Pro shooter James Reeves adds a ZT prism sight to his kit
The subject of this article, the ZeroTech Thrive HD 1-4×24 Prism Sight, has earned a permanent spot in my working rifle lineup and that’s not something I say lightly. But, seeing as this is my first contribution to this publication, a bit of background context is probably in order.
Growing up on a small farm bordering the Mid-Murray and Adelaide Hills, I’d plenty of exposure to hunting rabbits and foxes through the 1980s and it quickly became my favourite pastime ahead of footy and cricket. While most kids my age were sleeping in or watching Saturday morning Disney, I’d be up before sunrise and in position over an active warren, waiting for first light armed with my grandfather’s trusty old Lithgow Model 1B single-shot .22LR.
I was forever pestering dad and the neighbouring farmers to go spotlighting, as it was a good fun community bonding exercise. I never cared much for novels back then, though absolutely loved ‘nerding out’ on this very publication. I’d seek out whatever other firearms and hunting books I could lay my hands on, to broaden my knowledge of cartridges, collecting, hunting and all manner of things related.
I started my working life floundering around like many teenagers in the late ’80s and early ’90s. I knew I could make decent pocket money hunting rabbits for dog food and selling fox pelts, so gave rabbit harvesting a red-hot go out on the Nullarbor with a few mates, just before calicivirus changed the landscape.
One thing led to another and I answered the call of duty, swore an oath, signed a blank cheque and trained as a Royal Australian Army Engineer – Combat Engineer. I was lucky enough to join the elite Para Troop (2TP 1CER) on my first posting, then was later selected to join the NSW Army Shooting Team to compete against the best military shooters in the country. It’s fair to say I’ve come full circle as, for the past decade, I’ve returned to professional hunting and still compete at a national level when time permits.
I’m now a professional contract pest controller, operating year-round under various government and commercial contracts, primarily feral invasive species eradication across the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula, Barossa and Clare Valleys. I need equipment which performs repeatedly regardless of season, weather or terrain and without complaint. There’s no room for gimmicks or fragile glass when every shot’s the money shot. So when ZeroTech approached me to put this optic through its paces, I was happy to oblige but wasn’t about to go easy on it.
First impressions
Out of the box the Thrive HD feels like a serious piece of kit, not too flashy and that’s a good thing. The anodising is clean, the markings crisp and controls move with a confidence which doesn’t always show up at this price point. It’s the kind of first impression which suggests the manufacturer has actually thought about the end user, rather than just ticking a spec sheet. Whether it would hold up in the field was the next question.
Build and specs
The Thrive HD runs a 30mm main tube, striking the right balance between structural rigidity and light transmission without adding unnecessary bulk. This matters more than some might think. When you’re in your fifties covering steep, heavily wooded country on foot all day, navigating loose rock, pushing through dense undergrowth, climbing and descending with a rifle and day pack, every gram comes at a cost.
The 1-4x magnification range is a genuine sweet spot for hunting medium to larger game, namely deer. At true 1x it functions like a red dot with both eyes open, fast target acquisition, no hesitation. Dial up to 4x and you have enough glass to make a precise shot at mid-range when the situation allows. That versatility in a single optic is genuinely useful when you can’t predict whether your next shot will be at 30m or 180m.
Glass quality
For the price the optical performance is better than it has any right to be. ZeroTech markets their HD system as delivering enhanced clarity, contrast and colour fidelity and in daylight conditions that claim holds up. The image is bright and sharp edge-to-edge with minimal distortion, which matters when you’re scanning dappled light and dense foliage, trying to pick up the slight turn of an ear or swish of a tail. Chromatic aberration is well controlled, not something you’d expect to be praising at this price but here we are.
Full disclosure: This is a daylight-only scope for me. Most of my contract work is now focused on night-time thermal operations with some crossover into daylight hours. At dawn or dusk it performs adequately, yet that’s not where it excels and not how I use it. If you’re doing a lot of low-light work you’ll want something with more glass or a thermal sensor, for everything else this holds its own.
Reticle and illumination
Clean, simple and functional, just what you need in a working optic. The illuminated reticle is uncluttered and daylight-bright, letting you be on target without your eye hunting around for a reference point. No forest of hash marks or complicated Christmas tree holdover points, just a clear aiming point which does its job and gets out the way.
In my line of work, simplicity equals speed and speed equals results and reputation. I’ve used scopes with busy reticles which look impressive on a competition range, yet are genuinely frustrating in the field. When an animal’s about to step back into cover, the last thing you want is visual noise and the Thrive HD gets this right.
Mechanical reliability
The turrets are capped, which suits this application perfectly. I’m not dialling for elevation mid-stalk as everything is point and shoot. A fast-moving .223 or heavy-hitting .308 really doesn’t care much about windage or elevation on deer-sized targets between 30 and 200m. The adjustments are precise and track reliably when zeroing and, once set, they stay put.
The magnification ring has a firm, tactile feel you can work confidently with gloves on. It moves positively from stop to stop with no slop or looseness, a small detail which makes a real difference in cold or wet conditions.
Durability
I’ve been running this scope for a few months but context matters, and what I cover in three months probably exceeds what a recreational hunter will in three years. It’s been knocked against moss rocks, leaned on fenceposts and exposed to dust, mud, rain and the general punishment of full-time field use. It held zero throughout. Nitrogen purged, waterproof and fog-proof are baseline requirements for any serious optic and not always guaranteed at this price. ZeroTech has clearly engineered this as a field tool and not a range toy.
Platform compatibility
On AR-style platforms (both my AR15 and AR10 setups), the Thrive HD fits beautifully. Adjustable stocks and generous rail space let you position the optic precisely where it needs to be. These are the platforms I run most often for deer work, so for my purposes compatibility is largely a non-issue.
However on my Valmet .308, essentially an AK-derived platform with limited mounting options, I simply couldn’t get the scope far enough back to achieve comfortable eye relief. That’s partly a function of the rifle’s layout rather than a fault of the scope, though it’s worth knowing if you plan to run this glass on anything with limited rail real estate.
One drawback: Eye relief
No piece of gear is perfect. The eye relief isn’t terrible and will suit most shooters just fine. But at six-foot-one with a longish wingspan, I find myself needing a touch more, particularly when mounting quickly under pressure. In some scenarios I’ve to consciously shift my head position closer to gain a clean sight picture. But that’s a minor gripe in an otherwise well-balanced optic and most shooters won’t encounter it, just be aware if you’re at the taller end of the scale.
Value
Running a professional pest control operation isn’t cheap. Rifles, ammunition, drones, thermal gear, vehicles, fuel and compliance costs all add up fast, so you need gear which delivers genuine return on investment. The Thrive HD falls squarely into that category as an economical option which punches well above its price point. Not every rifle in the lineup requires a four-figure scope, some just need one which works every time without fuss and that’s exactly what this is.
Bottom line
My expectations going in were not high. At this price you’re usually making compromises somewhere, be they glass, mechanics, durability or all three. The Thrive HD has consistently surprised me by not making those compromises where they count. It’s a fast, practical, dependable tool built for close to mid-range work in demanding environments and in that it excels.
For professionals, serious hunters and working farmers after a capable, lightweight optic which won’t blow the budget, the ZeroTech Thrive HD 1-4×24 is worth serious consideration. Eye relief caveat aside, it’s earned its place in my inventory not as a luxury item but as a reliable, problem-solving piece of kit. And in this line of work that’s precisely what I need.