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Rifle Scopes PST 1st impressions - UPDATE w pics

Notso

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 28, 2010
448
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54
Sin City
Alright, so I received my PST 6-24 FFP MRAD scope from Doug at Cameraland today. First off it was great working with them. I was on a waiting list from last summer and had completely forgotten about it when Vortex shut the line down and went back to fix their QC issues. It was originally meant to go on my primary bolt gun, but then I ponied up and bought a S&B 5-25x PMII instead for that precision rifle. I thought I might get the PST to then go on an AR-15 SPR build that needed glass. So, long story short – I gave up on the PST after quite a while and bought another S&B, this time a 4-16x for the SPR.

So I get a voicemail from Doug last week as he’s going down his waiting list to see if I still wanted it. I originally blew it off since I didn’t really “need” a scope, but I’ve been spoiled by higher magnification scopes and the 4-16x was sorta bugging me as not enough. So on a whim, I called back to see if they had any left and they had one PST left of the model I wanted. So FEDX drops it off today and I get it mounted on the AR.
1st Impressions: It is a really NICE scope. I was really expecting to be disappointed after becoming an S&B fanboy. But the fit and finish seems excellent, the knobs and clicks are crisp, the focus is nice, and everything just feels good about it. I take a quick peek through the glass while holding it but it’s always hard to get anything out of if its not steady. So on the rifle it goes….

I set it up side by side with my S&B 4-16 and get the PST to 16x and do a side by side compare. I am impressed with the PST glass. Of course its subjective, but the clarity was very good compared to the Schmitty. The S&B is definitely better, but the PST was closer than I would have ever thought. I was reading lettering off a neighbors trash can at 145 yds to compare clarity and they were very, very close.
Here are some pics in bright sunlight to compare. I tried very hard to keep the camera consistant between shots, but I suck at “thru the scope pics”. The yield sign is right at 100yds and the house is 145yds (LRF)
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I left everything set up and came back right at dusk to see how the low light capability compared. Again the PST was very good and very usuable, but I think the S&B really started to shine here. The 4-16x was also a 50mm Obj, so it was apples to apples. I also brought out the 5-25x56 on my bolt gun just for shiggles and the 56mm Obj really made a difference and kicked both’s ass. But I want to emphasize the PST did very well in low light. It was just a few shades darker than the S&B. The weird thing I did see on the PST was at very low light, if your eye was not perfectly lined up in the eye box – there appeared to be a reddish/rust color haze would fill the scope. If you lined up, it would go away and be fine. This was NOT present on the S&B even when I would deliberately move my eye around. Is that called chromatic aberration or something else?

Overall, I’m very pleased with the PST and I think I’ll keep it on my AR rather than the 4-16x S&B. I just like the higher magnification of the 6-24x top end and the glass quality was excellent. Of to the range this week to sight it in and track test it, I’ll try to get some longer range pics to compare to the S&B while I’m there.
 
Re: PST 1st impressions and PICS

I think I need slightly lower mounts though…..
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Re: PST 1st impressions and PICS

Looks good, check out the LaRue mount for that setup with the forward cantilever.
 
Re: PST 1st impressions and PICS

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Notso</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think I need slightly lower mounts though…..
</div></div>

Generally speaking, center of scope tube should be ~1.5" above the rail on an AR-15. Looks about right in your pics, but hard to tell for sure.

Thanks for the review.
 
Re: PST 1st impressions and PICS

That does look a little high, but if you have a good weld when shooting then I'd just leave it.

Thanks for the review.
 
Re: PST 1st impressions and PICS

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Drifter_1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Generally speaking, center of scope tube should be ~1.5" above the rail on an AR-15. Looks about right in your pics, but hard to tell for sure.

Thanks for the review. </div></div>

"Generally speaking", maybe for Aimpoints and other "heads up" CQB optics, but if you notice the iron sights on an AR are 1.2" or so.

notso-get behind the rifle in the position you shoot it most with your eyes closed and open them up to see where you are looking at and ballpark from there where you need to be. Looks like you may have a little clearance you can use up under the objective.

My favorite mount for AR's is a Badger 22moa rail and whatever rings work (the Badger is 3/8" high, so most folks 30mm lows put the glass at about the same plane as irons.

Thanks for the review, I know pics are a pain!
 
Re: PST 1st impressions and PICS

Good review.Good to hear of the comparrison between the SB and the PST.I do love my PST.Goodshootin'

~R
 
Re: PST 1st impressions and PICS

Nice review and pics Notso. Your through the scope shots came out great.
I have the 6-24 and 4-16 and am plenty happy with the build quality and clarity of both also.
 
Re: PST 1st impressions and PICS

Good review. I have similar opinions. Great scope.

I love my 4-16. So far, very repeatable. Time will tell how it holds up...
 
Re: PST 1st impressions and PICS

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Notso</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Alright, so I received my PST 6-24 FFP MRAD scope
..............
Of to the range this week to sight it in and track test it, I’ll try to get some longer range pics to compare to the S&B while I’m there. </div></div>

Thanks for sharing.

Great review and pics.

Keep us updated....I am watching closely, as I am considering this scope as well.
wink.gif


J
 
Re: PST 1st impressions and PICS

I finally got out to shoot the PST today. To refresh everyone: it’s a 6-24x FFP MRAD. Before shooting it, I played with the knobs and focus quite a bit. I like the knobs – they are crisp and precise and have good tactile feel when moving them. I especially like the very clear markings.

I am however, a bit disappointed with the focus. It’s not as precise as higher end scopes and I could never get the picture as crisp as I’m used to with my S&B. Unfair comparison, I know. But it’s what I’m used to. Also there was a very pronounced amount of parallax present if you didn’t check for it, and there was a fairly narrow window of adjustment to be parallax free. Again, I don’t find parallax to be much of an issue with my S&B in a wide range around the best focus. It’s not an issue with the PST, because I could get the parallax removed by adjusting it – but the range is narrow and you have to work at it a bit more to find the sweet spot. I also thought the range of focus ran out too early. IOW – I was hitting 400-500 on the dial when focusing for 100-200 and hitting infinity on the dial at 4-500 actual. Not a big deal – but I felt that I was losing a bit of clarity at longer ranges whereas my schmidt was still focusing well out to 600 and beyond.

I left the turrets set where they were from the factory and sent some rounds to get it zero’d at 100yds. Shooting reloaded .223 (77SMK, 24.0 TAC, LC09) – I was 1.5 mils low and .7 right. So I dialed in the correction and the next round was dead on in elevation and needed an extra .2 mils left. 3rd, 4th and 5th were POA/POI. So I was happy with the initial tracking. I never got a chance to run a full tracking test, since I didn’t bring my bigger board. But I’ll do that soon. Overall, I really like the reticle more than I thought I would. I was prepared for it to be very thick – but I thought it worked fine. I shot a couple of .6-.75” groups @ 100 with it, which was about the gun’s usual accuracy. On max power – I did not find the FFP reticle too thick to be fairly precise. It is NOT a BR reticle – so don’t plan on using it for that. I think it’s going to be perfect for tac match guns.

I then dialed my usual known dope for 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600m and it was pretty much dead on at all ranges. I was dinging steel with it with no problem out to 600m today. I could easily see bullet splashes at long range and the reticle was very nice and easy to use for windage holds.

Here’s some pics at the range. The paper is at 100. The steel is at 300 and 400 yds. I ran out of time to take more pics when I moved over to the longer range steel area later that day.

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Overall impression of the PST still remains good. I spent a lot of time comparing the PST to the S&B 5-25x56 side by side. Unfortunately - it’s an apples to oranges comparison and not really fair. The clarity and resolution was no contest, especially as the range increased. Everything about the S&B really shows why it’s a $3k optic. Color, clarity, resolution, focus, parallax, etc. was all better than the PST. Is it 3x better? In some ways yes, in some ways no. It depends on what you want vs what you need. The PST, however was absolutely usable throughout the ranges I shot at. I had no problems seeing the target, hitting the target, seeing bullet impacts, dialing corrections, etc.

Bottom line is I like the scope. It did everything I asked of it in my very limited test. The glass itself is good, but I wouldn’t say great. It reminds me of Mk4 or NF quality from the times I’ve shot them in the past. I would need to put them side by side to say that with any objectivity though. But everything else about the scope looks good. I’m not in love with the focus, but it works well enough to get the job done and is just probably a LIMFAC of the glass not being as clear as I’m used to. So far, I’m happy with the purchase.

Edit: I just noticed once I put the pics side by side that there is a distinctive red hue in the PST compared to the S&B. I shot the camera (Cannon T1i) both on manual exposure and manual focus and left the setting the same so there was noting changing between shots. You don't really notice the red when you're behind the scope - but the camera sure sees it. interesting.....
 
Re: PST 1st impressions and PICS

You guy have some nice Photos.

I agree with sobrbiker883 about the Badger 22moa AR rail. I use them for my precision ARs.

Mike @ CST