Vortex PST 1-4 first impressions....

[exd3686]

I was with dtibbals during the sight in process. The glass on the Vortex is just as clear and bright as my $750 Trijicon 1-4X optic. I was very impressed and will be ordering one for my LMT. Nice write up man!

[SA80Dan]

Very nice writeup. I have had one for 2 weeks now - am really digging it! Prior I had a Trijicon TR24R; I have just sold that after finally getting it back from an atrocious customer service experience. Vs the TR24, I actually think the Vortex has slightly better glass (especially with regard to the edges), and the eye relief is just about as perfect as you can get on a 1-4x - the Viper is really unpicky about where you have your head, which makes it great for run'n'gun comps. I shot a match with it with a mix of longer range and close stuff - super happy with how it performed.

IMO, the illumination on the Viper could be better - I don't really buy the split nighttime lower five/daytime upper 5 settings - the low settings are extremely low and pretty much a waste of 5 settings, even on the blackest of nights; and the daytime ones could do with being a bit brighter on the upper end. I'd prefer to see a steady increase through settings 1-10....I see from the interweb, I'm not the only one who thinks that. That said - it really is a minor quibble; as stated in the review here, the reticle is perfectly usable as black, and the design draws the eye so is plenty quick for the close up stuff; and plenty precise at distance. The turrets are excellent (positive feel is just about as close to perfect as you can get) and I like the way you have multiple choices on how you want to run your scope - you can either dial for windage/elevation, or you can accurately hold over with the marks.

I think it is great value for money, a real quality piece and I hear Vortex's customer service is second to none. I will probably pick up a 2-5-10 sometime in the near future for my upcoming SPR build.

[dtibbals]

Very nice writeup. I have had one for 2 weeks now - am really digging it! Prior I had a Trijicon TR24R; I have just sold that after finally getting it back from an atrocious customer service experience. Vs the TR24, I actually think the Vortex has slightly better glass (especially with regard to the edges), and the eye relief is just about as perfect as you can get on a 1-4x - the Viper is really unpicky about where you have your head, which makes it great for run'n'gun comps. I shot a match with it with a mix of longer range and close stuff - super happy with how it performed.

IMO, the illumination on the Viper could be better - I don't really buy the split nighttime lower five/daytime upper 5 settings - the low settings are extremely low and pretty much a waste of 5 settings, even on the blackest of nights; and the daytime ones could do with being a bit brighter on the upper end. I'd prefer to see a steady increase through settings 1-10....I see from the interweb, I'm not the only one who thinks that. That said - it really is a minor quibble; as stated in the review here, the reticle is perfectly usable as black, and the design draws the eye so is plenty quick for the close up stuff; and plenty precise at distance. The turrets are excellent (positive feel is just about as close to perfect as you can get) and I like the way you have multiple choices on how you want to run your scope - you can either dial for windage/elevation, or you can accurately hold over with the marks.

I think it is great value for money, a real quality piece and I hear Vortex's customer service is second to none. I will probably pick up a 2-5-10 sometime in the near future for my upcoming SPR build.

I agree on the illumination, however it is better in daylight than a Nightforce for a much lower price. I think the first 6 settings pretty much are for night vision use...it sure isn't for the naked eye.

[shootist~]

I agree on the illumination, however it is better in daylight than a Nightforce for a much lower price. I think the first 6 settings pretty much are for night vision use...it sure isn't for the naked eye.

Setting 6 works for me in dim light where there is enough ambient light to still see fairly well. 5 works in very dim light without overpowering the view through the reticle - switch on the weapon light and you see the normal black reticle. Works pretty well once you get used to it, but it's much more critical to have the right setting Vs a RD.

Setting 4 (and 3) is visible in darkness if you have your night vision. Maybe useful for night hunting, but I could not say.

[ra2bach]

It could be just me but I find the need for daylight visible illumination on a magnified optic with crosshair reticle to be over played.

if you are in enough light that the ill. doesn't show, then you simply do what generations of shooters have done before the development of ill., and use the cross hair.

the only time I wish I had illumination in a magnified scope is when it was dusk or dawn and I was aiming at something dark and needed to discriminate the reticle from the background. at any other time, this is simply not an issue.

a RDS is a different matter altogether...

[armakraut]

That reticle needs some bracketing bars like the nightforce 1-4x or a german #4 reticle.

[Belmont31R]

It could be just me but I find the need for daylight visible illumination on a magnified optic with crosshair reticle to be over played.

if you are in enough light that the ill. doesn't show, then you simply do what generations of shooters have done before the development of ill., and use the cross hair.

the only time I wish I had illumination in a magnified scope is when it was dusk or dawn and I was aiming at something dark and needed to discriminate the reticle from the background. at any other time, this is simply not an issue.

a RDS is a different matter altogether...

The Short-Dot can be used like an RDS with both eyes open shooting with an illuminated dot. The SD has sufficient illumination of the dot it can be used on the brightest of days against very light back grounds. Ive never even had to use the brightest setting.


Now if its just the reticle that is illuminated then, no, it doesn't make all that much of a difference during the day.

[SA80Dan]

It could be just me but I find the need for daylight visible illumination on a magnified optic with crosshair reticle to be over played.

if you are in enough light that the ill. doesn't show, then you simply do what generations of shooters have done before the development of ill., and use the cross hair.

the only time I wish I had illumination in a magnified scope is when it was dusk or dawn and I was aiming at something dark and needed to discriminate the reticle from the background. at any other time, this is simply not an issue.

a RDS is a different matter altogether...

True....however, some people (not necessarily me) prefer a brightly illuminated reticle for high speed close in work - they say it draws the eye better. I can see that argument - and some scopes have that capability (Burris Tac-30 1-4 springs to mind, very bright daylight illum) - so it can be done...and if it can be done effectively, well why not? Can only be in the scope manufacturers and consumers best interests, I think - nice to have the option, even if you don't personally need it.

[dtibbals]

It could be just me but I find the need for daylight visible illumination on a magnified optic with crosshair reticle to be over played.

if you are in enough light that the ill. doesn't show, then you simply do what generations of shooters have done before the development of ill., and use the cross hair.

the only time I wish I had illumination in a magnified scope is when it was dusk or dawn and I was aiming at something dark and needed to discriminate the reticle from the background. at any other time, this is simply not an issue.

a RDS is a different matter altogether...

Well a black reticle on a dark or black object in shade etc even in daylight is slow at best, add some illumination to the reticle and it is not an issue...so illumination during the day is important at times.

[shootist~]

The PST also has a cross-hair (the TMCQ Reticle)- not just a dot & circle. I did this my first time out - black 18" gong, very dim day and no illumination. 500 Meters:

It's only 3 or 4 shots, btw. I had to drive down to see for sure where it was impacting. Later, doing this shot with illumination, it's no doubt a little faster - but only on a black target.