Vortex 4-16x50 Viper PST Rifle Scope

[Lckstcknbrrl]

Vortex 4-16x50 Viper PST Rifle Scope. Anybody here have any good/bad to say about this scope? Thinking it might be my next purchase. I'm trying to stay under $1000 with base and rings. Going on a .308. 700p. Any advice is always appreciated. Thanks guys.

 

[Ritten]

I can't say enough good about the guys at Vortex and I've seen their scopes go through hell at the tactical matches that more expensive brands couldn't last through. I am waiting on a Viper PST 4-16x50mm FFP Mil/Mil right now to use for a hunting set up. Great glass, made in the US, and a no questions asked warranty. It's also lighter than any other brand with similar features.

 

[InterstateGuns]

I can't say enough good about the guys at Vortex and I've seen their scopes go through hell at the tactical matches that more expensive brands couldn't last through. I am waiting on a Viper PST 4-16x50mm FFP Mil/Mil right now to use for a hunting set up. Great glass, made in the US, and a no questions asked warranty. It's also lighter than any other brand with similar features.

No big deal, but the PST is most definitely made in the Philippines.

While the PST is loaded with good features that the shooter can benefit from, I wouldn't go comparing it to Nightforce, Schmidt, Kahles, or even Steiner's military stuff. In my opinion guys like Zeiss/Meopta with their conquest as well as Triijcon have better glass. However those manufacturers are missing the features (ie matching turret/reticle) of the PST.

The constancy of product could be much better but you can always fall back on that great warranty. For under 1k it's a really solid purchase.

 

[kengel2]

PST's are very nice scope, no they wont compare to Nightforce, S&B, Kahles, etc, but they are half the price and can stand up to some abuse.

Id look at the PST or the Bushnell Elite.

 

[RyanW]

You can't beat Vortex for the quality in the price range. You definately get your money's worth and more. I will gladly compare the Vortex PST to Nightforce, Zeiss, Swarovski, or Leupold. Nightforce can't compete because their slightly better glass is DOUBLE the price, at least. For me personally the Vortex reticle was MUCH easier for me to focus on compared to the Zeiss or Swarovski. Leupold doesn't even compare.

I have the 2.5-10x44 Viper PST on my LWRC and I love it. I've let quite a few people shoot, many of them who have VERY high end scopes, and they are amazed at how nice it is. I've recently been playing with the Razor HD 5-20x50 on a .308 AR and it is AMAZING. I'm not exactly a "precision rifleman," but I was picking my points on a 6" gong at 300yds on a rifle I had never fired before, using someone else zero, on a bipod whose feet wouldn't stop rolling and keeping the hits within a 2" ring, shooting steel cased ammo.

 

[Lckstcknbrrl]

Well, everything y'all are telling me is pretty much spot on with what I have been reading on the net. I gotta get my hands on one of these. What's the best price that anyone has found lately? Lowest I found so far is $700-before tax/shipping. Thanks again for the advice.

 

[RyanW]

Talk to Jay Wiggins at Sport Optics in Hammond. I went there to get mine. I was there 3 hours trying every scope in the store while getting an education on how to select the proper optic. I got a great deal, so I was able to buy some more goodies, and I recommend them to everyone.

 

[11Bravo]

+1 for Sport Optics. The guys there are great. I give them my business every chance I can. Also check out samplelist.com. They sell display and lightly used models at a discount.

 

[kengel2]

You could talk to Chris over at sportoptics as well, he posted in this thread. Him or Jay will definitely get you setup correctly.

 

[Sugarbug]

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_7_163/1005642_Vortex_Viper_PST_6_24_SFP_MOA__650___Trades_Added.html

 

[Barney88PDC]

I took a buddy shooting mid-long range with me about 2-3 months ago using my rifles and he liked it so much I convenced him to let me put a rifle together for him. He wanted a hunting gun he could target shoot with as opposed to a target gun he could hunt with. I suggested a Vortex Viper PST 4-16x50 FFP for the optic to still have great capability but keep the budget reasonable. I feel the scope is a VERY good bang for the buck but didn't want to comment on how good of an optic it is until we gave it a workout. Thursday we went get DOPE and really tested the optic for the first time.

He had already zeroed the gun on his own but to confirm we started at 100 yards then worked back in 100 yard increments from 100 - 700 then jumped to 1000. The scope tracked perfect and my Iphone App Ballistic FTE was dead on with the factory 6.5 Creedmoor 140 AMAX ammo. We backed up to 200, adjusted 0.4 Mils up and he shot the 4" square, 3 shots 3 hits. Backed up to 300, 1.1 Mils same result. Went 400, 1.8 Mils 6" square 2 shots 2 hits. Between each distance and as many times as we could remember between shots we would go back to the 0 setting and redial the elevation correction to get as much dialing as possible to give it a good workout and confirm it was tracking true.

At 700 he saw 4.7 Mils which is almost back to 0 on the dial (5 Mils per revolution) and cranked another turn thinking he was at 0 and naturally shot over the target (by 5 Mils or 10 1/2 feet) but that was operator error. He figured out his error after the 3rd shot and put 4 and 5 dead nuts on target 1.89" apart. We then jumped to 1000 and he had 4 out of 5 on an IPSC target and 1 just off to the right on some cardboard.

Shots 4 and 5 from 700 yards, the orange circle is 7.5" diameter. This was his first time shooting his gun past 100 yards (third time shooting the rifle period) and only the second time in his life he shot past 250-300 yards (other time was 2-3 months ago with my rifles). I think the rifle I put together and my coaching are doing some good . (Sorry for gloating)

1000 yards. 4 of 5 on the steel with 2 flappers, the 1 miss is on the cardboard at shoulder height.

Positives:
The scope tracks fine and the clarity is all you really need. The OFF position between each illumination setting is nice and the parallax feature works great and is a must for shooting at distance. The price point is very nice and usually this many features are found on optics that cost a few hundred dollars more. The subtention of the crosshairs is very adequate for a FFP hunting optic, easy to see on 4x, but not so thick that it would obscure too much of the target at distance on 16x.

Negatives:
The shims that you have to install to set the "zero stop" feature are kinda crappy. It works but once you dial a full rotation then come back to zero you might pass your zero point up by say 5 clicks one time then 7 the next. It works but there should be a more positive stopping point that stops on the same click each time not a "floating" one. Be mindful of the 5 Mil / rev on longer shots and make sure are on the correct turn (not an issue until past 600 - 700 yards depending on caliber).

Overall I think it is a great scope for the price point.

 

[22lr]

Barney88PDC said it very well, agreed 100%.

I have a 1-4x PST on my AR and absolutely love it! Sure its not top tier, but I have never seen better glass in the same price range. You will never go wrong if you buy the nicest scope you can possibly afford (read, go without food for a week if you need to). It is no different with Vortex. The PST is nice, but step up to the next level with the RAZOR and RAZOR HD Gen II and you will blow your mind. But the PST is most definitely the best scope that I have ever seen in its class. If nothing else its warranty program is what sets it apart from all other piers.

*Disclaimer*
I have not seen all other scopes in the PST price range.

 

[Lckstcknbrrl]

Well, I'm sold on the 4-16x50 pst. I'm scoping two rifles at once. Anniversary/birthday gift from the ol lady And I think I'm going with vortex on the other rifle (AR) as well. The 1-4 pst. From all the feedback here, I'm going to be taking my business to Chris at sport optics if I can buy both there. He told me he has the 4-16 in stock. So now i gotta find out about the 1-4. Can't wait to start shooting with these two. Thanks again for all the responses.

 

[Lckstcknbrrl]

22lr, what mount are you using with your 1-4 pst? Anyone else using same scope? I had a cheap millet dms-1 in a nice larue mount that I sold on here a while back. Sure kicking myself for selling the mount now. Lol

 

[dantheman]

Vortex is good stuff , but it is not made in the U.S. I have a Vortex red dot on my AR and the box said made in China .

 

[RyanW]

Vortex is good stuff , but it is not made in the U.S. I have a Vortex red dot on my AR and the box said made in China .

It's spread around, just depends on what "level" of optics you buy

 

[22lr]

22lr, what mount are you using with your 1-4 pst? Anyone else using same scope? I had a cheap millet dms-1 in a nice larue mount that I sold on here a while back. Sure kicking myself for selling the mount now. Lol

Im just using a Burris PERP mount, not fancy but it works for me. Ive been running the PERPs for a few years on different guns and scopes, they work for me and they get the job done. I would have switched to a Larue mount for the PST but the company I order through was out at the time, and I was feeling inpatient and cheaped out at the last minute. But no regrets, the PERP mount is a solid unit, doesn't have the features of the higher end stuff, but still solid.

 

[bayoupirate]

Under $1K - Leupold 66610.
You will have NO dobuts you made the right choice.

My $.02.