Vortex Viper PST Gen2 2-10x32 FFP EBR-4 MRAD - Whats better in the price/weight range

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  • ActionDiver
    Unwashed
    • Jul 2017
    • 19

    Vortex Viper PST Gen2 2-10x32 FFP EBR-4 MRAD - Whats better in the price/weight range

    Ok, I have my 16" 6.5 Grendel Ar-15 built and I am looking for a scope. I am going to use this for general hunting and am taking it to Colorado this October for Elk.

    The Vortex Viper PST Gen 2 2-10x32 FFP EBR-4 MRAD looks to be about the best in features, weight, FFP, and MRAD increments that I can find. I am ok with its power range for hunting (300 yards or so) and any informal target shooting I will do out to 1000 yards as it looks to have plenty of adjustment travel.

    Keeping the weight down is important to me, as is Front Focal plane and MRAD adjustment. I too like the illumination, but I do hear people needing to use the warranty (which is great) at Vortex, but that is little to no help during a hunt in the Rockies or Alaska.

    I'd rather have an American made scope but Leupold/Nightforce/US Optics are very heavy and much more expensive.

    The other contender is the Trijicon AccuPower 1-8x28 34mm Riflescope MIL Segmented-Circle Crosshair w/ Green LED. It is American made, but much more expensive and looks to do about the same, but with less power, but likely better light transmission.

    Money aside, which would you choose?

    Can you recommend something better? What am I over looking?
  • Kilco
    Chieftain
    • Jan 2016
    • 1201

    #2
    A lot of people really like the Vortex scopes. I use a 6.5-20 Viper on my M77 204 Ruger varmint gun.

    It really depends on what you want to do with the gun.. I haven't had a Gen II Viper in hand, but generally speaking it's a great jack of all trades master of none scope.. For a dedicated hunting rig, it's quite heavy, and unless you are taking shots on game past 400 yards, personally for me I don't like an exposed windage knob on my dedicated hunting rig, let alone something I would take into the Alaskan wilderness.

    The magnification range is more than enough for long range shooting with the Grendel, but again, is your primary focus hunting? Or long range plinking? For hunting, glass clarity and low light transmission are MUCH more important to me than magnification range, and for ethical killing distance with a Grendel, a 1-4, 2-7, or even 3-9 will get you there without much fuss.. Nothing wrong with more magnification, but if mobile hinting, not stationary hunting is your goal, then weight, low light transmission, and durability/repeatability should be your primary focus..

    For hunting, if I do use an illuminated reticle I want just the center dot illuminated. (Leupold VXR and Trijicon are some of my favorite examples.) Anything that illuminates the entire reticle, has only distracted and frustrated me in the past, and besides using in conjunction with NV, I don't see the point.

    For DEDICATED hunting setups, I really like NF, Leupold, Trijicon and Burris. That's my favorite flavors based on my experiences. There are many more experienced guys with different opinions I'm sure.

    If you are dead set on hunting, take a look at the Leupold VX3i line. Get a wind plex reticle/CDS version that comes with a standard 1/4 moa target turret for some long range plinking when you feel like it. Very light scopes (the 2.5-8x36 is roughly half the weight of the PST 2.5-10X32) and feature amazing glass for the price, one piece tube and reputable reliability. Hell I use a VX2 2-7X33 with the CDS with a Aero Precision mount on my 16" Grendel, and I have footage on here of my wife smacking steel at 810 yards with it. 13.4oz scope and mount combined.

    For something you are going to stationary hunt, do a ton of target shooting at extended ranges, you can't go wrong with the Viper PST 2.5-10 Gen II. Vortex makes great optics without a doubt.

    I could go on forever rambling about scopes...

    My father picked up one of the new Nikon Black 1000 in 4-16, and I got to say I was damn impressed with that for the money when we were stretching it out as well..

    Also if you are looking to fork out that much for the Gen II PST, for a little less you could get a Nightforce SHV 3-10x42, which is an ideal hunting/plinking scope for the Grendel. Capped target turrets, the MOAR reticle (my personal favorite) and very good glass.

    When the Vortex Viper PST 2.5-10x32 Gen 1 was available for 600-700, I thought I was one of the best values around.. the price hike on the Gen II models kind of made me feels as of they hampered with the best thing about the PST line... Value..
    Last edited by Kilco; 08-03-2017, 08:32 PM.

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    • Schrambo
      Warrior
      • Oct 2016
      • 224

      #3
      I have both the Gen I and Gen II, the Gen I is 9 oz lighter... Makes a difference at altitude...

      Comment

      • Kilco
        Chieftain
        • Jan 2016
        • 1201

        #4
        Originally posted by Schrambo View Post
        I have both the Gen I and Gen II, the Gen I is 9 oz lighter... Makes a difference at altitude...
        Sure does! Even at my measly 660ft altitude.. walk with the gun slung for a day with your other hunting gear, OZs matter!

        Surprised the G II is that much heavier.. the Gen 1 was a porker as it is..
        Last edited by Kilco; 08-04-2017, 03:58 AM.

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        • ActionDiver
          Unwashed
          • Jul 2017
          • 19

          #5
          Last year I toted a 12 pound (equipped) 308 for elk and it was TOUGH! GPS tracker had me at roughly 10 miles/day at 10,000'. That is a major reason I wanted to build this gun. Light will be nice. I do have a Leupold 3x9 VXII I could use. For 300 that would be fine I suppose.

          The CDS sounds interesting on a VX3. I'll look into it more.

          Comment

          • Kilco
            Chieftain
            • Jan 2016
            • 1201

            #6
            Originally posted by ActionDiver View Post
            Last year I toted a 12 pound (equipped) 308 for elk and it was TOUGH! GPS tracker had me at roughly 10 miles/day at 10,000'. That is a major reason I wanted to build this gun. Light will be nice. I do have a Leupold 3x9 VXII I could use. For 300 that would be fine I suppose.

            The CDS sounds interesting on a VX3. I'll look into it more.
            Last season my Grendel was waiting for parts, and I toted my 14.5 pound custom R700 260 Rem with a 26" varmint barrel and NF SHV F1 around.. NOT FUN.

            The CDS is nice because at least you get a standard low profile target turret at first. Then you can send in for one free custom dial..

            Personally I wouldn't trust the custom dial much past 400-450 yards. Out to that distance (and the furthest I would shoot game with my Grendel, I think it will do fine)

            Comment

            • rabiddawg
              Chieftain
              • Feb 2013
              • 1664

              #7
              Have you used a ffp scope for hunting?

              I do not like ffp for hunting. The reticle gets hard to see in low light conditions. I have one vortex ffp non illuminated and one that is illuminated. The illuminated helps some but gets bright when you start dialing up magnification in low light

              Just my 2 cents
              Knowing everthing isnt as important as knowing where to find it.

              Mark Twain

              http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showt...2-Yd-Whitetail

              Comment

              • ActionDiver
                Unwashed
                • Jul 2017
                • 19

                #8
                Yikes, that was a heavy beast to tote Kilco!

                Rabiddawg, I have hunted with a FFP but not enough to notice what you are talking about with the low light. I only used a NF FFP and ended up shooting super close. Thanks for the heads up, I'll know to be aware of it when comparing scopes now.

                Comment

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