Looking for LVPO Recommendations:

Dpvaz56

Member
Interested in recommendations for a LVPO in the 1-4x or 1-6x range. I have two 5.56 BCM rifles it could go on, one is a 14.5" midlength and the other is a 10.3" CQBR style carbine. Looking in the $500-$700 range. Had a PA 1-6x ACSS previously and while it was a good starter/budget option I found the reticle to be a tad too busy and it wasn't daylight bright. Looking for an upgrade beyond that but not into the NF NX8/USO/Kahles territory due to budget constraints. I've heard great things about the Steiner P4xi and good things about the Vortex Viper PST Gen 2 1-6x which both fall into that category and have been offered a Sig Tango 6 1-6x as a trade but as I'm not a huge LVPO guy I'd love to hear your feedback.
 

RustyM92

Amateur
For that price point, I would look at the Trijicon Accupower and Accupoint series and the Steiner P4Xi.
Accupower is battery powered and the Accupoint is fiber optic and tritium. 1-4 options in both and 1-6 in the Accupoint. The Trijicons and the Steiner are all robust with good glass and simple reticles. Hope that helps.
 

jBravo3

Regular Member
Yep, I second the Steiner P4Xi. Mine is mounted on a BCM Recce 16. I think the optic is a lot of bang for the buck, and I've been really happy with it. It's tough, pretty clear glass, and I really like that the only thing illuminated is a simple, daylight bright dot (I find anything illuminated beside a dot pretty distracting). There's still an etched reticle (just in case) and a throw lever is included. Highly recommended at that price point.
 

travis B

Newbie
I do not have much experience with other LPVO’s but the Steiner P4xi has been good to me. The clarity is good and it’s lighter in weight than the vortex offerings. Plus it’s actually daylight bright (I’m in SC) and made in America. DSG usually has a good deal on them with a nice qd Mount and a throw lever. The adjustments on mine are a little mushy but that’s ok with me. As I set it and leave it. I’m not dialing in anything and I wouldn’t imagine many would with a 1-4. The knobs are capped so you won’t inadvertently bump them messing with the zero. So far I’ve taken 2 Carbine classes with it. One had us shooting from all kinds of awkward positions and the other had shooting on the move and lowlight as well. And on day 2 it was overcast and rainy, but the glass kept looking good. On 1x, shooting on the move and in lowlight was no problem. Shooting from awkward positions and transitioning to support side can be a little tricky as you have to find the eye box. (But that’s going to be an issue with any scope) Not that you really have to be perfect as many times while going to left shoulder I was outside of the eyebox and all I saw was black which was ok as long as I saw the red dot I went ahead and made the shot without waiting to get a good view through the scope. I’m sure there could be a parallax downside to that at distance but for the shooting I was doing which was 100 yards and in I was still getting them in the chest box on a VTAC target.
 

Pat Tarrant

Custom testicles
Staff member
Moderator
Steve Fisher has had several PST Gen 2s break in class. Seems the QC, material and assembly shortcuts to get it to the price point may be a bit much. At least for now.

The P4Xi seems to be the budget 1-X to beat. The Accupower may be good to go too.

If you can stretch the budge another hundred or so, you may be able to get a deal on a Vudu 1-6, a Leupold VX-6, or even a used Razor (need a couple hundred extra there).
My preference would be to look at which gun is the one you really need, the one you'd grab for duty or defense, and spend a little extra there on a better optic rather than split the budget equally and have 2 second tier optics. Unless you really do have a need for both guns to be running LPVOs, that is.
 

RustyM92

Amateur
Steve Fisher has had several PST Gen 2s break in class. Seems the QC, material and assembly shortcuts to get it to the price point may be a bit much. At least for now.

The P4Xi seems to be the budget 1-X to beat. The Accupower may be good to go too.

If you can stretch the budge another hundred or so, you may be able to get a deal on a Vudu 1-6, a Leupold VX-6, or even a used Razor (need a couple hundred extra there).
My preference would be to look at which gun is the one you really need, the one you'd grab for duty or defense, and spend a little extra there on a better optic rather than split the budget equally and have 2 second tier optics. Unless you really do have a need for both guns to be running LPVOs, that is.
+1
The Vudu is my preferred optic and reticle. When you have a chance, always save for the better option, not that the Steiners or Trijicons are by any means bad. There's also a Razor and Mount combo for sale in the Flea Market section by another member that's well worth a look.
 

Longinvs

Regular Member
Quantified Performance
+1
The Vudu is my preferred optic and reticle. When you have a chance, always save for the better option, not that the Steiners or Trijicons are by any means bad. There's also a Razor and Mount combo for sale in the Flea Market section by another member that's well worth a look.
The flea market would be a good way to potentially get into a better optic. Otherwise, if you're .mil/.gov/leo type vortex does offer a pretty decent discount on their stuff. I would personally suggest the viper. I've heard about some of the issues they had early on but as of late it seems that they've rectified the any problems. I know a number of three gun shooters that run the viper on their rifles and it has been a quality product for them. I might also say reach out to USO and see what you can get their 1-6 for. It has a decent MSRP to begin with, I would see if you could proform it (depending on what you do).
 

Mike_IA

Regular Member
Sig Tango is good but a boat anchor. There are instructors out there with them that have had them close to a year without issue.

Vortex has great customer service because you will need it. Their pro discount is pretty good but you will wait for it. Used razors are out there for at or below $1k- I wouldn’t consider anything below the razor line as “Duty rated” or “serious use”

Steiner P4Xi is the budget scope to beat. Solid illum, good simple reticle with enough holds to take advantage of the magnification. T5Xi is more money than worth unless you are limited by rules to 5x. Steiner’s have proven fairly robust and reliable.

Leupold Mk6 is a bit of a different animal because it is 1st focal plane and the illum is more like a precision rifle scope than anything else. And the reticles aren’t great. Leupold will be releasing a second focal plane assaulter type optic under their Mk5 banner.

Nightforce has a 1-4x thst is out there and maybe found on the second hand market by those trading up. The reticle is different but may work.

I personally am not a fan of the vudu or trijicon optics because of reticle options, glass quality, weight for product delivered, and cost factors. So I only have anecdotal use of them.
 
I've had the Viper for about a year now and have had no issues. Ive run it on two 14.5's one Triarc and one home assembled with a faxon barrel. Had no problems seeing and getting hits out to 450 to 500 yards. Up close the dot is bright and crisp even in the nevada sun. The glass is good not as clear as my ACOG however, I find myself prefering it over my ACOG over the past few months. It's a tad heavy but nothing that would be considered a downside. When adjusting the windage or elevation the turrets, they are slightly mushy but they don't leave you wondering how many clicks you have dialed. It's taken abuse well whether it be banging it on the truck or table, falls onto the optic from leaning up on the truck to the desert floor. Always retained zero. I turn my dot off when I'm not using it and have my changed my battery yet. I don't have any experience with the other optics listed. If you catch the right time optics planet is usually running some sort of sale that is right above the pro pricing. Hope this helps.
 

Wake27

Regular Member
I’m also a fan of the Steiner. I’m holding onto mine until I can get a Razor, but I’ve had all of the same experiences as the others. Mine does have the issue where part of the reticle beyond the dot is illuminated. Apparently Steiner will fix it under warranty but it really doesn’t bother me so I’m waiting until my Geissele mount comes in and I have to rezero anyway. Not sure if mine came like that or developed it, I only recently noticed it after I saw it mentioned elsewhere but like I said, it really doesn’t bother me so it may have been there all along.


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In that price range, I would go with the Steiner. I got to shoot one a little at a conference last month and was impressed for the price.

It's not going to compete with a Kahles in terms of glass, but for the price it's a solid, simple option. The glass was decent, the illumination was decent, the reticle was decent. I very much prefer my K16i, but for getting your feet wet in the LPVO pool, the Steiner is not going to be one that turns you off the concept because it's a failure.
 

Farmboy20

Regular Member
Is the Trijicon accupower 1-4 any count I really like the retical and its not too heavy what are some thoughts on it? How the durability and robustness?
 

fwrun

Newbie
I have had good experience so far with the Accupower 1-4 on my patrol rifle. The reticle is nice for both ends of the spectrum (house work and field work), and the glass is decent. The lume isn’t sunny daylight bright, but is cloudy day bright. It is lighter weight than similar options and has worked well for me over the last couple thousand rounds. When I first mounted and zeroed it, I gave it a good throw against something hard and it didn’t lose zero. As far as long term “robustness,” I can’t speak too much, but I like it a lot.
 
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