Opinion
I’m a fan of prism-style optics. The first scope I spent a lot of time behind was a Trijicon ACOG during my service. I loved the ACOG and the simple reticle system that makes it easy to land hits at ranges ranging from seven to 500 yards. I’ve kept that love of prisms, but spending over a grand on an ACOG isn’t for me. Luckily, Primary Arms makes a variety of prisms, including the micro-sized SLX 3X MicroPrism.
Primary Arms SLX 3X Microprism ~ $335.99
Primary Arms doesn’t use the term MicroPrism lightly. It’s the same size as compact red dots like the Aimpoint T-2. These micro-sized prisms weigh a mere eight ounces. That’s quite light for an optic offering you 3X magnification. Prism sights are rarely this small, and this light is for this level of magnification. I threw it on my PA-15 and developed synergy and smart ammo savings by simultaneously testing both.
The World of Primary Arms MicroPrisms
Primary Arms makes a ton of different reticle options, and the MicroPrism gets that treatment. We have BDC reticles for 5.56/.308, 7.62×39/.300 BO, and a standard Mil reticle. The reticles are all etched and illuminated. Users can pick between green and red illumination settings.
The illumination uses shake-awake technology that Primary Arms calls AutoLive. It senses motion and shuts off when it doesn’t detect motion for an extended period. When you grab the rifle, the illumination fires back to life. The MicroPrism’s etched reticle means that even if the battery dies, it still has a reticle.
The optic offers a 38-foot field of view at 100 yards. It’s not exceptional, but for its size, it’s fairly nice. The optic uses the mini ACOG footprint for mounts and has a modular mounting system. You can swap the angle of the mount, which is handy due to the limited eye relief prism optics offer. I use the mount that swoops rearward, but other mounts can change exactly how it fits on the gun.
With this swooping rearward mount, I can use the stock set I want without having to press my nose to the charging handle. The mount connects to an optics rail via two very beefy screws. I have confidence it’s not going to move. Speaking of eye relief, it’s 2.7 inches. It’s not terrible, but it’s not spectacular either. Prisms are haunted by short eye relief.
Zeroing the MicroPrism
Zeroing took longer than expected. I’m using 55-grain ammo from a 16-inch carbine. According to the manual, I must zero at 100 yards for the BDC to ring true. I did a zero at 50 to get on paper, then backed off to 100 yards to finish the zero. A lot of walking and measuring took more time but less ammo. With the price of 5.56 and .223 Rem, I’d rather waste time than ammo.
The turrets are precise .25 MOA per click, and boy, do those turrets click. They have both an audible and tactile click, and none of the clicks ever run into each other. It’s nice and tight. I got .25 MOA out of each click, making it easy to measure my group’s distance from where I wanted it to hit and get on target.
Taking It Far
My home range maxes out at 200 yards. I was pleasantly surprised at the view through the lens at 200 yards. I could see the orange and yellow steel I have hanging, and my matte stainless targets were visible against a white sand berm background. There is a bit of haze and a little chromatic aberration, but for a sub-400-dollar optic, it’s clear.
At 200 yards, I could see white paper targets against cardboard, but I did not necessarily see much more than white. The only reason I know where the A-zone is is because I have it down to muscle memory.
Between 50 and 200 yards, all I have to do is put the chevron on the target and press the trigger. With a limit of 3X magnification, I don’t expect to get much more precise than that. That proved to be more than enough to put rounds into a torso. At 100 yards, I fired a drill where I fired two rounds from the low ready in four seconds at an 8.5×11 inch target. I ran it five times, and the MicroPrism was optic enough to put all ten into the target.
Getting Close
Close range with fixed magnification optics can be a little tricky. You’re doing a bit of occluded shooting. You have to crank the illumination up and focus on the target. The magnification disappears, and while it’s not as fast or accurate as a dedicated red dot, it works well enough from fifteen to three yards to be functional.
The highest brightness setting is just acceptable enough to use this technique. The reticle is bright in daylight, but just barely. I’m shooting in springtime Florida, so it’s bright here. I want to see it be a hair brighter because I never want to accept the minimally acceptable standard.
I was able to use the occluded shooting technique to run a series of failure-to-stop drills. I started at three yards and went back to fifty yards. By the time I hit 20 yards, I was no longer using an occluded shooting method and was taking well-aimed shots at both the chest and head.
From three yards to twenty-five yards, I shot the drill in well under three seconds, with anything ten yards and closer being shot in under two seconds. At 50 yards, I had to take a little more time to make the shots count, but I landed them in under four seconds.
I shot the Sage Dynamics Eleanor drill, which focuses on close-range precision and height-over-bore shooting. I shot it several times, but only passed once. I need to work on height-over-bore compensation. Sadly, the etched reticle just isn’t big enough to give me a five-yard aiming point.
Overall, while it’s not optimized for use inside twenty-five yards, it’s passable when tested.
MicroPrism – Big Performance
Prism optics are a bit of a jack of all trades. They work well for msot shooters, especially inside of 300ish yards. At 3X, you’re getting enough magnification to matter but not enough to be difficult at closer ranges. There are plenty of arguments about why a prism isn’t the way to go, but for me, it works.
I like its small size, lightweight, versatile reticle, mount design, and simplicity of use—it’s plug-and-play. Did I mention the price? It retails for less than 400 dollars. For a general-purpose carbine, it’s tough to go wrong with a prism.
The Primary Arms MicroPrism family delivers on what I need it to do. It might not excel at long or close range, but it does pretty well. Sometimes, pretty good is the way to go.
Live Inventory Price Checker
|
Primary Arms Optics SLx 3X MicroPrism Scope - ACSS Raptor 5.56/.308 Reticle - Red | Rainier Arms | $ 319.99 |
|
|
Primary Arms Optics SLx 3X MicroPrism Optic w/ ACSS Raptor 7.62/300BO Reticle - Red | Rainier Arms | $ 319.99 |
|
|
Primary Arms Optics SLx 1X MicroPrism Scope - ACSS Cyclops Gen II Reticle - Red | Rainier Arms | $ 249.99 |
|
|
Primary Arms Optics SLx 1X MicroPrism Scope - ACSS Cyclops Gen II Reticle - Green | Rainier Arms | $ 249.99 |
|
About Travis Pike
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine Gunner, a lifelong firearms enthusiast, and now a regular guy who likes to shoot, write, and find ways to combine the two. He holds an NRA certification as a Basic Pistol Instructor and is the world’s Okayest firearm’s instructor.
Go with the 6X you won’t regret it.
anybody looking thru any optic in real combat is looking to get shot. ghost ring on the AR fastest and you can see all around you as you are aiming