SwissyJim
22 February 2015, 18:54
So, I'm starting my review of the Primary Arms 2.5X Compact AR15 Scope with CQB ACSS Reticle (https://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_2_5X_Compact_Scope_PAC2_5X_p/pac2.5x.htm) and I am planning on adding to this review as I play with it more. I should probably mention that I am not military or LEO trained, just someone who has been around guns pretty my all my life (I also am NOT a pro reviewer, or even someone who is good at writing!). My only real experience with scopes, up until the very recent past, has all been with variable power hunting scopes chasing moose and caribou. Now I have a variety of scopes, red dots and even a couple of reflex sights.
The first test, or use, of the scope for me was for helping test some new subsonic reloads for my 300BLK SBR, which is not really a good test of the functions of this scope. Normally, I have a Primary Arms red dot on this rifle, but for accuracy testing on reloads I'd move my Vortex 4x16 PST onto it. But this time I put the PA 2.5 on it and went to the range. I was hoping for some freezing cold temps to test the anti-fog nature of the scope, but with the wild, weird winter we are having someone in Georgia needs to do that test. I mean, it's been above freezing and raining here in Alaska. go figure.
So sitting on the rifle, the scope looks good enough. Not too big, not too small, and sits at a good height. The build quality seems to be on the higher side, as everything is nice and tight. Overall, it reminds me of a Primary Arms item - I have a couple of Primary Arms sights (2 red dots and a reflex sight) and they all have been good to me, even surviving on my Saiga12 shotgun. The zero adjustments are firm, but not overly so. They click as you change them, but for lack of a better word, the click is tiny? It's most likely due to the fact that the adjustment turret is the small type, and while the movement is firm, it does not take much to start turning and keep turning. I do like them however... positive feedback on adjustments, you just have to pay attention. The illuminated reticle knob is also nice - and there is a wide range of brightness levels. I would assume the lower would work with night vision, as the first setting is not even noticeable. and it ranges all the way up to so bright it almost becomes a huge red dot! In the bright desert sun I could see that working well, but for our level of sun it was very overpowering.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/165145882/shooting/DSCN0459.JPG
The glass is clear and bright, which is nice considering the gloomy, grey day I had it at the range. One thing I really like so far, is the reticle. Or, I should say, the fact that the reticle is etched and not projected. One thing I have found out recently that projected reticles/dots are NOT that cool if you have an astigmatism. Which I do, apparently. So red dots and things like the EOTech on my Colt? Not a sharp, clear little dot and ring, but rather a slightly fuzzy dot and ring, even with my new corrective lenses. But, a reticle physically etched on the glass? Sharp and clear as can be. Score one for getting older... . Also, even though it is illuminated, should the battery die you still have the reticle to use.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/165145882/shooting/DSCN0460.JPG
(sorry - hard to get a good shot. I tried to get it at the same spot as my eye. I'll try to get a better one)
As far as the actual CQB reticle with the ranging and drop features... well, that's something I'll add later. This first test was to help get my subs tweaked, and was all bench shooting. I can say that initially, I like the horseshoe. It was easy to put on my sight-in target. However, my first impression of the drop compensator dots is that they are really, really small. I wonder how they would be in a hurry to use them? As I mentioned, I don't have any prior training on them (something I'd like to change). But soon I hope to hit the range with my steel gongs and set them up on the 300yrd range and I'll move the scope over to my Colt and see how it does.
The mount is a no frills, non-QD mount. Mounts on solid, but having a QD would be nice. Should the need ever arise, it would take a few moments to remove the sight to access the backups. And if you had them tightened down, and had to grab a tool... but it's also a matter of personal preference as I like a quality QD mount.
Other nice feature include the flip up caps - they don't always come with a scope. These are average quality, but it's nice to see them included. From the times I've been slogging thru the brush in the rain hunting, I've always liked flip ups as I could keep one up and the other down, depending on how I had my rifle slung, to keep the glass clean, but still only have to open one to get a fast shot off. And they also include the battery, and the box has a decent amount of directions imprinted on it for the features.
So my actual use of the scope was as I said, testing some subsonic 300BLK loads. My target stand was at 25yrds, and I was using multiple 8½x11 visicolor 50yrd sight in targets stapled across a standard IDPA cardboard target. It was not the optimal test for this scope, but I wanted to at least get started with a review and I figured it was a decent way to introduce the scope. Next week as I mentioned, I'll take my steel with me, which includes a 2/3 torso and gongs ranging from 8" to 16", plus the range gong on the 300yrd lane that is permanent. That should give me a better idea on what the scope is capable of. Stay tuned!
The first test, or use, of the scope for me was for helping test some new subsonic reloads for my 300BLK SBR, which is not really a good test of the functions of this scope. Normally, I have a Primary Arms red dot on this rifle, but for accuracy testing on reloads I'd move my Vortex 4x16 PST onto it. But this time I put the PA 2.5 on it and went to the range. I was hoping for some freezing cold temps to test the anti-fog nature of the scope, but with the wild, weird winter we are having someone in Georgia needs to do that test. I mean, it's been above freezing and raining here in Alaska. go figure.
So sitting on the rifle, the scope looks good enough. Not too big, not too small, and sits at a good height. The build quality seems to be on the higher side, as everything is nice and tight. Overall, it reminds me of a Primary Arms item - I have a couple of Primary Arms sights (2 red dots and a reflex sight) and they all have been good to me, even surviving on my Saiga12 shotgun. The zero adjustments are firm, but not overly so. They click as you change them, but for lack of a better word, the click is tiny? It's most likely due to the fact that the adjustment turret is the small type, and while the movement is firm, it does not take much to start turning and keep turning. I do like them however... positive feedback on adjustments, you just have to pay attention. The illuminated reticle knob is also nice - and there is a wide range of brightness levels. I would assume the lower would work with night vision, as the first setting is not even noticeable. and it ranges all the way up to so bright it almost becomes a huge red dot! In the bright desert sun I could see that working well, but for our level of sun it was very overpowering.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/165145882/shooting/DSCN0459.JPG
The glass is clear and bright, which is nice considering the gloomy, grey day I had it at the range. One thing I really like so far, is the reticle. Or, I should say, the fact that the reticle is etched and not projected. One thing I have found out recently that projected reticles/dots are NOT that cool if you have an astigmatism. Which I do, apparently. So red dots and things like the EOTech on my Colt? Not a sharp, clear little dot and ring, but rather a slightly fuzzy dot and ring, even with my new corrective lenses. But, a reticle physically etched on the glass? Sharp and clear as can be. Score one for getting older... . Also, even though it is illuminated, should the battery die you still have the reticle to use.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/165145882/shooting/DSCN0460.JPG
(sorry - hard to get a good shot. I tried to get it at the same spot as my eye. I'll try to get a better one)
As far as the actual CQB reticle with the ranging and drop features... well, that's something I'll add later. This first test was to help get my subs tweaked, and was all bench shooting. I can say that initially, I like the horseshoe. It was easy to put on my sight-in target. However, my first impression of the drop compensator dots is that they are really, really small. I wonder how they would be in a hurry to use them? As I mentioned, I don't have any prior training on them (something I'd like to change). But soon I hope to hit the range with my steel gongs and set them up on the 300yrd range and I'll move the scope over to my Colt and see how it does.
The mount is a no frills, non-QD mount. Mounts on solid, but having a QD would be nice. Should the need ever arise, it would take a few moments to remove the sight to access the backups. And if you had them tightened down, and had to grab a tool... but it's also a matter of personal preference as I like a quality QD mount.
Other nice feature include the flip up caps - they don't always come with a scope. These are average quality, but it's nice to see them included. From the times I've been slogging thru the brush in the rain hunting, I've always liked flip ups as I could keep one up and the other down, depending on how I had my rifle slung, to keep the glass clean, but still only have to open one to get a fast shot off. And they also include the battery, and the box has a decent amount of directions imprinted on it for the features.
So my actual use of the scope was as I said, testing some subsonic 300BLK loads. My target stand was at 25yrds, and I was using multiple 8½x11 visicolor 50yrd sight in targets stapled across a standard IDPA cardboard target. It was not the optimal test for this scope, but I wanted to at least get started with a review and I figured it was a decent way to introduce the scope. Next week as I mentioned, I'll take my steel with me, which includes a 2/3 torso and gongs ranging from 8" to 16", plus the range gong on the 300yrd lane that is permanent. That should give me a better idea on what the scope is capable of. Stay tuned!