Primary Arms GLx 4.5-27×56 Review: Best Long-Range Optic under $1K?

The GLx 4.5-27×56 is part of the Primary Arms mid-tier optic line, but is it capable of hanging with higher-priced long-range optics?

Getting into long-range shooting is generally costly, and after investing in a rifle, many shooters struggle to find an optic that fits the rest of the budget.

This issue is compounded by the fact that many supposedly long-range scopes severely lack the quality or features necessary to help them get the most out of their rifles.

Enter the Primary Arms 4.5-27×56. This first focal plane scope is part of Primary Arm’s GLx mid-tier optic line. On paper, it checks many of the boxes you would want for a long-range optic.

So, is this the intersection of quality and price that shooters have been clamoring for, or is it another example of something too good to be true?

Why You Should Trust Us

Throughout my career in the firearms industry, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with several companies in testing products.

This includes testing several of Primary Arms’ scopes at my previous job and even going above and beyond what would be typically used for (.50 caliber Barrett).

I also enjoy long-range shooting, so I have an idea of what I need to make successful hits at 600-1,000 yards. I have the equipment, the space to test it, and the experience to know when something won’t hold up.

Primary Arms GLx 4.5-27×56 Specs & Features

Specs

• Magnification: 4.5-27
• Tube Diameter: 34mm
• Focal Plane: First Focal Plane
• Click Value: 0.1 MIL
• Length: 14.45″
• Weight: 33.2 oz.
• Eye Relief: 3.5″
• Reticle: ACSS Athena BPR MIL
• Adjustment Range: Elevation – 120 MOA, Windage – 84 MOA
• Illumination: Red – 10 Brightness Settings

Features

• ACSS Athena BPR MIL Reticle
• Steel-on-steel turrets
• AutoLive illuminated reticle
• Integrated return-to-zero
• Collapsible throw lever

Primary Arms GLx 4.5-27×56 Background

Primary Arms built its name on affordable, budget-minded optics. To that end, their initial offerings became the SLx line — or the Silver line.

As demand for better quality scopes increased, Primary Arms listened, creating their mid-tier GLx (Gold Line) and PLx (Platinum Line). Each line of scopes offers better quality and more features and tends to be jam-packed enough to easily justify the price.

Who Is It For?

This is a great optic for someone looking to dip their toes into long-range shooting while staying under $1,000.

It is packed with features and performs well above its price range. This makes it a great value buy without being a “cheap” buy.

Settings & Features

Since the GLx 4.5-27×56 is packed with features, I felt it was important to go over them.

The body construction is pretty straightforward. It features a 34mm main tube made of 6061-T6 aluminum and a large 56mm objective lens.

The magnification ring includes a dovetail magnification lever, which conveniently folds down out of the way when not being used.

The turret clicks are crisp, allowing for both auditory and physical indication that a change was made. Steel-on-steel construction adds some durability, and they claim their turrets will never lose their distinct feel.

Primary’s Arms approach to the “return to zero” feature is forward-thinking and simple. With a simple button push, the zero can be locked in place to prevent accidental dialing during movement.

The windage turret will stop and lock in place at each full rotation of the knob, while the elevation knob will spin freely once unlocked. To return to zero, simply spin the knobs down, and they’ll stop at your designated zero each time.

From there, you can depress the button and get a quick adjustment of 4-5 clicks below zero if needed. Additionally, there are direction indicators to aid in rapid adjustment.

The illuminated reticle is fueled by one CR2032 battery and features ten brightness settings.

It is worth noting that some “distortion or bleed” can be seen on the reticle in low-light conditions if the brightness is turned up too high.

Athena Reticle

The Athena reticle itself is one of the main draws of this scope.

The grid layout has 50 MIL of drop built into it, making holdovers an easy task. It also allows spotting misses and quickly adjusting for a recovery shot.

Well-defined .1 Mil stadia marks are used for ranging at fine detail. As you go further out, the distance between ticks increases to .5 Mil. This expands the ability to quickly account for targets and shots on the edges of your vision.

The reticle also features a ranging ladder calibrated for a target that is approximately 5’10”. This allows you to approximate the distance a target of that height and make fast decisions on shot adjustments.

Horizontal ranging is done similarly, and it is calibrated for an 18” wide target. Using the numbers on the crosshairs itself, you line up the outer edge of the target with the closest number to determine distance.

Primary Arms GLx 4.5-27×56 Performance

Using the ACSS reticle took a bit of getting used to. The chevron, while not as tightly packed as it seems on the 1-8, is still a different aiming solution than a simple dot.

After a few shots and adjusting so that I was using the tip of the chevron just below where I wanted the impact to be, I found it fairly intuitive and that it allowed for precise shot placement.

After zeroing at 100 yards, I wanted to test the ranging and aiming features of the scope. I hit the steel silhouette range, where targets here vary in size and at distances from 100 to 990 yards

Out to about 400 yards, I found the grid layout to be more precise than I could have hoped for. The ranging tables allowed for accurate distance measuring compared to the real known distance, shot placement was precise when using holdovers based on distances, etc.

Moving out from 400 up to 990, I encountered a bit more difficulty, but it was not the scope’s fault. Due to the layout of the range I was on, wind conditions can shift drastically from one section to another.

This played havoc on my shot placement, as I might have two to three different wind calls affecting the shot. There were no more first-round hits at these distances, but it did allow me to use the grid layout to track my impacts.

When I would miss, the reticles easily allowed me to spot my impact and adjust for follow-up shots.

All in all, the Athena reticle is easy to use and packed with features that not only make things easier but also make sense. Once you adjust to the chevron being your aiming point, the scope does most of the heavy lifting for you.

By the Numbers

Clarity: 4/5

Aside from the outer edges of the scope, things are crystal clear. The edges do see a bit of distortion due to the etching process of the reticle, but overall, the glass is above average.

Magnification: 4.5/5

Adjusting the magnification is a bit stiffer than I would like, though the collapsible throw lever helps with that. Aside from that, the magnification range allows for impressive adjustments and appears to be true for the size listed.

Eye Box: 4/5

The eye box is generally pretty forgiving, though at higher magnification, it is easy to lose it if you are not holding very still.

Value: 5/5

With an MSRP of $899.99, you will be hard-pressed to find another scope in that price range that has as many good qualities as this one. The reticle alone makes the scope a no-brainer for less expensive options to use for jumping into long-range shooting.

Overall: 4.5/5

Final Thoughts

The Primary Arms GLx 4.5-27 is a scope that offers value well above the reflected price tag.

Though the scope does have a few minor areas that leave room for future improvements, the upsides far outweigh any drawbacks.

For those looking to dip a toe into shooting long-range without immediately shelling out thousands of dollars, this scope offers a good entry point and will hold its own against some of the slightly more expensive options on the market.

What are your thoughts on the Primary Arms GLx 4.5-27×56? Let us know in the comments below! Still undecided on glass? Check out our article, the Best Long Range Rifle Scopes in 2023.