Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Am I the only one that hasn't warmed up to Vortex optics? Convince me

I'm not an optics snob and I give every scope a chance to win me over. However I have been less than impressed when I have had the chance to look through either friends guns with Vortex scopes and also when I have looked at them in various stores. Everything from eye relief to the quality of the glass just didn't impress me for some reason. I have always said that their marketing guy is brilliant as they have great advertising and have branded and packaged their product to look very similar to other very high end reputable scopes while slowly elevating their price point from a cheaper mid range quality scope to all of the sudden a high end lower priced mid to high end scope.

In any case the reason for the post is that I have a new rifle on the way and I want to get it set up. It's a Savage 10 Precision Carbine in 223 that will mainly be a fun gun that may get a little bit of Yote hunting use and a little bit of prairie dog use. I say a little bit of PD'ing as I have a very good prairie dog arsenal because I have three sons and we have no less than 9 dedicated rifles set up with big, high quality glass and all the bells and whistles.

The Precision Carbine will get a Farrell 10 MOA rail and either some Farrell, Leupy MK4 or badger rings. Scope is TBD but I am looking at Zeiss conquest in 4.5-14X44 with Turrets (found some lightly used and might have a line on an open box) and then a friend suggested this and told me that this is a better scope than the conquest (really?).

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/18...10-mil-adjustments-mil-dot-reticle-matte


I have Leupy VX3's, VX2's, multiple Zeiss Conquests, a Nikon or two, a redfield, 1 Swaro Z5 and a mega spendy Nightforce on my 338 Lapua.

So is this Vortex tactical scope better than a conquest? Better than a VX2 or 3 even?

Convince me and I may try one and save myself a couple hundred bucks.

thanks in advance for the feedback.

I feel much the same way about vortex. They have marketed this company and taken the optics world by storm in a way I have never seen. that is really the key to what they have done.

ask yourself what is vortex and who are they. quite simply they are a marketing company and a good one at that. They make absolutely nothing. They just merely work with factories in japan and china as well as other areas and have them put a vortex label on the product. of course this is done to the specs and requests that vortex makes for the product. this isn't uncommon in the optics industry even leupold has some overseas stuff that they put their name on in addition to the product they make. bushnell, weaver and sightron also to my knowledge make NOTHING themselves either.

for me vortex has some great product the viper line and razor line come to mind, but the problem I have is this product is updated and changed on a frequent basis. why is that bad, RESALE value. if you buy a $1500 Razor spotting scope, what is that scope going to be worth in 5 years?? doug will have blown out the model of razor you have 2 years prior for half the money. my point is I would not buy their expensive stuff. I would possibly buy into the viper line if it fit exactly my needs.

the other thing is vortex has an amazing customer service program, I have sent several product suggestions to them and gotten an answer back. no other optics company has treated me this way. I suspect this is why the online crowd speaks so glowingly of the company.

I agree with you guys too. I hear all the rage about Vortex, and I can't dispute it. In my narrowmindedness though, I say they don't have anything someone else doesn't already have that's proven over a longer time frame. Kudos to them, as cummins said, on their reputation for solid CS. That's commendable. Even though I really like the Razor 85HD spotter, I can also turn that around to make a point. The ZenRay HD spotter is just as good for much less money. It appears to be a SwaroHD clone. Can't really warm up to the Minox stuff either though.

Haven't drank the kool-aid on the scopes, but the binos were a great value. And the CS was great when needed after several years of hard use.

Having said that, long term value and dependability in their scopes are something I am sure of with the other names such as Zeiss and Leupold. Hope the Vortex scopes are still rolling in thirty years like my old purple Leupy.

stumpy

It's funny cumminscowboy that you mentioned resale as that was a point I made to a friend this morning. Well taken care of high end optics hold a lot of their value when it comes to resale whereas others just don't.

I am so tempted to try this tactical Vortex scope but in the same respect if I pay a couple hundred more and get the Zeiss I know what I am getting and I am done.

Just mailed the check for the new gun, need to get a scope on the way so I know what rings to order. Fun stuff.

Haven't tried one myself, however, I stopped off at the gunshop on Sunday and noticed that most of the optics they had on hand were Vortex. When I asked about that they told me that they have been selling so much Vortex stuff lately that they haven't been ordering much of anything else.

Like most of you and most everyone I know, I don't like change and don't trust new. I don't have a lot of rifles anymore so the optics I have are tried and true scopes that I have had for years....all but one is a leupold, 3x9's that have served me over two decades. The one odd ball is a Mueller which I think isn't even a company anymore. It has served me well but it took a lot of convincing to get. As far as Vortex I will wait and see if they pass the test of time. It will take a few more episodes of Meateater for me to be sold in other words. Until then my 20 year old Leupy's will serve me just fine.

If Zeiss is within your budget, get the Zeiss .
Where Vortex shines is when Zeiss is NOT in your budget. They make very good optics at the $500 or less bracket, and the higher end stuff is excellent. I don't think they hold their value as well as the old standbys though.
I am very happy with my 10x42 Vipers and my 3-9x40Viper, they are an excellent value and they have held up well to hard use. Definitely recommend them, even more so when purchased on closeout.
That said, I am waiting for the Vortex PST 2.5-10x44 to go closeout.

.

Works for leupold.

dave

I just ordered a Zeiss Conquest, 4.5-14X44AO MC #43 w/ target turrets from Cameraland NY. $699.00. $200 more than the tactical Vortex, worth it.

On to Ken Farrell web site to finish things up.

I happen to be one of those guys that lives within 60 miles of the Leupold factory. I used their products since the early 60's. In those days, they performed quality control and sometimes discounted scopes made on the night shift as there was no quality control then. I can't prove the last statement, but am repeating from an insider. Nowdays, they use so many parts from China, that they cannot say "Made in USA", only assembled in usa.

As for the Vortex, the recommendations I got for their scopes, came from Sniper Hide. The reports on the glass and internals was good, especially for the money. I could buy two of the Vortex 6-20 for the price of one Leupold. Did not take long to figure that out. Pretty expensive insurance for a Leupold scope. One other point to remember, it is difficult for Leupold to compete when they have 700 employees and provide good wages and benefits.

There are 6 of the vipers on the guns of us varmint hunters that spend time together. We have no problem with the quality of the lens, the adjustments, which are used a lot, always come back to zero.

If you desire to be a big spender, then go ahead. I just like their scopes and will continue to use them in shooting rockchucks and sage rats.

I was pleasantly surprised by both of my viper scopes but if they give you pause then buy what makes you happy - it's your gun.

FredWillis, hate to break it to you but Vortex doesn't make anything, and they use Chinese and Japanese parts too.

JG, I am very well aware of where the Vortex are made. I simply quit buying any companies products when the quality goes down hill as they are with Leupold. I am concerned with quality/price ratio and customer service.

If I am going to buy products made in Japan or China, I am not going to pay an inflated price for them.

Here in Wisconsin I think half the people buying them think they're made in Wisconsin since the company is based here!

In 10 years there will be threads like "remember Vortex optics" and "where can I get my Vortex repaired".

Not a fan yet, but maybe I bit too soon and was displeased with the first one. From what I hear they have improved from their first offerings.

Wasn't impressed with my Viper.

Vortex makes a great scope like the viper pst,, owned several. Owned many zeiss scopes, the zeiss is better.Doesn't mean the vortex isn't a good scope it's just a zeiss is a zeiss and always will be.

Thanks for all of the opinions as this was really was I was looking for. I just need to get on the phone with the folks at Ken Farrell in the morning to verify that I can get away with the low rings with my new Zeiss.

No, not alone! I had a pair of binos and have looked at the scopes more than once and not overly impressed. Choice and options are a good thing though, so if they work for you, happy!