I've got a PST in 4-16 and like it a lot. For less than $1k, nobody else will give you all the features that Vortex offers. I've used mine for the last year, shooting coyotes, pigs, and deer and I have no complaints - no big ones anyway. I think the Leupold VX3 glass is better, but the Vortex Viper glass is good enough. Would I prefer a top of the line Leupold with all the same features. Yes, I would, but it's a good bit more money and it won't do anything for me that the Vortex won't do. I have Leupold scopes in boxes, but I have no need to put one on my 260 in place of the Vortex.
One minor issues, that really is minor, is that the illuminated reticle is too bright to suit me even at the lowest setting. My present idea of ideal on a lit reticle would be the Leupold TMR reticle with an illuminated dot in the middle. That would suit me just fine.