Frequently Asked Questions

The canted front lens is actually a design feature of your red dot and not a flaw.

The canted lens is an integral part of the red dot sight’s engineering, allowing it to reflect the reticle (or “red dot”) back to your eye no matter the viewing angle. Without this angled lens, your dot would have parallax error, meaning that the dot would appear to shift when you move your head behind the optic.

The angled lens does not negatively affect the accuracy or performance of your sight.

This is a common characteristic among many red dots and reflex sights.

The blue tint comes from a thin metal oxide coating applied to the lens, also called a Dichroic Coating. This coating increases the reflectiveness of the lens surface with certain wavelengths of light, allowing the reticle to appear brighter while consuming less energy. Without this coating, you would need to increase the emitter power to achieve the same reticle brightness, leading to shorter battery life and less-reliable runtime.

While the tint may be noticeable in certain lighting conditions, it should not significantly impact the clarity or effectiveness of the sight in aiming and target acquisition.

There are a couple of reasons a reticle may appear blurry.

Punase punkti sihikud: The usual cause is astigmatism. Astigmatism is a slight imperfection in your eye’s cornea, which causes the reticle to appear distorted. The severity and effect of astigmatism will vary from person to person, and in extreme cases, astigmatism may even make red dots unusable. In these cases, we recommend using an optic with an etched reticle, like a MicroPrism.

Prism Scopes & Rifle Scopes: If your reticle looks blurry, it usually means that your diopter has not been set properly. The diopter is a ring on your ocular lens that adjusts the reticle focus. It’s important that you spend some time properly adjusting the diopter before using the optic; otherwise, the reticle will appear blurry or out-of-focus.

Detailed instructions for diopter adjustment are included in your optic manual. You can also follow the guidelines below:

1. Find a bright, featureless background, such as a clear blue sky or a blank white wall.
2. Stare at your background for several seconds. If you look through prescription glasses when shooting, wear them.
3. Close your eyes.
4. Open your eyes and glance through your optic.
5. If the reticle appears blurry before sharpening, the diopter is not in its correct position. Adjust your diopter ring and try again until the reticle appears immediately sharp at first glance.

A 1x magnification optic may appear to have ‘negative’ magnification if the diopter is not set correctly.

The diopter is a ring on your ocular lens that adjusts the reticle focus. It’s important that you spend some time properly adjusting the diopter before using the optic; otherwise, the reticle will appear blurry or out-of-focus. Sometimes, it may also cause an optic to appear to have ‘negative’ magnification.

Detailed instructions for diopter adjustment are included in your optic manual. You can also follow the guidelines below:

1. Find a bright, featureless background, such as a clear blue sky or a blank white wall.
2. Stare at your background for several seconds. If you look through prescription glasses when shooting, wear them.
3. Close your eyes.
4. Open your eyes and glance through your optic.
5. If the reticle appears blurry before sharpening, the diopter is not in its correct position. Adjust your diopter ring and try again until the reticle appears immediately sharp at first glance.

The difference between an SFP (Second Focal Plane) and FFP (First Focal Plane) optic lies in the reticle’s location within the scope and how this affects the reticle size as you change magnification.

In an SFP optic, the reticle is behind the magnification lenses. This means that when you adjust the magnification, the size of the reticle remains constant relative to the view through the scope. As a result, the reticle appears the same size whether you’re at low or high magnification. However, this also means that any markings for bullet drop or windage adjustments are only accurate at one specific magnification setting, typically the highest power.

Conversely, in an FFP optic, the reticle is in front of the magnification lenses. When you change the magnification, the reticle size changes along with the image. This scaling effect means that the reticle markings for bullet drop, windage, and range estimation remain proportional and accurate at any magnification level.

FFP optics are particularly favored for long-range shooting, as they allow for more consistent and accurate adjustments across your entire magnification range. That said, SFP reticles remain a popular choice for low-magnification scopes where holds are usually all done at max power. SFP reticles are also usually more affordable, and they allow for brighter fiber optic reticles, such as our ACSS® NOVA® reticle.

MOA (Minute of Angle) and MRAD (Milliradian or ‘MIL’) are two angular units of measurement systems used in rifle scopes for precision aiming adjustments.

MOA is based on degrees and is more intuitive for those used to the imperial measurement system, with 1 MOA equaling approximately 1 inch per 100 yards (actually 1.047″ per 100 yards). It’s favored for its simplicity and is commonly used by hunters and shooters in the United States, especially at ranges up to a few hundred yards.

MRAD uses radians for measurements, making it better suited for metric measurements. One MRAD equals about 10 centimeters at 100 meters, allowing for simpler communication and intuitive base-10 mathematics. This system is preferred by military and tactical shooters in the US and around the world because of its simplicity and communicability across different nations.

The choice between MOA and MRAD comes down to preference and the specific needs of the shooter. MOA’s inch-based adjustments are straightforward for short to mid-range distances, while MRAD’s metric-based system offers greater flexibility in long-range shooting.

Torque specs will vary heavily between optics and optic mounts. You should always refer to the optic and mount manufacturers’ official torque specifications when mounting an optic, as both under- and over-torquing hardware can compromise the performance of the optic.

For Primary Arms Optics mounts, our basic torque guidelines are available here:

The Classic Series, SLx, GLx, and PLx are different optic tiers offered by Primary Arms Optics, each designed to meet the unique needs and preferences of various customers, from casual enthusiasts to professional marksmen. Here’s a simplified overview of what distinguishes each line:

Classic Series: Classic Series is our entry-level tier, offering reliable performance at an affordable price—ideal for beginners or those who need a solid, trustworthy optic for recreational shooting and hunting.

SLx: SLx is our largest family of optics, which built our reputation for innovation, reliability, and value. All SLx optics undergo rigorous field-testing during development to best serve you in any environment.

GLx: GLx is our intermediate optic tier, bringing premium technology and materials into an approachable price range.

PLx: PLx optics are our flagship tier built from the highest quality materials. These optics meet the exacting demands of professional use, offering impeccable glass clarity and advanced features from state-of-the-art production facilities.

Each tier is tailored to specific user needs, from basic reliability and affordability in the Classic Series to professional-grade precision and durability in the PLx line. Regardless of the tier, all optics produced by Primary Arms Optics undergo a 100% QC inspection before they leave our facility here in Houston, Texas.