Back in the day before the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources decided to go back and forth with optics on muzzleloaders, I used both Vortex 1x and Nikon 1x scopes on my muzzleloaders. With these 1x scopes, I could shoot out to 200 yards but after that, the thick reticles would cover up much of the target making it too difficult for me to be effective.
Vortex 1x24 scope on CVA Accura V2 muzzleloader.
A few years back variable power optics were made legal by the UDWR to help get more people wanting to muzzleloader hunt and less people complaining that they can't get a general rifle deer tag. When this happened I started working toward upgrading my muzzleloading system. I ended up purchasing a CVA Paramount in 45 caliber and a Vortex 4-16x44 HST scope. This system was money for me out to 500 yards. You can learn more about setting this muzzleloader rifle up in this article: Go Long with the CVA Paramount Muzzleloader
For the 2024 hunting season, the UDWR went back to 1x power optics. Oh, how I wish they had never messed with this in the first place. Anyhow, it was time for me to find a new 1x optic for my muzzleloader, Dallen's and Kaden's.
I initially thought that the Leupold Freedom RDS BDC with dialable MOA elevation turret would be the right optic for my Paramount. I purchased one and right off the bat I didn't like the clarity of the advertised "1 MOA" sized red dot. The red dot looks larger than 1 MOA in size to me and is rather fuzzy for my eyes. I also found reflections within the optic to be quite annoying. Because of this, I passed this optic along to Dallen for his CVA Accura V2 muzzleloader. The Leupold Freedom RDS is working great for him and he is dialing up shots out to 250 and drilling the targets.
Hunting mule deer with the Leupold Freedom RDS BDC red dot scope on CVA Accura V2 muzzleloader.
With Utah hunters needing 1x optics Vortex brought back their 1x24 muzzleloader scope. I thought about getting another one of these scopes but having already used one in the past felt there has to be something better.
An EOTECH XPS2 Holographic Sight looked very intriguing. The technology they use on this red dot sight does indeed produce a very fine sub MOA sized red dot. If they were not so expensive and I didn't have to turn them on I might be using one of these optics. A friend of mine has one on an AR rifle and let me look through it. They are nice. Another bonus is that you could mount a magnifier on the rail behind the optic to help with sighting it in, just remove the magnifier for hunting of course.
Ultimately, a Primary Arms SLX 1X MicroPrism with an ACSS reticle is what Kaden and I have went with for our muzzleloaders. This is a true scope with the reticle etched in the glass. You can illuminate the reticle but so far I have preferred to shoot with the illumination turned off. The chevron aiming point is really small and gives me great target holding options out to 300+ yards.
My CVA Paramount muzzleloader with a Primary Arms 1x microprism scope.
Kaden initially went with an old Bushnell HOLOSight (same technology as EOTECH sights). After missing a buck during the 2024 muzzleloader deer season we decided to upgrade to a Primary Arms SLX 1X MicroPrism like mine, except he went with the FDE color while mine is black.
At the range, I have been dead on out to 300 yards with the Primary Arms 1x microprism on my Paramount muzzleloader.
Check out my holdover aiming points from Strelok. The chevron tip is 100 yards, the top corner of the bottom of the chevron is 200 yards and across the bottom edge is 300 yards as you can see in the images below.
Primary Arms 1x microprism scope holdovers on a mule deer from Strelok Pro for 100, 200 and 300 yards with my CVA Paramount muzzleloader.
All three of us are hoping to have some luck finding elk in the Unita mountains this fall with our muzzleloaders.
Kaden's Primary Arms 1x Microprism Scope on his CVA MR-X muzzleloader while elk hunting in the Uinta mountains.
My Primary Arms 1x Microprism Scope on my CVA Paramount muzzleloader while elk hunting in the Uinta mountains.
Some related articles using 1x scopes from the past