I just bought a Q 8.6 Fix and trying to decide what optic to run on it. I was thinking maybe a 1-4 or 1-6 LPVO. I have like 4 Steiners that I really love and was thinking about the Steiner P4Xi 1-4. My son is telling me to go with other stuff for a change, do you think i should try other scopes? Would you guys recommend me something or should I just get another Steiner?

What is the purpose of the rifle? What kind of activities will you be doing with it?

The 8.6 is a niche caliber, my plans are to learn to reload, range, hunting, play. Its probably will run subs most of the time as it will be suppressed. I live in Michigan so if hunting maybe 100-200 yards at best. I would think a 1-4 with clear/good glass should be about right but I still wanted another opinion.

I think a lot of this gets done backwards, and while this doesn’t directly address the question I do hope it ultimately yields use.

We should start with a task. What is attempting to be done? Shoot tiny groups @ 100? At 1000? Shoot silhouettes? Kill a certain type of animal, and at what range?

From there we will begin building a rifle suited to that task. A heavy barreled 16” .22, a thin barreled SBR 5.56, etc. and finally an optic that is similarly aligned with the task and rifle. That could be a red dot, it could be a thin duplex 40X.

I’m not quite sure where a 8.6 fits into that, since that’s a bit backwards to that process already. But if it is for hunting medium game <200 yards, I guess we can definitely work with that. So not high precision, and not ultra high magnification.

At that point I’d be deciding if I wanted to be a tactical Timmy and prioritize 1X (are we raiding whitetail deer holdouts and kicking in their doors?), or are we prioritizing low light performance and want a large objective? You can have good low light performance with an LPVO and I have LPVOs that work great in low light, but they don’t work nearly as good as a more traditional hunting optic.

Having said all that, I’d do a good LPVO 1-6 like an Accupoint or a 1-8 Credo if I wanted an LPVO more geared for dialing and max mag over 1X, or a 3-9 or 2.5-10 I’d I could forego the idea of kicking in doors with this rifle. But that’s how I’d do it. What’s important is how you’d do it.

I got the 8.6 Fix mostly for suppressing, like the big brother to my 300blk. It might see hunting, I want to see what it can do first. I have a few Steiner LPVOs which I absolutely love the glass. If it was you would you try something different or get another Steiner? Trijicon was one I was leaning towards if I didn't get another Steiner.

I’ve never actually used a Steiner but if you’ve used it in the past, liked it, and think it’d fill your needs again I would definitely be open to running one again.

After awhile we start to get our favorite brands and optics and get comfortable with them. I’m that way with Trijicon and go that way often, but in another dimension I’m sure I’d say the same about the Steiner. They’re both great companies and you’re not going wrong with either.

Nightforce NX8 2.5-20x50 Mil-XT

* low magnification for scanning.
* high magnification for shooting groups.
* tree reticle for zeroing different loads and working with a lot of different dopes.

Others that might fit your needs (from what I understand):
Trijicon Credo 2-10x36mm FFP
Trijicon Credo 2.5-15x42 SFP
Trijicon Credo 1-10x28mm FFP
PA PLXc 1-8x24
Vortex Razor Gen III 1-10x24 EBR-9 MRAD
Delta Stryker HD 1-10x28

I’ve had great experiences with the Credo line in general, and consider them a good value especially when buying used. I’ve got a 2.5-15X56, a 4-16, a pair of 2.5-10’s, the 2-10, and have owned the 1-8 AP and 2.5-15X42. All are great in their own ways.

Comments are all over the place ...

You already have similar Steiner's and you know and shoot them well.  IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT!

I run a Trijicon ACOG and it is superb in my application.

The only thing I would add, is consider whether you want a large objective to extend shooting/hunting into dusk or during early dawn.