Rifle Scopes Small issue with Vortex PST II

[BlkZ06]

I received my 5-25 PST II last night and finally had some time to play around with it this morning.

Glass looks really nice and reticle etchings are nice and sharp. Turret clicks are a bit soft and it’s almost too easy to rotate the turrets but I can live with it. Illumination knob doesn’t stick out far enough IMO. Which leads me to my problem.

The illumination dial can barely be rotated with just my fingers. I almost have to wrap my whole hand around the knob to turn it. In a shooting situation it would be next to impossible to turn on the illumination without significant effort.

I’m guessing I got a lemon but wanted to make sure it’s not supposed to be that way before I send it back.

Thanks.

 

[patriot07]

My 5-25 PST II did not have that issue at all. I thought the tension on the windage and parallax/illumination knobs were perfect. Where I had an issue was that the elevation knob on mine was stiff through about 1/4 of the travel each rotation and smooth the rest of the way. I thought about sending it in, but I called the dealer where I bought it and had him test a few others and he said they all felt that way. I returned it and got a great deal on an SWFA 5-20 HD, which I really love.

The PST II is a fantastic design and package, but I do think they're having a few of these type of hiccups and I don't know why. The reticle is great, illumination is very well done, the optical brightness, contrast, and clarity are all quite good, but the quality is just not quite there for a $1,000 scope IMHO. Hope they can get it cleaned up.

 

[BlkZ06]

My 5-25 PST II did not have that issue at all. I thought the tension on the windage and parallax/illumination knobs were perfect. Where I had an issue was that the elevation knob on mine was stiff through about 1/4 of the travel each rotation and smooth the rest of the way. I thought about sending it in, but I called the dealer where I bought it and had him test a few others and he said they all felt that way. I returned it and got a great deal on an SWFA 5-20 HD, which I really love.

The PST II is a fantastic design and package, but I do think they're having a few of these type of hiccups and I don't know why. The reticle is great, illumination is very well done, the optical brightness, contrast, and clarity are all quite good, but the quality is just not quite there for a $1,000 scope IMHO. Hope they can get it cleaned up.

Thanks for the reply! My turret and parallax knobs are real easy to spin and it’s definitely disappointing to read there are hiccups on this scope especially with how pleased I was with the glass.

 

[Vodoun daVinci]

Vortex is literally rabid about customer support and warranty. I'd reach out to them without hesitation and get their input and advice. They'll fix it or replace it without hesitation if it's out of spec.

VooDoo

 

[SuckitTrebek]

I'd think it's pretty obvious that the knobs are supposed to actually be able to be turned.

Just send it in.

 

[patriot07]

I'd think it's pretty obvious that the knobs are supposed to actually be able to be turned.

Just send it in.

In all fairness, there are some other expensive scopes (SWFA 5-20 HD for instance) that have very stiff knobs. I got lucky and SWFA HD knob is smooth, but I've tried others that were nearly impossible to turn for a normal person.

 

[BlkZ06]

In all fairness, there are some other expensive scopes (SWFA 5-20 HD for instance) that have very stiff knobs. I got lucky and SWFA HD knob is smooth, but I've tried others that were nearly impossible to turn for a normal person.

Lol...no kidding. Good old SH. You can always expect a smartass answer to an honest question.

And you are exactly right- I have a couple scopes that the parallax and illumination knobs are stiff. Other SH members posted it was normal so I didn’t worry about it.

Was just checking about this Vortex.

 

[SuckitTrebek]

Ask a stupid question. Get a smart ass answer. If it's built for you to be able to turn it with your hand...........and you can't turn it with your hand. Well now I may have
to adjust my helmet while I lick this here window, but I'm pretty sure there's something wrong with it.

 

[patriot07]

Ask a stupid question. Get a smart ass answer. If it's built for you to be able to turn it with your hand...........and you can't turn it with your hand. Well now I may have
to adjust my helmet while I lick this here window, but I'm pretty sure there's something wrong with it.

I'll take "Clueless & Stubborn" for $800 Alex.

 

[Birddog6424]

All new Viper, same old QC issues.

Save up for something that says Razor on it. They are an excellent scope.

 

[BlkZ06]

Ask a stupid question. Get a smart ass answer. If it's built for you to be able to turn it with your hand...........and you can't turn it with your hand. Well now I may have
to adjust my helmet while I lick this here window, but I'm pretty sure there's something wrong with it.

Where did I say I couldn’t turn the illumination dial with my hand?
I said it took significant effort with my fingers. Which as Patriot pointed out is common with some high end scopes.

The only thing “stupid” here is the fact you have an issue with reading comprehension.

 

[SuckitTrebek]

I thought you could only turn a dial with fingers. How do you use your hand without your fingers?

The guy that actually thinks it's obvious something is wrong when your fingers (err hand??) can't turn the dial is clueless. hahahahaha

good luck with that scope

 

[lte82]

My 5-25 PST II did not have that issue at all. I thought the tension on the windage and parallax/illumination knobs were perfect. Where I had an issue was that the elevation knob on mine was stiff through about 1/4 of the travel each rotation and smooth the rest of the way. I thought about sending it in, but I called the dealer where I bought it and had him test a few others and he said they all felt that way. I returned it and got a great deal on an SWFA 5-20 HD, which I really love.

The PST II is a fantastic design and package, but I do think they're having a few of these type of hiccups and I don't know why. The reticle is great, illumination is very well done, the optical brightness, contrast, and clarity are all quite good, but the quality is just not quite there for a $1,000 scope IMHO. Hope they can get it cleaned up.

The threading on that batch of turrets is obviously not very good. I would have vortex replace it because there is no way that binding in the turret will give you very good tracking, at least for very long that is.

 

[spife7980]

I thought you could only turn a dial with fingers. How do you use your hand without your fingers?

The guy that actually thinks it's obvious something is wrong when your fingers (err hand??) can't turn the dial is clueless. hahahahaha

good luck with that scope

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[BlkZ06]

I thought you could only turn a dial with fingers. How do you use your hand without your fingers?

The guy that actually thinks it's obvious something is wrong when your fingers (err hand??) can't turn the dial is clueless. hahahahaha

good luck with that scope

Wow...that made a lot of sense. Please don’t stop contributing this wealth of knowledge to my thread, or for that matter, the entire SH forum.

Lol.

 

[Badfinger]

 

[fdkay]

I had a demo unit for a bit. Both the illumination and ocular focus were very difficult to turn.
They are a dandy scope, but at this price point you either give up features or you give up quality.
There is no free lunch.
The glass is better on the PST II.
The functionality is better on the XTR II.
Pick which one you would rather live with and rock on, or save up another 500 bucks and get into a Bushnell LRTSi or DMR II or a discounted 1st Gen Razor.

 

[stello1001]

And you are exactly right- I have a couple scopes that the parallax and illumination knobs are stiff. Other SH members posted it was normal so I didn’t worry about it.

Was just checking about this Vortex.

I have a scope which I bought new and came from factory with an extremely stiff parallax knob. At first, I didn't think it was able to be adjusted or I was doing something wrong. I finally realized it was just too stiff. I've tried my best to run the knob from one end of its rotational axis to the other as much as I can when I have nothing else to do. I like it now because it's still very difficult to adjust, but a good kind of way. I'm sure with the warranty Vortex offers, it can be sent and and fixed or replaced. The other option would be to do what I did and it might start to loosen up.

 

[patriot07]

I thought you could only turn a dial with fingers. How do you use your hand without your fingers?

The guy that actually thinks it's obvious something is wrong when your fingers (err hand??) can't turn the dial is clueless. hahahahaha

good luck with that scope

As I said, the SWFA 5-20 HD has a stiff parallax knob and it's considered normal. So stiff in fact that there are aftermarket grippers to enhance use-ability. That's all the OP was asking.

Sticking with "Clueless & Stubborn" for $1,000 Alex.

 

[scudzuki]

I've seen reports of Razor Gen IIs with turret knobs that had a tight spot in the revolution.
Every one I saw reported was fixed by loosening the set screws that fix the knob then evenly tightening them (snug first set screw, snug the 2nd, a little tighter on the first, then the 2nd, etc.).

As for the illumination control or side focus (parallax) knob being too stiff, they may loosen over time, but then again they may not.

Personally I'd rather have the side focus a little too difficult than too easy to turn. Too little drag on the knob can allow the parallax to go out of focus just from the recoil of the weapon.

 

[ra2bach]

got a Vortex PST GenII 2-10, I tried to turn the eyepiece focus knob and I thought it was seized. I had to grab with my full hand and twist so hard I thought I might break it but it released and has worked fine since. found out this was a common complaint...