OK, I guess I'll chime in with my 2 cents. This is PA_Mike's opinion only as a shooter and a user of these products, you're getting one guy's opinion here not an official company policy.
Prism advantages vs low powered variable:
- Smaller, lighter
- Less expensive because the mount is included, and our mount is a good one, not QD but it does hold zero.
- Simple to learn, simple to run. Once you are zeroed there aren't any adjustments to make, no counting clicks, no checking what power you are on, just bring the sight up and start breaking off shots.
Low powered variable advantages vs prism:
- Easier to shoot at longer range. If the BDC in both optics goes to 800 yards, personally my eyes aren't good enough to hit consistently at 800 yards with a 3x or even 5x scope. With a 1-6x or 1-8x dialed all the way up, the extra magnification helps.
- 1x power is nice for inside 25 yards. I can still be pretty quick inside 25 yards with our 3x prism but it isn't as fast or as comfortable as a 1x.
Essentially, the prism is cheaper and more simple to operate. If I'm using the scope as a tactical/combat style scope or hunting scope, and I have to walk around with this thing on the top of my gun for hours or days at a time, and targets might suddenly and unexpectedly appear at any distance from 5ft to 250 yards, then the prism makes all kinds of sense to me. It's simple, robust, and doesn't weight me down. I also saved a bunch of money by not having to buy a separate mount.
If I'm in a competition scenario where the difference between being a hero and a zero is measured in fractions of a second, and I don't really mind extra weight and bulk much because I'm only carrying the rifle for a few minutes at a time with long resting/waiting periods in between, then I want something that is more flexible and is optimal for all those challenging competition scenarios. Since I'm competing I have extra money for a good mount or I wouldn't be playing this game in the first place. And I can plan out in advance, ok I have three paper targets at 10ft distance, then I'm going to switch from 1x to 6x because there are steel targets to ring at 200 yards, etc. There's zero chance of being surprised by a fleeting target and having the magnification set all wrong, for each target I know in advance what I need to set to scope to, so I always have an optimized ideal magnification. That's why low powered variables are everywhere in competition and nobody runs a prism sight in 3-gun matches.