My P4xi journey

[1168]

Where’d you find the SN on yours?

Well I had an interesting failure with my P4xi a week and a half ago. Bought in 2019, only have about 2000 rounds with it mounted. I was in the middle of a string of fire when it suddenly got a bit blurry. Thought maybe the eyepiece diopter adjustment had been bumped, so I tried to refocus it, but that didn't work. I then noticed that the magnification ring felt like it was grinding when I rotated it. Moved it back and forth a couple of times and then it froze and wouldn't move.
Opened up a case on the Steiner website on Mon 5/3, got a response the next day with a return authorization number and sent it back to Steiner. It was received by them on Thursday 5/6, and I got an email on 5/10 that it had been repaired and was getting sent back to me. It arrives tomorrow (5/14). I'm not happy that it failed in the first place, but impressed with the quick turn-around. I'll update this post if I have more information on what caused the issue.

5/14 - Received the scope back. The included note reads: Erector screw came loose and was jamming the guide tube. Reassembled internals and ran full test and check. Scope tracks correctly and holds zero during recoil test.

[1168]

@1168

Any updates on your P4xi? I know you have a thread on that but it is also info pertinent here.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

In the back of my safe. I kinda put it on the backburner due to traveling. I need to get around to dealing with it so I can get my “modern” 14.5” gun up.

Removed some paint; found serial number; submitted repair ticket to Steiner @1600 today.

Edit: got a RMA in like 20 minutes.
Edit 2: shipped via ground 2 Jul
Edit 3: got email that it is fixed on 13 Jul, return shipped 14 Jul.

[opngrnd]

I've had two range sessions with my P4xi. Coming from irons, ACOGs, and CCOs makes me feel like the reticle is huge, even though I know it's not. I'm hoping it settles down with some practice, but thinking of trying an offset rds and leaving the scope at 4x.

[militarymoron]

Where’d you find the SN on yours?

Sorry - I had not turned subscription notifications 'on' so I missed this. Glad to see you're getting it taken care of. I put about 250 rounds through the upper two weeks ago without any issues with the P4Xi that was repaired, so that's good.

[Circle_10]

I've had two range sessions with my P4xi. Coming from irons, ACOGs, and CCOs makes me feel like the reticle is huge, even though I know it's not. I'm hoping it settles down with some practice, but thinking of trying an offset rds and leaving the scope at 4x.

The target-obscuring reticle is my only real complaint with the P4Xi, but it is one that has had me debating selling it multiple times since I got it a few years ago. I’m back to sort of accepting it again currently. Shooting tight groups on something like a 3” bullseye at 100 yds though, is not very easy for me with that reticle. I actually tend to shoot tighter groups with a larger target, like a 6” bullseye, as it isn’t completely obscured by the crosshairs.
Part of the fault here is mine though and not the scope as I’ve been trying to use it as more of a precision optic than it is probably meant for (I mean the “P” does stand for “Patrol” after all).

I paid $449 for the model (5202 IIRC) that came with the added throw lever back in like 2018 I think. I’m shocked by how much these things have increased in price.

[jsbhike]

The target-obscuring reticle is my only real complaint with the P4Xi, but it is one that has had me debating selling it multiple times since I got it a few years ago. I’m back to sort of accepting it again currently. Shooting tight groups on something like a 3” bullseye at 100 yds though, is not very easy for me with that reticle. I actually tend to shoot tighter groups with a larger target, like a 6” bullseye, as it isn’t completely obscured by the crosshairs.
Part of the fault here is mine though and not the scope as I’ve been trying to use it as more of a precision optic than it is probably meant for (I mean the “P” does stand for “Patrol” after all).

I paid $449 for the model (5202 IIRC) that came with the added throw lever back in like 2018 I think. I’m shocked by how much these things have increased in price.

You probably want to avoid a lot of Leupold's scopes then. The VX-R's I own/owned (1.25-4× Patrol & Hog along with a 3-9× Ballistic circle) have all been noticeably thicker than the P4Xi reticle.

[1168]

I actually dig a heavy reticle, both for patrol rifles, and hunting ones. They make me more comfortable in failing light with a dead battery. For zeroing the P4xi, you may find it helpful to turn the dot on to the lowest setting you can see, and ignore the crosshairs.

[Straight Shooter]

I actually dig a heavy reticle, both for patrol rifles, and hunting ones. They make me more comfortable in failing light with a dead battery. For zeroing the P4xi, you may find it helpful to turn the dot on to the lowest setting you can see, and ignore the crosshairs.

May I ask what range you zero and with what ammo?

[1168]

May I ask what range you zero and with what ammo?

I zero the first hashmark at 300 with 68/69 gr 5.56, such as Frontier. In the absence of a 300m KD range, I do the center dot at ~50/200, or (just to get on paper) first hashmark at 25. I’ve played with using offset poi/poa at 25 also, and it works, for just getting on paper. When I do that, I just use 62gr ball blasting ammo, and commit to getting to a longer range as soon as I can.

When I zero at 300, I do the windage earlier at 100 or 200 (if its a really still day) and only do the elevation at 300.

[Circle_10]

I actually dig a heavy reticle, both for patrol rifles, and hunting ones. They make me more comfortable in failing light with a dead battery. For zeroing the P4xi, you may find it helpful to turn the dot on to the lowest setting you can see, and ignore the crosshairs.

I was trying to use it on a quasi-DMR build. Which it was probably not the right choice of optic for. But at the time I was dead set on having a 1x capability even on a “DMR” and with the terrain in my area I figured 4x was “enough” magnification for what I was likely to do with it. Price was a consideration too, at the time I bought the P4Xi it seemed to be considered the “best LPVO under $500” or something.
I’ve still got it on what I guess is my more “precision” oriented AR - in other words, the only one with a free float handguard that I have, and have pretty much accepted it’s limitations at this point.

I usually have the dot turned off entirely on mine and only turn it on when I’m shooting with it on 1x and up close.