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Riton riflescope

Riton Optics 5 Primal 2-12X44 Rifle Scope

Optics, Product review, , , ,

INTRODUCTION

I’ve had the good fortune to play with a few Riton scopes over the years, and I am happy to bring you another one today. The Riton Optics 5 Primal 2-12X44 Rifle Scope (which I’ll refer to as 5 Primal) is a second focal plane riflescope that is a perfect fit for those looking for a good hunting scope. The Riton 5 Primal brings many great features to the 2-12 scope world.

Aside from its core features, the affordable price of the 5 Primal makes it an excellent option for many folks out there with a lower budget. Riton Optics does a good job of offering a broad enough selection for most shooters to find what they need.

As we look into the 5 Primal today, keep in mind how its features may benefit or hinder your practices behind the rifle. Only you can evaluate how well it will serve your purposes.

 

Riton 5 Primal mounted to the Q Fix
The Riton 5 Primal mounted to the Q Fix.

5 PRIMAL 2-12×44 REVIEW

SPECIFICATIONS

Specification Details
Magnification 2-12
Parallax Adjustment 10-infinity
Tube Diameter 30mm
Objective Lens Diameter 44mm
Focal Lens Position Second Focal Plane
Lens Coating Fully Multi-Coated, Full Wide Band, Waterproof Coated, Low Light Enhancement
Reticle PHD
Field of View at 100 yds 55.1ft – 9.4ft
Material 6061-T6 Aircraft Grade Aluminum
Eye Relief 3.5in/90mm
Exit Pupil Low 8.3mm – High 3.5mm
Click Value at 100 yds/m 1/4 MOA
Adjustment Range 90 MOA
Mounting Length 4.2″/106mm
Length 12.5in/317mm
Weight 1.5lbs/24oz
Included Items Flip-Up Lens Covers, Lens Cloth, Allen Key

PROS & CONS

My pros and cons list may confuse you, so let me explain a little before we get into it. Your specific purpose might dictate whether some of these features are an asset or a liability.

For example, I like first focal plane reticles, but they may not be ideal for many scenarios. Same with capped turrets. I prefer exposed turrets, but you may want capped turrets.

PROS
  • Affordable price
  • Lifetime warranty
  • 30mm tube
  • Included flip caps
  • Adjustable throw lever
  • Compatible with compressed air rifles
  • Quality reticle
CONS
  • Capped Turrets
  • Second focal plane
  • Made in China
Shop Riton Optics at Palmetto

FIELDING THE 5 PRIMAL 2-12×44 RIFLESCOPE

I mounted up the 5 Primal to a rifle I had handy using a 30mm one-piece scope mount. I did a quick boresight job before hitting the range with it. The hand-adjustable turrets are easy to adjust, the ¼ MOA clicks are easily felt, and a complete turret rotation gives you 25 MOA of elevation.

Riton 5 Primal 2-12x44 close up
The 2-12X44 mounted perfectly in the Aadland 30mm scope mount.

With the scope mounted to a Q Fix chambered in .308, it would be a fine little rifle to take out in the field for a hunt. The 5 Primal made an excellent companion to the rifle.

I really like the 2-12 power zone for hunting. I often think people over-magnify their hunting rifles, but I prefer having a wide field of view to watch impacts and potentially escaping animals after a shot. Even when hunting with bigger scopes like a 5-25, I still rarely engage animals above 14 power.

Long-range

After zeroing the scope, I used the reticle to make shots all across a deep and long canyon. The hold-over points were easy to keep track of. I like when reticles are labeled at least every few lines, which applies to the 5 Primal. Using the reticle for holdovers worked great at 12X or doubling values at 6X.

Riton 5 Primal 2-12x44 reticle
A look through the 5 Primal at about 3X at 450 yards.

The parallax/focus allows you to focus on targets as close as 10 yards, which could come in handy with an air rifle. But for my .308, it wasn’t so necessary.

The low profile of the 5 Primal makes for a good pack rifle to throw over your shoulder, with few things to hang up on as you hike through the forest. The included flip-caps also helped keep the lenses clean and away from contaminants.

Different throw lever options are also handy, making it easy to adjust the magnification quickly and without having to look for it. It’s also nice to be able to pull the throw-lever off if it creates a snag point for you.

The optical clarity was fine for me, as I wasn’t expecting something incredible from a scope at this price point. It’s also fair to point out that the lower power magnification doesn’t magnify flaws as much, either, so you’re less likely to see them.

Shop Riton Optics at Firearms Depot
Scopelist also has a great selection of Riton Optics
Palmetto is another good place to shop Riton Optics

FEATURES

PRECISION HUNTING DOT (PHD) RETICLE

The PHD reticle is simple enough, yet it gives you 20 MOA in three directions for measuring impacts and holding over. Points are labeled at 10 and 20 MOA, with some good subtensions down to 1 MOA as you near the center of the reticle.

Riton 5 Primal 2-12x44 reticle sky view
Looking at the sky with the PHD reticle

The second focal plane nature of the reticle allows for pretty fine aiming points. I’ll admit, I wouldn’t be against having a first focal plane reticle in this scope, either. The low power settings would likely be useful with the FFP reticle, though it might require a finer reticle.

ADJUSTABLE THROW LEVER

I like throw levers, and this was a nice little feature for those like me who like them. Built-in throw levers can occasionally be in the wrong place or cause contact points with things like bolt handles and the fingers holding them.

Riton 5 Primal 2-12x44 controls
The throw lever was easy to adjust

The ability to remove the throw lever and install it in another position on the power ring is much appreciated. As is the ability to just remove it if needed.

CAPPED TURRETS

As I mentioned above, this can be a good or bad thing, depending on your shooting task. If you need to adjust your elevation frequently, such as you would in a competitive shooting scenario, capped turrets may be a little less desirable. You can, of course, leave the caps off, but I lost quite a few turret caps back in the old days doing that.

For a hunting rifle like the one I tested here, I think the capped turrets are fine, since I likely wouldn’t engage anything beyond 500 yards with it. For those kinds of ranges holding over with the PHD reticle is fine for me.

Riton 5 Primal 2-12x44 controls moa adjustment
To use the cap or not use the cap, that is the question.

CONCLUSION

The Riton 5 Primal 2-12×44 scope is an excellent choice for someone shopping in the sub $1,000 price range. The scope isn’t what I would call super light; instead, it’s built pretty robust, which I’d prefer sometimes.

Riton 5 Primal 2-12x44 on q the fix in mountain background

It should do a great job of providing accurate shooting for most practices. The overall performance of the scope and warranty from Riton makes the scope a pretty safe bet.

Having used several Riton scopes now, I would feel confident recommending them for such purposes as I’ve mentioned.

-CBM

Check out other optics reviews here

mossberg patriot 6.5PRC riton riflescope

Riton Optics 3 Primal 3-18×50 Rifle Scope

Optics, Product review, , ,

INTRODUCTION

Riton Optics has been producing and selling affordable optics for several years. The American optics market has consistently grown over the last decade, and economical brands have aggressively flooded it. Riton offers professional-grade features in many of its scopes, and between the different product lines, it offers something for almost any shooter’s budget. Today we will look at one of its offerings from the PRIMAL line, the Riton Optics 3 PRIMAL 3-18x50mm rifle scope.

The 3 PRIMAL brings new features like Riton’s dual throw lever system and incorporates highly sought-after features like exposed turrets, zero-stop, and a front focal plane reticle. I’ve spent quite a bit of time behind rifle scopes, so I was eager to see how this new Riton stacked up against both the Riton scopes I’ve had in the past and the other scopes I use.

 

Riton Optics 3 PRIMAL 3-18x50mm Rifle Scope on mossberg patriot
The 3 Primal mounted on a Mossberg Patriot and paired with Hornady Match ammo made for a winning combination.

RITON 3 PRIMAL 3-18×50 REVIEW

The 3-18 model is an excellent scope for long-range hunters and precision shooters. With six MRAD turrets, each revolution of the turret will increase the sight angle by six Milliradian.

The total mechanical elevation available in the scope is 25 MRAD, so you’ll get just over four rotations of the elevation turret. I prefer 10 MRAD turrets or higher, but I think it’s acceptable for the price point of this scope.

Optically, the 3 PRIMAL has a clean and clear image, which is something I’ve noticed in the past from Riton branded scopes. Riton seems to do a good job sourcing quality glass for their scopes.

The helically fluted control surfaces of the scope allow an easy grip to adjust the settings, and the markings and turret detents are clear and concise. The dual throw lever design is handy, allowing you to remove the throw lever or position it in one of two positions, depending on what works with your particular firearm setup.

This scope would be ideal for someone looking to get into long-range shooting or hunting with a smaller budget. It gives you many high-end features most of us want, but without needing to sell a car to get it.

If you’re the kind of guy accustomed to $3,000 European scopes, you will likely find this Riton a step down. But it certainly gives you what you need to get the job done.

Riton scopes are made in various places, but the 3 PRIMAL says it’s made in China, which may not sit well with some people. As far as Chinese-made scopes go, I felt it looked and functioned well. I’ve used a bunch of different Chinese-made scopes, and this one surely seems to be at the top of that list.

SPECIFICATIONS

Specification Details
Magnification 3-18
Parallax Adjustment 10-infinity
Tube Diameter 30mm
Objective Lens Diameter 50mm
Focal Lens Position First Focal Plane
Lens Coating Fully Multi-Coated, Full Wide Band, Waterproof Coated, Low Light Enhancement
Reticle LRH, Illuminated
Field of View at 100 yds 35ft-6.2ft
Material 6061-T6 Aircraft Grade Aluminum
Eye Relief 3.5in/90mm
Exit Pupil Low 8.2mm-2.8mm
Click Value at 100 yds/m 1/10th MRAD
Adjustment Range 25 MRAD
Mounting Length 4.6″/116mm
Length 13.75″/339mm
Weight 2.85lbs/29.6oz
Included Items Flip-Up Lens Covers, Lens Cloth, Allen Key

PROS & CONS

PROS
  • Affordable price
  • Great optical clarity
  • LRH reticle features useful subtensions
  • Positive tactile clicks
  • Dual throw lever system
  • Illumination with six settings
  • 25 MRAD elevation potential
  • Lifetime warranty
CONS
  • Made in China
  • Not particularly lightweight
  • Reticle gets a little bit thick at 18X

ON THE RANGE TESTING

I mounted the Riton 3 Primal to a Mossberg Patriot 6.5PRC rifle. I used a set of Warne 30mm rings that fit perfectly. With the scope mounted and bore-sighted, I headed into the hills to try the combination.

Riton Optics 3 PRIMAL 3-18x50mm Rifle Scope on mossberg patriot
The Warne 30mm rings made a perfect mount.

After a few shots to confirm zero, it was time to use one of my favorite features of this scope; the zero stop. Using turrets with smaller MRAD counts tends to use multiple revolutions of said turret to get the full elevation.

This scope has 6 MIL turrets, so if you are shooting quite far, losing count and thinking you are zeroed when you are a full rotation (6 MRAD) off can be easy. Zero stops combat this issue by giving you a hard stop at your rifle’s zero.

The Riton 3 Primal achieves this by installing a ring under the turret after zeroing your scope. Unlike the spacer-type zero stops, this one is tightened around the turret stud and has a pin to stop rotation at zero. It’s very easy to install, and once you have the rifle zeroed, you never have to worry about it again.

Shooting with the Primal was very comfortable; my eyes easily adjusted to the view and made perfect sense of its clear image. Using the throw lever to adjust the magnification for different ranges, and spotting targets and details, was relatively easy. With just an Allen wrench, you can change the throw lever position to fit your rifle setup.

Shop Riton optics at Firearms Depot
Palmetto also has a full selection of Riton Optics
Scopelist is another great place to shop Riton Optics
Riton Optics 3 PRIMAL 3-18x50mm Rifle Scope on mossberg patriot hands on test and sighting in
The 3 Primal mounted on the Mossberg Patriot 6.5 PRC

The scope was easily adjusted for focus/parallax using the side-focus knob, and targets were quick to engage with the scope appropriately adjusted. I didn’t need to use the illumination at any point, but it is nice to know it’s there.

The reticle in the Primal was perfect for measuring holdovers and corrections; that said, it is often hard to please everyone when it comes to reticles. It’s a very subjective choice, as we all have our preferences, but I found this one to be fine.

My only complaint is that at 18X, the reticle becomes a little thick, which might make it more challenging to get that perfect hold on a distant target.

Riton Optics 3 Primal 3-18×50 Rifle Scope Features

ZERO STOP

The zero stop feature of the Primal 3-18 was easy and robust. It took very little time to install or adjust the zero stop ring, and it felt great when the turret hit that hard stop letting you know you’re zeroed.

I’ve seen quite a few different zero stop designs, and this is surely not a bad one, but there are a few I do like better. For this price point and purpose, though, I think it is a great option.

Riton Optics 3 PRIMAL 3-18x50mm Rifle Scope zero stop ring
Installing the zero-stop ring took little effort.

THROW LEVER

The included throw lever is a nice touch, and it allows you to use it or not. And if you choose to use it, you can place it in one of two positions, whichever better fits your rifle setup.

The scope also comes with a cover to replace the empty throw lever position.

Riton Optics 3 PRIMAL 3-18x50mm Rifle Scope multiple throw lever positions
The multiple throw lever positions are a nice touch.

FRONT FOCAL PLANE ILLUMINATED RETICLE

I mentioned the reticle was a bit thick for me at max magnification; this is not a massive deal for me as I don’t often use scopes at their maximum power, at least while shooting. That said, if you plan on using this scope for shooting particularly far, it’s something you should know.

The subtensions of the reticle are small enough to be helpful without making the reticle too complicated. I also like that Riton made off positions between each brightness setting.

Riton Optics 3 PRIMAL 3-18x50mm Rifle Scope reticle
The illuminated LRH reticle is clear and sharp.
Finish reading here…

CONCLUSION

I was pretty happy with this rifle scope from Riton. The 3 Primal 3-18x50mm gives you a fine selection of desirable features and is very affordable.

I’ve been lucky to use many high-quality scopes in addition to those that are more mainstream and inexpensive. You will do great with this one if you are looking for an affordable precision rifle scope for recreational purposes.

It would go very well with the Mossberg featured above as a Western long-range hunting rifle or installed on your favorite range rifle. It has features that not too long ago would have cost you at least twice as much money, and despite its foreign manufacture, it presents a great picture.

-CBM

If you’d like to read about more Riton Optics Click Here

Three Red Dots

Optics, pistols, Product review, , , ,

Pistol shooting, like most shooting disciplines has benefitted greatly from technological advancements. Incredible improvements have made todays handguns lighter, faster, more accurate, and reliable. One of these many improvement is in the sight market, pistols have long relied on the simple task of lining up a front and rear sight as you press the trigger. But today we will discuss the hot and competitive red dot sight options that are frequently replacing traditional iron sights. We’ll also look at it from the perspective of home defense use.

The three sights we will specifically look at today are the Vortex Viper Red Dot, the US Optics DRS 2.0 Enhanced, and the Riton Optics X3 Tactix PRD. To give the three sights all a fair rattling, I ran all three of them on the same pistol. The Canik TP9 EC is a poly framed pistol featuring a SAI barrel and trigger, its very accurate and its cut slide makes a perfect host for this trio of optics. To read more about the pistol click here.

The Vortex Viper MSRP $349.99

With a well known name like Vortex, I was sure I was going to like this optic. It was the first of the three in this article that I got my hands on, it wasn’t long at all before I had it mounted up and ready to shoot. The tools provided made zeroing the optic a snap, I was blown away at how quick I went from adjusting the zero, to stacking a whole magazine into a small hole.

The US Optics DRS 2.0 Enhanced MSRP $349.00

US Optics has long been part of the optics game, though they are a relative newcomer to the electronic sight realm. As soon as I opened the box, I was as impressed as ever with USO’s quality and presentation. But more importantly was the impression on the range.

I was a bit confused at first, because the DRS 2.0 didn’t appear to have a button or control to adjust the brightness as did the Viper and the Tactix X3. But in perhaps my favorite discovery of the whole project, I read the owners manual to find that the DRS 2.0 is always on, and has a built in photo-eye to automatically adjust to ambient light. Another beneficial feature I was happy to see, was the side-loaded battery compartment, which doesn’t require the user to remove the sight to change the battery as the Viper required.

As with the Vortex, the USO was easily and quickly zeroed, and in no time I was back to banging targets.

The Riton Optics X3 Tactix PRD MSRP $299.99

Riton is a relatively new company, but persistently bringing out more products. The X3 came to me before the USO and after the Vortex, it did require changing the Viper type baseplate to the RMR type, as it doesn’t share the same plate as the other two.
Similar to the Vortex, the X3 has armored up/down rubber buttons to adjust the six level brightness settings of the reticle. It also has a four hour auto shutoff. It features a 3 MOA dot for some very precise shooting, at least for red dot shooting.
It wasn’t until after I had it mounted that I noticed the X3 features a rear sight cut, something you can use in the event your reticle goes out. This is something the other two lacked, and while not likely to be used often, it is still handy. The X3 features a top loaded battery, so you wont need to remove the sight for battery changes.

All three red dots took a bit of getting used to, as the reticle appeared higher than expected as compared to the iron sights. But once I grew accustomed to the hold and sight picture, I was addicted to it. One of the many pros of using red dot pistol sights that is often mentioned is the shooter’s point of focus. When using iron sights you have to focus to some degree or another on the sights that are at arms length. Shooting with a red dot sight gives a great advantage because you never have to take your eyes off the target.
For example, if there is a threat approaching you, simply bring the pistol into the plane between you and the threat. The glowing reticle is naturally brought into place without ever having to change focus from the target. Obviously after much practice and training, it becomes second nature. That is one thing less you’ll need to focus on in a defensive situation.
And even if its not a dangerous target, shots can be made faster as can target transitions because you never have to take your eyes off the target[s].

Also, if you are shopping on a budget, UUQOptics makes some great budget pistol red dots — great value without sacrificing reliability or usability

UUQ optics, red dot sights

As it pertains to home and/or self defense, I think a red dot sight could be a valuable asset. The bright red reticle makes a very easy focal point when tension is high, and the precise nature of its aim is very useful in a life or death situation. The aforementioned point about keeping your eyes on the threat is also a strong reason, especially in a low light or no light scenario.

I was surprised by this experience, it wasn’t that I liked the USO the most, it was actually that the Vortex was at the bottom for me. After much shooting with the Viper, I found the Riton X3 to be a preferred fit for my eyes. And perhaps the finer reticle also helped. The sight picture of all three was more than satisfactory, they all got dirty and dusty just the same. But what really won this comparison for me was the reticle on the DRS 2.0, I never had to turn it on, or up or down. Every time I jerked my pistol from the holster, regardless of time of day, indoor or out, the reticle was lit, and nearly perfect brightness. I only say near perfect because it occasionally might have been a smidge dimmer than I would have set it, but surely not enough to be a concern. All three of these red dots are great pistol sights, I would feel very confident shooting any one of them in a competitive situation.

I have shot pistols without red dots for many years, so I was a bit apprehensive about trading my iron sights for a red dot. But I’m happy to say that after some practice I feel just as if not more confident with one of these three sights than the iron sights I always used before. Give one of these three a try, you will very likely be surprised how much you like it.

-CBM

Riton Optics RT-S Mod 7 4-32X56

Optics, Product review, Uncategorized, , ,

Riton Optics is a relatively new manufacturer of optics, since their start in 2013 they have been working in the Arizona heat to make affordable sighting optics without sacrificing quality.
My first encounter with Riton Optics came a year or so ago, when I put their RT-S MOD 5 6-24X50 scope on one of my rifles. I wasn’t sure what to expect as Riton was relatively new to me, but in a short time the scope’s performance had earned my praise. That same scope has been hauled all over these Rocky Mountains on my Tikka , dropped, snowed on, rained on, used as a crutch, and still maintains a perfect zero. Its no stranger to distance work, these past two seasons it has been used to take five mule deer and two cow elk from two hundred to eleven hundred yards. So I can say with pretty good certainty that these scopes are robust enough for western hunters. Today we will take a look at another Riton scope, the Riton Optics RT-S Mod 7 4-32X56.

The Riton Optics RT-S Mod 5 6-24X50 mounted on my Tikka T3 25 Creedmoor

I recently talked myself into one of Riton’s newer and bigger scopes, the RT-S Mod 7 4-32X56. The Mod 7 is definitely a step up in both price and performance from my Mod 5, at more than twice the price, the Mod 7 delivers quite a few more features to the optics aficionado. Both scopes are front focal plane (FFP), which means the reticle is magnified with the power adjustment. This feature allows shooters to use the reticle for accurate holdovers and corrections regardless of the magnification setting. The 8X zoom of the Mod 7 gives a substantial power range from 4X up to 32X, like many scopes, however, I found the very top end of the magnification (29-32x) to be too dark and aberrated to be very useful in the field. It was fine for shooting paper targets up close though.

The PSR reticle in the Riton Mod 7

The PSR reticle featured in my Mod 7 was also a significant step up from the Mod 5. I say step up, some might call it stepping out, the PSR reticle is a bit busier than some. It is a “Christmas Tree” style reticle, with a broadening grid of wind and drop values. I am growing more and more fond of these kinds of reticles, and this one is done very well. Subtensions are clearly marked (on the evens) so you can keep track of your holds, and the marks are thin enough to not bother your view of potential targets. A hollow center and .2 Mrad hash marks come in handy when doing long-range work. The illumination rheostat allows shooters to adjust reticle illumination to fit their surroundings.
Speaking of Mrad, the Mod 7 is available in Mrad which made me very happy. It was one of few complaints I had with my Mod 5, that it wasn’t available in anything other than MOA. Seems like most Riton optics are MOA, could be related to their military background, but I am glad to see newer products available with an Mrad option.
The Mod 7 has a 34mm tube, this again is a step up from the Mod 5’s 30mm tube. The bigger tube allows for more internal travel, giving the Mod 7 a total of 30 Mrad of elevation adjustment. That’s more than enough elevation for your average long-range shooter.

Turret details and throw lever on the Mod 7

Another feature I appreciated on the Mod 7 was the integrated throw lever on the magnification ring. Some call it a “Cat Tail”. You can run the scope with or without it, the throw lever gives you more purchase when trying to adjust the power ring, not a big deal, but a nice touch.
The Mod 7 also features a zero stop in the elevation turret, something the Mod 5 did not. This feature is handy, as you can return your elevation turret to zero without even needing to look at it. This will save you from a miss by being a rotation or more off.
One of the features both scopes have that I don’t like is there isn’t graduation marks on the turret housing to show which rotation you are on, to be fair it is much less of a problem on the Mod 7 because there are only two turns. The Mod 5 has several more, making it hard to be sure which rev you are on unless you keep track in your head.

I mounted the Mod 7 on my Desert Tech SRS A2 rifle, which seemed like a good fit for the scope. With the new hunting weight 6.5 Creedmoor barrel mounted in the rifle, I figured it would make a good companion for this years elk hunts.
But first I took the rifle to the range to get a good solid zero and check a few other things. My first impression with the Mod 7, was that the eye relief seemed to be just a bit touchy. Not so much as to be a problem, just more so than I was used to. I quickly zeroed the rifle and adjusted the zero stop per the instructions, easy enough and very functional. I then took the rifle up into the mountains to do some more testing at further ranges. I was very happy with the optical clarity of the Mod 7, even when looking at animals and trees at a mile or more away, it was a very clean and bright image.
As I mentioned earlier, the quality does degrade some at the very upper end of the scopes magnification, this is something I have noticed with most scopes including the Riton Mod 5. This is a phenomenon I have noticed on almost all riflescopes, but it is significantly less an issue as the price tag goes up.
It doesn’t bother me much as I rarely use a scope at its maximum power setting, for that matter I rarely use them above 60-70 of their maximum. The glass clarity of the Mod 7 is a great improvement over the Mod 5, as it should be at this price point.

The turrets on the Mod 5 have a push pull locking system, whereas the Mod 7 does not. I am torn a bit as to which I prefer, sometimes I like having my turrets locked, to avoid involuntary elevation changes. And other times I like just being able to turn the turret without having to unlock it. For hunting, I think I prefer the locking system, but for range or competition use I would prefer it without.
The turrets are plenty stiff so as not to be inadvertently moved, the clicks are plenty audible, though I would like them a tiny bit more defined. The line between too stiff, and to mushy a click is a hard line to walk sometimes.

As it turns out, I really enjoyed the throw lever on the magnification ring. To be honest I couldn’t describe the tension on the magnification ring, because with the throw lever it doesn’t even register.

It didn’t take long for me to get quite proficient shooting with the Riton Mod 7, so when the time came to put this rifle into action I was quite comfortable. The late season elk hunt had arrived, and I took my Riton topped SRS up into the snow covered mountains. The first shot I was given was some 475 yards away from a young cow, I dialed the 2.0 MIL on the Mod7’s elevation turret, and pressed the trigger. The cold and clean mountain air was visibly disturbed by my shot, I watched the trace cut through the bright image before me as I followed the shot in. I watched the cow drop, kick, and slide down the snowy slope.

The Riton Mod 7 has turned out to be a strong, clear, accurate and repeatable rifle scope. I look forward to using it more in the future.

-CBM

One of the five deer killed over two seasons using the RT-S Mod 5 6-24X50

Riton Optics RTS Mod 5 6-24X50 Riflescope

Optics, Product review, , , , , , ,

The optics race is a nonstop fight to get the attention of prospective shooters. It has been exciting if nothing else to watch some of the developments over the past decade or so, particularly from a consumer’s point of view. But have there been any real game changers? Today we will look at one of the contenders, the Riton Optics RTS Mod 5 6-24X50 Riflescope.

I am always on the lookout for good optics, as I am frequently approached by friends and others looking for good shooting options. And optics is one of those heavily fielded questions.
So when I had the opportunity to try out one of Riton Optics scopes, I jumped at it.

Riton is a fairly new manufacturer, I had hardly noticed them before getting hands on one of their scopes. That scope is the RTS Mod5 6-24X50, it is a first focal plane scope, which is a must for me anymore. It has a traditional configuration with a side focus/parralax adjustment, an illuminated proprietary reticle with the rheostat on top of the eye box, and a focus ring at the back.

First Focal Plane reticle

The reticle and turrets are both MOA, I’m more of an MRAD fan, but at least they both match. It wasn’t that long ago that many scopes were a hybrid mix of MOA and MRAD, thank goodness those days are gone.
I like the reticle, I found it very useful for measuring corrections and holdovers. Being an FFP reticle was also very handy, avoiding any kind of field math is a plus for my slow processor.

The turrets feature a push pull locking system, to keep them from being turned unintentionally. There are fifteen minutes per revolution of the turret with a total of 70 MOA internal adjustment, that is plenty of adjustment for the kind of shooting I do. I ran the scope on two different rifles, first on my 6.5CM MDR, a bullpup semi auto multicaliber, and then on my brand new 25Creedmoor, a custom built bolt rifle in an impressive new caliber. Both rifles shoot well beyond a kilometer, and the Mod 5 had all the elevation and power I needed for such shots. (Scope was mounted in a 20 MOA cant on both rifles)

the suppressed MDRX and Riton combo worked great

While shooting the MDRX I became quite familiar with the features of the Riton scope, though it took me a second to revert back to MOA.
Engaging targets as far as twelve hundred yards was no problem with the Mod 5. I am not a large magnification shooter, I usually have about five to ten more X’s than I need, but most of the time I shoot between eight and sixteen power.

I think that is where the Mod 5 shines, as with most scopes, you loose some clarity and brightness at the higher magnification. And in my experience, the lower the price point on the scope, the higher the disparity in sharpness at high magnification.
The Mod 5 was no different, I did find that at twenty four power it was a little difficult to pick out little details out past the grand mark. I solved the problem by backing off to eighteen or twenty power for those long observations. I also wish I’d had a sunshade for it, most of my scopes use one, and it is very apparent when even a little bit of sunlight hits the objective. Luckily, Riton has me covered, and Ive got a shade on the way.

I also ran a test on the click values, they were consistent, but slightly off. Over the course of the forty nine minutes of available elevation from my zero, the click value was on average 0.262 MOA. Again, thats a little off, but it was consistent. The good part was it returned to zero perfectly every time, and no significant reticle wandering or cant.
There was a time that I wouldn’t have trusted a sub 1000$ optic to be precise for repeatable turret travel in serious long range shooting, but technology has caught up it seems. And now scopes like this one are showing that not only can it be done, it can be done well.

The Mod 5 weighs in at thirty ounces, which isn’t necessarily light when compared to it’s competition, but its not particularly heavy either. For my taste, it’ll do just fine. I am used to hauling heavy guns all over these mountains, so switching to something this light was very refreshing.

I ran the Riton pretty hard, up and down, zooming in and out, hiking across mountains and riding up dirt roads in the bed of a truck, semi auto fire,  mounting, re-mounting, etc. No issues with it so far, it keeps right up with me.
All Riton scopes are guaranteed for life, with no hoops to jump, or rules to follow. Thats good to know, becasue we all know about Murphy’s Law.

desert tech mdrx with riton scope
the Riton made a good companion to my Desert Tech MDRX

There was plenty of things to like about the Mod 5. I like the reticle, and the the glass is inline with the price point, the internals appear to be robust and repeatable, with simple turret rezeroing. I will also say this, according to the medical practitioner, my eyes are in pretty good shape. So I tend to second guess my own approval of some optics, mainly because what looks fine to me, is usually pretty crummy when someone with anything less than great vision tries it out. I was happy that the Riton RTS Mod 5 got more than just my own approval. The clarity and quality of the imagery seen through the scope was exactly what I would have expected for a scope in this price range.

If I had to pick out the things I dont like about it, I guess that wouldn’t hurt either;
-MRAD for starters, its not 1987 anymore. I know there are some misguided souls out there still addicted to minutes, but the rest of us have graduated to MRAD. Having both options would greatly improve this scopes desirability to a larger audience.
-Turret rotation graduations, would be very helpful to see what rev your on.
-Parrallax, seemed a little off at times, not bad, but requiring frequent adjustment and checking.
-Magnification ring, the texturing was counterintuitive, making it slightly uncomfortable from the shooting position to zoom in or out. This is a very small gripe, and could simply be preference.

tikka t3x with riton scope
Here you can see the Riton mounted to my Tikka T3X

I dont want to sound too hard on this scope, because I actually do like it very much. Hunting season is here, and Junior and I have a date with several deer, and elk. I have all the confidence in this scope to get us on target, whether it be a head shot on a cow elk at four hundrd yards, or a high shoulder shot on a big cross canyon buck at eight hundred and fifty yards.

I look forward to a long future with this scope, and Im sure it wont be long till Riton Optics brings something new. They obviously have the drive, adapting newer and better optics is inevitable. I’ll be waiting to see what that is, and I’ll make sure to have an empty set of rings available until it does.

-CBM