My first review back in 2019 is 40/40 helpful votes right now. here's an update. - Vortex Viper PST Gen II 5-25x50mm 30mm Tube First Focal Plane Rifle Scope

This is an update to my 40/40 helpful review back in 2019. This scope is AWESOME. I now own THREE of them. The only question i stated i had back in 2019 was "robustness". Well i have since seen a review of this scope by a channel on You...er... CommieTube called "Impact Shooting" run by a guy in S. Africa. He throws this scope out the window, while driving 45mph, onto a hard packed gravel road. The scope lands right on its elevation turret and is just fine afterwards. I guess that answers that.
So what made me buy THREE of these scopes? Everything about it, that's what.
So i had said in my first review that i own the Steiner T5xi line, Burris XTR II, Bushnell Elite Tactical XRS II and this Vortex. Since then, i can say that i now proudly own a NF ATACR 7-35x56 with Mil-XT reticle as well. The NF is just awesome.
BUT...... in saying all that, the point i want to make is this.... This Vortex Viper PST Gen II has GREAT GLASS !! Seriously! In my 2019 review i said "GOOD". Now though, having shot with many other optics in the "good to great" range... i can rightfully say that this scope will serve you really, really well to at least the distances i have used it, which is out to 1,400-1,500 yards. My Steiner T5xi 5-25x56 really disappointed me at 1,150 yards when going after a milk jug at that distance, the jug was BLURRY !! I messed with the parallax and diopter TO NO AVAIL. Just couldn't believe it.... and not to mention that SCR reticle on the Steiner is just so dated at this point... and practically useless in windy conditions where fast follow up shots are a must. Also, that SCR reticle has a traditional cross hair... I'm whole heartedly against trad. cross hairs. Floating center dots are a must IMHO because they don't obscure/cover small targets at distance. Before the snows came in this winter, i hit a Milk jug at 1,000 with my Noveske, topped with this Viper. It was simple. It was also windy and i was shooting in the mountains but with the holdover on this EBR-7C reticle i was able to instantly make the holdover adjustment and nail the milk jug. I very nearly hit a soda can at 1,000 that same day with the same set up but it was a little too windy and i was shooting military ammo, not hand loads. I've gone 5 or 6 for about 12-14 shots at a spray paint can at 750 yards to include when the can had fallen over and was laying at odd angles each time it was shot. I've hit a small cantaloupe hanging in a tree in windy conditions in 3 shots at 685 yards. I have one of these on an 18" Noveske SPR, one sits on an RA308 and i'm putting the 3rd on a DDM4V11Pro. I plan on hitting soda cans at 1,000 yards with the Noveske and the DDM4V11 Pro. They're both accurate enough to pull it off and the Vortex Viper PST Gen 2 will allow that to happen. I had gone 9 hits in a row in rapid succession on steel at 750 yards with the DD topped with an 8x Burris.. but at 1,000 yards with that kind of optic.. you really don't see impact and can't make correct adjustments. I have made hits at 910 yards on steel with that 8x scope but that is really pushing it. In closing, i'd just like to say that when looking at milk jugs at 1,400 yards with this optic.. the jugs came in very clear with the kind of edge clarity you'd want to see. I smiled the first time i looked at them from that distance with this optic. Why pay for a more expensive optic when this will serve you just as well out to at least 1,500 yards? I hit a spray paint can in 2 shots with an AR10 topped with my Bushnell Elite XRS II at 900 yards but i could have just as easily done that with this Vortex Viper PST Gen 2. Like i said in the first review, this is the best bang for the buck scope on the market IMHO. Reticle is awesome, glass is awesome. Turrets have positive clicks, warranty is industry standard. If you're new to getting into longer range shooting, start with this scope. you will not be disappointed.