As I write this, two messages in my inbox threaten gun writers with obsolescence in the age of artificial intelligence. Indeed, AI could write a bang-up summary of the features and and make some safe assumptions about the performance of a scope, including the Riton 5 Tactix 1-10×24. Where AI falls short is field testing. I’ve had this scope on hand for a while, having zeroed and experimented with it a few months back. But its real test came at the Knickerbocker Run & Gun, a biathlon sponsored by Mesquite Tactical Maneuvers of Texas. I signed up for the easier four-mile, five shooting station version of the competition, held on the rocky, mesquite-strewn hills of a private game ranch.
In the weeks leading up to the event, I reset my zero at 300 yards at the advice of my partner, an accomplished big game hunter and former police sniper. This made holdovers at the maximum 625-yard targets less extreme. It took a couple range sessions to confirm and become confident and quicker in my holds at various distances. The generous 10x maximum magnification made those stretch distances of 400 and beyond seem less difficult during the process, and seeing hits on tiny targets at 100 yards was easy. Once the hits were happening consistently, I dialed down magnification to make finding targets afield easier and to avoid wasting precious time fussing with magnification on course. With just 180 seconds to complete every station, some requiring 20 hits or more, time is of the essence.
The 5Tactix features an illuminated 30T reticle on the first focal plane (FFP). The reticle and turrets are both calibrated in milliradians, the turrets having a 1/10 mil click value (about 0.3 inches per click at 100 meters). I’m a fan of first focal plane reticles because I’m not a fan of math under pressure. For those not familiar, first focal plane reticles appear to “grow” in tandem with increased magnification, while the shooter can maintain the same DOPE reference at various distances. The appearance of a second focal plane scope remains the same as magnification changes, and adjustments to planned holds must be made when magnification varies away from what they were at the level of magnification at which zero was set. To me, FFP scopes are about working smarter, not harder.
3OT Reticle at 1x Magnification
I expected good clarity and good low-light performance from the 5Tactix, and it delivered. Those traits are par for the course with Riton scopes these days. But the 30T reticle I find impressive. At 1-3x, it serves with close quarters readiness, providing a simple capital “T” to focus on in point-shoot fashion. Especially with illumination on, quick target acquisition is as easy as it can be with a tubular scope. For small targets or when shooting for groups, the center dot, properly illuminated for ambient conditions, provides a precise tool for holding at a specific place.
Moving up the magnification scale, around 4-6x, windage and elevation demarcations become visible and useful. The middle of the reticle appears to open up, with a hexagon-like shape surrounded by illuminated (or not) lightweight borders. So many reticles partially obstruct the target, a real annoyance. Not this one. It allows me to “cup” an eight-inch plate inside the hexagon, with a clear view of the target at 300 yards.
At 7-10x, the reticle has clear demarcations of even-numbered mil holds with easy-to-judge incremental marks on the elevation and windage tree. With full magnification, the 5 Tactix adds what feels like supernatural vision to see objects at far ranges as if they were much, much closer.
It has been my experience that some illuminated reticles hinder more than help the task of aiming. The red illumination of the 5Tactix only enhances the ability to make good hits in a timely manner. The six-level dial has “off” stope between each level of magnification, so it’s easy to go right back to proper brightness for the day at a moment’s notice. It’s equally easy to save battery by turning the brightness knob (located on the left turret where we might expect a parallax knob) just one click. Compared to scopes with graduated brightness that forces scrolling through all or part of the spectrum to find that sweet spot, this one is luxurious.
At just 1.8 pounds, the 5 Tactix presents an easy burden for a run & gun event. Of course, a scope can only perform as well as it’s mounted, and I had what proved to be the ideal setup pairing this scope with a Contessa quick detach cantilever mount, also sold by Riton. This Italian-made mount looks good and functions flawlessly. The QD levers are low-profile, a feature I appreciate when moving with the rifle borne across a chest rig for any length of time. The never snag. The hardened steel mount does add some weight; which I forgot to weigh before mounting the scope. Triple-screw rings and a bubble level make a solid, level mount easy to achieve if put together with care.
I found the middle ranges of magnification ideal for most stages of the event, providing a good view of target areas so I could find the targets while also being able to achieve precise holds. At one stage that featured larger, IPSC-style targrets at 100-200 yards, moving to 2.5x made easy work of scanning and making hits. While my placing is nothing to write home about, in part because I’m setting no land speed records these days, the 5 Tactix proved its value in surprising me at how easily the hits came and how much more confident I felt after the competition. This is one scope that can go from low-key tactical or hunting to long range applications in a hurry. It’s a keeper.
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About the Author:
Eve is a defensive shooting and lifestyle student, practitioner, and instructor based in the American Southwest. Flanigan holds numerous NRA Instructor certifications and is licensed to instruct New Mexico’s intensive Concealed Carry course. She regularly designs, conducts, and co-teaches classes on concealed carry, introduction to pistol, defensive pistol, basic rifle, last-ditch medical, and use of force for civilian students. Flanigan enjoys competing in run-and-gun biathlons that include carbine and pistol.