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SS HD owner thinking of trying a PST |
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prodgi
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/22/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 40 |
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Posted: August/23/2012 at 22:00 |
So I already have the SS HD 5-20 and love it. Unfortunately I'm too impatient to save my money long enough to buy another one for a new project gun and came across a good deal on a Vortex Viper PST. Just wondering what my expectations should be? Where is the SS going to out class the Viper and what should I expect from it?
I guess to preface the question, earlier this year I chose the SS over the Viper because I felt the Viper was too low of a price to be that good. Sounds silly I know, I fall back on the idea that you get what you pay for and the Viper comes in a lot less than every other scope with the same features and I was a little too nervous to buy one then. Well months later and all the reviews are still sounding good so I'm a lot less nervous about saving a few bucks this time around, just wondering what I'm going to notice between the two. Thanks.
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13181 |
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Which one of the PSTs are you looking at?
ILya
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prodgi
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/22/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 40 |
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the 4-16 FFP
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13181 |
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It is a nice scope and seems to have held up well to market scrutiny. Its only direct competition to date is Weaver 3-15x50FFP. I think Weaver is a little better optically, although current production PSTs are better than the early samples as well.
Mechanically, PSTs have been very good. The SS is a better scope optically and probably mechanically, but it is in a different price range. ILya
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SVT_Tactical
MODERATOR Chief Sackscratch Joined: December/17/2009 Location: NorthCackalacky Status: Offline Points: 31233 |
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I had the 4-16 SFP, Also have a SS 5-20, after using the 5-20 and then using the PST i was always felt wanting more. Got the PST on the way out the door soon, gonna get another SS.
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"Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be" - Abraham Lincoln
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prodgi
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/22/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 40 |
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So is the glass where the corners have been cut on the PST?
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SVT_Tactical
MODERATOR Chief Sackscratch Joined: December/17/2009 Location: NorthCackalacky Status: Offline Points: 31233 |
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I'm not going to say corner cut, they built the scope for a specific price point and it falls into that.
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"Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be" - Abraham Lincoln
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billyburl2
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/08/2009 Location: Cottonwood, AZ Status: Offline Points: 4015 |
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+1 to everything already said, especially about the Weaver. I checked one out at a match last weekend, and it is much closer to my SS than the Vortex is.
That being said the glass in the Vortex is quite adequate for most applications. I have shot steel with the PST 4-16 as the sun was going down at 500 yards and it good enough to get the job done.
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If it is tourist season, why can't we shoot them?
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13181 |
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That is not a good way of thinking about it. All scopes are built to a price point. it is not like they start with a flawless design and then start corners. The PST was designed from scratch for a particular price range and in that price range it is very good. ILya
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Bitterroot Bulls
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: May/07/2009 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 3416 |
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I have the 4-16X50 PST SFP as well. The glass quality of the scope is good. In fact, it is pretty darn awesome until max power. It is really a non-issue when actually using the scope to shoot. I have no problem identifying even small targets a long ways off in low light.
The "milky" lack of contrast at max power is present, but gets overstated a lot. I am happy with the glass quality of the scope, and really like the other well-executed features of the scope. It is a scope that offers a LOT fot the money. I would choose the PST over a similarly configured Mark 4 any day, and I have them both. |
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-Matt
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14962 |
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I had a 4-16 PST briefly looked it over sent it back bought the 5-20x50 Super Sniper then had to have a second 5-20x50 Super Sniper. What can I say there are a couple of rifles that I have where I really would like to upgrade the scopes that are on them. I just chip away at it a little at a time.
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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FireEMT5
Optics Journeyman Joined: September/07/2010 Location: S.E. Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 317 |
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I concur with Ur. I recently was able to do a side by side with a SS 5-20 and a PST 6-24...... To my eyes there was no comparison when taking both scopes to the upper powers. The PST got fuzzy or milky looking and the SS was super clear at all power levels. The PST really fell off at around 16 power and above.
If it were me and I already had the SS 5-20 which I do, I'd either suck it up and wait for SS to roll out the scope you are wishing for, spend more for another brand, or get another SS 5-20, fixed or SS 3-9. I wouldn't buy a PST after looking through and using a SS with HD glass, but that just me.
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gulf1263
Optics Apprentice Joined: June/15/2011 Location: Alaska Status: Offline Points: 212 |
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I have compared my 3-15 Weaver to two different 4-16 and IMHO the view through the Weaver is better.
I like the Weaver, it kind of feels svelt and a little more precise. That is a personal observation. Ilya has tested both and has a much better understanding of their strengths and weakness's. Good luck on your purchase. Art |
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Good day.
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prodgi
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/22/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 40 |
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Who is Ilya and where is the review?
Anyone know how the weaver tracks compared to the pst?
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kesi
Optics Apprentice Joined: July/23/2009 Location: Czech Republic Status: Offline Points: 83 |
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Edited by kesi - August/30/2012 at 05:05 |
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SVT_Tactical
MODERATOR Chief Sackscratch Joined: December/17/2009 Location: NorthCackalacky Status: Offline Points: 31233 |
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His site is www.opticsthoughts.com Check it out.
Rumor is he once correct Chuck Norris on an Optics issue.
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"Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be" - Abraham Lincoln
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smesk403
Optics Apprentice Joined: September/27/2012 Status: Offline Points: 53 |
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I have a 4-16 ffp pst. I'ts a great scope for the price counscious guy still looking for FFP. optically it is good, but not great.
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prodgi
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/22/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 40 |
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Well I've had the PST for a few weeks now, it's going back to Vortex.
I've tried not to let the disappointment be too great but I think I ended up with an exceptionally bad one. At 16x and a 100yd target I'd say about the outer 2/3 of the optic is quite blurry and the "milky" affect is pretty bad. In fact I was surprised at how bad it really was. Don't get me wrong, it's more than usable and for the features it comes with it's still a good buy I think, it's just not an impressive scope like all the reviews I had been reading said it was. I just contacted them via e-mail so we'll see what they say.
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Sparky
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: July/15/2007 Location: SD Status: Offline Points: 4568 |
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Just wondering, but how did you set your scope up? Or how did you adjust the diopter setting?
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Rainman
Optics Apprentice Joined: August/25/2012 Location: Washington Stat Status: Offline Points: 281 |
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I haven't used a 4-16 PST so have no idea how it compares to the Weaver 3-15 Tactical. I can say that so far I am very pleased and impressed with my Weaver 3-15 Tactical and think it is a viable option for the budget conscious user. My use has been limited at this point and only out to 200 yards but I sure like the optical quality and how all the controls work and feel. I O M it is a lot of scope for the money. I've had good luck with other Weaver scopes from several generations, new and used. In general they offer good quality and value. I'm also a VX III/3 and Nikon Monarch user and will be doing some comparisons to the Weaver. Lots of good products available now so this is my two cents worth.
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