Description
Rifle Scope Product Details
Vortex Optics Viper PST Gen II 3-15×44 EBR-2D MOA (FFP) PST-3154
Vortex Viper PST 3-15×44 Illum EBR-2D MOA FFP PST-3154 | Exclusive
Rifle Scope Product Features
About the Vortex Scope Maker
Vortex is a premium supplier for weapon scopes, optics, mounting solutions, and other add-ons used for guns like rifles and long guns. They design and manufacture their mounts, scopes, and related products working with building materials which are long lasting and resilient. This includes the Vortex Optics Viper PST Gen II 3-15×44 EBR-2D MOA (FFP) PST-3154 by Vortex. For more shooting items, visit their site.
What You Need to Know About Rifle Optics
Rifle scopes allow you to specifically aim a rifle at different targets by lining up your eye with the target at range. They do this through magnifying the target by employing a set of lenses within the scope. The scope’s alignment can be adjusted for consideration of various natural factors like wind speed and elevation increases to make up for bullet drop.
The scope’s purpose is to help the shooter understand exactly where the bullet will land based upon the sight picture you are viewing via the optic as you align the scope’s crosshair or reticle with the target. Most modern rifle scopes and optics have around eleven parts which are located internally and outside of the scope. These optic pieces consist of the rifle scope’s body, lenses, windage turrets, focus rings, and other parts. See all eleven parts of a scope.
About Rifle Optic Varieties
Rifle scopes can be either “first focal plane” or “second focal plane” type of optics. Choosing the optimal type of rifle scope is based around what type of shooting you plan to do.
About First Focal Plane Optics
First focal plane scopes (FFP) feature the reticle in front of the magnifying lens. This triggers the reticle to increase in size based on the amount of zoom being used. The outcome is that the reticle measurements are the same at the amplified distance as they are at the non amplified range. As an example, one tick on a mil-dot reticle at 100 yards without “zoom” is still the corresponding tick at one hundred yards with 5x “zoom”. These types of scopes work for:
- Quick acquisition, far away kinds of shooting
- Shooting situations where estimations are low
- Experienced shooters who have an idea for their aim point “hold over” and also “lead” relationships for their firearms
- Shooters who don’t mind the reticle is enlarged and requires more visual sight area than a SFP reticle
Second Focal Plane Scope Details
Second focal plane glass (SFP) come with the reticle behind the magnification lens. This causes the reticle to remain at the exact same overall size in relation to the level of magnification being used. The final result is that the reticle measurements adapt based on the magnification applied to shoot over greater distances considering the reticle markings represent different increments which change with the magnification. In the FFP illustration with the SFP glass, the 5x “zoom” 100 yard tick reticle measurement would be 1/5th of the non “zoom” tick. These varieties of optics work for:
- Long distance styles of shooting where shooters have increased time to make ballistic calculations
- Shooting where most shots happen within much shorter proximities and ranges
- Shooters who select a clearer optic sight picture without space used up by the bigger FFP reticle
Zoom for Rifle Scopes
The quantity of zoom a scope offers is identified by the diameter, thickness, and curvatures of the lenses inside of the rifle scope. The magnification of the scope is the “power” of the scope.
Fixed Power Lens Glass Facts
A single power rifle scope or optic uses a zoom number designator like 4×32. This means the zoom power of the scope is 4x power and the objective lens is 32mm. The zoom of this kind of scope can not change since it is a fixed power optic.
Adjustable Power Lens Scope Details
Variable power rifle scopes can be changed between magnification power levels. It will list the magnification amount in a configuration such as 2-10×32. These numbers suggest the zoom of the scope could be adjusted between 2x and 10x power. This additionally utilizes the power levels in-between 2 and 10. The power modification is accomplished by applying the power ring component of the scope near the rear of the scope by the eye bell.
The Power Level and Range Correlation of Rifle Glass
Here are some suggested scope power levels and the ranges where they can be effectively used. Highly magnified rifle scope glass will not be as efficient as lower magnification level rifle scope glass since too much magnification can be a negative aspect depending on your shooting distance. The same concept goes for extended ranges where the shooter needs enough power to see where to properly aim the rifle.
Scope Lens Covering
All modern-day rifle optic lenses are coated. There are various types and qualities of lens coverings. Lens finishing can be a crucial element of a rifle’s setup when looking into luxury rifle optics and scope units. The glass lenses are among the most significant parts of the optic as they are what your eye looks through while sighting a rifle in on the target. The finish on the lenses offers protection to the lens surface and even improves anti glare capabilities from excess direct sunlight and color recognition.
HD Versus ED Lenses
Some rifle glass companies even use “HD” or high-definition lens finishes which employ different processes, elements, polarizations, and chemical applications to enhance separate colors and viewable target visibility through the lens. This high-definition covering is frequently used with more costly, high density lens glass which drops light’s capability to refract by means of the lens glass. Some scope corporations use “HD” to describe “ED” suggesting extra-low dispersion glass. ED deals with how certain colors are represented on the chromatic spectrum and the chromatic deviance or aberration which is also called color distortion or fringing. Chromatic aberration can be visible around things with defined outlines as light hits the object from specific angles.
Single Finishing Versus Multi-Coating
Different optic lenses can also have various finishes used to them. All lenses generally have at least some type of treatment or covering used to them before they are used in a rifle scope or optic.
Single layered lenses have a treatment applied to them which is normally a protective and boosting multi-purpose treatment. This lens treatment can protect the lens from scratches while decreasing glare and other less beneficial things experienced in the shooting environment while sighting in with the scope. The quality of a single layered lens depends on the scope company and just how much you paid for it. Both are indicators of the lens quality.
Some scope makers also make it a point to specify if their optic lenses are layered or “multi” coated. This implies the lens has several treatments applied to them. If a lens receives multiple treatments, it can establish that a producer is taking numerous actions to combat various natural elements like an anti-glare coating, a scratch resistant anti-abrasion coating, followed by a hydrophilic finish. This additionally does not necessarily imply the multi-coated lens will perform better than a single covered lens. Being “much better” depends on the maker’s lens treatment technology and the quality of products used in creating the rifle glass.
Anti-water Lens Coating
Water on a lens does not assist with keeping a clear sight picture through a scope at all. Many top of the line and military grade scope makers will coat their lenses with a hydrophilic or hydrophobic finishing.
Choices for Installing Rifle Optics on Firearms
Mounting solutions for scopes can be found in a couple of options. There are the standard scope rings which are individually mounted to the scope and one-piece scope mounts which cradle the scope. These different types of mounts also normally come in quick release variations which use toss levers which permit rifle shooters to quickly mount and dismount the scopes.
Hex Key Optic Ring Mounts
Basic, clamp-on type mounting scope rings use hex head screws to install to the flattop style Picatinny scope mounting rails on the tops of rifles. These forms of scope mounts use double independent rings to support the optic, and are normally made from 7075 T6 billet aluminum or similar materials which are designed for far away precision shooting. This kind of scope mount is effective for rifle systems which require a long lasting, hard use mount which will not change no matter just how much the scope is moved or abuse the rifle takes. These are the style of mounts you should have for a specialized scope setup on a far away scouting or tournament long gun which will seldom need to be altered or adjusted. Blue 242 Loctite threadlocker can also be used on the scope mount screws to stop the hex screw threads from backing out after they are installed safely in place. An example of these mounting rings are the 30mm type from Vortex Optics. The set generally costs around $200 USD
Quick-Release Cantilever Rifle Optic Ring Mounts
These kinds of quick-release rifle scope mounts can be used to rapidly detach a scope from a rifle and reattach it to a different rifle. If they all use a similar design mount, a number of scopes can also be switched out in the field. The quick detach mount style is CNC machined from anodized 6061 T6 aluminum and the mounting levers connect solidly to a flat top design Picatinny rail. This lets the scope to be sighted in while on the rifle, taken off of the rifle, and remounted back on the rifle while preserving accuracy. These types of mounts are useful and handy for shooting platforms which are carried a lot, to take off the scope from the rifle for protection, or for aiming systems which are chosen for use between several rifles. An example of this mount type is the 30mm mount designed by the Vortex Optics brand. It normally costs around $250 USD
Info Around Optic Tube Sealing and Gas Purging
Moisture inside your rifle scope can destroy a day of shooting and your pricey optic by causing fogging and creating residue inside of the scope tube. Most scopes avoid moisture from going into the scope tube with a system of sealing O-rings which are waterproof.
Gas Purged Rifle Glass Tubes
Another element of avoiding the accumulation of moisture within the rifle scope tube is filling the tube with a gas like nitrogen. Given that this area is currently occupied by the gas, the optic is less altered by temperature level shifts and pressure variations from the external environment which may possibly permit water vapor to permeate in around the seals to fill the vacuum which would otherwise be there. These are good qualities of a good rifle scope to look for.
