Primary Arms 1-8×24: An In-Depth Review

sniper_team_2_by_thetomi-d32w49tThe tactic of the Partisan Rifleman is akin to a type of hunter. An effective hunter stalks and attacks without being seen, using his environment and situation to his absolute advantage. In the United States, the AR-15 has proliferated to the point of being a staple on every range I’ve visited in the past several years. Rightfully so. Its inexpensive, simple to use, and works. The AR even in basic carbine form can be a formidable weapon with good training. Aside from floating the barrel and gas system, the addition of a good optic and solid training increases a rifleman’s speed, accuracy, and lethal range many times over iron sights. That quality optic can take a decent rifleman and make him a great one. In addition, having decent magnified glass adds observation capability- critically important to reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition; the primary skills you need to be effective as a small unit. With this theory of use in mind, Primary Arms has built what may be the biggest innovation and force multiplier for the AR platform- the 1-8×24, offering a higher magnification range than many options on the market and at a price that most can afford. Over the past year I have rigorously tested this optic numerous classes and private training events on two different ARs- one more ‘budget’ focused and one very high-end, each with the goal of finding the best optic for the money for the AR platform.

Innovation in Design

IMG_0679.JPGOne of the neat innovations coming from both the War on Terror and the booming popularity of three gun matches and IPSC is the low to mid powered variable optic. Ranging from 1x to 4 or 6x, and now 8x, these optics offer the best of both worlds from the speed of a red dot and the advantages of magnification. They have found their way to the Designated Marksman’s role, helping reclaim that Infantryman Half Kilometer while bridging the gap between Riflemen at the Squad level and the Sniper. For Infantrymen of both the Army and Marine Corps, the ACOG was implemented and continues to serve this function well. There’s a reason Marine Corps General James Mattis declared it “…the biggest improvement in lethality for the Marine Infantryman since the introduction of the M1 Garand in WWII.” But as all things do with time, revisions are made and improvements are recognized. Variable power optics have quite a bit of versatility over a fixed low power optic, and definitely a big leg up on red dot collimator sights when it comes to long term capability.

For potential partisans and those looking to maximize defensive capabilities on your homesteads or communities, long range training can be both expensive and difficult. It can be a lot of investment for those looking for a simple solution rather than engaging at 800 meters or longer. The ability to outrange the opposition is not only a distinct advantage but one that will keep you alive, and competent shots to 500m are certainly within the capability of anyone and made even simpler with a quality optic. Since the bulk of the community is likely to own an AR-15, putting a simple and purpose-built optic on the weapon is a force multiplier. Recognizing this, Primary Arms has developed a reticle and optic that can turn even a lower-end or budget AR into a formidable longer range platform with limited training- enter the 1-8×24 with ACSS.

ACSSThe Advanced Combat Ranging Reticle, or ACSS, is a recent innovation developed by Primary Arms with a large amount of input from the shooting & prepping community as well as military both currently serving and recent veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan for feedback on what makes an effective sighting system. Their goal was to create a usable sight that requires minimal training, extends the effective range of the average marksman, and like everything from Primary Arms, offer quality without breaking the wallet. Lofty goal, but is it worth the money over more conventional options?

That desire for simplicity in the Designated Marksman’s role is one that has widespread favor. Going back many years, I was always enamored with the Russian PSO style reticle due to the appreciation for its simplicity. A shooter could rapidly range his target based on the choke-type rangefinder along the bottom and make his holdovers accordingly. While the optic itself is a bit dated today, it was incredibly intuitive to use. Training on such an optic would be quick and dirty, and while not as precise as a mil-hash type reticle, it was perfectly suitable to the Designated Marksman’s role. I hold the opinion that such an optic design would be great if introduced in the West and modernized just a bit; purpose-build it for Western calibers and refine the windage and elevation adjustments. That logic seems to be the direct inspiration for this optic. Having a similarly simple rangefinder based upon average human height, the range can rapidly be found and holdover mark placed on the target- making the whole process very simple. The dots to the left and right of the center are holdovers for 5 mph full value (90 degrees from you) wind or the average lead of a person running. The whole system is very, very simple and best of all, easy to train in use. This creates more marksmen putting more accurate lead on target at longer ranges- that same force multiplier that General Mattis referenced in his quote. And that correlates to a shorter and more effective training regime for the end user.

Field Testing

Primary Arms 1-8×24 mounted on the author’s BCM Recce 16.

The scope was mounted in Primary Arms’ extended cantilever mount to accommodate the correct eye relief and give the most range in mounting to maintain a repeatable and natural cheek weld.  Cantilever mounts came about as a solution to the potential instability of railed handguards with the limited rail space atop the AR receiver. The whole assembly makes for a very durable, single piece design.

The optic features 1/2 in at 100 yd clicks per adjustment. While not as fine as many optics on the market, this allows quick and accurate zeroing. Mechanically they are solid with both a tangible and audible value and no play. For the BDC to function as designed, a proper zero is conducted at 100 meters (109yd). In my testing the clicks were true and repeatable after conducting three different box tests on a 100m square range. Since a DMR role usually does not call for making corrections by the turrets, the zero is set and caps reapplied. The whole process is very simple, durable, and maintains zero despite getting tossed around in the field.

The glass quality a 1x exhibits no noticeable issues common in other low power variables.

The glass is surprisingly good for this type of optic. As many shooters know, sub-$1000 three gun-type optics usually leave much to be desired especially in the glass department. Most often the 1x suffers from a number of issues, such as the fishbowl effect, a shift in zero, or a noticeable change in eye relief. The Primary Arms 1-8 suffers from none of these problems, being just as clear at 1x as it is at 8x. In my testing I did not experience any of the common problems that other budget-oriented optics suffer from, with the imaging at 8x being very crisp and on par with optics costing far more. I could venture to say this is on the better end of glass options for its cost, on the market surpassing several other well known brands.

At 8x, the image is crisp and clear with no noticeable change in eye relief or shift in zero.

The reticle entirely lives up to its aim. Its simple and uncluttered design is intuitive to use and most important in my opinion, does not obscure the observation abilities. Often new reticles on the market attempt to reinvent the wheel or perform too many functions at once, cluttering the field of view or confusing shooters. The ACSS does neither. While testing, holdovers were most accurate to 400m using IMI produced M855. Being a 62gr round, this makes the most sense as it a ‘middle of the road’ weight between 55-77gr. This was consistent after being fired from two different rifles the optic was mounted on for testing, both having a 16in 1/7 twist barrel. The 77gr Sierra Match King Mk 262 shot just a tad high at each distance. For this reason I’ll point out that stadia lines on a BDC type reticle are only a guideline which must be confirmed at the suggested distances for accuracy. But that said, solid first round hits were recorded at each distance with each type of ammo, which means the OPFOR would still be hurting- and you repeatably put lead on target.

The only potential drawbacks to this scope are the same complaints I have with every optic in this class. The 24mm objective lens and 30mm tube can be a bit dim compared to a larger objective lens, such as a 40mm, even in bright sunlight. But as I stated, that comes with the territory. So if you’re considering a lot of low light conditions or maybe looking at this optic for predator hunting, it may not be for you. That said, its not bad. The other minor complaint I have is with the reticle itself; there’s no real way to account for wind aside from the 5mph full value (perpendicular to the bullet path) wind holds. But again, the reticle was designed for speedy engagements and not precision shots. “Minute of Man” comes to mind here, at extended ranges. And inside of those parameters, it works. Finally, the optic is not light. Weighing right around 18oz without the mount, the scope is heavy but incredibly well built for the price. This is not the choice for those looking to build a 6lb AR. After carrying it on multiple training and hunting scenarios on my large tract of private land, I can attest to its durability with the magnification range being worth the weight penalty.

Conclusions

This is an optic designed from the ground up to bring range-extending capability to shooters both on a budget and of limited training. It excels in both of these tasks better than any of its closest competitors, placing a lot of capability in the hands of even novice shooters. Does it live up to my expectation of the ‘American’ PSO-type reticle? Absolutely, and it exceeds it. I wish that I had had an optic like this in Afghanistan with the extended engagement ranges and need for higher magnification in order to effectively observe. Having this might negate the need for lower powered binos in a hide site. Being just shy of $400 as of this writing, I can decisively give this optic a green light and state that it should be on your short list for enhancing the capability of your rifle and ability as a shooter. Its a bargain for what it costs and does, and for the Partisan Rifleman, makes training rapid and simple at an affordable price. No matter what grade of AR you can afford, this optic adds a new level of versatility. With additional training, you can get even better.

Get one today.

 

 

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32 Comments

  1. Anonymous May 1, 2018 at 11:40

    5

  2. Hawkeye May 1, 2018 at 11:43

    100x yes. Have one on my new DMR build and love it. My experience with it so far mirrors yours.

  3. cohortonefive May 1, 2018 at 14:29

    I agree as well. I have this same optic on my 16″ RECCE style build and have nothing but praise for it.

  4. Atlas Shrug May 1, 2018 at 20:24

    Thank you for the write up. I’ve considered that route, but went with a slightly different solution – the Steiner P4Xi for better glass and a heck of a bright red dot – at the cost of less top end magnification and a slightly less useful (though still quite good) reticle.

    Perhaps we can compare them one day. Both are definitely tools that can enhance the capabilities of a competent Rifleman.

    Keep your powder dry,
    Atlas Shrug

    • NC Scout May 2, 2018 at 18:56

      For sure. I recently had a student bring his rifle with Steiner’s 536 prismatic optic. I was impressed. Steiner has never disappointed me.

  5. Anonymous May 2, 2018 at 06:10

    4

  6. Prisoner74 May 2, 2018 at 07:06

    Am I missing something, but what was the discovery of the durability of this optic? What round count, training pace/type, weather conditions, abuse/use was this optic subjected to? Zero shifts due to weapon/optic impacts?

    • ncscout May 2, 2018 at 14:58

      “Over the past year I have rigorously tested this optic numerous classes and private training events on two different ARs- one more ‘budget’ focused and one very high-end”

      “Mechanically they [the clicks of adjustment] are solid with both a tangible and audible value and no play.”

      “Most often the 1x suffers from a number of issues, such as the fishbowl effect, a shift in zero, or a noticeable change in eye relief. The Primary Arms 1-8 suffers from none of these problems.”

      Weather conditions during evaluation over the past year have ranged from ~90 deg summers with high Carolina humidity to around 20 deg and snow, outdoors overnight on several winter private training events and January coyote hunts. Round count is at least over 700 of various types of ammo, bullet weights noted in the writing. This optic suffers from no noticeable issues.

      Any other questions?

    • JC Dodge May 6, 2018 at 15:57

      Here Pris. 74, watch T-Rex and listen to his opinion of PA scopes (especially the 1-6 on a Para FAL) as to whether they stand up to rough use. Probably easier for you to watch the video than to have to use your obviously “stellar” reading comprehension skills…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8duFXPcpoYQ&t=930s

  7. Prisoner74 May 3, 2018 at 05:45

    I was more interested in type of training or what exactly the optic has been subjected too. Up drills on a summer day, monsoon rain doing a 5 day SUT stint laying in the mud or a weekend spent at an Injured Shooter course in horrible weather with one hand only manipulations and beating ones equipment to death in order to keep it running on surrounding terrain or obstacles, are just some examples of the specificity I was seeking. I didn’t notice the 700 round count previously in the essay. Do you consider this count to be an adequate testing or ‘rigorous?’ Some would call that a day or two at the range. Was the rifle / optic drop tested?

    I merely asked to ascertain the context of your review because other reputable sources have almost been universal in finding these type of optics in this price point not ‘duty grade.’ Fog in glass in certain weather, zero shifts after rifles dropped while leaned against something, tracking issues with turrets, unforgiving eye boxes, lack of reliable daylight bright red dots or illuminated reticles, turrets flying apart, lack of tube durability, etc.

    • NC Scout May 3, 2018 at 06:31

      The type of training ranged from basic confirmation of dope, or, ‘a day at the range’, to a back to back three day SUT classes that I instructed.

      It was not drop tested, because respectable Riflemen don’t drop their weapons, period. If your care of equipment is lacking or you’re simply that clumsy, you are deficient and should seek better training. Of course then again, I don’t train people to ‘react to contact’, I train them to initiate it. And I also don’t teach people to waste ammo. Perhaps this is a concept foreign to you.

      And ‘these type of optics’ is not ‘this optic’. I consider it duty grade as I stated and have zero qualms using it. It’s not my ACOG, but it fills a different role. And in case you were wondering, Trijicon thinks so much of this overall design that they’ve implemented the ACSS into some of their newer models.

      • Joe April 22, 2019 at 22:45

        “It’s not my ACOG, but it fills a different role”….

        I an not very experienced using magnified optics outside of hunting and a little 3 gun. When you say they fill different roles, what exactly do you mean?
        What does an ACOG do that a LPV scope cannot?

        • NC Scout April 23, 2019 at 05:10

          It’s a higher magnification (and more weight/bulk on the weapon) so I consider it a Designated Marksman’s scope suited for overwatching positions and support by fire. The ACOG is more of a general purpose optic that’s suitable for many roles.

    • NC Scout May 3, 2018 at 13:19

      Hey John, nobody is forcing you to buy anything here. If you’re critical, so be it. Good on you. But none of us will be lectured by a non-combat experienced civilian, who’s only trained with those who have, but hasn’t himself. And no one put this optic in the same sentence with Leupold’s MR/T, Nightforce, and the like.

      It is however a solid option for those that barely rub two nickels together at the end of the month, as evaluated by a man with over three years of his life spent between Iraq and Afghanistan and quite a few schools in between. Your experience does not exceed mine.

      • Prisoner74 May 3, 2018 at 13:40

        The apparently highly controversial blog post was penned solely because you deleted my follow up post.

        It is to be expected that the Appeal to Vet defense has been trotted out. Its typical when people get upset, but not a problem. No harm, no foul. For what its worth, will you use that on Rob Leatham?

        “It is however a solid option for those that barely rub two nickels together at the end of the month, as evaluated by a man with over three years of his life spent between Iraq and Afghanistan and quite a few schools in between.”

        This has a completely different tone than your previous comments and is a respectable opinion.
        It may be semantics to you, but being an ‘option for those that barely rub two nickels together’ has an entirely different tone and meaning than being truly ‘duty grade.’

        • NC Scout May 3, 2018 at 13:51

          “Appeal to a Vet Defense”? A default comment by never-has-beens. Interesting, since you pay to learn knowledge we earned. And yes, I’d say it to Rob Leatham. He’s a gun gamer and I could care less about his opinion on pretty much anything, aside from shooting fast at stationary targets. That’s not a tactic, by the way.

          We’re done here.

          • JC Dodge May 5, 2018 at 18:14

            But NC Scout, Pris. 74 has the SWC edition of Modern Warfare 3. Of course he “knows”……

        • Joe April 22, 2019 at 22:57

          ” It is to be expected that the Appeal to Vet defense has been trotted out. Its typical when people get upset, but not a problem. No harm, no foul. For what its worth, will you use that on Rob Leatham? ”

          This seems either trollish or ignorant , either way its a real d-bag comment. Rob Leatham is a competitive shooter, not a gunfighter. If you want to learn how to shoot and work on your technique you goto a competitive shooter and if you want to learn how to uss your gun in a fight you goto someone with experience in armed conflict (Veteren, Cop, Security contractor etc). As another civie with no real-world experience, I feel just fine telling you that sometimes its better to just sit down STFU and open your ears not your mouth.

          As I said above , I have no real world experience but I have taken courses from various instructors on everything from basic CQC concepts to low light/night fighting to just basic carbine and handgun courses and all of the instructors do things different.

      • Hawkeye April 23, 2019 at 14:21

        PA’s optics have been extensively torture tested and came out with flying colors. A 5 second youtube search would show plenty of results. They are more than capable for the Armed Prepared Citizen, and are completly “duty grade”…whatever arbitrary measure that is. That’s why I don’t torture test mine. It’s already been done. Not to mention, as NC Scout aptly pointed out, a true rifleman doesn’t intentionally mistreat his gear and equipment.

    • T. Rose May 3, 2018 at 22:41

      You need to check Rob Ski over at AK 47 74 OPERATORS UNION. He puts the scopes thru heavy use.

  8. […] UPDATE 1525E 03MAY2018: Those needing a new optic or their first one should read and heed this review by NC Scout at AmPart. […]

  9. Rigid May 3, 2018 at 14:34

    Is this Ffp? How is the eye box?

    Be nice to have some 50 hashes on the reticle. May help with the ‘walk in’ at distance.

    Be nice to have this type reticle in a 1-4 or 5 but on light a light variable optic, 8-10 oz. perhaps with an Aimpoint dot or chevron inside of it.

    • NC Scout May 3, 2018 at 14:43

      This is a Second Focal Plane. Normally I prefer a FFP, but at this price point certain concessions have to be made. The 50 hashes in the reticle might be a challenge, since they’re measured by average bullet trajectory and not necessarily MOAs or Mils. There is a much older optic on the market (Falcon 1.5-5) that has a Mil reticle and subtensions in a similar price range. Vortex’s PST line also has a reticle with subtensions in Mil or MOA.

      The weight is what it is. It’s definitely heavy, but in a good way.As for the eye box, with the nose to charging handle (proper cheek weld on the AR) I haven’t had any problems.

      • DAN III May 6, 2018 at 07:58

        NC Scout,

        Specs at PA website for this 1-8x ACSS optic calls the weight as 16.0 ounces not “around 18 ozs”. Their FFP 1-6x ACSS Raptor is listed as 18.8 ounces.

        FYI.

        • NC Scout May 6, 2018 at 08:08

          Include the mount.

  10. Treaded May 3, 2018 at 20:37

    #3 son has that optic on his 16S and loves it, MOF he prefers it over his Trij. FWIW I’ve beaten a couple of PA optics to death, and it took a lot to finally tear them up, i.e. during a toss the AD mount on the micro broke before the sight did. That was from the impact of a 17S landing directly on top of the optic at about 15 or so feet away. I’m sure the thing didn’t retain zero but it still worked, and after the mount was replaced it held zero once again.

  11. Atlas Shrug May 9, 2018 at 20:20

    One more thing. When set to 1X, how well does the reticle work in mimicking a red dot? I get that the ACSS reticle is geared to aid in distance usage, but in the LPVO world a big thing for me is how well does it perform the role that a red dot does. (That’s a big reason I like the Steiner, as it’s darned near a T-1/H-1 in brightness. Yeah, I know, we just need to compare them at the same time… )

    • NC Scout May 9, 2018 at 20:30

      It works well. It’s a little big, but for close quarters that’s not a problem.

  12. NC Scout May 10, 2018 at 17:58

    5

  13. Theodoric March 14, 2019 at 14:50

    I enjoyed the review, very helpful as i am counting my nickels to find a solution to aging eyes. I even found value in the bickering below as it revealed even more information and a helpful link. I have to ask, almost another year in the saddle for you with this optic. Any change in opinion or new observations? I am considering the FFP vs the SFP in either 1-6 or 1-8 depending on nickel count at the time. thanks

  14. […] Last, the optic can really be the deal breaker. One of the biggest advantages to the guerrilla is his ability to observe; a good optic enables us to observe our area in better detail. But too much glass is a bad thing for a lot of reasons, especially on a multi-role combat weapon. Originally the optic on the SPR was a variety of different Leupold Mark 4 models, most commonly being the MR/T 2.5-8×36. Anything from 4-10x is fine, as there’s a lot of good options. Personally I don’t favor any rifle optic over 10x magnification in this role. At 10x you still have a wide enough field of view at 300m to not completely lose your targets. But the point that a lot of shooters overlook is the value of a solid mount. You can spend all you want on quality glass, but if you skimp on the mount, you’re in for trouble. And if you’re not into learning how to read mils or MOAs, Primary Arms makes a very nice 1-8 with the excellent ACSS reticle. […]

  15. Primary Arms Cyclops 1x | American Partisan November 22, 2019 at 06:00

    […] Cyclops is everything I’ve come to expect out of Primary Arms’ products. Bang for the buck far exceeding the cost of the optic. […]

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