Over nearly the last two years, I have used and tested the Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 4-20×50. I had high hopes for this rifle scope as I believe it has some of the best specs for a crossover scope. I previously reviewed the Athlon Ares ETR 3-18×50, and while I like that scope, it has some short comings for a true crossover scope for hunting and long-range shooting. After testing this Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 4-20×50, it did not disappoint. For some context, I went at this review from both a competitive shooter’s perspective as well as from a hunter’s.
I selected this scope based on a few of the listed features that I thought would do well in that crossover type role. I have used several scopes in the past that hit some of the following requirements but fell short on others. I needed a scope that fit the following criteria:
- Price point under $1,000
- Weight under 30 ounces
- Good magnification range
- Locking turrets
- Zero stop
- First Focal Plane
- Good low light performance
- Moderate overall scope size
- Held/returned to zero
- Illuminated reticle
Specs: Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 Review
Athlon Helos BTR Gen2 4-20×50 Scope Specs | |
---|---|
Weight | 27.6 oz |
Length | 13.3 in |
FOV @ 100yds | 27.9 – 5.6 ft |
Eye relief | 3.6 mm |
Objective size | 50 mm |
Zoom range | 4x-20x |
Main tube size | 30 mm |
Parallax adjustment | 10 – Infinity |
Zero stop | Yes |
Total elevation travel | 32 MILs (100 MOA) |
Total windage travel | 25 MILs (80 MOA) |
Turrets | Exposed / Locking |
Turret travel per rotation | 10 MILs |
Focal Plane | First Focal Plane |
Waterproof | Argon Purged / Multi-Coated |
How I Tested It: Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 Review
With the specs out of the way, we can talk about how I put the Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 to the test and how it performed for me.
When I first got the scope, it was packaged nicely and came with extra screws for the zero stop, a cleaning cloth, and a battery for the illumination. I wasted no time mounting it on a rifle and taking it to the range.



In order to fully test the Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 for this review, I wanted to make sure that I put it on as many rifles as I could. I wanted it to be on both hunting rifles as well as competition rifles. Being what I call a crossover scope (for hunting/competition) I wanted to make sure the Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 got plenty of repetitions in both capacities.
Glass Quality: Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 Review
While I do not claim to be a glass snob, I do enjoy looking through clear glass that holds its colors and light transmission throughout the full range of zoom. This scope does not disappoint in those respects, particularly for its price point. Although it is not as bright as the Athlon Ares ETR I tested, it is very crisp, and I didn’t have any issues when using it in all lighting conditions and environments. At high magnification, I still felt that the clarity and brightness were plenty to make shots out to 1000 yards in near dark conditions.
Best Uses: Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 Review


While a lot of scopes claim to be good for both hunting and target shooting, most fail to do both well. After using the Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 for an extended period, my experience is that this scope does both very well. I think it is an excellent choice for a quality crossover scope. It performed flawlessly across a wide range of rifles, mounting solutions, and conditions. From long competition stages, where repeatability and solid tracking will make or break a scope, to backcountry hunting where holding zero is a must, this scope shined.
Reticle Design: Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 Review
I got the Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 with the APRS6 FFP MIL reticle. This scope is also offered in a similar APLR6 FFP MOA reticle for those who like MOA. The reticle is a “Christmas Tree” type First Focal Plane reticle with a floating .05 MIL dot that really draws your eye to the center.

I found that with the floating center dot, I was able to make precise holds when confirming and checking zero at 100 yards. Moving away from the center dot, the reticle has .2 MIL subtensions both horizontally and vertically. This allows for precise wind holds, and if you want to hold your elevation you can.
I used the Christmas Tree reticle for spotting impacts as an observer and giving real time, quick corrections. While some might not like the Christmas Tree reticle, I did not find it distracting.
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Unfortunately, Athlon does not offer this scope in a simpler reticle for those who do not like the Christmas Tree style. If Athlon were to take away the Christmas Tree portion of the reticle, that would just make this scope even better for people who are not used to looking at that type of reticle.
Turret / Parallax / Illumination / Zero Stop
The Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 has average sized turrets. Following the crossover scope theme, they are bigger turrets than a dedicated hunting scope but smaller turrets than most competition scopes. The fit and finish of the turrets are exceptional. Positive audible and tactile “clicks” in both the up and down directions make it easy to dial the exact correction needed. With 10 MILs of adjustment per revolution, I rarely found myself needing to go past one revolution, except for shots past 1,000 yards. This makes it nice for people that want to put a BDC type turret tape on the elevation turret.
I was also able to get a BDC turret tape from CustomTurretSystems.com that fit the elevation turret well without the BDC numbers being too small. I was also able to make my own BDC turret tape using see-through red tape and fine point paint pens. This worked very well, and there was plenty of room for the handwritten numbers. Having 10 MILs per revolution made it to where I was able to put a BDC solution on the turret out to over 1,300 yards.
The best part of the Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 turrets are their locking ability. For a hunting scope, the ability to lock the turrets by pushing down on them is almost a must. This keeps the turret from accidentally being turned when you do not want it to. A simple lift of the turret (or pull to the right for the windage turret), unlocks it so it can freely move up and down. During competition stages I would leave the turret unlocked, and I would lock the turret at the end of the stage.
Both the elevation and windage turrets are easily indexable without the need for small Allen wrenches. Using a coin, key, or even the head of a cartridge case, you can screw out the top set screw which will allow you to remove and re-index the turret to your desired location. This is huge if you have ever used a turret that requires multiple small screws to be loosened with a specific tool. Those little screws can come loose while hunting or shooting, and if you do not have that specific tool, you have a turret that just spins freely without making actual vertical adjustments.
The parallax is smooth to operate and the corresponding numbering on the parallax knob is close to the setting for my eye at the marked distance. The illumination is not “daylight” bright but is easy to use in fading light conditions. The ability to have an “off” position in between each brightness setting allowed me to quickly get to the illumination setting I needed without having to roll through all the settings. I usually keep it between the “2” and “3” setting for lower light shooting.
If I had one negative thing to say about this scope it would be the zero stop. It is the same design as the Ares ETR and equally as cumbersome. The zero stop is a brass ring that goes over the internal turret (under the turret cap). There is a brass nub on the bottom of the turret system that is used to stop the brass ring from turning.
I found that if you let the ring bottom out on the bottom brass portion and tighten it, it will bind a little towards the end of the travel (down close to the zero). I found that if you raise the zero-stop ring just enough to see a little daylight, but not enough for the nub on the ring to clear the nub on the bottom brass piece, it will be a crisp stop at zero. There are a lot of easier zero stop systems out there, and this could be improved.
Tracking and Durability – Athlon Helos BTR Gen2 Review
The durability of this scope is impressive. I put this scope on two 6.5 Creedmoor, one 300 WSM, and two 6.5 PRC rifles. I also unmounted and remounted this scope in at least five different rings. The scope always held zero for me. The scope held up well driving on bumpy dirt roads across hundreds of miles on the front of an ATV, on ATV trails.
The zero never shifted on me and the scope always tracked true. I also subjected the Athlon Helos BTR scope to numerous trips to the range on heavily washboard roads, with the scope riding on the floor in the back. Because I’ve had several other scopes not hold their zero after transporting them, I wanted to make sure this one did by subjecting it to the same treatment I gave my other scopes. For this review, I’m happy to report that it passed the test with flying colors.
What I liked – Athlon Helos Scope Review
The Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 checked all the boxed for me. The following is a list of the things I like most about this scope.
- Great magnification range
- Great price point for the features
- Crisp, clear glass
- Locking turrets
- First Focal Plane reticle
- Lightweight
- Held zero and tracked true
- Long enough to mount as far back as I need it to
- Forgiving eye box
- Plenty of vertical adjustment in the erector system
What I Disliked – Athlon Helos BTR Gen2 4-20×50
Even with checking so many of the boxes above, the Helos BTR Gen 2 had one flaw that stood out to me.
- Difficult Zero Stop
Conclusion
I cannot say enough good things about the Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2. The only thing I would change about it would be the zero-stop mechanism and for Athlon to offer a trimmed down reticle for people that do not like the “Christmas Tree” style reticle. With that being said, this scope is a great all-around scope for both hunting and competition. The Helos BTR is packed full of features that you see on scopes twice the price, and I feel confident that this Athlon Helos BTR will be on my rifles for years to come. Even if you are looking for a lighter weight hunting rifle scope, you need to give this scope serious consideration! It will not disappoint.
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Wow! Nice article, extremely detailed, and just what I think we all need to help us make that all-important decision on what optic we should buy.
Thank you, Richard!