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

the first viper PST scopes did have lots of issues. but somehow vortex handled the issues in such a way that no one complained. I honestly don't know how they pulled it off. I visit snipershide too and I would say nearly half the guys sent the scopes back. but in the end everyone was happy, I suppose thats really all that matters. recent reports are great after a few tweaks where made to the PST scopes. think of other companies who didn't get something right and corrected it later and how they are still reminded of it years later. vortex pulled off the impossible.

most companies like vortex have stayed with the lower end stuff for a reason. and resale is likely why most people aren't willing to pay huge money for optics not from leupold or the german big 3. I bought a leupold spotting scope in 2005, kept if for 7 years and sold it for more than I paid for it in 2005. this makes upgading to new optics doable. another case is leica has new geovids out. I am thinking about upgrading, I do so with the knowledge that I will be very close to what I paid for the now old style geovids at resale. but vortex is likely to sell quite a few of the razor line because its sold just about everywhere, one thing I noticed is I think they are not bashful about giving away optics to certain people on youtube and they also make sure their logos and products were on gun related TV shows. whoever is running the marketing department could make millions doing other ventures if they wanted.

The Zeiss is a better optic all around. Vortex is made to compete in a lower price bracket (sub $500) and does well there.
Ive briefly owned a couple Viper PSTs , couple pair of binos and have mounted 4-5 HS series scopes on other peoples' rifles.
These all had fair optics and nice features but lacked, for me, an overall quality experience.
They have their niche but Zeiss quality will always trump them.IME.

Disagree. The Zeiss Conquest has similar build quality to the Viper, IMO. The upper-end Zeiss stuff is a different story.

Think there must be a hefty profit margin on the Vortex as certain dealers really push them.

I rate them with Tasco, Simmons, Swift, etc. Just another Chinese scope that is being branded Vortex and advertised to the hilt.

Geo

Agreed.

Some things about the Viper HS LR I like more than the Conquests I've had.
I think the cheesy plastic turret caps on the Conquests belong on a Nerf gun scope.

My Viper ain't Chinese and it's miles above the crap scopes you mentioned with regard to just about everything.

From that comment you must have your head up your butt, I'm surprised you can look thru a scope at all.

FWIW, I run a few Vortex Vipers, one Kahles, a couple of Conquests, and one Leupold VX2. All are very good to excellent performers, particularly when prices are taken into consideration.

Oh I forgot...I've got a pair of 6x32 Viper bins..they're pretty good too.
http://opticsthoughts.com/index.php/binoculars/5-binocular-reviews/8-vortex-viper-6x32

I have only looked at a few vortex scopes in store . Don't own one. I will agree they seem pretty nice albeit a little on the heavy side and with a short mounting length. But when you could buy the 2-7 viper on closeout they were tempting. My biggest concern is like most imported items the importers are constantly changing their lineup to sell what is available be it sneakers or rifle scopes. So much has been made of their warranty and CS but wait 10-15 years and send in your trusty 2-7 and what are they going to replace it with since they don't make a 20-7 anymore.

They aren't bad but out of the three conquests I have two are on target / tactical style rifles and have target turrets. Their target turrets are very high quality and are very positive on the clicks.

I have always felt that the turrets on the Conquest feel and look very, very cheap. I am not a Vortex cult member, but I do have a couple. Their turrets, in my opinion, blows those on the Conquest out of the water.

I like the Conquest TT's, as well, but they're not as high quality or positive as the turrets on the Vortex Viper PST.

One of the major reasons that retailers stock and sell Vortex scopes, is that they are competitive and if there is a problem, then Vortex takes care of the problem.

I still contend, that if you buy on sale, they are the best value for the money and very reliable.

The HS I looked through at SWH was stamped Phillipines, not China if it matters. Tey are probably made near where Burris makes theirs.

I have two Vortex optics, both of which are Razor HD: the 5-20 scope and their spotting scope. Good glass.
I don't have any of their other lines, but they quickly move to the market and respond very well to customer requests.
I have a number of Leupold scopes and really like them (Mark 4's and VX-3's LR/T's), but it takes them what seems like forever to respond when it comes to changes in product lines.
Vortex on the other hand, improves their lines quicker while keeping great customer service.
I see myself getting more Vortex scopes in the future.
My scopes that I use for LR are: Leupold (Mark 4 & VX-3), NF, Vortex Razor, Sightron S-III, and Burris E-3.

Damn man, wake up on the wrong side of the world? Time will tell

So it seems that we have a pretty good balance of people that either love the Vortex products and others like me that are just "meh" and stick with what has worked well in the past. This was by far the closest I have come to buying one of their scopes and honestly even though I went ahead and bought another Zeiss, I have not ruled out buying the scope I linked to and trying it. After all I do have another gun on order right now that the Zeiss could easily work on while I could still buy the Vortex scope I linked in my first post for my new Savage 10 Precision Carbine... Seems like it would be a good fit for it and might change my mind on them.

In trying to decide what I want in a scope, it comes pretty easy what scope I will buy. Let's get one thing on the table right off.
Money dictates, that I want the best scope for the dollar.

I have watched some of the various websites and came to the conclusion of what to by, after seeing long range shooters are giving very good reviews on the scope and the company service.

I am not wanting to hunt big game, only varmints. So, out to 500 yards my needs are very different than the deer or elk hunter.

So how many of those $299 3-9x40 Conquests did you buy? That was the best deal on the planet for a while.

Just planted this Viper 6.5-20x50 with Mil Dot on my 264.It's as clear and user friendly as any of my Leupys after a few outtings.Good quality for the bucks IMO.

a friend of mine picked up one at Cabelas last weekend for that price. They had like 10 and of course one of the early guys in line wanted to buy 8 of them. They told him no and he threw a big fit and was getting ignorant with the kid working the counter. Meanwhile you have 10 guys standing behind the guy all there for just one scope. Gotta be one jackoff in every crowd.