Athlon Optics recently sent me a Midas TSR-1 micro reflex red dot to test. It comes standard with a Picatinny mount, which got me wondering could I use this for Olympic-style shooting?
Olympic-Style shooting became a hot topic during this summer when Turkish precision shooter Yusuf Dikeç won Silver at the Paris Olympics. Usually the Gold medal winner receives all the attention but Dikeç became an internet sensation despite his 2nd place finish. The internet was captivated by his dad-bod and his “no-fucks-given” nonchalant shooting performance. Suddenly the big guntubers were asking how hard is it to shoot Olympic-Style?
Olympic-style style matches are based on International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) rules and are the traditional stance and style for target pistol sports. This style of shooting is alive and well in the USA at NRA Precision Pistol matches. NRA Precision Pistol includes categories for full sized pistol cartridges (9mm and .45cal) along with 22LR Olympic Style pistols.
Unlike Olympic/ISSF, NRA Precision Pistol allows the use of red dots. I enlisted the aid of my fellow club members, who compete in NRA Precision. My buddy brought out his Pardini 22LR (along with Hammerli and Walther) dominate the Olympics and ISSF. If you haven’t seen these 22LR pistol at your range it’s probably because they start at about $2900, so not your typical backyard plinker!
The Athlon TSR-1 is a compact 3MOA micro-reflex designed for Doctor/Noblex cut pistol slides (like the Vortex Viper). It is feather light at 2.8 oz with a thin profile ideal for concealed carry pistols. It has motion-activation, auto-off, and is rated for a 50,000hr runtime on a CR2032 battery. It comes with a Glock MOS adapter plate and Picatinny mount.
Tge Pardini has a rail cut on its receiver for optics. This rail is wide enough for a Picatinny but is shallower. The Athlon Picatinny mount just didn’t have a sharp enough cut on its clamp to sit precisely in the Pardini’s small grove. It was shootable but was not ideal.
For 22LR target pistols with a Picatinny rails like competition Ruger MkIV or My Advantage Arms Target 1911 slide, the Athlon TSR-1 sits securely and perfectly. So we discovered that whilst the TSR-1 will never grace a modern Olympic pistol, it’ll help you drive tacks into your target shooting Olympic-style American target guns.
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SPECS
Obj. Lens: 24×17 mm
Parallax: ∞
Dot Size: 3 MOA
Dot Color: Red 1-10
Center Height: 0.96”
Click Value: 1 MOA
Battery: CR2032
Weight: 2.8 oz
Length: 1.88″
