When looking high and low for the perfect riflescope, every shooter must consider their price point.
How much money is too much to spend on a scope?
Today, I’ll be reviewing the Primary Arms 4-14×44 riflescope and determining whether this optic is worth the price tag.
Let’s get into it!
| Features | Primary Arms 4-14×44 |
|---|---|
| Brand | Primary Arms |
| Color | Black |
| Magnification Range | 4-14x |
| Reticle Type | ACSS HUD DMR .308 (FFP) |
| Reticle Illumination | Red |
| Weight | 24 oz. |
| Length | 13 inches |
| Objective Lens Diameter | 44mm |
Here’s my Primary Arms 4-14×44 Review
The Primary Arms 4-14×44 is a must-have riflescope for its price range.
It’s lightweight, durable, and offers a fantastic view for the best target acquisition. And it’s not going to break the bank.
Compared to other scopes with similar features, the 4-14×44 scope is more affordable. Going into this review, I had my judgements about a scope on the lesser end of the price margin. But I was blown away by its quality and features.
So how could a less expensive scope like the 4-14×44 possibly deliver high-quality performance?
Keep reading to see what I found during my testing phase of this unexpected gem.
Glass Clarity & Reticle
The Primary Arms SLX 4-14x44mm FFP rifle scope has extremely clear and bright glass clarity, even at high magnification.
Due to its multi-coated lenses, this scope is a top-notch product. In fact, I’d say this is better than most other optics in the same price range. It’s also very operator-friendly, so a beginner could handle this scope with ease.
In fact, the best Leupold riflescopes are generally user-friendly with a glass clarity that certainly rivals this Primary Arms scope.
Now onto the objective diameter 44mm reticle, which is an ACSS HUD DMR .308 in the First Focal Plane (FFP).
Whew, that’s a mouthful. Basically, that means that the reticle will stay right on the target at close range from 4x magnification up to long-distance at 14x magnification.
But for a simple explanation of the different focal planes, check out the insight behind the First Focal Plane vs. Second Focal Plane.
The ACSS HUD DMR reticle also offers a partial red illumination with six unique brightness settings. Plus, the first focal plane reticle is etched into the glass, so it can be used without illumination.
Further, the feature I really love about this reticle is how effective the illuminator is when shooting. The illuminator has a dial with off positions between each brightness intensity setting. This means I didn’t have to dial through every brightness setting to reach the one I wanted.
Anytime I can save even a few seconds of my time, I’m happy to get back to my range practice.
However, this scope doesn’t offer any night vision. But I simply switch over to my ATN X-Sight II 5-20X Night Vision Scope, and my night shooting is saved.
Eye Relief & Eye Box
The eye relief is 3.14-3.22 inches, which I found a bit unforgiving for your mil exit pupil diameter.
So I got dialed in for my cheek weld before clamping it down.
Another downside is that it doesn’t work well with the illumination. As the brightness intensifies, the entire sight picture gets washed out. I don’t find this issue with the illumination, but with the limited eye relief.
While I was using this scope, I had to make sure my eye was looking in within a few millimeters. Overall, I found the eye relief pretty touchy, so it was challenging to work with at several points.
Durability
This scope is seriously tough stuff, so I could manhandle it all I wanted without worry.
Constructed of durable aluminum and nitrogen purged, this optic keeps any moisture out. It’s also waterproof, fog-proof, and shockproof.
Weighing in at 24 ounces, it’s still a lightweight optic that is perfect for packing light on hunting outings or overnight trips.
Check out our review for further recommendations on the best lightweight riflescopes for that upcoming hunting trip.
In fact, this Primary Arms 4-14×44 scope holds up well for game like whitetail deer. Not only does it have fast target acquisition, but I found that this scope packs a punch. I would even take this scope with me for my big buck hunts just to test out its long-range aiming power.
But if I’m in need of a true beast of a hunting rifle scope that can take down larger game, I’ll go right to my Vortex Viper HS 4-16×50.
Elevation & Windage Knobs
I especially like this scope’s turrets for being smooth and sound with some of the best adjustments I’ve used.
The turrets are finger-adjustable and have a seriously solid audible click. It’s also easy to zero, and this scope holds it well in the first focal plane.
Although the turrets were a little mushy when I first used them, the clicks were firm and solid once I re-zeroed. So after that simple adjustment, all was well.
Parallax & Magnification
From short-range hits to long-distance hunts, this scope has a great magnification for the price.
With 4-14x magnification, I was able to get a wide range of distance shooting in. In fact, my view was always crystal clear, even when I was at the highest zoom level. Plus, this scope has parallax from 15 yards to infinity.
During my testing of this optic, I set the parallax to 300 yards for a middle-of-the-road distance. Three shots later, I hit the center of my target every time. I’m not exactly an expert sharpshooter, so getting those three clean shots so simply was a high point for me.
Even when the wind picked up quite a bit, I was still fully capable of successfully using this optic. I hit three more center shots and called it a day. Honestly, I’m not too sure if I could have pulled off such precise execution using another optic in my collection.
I especially love that the parallax knobs are located on the side of the optic. It makes adjustment much smoother when shooting from long distances. Plus, the side parallax knob is satisfyingly smooth when adjusting.
Mounting & Rings
Although this scope doesn’t include a mount, I’ll offer my recommendations and share what cool freebies Primary Arms provides.
I decided to mount this scope on an Evolution Gun Works Scope Mount. This Picatinny rail mount is lightweight and perfectly aligned to serve the Primary Arms scope well.
- Rail Type: One Piece Picatinny
Lastly, I needed to find rings that would hold up to my hours-long range days and hunting trips. So I picked up these 30mm Monstrum Precision Picatinny Scope Rings, which offer tough recoil resistance. They easily slide right into any Picatinny rail mount, so I found these simple yet effective.
- Monstrum Precision Scope Rings are precision crafted to a given height specification to match your particular rifle setup and preferred cheek weld
- 30 mm diameter rings for mounting standard 30 mm rifle scope tubes
- Mount base mechanism comes equipped with custom locking bolts that slot seamlessly into your rail system with zero wiggle - guaranteed to hold zero against the toughest of recoil. Avaialble for either...
Now, included with this scope are some pretty nice freebies. I received lens covers, an Allen wrench, a lens cloth, and a free Primary Arms beanie with my scope. And yes, I wore that beanie while out in the field for this review.
As much as I appreciated Primary Arms including rubber lens covers in my order, flip-up covers are much more convenient when I need to use my rifle.
My next recommendation is to purchase the Primary Arms 4-14x Rifle Scope Sunshade. Although it’s a separately sold item, it’s easy to find for purchase and will be crucial to prevent annoying sun glare. It will also offer additional protection from other environmental aspects, like water and dirt.
- Sun shade designed specifically for Primary Arms 4-14x44 FFP scopes
- Helps to prevent glare in bright conditions, adds additional protection and keeps water away from the objective lens
- Screws directly into the threads of the objective lens for easy installation and no tools needed
Price
So, is the Primary Arms 4-14x44mm FFP rifle scope worth the price of $249.99?
- Traditional MIL-DOT reticle can be used to accurately range and holdover
- First Focal Plane reticle stays true at all magnifications
- Side-adjustable parallax and fast focus eye piece for crisp view of the target and reticle
I don’t think anyone could do better for the price than this first focal plane scope. Especially with its rugged yet straightforward zeroing, pinpoint accuracy, and outlasting durability.
These features are hard to beat, but check out Bushnell Banner 3-9×40 riflescope review for rival target acquisition.
Plus, Primary Arms covers this scope with a 3-year warranty for defects due to materials or quality. The brand also has a lifetime warranty for other device failures out of the shooter’s control.
Finding the best scope for under $300 isn’t impossible, and there are several great scopes out there. But I highly recommend the Primary Arms 4-14×44 rifle scope for the price.
Is the Primary Arms 4-14×44 for you?
So who is this scope for, exactly?
This scope is simple enough for beginners to get the hang of while also being a great deal for the experienced hunter. In addition, it’s a fantastic optic for short and long-range shooting, so generally, most shooters can find something beneficial with this scope.
- Traditional MIL-DOT reticle can be used to accurately range and holdover
- First Focal Plane reticle stays true at all magnifications
- Side-adjustable parallax and fast focus eye piece for crisp view of the target and reticle
Here are the top features:
- Dial for optimum brightness control
- Finger-adjustable turrets
- Crystal clear magnification
- Highly durable construction to withstand abuse
I can easily see competition shooters also getting a hit out of this scope, literally. With its excellent short to long-range abilities, any shooter will get full enjoyment out of this optic.
Now It’s Your Turn
I hope you enjoyed my review of Primary Arms 4-14×44.
Now I want to turn it over to you:
What do you think about the Primary Arms 4-14×44? Or perhaps you already bought it and would like to share your thoughts.
Either way, let me know by leaving a quick comment down below.
FAQ
ACSS stands for Advanced Combined Sighting System. The ACSS HUD DMR is a reticle that combines several features for CQB (Close Quarter Battle) and mid-range accuracy without compromising speed.
Primary Arms has two lines of rifle scope. Some of these scopes are made in the United States, while others are made in China.
Yes, Primary Arms offers a lifetime warranty that covers comprehensive mechanical and electronic failures.