The Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 is a premium riflescope ideal for precise shooting needs at medium to long distances. However, it’s too expensive to buy on a whim.
Here’s what you should know about this product before you go shopping.
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Vortex Optics Viper PST Gen I 6-24x50
Pros
Cons
Vortex Viper PST 6-24X50 Specs
Eye Relief: 4.0 inches
Adjustment Options: 50 yards to infinity (Parallax), 65 MOA (windage), 65 MOA (elevation)
Type Of Reticle: Crosshair
Image of Reticle:
Magnification: 6x to 24x
Focal Plane: Second
Objective Lens: 50mm
Field of View: 5.1 to 17.8 feet at 100 yards
Pros
Let's take a look at a few reasons we love this scope.
Excellent Magnification Range
With a low of 6x and a high of 24x, this riflescope is ideal for sniping at medium to long ranges. This scope has a wider range than most products in its category, which means it’s fundamentally better in different environments. As usual, magnifications above 20x tend to be a bit blurrier, but that’s not bad enough to cause these scope issues.
Argon Filling
This tube’s interior is filled with argon gas , which is non-reactive and will not corrode the glass, metal, or seals. That’s not unusual at this price point, but it’s worth mentioning because that’s one of the things that helps make premium scopes significantly better than the competition.
Available in Different Models
Unlike many other riflescopes, this scope is available in several different choices, including having the reticle on either the first or second planes. Most models have it on the second plane because that’s easier to manufacture, but it’s always better to have choices when possible.
Scratch-Resistant Coating
The ArmorTek coating on the lens helps protect the lenses from problems like oil, dirt, and scratches. That’s particularly important on scopes in this price range, though it’s always better to have a cap over the lens whenever you’re not using it.
Cons
Nothing is perfect. The Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 is pretty close, but here are some things that we feel could use improvement.
Limited Field Of View At Low Magnification
This is an unusual issue for a scope to have, particularly in this price range. However, when you’re at about 6x magnification, the lowest setting, you can expect to lose the top and bottom 15% of your field of view. That’s a significant narrowing of your visibility range and could impact competitive performance in some situations.
Not Ideal For Ultra-Long Range Firing
This scope performs best up to about 300 yards, despite its high magnification levels. After that, it tends to get blurrier, which is unfortunate on a scope with this price. We expect higher performance from premium-priced products, and it’s an issue on enough models to make it a serious problem.
Best Uses For the Vortex Viper PST 6-24X50
This scope works best in two primary scenarios:
Hunting
For hunting, this scope is most effective when you’re at 100 to 300 yards, which is where the lens is most accurate. This distance is about right for most hunting trips, particularly in areas where trees can hinder the line of sight if you’re trying to hit something too far away.
Features like scratch-resistant lenses and repeatability make it ideal for shooting multiple targets at similar ranges, though that’s partially up to luck when you’re out hunting.
Competitive Shooting
This scope is also suitable for some competitive shooting environments, mainly indoor or obstacle course-style activities. Its ability to shoot at many different ranges makes it a better choice than buying several different scopes and needing to change between them when you’re on a time limit.
However, this is functionally an entry-level competitive scope. For the best results in this area, you’ll need a significantly more expensive scope. As such, this is a decent scope if you want to participate, but not the best option if you’re trying to win.
Is the Vortex Viper PST 6-24X50 Hard to Use?
No. The Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 offers decent repeatability and tracks well, though it doesn’t have a proper zero stop system and takes some practice to get used to.
Is the Vortex Viper PST 6-24X50 Compatible With Any Rifle?
By itself, straight out of the box, the Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 scope is not compatible with most rifles. It requires 30mm rings to mount on a base, and Vortex unsurprisingly recommends that you use their ring sets. We agree in this case because products can be a little fiddly if you mix manufacturers.
Once you have the mounting rings, this rifle will mount onto any Picatinny base. That’s not any rifle, but it is most modern rifles, and chances are you can swap out any other base to be a Picatinny. Once you reach that point, this scope is broadly compatible.
What Do I Need to Know About Mounting the Vortex Viper PST 6-24X50?
As we discussed above, you may need to purchase additional rings to mount your scope. Make sure you either already have such rings or buy them at the same time, rather than ordering them separately. Few things are more disappointing than having a scope and not being able to mount it.
Vortex also recommends that you use a 20 MOA canted Picatinny rail or 30mm rings with adjustable offsets if you plan to shoot at targets more than 800 yards away. These mounting options provide added control and support at those distances and might make all the difference when you’re shooting.
What Makes the Vortex Viper PST 6-24X50 Stand Out From the Competition?
The main thing that makes this scope stand out from the competition is its generally outstanding construction quality. While there are a few bad models in the batch and some slippage at very high and very low magnification, this is still a generally excellent choice for people who want a decent balance of quality and price.
That said, remember that this scope is at the low end of premium options. There are better but more expensive scopes available. Some scopes are nearly as good, sold for a relatively lower price. Think carefully about your budget before you go shopping.
Conclusion
Overall, this is a great multipurpose scope for mid-to-long range shooting. A couple of flaws hold it back from being a truly outstanding scope, but it’s still a great option for most people in many shooting environments.
People Also Ask
Here are some other questions that people often ask about this product:
What Kind of Warranty Does the Vortex Viper PST 6-24X50 Come With?
That depends partially on the store you buy from. Most retailers offer at least a 30-day guarantee where you can return the item for essentially any reason, and that’s handy if you plan to test it out right away.
Vortex itself offers its VIP Warranty for this product. This is an unlimited, fully transferable lifetime warranty, and it doesn’t even need the receipt. While this warranty does not cover deliberate damage, loss of the scope, theft, or cosmetic damage that doesn’t affect performance, it thoroughly covers genuine damage or defects.
This warranty is about as good as any company can offer. The only better coverage is insuring your scope, but most people don’t need to do that.
How Much Does the Vortex Viper PST 6-24X50 Weigh?
The Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 scope weighs 23.4 ounces. This is before you add the weight of any additional lens covers or accessories. This is relatively light for a riflescope, although not quite enough to make it a true lightweight scope.
Can You Use Vortex Viper PST 6-24X50 in Low Light?
This scope has an illuminated reticle, which means you can use it under lower-light conditions than an unlit scope. The scope offers ten levels of brightness intensity, with an off click between each level so you can easily turn the illumination off, then return to your last level.
However, it’s not particularly specialized for this role and it doesn’t work as well in low-light conditions as some other premium scopes. This is particularly true in some twilight conditions where the reticule may not be quite bright enough to see.
How Long Does The Battery Last On The Vortex Viper PST 6-24X50?
That depends on how much you use it. On the lowest setting, this scope’s battery (a standard CR2032) may last several hundred hours. On the brightest setting, it could last 10 hours or less. Vortex does not provide estimated battery life for this product, but we recommend bringing a spare battery and changing the battery in the scope every two years.
