Looking at something like the PA 2x, 3x, and 5x, Vortex, Burris, or similar.

I’d like to have something with a forgiving eye box, ie, easy to get behind it. I also assume 5x is going to hinder speed at close range so I should be looking more to 2x or 3x, unless anyone disagrees with that assessment.

Which of these prisms in this price bracket have the best eye box?

Also take a look at Athlon prisms.

The prism market is switching to lighter and smaller versions currently. Sadly, the Chinese are the leading innovators for prism rifle optics now.

With the move to smaller optics eye boxes are going to shrink with them. The new Vortex and upcoming PA’s will have smaller eye boxes than their predecessors, yet still better than an ACOG if that’s what you’re accustomed to.

Of the current offerings I would grab the PA 2X as it is daylight bright. That said, a 5X prism feels faster up close than a traditional 5X optic, likely because the smaller field of view makes BAC easier.

My PA 5X I just flipped the front cap closed and used it as an OEG inside 25 yards and it worked great. I preferred it over my 3X mostly because of the over powered reticle in the 3X version.

The upcoming PA 3X compact will be my first Chinese optic purchase in a long time, and I’m looking forward to it.

Well, the old 3x32's (vortex spitfire, burris ar332) will have a 10.67mm eyebox (at best) and about 2.6" of eye relief with about 32ft for FOV

The PA GLX 2x has 12mm exit pupil and 3.5" eye relief with a 42ft FOV.

The GLx-2x is the bee's knees.

The only thing that holds me off the 2x is the 2x part. I’d like to have range out to 300 yards. I think 3x is probably the minimum for that.

I don’t understand enough of the technicals to understand what you’re saying.

Exit pupil is the diameter of the 'tube' of available light for your eye(s) to see and eye relief is how far away your eye can be from the ocular lense and still have full view of the exit pupil.

As per your original post, the 2x will have the most forgiving eyebox (combination of exit pupil and eye relief), followed by the older gen 3x prisms. The older 5x prisms will be even less forgiving with about 7.2mm of exit pupil (36÷5) and about the same eye relief as the old 3x prisms of 2.6" or so. The newest gen micro prisms will also be pretty unforgiving with only 25mm(?) objectives, you'd be looking at about 8.3mm for exit pupil for 3x magnification.

You're going to have to find the balance you're looking for between eyebox and magnification for the range(s) you intend to shoot as well as the type of shooting you intend to engage in. For example, if you plane to shoot from thr bench and shoot targets more often than not, higher magnificafion, less forgiving eyebox and narrower FOV aren't really that detrimental.

Educate yourself before you spend money, not after.

Just intended to be friendly advice.

My Gen2 PA 3X is about perfect on my 14.5 SOCOM. Someday I’ll upgrade the mount, but for now I made do with using Loc-Tite blue on all of the screws.

The Sig bravo 5 has a big eyebox. I like the reticle and the shake awake is nice. Brightness is good enough for me. Better than a rt-6, but maybe not daylight bright. At the current price range it would be hard to complain. The glass is pretty decent as well. I have only shot out to 300 with it so far, but no issues there.

If only it didn't weight a pound and a half I would probably have one.  It pretty much checks every box but that one.

I have an Burris AR536 and really like it. Eye box and relief are pretty good. The only downside to it IMO is the weight, which is almost identical to PA's 5X. Awesome glass and I like the CQB reticle. Shooting up close(<50 yards) is no problem, usually I'll throw on the front lens cap and it's extremely easy to get good shots up close quickly. However, I have a FF3 up top zero'd at 50 yds. Their no questions asked forever warranty is what sealed the deal for me.

That would be the purpose of this thread

My use is general use and hog hunting. Less forgiving eye box is off the table. I need to get behind the optic quick.

I have a 1x Vortex prism on a Gibbz side-charger carbine (16") and a 2.5 PA on a pistol (8.5"). Had a 3x / 300blk (9") but recently sold the gun, optic, ammo. I really like the magnified prisms. In retrospect, I wish I had gotten the Vortex in 3x after having later experienced my 2 PAs with light magnification. No biggie.

Very short learning curve to quickly engage close-in targets. But like most anything, it's best to maintain your proficiency even if only sitting around and simulating engagements.

I'm ok with the Vortex Spitfire dual-ring / dot reticle. What I have no use for is the ACSS stuff and for that matter, most any "clutter" within an optic. That stuff is mostly specific to barrel length and ammunition. It's fine if an optic is made to spec for military-issue hardware and ammo but otherwise pretty useless. Fortunately, I can just blot it out though I prefer a very clean reticle-only optic. I greatly appreciate the illumination / etched glass combo.

I like the concept of the Bushnell Lil' Pup but feel it would likely need to be mounted far back due to its compact size. I like speed and feel that small of an optic mounted more forward would slow target acquisition a bit.

The two from SwampFox might be gtg as well. Reticle is ACOGish.https://www.swampfoxoptics.com/shop-all