With hunting season coming up fast, its a good bet that there are a couple people out there looking for a new optic to put on their gun. I was in the same boat a few weeks back, as I was on the hook to send the Leupold 300 BLK scope back to the factory, thus leaving my 300 BLK gun naked. Thankfully, I found a deal on Primary Arms’ website on a riflescope with some nice specs and a good price, and I think it paid off pretty well. Let me tell you about it . . .

Let me talk about what I was looking for in a hunting optic before I get further into this review. My use case is between 5 and 250 yards, engaging targets with a bullet whose trajectory doesn’t vary by more than 2 inches in that distance. For that, a variable power optic with a 1x or similar low power setting is ideal. Thankfully everyone and their brother makes a low power scope like that these days, but getting one with a reticle I liked was the challenge.

That’s what drew me to this scope first, not the deliciously low price. The reticle on this scope is clean, providing just enough marking and information to get you level and on target without cluttering up the scope. Like the old style German reticle, with the three bars and clear upper half. It lets you actually see what’s going on, which I really liked. And then, on top of the clean look, the actual aiming point is relatively small and doesn’t cover much of the target (unlike the $2,000 Swarovski, built for the same purpose but with a massive dot).

The scope isn’t a FFP or First Focal Plane scope, so the reticle stays the same size no matter how far you’re zoomed in, which throws off the calculations when you’re not zoomed all the way out (the circle is 10 MoA at 1x, 2 point something zoomed all the way in). But as long as you remember that and remember what your magnification is set to you’re good to go.

Oh, and the reticle is illuminated for low light shooting. Which is nice. There’s a little bleeding to the 10 o’ clock position, but not enough to throw off shots.

The controls on this scope are pretty solid for the price. The clicks aren’t as “sharp” as they would be on nicer scopes, but they hold their position even after some rough treatment and are accurate enough to get a good zero on your gun. The covers do feel a little cheap, and the magnification adjustment dial feels a little light, but it doesn’t rattle or show any other signs of defects.

In terms of optical clarity, we are nowhere near Swarovski territory. The 1x isn’t a “true” 1x setting (the magnification is small, but noticeable), and the image presented through the scope is a little fuzzy and cloudy. Its useable, and it works, but in low light settings it might be a bit of a hindrance in getting that perfect shot.

While I wanted a scope that was good for hunting, the reality is that this scope would be great for 3-gun competition shooting as well. For those looking for a scope that lets them engage close range as well as long range targets this scope is definitely a good investment.

Oh, did I mention the price? $200. Yeah, for $200 you get an awesome reticle, a “pretty good” build quality, and a pretty great feature set. Its exactly what you would want for a hunting optic for short to medium range game (like, under 250 – 300 yards), especially for those looking for something to fill the role while they save up for that nice piece of glass down the road.

That’s really this scope’s niche. It gets you the functionality you need at a price that won’t break the bank, and with a quality that will keep you in good stead while you look for and save for a nicer scope. Its an intermediate solution, nice enough to be viable for a permanent fixture (especially with that reticle) but one that the shooter might find themselves outgrowing at some point down the road.

And for me, for now, that’s exactly what I needed.

Millet 1-4 x 24 DMS Rifle Scope BK81002

Weight: 18 oz.
Length: 11.8″
Adjustments: 1/4 MoA
Tube: 30mm
Price: $200 (Primary Arms website)

Ratings (out of five stars):
All ratings are relative to similar products, final rating is not mathematically derived from the preceding ratings.

Optical Clarity * *
Eh. Its okay, but not great.

Feel & Function * * * *
Everything moves and feels pretty good, but the lack of sharp clicks on the adjustment knobs makes me a little wary of the internal mechanics.

Overall Quality * * * *
There are some things that make the scope feel as cheap as it costs. Like the texture on the adjustment knob, and the optical quality, and the reticle illumination bleeding a little bit. But overall the thing feels solid.

Overall Rating * * * *
For $200 I have no qualms whatsoever recommending this scope. Its not perfect, but its good enough for newer shooters or those looking to try out a variable power 1x+ scope. Competition shooting, hunting, general plinking and fooling around… this scope would be great for any of those uses. Not perfect, but great. And for the price, it really can’t be beat.

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19 COMMENTS

  1. These low-power variable designs used to be the exclusive domain of Leupold, Schmidt & Bender and he like, with cosmically high price tags. Now these features are filtering their way downmarket, where just about anyone can afford a decent entry-level model like this one.

    At this price you wouldn’t feel bad putting it on a .22 if you upgrade your AR scope to something fancier. And a long as the Millett proves durable, many shooters would never even see the need for anything fancier.

  2. I’ve been wondering about this scope. Thank you for the review. I might just buy one now for my 300blk

  3. My biggest problem with these is the freaking size and weight of the thing. It’s practically the size of my MK IV 3.5 x 10. i think I’ll stick with the Leupold shotgun scopes at around the same price point and half the size.

  4. Well its nice to finally see a review of a scope in a price range I can afford. But now I want to order one instead of scoff at the price and write it off. Dangit.

  5. Thank you Foghorn, When I saw the Bushnell Elite Tactical SMRS writeup yesterday I almost mentioned the Millet 1-4 x 24 DMS.

    I’m in very good company as my Millet 1-4 x 24 DMS should be delevered today from Primary Arms. Once installed and zeroed my 300 BLK rifle should be complete… well, at least for now… 🙂

  6. I don’t understand the thinking behind putting a $200 optic on a $1000(+) gun. Seems to me, that the optic ought to be in teh same price range as the Gun, at least to the extent that the gun costs a grand or less.

    • That’s just silly. Unless you are active duty military,benchresting or shooting at extreme ranges you don’t need such expensive glass. Any base model from any of the big makers will work perfectly fine at 300 yds and under which is plenty far enough for 99.9% of hunting and sporting use. I’ve taken plenty of game on 4 continents with Leupold VX-1’s and Nikon Pro-staffs and Buckmasters, none of which cost more than $200. And none of which I’ve managed to break.

      • You really don’t need a $1000 gun or optics if you are shooting at 300 yards or less. Get an old Winchester 94 in .30-30 and call it good. I’ve seen a lot of $200 scopes that won’t last one afternoon on a .300 Win Mag or a .338 Lapua.

        • Joe has been calling me a cheap bastard for years, and I’ve relished the title. When it comes to optics, however, I can’t say that he’s completely won me over, but I am getting a lot more discriminating.

        • No 300 WinMag, but I do have a .264 and it doesn’t seem to be any harder on scopes than my go-to .260s and 6.5x55s. Bullet weight may be a factor though. I agree on the .338L, no point in even shooting one at 300 yds and under so good glass is a must.

      • Those who think you need an optic in the same price range as the rifle itself have unknowingly fallen victim to decades of suggestive advertising in seemingly objective articles, “pro tips” in their favorite gun publication, and the endless number of posts on web forums where everyone’s shooting ability is amazingly always a step or two above the gear they own.
        About 15 years ago when i was 20, I got a good friend of mine into shooting and he’s been hooked ever since. So hooked in fact that he now runs one of the local pistol ranges, has far surpassed my firearm knowledge in a macro sense, and has an incredible assortment of mostly modern high end firearms including a Remington Model 700 PSS in .308 with a NightForce scope. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great shot. He kills me at the pistol range. In contrast, I’ve been shooting for over 30 years and would rather be out hunting than punching paper. Every now and then he gets cocky, which usually results in a wager followed by a nice dose of humility @ the local rifle range @ 600 yards. The funny thing is the rifle I use is a beat up old Browning A-Bolt Featherlight chambered in .270 win…. and a Leupold VX-1 that looks like it fell out of a moving vehicle at highway speed. (long story involving a pissed off bear, a river gorge, and an escape that could have gone better).
        One thing i’ve learned in over 30 years of shooting is that the vast majority shooters would be better served by spending less on fancy optics and more time shooting

    • all that really matters is if the scope holds zero clarity is important but at the end of the day can the scope take the recoil of what you are putting it on. Also is the recital marked right for the rounds you fire. The AR15 has little recoil so most low end optics will function fine.

  7. Nick, I thought you had a Trijicon TR24? If you could get an used TR24 for $550 would you still purchase the Millet DMS-1?

  8. Well, my Millet 1-4 x 24 DMS is a boomerang as they say, I’m returning it.

    Nick’s review is very accurate, the drawbacks of the scope like clarify and the x1 setting being more like x1.5 made me rethink this one. I found a great deal an open box Trijicon TR24 and stretched the credit card a little.

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