PLx5 6-30X56mm FFP ACSS Apollo 6.5CR/.224V

Description

The Primary Arms PLATINUM Series (PLx5) 6-30X56 First Focal Plane Scope was designed from the ground up with uncompromising craftsmanship and optical clarity in mind. Designed and manufactured in Japan to ensure long life and reliability, this scope is capable of handling heavy recoil and abuse. It is fast at 6X and extremely accurate at 30X, remaining true at all magnifications thanks to the first focal plane configuration.

The ACSS® Apollo™ 6.5CR/.224V reticle virtually eliminates the need for cumbersome maths and turret adjustments by providing an intelligent ballistic holdover system for 6.5 Creedmoor and .224 Valkyrie cartridges. Combined with the enhanced glass clarity and high magnification of the 6-30×56 FFP scope, Apollo allows the user to quickly and accurately estimate the range of targets more than 1,000 yards away and then safely engage those targets.

ACHIEVING A CLEAR RETICLE IMAGE
Your PLATINUM Series (PLx5) 6-30X56 FFP riflescope is supplied with an adjustable dioptre ring (D) which must be adjusted to your eye. It is located on the back of the eyepiece and is simply labelled [+ 0 -]. The dioptre ring changes the sharpness of the reticle as you see it in the scope. It does not change the sharpness of objects that you view through the riflescope. Adjusting the dioptres is an important first step towards successful precision shooting. You can adjust the dioptres even before you have mounted the riflescope in the rings.

Turn the magnification / power ring (E) to a high magnification level, above 15x, and point the scope at a bright, featureless background, such as the blue sky or a blank white wall.
Turn the parallax/side focus knob (G) to infinity [∞].
Instead, look at the wall or the sky with your head behind the scope. If you are looking through prescription glasses when shooting, put them on now too. Close your eyes after 5 or 6 seconds.
Now open your eyes, look through the scope and see immediately whether the reticle is in focus or out of focus. If you notice that the reticle appears blurred at first and then suddenly becomes sharp, your eyes have focussed on the reticle itself instead of looking through the riflescope. Adjust the dioptre ring (D) and try again.
If the reticle was out of focus, turn the dioptre ring (D) and repeat the process again. This process requires several settings. Each time you repeat the process, ask yourself whether the reticle was sharper or blurrier than before. The final adjustments can be very fine. If your eyes water or get tired, walk away for a while and come back to it later.
As soon as the reticle appears sharp when looking through the riflescope, the dioptre is set correctly for your eyes. Everyone's eyes are slightly different, so the ideal setting will vary from person to person. Many shooters mark their correct dioptre setting with a small blob of paint or fingernail polish next to the 0 mark in case the ring is accidentally adjusted later. Others stick insulating tape around the diameter of the ring to keep it in position.
This is a one-time setting. Details in the reticle may appear small if you are not looking at targets at medium or long range, especially at low magnification. At these distances, it is best to shoot from a well-supported position with a bipod or sandbags.

SETTING THE PARALLAX
The parallax/side focus knob (G) is located on the left side of the scope and is marked with ranges from 35 yards to infinity. Although it is often referred to as the "side focus" button, parallax and focus are not the same thing. Parallax errors occur when the image of the target and the reticle are not aligned on the same focal plane in the scope. To illustrate this, select an image on the wall of a room as your "target" and hold your thumb in front of it as if you were a hitchhiker. Your thumb represents the reticle of the riflescope. Close one eye and "aim" at the picture on the wall with your thumb.
You will notice that the position of your thumb changes when you turn your head. This is because your thumb is not in the same focal plane as the image on the wall. Any slight change in your head position will result in a change in the aiming point and the point of impact. Adjusting the parallax/side focus knob (G) eliminates the parallax error at different distances by placing the reticle in the same focal plane as the target, as if a friend were holding their thumb directly against the image on the wall. Parallax errors are particularly noticeable at high magnifications.
Adjustment is much easier if your rifle is secured with sandbags or a bipod.

Turn the parallax/side focus knob (G) until the target appears sharp. This will bring you closer to the correct setting.
Look through the scope at the target and move your head only slightly from side to side. If you lose the sight picture, you are moving too much. Go slowly and pay attention to whether the reticle appears to move relative to the target. A target that appears to float around the reticle as you move your head indicates a parallax error.
If the target appears to be moving in the opposite direction to your head, turn the parallax/side focus knob (G) anti-clockwise. If the target appears to be moving in the same direction as your head, turn the parallax/side focus knob (G) clockwise. These settings are very small. Move the parallax/side focus knob (G) just a little at a time and check again.
Once the reticle and target maintain their positions when you move your head from side to side, the parallax error is eliminated for targets at that distance. Normally, this setting also focuses the target well. However, to maximise accuracy, it is more important to eliminate the parallax error than to focus the target perfectly.
RETICLE LIGHTING
The reticle illumination button (F) on the left side of the riflescope is marked with numbers of increasing brightness from 1 to 11. Between each number is an OFF setting. The cap unscrews anti-clockwise and contains a CR2032 battery, with the positive (+) side facing the cap. The reticle illumination is most useful in low light conditions such as sunrise and sunset or indoors. The two lowest settings are compatible with night vision devices and cannot be seen with the naked eye. Indoors or in low light conditions, aberrations, anomalies and small imperfections may be visible.
The reticle may be visible under the brightest lighting conditions. This is a normal result of the reticle etching process. In daylight, anomalies are not visible at these settings. If you use the brightest settings in low light conditions, your eye's ability to see the target will be overwhelmed and the reticle will appear distorted. The correct illumination level creates a clear contrast between the reticle and the target without overstraining the eye.

SETTING THE ZERO POSITION
Use a bipod or sandbags, preferably on a bench or in a prone position, and set the magnification ring (E) to a high magnification to see your target as clearly as possible. Adjust the point of impact so that it coincides with the tip of the chevron. When firing the rifle, turn the elevation knob (C) anti-clockwise to move the point of impact upwards if your shots hit low. If your shots are to the left, turn the windage knob (B) anti-clockwise to move the point of impact to the right.

SETTING THE RETURN SYSTEM TO THE ZERO POINT
The zeroing system mechanically prevents the elevation knob (C) from dropping below a point selected by the user. When shooting at long ranges, where the elevation turret may be hundreds of clicks away from zero, simply turn the elevation knob (C) back down without counting clicks to stop at the rifle's original zero point. This saves valuable time, so you can start counting clicks faster until the next shooting solution or switch to using the holdovers built into the ACSS Apollo 6.5CR/.224V reticle.

Before adjusting your rifle
Loosen the 3 set screws located around the elevation knob (C) using the 1.5 mm Allen key supplied. The set screws do not need to be removed completely, but only unscrewed far enough to release all tension against the central shaft. Remove the knob by pulling it straight upwards. Loosen the three grub screws that hold the black metal ring for the zero setting in position around the centre shaft and remove it by pulling it straight upwards. Replace the adjustment knob (C) on the centre shaft by pushing it straight down and secure it with the three set screws. Do not overtighten these tiny grub screws!

Zero rifle
Set your rifle to the desired distance. The position of the digits on the elevation knob is completely irrelevant at this stage; you simply need to ensure that the point of aim and the point of impact match at the distance you have selected (usually 100 metres).

After adjusting your rifle
Remove the elevation knob (C) as before by loosening the 3 adjusting screws and pulling it straight up. Place the zero adjustment ring on the centre shaft as before and turn it clockwise as far as it will go. You can see two tiny protruding screws touching between the zeroing ring and the turret base. Secure the zeroing ring in this position with the 3 set screws. Now reinsert the knob by pressing it straight onto the central shaft, making sure that the "0" mark on the knob is aligned with the centre line mark on the scope body. Secure the elevation knob (C) with its 3 set screws. Do not overtighten them! The zero point on the elevation knob (C) is now marked "0" and the zero adjustment ring prevents the centre shaft from turning beyond this point.

Similarly, you can also reset the zero point of the windage adjustment knob (B) by loosening the set screws, pulling the outer knob straight off and replacing it with the "0" aligned with the centre line mark on the scope body. The windage adjustment knob (B) does not provide a zero reset function.

THE ACSS APOLLO 6.5CR/.224V RETICLE
Apollo is a special reticle for 6.5 Creedmoor and .224 Valkyrie that offers easy-to-use bullet drop compensation and wind stability up to 1,000 yards. Overall, the reticle extends 10 MIL up, left and right of the centre chevron aiming point. The large diamonds are arranged in 1.0 MIL increments, with smaller diamonds in 0.5 MIL increments in between.

The Chevron top
The ACSS Apollo uses a chevron as the central aiming point of the reticle. Adjust the windage (B) and elevation (C) knob positions so that the point of impact matches the tip of the chevron. Using the chevron tip allows for an infinitely small aiming point that never obscures the part of the target you want to hit, giving the chevron tip a precision advantage over a conventional crosshair or central aiming point.

The ACSS Apollo centre section
The chevron measures only 0.1 MIL downwards and 0.1 MIL to the left and right of the centre. The outer tips of the legs of the chevron are therefore 0.1 MIL from the centre and 0.2 MIL apart. To the left and right of the centre there are boxes 0.2 MIL apart and a slightly larger rectangle 1.0 MIL from the centre to make navigation easier. Small dots (0.05 MIL wide) are spaced 0.2 MIL above and below the centre for a total spacing of 1.0 MIL.

BALLISTICS TABLE FOR 6-30X56MM FFP WITH ACSS APOLLO 6.5CR/.224 RETICLE
Instructions for using the ballistics table:

Determine your calibre and bullet type. Match the muzzle velocity of your rifle with your elevation above sea level to determine the correct zero distance and offset. The plus (+) and minus (-) numbers indicate the desired bullet impact in inches above or below the point of aim during the first zero. The common 6.5 Creedmoor bullet types and two .224 Valkyrie bullet types are listed in the table.

ER stands for Effective Range of the Apollo BDC markings. Beyond the ER range, the bullet flight deviates from the BDC markings by 0.5 MIL or more. While it is possible to hit larger targets, precision shooting at small targets beyond the ER range is more difficult. After initial break-in, we recommend fine-tuning the point of impact at distances of 400-600 yards to maximise accuracy throughout the BDC range.

Example: A 6.5 Creedmoor shooter using 140 grain Hornady ELD bullets at 2650 fps at 2000 feet above sea level must aim 0.5″ high at 100 yards.

The outer section of the ACSS Apollo
At a distance of 2 MIL left/right from the centre, the solid crosshair line begins with alternating upper and lower markings that form a MIL range section. These can be used to acquire targets in extremely fine 0.1 MIL increments. At 3.0 MIL from the centre, the 0.5 MIL diamond markings begin.

BULLET DROP COMPENSATION & WIND PROTECTION
Down the centre, Apollo has a 6.5 Creedmoor and .224 Valkyrie-specific bullet drop compensation ladder. Set up the Apollo to impact your bullets at 100 yards at the top of the chevron, and stop at 200 yards midway between 2nd and 3rd. The BDC starts at 300 yards. Hash marks located at increasing intervals of 50 yards indicate bullet drop out to 1,000 yards, with numbers indicating more every 100 yards. Once you have determined the correct distance to your target, simply aim at the mark that matches that distance. The diamond markers can be subdivided to provide even more accurate shots at targets at distances between these 50-yard increments. For example, if a target is 475 yards away, aim at a point midway between the 450 and 500 yard diamond markers.

Windstops are indicated by dots located to the left and right of the BDC. They are calculated to represent the distance that crosswinds of 5, 10, 15 and 20 mph push the ball to the left or right. For a wind blowing from left to right, use the points on the right side of the BDC. If the wind is blowing from right to left, use the points on the left side of the BDC. For example, if the target is 700 metres away and the wind is blowing from left to right at 10 miles per hour, navigate to the "7" line and use the second point on the right as the target point.

RANK LEADER
The range finder is located high and to the right of the centre. The vertical rangefinder is calibrated for a 5'10" high target. Look through the scope at the target and align the bottom of the target with the horizontal crosshairs. The line that lines up with the top of the target indicates the distance to the target. For example, if the top of the target touches the line with the "4" next to it, the target is 400 metres away. The distance lines can be used as reference points to make more precise yet quick distance determinations. For example, a 5'10" target whose tip is halfway between the 4″ line and the 5″ line is about 450 yards away.

The horizontal distance measurement is calibrated for an 18″ wide target. Simply align the width of the target with the corresponding line to determine the distance to the target. For example, an 18″ wide target that is the same width as the range line with a "6" next to it is 600 metres away. This method is useful when the height of the target is partially obscured, such as a target in tall grass.

AREA ASSESSMENT WITH MILs
In the world of optics, there are two common measuring systems: MOA and MIL. MOA reticles use angular minute subdivisions equivalent to 1.047″ at 100yds and are typically set in 0.25 MOA increments. MIL reticles use milliradian subdivisions equivalent to 3.6″ at 100 yards and are normally set in 0.1 MIL increments. The ACSS Apollo 6.5CR/.224V reticle uses MILs with a first focal plane, so your scope's MILs are precise sub-dimensions at any magnification power.

By definition, a milliradian is an angular measurement that corresponds to 1/1000 of the distance between the observer and the target. In simple terms, 1 MIL equals 1 yard at a distance of 1000 yards. This ratio applies to all units, i.e. 1 MIL equals 1 foot at a distance of 1000 feet, and 1 MIL equals 1 metre at a distance of 1000 metres. Since MILs are an angular measure, MIL sizes scale with distance. When observing a target 500 metres away, 1 MIL equals 0.5 yards. When observing a target 200 metres away, 1 MIL corresponds to 0.2 yards. This is the basis of MIL-based distance measurement.

MIL distance measurement combines size estimation and simple maths to provide an incredibly accurate distance estimate. Many estimates can be made in your head without the need for a calculator. Once you've memorised the steps, you can quickly and accurately measure targets at any distance.

Here is an example of a removal process:

You see a window some distance away and know that this window is 18″ high (or 0.5yd). This is your starting point.

Once you have the estimated size of the target, determine the size of the target in MILs by using your MIL grid for comparison. Since you are using a first focal plane scope, you can make this estimate at any magnification because your MIL part dimensions will always be accurate. In this example, you are measuring the window with a height of 1 MIL.

Once you have estimated both the actual target size and the MIL size, the calculation is simple:

Target distance in yards = target size in yards * 1000 / target MIL measurement

This calculation is the same for the window: 0.5yd * 1000 / 1 = 500yd. The window is 500 yards away.

The same formula can also be used for metres. Simply use the target size in metres to obtain a distance in metres.

If you want to use the target size in inches but still want a distance in yards, the calculation is more difficult as you have to convert between the units. The easiest method is to divide 1000 by 36(in/yd) to get a new constant. The resulting number is 27.8, which replaces 1000 in the MIL formula.

Target distance in yards = target size in inches * 27.8 / target MIL measurement

This calculation is more difficult, but gives the same result. This calculation is the same for the window:

18″ * 27.8 / 1 = 500yd. The window is still 500 yards away. Inches are best used when estimating the size of irregular shapes that cannot be easily expressed in yards or metres.

LENS CARE
Please do not use organic solvents such as alcohol or acetone on your telescope. First blow dust or other foreign bodies off the lens. Then use a soft cotton or microfibre cloth to remove fingerprints or streaks on the lens. Alternatively, you can use a piece of professional lens paper for further cleaning if necessary.

WARNING: Always ensure that your firearm is unloaded (chamber empty and magazine removed) before fitting optics or accessories.

WARNING: Improper installation of gun parts or accessories can result in death or serious injury. If you are not trained in fitting these parts, have them fitted by a gunsmith or gun mechanic.

REMEMBER: THE FOUR RULES OF FIREARM SAFETY
Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
Never point your muzzle at anything you do not want to destroy.
Keep your finger off the trigger until you have the target in your sights.
Be sure of your goal and what lies behind it.