Rifle Scopes Vortex viper pst gen 1?

[Dizzoballs]

Just starting to get serious about precision shooting, but I have been shooting my whole life. Purchased a tikka t3 lite in 6.5 creed. Now i need an optic.
ive noticed that the gen 1 6-24 pst scopes are readily available in the $500 range, since the gen 2 is now out. Are these scopes antiquated, or a good value? Im looking to keep my optic in that price range. Is there something else i should look at?

 

[Lunchbox27]

Save more and get the Gen II. You can find them used on here for around $750. Well worth the extra dough. Glass is better, as are the turrets.

 

[Claybuster715]

Not to high jack the thread but do you know how the strike eagle compares to the pst gen 2?

 

[Claybuster715]

As its 700 new

 

[ffjoey]

Another vote for pst gen II. Pretty nice scope for the money

 

[Dizzoballs]

Thanks for the suggestions.
We are talking about going over budget by 50% here. Is it not worth shooting a $500 scope?

 

[Steel head]

Save more and get the Gen II. You can find them used on here for around $750. Well worth the extra dough. Glass is better, as are the turrets.

The gen 2 substantially better.

 

[ffjoey]

Thanks for the suggestions.
We are talking about going over budget by 50% here. Is it not worth shooting a $500 scope?

I think for 50% more you are getting at least twice the scope. I have a gen I on a Kimber rifle and a Gen II on a Bergara. Everything about the Gen II is substantially better. Is the gen I a bad scope for the money? No, but the Gen II is very similar to a Gen I razor and leaves the Gen I Viper in the dust.

 

[k-space]

I've got a 4-16x50 Gen 1 that I bought new, what, 6 or 7 years ago? It tracks well, returns to zero (or thereabouts with shims) and allows me to hit steel targets out to 1000 yds with my 6.5 Grendel AR. On the other hand, it's never been run hard, dropped or even scratched. I'm looking to upgrade and it seems scopes today offer so much more.

 

[Hellifino32]

Grab a fixed 10 or 12x swfa and carefully select a quality optic in a year or so. They are tough as nails. Always track. Fantastic adj range. If your eyes have trouble, and you need better glass and can’t go full out 1500$ scope, grab a sightron siii ffp. That’s NF nxs glass and they pop up on here for 6-700$.
if you have good eyes, I’ve yet to need more than 10x at PRS matches, you can find amazing scopes in fixed 10. There’s a reason the military used fixed. . .

 

[hereinaz]

Gen 1 PST suck. Tubes are thin, mechanism old school. They have a high failure rate. It and all its variations should go away.

The Diamondback Tactical and several other newer scopes are better technology and quality. Bushnell Match Pro is one.

 

[Rob01]

Grab a fixed 10 or 12x swfa and carefully select a quality optic in a year or so. They are tough as nails. Always track. Fantastic adj range. If your eyes have trouble, and you need better glass and can’t go full out 1500$ scope, grab a sightron siii ffp. That’s NF nxs glass and they pop up on here for 6-700$.
if you have good eyes, I’ve yet to need more than 10x at PRS matches, you can find amazing scopes in fixed 10. There’s a reason the military used fixed. . .

Key word, used. And a fixed 10x is far from ideal for a match.

OP, take a look at the new Strike Eagle 5-25. Better optic than the Gen I PST and if you can get the discount you can get them for under $500.

 

[smoothy8500]

In the high $300 to low $400 range it's a decent scope for the price, but at $500 not really that a good deal.

 

[Dizzoballs]

Key word, used. And a fixed 10x is far from ideal for a match.

OP, take a look at the new Strike Eagle 5-25. Better optic than the Gen I PST and if you can get the discount you can get them for under $500.

I looked at those, but cant find them anywhere near that modestly priced. How do you get "the discount"?

 

[STex]

The gen 2 substantially better.

Ditto!

 

[Dizzoballs]

Gen 1 PST suck. Tubes are thin, mechanism old school. They have a high failure rate. It and all its variations should go away.

The Diamondback Tactical and several other newer scopes are better technology and quality. Bushnell Match Pro is one.

Thanks!
The diamondback looks like it may be a great route to go through to get me shooting in the price im looking to be in, and I could throw it on a .22 when/if I want to upgrade.

 

[hlee]

Thanks for the suggestions.
We are talking about going over budget by 50% here. Is it not worth shooting a $500 scope?

I have 3 gen 1 pst scopes. One gets used on a 22lr match rifle. Another is on a centerfire match rifle. The glass is good. The turrets are good. Never have had a problem with return to zero or any warranty issues. However, the turrets are 5 mil per revolution, and the zero stop is meh (shim based). If you are going to be dialing more than 5 mil of elevation, it can be easy to get lost in the revolutions. I have very little cause to dial more than 10 mil for centerfire match, though occasionally dial 11ish for 22. Scopes with 10 mil per rev turrets are mo betta. If the gen 1 checks all of your boxes then go for it. They are fine scopes. But, add the money for 2 cases of match ammo to your scope budget and you are into a gen 2. Save a bit more an you could be into a gen1 razor...

 

[Rob01]

I looked at those, but cant find them anywhere near that modestly priced. How do you get "the discount"?

It’s the LE/Mil/Vet/First Responder discount. But even if you call around to some of the Snipers Hide commercial vendors they can sometimes do better than the listed price.

 

[supercorndogs]

Natchez

www.natchezss.com

Weaver Tactical Rifle Scope - 3-15X50mm 30mm SF Illum FFP EMDR Reticle 33.9-6.8' FOV 3.98" ER Black Matte

Weaver is proud to offer rugged riflescopes designed specifically for tactical applications. As part of the Super Slam™ series, these tactical scopes are manufactured to the strictest tolerances in order to perform in the harshest environments. Powerful 5x magnification Fully multi-coated...

www.natchezss.com

I think these two would be 5-600 spent better.

 

[Hellifino32]

Key word, used. And a fixed 10x is far from ideal for a match.

OP, take a look at the new Strike Eagle 5-25. Better optic than the Gen I PST and if you can get the discount you can get them for under $500.

Please don’t do this. Buy a jap scope from LOW.

 

[Dizzoballs]

Please don’t do this. Buy a jap scope from LOW.

Whats LOW?

 

[Rob01]

It’s a Japanese company who makes a lot of scopes for various companies. The hate for anything made in China is strong with some but sometimes price ranges don’t allow for the option.

 

[Dizzoballs]

It’s a Japanese company who makes a lot of scopes for various companies. The hate for anything made in China is strong with some but sometimes price ranges don’t allow for the option.

Well, LOW scopes doesnt yield any brand I can find

 

[Rob01]

Most companies won’t list that LOW makes them but if made in Japan then LOW would be a good bet.

 

[ffjoey]

Thanks!
The diamondback looks like it may be a great route to go through to get me shooting in the price im looking to be in, and I could throw it on a .22 when/if I want to upgrade.

I had a diamondback tactical for a very short period of time. Scope was decent but I found the glass resolution to be less than spectacular to say the least.

 

[Ugly_Duck]

Use PM.