Anyone see one of these yet? If it’s as advertised, it looks like it may combine the best points of the Aimpoint, EoTech, and Tripower. Obviously I’m skeptical.
The Leupold® Prismatic™ optic gives you the fast target acquisition and accuracy of a non-magnifying red dot sight. But unlike red dot sights, the Prismatic features a glass-etched reticle that’s visible with or without its removable Illumination Module, or even batteries. Whether you’re a tactical user clearing a building, or a turkey hunter looking for a non-magnifying optic, the Prismatic is ideal in any situation where the action is fast and close.
Length (A) 4.5 in
Tube Length (B) 2.6 in
(C) 0.6 in
(D) 0.8 in
Eyepiece Length (E) 1.9 in
Objective Length (F) NA
Objective Diameter (G) NA
Eyepiece Diameter (H) NA
Tube Diameter (I) 30 mm
Actual Magnification — (1.0)
FOV @ 100 yds (ft) — (83.0)
FOV @ 100 m (m) — (27.6)
Eye Relief (in) 3.0 (5.0)
Eye Relief (mm) 76 (127)
Obj. Clear Aperture 0.6 in / 14 mm
Weight 12.0 oz / 340 g
Elevation Adj. Range (MOA) 70
Windage Adj. Range (MOA) 70
* The removable Illumination Module screws into the Leuopld® 1x14mm Prismatic™ to illuminate the reticle in red.
* Remove the Illumination Module, and the glass-etched reticle is still visible, so you’re never battery dependent.
* The Leupold Circle Dot reticle is glass-etched, making it visible at all times – even without batteries – unlike conventiontional red dot sights. It’s also extremely sharp and clear, unlike the fuzzy dot of red dot sights.
* With a more generous field of view than competitive red dot sights, you’re on target faster.
* The true 1x optical system allows you to shoot with both eyes open for the superior depth perception and wide field of view that’s crucial for fast target acquisition and reactive shooting.
* Slotted, ½-MOA click windage and elevation adjustments are easy to change with the adjustment cover, or even a fingernail.
* The integrated base system includes different height mounting spacers to work on any type of firearms platform.
* The Prismatic is also compatible with the A.R.M.S. #22-34mm Throw Lever Rings Base and Spacer System, and conventional 30mm rings.
* Can be mounted using a ratchet over the outside or inside the mounting screw’s handle.
* This system decenters the objective lens, rather than tilting the erector system, so it’s more repeatable and more durable.
* Exterior lens surfaces are treated with DiamondCoat 2™ for increased light transmission and abrasion resistance.
* The true focusing eyepiece means the Prismatic can be adjusted and used by anyone.
* The illuminated Circle Dot reticle provides a bold aiming point, and can be used to estimate range. More reticle options coming soon.
* Flip-open lens covers are standard issue with the 1x14mm Prismatic.
* With the thickest maintube of any Leupold ever built, it’s our most rugged scope ever…it’s practically indestructible.
* Absolute waterproof integrity.
Rob, funny you mention this - I’m looking at this optic with great interest too!
For day light use, I prefer a non-illuminated reticle. The dot - circle reticle of this optic is very similiar to that of the Russian-made PK-AS. I had the PK-AS on my AK and reticle-wise, I really liked it. Compared to Aimpoint, the reticle is clear, sharp and precise making “accuracy shots” easier than the ill-defined “dot” of an Aimpoint cranked up bright enough to see in full daylight conditions. With a turn of a dial, the PK-AS dot can be illuminated, which works well under lower light conditions. Since I shoot almost exclusively during the day, I rarely used the reticle illumination anyway.
The 1x14 Prismatic appears to be all of this plus the superb optical quality Leupold is renown for. The adjustable diopter eyepiece comes in handy for those of us with less-than-optimal eye sight and the package also includes a sturdy mounting system that is adjustable for height. As a civilian recreational shooter, this is exactly what I’m looking for.
I was considering one for my AK but it appears that it cannot be mounted as low as my current Aimpoint. From what I have read, optimal eye relief is 3 to 5 inches, so mounting it forward on the rifle (like on an UlitMAK) is not an option. But if I ever purchase a flat top AR, this is the optic I will use.
It amazes me how a good company such as Leupold can drop the ball so bad. The only thing I like about the Prismatic is the etched reticle. Everything else fails for anything I’d ever want.
Why can’t someone just make a 1X good sized tube with a glass etched reticle and bright tritium illumination for a decent price.
The specs I quoted are what Leupold responded with to an inquiry I made to them a couple of months ago. I don’t think the sight is out on the market yet so I’m wondering if they are redesigning things. This optic has been announced for around a year now, and it’s still not out.
Maybe it would have protruded more, but why they couldn’t use a CR123 for a battery source (and get a couple hundred hours of battery life) instead of the watch battery I was told about is beyond me. And why they felt it was beneficial to make the illumnination module removeable, I don’t get that either.
I really wanted to like this sight, and I still do in a way, but given what the competition offers, I think Leupold will be hard pressed to penetrate the market very much.
I guess Im in a minority but as a strictly recreational shooter, they are non-issues for me;
I rarely use reticle illumination.
I prefer it that way.
See numbers one and two above.
Sharp optics, adjustable eyepiece diopter, etched reticle and no need to “turn it on” for daylight use are the major advantages to me over my current Aimpoint.
If it works for you, go for it. It’s all about requirements, not bling. As long as you don’t need full time illumination it should be a good optic. It’s just I wonder what motivated them to use such a small battery with such limited life. It would just seem to make more sense to use a bigger battery and get longer life.
I saw a picture of it attached from a review on TOS. It’s a ring that wraps around the tube and plugs into the port at the 1:00 position (you should be able to see the port in the pics above). The battery housing and ON/OFF knob protrude directly above the port maybe 1/2 -3/4" or so. It’s relatively low profile, and maybe that’s why they went with such a small battery compared to a CR123.
You have to keep in mind that this optic was designed for LE agencies who want an optic that does not rely on batteries and some agencies don’t allow magnification on patrol AR’s. This optic isn’t for everyone, so if it isn’t for you, it doesn’t mean it is a piece of crap or that Leupold dropped the ball. I’d pick and Aimpoint any day over this and even an EOTech. I have no use for his optic either, but it has its purposes.
For the life of me… I can’t understand why anyone would be excited by this optic…
especially for the price it will most likely be selling for…
I don’t know about you, but I want a optic I can see day or night…anytime
cause my"recreational " gun today may be my “life depends on it” gun tomorrow or when I least expect it… but that is just my requirement.
Watch this optic in 12-18 months drop of the radar… I’m just sayin…
Evidently, these are still on a lot of dealers radar screens so I have made good on my promise to try one. It will be going on a BCM 16" middy SS410 upper with a Larue rail.
This is not a RDS. If a RDS fit my needs, I’d have no reason to try something other than the Aimpoints I have been using.
Short battery life is immaterial because the prismatic (like a conventional scope) doesn’t need batteries to be functional. In fact, based on past experience with similar optics (PK-AS) I’m betting I’ll rarely use the illumination.
I’m willing to give up the unlimited eye relief/lack of parralax to gain clarity and a sharply defined reticle (an adjustable eyepiece goes a long way toward this too). Unfortunately, my 57 year old eyes no longer see the dot of RDS as a dot, but something more like a star burst. This is fine for short range snap shots but is unusable for precision shots beyond 100 yards (at least for me). I’m willing to sacrifice some short range speed to gain some longer range precision.
I think it’s a mistake to compare the prismatic to a RDS or a conventional scope, because it is neither. I recognize this fact going forward with purchasing one. I think it will fit my needs better than a RDS - I will soon know for sure.
The Prismatic showed up today so I thought I’d share my initial impressions.
First, size and weight vs. ML2 in Bobro mount;
The Prismatic is obviously a high-quality sight. It appears well made and robust.
I then took my Aimpoint ML2 and Prismatic and did a comparative view through them. I hand held both sights (neither mounted on a rifle) and held the ML2 the same distance from my eye as the eye relief required for the Prismatic. There is some very major differences in these two sights in terms if image quality;
Compared to the ML2, the Prismatic has nearly twice the FOV. Some may say this is immaterial as both are used with both eyes open, but the fact remains.
The Prismatic is much brighter and sharper. In fact in this regard, the Prismatic blows the Aimpoint away. When looking through the Prismatic, it’s obvious that you are viewing the scene through a high quality lens system. The FOV is sharp and bright all the way to the edge. The view through the Aimpoint looks like what it is - a tube with a piece of glass on each end.
The Prismatic recticle is sharp and very easy to see. In this regard, it’s just like any other quality scope. The illumination keeps the recticle sharp and is more than bright enough for low-light conditions. It has eight intensity settings and can be turned up high enough to be seen in bright sun light, though I’m not sure what the point of doing that is.
So far I am favorably impressed with the Prismatic. The quality of view through it IMO more than makes up for not having unlimited eye relief or no parallax. I will be mounting the Prismatic on my new BCM upper when it arrives this week. I will take some more photos at that time and post them in this thread. My plan is to hit the range next weekend with the new set up.
