Palmetto State Armory PS200 1-6x Scope – Review

U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Palmetto State Armory is continuing its assault on the high-end firearms market.  While they’ve long been known for their budget-oriented AR- and AK-platform rifles, they have also been making inroads into the optics market.  This effort includes a red dot, a 6-24x riflescope, and today’s subject: the PS200 1-6x24mm scope with QD mount.

Palmetto State Armory PS2000 1-6x Scope

If the PS200 looks familiar, it should.  It’s a rebrand of the Lucid L7.  Seeing that I don’t have experience with the L7, this is a fresh look for me.  Let’s check the tech specs, then talk range time.

Tech Specs:

• Magnification: 1-6x
• Objective Lens Diameter: 24mm
• Reticle: P7 Etched Glass
• Illuminated Reticle: Yes, 11 brightness settings
• Focal Plane: 2nd
• Adjustment Range: 60 MOA
• Click Value: ½ MOA
• Tube Diameter: 30mm
• Length: 10.75”
• Weight: 20.4 oz.
• Ocular Lens Diameter: 34mm
• Finish: Matte Black
• Waterproof: Yes
• Fogproof: Yes
• Shockproof: Yes (up to .458 SOCOM)
• Lens Coating: FBMC Multi-Coated
• Construction Material: Aluminum
• Eye Relief: 4” – 3.75”
• Field of View: 50 ft@100 yards (6x) – 120 ft @ 100 yards (1x)
• Battery: (1) CR2032 3v

First off, I like the quick detach (QD) mount that came with the P200.  It’s a solid mount, and isn’t too bulky or heavy.  I did have a minor problem with one of the QD release levers, it must have had a burr on an interior surface that would cause it to hang up and was hard to release without a multitool.

The throw lever on the magnification adjustment is a nice touch.  The magnification ring is pretty stiff, so adding some leverage is welcome.

The turret knobs are just what I want in a modern scope.  They are finger adjustable, locking, and have an audible “click” when adjusting.  I’d heard rumors that these turrets were sometimes “mushy” when adjusting, but that’s not the case with the one I have in hand.  Lift to unlock, spin, drop to lock.  Easy!

The glass is good, with a “good” when you consider the price range it’s in.  This isn’t amazing, top-dollar glass, but it is really serviceable and will be more than enough for the majority of shooters.  Light transmission is above average, and color transmission is certainly adequate.  What you’re getting is well worth what you’re paying, which is right where PSA makes their living.

The reticle on the PS200 is Lucid’s glass-etched P7 reticle.  This features an 8 MOA circle around the center aiming dot, with holdover lines every 8 MOA below that.  There are effectively 12 vertical aiming points from the center dot to the bottom stadia, meaning you should have enough space to hold over nearly any popular rifle caliber round out to, past, or near 1000 yards.  The illumination is plenty bright, even for shooting in direct sunlight on a hot, summer’s day.

One of the best descriptions of a day at the range with an optic is “boring”.  Boring means adjustments to the scope properly adjust the reticle.  The mount doesn’t come loose, the illuminated reticle stays on, and you spend more time thinking about the reaction of high-speed projectiles on target than you do about troubleshooting your optic.  That’s been an apt summary of my experience with the PS200, with the sole exception of the QD release lever on the mount binding up.  I can still pop the mount off quicker than a comparable hex-key equipped device, but I do need to whip out the multitool to give the lever a squeeze.

Having a variable 1-6x optic is a major capability multiplier.  At 1x you can run a close-range course nearly as fast as with a red dot.  Dialing up to 6x you have a much better look at things downrange, allowing for a much more precise aiming point at distance.  This is especially true when you need to use a holdover, having so many reference points to aim within the P7 reticle reduces the necessity for manually dialing in adjustments.  If you know your DOPE and print a little cheat sheet, you’ll be using holdovers at extended ranges, with ease.

The PSA PS200 is a versatile optic, giving you speed or precision as needed.  The price point keeps this optic available to all but the most financially challenged of shooters, but the features and quality are more than just a bargain basement.  Whether you call it the Lucid L7 or the PSA PS200, this 1-6x optic is a deal by any other name.  As of the day this article was finished, the PS200 was out of stock.  The last price for the package (that includes the mount) was around $349 on Palmettostatearmory.com.  Check it out!

About Rex Nanorum

Rex Nanorum is an Alaskan Expatriate living in Oregon with his wife and kids. Growing up on commercial fishing vessels, he found his next adventure with the 2nd Bn, 75th Ranger Regt. After 5 tours to Afghanistan and Iraq, he adventured about the west coast becoming a commercial fisheries and salvage SCUBA diver, rated helicopter pilot instructor (CFII) and personal trainer, before becoming a gear reviewer and writer.”

-Jens “Rex Nanorum” Hammer

@Rexnanorum

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