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

[ra2bach]

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.

care to elaborate where it comes up short?

[ra2bach]

Eurodriver - the reticle you have is the miliradian version. have you seen or compared the MOA version? it appears to me to be larger...

[Singlestack Wonder]

Eurodriver - the reticle you have is the miliradian version. have you seen or compared the MOA version? it appears to me to be larger...

The I.D. of the circle in the mil version is slightly smaller.

[ra2bach]

The I.D. of the circle in the mil version is slightly smaller.

that's what I thought...

[Failure2Stop]

care to elaborate where it comes up short?

Sorry for the delayed response, I wrote a reply yesterday, only to have my iPhone decide it would be funnier if it refreshed and lost it, so I decided to begin a day of heavy drinking.

Anyway, first off;
My opinion is based off of my application of a low powered variable optic mounted on a long-gun for practical purposes. I consider "practical purposes" to be rapid precision from 3 meters to 600 meters, but primarily only out to 350 or so (unless stepping up in caliber), with the requirement to hit 6-8" targets at high speed out to 200 meters, deliberately out to 300 meters, 3-4" targets out to 100 at high speed, and torso targets quickly out to 300 and deliberately past 300 meters; while wearing gear, being bumped, dumped, dragged, and fragged. So, if your uses don't match mine, don't be suprised if you disagree with me, and even if it does, personal preferences always sway vocalized opinion.

I find small/thin reticles without extremely bright illumination to be easily lost in background and on unconventinally lit/colored targets. A thick crosshair outside the center helps rapidly center the reticle on target.

Uncovered, finger-adjustable turrets are prone to inadvertant zero change. Large turrets are great for target/bullseye/long range use, but a top end of 4x is insufficient for such application. Since speed of engagement is a priority, most elevation and deflection requiremens will be solved by hold-over. For ranges past that which can be effectively held off, rapidly adjustable turrets are good. For adjusting zero and for long-range use, 0.1 mil adjustements offer optimal balance between rapid adjustment and precision when used in conjunction with a mil-based reticle.

The Viper has an attractive price-point, but $500 is outside my impulse buy budget, and other optics give me what I want for a few hundred bucks more. I would like to have an optic at the Viper's price-point and quality with a reticle design conducive to my use and adjustments I prefer.

[SA80Dan]

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.

I use mine for 3 gun - have shot 5 matches with it now, and have not had any issues with the turrets inadvertently rotating. Not to say it couldn't happen however....and on that note, the capped turret version (HS) you mention has finally just been released:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...sting-_-835442

- if this one had been out when I bought my PST, without question I'd have gotten it instead.

BTW Eurodriver- see you were at Manatee Gun Club...great place for long range shooting - I'm a regular down there, might bump into you some day

[SA80Dan]

S

I find small/thin reticles without extremely bright illumination to be easily lost in background and on unconventinally lit/colored targets. A thick crosshair outside the center helps rapidly center the reticle on target.

Completely agree with this - I find that with the PST's 1 MOA center dot if you are precision shooting small dark targets over 200 yards away, the black 1MOA center dot has a tendency to "blend" into the target. While the illum on this scope does offset that if you have cloud cover or otherwise dull conditions, its not quite good enough in bright sunshine, IMO.

Close up and fast I don't find it an issue as the outer quartered circle on this reticle does a very good job of drawing the eye; similarly bigger and/or light colored distant targets I don't find it to be an issue....in fact in those circumstances, the small precise dot then becomes an asset. Always some degree of compromise in every reticle.

[v3n0m]

very nice, thnx for the report!

[ra2bach]

Sorry for the delayed response, I wrote a reply yesterday, only to have my iPhone decide it would be funnier if it refreshed and lost it, so I decided to begin a day of heavy drinking.

Anyway, first off;
My opinion is based off of my application of a low powered variable optic mounted on a long-gun for practical purposes. I consider "practical purposes" to be rapid precision from 3 meters to 600 meters, but primarily only out to 350 or so (unless stepping up in caliber), with the requirement to hit 6-8" targets at high speed out to 200 meters, deliberately out to 300 meters, 3-4" targets out to 100 at high speed, and torso targets quickly out to 300 and deliberately past 300 meters; while wearing gear, being bumped, dumped, dragged, and fragged. So, if your uses don't match mine, don't be suprised if you disagree with me, and even if it does, personal preferences always sway vocalized opinion.

I find small/thin reticles without extremely bright illumination to be easily lost in background and on unconventinally lit/colored targets. A thick crosshair outside the center helps rapidly center the reticle on target.

Uncovered, finger-adjustable turrets are prone to inadvertant zero change. Large turrets are great for target/bullseye/long range use, but a top end of 4x is insufficient for such application. Since speed of engagement is a priority, most elevation and deflection requiremens will be solved by hold-over. For ranges past that which can be effectively held off, rapidly adjustable turrets are good. For adjusting zero and for long-range use, 0.1 mil adjustements offer optimal balance between rapid adjustment and precision when used in conjunction with a mil-based reticle.

The Viper has an attractive price-point, but $500 is outside my impulse buy budget, and other optics give me what I want for a few hundred bucks more. I would like to have an optic at the Viper's price-point and quality with a reticle design conducive to my use and adjustments I prefer.

makes sense to me. this is why I asked about the MOA reticle - it seems to be bigger than the MRAD.

it has 60 min of vertical and horizontal stadia which, without holding it in my hands makes me think that 60 inches (5ft.) of reticle coverage at 100 yards might be enough.

anyone have the HS yet, or the PST in MOA and can give an opinion here?

[shootist~]

Pics of reticles tend to be misleading. I think the OPs pics make the reticle appear considerably smaller than it is. The ones below (at 1x and 4x at 135 Yds) make the reticle appear larger than the actual view. I had to use some camera zoom to get things to work.

In real life the overall size is about right - at 1x the circle is about the same width as an IPSC A zone at 12 -15 Yds. It's outside your usable view at 4x - at distance - and you use either the dot (or the cross-hairs if on a distant and dark target). Whether the hash marks are on the thin side could depend on the use. For me they are on the thin side, but it would take larger (2.5 or 3 MOA instead of 2.0) hash mark separation to make room for heavier lines.

This is the MOA version.