To a lot of enthusiasts, especially new ones, the word ‘affordable’ is often mistaken for the word ‘cheap’. But the idea that an optic is automatically a downgrade just because it costs less than the most premium options couldn’t be farther from the truth.
There are several affordable optics that punch up way above their weight class. And there isn’t a better example of this than with Primary Arms Optics’ new CLx® line.
The All-New CLx Line of Optics
Primary Arms Optics is known for pushing boundaries with their many award-winning optic systems. With so many in their lineup, they divvy them up into different tiers, separating them by their price point and overall feature set. Those tiers include the ever-popular SLx®, GLx®, and PLx® optic lines, all of which house a plethora of unique optic systems. New to the scene, however, is their CLx line. If you’re viewing them in ascending order, they fall right behind the SLx tier, making CLx optics the most affordable in the PAO lineup.
Before you get any ideas about their quality, it’s important to reiterate that price does not always reflect quality. Just because CLx optics are affordable, doesn’t mean they aren’t high-quality. Like every other PAO optic, CLx optics are meticulously engineered to offer solid performance. They’re durable, have great quality glass, and are backed by PAO’s lifetime guarantee too.
This new optic tier brings four new optics to choose from: The CLx 1x Prism Scope, CLx 3x Prism Scope, CLx RD-23 Push Button Red Dot Sight, and the CLx Enclosed Reflex Sight. So, whether you’re kitting out your rifle or EDC pistol, the CLx line has something for you. Light and strong, each of these optics are built around a durable 6061-T6 aluminum optic body that’s both water and shock proof. They offer good clarity, and they’re nitrogen purged to keep them from fogging. But this is just scratching the surface of what they have to offer.
CLx 1x Prism Scope
Prism scopes are PAO’s bread and butter, so they’ve got a pretty good grasp on what it takes to make one perform well. The CLx 1x Prism Scope is no different, and it’s easily one of the most utilitarian prism scopes available for the price.
If you haven’t already read our earlier articles on the advantages of 1x prism scopes, there’s a lot that these optics bring to the table. At their core, they blend the best elements of reflex sights and traditional rifle scopes. Like a red dot, they’re compact, lightweight, have a forgiving eye box, and offer a wide field of view (FOV), making them exceptionally agile. Their construction is more akin to a rifle scope—they have adjustable diopter ring and etched reticles (arguably their most enticing feature). By combining these elements, you’re left with a very utilitarian optic.
Aside from its low cost, the CLx 1x Prism has a lot going for it. Much like the ever-popular PAO SLx 1x MicroPrismT, the CLx 1x Prism is equipped with multiple premium features. It’s a lightweight optic, weighing only 6.63 ounces, and with its 18mm objective lens, it offers a wide FOV. On top of this, its 1x magnification gives it exceptionally long eye relief. As such, it offers red dot-like performance.
Powered by a single CR-2032 battery, it can run for 2,000 hours on medium brightness, though you can easily extend this by powering down the optic after use. It has 12 brightness settings to cycle through, and two are night vision compatible. At its brightest, this reticle offers Daylight Bright® performance, allowing you to see it even on a bright afternoon. But, since this is an optic with an etched reticle, the reticle will always be visible, regardless of illumination.
The CLx 1x Prism’s reticle offers a lot of adaptability as well. This optic houses a highly effective circle dot reticle. It has a 3-MOA center dot for fine precise aiming, and a 45-MOA outer circle for quick target acquisition. Adding to its overall performance, it makes this optic suitable across both casual and dynamic scenarios. Plus, its etched reticle is far less prone to astigmatic distortion too. So, if you have astigmatism but want to run a reflex sight, the CLx 1x Prism is a great alternative.
CLX 3x Prism Scope
For those looking for some extra ranged performance, the CLx 3x Prism Scope is where it’s at. Offering three times the power of the scope mentioned above, it packs a lot of power in a compact package. While both optics share a lot of features in common, most of which revolve around their construction, the 3x Prism goes the distance.
As denoted by its name, this optic features a fixed 3x magnification level. This allows you to not only get a better view of targets at further distances, but it also allows for greater precision at distance too. Its 3x magnification makes it a prime choice for general purpose rifles. Being a step up from the 1x model, it has a 30mm objective lens and a slightly longer optic body to accommodate its greater magnification. However, it’s still only marginally heavier than the 1x Prism, coming in at just 7.32 ounces. Plus, it still makes use of the high-quality, multi-coated glass and daylight bright reticle to maximize performance.
Another unique feature that sets the CLx 3x Prism apart from others is its reticle. The 3x Prism makes use of the highly adaptable Cross Dot 5.56 Reticle. It has MIL-based hash marks, making drop calculations and hold overs quick and easy. And for more precise shots, it has a fine, 1-MOA center dot.
While the 3x magnification does make this optic well-suited for engaging targets at distance, it’s usable up close too. 3x magnification is a versatile zoom setting. It falls within the visual sweet spot that allows you to aim easily with both eyes open, which is especially useful in more dynamic applications. While it isn’t going to perform like a red dot or 1x prism by any means, it’s still quite agile.
CLx RD-23 Push Button Red Dot Sight
There’s always something to be said about red dot sights. Being some of the most popular optics on the market, the industry is saturated with high-quality options. And while there are a plethora of budget-friendly microdots on the market, the CLx RD-23 Push Button Red Dot Sight isn’t one to overlook.
Compact and lightweight, the CLx RD-23 is easily one of the best budget-conscious microdots available today. Just like all the other optics mentioned thus far, it’s constructed around a durable 6061-T6 aluminum optic body that’s waterproof, shockproof, and nitrogen purged too. Meanwhile, its 23mm objective lens provides a wide FOV.
In general, red dot sights made for the budget-conscious enthusiast don’t really have all that much in terms of features. But the CLx RD-23 isn’t like most budget red dot sights. Utilizing an H1/T1 mounting footprint—one of the industry’s most common red dot footprints—it’s compatible with a slew of different mounts. Mounts like those from Unity Tactical, Scalarworks, and ADM can all be used on this optic. Additionally, this microdot has an impressive battery life. Powered by a CR2032 battery, it can last up to 25,000 hours. Plus, its built-in solar backup greatly extends its battery life in the field.
Something else to note is how utilitarian this optic is. Despite being on the entry-level side of the market, it has 12 brightness settings, two of which are night-vision compatible. And although most enthusiasts probably aren’t going to be buying this optic for dedicated night vision use, it’s fully multi-coated lenses and NV settings are certainly nice to have if you do have the chance to use it under NODs. And with its push button controls, you can easily dial in the brightness of its 3-MOA dot reticle for whatever your scenario calls for.
CLx RS-E Enclosed Reflex Sight
It wouldn’t be fair if rifles got all the love. So, rounding out the CLx line is the PAO’s newest pistol optic, the CLx RS-E Enclosed Reflex Sight. The RS-E is a solid little optic. Designed for slimline handguns, like the GLOCK 43x/48 and SIG Sauer P365, it mounts using an RMSc footprint. Being one of the more common slimline optic footprints, you might not even need an adapter in most instances. And outside of this, the RS-E has a lot to offer.
Unlike many other slimline optics, the CLx RS-E features a completely enclosed design. And, when you consider that it also uses the same 6061-T6 construction as the other CLx optics, it is impressively resilient. If you haven’t already given it a read, our guide, “Reflex vs. Red Dot Sights” does a good job outlining the advantages of closed-emitter pistol red dots. To get you up to speed, one of their hallmark claims to fame is their overall resilience. A lot of popular pistol optics have an open-emitter design. While awesome, they leave the emitter diode exposed. As such, there’s always a risk that the emitter can become occluded with dirt, dust, or any other debris.
This is not a problem with enclosed emitter optics like the RS-E. As their name would lead you to believe, the emitter diode is fully encapsulated by the optic body and lenses. Even though this does come at the cost of a marginally narrower FOV, the CLx RS-E make up for this with its wide lenses. It has an impressive 21x17mm optic window, giving you a full view of your target and its surroundings. Also, with its 3-MOA dot reticle, you’ll be able to reliably, and accurately, land hits on targets too. As far as power goes, the RS-E has an impressive battery life. It can last up to 21,000 hours of runtime when on its medium brightness setting, but this can be easily extended with proper brightness control.
To take its capabilities a step further, PAO has outfitted with their AutoLive® motion-sensing illumination technology. After sitting stationary for a few minutes, the optic will automatically power down to conserve battery power. As soon as it senses movement, like when you pick it up or unholster it, it will turn itself back on. This gives the RS-E a very long battery life. Also, the battery on the RS-E is side-loading. So, when you eventually do have to change it out, you can do so without dismounting, so you won’t need to re-zero it. And, if your battery ever does die in the field, the RS-E has a rear-sight built into its optic body. So, if you mount it directly to your pistol’s slide, or run taller iron sights to account for an adapter plate’s height, you’ll be able to cowitness with no issues.
How the CLx Line Fits Together
The CLx optic lineup from PAO is a comprehensive one. Covering both rifles and handguns, it effectively takes the “budget optic” niche and shows that ‘affordable’ doesn’t automatically equate to ‘cheap’. Still, they aren’t all built the same.
For those wanting to maximize their rifle’s dynamic performance, it’s hard to pass on either the CLx 1x Prism or the CLx RD-23. Being 1x optics, they’re superbly agile, have long battery lives, and are compatible with a wide range of different optic mounts. In terms of battery life, the RD-23 does have an edge since it has a solar backup. But the 1x Prism doesn’t need to be illuminated to see the reticle. Either way, both are fantastic optics that fit well on everything from PCCs to carbines. Between the two though, the key factor to consider is astigmatism. If you have it, the CLx 1x Prism is the better choice since its etched reticle is less prone to distortion. If not, the RD-23 is the move.
As far as ranged performance goes, the CLx 3x Prism is where it’s at. Its fixed 3x magnification gets you a much better view on targets at further distances, while its unique Cross Dot reticle is good for targets out to intermediate ranges. Even at 3x magnification, it’s still perfectly usable at close-range—just bear in mind that it won’t be quite on par with a dedicated 1x optic like the 1x Prism or RD-23.
Lastly, the RS-E is great for concealed carry. Since it has an RMSc mounting footprint, it’s compatible with most of the industry’s popular micro- and sub-compact pistols out of the box. Plus, it has a wide optic window and impressive battery life.
