So let me start off by saying this is the first post I've ever made. Hopefully it will be the first of many.

In any case I recently purchased a Vortex Viper PST Gen ii 1-6. Overall I'm pleased with the optic. However I've noticed a lot of light coming in through the objective being reflected off the reticle.

I contacted Vortex about it and the optic specialist I spoke with said it sounded odd. So I sent him some pictures. However he has yet to get back to me. So I thought I would post here and see what other people think.

Basically I'm wondering if this is normal? I'm fairly certain it isn't because I've never seen anything quite like this in any of my other quality Optics. But I figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

Just fyi the illumination is off. Additionally this occurs in just about any light. The images themselves don't quite do it justice. The effect is much more extreme in person.

This might still be usable for other people but I'm completely color blind. As a result it's difficult for me to pick up the crosshairs in different conditions. I've never had this issue with any of my primary arms or Bushnell Optics.

Any thoughts?

Had the same thing on my FX3 6x42 Leupold. Adjust the optical diopter.

That was the first thing I did. If I adjust the diopter all the way out it does decrease the reflection. However for my eyes the proper diopter adjustment is almost all the way in. Only about an eighth of a turn from being bottomed out.

I also discovered that it is not about the ambient light coming in through the lens. It's actually reflecting the light for my face.

If I wear a hat the effect is minimal. But it's still annoying. I'm going by Cabela's later today to check out their display model. If it has the same issue I'll just have to learn to live with it.

That sounds great to me. Nice n visible. Trade me for my viper 1-4.  Reticle seems invisible to my old eyes.. Soumds like you'd love it

My Leupolds and SWFAs do the same thing, but only when I'm outside of the eyebox, like your 2nd and last pictures.

If my eye is roughly centered enough to see my target, the reticles are always bold & black.

^

When my eye is in the eye box I still get that issue with the edges of the reticle. The center is fairly dark but not pure black . Sometimes the edges glow like you see in the image. It's not really a big issue but I was concerned that it wasn't normal.

i guess I'd have to see it. Your first picture looks completely normal. The other ones are outside of the eye box and so I'd expect the behavior you're seeing.

Mine does that as well. I think its just the wire reticle picking up light. Never bothered me at all. It has the same reticle as the razor, so I'll check my razor and let you know.

Edit: My razor does that too. If I am backlit and aiming into a darker place I can see it better. It just manifests as the reticle appearing slightly gold-bronzish when it catches the light.

So I checked out a bunch of 1 - 6 and 1 - 4 power Optics from Vortex, Leopold and Bushnell. I noticed the cheaper the optic the less that phenomenon occurred. But the better the glass the more it occurs. Also the Optics that actually have a physical reticle don't have that issue. But the Vortex Optics have a reticle that's etched directly onto the glass. Which is what's reflecting the light.

So my optic is fine. Which is all I wanted to know.

Also discovered I really like eotechs. Although I think I'd get a Holosun HS510C Elite Gr. Better options. An it's green. Which works much better for my eyes.