Vortex Optics Opinions

[STS556]

I am looking to upgrade the Nikon 3-9x40 scope that is on my LR 308. I have only ever had Nikon scopes. Now with Nikon out of the scope business I have to look elsewhere. I still see a lot of new Nikon scopes for sale but worry about any warranty issues not being fulfilled. I was looking at the Vortex Viper 4-16x50 with the MOA reticle. Is the Viper series equivalent to the Nikon Monarch and Black FX series? If anyone has a Viper, how is the clarity and brightness?

 

[1075tech]

I can't answer your question directly. However, I personally like Vortex for what they are. They have good stuff for the price point. There are several different levels of quality/clarity. The Viper is generally very good. I have a couple of the Viper HS. I also have a few of the now discontinued Diamondback HP and some Strike Eagles. I have Diamondback binoculars and a Ranger range finder.

I have bought several factory reconditioned units without any issues. They carry the same warranty that I haven't had to use yet.

They tend to be a little heavier than other brands of similar magnifications/specs.

YMMV

 

[STS556]

I can't answer your question directly. However, I personally like Vortex for what they are. They have good stuff for the price point. There are several different levels of quality/clarity. The Viper is generally very good. I have a couple of the Viper HS. I also have a few of the now discontinued Diamondback HP and some Strike Eagles. I have Diamondback binoculars and a Ranger range finder.

I have bought several factory reconditioned units without any issues. They carry the same warranty that I haven't had to use yet.

They tend to be a little heavier than other brands of similar magnifications/specs.

YMMV

Thanks. That is a good testimony for the Vortex brand. The Viper seems to be equivalent to the Nikon Black FX as far as function and reticles. It may be easy to transition between my Nikons and the Viper. Looks like I will be going with a Vortex in the future.

 

[GOPerfect]

I have been a fan of Vortex for many years. Like @1075tech stated, many different options at many different price levels.

Do NOT believe the negative that you may read here.

I have owned and still own many, I have NEVER had an issue with any of them.

 

[1075tech]

If you don't mind refurbished, sign up for email alerts from Welcome to A&A Optics Inc - Certified Vortex Dealer. They often will sell refurbs at up to 60% off MSRP or more. Still has the full lifetime warranty.

 

[MikeGrad]

i have been using vortex, and their high end stuff has some of the best clarity i've seen. easily on par with nightforce as a better price point. it also doesn't hurt with their lifetime, no fault warranty. I cant really say what would be equivalent to those Nikon models that you mentioned.

 

[nortatoga]

Like the OP I too have a few Nikons (7) since Nikon is no longer in the scope business I have not bought any new scopes. But I have bought 3 Vortex Venom red-dots 2 for my M&P's and 1 for my Ruger PCC9, I did have to send one back with no questions asked replaced with a new one! Shipping all on their dime..

 

[Jezman]

I have good luck with their glass. I have RZR HD II gen, and some other cheaper glass from them. Very pleased with the dollar to value ratio.

 

[Fightingfish]

I have a Strike Eagle 1-6x on an AR. I haven’t done any classes with it (ie, real training, with bumps, drops, and whatnot), but it holds zero at the range so far, glass is clear, reticle is sharp. Good for what I do.

 

[1075tech]

I have a Strike Eagle 1-6x on an AR. I haven’t done any classes with it (ie, real training, with bumps, drops, and whatnot), but it holds zero at the range so far, glass is clear, reticle is sharp. Good for what I do.

I have 3 of the 1-6 Strike Eagles. I've heard that they are better than the 1-8s.

Two Diamondback HP 3-12
One Diamondback HP 2-8
Two Viper HS. 2.5-10 and 4-16

 

[Podmonkey]

Well, what's your budget? Vortex has their optics manufactured by a variety of overseas manufacturers, from budget Chinese stuff to midrange Philippine stuff and Japanese at the high end. The Viper line is their lower mid tier Philippine line, optical and reticle quality is a step above tge Chinese lines (ex Stike Eagle) but they are ultimately built to a price level. Reticle illumination is fair but not really daylight bright. The Razor HD line is their top end Japanese stuff and are all really excellent but come at almost German optic prices in return.
For low-mid level competition and range use tge Viper line would be perfectly fine I think.

 

[Carlos Hathcock]

Not a ton of comparison information. I have 4, maybe 5 Viper PST's, all but one are MRAD. Boight the first one at full price. After that I buy the last years models at about half original price. Feiend of mine turned me on to them. He has money and can afford big names scopes (Night Force, etc.). Buys Vortex pretty much exclusively.

Customer service is top notch. Sent back a Strike Eagle last year, found a small inclusion I didn't notice for awhile. Replaced in 7-10 days, no fuss. Broke a pair of their scope rings. Sent me a new pair, one grade up.

I have nothing bad to say, and no complaints about what I have. I don't shoot competitively enough to look for expensive glass, crazy dependable reticle tracking, or a big name brand.

 

[Vapor]

I will withhold my unpopular opinion.

My best advice is go to a store, even if you don't intend to purchase there, and try one out. Compare it to other offerings. Everyone's eyes are different.

 

[Podmonkey]

I will withhold my unpopular opinion.

My best advice is go to a store, even if you don't intend to purchase there, and try one out. Compare it to other offerings. Everyone's eyes are different.

I am curious as to what your unpopular opinion is.

 

[1075tech]

For non-Vortex offerings, one place to look is Welcome to Camera Land NY. When they did carry Vortex, I bought a couple "open box" specials from them at good prices.

 

[dsdmmat]

I have vortex Golden Eagles mounted on my bench guns. Love them!

 

[Vapor]

I am curious as to what your unpopular opinion is.

The mid to low teir scopes are made to minimize cost and maximize profit. They are made with thin tubes. There's a reason you can only apply 15-18 inch lbs of torque when mounting them.

There is a reason the warranty is so legendary. People have to use it. A lot.

Look up recent feedback. People going through 3-4 strike eagles and still having issues, vipers that don't track, hold zero, etc.

I had a diamondback. I wasn't impressed. Compared to scopes in a similar price point, the glass seemed inferior, eye relief was very short, and the tube easily took damage. Yes, Vortex sent me another, they do honor the warranty, but its also the only scope I've ever had to send back to a manufacturer for a replacement.


That being said, some people like them. They work good with their eyes. They have good luck with them. That's all good. That's why I encourage people to go try scopes in person.

 

[Podmonkey]

I have vortex Golden Eagles mounted on my bench guns. Love them!

I hear the Navy will be using those to mount on their upcoming rail gun artillery on account of the 60x magnification.

 

[Robin]

I have a few Vortex scopes as well as a couple of their red dot prism's and have not had any problems nor been disappointed with any of them. I agree with Vapor, and I think Men touched on this too, if at all possible you should try one out, everyone is different. I bought a Leupold scope, how can you go wrong, and just do not like it. I cannot put my finger on just why, I even sent it back to them for a wellness check and they verified everything is jake, it just doesn't work for me. My son loves it when shit doesn't work for me.
Robin

 

[Vapor]

Side note: I have no experience with high end vortex stuff.

 

[STS556]

Thanks for everyone's opinions. It seems like the Vortex Viper series is very similar to the Nikon Black FX 1000 series which I have used since it was introduced. They are both made in the Philippines, have the same reticle and the same turrets. I have no real budget but I see no need for me to use very high end scopes like Nightforce. I will look around to see if any local stores have a Viper in stock to look through.

 

[Jaywmustang]

What’s your budget?

 

[Carlos Hathcock]

Thanks for everyone's opinions. It seems like the Vortex Viper series is very similar to the Nikon Black FX 1000 series which I have used since it was introduced. They are both made in the Philippines, have the same reticle and the same turrets. I have no real budget but I see no need for me to use very high end scopes like Nightforce. I will look around to see if any local stores have a Viper in stock to look through.

Just remember looking through them indoors in a "sporting goods store" is a lot different than in the field. Just sayin. If you keep your eyes open, last generation Vipers can be had for around $ 500.00. I bought three of them this year under this premise.

 

[Jaywmustang]

You can get a nightforce shv f1 for around $1k if u look around and less for a second focal plane. You can wheel and deal with some online dealers.

 

[Podmonkey]

The mid to low teir scopes are made to minimize cost and maximize profit. They are made with thin tubes. There's a reason you can only apply 15-18 inch lbs of torque when mounting them.

There is a reason the warranty is so legendary. People have to use it. A lot.

Look up recent feedback. People going through 3-4 strike eagles and still having issues, vipers that don't track, hold zero, etc.

I had a diamondback. I wasn't impressed. Compared to scopes in a similar price point, the glass seemed inferior, eye relief was very short, and the tube easily took damage. Yes, Vortex sent me another, they do honor the warranty, but its also the only scope I've ever had to send back to a manufacturer for a replacement.


That being said, some people like them. They work good with their eyes. They have good luck with them. That's all good. That's why I encourage people to go try scopes in person.

Well, I was aware of this I suppose. I firmly believe one gets what one pays for but not everyone is able, or even wants, to spend a $1,000+ on an optic. For casual and informal use it may not even be justified to spend that much. Personally I think that the Vortex Japanese made lines are where the best value is.

 

[Chicken Shoot]

Vortex are good scopes. Obviously a great warranty and no ... it is not used all of the time. If that were the case, Vortex wouldn't be around. Now, the lower line Crossfire/Crossfire II are identical scopes to the $55 CVLIFE scopes found on Amazon. I know this to be fact as I've extensively compared them and they all share the same pros and cons. The biggest con being they do start to get hazy around 14-16x power. Not horrible but it's noticeable. All in all, the Crossfire line isn't a bad scope for what it is and again ... the warranty. Once you get into the Viper line and up, that's where the Vortex scopes really show what they are all about. Heading upwards from there you notice the glass is much better and the options like side adjust parallax is a much welcomed feature. I have sold hundreds of Vortex scopes from the Crossfire series right up through and not a single one has come back. None. I use a Crossfire II 6-18x44 on my predator rifle and although I haven't gone predator hunting, the gun and scope are working perfect out to 600yds. I stay at 14x for the clarity. They do work well so don't shy away from them. As suggested, look through many scopes at stores before making a purchase, but I think you'll find what you're looking for in the Vortex offerings. That No Fault Warranty is a real selling point and not to be overlooked. Another one to look at is the Sig Sauer Whiskey 3/5 line if looking to keep the cost down. I'm very impressed with those as well but still fairly new and time will tell. Good luck to ya.

 

[meketrefe]

I am looking to upgrade the Nikon 3-9x40 scope that is on my LR 308. I have only ever had Nikon scopes. Now with Nikon out of the scope business I have to look elsewhere. I still see a lot of new Nikon scopes for sale but worry about any warranty issues not being fulfilled. I was looking at the Vortex Viper 4-16x50 with the MOA reticle. Is the Viper series equivalent to the Nikon Monarch and Black FX series? If anyone has a Viper, how is the clarity and brightness?

That model is close to the early monarch in terms of lenses, not exactly but close. The monarch were good lenses (japanese high grade camera lenses, same as used in the Weaver tacktical models and a few others) but many had 1" tubes so they lost a bit of light even with great camera grade lenses. They also had coarse reticles that didn't help but overall were great. In any case the actual picture is subjective because we all have different eyes that see light and colors differently and our own eyes are the most important piece of the entire optics formula.
IMHO, the issue wtih that vortex is going to be the second focal plane and any chance of getting accurate and consistent corrections if needed.
If it was me, I would look into the first focal viper with consistent units of measure between stadia and turrets. I would also consider the radians as it makes things so much easier. that is why the military use them. The transition is simple and will assure a more versatile method imo. It doesn't mean that one cannot work in moa accurately but one can do faster methods in metric system and simple conversion tables for every scenario.
Consistency is the key in the end.

Also look at the Sightron S-tac 4-20x50 that is superior scope imo and well priced.

The challenge these days are going to be good scopes in stock. I also saw a Leupold VX3 the other day those are usa top quality glass.

 

[Podmonkey]

That model is close to the early monarch in terms of lenses, not exactly but close. The monarch were good lenses (japanese high grade camera lenses, same as used in the Weaver tacktical models and a few others) but many had 1" tubes so they lost a bit of light even with great camera grade lenses. They also had coarse reticles that didn't help but overall were great. In any case the actual picture is subjective because we all have different eyes that see light and colors differently and our own eyes are the most important piece of the entire optics formula.
IMHO, the issue wtih that vortex is going to be the second focal plane and any chance of getting accurate and consistent corrections if needed.
If it was me, I would look into the first focal viper with consistent units of measure between stadia and turrets. I would also consider the radians as it makes things so much easier. that is why the military use them. The transition is simple and will assure a more versatile method imo. It doesn't mean that one cannot work in moa accurately but one can do faster methods in metric system and simple conversion tables for every scenario.
Consistency is the key in the end.

Also look at the Sightron S-tac 4-20x50 that is superior scope imo and well priced.

The challenge these days are going to be good scopes in stock. I also saw a Leupold VX3 the other day those are usa top quality glass.

There is nothing wrong with second focal plane optics. In fact they are superior in some ways and in some applications. Secondl focal plane reticles are easier to illuminate and are consequently typically brighterBohan first focal plane reticles. Second focal plane simplifies reticle design and gives a consistent sight picture throughout the magnification range. A less than excellent reticle in a first focal place scope gives your something that is either to fine to use at low magnification or too coarse at high magnification.
In fact I would rate second vs first focal plane as a secondary or even tertiary consideration after such factors as optical clarity, reticle design, weight, cost, durability ect.
For low power variables I would even say the second focal plane is more desirable

 

[Edwardteach72]

There is nothing wrong with second focal plane optics. In fact they are superior in some ways and in some applications. Secondl focal plane reticles are easier to illuminate and are consequently typically brighterBohan first focal plane reticles. Second focal plane simplifies reticle design and gives a consistent sight picture throughout the magnification range. A less than excellent reticle in a first focal place scope gives your something that is either to fine to use at low magnification or too coarse at high magnification.
In fact I would rate second vs first focal plane as a secondary or even tertiary consideration after such factors as optical clarity, reticle design, weight, cost, durability ect.
For low power variables I would even say the second focal plane is more desirable

I was originally set on a FFP when I get the coin for a LPVO, but after some research and idea of what I plan to use it for, I am now leaning SFP.

Giving me more of a red dot usable reticle on the 1x and then if I need to dial up I keep the smaller MOA size of the reticle keeping it more clear and crisp

 

[Vapor]

I like FFP scopes only on precision rifles. Even then, say on a 3-15x scope, I find anything under 7x pretty useless with a tiny reticle.

For hunting or self defense, I prefer sfp.