Finding the right rimfire scope is challenging. There are a lot of scopes on the market that is advertised as “Rimfire” simply because they are inexpensive. This is not the case for the Athlon NEOS. It has the features that are needed for a rimfire rifle platform.
The Athlon NEOS 4-12x40mm is the best and most affordable scope in its class. The parallax is adjustable down to 10 yards, giving the shooter a clear reticle at any range needed. Also, the NEOS is available with a rimfire reticle that has the drop calculated for various ranges with a .22 LR.
When I picked up my CZ-457 American, I rushed to mount the first scope I could find on it. There happened to be a Leupold VX-3i lying around the shop that fit perfectly. While the Leupold is crystal clear and has an excellent overall scope(I have them mounted on a few different rifles), it wasn’t right for the CZ. At close ranges, the parallax couldn’t adjust close enough, and my group size was affected by the blurry crosshairs.
Affiliate Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. When you use these links, I earn a small commission from each sale generated at no cost to you. This commission helps me continue to put out free content. I work a full-time job that I am very happy with; therefore, I don’t need this commission and am not obligated to speak highly of any product. Everything written is my own opinion: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
In full disclosure, I purchased this scope with my own hard-earned money. I am not obligated to speak highly of it and am giving you my honest opinion based on my experience.
What Defines a Good Rimfire Scope?
A rimfire rifle has different requirements for a scope than a centerfire rifle. While almost any scope will work just fine on a rimfire rifle, a few things need to be considered to get the most out of it. Primarily parallax.
What will you be using this rifle for? Hunting? Competition? Plinking in the backyard? All of the above? Answering these questions will help you decide what is the best option for you. In general, most people who shoot rimfire rifles aren’t taking them out to the distances they use centerfire rifles at. In fact, many scopes on the market won’t even focus clearly at the ranges that most plink at with their 22s. This is where adjustable parallax comes in.
Having the option to adjust parallax quickly and have a clear sight picture is paramount to accurately shooting your rimfire at close range. Most centerfire rifle scopes have a fixed parallax of 150 yards, making them ideal for big-game hunting. Rimfire-labeled scopes will typically have a fixed parallax of between 50 and 60 yards.
Those ranges work great for most hunting applications, but shots under 50 yards will still leave you with a blurry and unclear reticle.
“It does not help that “rimfire” + “scope” just meant crappy for the longest time. The glass was inferior. The adjustments were spotty. Drop one or get it wet, and the scope was toast. Here’s the thing, you don’t need a “rimfire” scope for a “rimfire” rifle. Whether you need an optic for competition or hunting, most quality centerfire scopes will do the job, yet some are better suited for smallbore work than others.”
– Michael R. Shea, Rimfire revolution: A complete Guide To Modern .22 Rifles
The Athlon NEOS – A Great Rimfire Scope Option
The Athlon NEOS has many features, such as Nitrogen-purged, waterproof, shockproof, and fully multi-coated lenses. However, all of those are pretty standard on most scopes on the market and aren’t anything that really sets it apart. This scope’s biggest advantage over others in the same price range is the ability to adjust parallax down to 10 yards.
The adjustable parallax feature found on the 4-12×40 Second Focal Plane(SFP) and 6-18×44 SFP are what really make an optic at this price point shine. Most rimfire shooting is done under 100 yards, and scopes at this price point typically have fixed parallax at 100 yards, making the crosshairs blurry at ranges below that. Adjusting the parallax down to 10 yards makes it a perfect option for the rimfire platform being built on a budget. It is easily and quickly adjusted by using a knob on the left side of the scope. Keep in mind the adjustable parallax is not available on the 3-9×40 SFP.
Athlon NEOS SFP General Specs
| Magnification | 4-12x | Eye Relief | 3.11 – 3.15″ |
| Obj. Lens Diameter | 40 mm | Parallax Adjustment | 10 yards |
| Weight | 18.1 oz | Click Value | 0.25 MOA |
| Tube Diameter | 1″ | Overall Length | 12.4″ |
The optics quality is much better than I expected for this price level. The glass is very clear, with only minor blurriness around the edges. It is bright and does pretty well in low light when on low magnification, and the adjustment turrets are smooth and easy to operate.
Who is Athlon Optics?
Athlon Optics is a U.S.-based optics company. Their optics are primarily made in China, with the exception of their higher-end stuff being made in Japan at the time of this writing. They were founded in 2014 and are headquartered in Olathe, Kansas. Athlon Optics is a budget-friendly scope with a bulletproof warranty to back up its quality.
Use coupon code KTG10 to get 10% off your order of $150 or more at Brownells.
Second Focal Plane
The Athlon NEOS is a second focal plane scope, meaning that the reticle will appear the same size at all magnification settings. The scale used for the reticle will only apply at the highest magnification setting. My NEOS has the BDC22 Reticle, which at 12x magnification accounts for drop at 75, 100, 125, and 150 yards when sighted in at 50 yards. If the scope is on 8x, the drop settings will not be accurate.
“BDC 22 Rimfire reticle was designed specifically for rimfire. This reticle allows shooters to compensate for bullet drop at extended shooting distances. When using a .22 LR with a muzzle velocity of approximately 1,250 feet per second, this reticle is designed to be zeroed at 50 yards, providing bullet drop compensation for 75, 100, 125, and 150 yards.” –Athlon Optics
Some people do not like second focal plane scopes for this reason. However, with a reticle like this, I don’t see it as an issue. When shooting out past 100 yards, you’re likely to have it on the highest magnification setting anyways. This is completely up to the user.
Gold Medal Lifetime Warranty
The Athlon Gold Medal Lifetime warranty is right up there with the top optics companies in the industry. Their products are warranted to be free from defects and workmanship for the lifetime of the product. Also, they will repair or replace any product that has been damaged from normal use at no charge to you. No receipt or product registration is needed. This really shows their commitment to being the best product at their price point.
What I Don’t Like about the Athlon NEOS
Lastly, my biggest complaints about the Athlon NEOS are the size and magnification. Although this isn’t specific to Athlon, it seems that most scopes on the market are following this trend. At 18 ounces, it adds a fair amount of weight to my CZ 457 American. This scope would be perfect for a rimfire platform if the overall size and weight could be reduced into a more compact package with lower magnification.
Top Three Reasons the Athlon NEOS is a Great Rimfire Scope Option
- Adjustable Parallax down to 10 yards
- Affordable
- Rimfire Specific Reticle
Final Thoughts on the Athlon NEOS Rimfire Scope
The Athlon NEOS is a great option for a rimfire platform, perhaps the best in this price range. I can’t emphasize enough how great it is to have adjustable parallax on a rimfire rifle. It’s clear, easy to use, and durable so far. I dislike the overall size of the scope. However, the features far outweigh that. This is an excellent option if you are in the market for a rimfire scope.
I’ve been on a bit of a rimfire kick lately and have written quite a bit about it. If you enjoyed this article, you might also like the ones below!
- The Book that started me down this path – Book Review: RIMFIRE REVOLUTION-A Complete Guide to Modern .22 Rifles
- A detailed look at the inner workings of the CZ-457 – A Unique Look at the CZ-457 Action
- Why I chose the CZ-457 – The Pursuit of Rimfire Accuracy Part One: The CZ 457
- Experimenting with Match Ammo – The Pursuit of Rimfire Accuracy Part Two: Match Ammo
- Action Screw Torque makes a HUGE difference – Action Screw Torque: The Pursuit of Rimfire Accuracy Part Three
Written by: Kurt Martonik
Kurt is a Gunsmith, Reloader, Hunter, and Outdoorsman. He grew up in Elk County, Pennsylvania, where he became obsessed with the world of firearms. Following high school, Kurt enlisted in the United States Air Force as a Boom Operator, where he eventually rose to the position of Instructor. After his military service, he attended the Colorado School of Trades(CST) in Lakewood, CO for gunsmithing. Following graduation, he accepted a job at C. Sharps Arms in Montana, where he worked as a full time stockmaker and gunsmith.