When I bought my first "nice-ish" scope years ago I went to Alans booth at the 1500 and compared the POST 1-4 and the Strike Eagle 1-6 side by side. The PST has significantly better glass quality and the illuminated reticke and turets are nicer. So despite the Strike Eagle having an extra 2X magnification I still went with the PST.
Third vote for the PST.....Sold my Strike Eagle a while back. PST was better all around. Especially with the original PST being discontinued and the prices they're selling for right now.
I had a Strike Eagle and sold it fairly quickly. I was not a big fan of the busy reticle, and the glass wasn't outstanding. PST for sure between those two
I run a 1-6 Strike Eagle and no worries whatsoever shooting 100-200 yards where I typically use it. I have used it out to 500 at Atterbury. I have also used it for a CQB class from contact distance to 50 yards and it worked well. Got mine from Alan when they first came out. I too considered the PST but wanted the higher magnification for my infrequent longer range stuff (for me that's the 300,400,500 yard shots). Now they have a 1-8 I'd likely have bought that if it had been available at the time I got mine. The lower price point and higher magnification suited my needs. I found both reticles somewhat busy but nothing you can't overcome/get used to. The BDC worked well out to 300 but not so good at 400 & 500 yards for my set up. I gathered 'dope' and adjusted accordingly.
I read this post and initially started second guessing my choice, only because the reduced price you can get the PST right now is even lower, but for me I'm very happy with my original decision of going with the Strike Eagle.
Ive got a Strike Eagle and don't really care for it. I bought it to put on my .300 blk sbr, but even with a can on it, the scope was way too big for the 8.5" barrel. Plus the reticle is too busy for me, and even at 1x with it lit up, it didn't work like a red dot. I put it on my FAL for a DMR-ish build but m not crazy about it on there either. The reticle on the PST looks better for what I was wanting and the refurbbed one is about what I paid for my S-E. Wish I'd have waited and got one of them instead...