• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Rifle Scopes Okay! Bushnell, Vortex PST or Sightron SIII

Nutro

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
May 15, 2011
299
0
47
Austin, Texas
All are 6-24x50 and FFP and are about the same price range. What do you get? This will more than likely be on a bolt gun with a 20" barrel or a .308 AR with a 20" barrel.

Go Go Go!
 
They're all so close you could literally flip a coin and be happy with the results. Many will recommend what they currently have. Pulling up a search will get tons of information on all three. The real question is do you buy now with a Labor Day sale or hold off till Black Friday/cyber Monday?
 
Last edited:
Best warranty - Vortex.

Made in Japan - Sightron and Bushnell.

Simplest reticle option - Sightron or Bushnell.

Busiest reticle - IMHO the PST (though the G2DMR is also a bit busy)

I'm trying to come up with more distinctions but thinking snake charmer is right, you can practically flip a coin.
 
I have no other opinions other than the Vortex, which I'm perfectly happy with... But the main reason I went with Vortex is their lifetime, transferrable, no questions, no receipt needed warranty. I figure if they'll do that, they trust the scope to handle some abuse and are comfy with their workmanship.
 
Best warranty - Vortex.

Made in Japan - Sightron and Bushnell.

Simplest reticle option - Sightron or Bushnell.

Busiest reticle - IMHO the PST (though the G2DMR is also a bit busy)

I'm trying to come up with more distinctions but thinking snake charmer is right, you can practically flip a coin.

To be honest, I think Vortex manufactures their scopes outside the country too but services them in both the United States (Wisconsin) and Canada (Ontario). Sightron and Bushnell also come with life time warranties but I would still give that to Vortex based off of all the 5 star reviews. The pst has all the bells and whistles (zero stops/illumination) but its also the lightest leading me to believe its just not as rugged. Many have said the glass clarity is slightly better on the SIII and Bushnell G2DMR and I would expect that given in the same price category neither come with zero stops or illumination. It's like building a professional sports team, where do you want your strengths and weaknesses to be. Granted the sports teams would be starting with the same amount of money lol.
 
Last edited:
Vortex has all their scopes made outside the USA. The Viper PST line is made in the Philippines. I had listed "made in Japan" for the other two as a positive, but wasn't clear. I've owned scopes from all three lines (Sightron SIII, Vortex Viper PST, Bushnell Elite Tactical) and to me the PST feels cheaper than the other two in hand, with the Bushnell feeling the best by a small margin over the Sightron. I think the Sightron also has the best glass quality, again by a small margin over Bushnell, but I have not had the 6-24x50mm of each brand in hand so I am extrapolating from the models I have owned (6-24x Sightron, 4-16x PST, and 3-12x Bushnell).
 
How do their lengths compare. Being a short(ish) barreled job it may be something you want to consider.

Also is internal adjustment range similar on all 3?


That said if you can find a 3 sided coin to flip I doubt you'll be that upset however it happens to fall.
 
Pst-23 oz and 15.5 in. long
SIII-25 oz and 14.96 in. long (newly released)
Elite Tactical-27 oz and 13.5 in. long
 
Last edited:
If you need the illuminated reticle and zero stop, then get the PST. If you want extremely clear glass and high resolution, get the Sightron. If you are shooting at steel the PST's are great, but I prefer better resolution when shooting at paper or small animals. I own the 4-16 and 6-24 PST's, and neither have the resolution or color rendering of the 6-24 or 8-32 SIII's that are in the safe. I've also noticed that the image isn't distorted as much due to the mirage with the SIII's compared to the PST. That last statement is very subjective, but I've witnessed the same phenomenon multiple times.

I think the bushnell glass quality falls in between the 2 others from the limited time I've had with one.
 
Why busy reticle for PST?

And there are differences in the reticle between FFP and SFP in the Viper PST scopes.

I find the FFP reticle to be clear and usable.
 
Why busy reticle for PST?

And there are differences in the reticle between FFP and SFP in the Viper PST scopes.

I find the FFP reticle to be clear and usable.

Vortex puts numbers at every 2 mils on all crosshairs (up, down, left, right). I find this excessive and to me it's too busy. The G2DMR has numbers ever 2 mils, but only on the down and right crosshairs, and they are a bit farther from the crosshair. This makes it somewhat less likely that a number will be in the spot you're trying to use as an aiming point. The reticle differences are easy to see at each company's website and you can decide what works for you. Some people may well prefer the heavy numbering used by Vortex. I don't. (My favorite reticles, at the moment, are the gen2 mildot, the similar SWFA Mil-Quad, and the Nightforce MOAR.)
 
Thanks, Gentleman. This time around, I went with the PST but I am hot on the heels of trying out a Bushnell as well.
 
Vortex puts numbers at every 2 mils on all crosshairs (up, down, left, right). I find this excessive and to me it's too busy. The G2DMR has numbers ever 2 mils, but only on the down and right crosshairs, and they are a bit farther from the crosshair. This makes it somewhat less likely that a number will be in the spot you're trying to use as an aiming point. The reticle differences are easy to see at each company's website and you can decide what works for you. Some people may well prefer the heavy numbering used by Vortex. I don't. (My favorite reticles, at the moment, are the gen2 mildot, the similar SWFA Mil-Quad, and the Nightforce MOAR.)

OK.

I don't "see" the numbers, unless I am looking for them.

I dial elevation, but hold for wind. But since the numbers are above the left/right stadia, they are not where I am looking.
 
Bushy ERS

I chose Bushnell's ERS 3.5 - 21 X 50 B/C there were still some available with the Horus H-59 reticle. I am VERY satisfied with the glass and the turrets. Easy to "shoot a square" over and over. Plus I like the locking turrets and Z-Lok zero lock setup.
Great scope for the money. (almost $1,800.)
 
Last edited: