Well guys I am dipping my toes in the multi-gun waters. I have shot a few seasons of USPSA and really enjoy it. I have a very reliable Ar15 that I put together a while back, but the Vortex PST 1-4x sitting on top leaves much to be desired. With the FFP reticle I can't reliably pick up the sub tensions, and the red dot isn't bright enough during the day.

Have serious shooters been happy with any mid-price range optics? Like the Stiener P4xi, or the Gen 2 PST? Or should I just 'buy once, cry once' and get the 1-6x Razor, or something similar? I know its the shooter not the equipment, but the PST is already holding me back and I don't want to be in the same situation with my next scope. Im just looking for opinions, preferably educated.

*I am by no means hating on Vortex, by definition I am a Vortex fanboy. The 1-4x PST just doesn't do what I need it to.

The 1-6 razor can now be found for under 1k in many places

some place was selling it for $950, eurooptics maybe?

and some place was even selling it for less than that will leo/mil discount

I know that doesn't help much, just saying I think its worth the purchase and its cheaper than ever now. I have the vortex 1-6 and think its great.

In the early three gun days, many shooters used shotgun scopes.  Do you really need a $1000 optic to be competitive?

I shot this rifle for many years with a Simmons Pro Diamond, which a lot of shooters on Brian Enos' forum used at the time. 

Now I am perfectly happy with a Bushnell Mark AR.  I have two of them. 

I have owned, at one time or another, the Steiner P4Xi, Razor Gen 2 1-6, and the Leupold MK6 1-6.  While the Razor and Leupold are all a step above, without question, the Steiner absolutely holds its own.  Very high quality glass, dot is daylight bright even in the harshest sun, and quality is pretty good. Some people complain about the mushy turrets, but in multigun you literally never touch your turrets after zeroing, so it's truly irrelevant.  The Steiner is the best value in LPVO's on the market, hands down.  My biggest concern with it durability. Mine has been rock solid, but there's no way it's built to the same standards as the "top" optics. The main reason to upgrade beyond the Steiner is once you start entering bigger matches (and flying, booking hotels, etc) the consequences of your optic dying become far more significant. If you're just dabbling and entering local matches, you aren't giving anything up at all, unless your matches frequently have targets past 300 yds. Then you might want a little bit of extra magnification.

It really depends on what kind of matches you are gong to be shooting, bay matches you can get away with pretty much anything. But if you are shooting past 200 the glass gets much more important.

I would shoot what you have, and check out what other folks are using (I'm sure anyone will let you look through their scopes)

Then buy a PST Gen II. you get 90% of a razor at 50% the price

Thanks for the advise guys. Yeah I basically was wondering if the Steiner would hold me back while I am still figuring things out. I have a bad habit of spending more money upfront than I need too. I think I'll just get the P4xi and a bunch of ammo!

The P4Xi will easily get you out to 300 yds, and out to 400 yds. with some practice.

Most 3 gun matches rifle targets are under 200 yds, local matches might have one stage longer than 200 yds. Big matches maybe 2 stages, even on the long stages many of the targets are 300 yds and under.

I think that's the right call

PST GEN 2 1-6 is great

Razer Gen III 1-10 owner here.  I'll recommend Vortex all day, reticle design, illuminated reticle visibility in bright daylight conditions is excellent.
The transition of the FFP reticle between 1 and 10 is extremely functional, I love it. And for the price you get excellent eye relief and good quality glass.