Primary Arms - Raptor - 1-6x24 - First Focal Plane (FFP) - Advanced Combined Sighting System (ACSS)

[iego]

Hi all,

I am a new AR15 owner, and have shot enough to know that I need an optic for distance. By distance, I mean anything 50+ yards. :)

I'm intrigued by the ACSS (Advanced Combined Sighting System (http://www.primaryarms.com/why-acss)) reticle, as it tries to take the math out of the equation and let someone sight a target, make decisions, and take the shot.

But, I am getting on in age, and use reading glasses and First Focal Plane reticles, grow and shrink in the sight, and I worry I will lose them.

From videos I have watched of the Primary Arms Raptor, when down at 1x, the big red horse-shoe should function as a red dot. As I zoom out, the ACSS reticle will reveal more and more detail, allowing me to calculate for distance, a running target, (but not windage?)

Anyway, I am interested in your opinion on the new optic from Primary Arms...

http://www.primaryarms.com/pa-1-6x24mm-ffp-illuminated-rifle-scope-with-acss-raptor-556-reticle-black

At $399, it is at the top end of my budget, as I just spent a little over that for my rifle.

If I can see it well, if it helps me make good shots, it will be worth it.

Thanks,

-John

[iego]

Also, are there dealers/ranges that will let you try out optics, until you find one you like? With no pressure, etc.?

It looks like the manufactures hold pretty strict pricing controls across the industry. I'll gladly pay (internet prices) locally, at a place that will let me try out various scopes. (or hand guns, etc.)

-John

[Celt]

I have several PA ACSS optics. They are amazing.

[CS1983]

I have several PA ACSS optics. They are amazing.

How would you compare them quality-wise to offerings in the same price range? Any idea who the parent manufacturer is and if the optics are basically a rebranded Vortex, Burris, Bushnell, etc?

Is their warranty similar to those brands?

[iego]

In their promotional videos they say their scopes are designed in house and then built in a factory in Japan. I've seen them compare their Platinum 1x8-24 Scope and say it is "basically a Leupold Mark IV," intimating the optics and perhaps the housing are made in the same factory. In the latest video I watched they were talking about how important the glues used were, and that they had spent a lot of time optimizing the glues. It's the same 3rd gen housing that their 1x6 scope has historically been in, which they say has proved to be a very robust scope. Holosun has used their ACSS reticle in a special model that Primary Arms sells, and Trijicon now has an ACOG model that comes with the ACSS reticle.

I read another article that said the name Raptor (F-22) is a jab at Vortex's Strike Eagle (F-15) so they are probably not involved. :)

It comes with a Primary Arms Lifetime Warranty that says they will repair or replace it, even if the problem is due to wear and tear.

(And the ACSS reticle does have windage offsets, I'm not sure how I missed that above.)

-John

[CS1983]

Japan? I thought they were Chinese.

[iego]

Primary Arms in their promo videos say they are a USA firm, with USA Tech Support, design, R&D, etc., that then contracts (directly) with a factory/manufacturer in Japan to build the scopes. No mention of China. Not sure what Leupold is, but from the statements Primary Arms makes I would think that at least their Mark IV product is also Japanese. From my understanding Japan is preferred to China or the Philippines for scope manufacturing (but I really don't know.)

I have now pulled the trigger on the Raptor, so I guess I will be able to report back better one way or the other at some point. :)

-John

[CS1983]

Nice. Look forward to your thought.

[fitz19d]

It's a mix I believe, many of their red dots etc are very solid mid range chinese made. Their platinum series of scopes I thought were the japanese made ones, though the non platinum acss scopes be it 1-8 or stuff like the 4-14 are all extremely well received especially because of their customer service. I really see no point in any of the other competitors at their pricepoints and below. A few like the strike eagle are great and vortex also has good CS, but differences are fairly minor from all I've seen. Now jump into US optics, NF, etc, etc then yes there are differences. Various small features, bit better turret feel, and of course clearer glass that matters a lot as you move into longer shooting.