Range trip report / My thoughts on the Vortex Viper PST 1-4x24

I went to the range today with two of my black rifles. They are:

http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/4122/recside.jpg

Top Rifle:
BCM 16” BFH Midlength with Larue 12” Rail
Vortex 1-4x24 on a Larue SPR mount
Surplus Arms Lower w/ DD LPK
Troy BUIS Front and Rear
MIAD Grip
UBR Stock
H Buffer
And for this test I used a cheap harris bipod knockoff I had lieing around on a YHM mount.

Bottom Rifle:
BCM 14.5” Midlength with Larue 9” Rail
RCO M4 ACOG
Spikes Lower w/ DD LPK
AAC Brakeout
CTR Stock
MIAD Grip
H2 Buffer


Ammo used was Federal XM855 and PMC Bronze 55gr .223

I will be separating this into 2 parts, the Vortex optic and the BCM Uppers with regards to accuracy.

All tests were done in the conditions present in the pictures, namely some sort of front rest or bipod, with no rear support from a concrete bench. Distance fired was 100 yards. This was my first time shooting the 16” and only my 2nd time shooting the 14.5”. Needless to say, they both needed to be zero’d.

It should also be noted that I am not affiliated with any manufacturer, distributor, or retailer in any way, shape, or form. No one gave me anything to T&E, this is all on my own and I am only wanting to help others.

First, the Vortex:

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/566/recbipod.jpg

This is a great optic. I paid $499 delivered for it from Liberty Optics. Scott is a great guy and it got all the way from Montana to Florida in 2 days (Ordered and Shipped Monday, received Wednesday). He responded timely to all my emails, even on a Saturday and threw in free Butler Creek Caps. When I opened the box the first thing I noticed was the huge 30mm tube. It looks very strong and beefy on such a short optic. The glass is made in Japan and the rest of the scope is made in the Phillipines.

The turrets had very firm crisp clicks and the adjustments were very easy to read. I ordered the mil version which has a matching reticle and turrets and adjusts in .2 MRADs. This has a SFP reticle and the adjustment dial tells you which magnification power you are on and what to multiply the reticle by to get the correct mil adjustment. So if you are on 1x it will tell you that you need to multiply the mils on the reticle by 4x to get the correct mil reading. It has this for 1x, 1.3x, 2x, 3x and 4x. 4x is when the mils are 1:1 with the magnification.

The scope is completely clear and very bright, the illumination is great too and visible in daylight. This scope can easily be used at 1x with the heavy outer circle for quick acquisition or 4x for long range precision work. The illumination knob has an off position between each brightness setting. This lets you “preset” your desired brightness.

If there was one thing I didn’t like It would be the small reticle. Its definitely doable as is, and as a CQB optic it would be ideal but I am using this to reach out a bit further and would appreciate being able to read the reticle easier. Don’t mistake me, it is definitely readable and you can make precise adjustments. I fired a 3 round group and using the reticle dialed a perfect zero on the first try, it would just be nice to be a touch bigger.

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/1893/reticle.jpg

Adjusting the caps to show “0” on your true zero was very easy. 3 hex head screws keep each cap on, after removing the screws rotate the cap to show “0” and reinstall the screws.
http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/4372/step3d.jpg
http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/4886/step4e.jpg

While doing this for the elevation knob you can also install the provided shims to have a zero stop, enabling you to dial down without passing your zero.

FWIW, I do not participate in 3 gun. If you do, I’m not sure how the turrets would hold zero with all of the slinging around and sliding and running bumping into gear. I read on TOS that Sam from Vortex had said that they have noticed this and have at least considered making a capped or low profile turret version for 3gunners. I don’t know if this will ever develop, I’m not really interested as I have no need but that’s just a heads up for those of you that are curious.

To summarize, I love this optic. It is very comparable to the Leupold 1.5-5 for hundreds less. It is equally clear and bright, Vortex also has one of the best warranties, however warranties don’t mean squat on a two way range. Time will tell if it holds up as well and as long as the other tried and true optics at its price point.

As far as the rifles go:

http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/9...ctierrange.jpg

The 16” was what I shot first. I only had 60 rounds of M855 and since that’s what I wanted to zero both rifles with, I had to be conservative. I fired a three round group and it was 6 inches left, after adjusting per the reticle I was dead on with the very next group. I would have done a 10rd group if I wasn’t conserving ammo.

Again, this is with M855 at 100 yards
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/4561/recm855.jpg

I have no doubt that this rifle would be capable of sub-moa groups with match ammo and a rear rest.

Here is a 10rd group with 55gr PMC Bronze. It’s a common excuse for poor shooting, but I was going too fast and should have slowed down for a better group. It easily could have done better.

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/9098/rdstenrecce.jpg

I just finished this rifle last night, and I already love it. I removed the bipod later on in the day and shot drills with it. It doesn’t handle as well as the 14.5” obviously but its not awkward at all.

The 14.5” was comparable, but less precise.
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/7678/tier1shoot.jpg

My sub-par shooting position may have contributed its fair share, but it was still not entirely bad for M855 from a rack grade carbine at 100 yards. Here is my 10rd group.

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/1779/tier1m855.jpg

Total round count for the day was about 150 rounds through the 16” and 200 rounds through the 14.5” Middy. It goes without saying that there were zero issues of any kind.

Some observations


- The AAC Brakeout is no where near as loud as I thought it would be. It had less concussion that both the FSC556 and Battle Comp 1.5. This may be due to the design and there may have been muzzle blast off to the sides, but I definitely felt concussion as the shooter with the BC 1.5 and FSC556 but there is zero with the Brakeout. Recoil is mitigated pretty well too. I’m very pleased with this because I chose this over the blackout but worried it may be too loud unsuppressed. I can easily shoot both ways now with no issues.

-PMC Bronze in the 14.5” Middy with H2 buffer was noticeably weaker than the M855. I could feel the BCG cycling in the stock. However, there were still no failures of any kind and the zero at 100 yards was relatively the same compared to the M855.

-I will be getting a 6-9” swivel base, notched leg bipod for the 16”. 9-13” is too tall.

- I have a tendency to use the 16” less like a Recce and more like a light machine gun…Its just what happens to me when I attach a bipod to an autoloading rifle…

Hmm...well...I thought it was interesting. :suicide2:

Its a good review:smile: but i have a question about the Vortex retical, how hard is it to see? I've really been looking into this optic but i'm afraid with my bad eyes its going to blur out from being too small.

i also have been considering this optic. a guy at the gun shop was telling me the only complaint was how small the reticle was. currently, the only way i have found to get my hands on one is to order one so i dont want to shuck out the dinero for an optic i am not going to like. i read the instruction manual on vortex's website and for a reticle so small, how the heck do you expect to range with the reticle? Do you think the optic is worthy of a 600 yard .308 gun?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pumbaajk

i also have been considering this optic. a guy at the gun shop was telling me the only complaint was how small the reticle was. currently, the only way i have found to get my hands on one is to order one so i dont want to shuck out the dinero for an optic i am not going to like. i read the instruction manual on vortex's website and for a reticle so small, how the heck do you expect to range with the reticle? Do you think the optic is worthy of a 600 yard .308 gun?

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I consider my PST 1-4 a very good CQB to moderate range optic that works for longer ranges in a pinch. It's not what I would consider a "precision" type optic and 600 Yds with smalish targets would be asking a lot for something in this price range, IMO. It works good *for me* on 10" steel plates at 300 meters (330 Yds) if that is any help. (I bang an 18" gong at 500 meters with it as well, but that's a big target.)

The hash marks are too fine for my 62 year old eyes for ranging purposes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pumbaajk

i read the instruction manual on vortex's website and for a reticle so small, how the heck do you expect to range with the reticle?

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You understand how reticle ranging actually works, right? 12 mils of reticle (what the mrad version here) is more than enough to range with -- a "bigger" reticle isn't going to help you any. Real things at any significant difference are "small" in the scope -- 30 mils of reticle markings aren't going to help you with ranging (unless you're trying to range entire buildings or stuff at 25 yards).

Now lots of reticle markings can be useful for hold-offs. The mrad version gives you 6 mils of "up" in the reticle, which is good for 700+ yards or so with a 100-yard zeroed .308... that's without dialing.

Now more magnification than 4x may certainly be helpful for precise ranging, etc -- but a mil in the reticle is still a mil in the reticle.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mattj

You understand how reticle ranging actually works, right? 12 mils of reticle (what the mrad version here) is more than enough to range with -- a "bigger" reticle isn't going to help you any. Real things at any significant difference are "small" in the scope -- 30 mils of reticle markings aren't going to help you with ranging (unless you're trying to range entire buildings or stuff at 25 yards).

Now lots of reticle markings can be useful for hold-offs. The mrad version gives you 6 mils of "up" in the reticle, which is good for 700+ yards or so with a 100-yard zeroed .308... that's without dialing.

Now more magnification than 4x may certainly be helpful for precise ranging, etc -- but a mil in the reticle is still a mil in the reticle.

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I was more worried about the clarity of the reticle with it being so small is what I meant. I am new to long distance shooting so any advice is greatly appreciated.

I think that Vortex could turn out some really good optics, but the ones I am somewhat interested in all have some critical fault (for my use) that bounces them out of the running.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pumbaajk

I was more worried about the clarity of the reticle with it being so small is what I meant. I am new to long distance shooting so any advice is greatly appreciated.

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It sounds like the question you need to ask yourself is with a 1-4x is appropriate for the type of shooting you want to do.

Keep in mind that 1 mil on a 1-4x PST will be the same size as 1 mil on any other optic at 4x (assuming it is calibrated to subtend at that power, or is FFP).

If you really plan on doing lots of work at 300-600 yards, something more along the lines of the PST 2.5-10 might be more appropriate -- but that of course means you you're giving up 1x for close-and-fast.

There's a couple 1-8x optics out there that split the difference (S&B Short Dot), but not that I can think of in the PST price range.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mattj

It sounds like the question you need to ask yourself is with a 1-4x is appropriate for the type of shooting you want to do.

Keep in mind that 1 mil on a 1-4x PST will be the same size as 1 mil on any other optic at 4x (assuming it is calibrated to subtend at that power, or is FFP).

If you really plan on doing lots of work at 300-600 yards, something more along the lines of the PST 2.5-10 might be more appropriate -- but that of course means you you're giving up 1x for close-and-fast.

There's a couple 1-8x optics out there that split the difference (S&B Short Dot), but not that I can think of in the PST price range.

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Most of my shooting will be 100-400 yards or so. I am using it as a hog gun and to be honest, the woods of east Texas don't allow for 500+ yard shots unless you find a unique place to do so. I was just wanting the option to hit something if I need to.