Steiner Predator Xtreme

Greetings all!  I know several members have this scope, in one magnification range or the other, and I have been searching the forum/internet all evening looking for reviews.  They are not really there to be found.

Not a good question?  

Yes it is a good question. I will have some thoughts and pictures up this weekend. Sorry for the delay.

It's no problem.   I was going to try to purchase today or tomorrow, thOugh, so could you give a quick buy or no buy verdict at 475?

Buy, absolutely

Thank you, it's been ordered.  Really appreciate your advice, and very much looking forward to someone with your knowledge breaking it down in a detailed review.

I am interested in hearing feedback on the ability to mount this scope (I am looking at the 56mm model) on "normal" long action rifles with bases.  Looking at the pictures of the Predator Extreme 3-12 x 56, the scope tube looks fairly short.  For instance I have a Winchester M70.  The Leupold VX-3 40mm scope I have on there now is already tough to get set far enough back so that I can through the scope when turned up past 7x or so. 

Questions:
1)  Does anyone with one of these have any feedback on limitations for mounting? 
2)  I'm looking at the 56mm model as an affordable scope for "last possible light" shooting.  From the limited reviews out there, the comments on glass quality are positive.  How about low light transmission relative to other semi-affordable quality 56mm scope (Meopta, etc.).  Does the CAT coating system work as intended, or does the lack of transmission in the yellow/green spectrum detract from total brightness? 
3)  Is the S-1 reticle bold enough for last-light shooting?
4)  How is eye relief ... better or worse than average?

Also another question ...

5) From the Steiner supplied images, it appears there's a small knob near the elevation adjustment. Is this the old Burris "Posi-Lock" feature?

Tahqua,

Any update on your observations with this scope? Thanks!

Sorry for the late reply. I will be out of the loop for posting pics and more observations for a bit longer.

Thanks Tahqua. I ended up just ordering it to take advantage of current deals, I'll probably leave in the packaging till I can get some informed feedback.

I can only address the 4-16x50, but there are no mounting problems on Remington long or short action M700's. I am not sure what the protrusion is but it is not Posi-Lock.

I'm sure your report will be quite thourough when you publish it Doug! 

Thanks Bud, the healing is coming along okay.

Looking forward to your comments

Recieved mine today.  I think it looks fantastic, but the only thing I have to compare it to is is a vortex diamondback, and I think the Vortex looks pretty good too.  

About the only complaint I can come up with for the 2.5-10 Predator is that when set on 10, the eye box is not forgiving.  On lower settings, even 8-9, it's pretty good, and on 2.5-6-7, it's extremely forgiving.  HUGE eye relief--- 4-5 inches.  

The fact that locations downrange are perceived "brighter" than your naked eye during very low light conditions is normal in my experience for quality optics.  I think that most good scopes will give you this effect to some degree or another.  The only way you can really compare low light coatings and associated low light performance is a side by side comparison with other scopes. 

My Leupold 3.5-10 x 40mm VX-3 does the same thing, and I consider it a good scope ...... but it gives out before my 8x56 Docter binoculars.  They provide MANY more minutes of observation.  Of course I can't ever expect a rifle scope to match the low light performance of top quality, large exit pupil, binoculars like the Docters, but I am trying to work toward getting closer. 

I'm hoping that tahqua will include some commentary on this when he posts his thoughts on the scope.

I'm waiting on my 3-12 X 56mm Predator Xtreme right now.  I bought it explicitly for low light performance, so I have high hopes along the same lines you are mentioning.  It may not be equal to top Zeiss models, etc, but if it can obtain 90%-95% of the low light capability they have for the deal I just paid ... I'll be pretty happy.

David

Good luck with that!  At least you know what you want and what to look for.  So many of us don't...

Doug,

Just got my 3-12 x 56mm. Very quick general first impressions:

1) Hefty sturdy feel

2) controls have a firm feel to them ... shouldn't move just by bumping during use

3) very clear optics

4) Nice sharp reticle. S-1 reticle design not too distracting.

5) took it out on the porch at dusk with my Docter 8x56 binoculars (stupid bright). The scope (on 8x) hung with it on a dark tree line till it was getting fairly dark (20-25 minutes past sunset on a cloudy day). At that point I couldn't see the reticle on the dark treeline and the binoculars were still pretty clear. Like I mentioned earlier, it's not a fair fight, but I felt like the scope did pretty well. To do much better it probably needs an illuminated reticle.

When not held against the treeline, it was still plenty bright enough to shoot a deer at 1/2 hour past sunset and later. I don't have a premium 56mm scope for comparison, so I would love to hear someone compare equal objective size brightness to another premium scope.

David

Also ... To clarify and give context, this was done hand holding the scope right out of the box, at a tree line around 120 yards away (our neighborhood park between me and treeline). So take my observations for what they are worth. The only potentially negative comment I have is that the cross hairs are pretty fine for shooting at dusk. Would be great for anything other than very-last-light-against-the-treeline type shooting.

Scout, that was my thought as well.  I can easily see things through the scope in poor light, but struggle to pick up the reticle.   I could still make the shot on large game, since you can see the posts, sort of, but the brightness is outperforming the reticles on these by a fair bit.  

Tahqua ... Doug ... Any thoughts here from an experienced eyeball?