Pyzik
10 May 2016, 06:58
Primary Arms 1-6 ACSS
Remember the topic of scopes, like many things gun related is subjective to the end user. What I like and dislike about this scope others (and maybe even you) find the opposite.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5704/24138855005_10511a9143_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/CM4WBg)
Primary Arms 1-6x (https://flic.kr/p/CM4WBg) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
Asthetics/Design:
Let’s knock this topic out right away as it’s literally the first thing you see about the scope. Primary arms did a great job (as they usually do) with the exterior design of the scope. Finish seemed to be strong and durable.
It’s a little long compared to a 1-4x which leads it to also be heavier. However I think what little weight you gain, you benefit more with the additional power.
I appreciated that the turrets were capped, I don’t think anyone is going to be doing much spinning with this optic. I also found that they turned easily enough to zero and had positive clicks and can be returned to 0.
The flip up caps that came with the scope were pretty nice. A Butler Creek rear would be a good addition but the stock caps really are just fine.
I appreciate the "nub" on the magnification ring. While it's not a quick throw lever, it's enough to get ahold of and turn quickly.
Mounted in a American Defense mount, the scope has exactly the right amount of clearance to mount over a Magpul MBUS rear sight.
While you won’t be able to flip up the rear sight should you need to, the mount is QD so it’s easily removed.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5749/23512043303_5189b83782_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/BPFnjX)
PA 1-6x (https://flic.kr/p/BPFnjX) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
Reticle:
I liked the reticle itself. It was very crisp and easy to see. Enough information without being too busy. I just don’t get to shoot at distances often enough to take advantage of them.
I would have much preferred a first focal plane reticle for this particular scope.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7632/26933143415_3055a41431_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/H2ZpcD)
ACSS Reticle (https://flic.kr/p/H2ZpcD) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
Clarity:
This is the area I’ve had the least amount of experience to compare against. I’ve never owned a high dollar scope.
What I did have to compare with was a Bushnell 1-4x Illuminated and a Vortex 4-12x44 Crossfire II. Both generally in the same ballpark as far as price goes. Budget optics.
Comparing these I found that while the PA was as clear through the center of the scope I did have blurring around the edges of the scope and the scope seemed darker than the other two in lower light situations (even in bright daylight I found the other two scopes to have an edge).
While not exactly clarity related I will say that when looking through the scope, the body nearly disappears in your vision. Comparing to the Bushnell 1-4x the PA has a huge advantage here. The Bushnell has a much “thicker” eye bell. Kudos to PA here.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7307/26899365746_7af8fa3d24_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GZ1hh3)
PA 1-6 (https://flic.kr/p/GZ1hh3) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1628/26526384145_f521e66502_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Gq3DQM)
Scopes (https://flic.kr/p/Gq3DQM) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1570/26253681810_501d1846e6_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FZWYWo)
Scopes (https://flic.kr/p/FZWYWo) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
Performance/Accuracy:
Not a single issue here.
One thing to note for the PA was a the eye box at lower magnification. It seemed to be a bit larger than compared to the Bushnell. Eye relief was also longer as you can see in the photo above. The Bushnell needed to be mounted much further back.
I was able to get the scope zeroed to my rifle easily, get on target easily and put hits where I wanted them (well as good as my ability allowed). Any lack of accuracy was shooter based, not the scope.
I was able to get MOA groups at 100 yards pretty consistently with cheap ammo. A better shooter could do a better job with this scope (and with better ammo). I totally forgot to take pics of targets. I was shooting with some buddies and letting them get some time behind the scope and left targets on site.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1494/26192465785_2fb774ce2a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FUxexF)
PA 1-6x Range Time (https://flic.kr/p/FUxexF) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7756/26899369306_916f9ccab6_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GZ1ikq)
PA 1-6 Range Time (https://flic.kr/p/GZ1ikq) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
Durability:
I left this for last as I can’t really attest to it. I treated the scope as if it were my own which meant I was pretty careful with is as I am with any scope. Other than normal bumping in and out of the safe and at the range she scope didn’t see any abuse.
[b]Final Thoughts
At the end of the day if I were to give the scope a rating, I’d give it a 4 out of 5.
If the clarity/brightness were a bit better it’d be a 5.
While I decided this wasn’t scope for the build I was working on at the time, I could see myself picking one up for another build.
Remember the topic of scopes, like many things gun related is subjective to the end user. What I like and dislike about this scope others (and maybe even you) find the opposite.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5704/24138855005_10511a9143_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/CM4WBg)
Primary Arms 1-6x (https://flic.kr/p/CM4WBg) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
Asthetics/Design:
Let’s knock this topic out right away as it’s literally the first thing you see about the scope. Primary arms did a great job (as they usually do) with the exterior design of the scope. Finish seemed to be strong and durable.
It’s a little long compared to a 1-4x which leads it to also be heavier. However I think what little weight you gain, you benefit more with the additional power.
I appreciated that the turrets were capped, I don’t think anyone is going to be doing much spinning with this optic. I also found that they turned easily enough to zero and had positive clicks and can be returned to 0.
The flip up caps that came with the scope were pretty nice. A Butler Creek rear would be a good addition but the stock caps really are just fine.
I appreciate the "nub" on the magnification ring. While it's not a quick throw lever, it's enough to get ahold of and turn quickly.
Mounted in a American Defense mount, the scope has exactly the right amount of clearance to mount over a Magpul MBUS rear sight.
While you won’t be able to flip up the rear sight should you need to, the mount is QD so it’s easily removed.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5749/23512043303_5189b83782_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/BPFnjX)
PA 1-6x (https://flic.kr/p/BPFnjX) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
Reticle:
I liked the reticle itself. It was very crisp and easy to see. Enough information without being too busy. I just don’t get to shoot at distances often enough to take advantage of them.
I would have much preferred a first focal plane reticle for this particular scope.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7632/26933143415_3055a41431_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/H2ZpcD)
ACSS Reticle (https://flic.kr/p/H2ZpcD) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
Clarity:
This is the area I’ve had the least amount of experience to compare against. I’ve never owned a high dollar scope.
What I did have to compare with was a Bushnell 1-4x Illuminated and a Vortex 4-12x44 Crossfire II. Both generally in the same ballpark as far as price goes. Budget optics.
Comparing these I found that while the PA was as clear through the center of the scope I did have blurring around the edges of the scope and the scope seemed darker than the other two in lower light situations (even in bright daylight I found the other two scopes to have an edge).
While not exactly clarity related I will say that when looking through the scope, the body nearly disappears in your vision. Comparing to the Bushnell 1-4x the PA has a huge advantage here. The Bushnell has a much “thicker” eye bell. Kudos to PA here.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7307/26899365746_7af8fa3d24_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GZ1hh3)
PA 1-6 (https://flic.kr/p/GZ1hh3) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1628/26526384145_f521e66502_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Gq3DQM)
Scopes (https://flic.kr/p/Gq3DQM) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1570/26253681810_501d1846e6_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FZWYWo)
Scopes (https://flic.kr/p/FZWYWo) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
Performance/Accuracy:
Not a single issue here.
One thing to note for the PA was a the eye box at lower magnification. It seemed to be a bit larger than compared to the Bushnell. Eye relief was also longer as you can see in the photo above. The Bushnell needed to be mounted much further back.
I was able to get the scope zeroed to my rifle easily, get on target easily and put hits where I wanted them (well as good as my ability allowed). Any lack of accuracy was shooter based, not the scope.
I was able to get MOA groups at 100 yards pretty consistently with cheap ammo. A better shooter could do a better job with this scope (and with better ammo). I totally forgot to take pics of targets. I was shooting with some buddies and letting them get some time behind the scope and left targets on site.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1494/26192465785_2fb774ce2a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FUxexF)
PA 1-6x Range Time (https://flic.kr/p/FUxexF) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7756/26899369306_916f9ccab6_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/GZ1ikq)
PA 1-6 Range Time (https://flic.kr/p/GZ1ikq) by Damage Photos (https://www.flickr.com/photos/damagephotos/), on Flickr
Durability:
I left this for last as I can’t really attest to it. I treated the scope as if it were my own which meant I was pretty careful with is as I am with any scope. Other than normal bumping in and out of the safe and at the range she scope didn’t see any abuse.
[b]Final Thoughts
At the end of the day if I were to give the scope a rating, I’d give it a 4 out of 5.
If the clarity/brightness were a bit better it’d be a 5.
While I decided this wasn’t scope for the build I was working on at the time, I could see myself picking one up for another build.