Mount
Center Height	N/A	36 mm (1.4 in)
Length	60.6 mm (2.39 in)	70 mm (2.75 in)
Weight	178 g (6.28 oz)	215 g (7.6 oz)
Items Included	User Manual, Cleaning Cloth, Plastic Wrench, Riser Section, etc.	Riser Section, User Manual, Cleaning Cloth, Hex Key, etc.

Host Rifles and Mounting

I have used the Paragon combination on a couple different rifles, both being small frame AR style rifles. The first one is a custom rifle I put together with a 16-inch upper, and the second is the Dark Storm Industries DS-25 MFR. The latter is more of a fighting rifle setup, which tends to be the type of rifle this sight configuration is used for.

Finding the right eye relief is paramount for mounting these optics. Putting them in the right spot that allows you to use either the prism alone, or the prism seen through the magnifier. Once the right eye relief is found, I snugged the two optics down to the pic rail.

Adjusting the reticle in the prism, note similar adjustment screws on magnifier

I was immediately irritated with the misalignment of the reticle as seen through the magnifier. So in no time I adjusted the windage and elevation on the magnifier until the reticle of the prism was centered. I tested the swing-away feature of the magnifier a few times, and then I was ready to hit the range.

Shooting the Paragon Combination

I would end up shooting with the Paragon combo over the course of several range trips on both host rifles. I like the 1x power of the prism alone, it is fantastic for engaging targets that are not particularly far away. The same type of shooting you’d do with a red bot perhaps.

here you can see both the red and green reticle colors looking downrange. As you might imagine, it looks much better than the pictures show here

Engaging targets from 20 to 100-yards was very easily done, and allows the broad field of view. With head up and both eyes open, you can stay very aware of the target area and your own surroundings.

shooting the rifle with the Paragon Prism alone

Snapping the magnifier into position would instantly give you the 3x power to add more precision to your shooting. Picking out targets beyond 100-yards was surprisingly easy, and the 2 MOA center dot of the reticle was still small enough to make some pretty good hits as far away as three to four-hundred yards if you could hold steady enough.

Optical Clarity

Vector Optics’ products have proven to be very good optical quality in my experience. And the Paragon combo was no different. Flaws are a little less obvious on lower power optics, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Vector is manufacturing OE products for other brands you would consider better or higher quality.

Bright images with little aberration were easily focused using the adjustable diopter. The brightness levels of the reticle were suitable for indoors and bright sunny day shooting.

Reliability

I don’t see any reason to doubt the durability of the electronics inside the Paragon Micro Prism. Some might suggest that its foreign manufacture are reason alone to doubt it, and I’m open to that possibility. But other Vector products have stood up for me over the course of years, and continue to work great. So I am perhaps a little more lenient on this topic.

Fasteners and materials used appear to be more than adequate, as does the mechanical hinge mechanism and lock. It really does feel like a nice product, comparable to brands that are considered by some to be much better.

Usability

The push-buttons are low profile, and I expect they are less likely to be damaged when compared to a rotary rheostat knob like comparable optics. Adjusting brightness and color is quite easy using the buttons. And the side mounted battery cover it easy to grip as well.

The low profile adjustment screws are easy to get at with your screwdriver, and wont get caught on anything. And adjusting focus of one or both optics is easily done from the shooting position if needed. Having a circle dot reticle also gives you some dexterity in your aiming.

Value

With a combined MSRP of under $230 I find this combo to be a good value. If you are the kind of shooter who’s life hangs on your sights working, you might feel the need to spend more. But for a typical hobbyist or sport shooter, the Paragon Micro Prism and Magnifier would probably be fine for your purposes.

wolfpack armory, romulus, suppressor, silencer, 5.56 .223 rem, 3d printed, dmls, radial flow, low backpressure, AR15, quattro 15, vector optics, — this rifle uses a **Desert Tech Quattro 15** receiver and the WPA Romulus suppressor

Pros and Cons

Vector’s Paragon optics are pretty impressive considering their price. A comparable set from another manufacturer will easily cost double or more. I like the reticle, and its dual color illumination, the fine dot makes a precise aiming point. While the larger circle gives a fast bracket of the target when targets are close and your moving fast. The clear view and easy operation make it a great sight system. The only thing I wish they’d done was make it a compatible footprint with other popular brand optics like Trijicon so that you could use aftermarket systems like those from Unity Tactical.

with magnifier out of the way, the 1x prism is easily accessed

Conclusion

If you are looking for a prism/magnifier combo, I recommend you should at least look at these to see if they meet your purposes. There is a lot of money to be spent on comparable systems, and this might do everything you need for much less.

-CBM

Looking at Prisms? Check this one out

Looking Through The Armasight Contractor 320 3-12 Thermal Weapon Sight

May 1, 2026Optics, Product reviewarmasight, contractor 320, scope, thermal, weapon sightcoldboremiracle

Introduction

For over a decade, Armasight has been manufacturing cutting edge night vision and thermal optics. With a diverse product line the company prides itself on products that are both designed and manufactured right here in the US. The Illinois based company is no stranger to me, as I’ve had the opportunity to use and test some of their other products. And today I bring you another one, a review of the Armasight Contractor 320 3-12X thermal weapon sight. The Contractor name seems to lean towards a military or private military application, which I am certainly not. However, I do enjoy shooting, and hunting in particular. And that seems to be what thermal sights are best for, so I am always excited to take a look at a new option.

The Armasight Contractor 320

As is typical with thermal weapon sights, there is a lot to take in and learn after you open the box. Technology has been integrated to these products, which makes them more complicated than traditional sights. But that comes with some advantages obviously.

Lets start out simple, the Contractor 320 uses a thermal sensor to pick up heat, and shows the image on its small internal AMOLED display. So you aren’t looking through it like you would a traditional scope, you are basically looking at a tiny TV screen. You can focus the diopter to better see the display, just as you can adjust the objective (front) lens to focus the image.

the accessory rail on the side can be used for mounting lights or other accessories

There are a great deal of internal features that can all be accessed by two turrets on the top of the housing. You can cycle through the various menus to access everything from color palettes to reticle designs and zeroing to your host firearm. The unit is powered by two CR123 3v lithium cells, and the power switch is a push-and-turn knob centered on top.

armasight, armasight contractor, contractor 320, thermal, thermal scope, thermal weapon sight, controls, turrets, power switch, record button, — the power switch requires you to push down, then turn

There are other neat features that can be used and selected from the internal menus. Video and image capture can be both manually activated to triggered by the recoil of a shot. You can also access the image stream using a USB cable or even it’s own Wifi to connect to your phone. The internal display feels like the heads-up display from a fighter jet, giving you an aimpoint, inclination and compass bearings and even rangefinding abilities.

armasight, armasight contractor, contractor 320, thermal, thermal scope, thermal weapon sight, controls, heads up display, menu, — scrolling through some of the menu’s

The whole unit mounts to your rifle using a cantilever mount than clamps to the picatinny rail of any firearm. Locking cams and steel wire tethers prevent unwanted movement or loss of caps and covers. There is also a picatinny accessory rail on the right side for attaching things like a laser or flashlight if needed.

armasight, armasight contractor, contractor 320, thermal, thermal scope, thermal weapon sight, battery compartment, — the cable tied battery cover holds two CR123 Lithium cells

Features

Multiple color palettes
Intuitive menus with turret controls
8+ Reticle Types
(ESP) Easy Sight in Process
4 hours runtime at 20° C
Image Detail Enhancement
1/2MOA Boresight
Standard Picatinny Mount Included
Video Recording & Image Capture
Shot-Activated Video Recording
USB Video Stream
Wi-Fi Video Stream
Bluetooth 5.0 Capabilities
Application on iOS / Android Devices
USB-C Interface for External Devices
Integrated Stadiametric Rangefinder
Inclinometer
Levelometer
Graphic Compass
Picture in Picture Mode
Angle Cosine Indicator
Reticle ON/OFF Selection
Battery Status Indicator
Alloy Metal Body and Ergonomic Design

Package Includes

Contractor 320 3-12x25mm Thermal Weapon Sight
Quick Detach Mount
USB-C to USB-A cable
Thermal Zeroing Target
2x CR123A Batteries
Product Manual
Lens Cloth
Soft Case

Specifications

Optical magnification	3.2x
Dimensions	7.38 x 3.48 x 3.42 in
Weight	1.65 Pounds
Digital Zoom	1x, 2x, 4x
Display	XGA (1024 x 768) AMOLED
Field of view	46.17ft x 34.6ft
Thermal Detector	ArmaCORE™ 320×240 12um Thermal Core
Thermal Sensitivity	NETD < 40mK
Refresh rate	60 Hz
Eye Relief	45mm
Connectivity	Wifi Bluetooth 5.0
Lens	F1.00; 25mm
Diopter adjustment	-5 to 5+
Power Supply	2 x CR123A (3V)
Battery Life	4 hours at 20° C
Waterproof rating	IP67
Rated Operating temp	-40° F to + 122° F
Recoil Rating	.50 BMG
Manufacturer warranty	3 Years
Finish	Matte grey

Unboxing and Initial Impressions

Pulling the Contractor 320 from the box, I found the familiar zippered soft case. This is a nice feature that allows you to protect this little investment while in transport. I removed the rubber lens cover, and after adding batteries I powered up the unit. A quick adjustment of the diopter made the display clear, I then dove into some of the sub menu’s picking the reticle I liked best. I tend to be black and white palette kind of guy, maybe because the first thermals I used were that way, and everything else sends me into sensory overload.

armasight, armasight contractor, contractor 320, thermal, thermal scope, thermal weapon sight, USB-C jack, connection, — the USB-C jack for connecting the unit

I took the unit outside, in the evening cold air to see what the darkness looks like in black and white. Neighbors houses, parked cars and trees all show nicely. It was instantly apparent which cars had been recently parked and which had been there a while. The heat radiating under the cars warmed the asphalt beneath, and warm brake rotors glowed from behind wheels. As I walked the dog around the estate to do his business, I also caught some amazingly sharp images of his face so sharp I could recognize him in a line up. Of course I also caught the bright spots he left on the grass, which was helpful for safe navigation.

Mounting

With its QD clamps on the foot of the scope, it is quick and easy to install or move from one host rifle to another. This is also handy because you can remove the scope to be used as an observation device if needed. The clamps feature the hand adjustable tension, so you can adjust for a tight fit on any rail.

armasight, armasight contractor, contractor 320, thermal, thermal scope, thermal weapon sight, ruger 10/22, custom 10/22, black rain ordnance, KRG Bravo, — note the locking QD clamps to attach the Contractor 320

I decided to use the Contractor 320 on a couple different host rifles, first off I would mount it on one of my 22 rifles. This has become a pretty standard practice for me for a couple reasons. Rimfire rifles are much more affordable to shoot, and it usually takes a bit of shooting to figure out thermal sights. I figure shooting cheap ammo like .22lr during the familiarization process keeps it reasonable. Then once I have a good handle on the scopes functions, I can move it to a centerfire rifle for different purposes.

In the Field With the Contractor 320

I quickly found that I liked the controls of the Contractor 320. Zooming is done simply by tapping the left turret down, an the unit cycles through the zoom settings quickly with each tap. Video can be triggered by a shot, or you can just push the record button to start recording. Like most cameras, there is a blinking red dot on screen while you are recording to let you know you are capturing. Downloading the videos after the fact was as easy as plugging in a USB-C cord and connecting to my laptop.

armasight, thermal, contractor 320, thermal scope, digital, weapon sight, wlvrn, desert tech, silencerco, omega 300, suppressor, — the Contractor 320 made a great companion for my **Desert Tech WLVRN**

Turning the left turret cycles through the various color palettes. This makes it simple to adjust on the go, particularly if you are having trouble picking out your target. The only thing I had a hard time with, if you can call it that, was focusing on the fly. As animals move and their distance changes, I found it a little more challenging to keep reaching up front and having to sharpen my focus. Obviously this depends on the range to the target, and how it might be moving so take that with a grain of salt.

Usability

Controls on this scope are very handy, its nice to be able to quickly tap the turret to adjust the zoom setting. Or turn the very same turret to change to a different color to better ID a potential target. Using the shot induced recording is nice, but I preferred simply pushing the record button myself. With supposedly 4hrs of video space in its internal storage.

The only thing I found slightly irritating when using the scope was feeling the need to refocus the image more often than I’d like. I think this might be more of a thermal scope thing for me, as I’ve had the same issue with other units. It wasn’t a huge deal, and one I could certainly work with.

I also found it was very easy to get images out of the Contractor. Simply plugging in and moving files. With other units I’ve had, there seems to be file type disparities that make it a bit more challenging.

Optical Quality

Optical quality for thermals is heavily based on the sensor characteristics. I also have had a go on the Contractor 640 model, the big brother to this unit. I found the image quality to be better quality through that model. That is not to say this one is bad, just not as good I suppose. And for almost half the price I suppose that should be expected.

With much of nighttime hunting with thermal scopes taking place at relatively close distances, the image quality is fine. If a target was 300 hundred yards away for example, I might have a tough time telling my dog from a coyote. But at closer distances it wouldn’t be difficult.

armasight, thermal, contractor 320, thermal scope, digital, weapon sight, wlvrn, desert tech,

Reliability

The only issue I had with reliability was based on battery supply. It seems that different quality batteries did not play well with the Contractor 320. I would experience auto shutdowns at times, which was irritating. I’m not sure if this is an Armasight issue or just thermals in general.

Other than that, this unit seems very robust and well built. I understand that its hard to give more than a 3 year warranty on a piece of equipment like this. Surely, with so many electronics and optics crammed together, there will eventually be an issue. I would hope that even after the warranty period, companies like Armasight would still be reasonable with repairs.

Value

Professional grade thermal optics are not cheap, so if you are looking for the most inexpensive thermal you wont find it here. With a new company popping up every day it seems, selling thermals, there are many options. The presumed safety of buying from a reputable company comes with a price tag. This one sells for around $2000 from places like Optics Planet. A browse through competitive scopes can vary in price from $800 all the way up to $4000. Which makes the Contractor 320 3-12 a pretty reasonable buy.

armasight, thermal, contractor 320, thermal scope, digital, weapon sight, wlvrn, desert tech, silencerco, omega 300, suppressor, shooting bench, — my **20-inch 5.56 WLVRN** with the **SilencerCo Omega 300 suppressor** was a perfect host

Pros and Cons

Pros

Great Controls- Easily adjusted on the fly and while in a high pressure hunting situation. Plenty of options for you to chose from. Even when wearing gloves.
Quality Construction- The well built Contractor 320 is fit for most any purpose. Good materials and tough finish to last.
Easy to use- Even newcomers to thermals can figure out how to use this scope effectively.
Connectivity- Controlling and adjusting the optic through the app is very nice, also allowing feature customization and recording. Streaming through the USB-C cable or the units Bluetooth/Wifi is another option.
Excellent HUD info- The Contractors heads up display gives you all the information you could want, battery level, angles, magnification, ranges and picture in picture.
Allows saving different host rifles- keeping the settings for each host rifle saved under a profile.

Cons

The battery issue I mentioned
The Armasight APP was unavailable for download while testing this unit. (if you are curious how the app works, go read my review of the Contractor 640)

cable tethers keep all the important caps in place

My Results

Using the Armasight Contractor 320 for a short to medium range carbine would be an excellent combination. Whether its for hunting coyotes on your ranch, or exterminating other pest species, this little sight is packed with features. Its friendly design makes it quick to deploy, and easily adjusted. Built tough to last through cold and bad weather, and saving video clips along the way. It’s not the cheapest option, and if you’ve made it this far, you’re probably OK with that.

-CBM

Goyojo GRL 335 Thermal Weapon Sight

April 27, 2026Optics, Product reviewgoyojo, goyojo optics, GRL 335, riflescope, thermal, thermal rifle scope, thermal scope, Thermal Weapon Sightcoldboremiracle

Thermal Wepon Sights

As technology rapidly expands into every aspect of our lives, one of the popular trends in shooting optics is thermal sights. These electronic sights see heat coming off of everything around us, particularly living things. This technology has made eradicating feral animals and dispatching pests not only easier, but a 24 hour activity. Today we are taking a look at another new to me thermal weapon sight. This one comes from Goyojo Optics, a company that makes a variety of sporting devices. Our subject today is the Goyojo GRL 335 Thermal Weapon Sight.

The Goyojo GRL 335

Goyojo’s GRL 335 is a compact thermal optic, that reminds me a little bit of the a Trijicon Acog. Despite its compact size and simple operation it is still packed with a great deal of features that make it very handy.

some of the included items are mounting brackets to change position of the mounting foot

Like most modern thermal optics, the GRL 335 incorporates various color palettes to select from. As well as picture in picture, photo and video recording capabilities. With its simple four-button control panel, you can zoom in, change colors and recording settings.

You can also access a variety of different menus to adjust things like reticle type and color. And change settings for the other features like shot activated recording. Zeroing can also be done within these menus. All images are captured on a 64GB micro SD card housed in the base, right next to the USB-C charging port. What appear to be turrets on either side are actually the battery housing. The battery itself can be removed and charged externally.

USB-C charging port, and Micro SD card port

The ocular focus at the rear allows you to focus on the display. While up front, there is a blue ring around the objective you can use to focus the thermal sensor.

Specifications

Sensor Resolution: 384*288
Objective Lens: 25mm/35mm
Optical Zoom:
GRL325: 3x
GRL335: 4x
Digital Zoom: 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x
Display Resolution: 1024*768
Operating Time: 6-8h

Features

Picture In Picture:Yes
Photo/Video:Yes
Audio:No
RAV & Wi-Fi:Yes
Hot Track:Yes
Classic One Shot Zero:Yes
Thermal One-Shot Zero:Yes
Shot Activated Recording:Yes

The whole unit comes neatly in a zippered soft case. Included with are a couple batteries, additional rubber eye-pieces, charging cables and a manual.

Mounting and Zero

Installing this optic on a rifle is very easy using the QD clamp. Much like other high quality optics, this one has its own clamping mount, with a security lock to prevent unintended opening. I clamped the optic to the sight rail of my rifle, and set it up looking downrange.

To zero the optic, I would shoot a shot, and watch the impact. Then you can freeze frame using the zeroing menu, with the frame frozen, you can move the reticle from where it is currently, to the point of impact. It took me a couple tries, but mainly that was me figuring out the system. But after a few minutes, I had it zeroed enough for testing.

I also took the time to familiarize myself with different reticle options, and different zoom settings. Once I was on top of it, I decided it was time to head into the mountains.

In the Field

Hunting is the true calling of thermal optics, and that is where I intended to use it. Early spring has some different hunting opportunities in my part of the country, but for now I would have to settle with hunting small varmints. Squirrels and marmots and if I was lucky a coyote would be my options. The AR15 rifle I had the GRL 335 mounted to was more than enough rifle for any of those targets.

thermal scopes and suppressed shooting are like peanut butter and jelly, here you can see my **Banish Speed K suppressor**

Over the course of several trips, I would use the Goyojo to find all kinds of animals. Both animals I could target as well as others that I wouldn’t.

Target ID

One thing I have found about identifying target animals with thermal optics, is that the environment matters quite a bit. Using the different color pallets in the GRL 335 was also helpful. Things like rocks and tree and other things can vary in temperature greatly depending on the conditions. Oftentimes it takes a while to get used to identifying things. Particularly in the day time until you see something that is actually living and warm it can be a bit challenging to know.

My dog probably wouldn’t like knowing it, but he shows up really nice in the scope. This is approximately 120 yards away

Again, using the different color pallets available is a great tool to help in this effort. The different zoom settings also are important to understand, for both scale and detail. And I also had to stay on top of the focus of the thermal sensor, keeping a sharp focus greatly helps you recognize both targets and their surroundings.

Controls

One of my favorite things about this optic is how easy and simple the controls are. Unlike some other thermal optics, the main and most important features are all within a single button push. Making quick changes in zoom, or snapping a photo or starting video can all be done without taking your eye off the display.

Of course many of the finer features can be changed by accessing the various menus. And the central placement of the button pad right on top makes it easy to acces. The textured pad also gives tactile identification, so even in the dark you can make adjustments on the fly.

Pictures and Videos

The ability to capture shots and videos through these optics is the icing on the cake. Not only do you get to have fun hunting, but you can capture the crucial events on film to share with others. I used the capture to get stills and clips of different hunting and shooting events. By pressing and holding the X button, you get a quick toggle between picture and video. You then capture a shot or start recording using the same button.

an image looking around the neighborhood in pure darkness (before mounting to the rifle of course)

All the images are captured on a micro SD card that is housed in the foot of the optic. The MP4 files can be transferred and used as you see fit. I did have a couple issues editing and manipulating the files, but I can’t tell you if that was a problem with the files or if it was simply me not using compatible software. Either way, as you can see I figured out a way to get both pictures and video where I needed it.

Focus

Adjusting the thermal sensor focus on this unit is very easy, its location makes it quick to grab with your fingers. And I like how it is recessed in the housing to prevent it getting moved inadvertently. Adjusting the sensor allows sharp focus as close as a few feet away, and i was impressed with how clean the image could be focused.

The display also has its own twist-to-focus feature. This is handy for those who’s eyes aren’t what they once were. There is also two different rubber eye cups to select from.

Useability

I’ve already mentioned how I like the simplicity of this unit. Particularly for someone who is new to thermals. It has some pretty concise instructions, and if you follow them you will have no problem running this unit.

Battery life is great, and the fact that it comes with a charger and extra battery means you can always keep a backup in your pocket.

Value

With an MSRP just under a thousand dollars, this optic is a great value. The ony thing left to ensure its value is its durability over time. This optic makes a lot of sense for a first time thermal, as it is more affordable than other options. I intend on giving this scope a good good thrashing to see how it stands up to use, make sure you check back in the future as I will update here as time passes.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Affordable- for the price its features and function are great
Compact- small footprint means less bulk
Quick to zero- easy to understand and adjust
Image Capture- both video and still images can be recorded
Added Accessories- mounting options, eyecups and other included accessories

Cons

Made Overseas- potential conflict
Unknown Brand-

My custom **Quattro 15 rifle**, you can read more about it here

Concluding Thoughts

I really like this optic, and I plan on using it to the extend possible in my hunting adventures. I like how simple it is, and how easy it is to adjust and understand all the features and functions. Whether you plan on using this optic simply for fun, or in preparation for an impending apocalypse, it gives you a simple sight that can be used around the clock.