New Vortex 1-6 strike eagle. (budget 1-6)

[42769vette]

I'm a few days late on this. I've been talking to Vortex about this for 9 months, but didn't realize it was "public knowledge" until I found a thread on another site.

Vortex is releasing a new 1-6 at shot show this year. Price will be 329. I don't get to excited about these things until I get some hands on time at shot, but on paper it looks do be a great option. It will be second focal plane with a AR BDC reticle very similar to this (I don't have a link to the actual reticle)

http://www.vortexoptics.com/uploads/sub_spf_3x_ebr-556b_moa-t.jpg

What I dont know is

Will it be true 1x?
Will the illumination be daylight visible?
When these will actually be in my hands?

I know this is not a ton of info, but I like to make sure the correct info gets here first. Feel free to ask questions, Ill answer what I can.

 

[IndyGlockMan]

Great!
I've been looking for an affordable 1-6 optic with clear glass, true 1x, no fish eye, and daylight bright dot.
I used to have a Viper 1-4 PST and it was pretty good, but the dot was NOT daylight bright.
I would definitely buy another Vortex if it's up to snuff.

 

[rvb]

wish it had a center dot like the pst reticle.
glad they thickened the subtensions from .2 to .5 moa. the .2 in the pst is too small (for my eyes) to pick up quickly in natural terain.
at that price point I can't imagine it being any brighter illumination than the pst... and probably worse since the halo portion is so thin.

good price point for a 1-6 though!

wish they'd make a 1-6 PST w/ the existing PST reticle, just w/ a little thicker lines.

-rvb

 

[42769vette]

I can't imagine it being any brighter illumination than the pst

Exactly. If your PST 1-4 was not daylight bright you should have sent it back for inspection. It could be as simple as something not making a full connection because the PST 1-4 IS daylight bright visible. Its not red dot bright, but its daylight visible. I cant imagine this scope is cheaper, and brighter. The thing about cheaper is you have to cut some corners to bring the price down. People will complain that this doesnt have some of the features of the RZR 1-6, but everything is about trade off's.

 

[FishnHunt]

Here's some additional pics that have popped up on the Enos forums. Not sure it'll be enough for me to trade in my PST 1-4, but I'd definitely like to look through one. I will agree with rvb, the subtensions on the PST are really small.

 

[42769vette]

Thanks fish. I was trying to figure out how to post those.

They also have a couple RMR size red dots due to hit the market priced in the 230 area, but I think the 1-6 will be the huge draw.

 

[rvb]

Exactly. If your PST 1-4 was not daylight bright you should have sent it back for inspection. .

a visible red hue does not make it really useful, like a rzr or a firedot or SB. I can see a hint of red in full sun (I actually feel there's more contrast w the illum off), and it's somewhat useful when aiming into a shadow, but that's it. I've not seen any brighter than mine so I don't think it's a problem.

but for the price point of the 1-4 pst, I'm ok w/ it.

-rvb

 

[FishnHunt]

I actually feel there's more contrast w the illum off

I feel the same way. I use it without the illumination much more than with, especially with the targets I mostly encounter in INMG (brown paper & white steel). The unlit reticle shows up just fine.

 

[rvb]

I will agree with rvb, the subtensions on the PST are really small.

I will say, if they let ME design the PST reticle, I probably wouldn't have gone all the way to .5. I would have probably gone to .3 (50% thicker) and twice as wide...

PST reticle is damn near perfect except for that. If only for 2-3 hundred bucks more they could figure out how to make that center dot BRIGHT, like aimpoint bright..... man, they would own the market...

I actually think this reticle is a step backwards. But could I live w/ it for 50% more mag? I look forward to seeing one and doing the pepsi challenge against the 1-4 PST....

-rvb

 

[dave29]

Oh man, this will be the perfect optic for my 16" full railed upper I have on order. I'm definitely interested. I was going to pick up a PST, but I'm definitely waiting for this to show up.

 

[FishnHunt]

I look forward to seeing one and doing the pepsi challenge against the 1-4 PST....

What is this pepsi challenge you speak of, and can I be there to watch?

 

[rvb]

What is this pepsi challenge you speak of, and can I be there to watch?

hopefully it goes better for vortex than this.....
"these are both just aweful!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo0YW21fCoQ

 

[IndyGunworks]

Gimme that with an MOA reticle!!!!

 

[nad63]

This one has piqued my interest also. Looking forward to seeing one and reviews when they become available.
Nice price point for sure.

 

[Faine]

a visible red hue does not make it really useful, like a rzr or a firedot or SB. I can see a hint of red in full sun (I actually feel there's more contrast w the illum off), and it's somewhat useful when aiming into a shadow, but that's it. I've not seen any brighter than mine so I don't think it's a problem.

but for the price point of the 1-4 pst, I'm ok w/ it.

-rvb

Are you on settings 1-5 or 6-10? the first 5 are low light and leave only a hint of red. My PST is VERY bright on 6-10 settings and clearly visible even in bright sun light.

 

[cwillour]

I actually think this reticle is a step backwards.

^^^^ This.

I was excited at first, but not with those funky subtentions, especially on a 2nd focal plane scope. I wish they could have simply added the donut to their standard BDC. At least those subtentions (1.5, 4.5, 7.5, 11 moa vertical and 2 moa increments horizontal) are easy to remember and multiply.

 

[42769vette]

Keep in mind folks it is impossible to please everyone. Anything you add or do better would raise the price and have folks complaining about that. When designing optics you strive to please 51%.

 

[cwillour]

Keep in mind folks it is impossible to please everyone. Anything you add or do better would raise the price and have folks complaining about that. When designing optics you strive to please 51%.

Oh, I understand that I am not in tune with much of the buying public and that they have to go where the customers are. It just bugs me a little to see a company like Vortex "abandon" some of their "standards" that set their BDC apart from Burris, Weaver, Leupold, and the likes.

 

[42769vette]

Oh, I understand that I am not in tune with much of the buying public and that they have to go where the customers are. It just bugs me a little to see a company like Vortex "abandon" some of their "standards" that set their BDC apart from Burris, Weaver, Leupold, and the likes.

I will agree with that. I dont think they are "abandoning" it. I think they did things on this optic to get the price point lower. Was the company capable of making the reticle more like the PST? Of course they were. They could have made it Aimpoint bright, FFP, etc, etc. Had they don't those things the price point would have been tripled (if not more) and that would have defeated this optic's intended purpose. There are always things folks would like to see change, or be higher quality, but the thing folks dont want to see get "higher quality" is the price.

If you take car's for instance. The first company to develop a car faster than a corvette, with Honda fuel economy, with mini van seating and storage, that would out pull a diesel for a retail price of 15k will own the market. You just cant get all those things, in that (if any) price point.

 

[cwillour]

Vette - I think we are talking Yugos and Mercedes (I'm talking about illuminating and possibly modifying their Dead-Hold BDC while it sounds like you're referencing the TMCQ) but it really doesn't matter as Vortex has chosen their direction. I still don't understand how adjusting the position of the marks to have consistency with their other low-end BDC would add cost, unless this reticle allows them to use existing tooling from the JM-1.

While it might not be the scope I might have hoped for, I suspect Vortex has another winner on their hands:

- 1-6x
- illuminated reticle w/ donut
- Vortex's reputation for repeatable adjustments
- 1/2 MOA per click
- lots of travel to dial adjustment (280 MOA ???)
- fantastic warranty
- <$330 price point

Even it the low-end is actually 1.1x or 1.2x, as long as the glass is at least CFii quality I am already thinking I might pick one up and simply ignore the BDC component of the reticle.

I do think something is off on those data sheets linked by FishnHunt. I mean, I know I like compact rifles but, DANG, when did you all get start getting rifles that need 87-90" (over 7 feet!) of eye relief?

On a very positive note, a little cross-checking and it looks like the subtensions might be based more around the ballistics of the 77gr SMK (and similar bullets) rather than the 55gr FMJ used by so many competitors.

If I am reading the sheets and doing the math (1 MOA = 1.05"/100yds) correctly:

Range | Vert MOA | Vert Inch | Horz MOA | Horz Inch
200 | 0 | 0 | 8.6 | 18.06
300 | 2.4 | 7.56 | 5.7 | 17.955
400 | 5.6 | 23.52 | 4.3 | 18.06
500 | 9.5 | 49.875 | 3.4 | 17.85
600 | 14.6 | 91.98 | 2.9 | 18.27