Atibal Optics has been around for more than a decade. They’ve always been near the front of the pack in the extremely crowded optics market regarding new features and forms. Standing out isn’t easy when you’re surrounded by Primary Arms, Bushnell, Burris and gobs of other competitors (and imitators). It’s been a while since I’ve swung back by Atibal’s product line, so I grabbed a P1 Solar optic to see what’s new.
The P1 Solar is currently a pre-order, but should be available shortly after this article goes live. Before we get into hands-on time, here’s the P1 Solar’s specs courtesy of Atibal.
Tech Specs
- Solar and Battery Powered Illumination
- Motion Activation
- 30,000-50,000 Hour Battery Life
- Multi-coated Lens
- Reticle- 3 MOA Dot, 65 MOA Ring
- Adjustments- 1 MOA Clicks, 90 MOA Windage and Elevation
- Laser Etched Reticle
- 10 Brightness Settings
- Protection: IP67 Waterproof, Shock Proof, Fog Proof
- Length- 3.6″
- Weight- 9 Ounces
- Lifetime Warranty
Pulling the P1 Solar out of the cool little toughbox it came in, my first thought was “simple.” This is in regards to the P1’s smooth profile, solar illumination augmentation, the already installed mount, laser-etched reticle for non-illuminated (pro-astigmatism) performance and even the windage/elevation adjustments. The P1 was ready to go on a gun immediately. Simple.
Yep, I can immediately see the P1 has solved an issue I ran into recently with the Lucid E7, with the P1 having windage/elevation adjustment slots that easily fit the rim on brass casings from .223, 9mm and .45 ACP at the very least. Zeroing should be easy, and with the P7 it was.
With absolutely nothing else needing to be done after I unwrapped the P1, that’s what I did. Tossed the P1 on a Kriss Vector and got it zeroed. The included mount height put my iron sights in the very bottom of the optic, but if I needed more options, this optic is Aimpoint T1/T2 compatible so there’s a large aftermarket.
Looking “through the tube” gives me a couple impressions. The P1 is actually daylight bright compared with other optics I’ve checked lately washing out badly on summer days when looking at white cardboard targets. The fact that the P1 uses a lase-etched reticle instead of a projected beam really helps give the reticle clearly defined edges and limits the blooming effect many dots suffer from. If you don’t want illumination, you’re still left with a sharp black reticle.
The glass is nice. These days good glass isn’t hard to come by, so crappy glass really stands out. The P1 isn’t lacking here.
Speaking of the illumination, let’s talk solar power. The P1’s solar illumination doesn’t mean only solar power, it means also solar power. A tiny solar panel on the top of the optic’s body gives juice to your P1 as the battery’s power deteriorates. Once the battery is dead, the solar panel will still provide some level of illumination based on ambient light levels.
The P1 is an excellent fit on the Vector (or any other subgun pattern firearm, I’m sure). Reflexive fire is the “reason for being” when it comes to SMG types (even semi-auto) and shotguns, and the 65-MOA dot certainly centers up the 1-MOA dot in a hurry.
That 1-MOA dot allows for plenty of precision as well. I figured as much after taking Atibal’s P1 and putting it on one of my test AR’s and getting a couple groups at 100 yards in the rain for another article. 1 MOA is my favorite size dot. Big enough to see quickly, small enough to line up inside of many small targets. Popping clay pigeons is as easy as ever with the P1.
As much as I liked the P1 Solar on the Kriss Vector, I like it a lot more on an AR15 pattern rifle. This is a fairly lightweight prismatic optic, and the 9 ounces keeps a full size rifle from getting too porky as you add accessories.
I was a slow adopter of “shake-awake” technology, likely since I’m old enough to remember when the battery life of red-dot optics wasn’t measured in years. The Atibal P1 Solar is another example of how far this technology has come. Even if the optic were left turned on to a medium bright setting, you’re still looking at a couple years minimum battery life. The P1 will automatically turn off, then fire back up as soon as movement is detected. Given that the battery is even further augmented with solar power, this makes an optic like the P1 a no-brainer for reliability.
Speaking of durability, so far the P1 has lived up to the casual abuse I’ve directed at it. My time spent in 2nd Ranger Battalion has given me a distrust of new equipment until it has shown it isn’t garbage in disguise. This is my approach with every new item I get to review. The P1 has been tossed around, shot in heavy rain and left submerged in a creek while I had lunch. I’ve also been shooting it heavily, which is the pinnacle of abuse for most casual shooters. The P1 is going to survive the weekend range warrior and much more. I’m absolutely in love with the Atibal P1 Solar. As always, if issues arise down the road, expect an update.
The P1 comes out of the box ready to go, with features above its pay grade. So far the P1 Solar has performed up to the standard you should expect every reflex sight to meet. It turns on, stays on, doesn’t drift, doesn’t fog, and doesn’t break. On that fateful day the battery finally does go dead, you still have a 1x etched reticle. The Atibal P1 Solar is the definition of redundant reliability for a modern optic.
Atibal’s P1 Solar is currently on pre-order (6/3/24) with a discount at $225, but is expected to go live soon with an MSRP of $299. Check it out!
@Rexnanorum
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