Vortex Scopes

[CAMPMEAT]

I can't afford one.

I have a Vortex Diamondback scope. It cost me $190.00
It works swell, I used it on top my Encore to kill my muley buck in 2010 with. I didn't dial any turrets though. I have since taken it off of that barrel and now have it mounted on my .22-250 barrel. Works sweet for that too. I put a Leupold on top of the .300wm barrel now.
 They're not all $1k+ FYI
They make a nice budget minded scope in that Diamondback for that $200 range. It's a great bang for the buck scope.

I just bought a Ruger 338 Federal Hawkeye, maybe I'll put that on it instead of my Pentax. Thanks for the info Jackelope. Also, ain't seen ya in awhile !!

[Gutpile]

I looked through a vortex spotter once and was impressed but in my old age I find it more and more important to support products that are made in the USA. ............. Leupold comes to mind.

Biggerhammer makes an arguement that I do believe because every damn Nikon Ive farted around with was the same way. Get them mounted and zero'd and youll be good to go but they will not track.

Im sure youll be happy with your Vortex but at least consider an american made product. I know they are based in Milwaukee but they are made in Japan, China, and the Phillipines apparently. 

[Biggerhammer]

Biggerhammer,

Here is what I have found in my research.  This is a thread with a lot of information with a review from a guy from Everett that held nothing back.  Vortex representatives also reply within the thread.  Vortex made a design change early in production based on feedback from the initial run and offered to upgrade all of the gen 1's.  They seem like a solid company and this scope seems to perform even in the eyes of testers that have $$$ scopes (Nightforce, S&B, US Optics).
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1894887&page=1

When I test the scope I will be 100% honest.  I will not put my endorsement on something that I don't feel can perform.

Also, I have to ask a question about your other vipers.  Was it that the clicks weren't 1/4 moa?  Did the scope get lost going up and down?  What model were they?  Just curious?

Like I said in my previous post, if a guy was to zero it and leave it or use the BDC reticle. For hold over/ hold on at distance the scope performs perfect. Holds zero and is clear, adjustment while zeroing were not a issue. The issues started when I started dialing MOA for extended range shots, once I had my 100 yards zero, my speed, height of scope to bore etc all punched into my iPhones ballistic program.

I would dial my MOA( Come up) for 300 yards, fire the first round and it would be as if I never dialed up from my 100 yard zero. The first round would go in low, then the second round would go in closer or may be right on the money. I would dial back to my 100 yard zero and the same thing would happen. One to two rounds for the scope to track in.

This was a total joke, this happened with three Vipers, (2) 6.5-20x50's with 30mm tubes and (1) 6.5-20x44 with a 1" tube. I made a bunch of calls to Viper concerning this, finally when I was getting the run around where it could be the rifle or the 20moa base I was running I had enough and told them I was sending it in. I got the scope back removed the Leupold I had replaced it with, mounted the Viper right there on the range and the same thing. I zeroed  the Viper at 100 yards mounted with a Seekins one piece base and Seekins six screw rings. Lined up 18 rounds of ammo and fired them in 3 shot groups, alternating back and forth from 100 to 300 yards until I had fired a total of 9 shots at each target and it was a wreck. My 300 yard group was 7" !!

I was HOT! I then pulled the Vortex and remounted the Leupold, I then scrubbed the bore and zeroed the rifle at 100 yards. Let the barrel cool and repeated the same process with 18 rounds as I did with the Viper earlier and the groups stacked right in there. I took pictures of both groups and e-mailed them right there from my iPhone to Vortex. I called Vortex when I got home, they told me to send the scope in again, so I did. When I got the scope back. I called and asked exactly what was wrong  or what had been done, they told me there was deflection in the main tube and they had replaced my scope with a new one.

Again after mounting the scope the same issues, it was not repeatable with the target knobs. Enough was enough. I called Vortex and told them what was going on. They offered to give my credit, towards a PST. I declined and sold the scope, 6.5-20x50 Vortex On a forum for 190.00 shipped. I just wanted it gone, my brother mean time had got a smoking deal on two 6.5-20x44 Vipers from Doug at CameraLand NY on a close out sale for around 279.00 each. He gave one to me, same deal. The target knobs were not repeatable, we mounted his on a 6.5 Grendel AR, I warned him about the target knob and told him not to dial for elevation dope, to just hold over.

Got him on a Mulie at just over 400 from the prone, dead solid and he said screw it and dialed from his 100 yard zero to the correct dope for 400 and just like I had told him the first round was way low! This carbine with a Vortex the year prior had killed a Mulie clean  at just over 490 yards. He had been using a 2-7 with a BDC the year prior and had just held the correct hold over point for the distance.

He still has that scope but is going to get rid of it, hasn't shot it since. Nothing near me says Vortex on it now. I was trying to find a quality budget scope with target turrets when I tried the Vortex. My Leupolds and Night Forces come with big price tags and it would cost a fortune to set up every rifle with one.

Years ago I purchased my first Nightforce 8-32x50 NXS FOR 1100.00, now look at the price on them. Almost 2k out the door.

I have been big on Leupold my whole life but with them raising the prices on their scope as of lately, in the future I'm just going to spend a little extra and go with Nightforce.

[majcl5]

They have a new scope coming out or it already is the  Viper HS 4-16x50 LR Riflescope. They may have solved the issues? I also would love a nightforce but wow they are a ton of $$$

[JJB11B]

Biggerhammer,

Here is what I have found in my research.  This is a thread with a lot of information with a review from a guy from Everett that held nothing back.  Vortex representatives also reply within the thread.  Vortex made a design change early in production based on feedback from the initial run and offered to upgrade all of the gen 1's.  They seem like a solid company and this scope seems to perform even in the eyes of testers that have $$$ scopes (Nightforce, S&B, US Optics).
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1894887&page=1

When I test the scope I will be 100% honest.  I will not put my endorsement on something that I don't feel can perform.

Also, I have to ask a question about your other vipers.  Was it that the clicks weren't 1/4 moa?  Did the scope get lost going up and down?  What model were they?  Just curious?

Like I said in my previous post, if a guy was to zero it and leave it or use the BDC reticle. For hold over/ hold on at distance the scope performs perfect. Holds zero and is clear, adjustment while zeroing were not a issue. The issues started when I started dialing MOA for extended range shots, once I had my 100 yards zero, my speed, height of scope to bore etc all punched into my iPhones ballistic program.

I would dial my MOA( Come up) for 300 yards, fire the first round and it would be as if I never dialed up from my 100 yard zero. The first round would go in low, then the second round would go in closer or may be right on the money. I would dial back to my 100 yard zero and the same thing would happen. One to two rounds for the scope to track in.

This was a total joke, this happened with three Vipers, (2) 6.5-20x50's with 30mm tubes and (1) 6.5-20x44 with a 1" tube. I made a bunch of calls to Viper concerning this, finally when I was getting the run around where it could be the rifle or the 20moa base I was running I had enough and told them I was sending it in. I got the scope back removed the Leupold I had replaced it with, mounted the Viper right there on the range and the same thing. I zeroed  the Viper at 100 yards mounted with a Seekins one piece base and Seekins six screw rings. Lined up 18 rounds of ammo and fired them in 3 shot groups, alternating back and forth from 100 to 300 yards until I had fired a total of 9 shots at each target and it was a wreck. My 300 yard group was 7" !!

I was HOT! I then pulled the Vortex and remounted the Leupold, I then scrubbed the bore and zeroed the rifle at 100 yards. Let the barrel cool and repeated the same process with 18 rounds as I did with the Viper earlier and the groups stacked right in there. I took pictures of both groups and e-mailed them right there from my iPhone to Vortex. I called Vortex when I got home, they told me to send the scope in again, so I did. When I got the scope back. I called and asked exactly what was wrong  or what had been done, they told me there was deflection in the main tube and they had replaced my scope with a new one.

Again after mounting the scope the same issues, it was not repeatable with the target knobs. Enough was enough. I called Vortex and told them what was going on. They offered to give my credit, towards a PST. I declined and sold the scope, 6.5-20x50 Vortex On a forum for 190.00 shipped. I just wanted it gone, my brother mean time had got a smoking deal on two 6.5-20x44 Vipers from Doug at CameraLand NY on a close out sale for around 279.00 each. He gave one to me, same deal. The target knobs were not repeatable, we mounted his on a 6.5 Grendel AR, I warned him about the target knob and told him not to dial for elevation dope, to just hold over.

Got him on a Mulie at just over 400 from the prone, dead solid and he said screw it and dialed from his 100 yard zero to the correct dope for 400 and just like I had told him the first round was way low! This carbine with a Vortex the year prior had killed a Mulie clean  at just over 490 yards. He had been using a 2-7 with a BDC the year prior and had just held the correct hold over point for the distance.

He still has that scope but is going to get rid of it, hasn't shot it since. Nothing near me says Vortex on it now. I was trying to find a quality budget scope with target turrets when I tried the Vortex. My Leupolds and Night Forces come with big price tags and it would cost a fortune to set up every rifle with one.

Years ago I purchased my first Nightforce 8-32x50 NXS FOR 1100.00, now look at the price on them. Almost 2k out the door.

I have been big on Leupold my whole life but with them raising the prices on their scope as of lately, in the future I'm just going to spend a little extra and go with Nightforce.

I just got a PST 4-16x50 Its mounted and I will shoot it tomorrow. I know the PST has different turrets so I might not have that issue...we will see

[Biggerhammer]

I would be interested in seeing how the PST performed for you.

[mountainman]

Have a pst on my .308, and a Razor HS on my .338 Edge. Flawless scopes!

[mountainman]

Heres the Razor on the Edge.

[JJB11B]

Have a pst on my .308, and a Razor HS on my .338 Edge. Flawless scopes!

I would be interested in seeing how the PST performed for you.

It was too friggen cold to take pics but it took 10 rounds to get my PST on the money at 100 yds. only shot out to 300 today but the turrets functioned flawlessly