Athlon Talos 3-12x40 BDC 600 IR

HuntingSFPMOA1-inch tubeIlluminated

The Athlon Talos 3-12x40 BDC 600 IR is a 3-12×40 SFP scope on a 1-inch tube with a BDC 600 IR reticle, illuminated and 0.25 MOA clicks. Across its range the exit pupil runs from an estimated 13.3 mm down to 3.3 mm at 12×, where the twilight factor is 21.9. At 16.2 oz it is 5th-lightest of the 8 hunting scopes here, where the median is 16.2 oz.

Approx. price: ~$262
Magnification: 3-12×
Objective: 40 mm
Weight: 16.2 oz

Best for

Open-country hunting where shots stretch past 400 yards

Manufacturer’s product page — not an affiliate link. Price and availability there may differ from our snapshot.

Derived optics

estimated

Exit pupil: 13.3–3.3 mm (3×–12×)
Twilight factor: 21.9 at 12×
Zoom ratio: 4×

Exit pupil and twilight factor are computed from the published magnification and objective diameter, not measured. Real exit pupil is also capped by the erector at low magnification, and coatings and glass quality move low-light performance in ways the formula cannot see — read these as comparisons between layouts, not verdicts on scopes.

Specifications

Manufacturer-published figures, read from athlonoptics.com (product page plus the linked 215001 spec-sheet PDF). MOA/MRAD conversions use 3.438 MOA per mil.

Magnification: 3-12×
Objective lens: 40 mm
Focal plane: SFP
Reticle: BDC 600 IR
Illuminated: Yes
Turret unit: MOA
Per click: 0.25 MOA (0.26″ at 100 yd)
Elevation travel: 60 MOA (≈17.5 MRAD)
Windage travel: 60 MOA
Zero stop: No
Turrets: Capped
Parallax: Side focus from 15 yd
Eye relief: 3.35–3.82″
Field of view: 34.1–8.9 ft at 100 yd
Tube: 1-inch
Length: 12″
Weight: 16.2 oz
Warranty: Athlon Lifetime Warranty (Gold Medal Lifetime Warranty in the manual)

Features

SFP
MOA
1-inch tube
Illuminated
Capped turrets
Side focus
Lifetime warranty

For it, on paper

+ Side focus parallax down to 15 yd, so it also works on a rimfire or airgun
+ Illuminated glass-etched BDC 600 reticle with holdovers out to 600 yd for common centerfire hunting loads
+ 16.2 oz and 12 in on a 1-inch tube
+ Capped turrets are resettable to zero, with 15 MOA per rotation
+ Athlon Lifetime Warranty requires no receipt or registration

Against it, on paper

− 60 MOA of total elevation travel is on the low side for a 3-12x
− Second focal plane, so the BDC holdovers are only correct at one magnification
− The BDC 600 drops are calibrated for centerfire loads (.223, .243, .270, 7mm Mag, .300 Mag), not rimfire trajectories