Primary Arms SLx Gen II MicroPrism Scope - the Astigmatism Red Dot

Or it could be that the bombproof Primary Arms SLx Gen II MicroPrism Scope delivers a tiny format, comparatively huge crystal clear FOV, insane 25K-50K hour (3-6 year) runtime on a cheap and compact 2032 battery, fast as hell and super crisp etched reticle with useful 50/200/300/400 yard aiming points, an etched black reticle that is still visible even with the battery removed, an adjustable focal eyepiece to get a perfectly focused and crisp reticle, bikini lens cover, and an included configurable mount with extra heavy duty torq screws. It also includes mounting spaces to accommodate just about any co-witness height. Oh and it does this for a $269-$399 price depending on which 1x, 3x or 5x model you choose. So basically for the price of a single “premium” red dot with less features, I could likely buy two or more of the PA MicroPrism scopes.

For those with any minor eye focus correction prism scopes like the new Primary Arms SLx Gen II MicroPrism scopes, are without question the best option when it comes to something that resembles a red dot. The technology progression of optics has been impressive in the last decade. The clarity and precision coating technology of many of today’s mid-grade optics rivals that of premier tier optics from twenty years ago and obviously today’s top tier optics offer spectacular clarity all thanks to improved glass grinding, finishing and especially high-tech lens coating technologies. The 1x and 3x SLx PA MicroPrism optics I started testing really blew me away. Here I was using “state of the art” $500-$1500 red dots that were just five or so years old and these significantly less expensive PA MicroPrism optics were just blowing these old premium red dots away. They are that much better, lighter, run longer, clearer, and in some cases faster than just a dot. Primary Arms has also embedded their auto-live illumination sleep mode that turns the power off until motion is detected - a feature that likely adds to the overall impressive 25K-50K hour runtime.

Prior to eye surgery on my dominant eye, which corrected my astigmatism and pulled my vision back to spectacular 20/10, I fought constantly with red dot and holographic optics. What I saw as my astigmatism increased was initially a very splashy red dot, a large direction dot smear, and later a dot so splashy that it was unusable for anything except CQB applications. Generally, I switched completely to LPV (Low Power Variable Optics) or Prism 1X scopes which allowed focus adjustment and delivered a blur free reticle. I am here to tell you that if you have any minor eye correction or any astigmatism, you should 100% focus on prism based optics if you want something resembling a red dot, plus they have many other benefits that red dots and holographic sights do not.

When prismatic scopes broadly hit the civilian market thanks to Trijicon and later Burris, they were extremely heavy, but offered a shorter overall size and large optical clarity advantage over standard red dots. About ten years ago, the format shrank substantially to about half the size and weight with the Vortex Spitfire and Burris ARx prism optics, but now Primary Arms Gen II MicroPrism are the newest prism technology with an absolutely tiny overall size.

Primary Arms offers three models in 1x, 3x and 5x magnification and offers some models in black and FDE. Having owned a number of Trijicon ACOGs, I like the PA SLx microprism optics better. Sure, the PA optic is IP67 dust and 1M waterproof rated for 30-minutes, so if you plan to go swimming to depths of 500-meters, the ACOG might be a better option, however considering I can buy five PA SLx 1x Microprisms for the price of one ACOG, it might be a good bet on going swimming with the Primary Arms MicroPrism optics. If this was a review on Snapbook or Twittergram it would get a solid 5 stars.

PRIMARY ARMS SLX MICROPRISM SPECS
Battery Life25,001 - 50,000 Hours
Battery TypeCR2032 3V Lithium Coin
BrandPrimary Arms

Click Value1 MOA
ColorBlack
Field View 10076.50 ft

Focal PlanePrism Scope

IlluminatedPartial Illumination

Magnification1X, 3X or 5X

Manufacturer.Primary Arms

Optic SeriesSLx

ReticleACSS CYCLOPS G2

Reticle ColorRed

Total Elevation Adjustment120 MOA

Total Windage Adjustment120 MOA

Turret FeaturesExternal