Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Vortex Diamondback 4x12 problem

Last March I bought a new Vortex Diamondback 4x12 scope via internet. Did not get to look thru it until it arrived. I was totally unhappy with it. Clarity was poor , very poor. At least the outer half of the viewing area was distorted. I sent it back to Vortex & they returned it say there was no problem. I have since read several glowing reports by other owners that state how clear their scopes are. What is going on, My scope clearly had clarity problems as was verified by other shooters who looked thru it. Did I just have a bum scope? Your input appreciated. If you have a clear 4x12 Diamondback recently purchased I would like ti hear from you.

No, you didn’t get a “bum” scope- you got a Vortex. People try to convince themselves that they are something they’re not. Vortex, up to the Gen II Razors, are mediocre glass and compromised mechanically.



As for why people say they’re “great”.... ignorance or trying to convince themselves that they’re “just as good as...”. I watched a whole group of supposedly very experienced shooters and hunters “field tests scopes one time. Fully half didn’t even try, or know to focus the reticle to their eye. The next time, we taped up the scopes so you couldn’t see the manufacturer and turned the eyepieces way out of focus. Again a third or so all stated random scopes were “really clear”. When it was pointed out that none of the scopes were focused they all just stared.


The only thing dudes lie more about than optics is their manhood.

Thank you Sir. You are verifying what I actually had to deal with. Fortunately I was able to return the scope & get a full refund. In the future I will continue to stick to Burris & Leupold scopes . They have been proven performers for me for years..

I have one and have no issues with clarity or anything else with it. also have a diamondback HP which is far better glass that the standard diamondback.

This. My limited (three scopes) experience with Vortex is they are not worth the coin. At the low end, they are not reliable, at the top end, they are not as reliable as Nightforce, or a comparable SWFA.

I had a Vortex Diamondback 4x12 as well, and it would not hold zero, sent it back and Vortex had a new scope to my door in 7 days, I also had a note saying it was my fault the scope was broke, not a manufacturer problem. I was never really happy with the clarity of that scope, so I sent the new one packing as soon as I got it back. I do have a Vortex Viper still, but I like others mentioned do not think most Vortex's are that clear. I've got friends that swear by them, but I think it's only because of the military discount they get on them from Vortex. I prefer my Leupolds and Burris scopes over Vortex. I think even my Bushnell Elites and my Minox were clearer than either Diadmondback or Viper I've owned.

Every time I see someone try to sell how good Vortex scopes are, I laugh.

There usually always something tossed in there about the warranty too.

“Well, it’s got a lifetime no fault warranty!”

Really, so is that warranty going to comp you the gas money, pto, flight cost etc for the hunt the optic ruined? Yeah, no warranty does that. I’ll stick with a manufacturer that isn’t known for spontaneously breaking.

As far as Diamondback and the HP, both aren’t very good. I had an HP and at dusk - not even 5 minutes before last light, more like an hour before last light - the clarity was gone. I could no longer see the deer that was standing on the edge of a clearcut 300 yards away(that I knew was there from glassing with my Swarovskis)

In that price range I’d go Leupold 10 times out of 10. They also have their issues, but for a sub $500 scope they’re the cats meow.

Fool me once shame on them. Fool me twice shame on me. I'll never own another Vortex product.

LMAO

In my brief experience of owning two and looking trough several Vortex scopes...I find that each scope is different. One may look great and the other sucks. I've found that up through the Viper series, the scopes lose clarity at the top of the magnification range.

I keep one Diamondback 1.75-5 on a BLR as a woods gun because it has a fantastic field of view with bold crosshairs. The scope generally stays on 3x all the time. It gets a little fuzzy much past 4x.


Dan

Just purchased a used Leupold Rifleman series scope 4x12x40 on E-Bay. Like hew , not a scratch for $159 including shipping. Have never been disappointed with Leupold.

I bought a Diamondback tactical earlier this year. For the price I wasn't expecting too much IMO. I studied it of & on for 3 days, I just couldn't see it even being close to VX-1 's I had on hand.
Returned it. Not interested in more.

I thought about going to a big store that stocks them & looking over others. But I never could tell much about a scope in a store that has good lighting.

I must be the lucky guy with a knee knocker, only issue I’ve ever had with a vortex scope was the magnification ring was a bit stiff. Sent it back and it was replaced. Very good optics IMO for the money, but options vary!

I fell for all the hipe on this scope. Every review was good so I bought one for a new 243. When it arrrived I immediately hated how it looked. Glass was clear but the eye box is so tight any small movement caused clouding. The scope is not clear on power settings above nine. It doesn’t compare to the old leupolds I have. I did shoot an antelope at 313 yards but the power was set at seven for clairity reasons. It will get replaced this winter. The scope works but I’m not a fan. Would never put it on a rifle with heavy recoil.

In a lower priced, yet quality option, may I suggest looking at the Athlon Argos 3-15x40? These are on sale for only $139.99, reduced from $279.99 as they are releasing a new series next year allowing these to be promoted at an amazing deal

I had a very decent working 4-12× Diamondback. Had the chance to sell it at no loss so I did. As far as I know the new owner has no complaints about it. Granted it was to be zeroed and left set, not for twisting turrets. It wasn't on par with a Zeiss Conquest on another gun, but cost half as much.
The gun now has a SWFA 3-9x42MQ.

This was my experience as well, it still works 100% better than Leupold VXII it replaced. I send the Leupold in for warranty and they didn't find anything wrong. I put the vortex on a walmart vanguard 30-06 as a spare. The gun shoots great, 10 shots without even bore sighting it and it is was zeroed +2" at a 100. Tracking was perfect. Same load, shooter, base, rings with the leupold and I gave up after 30 rounds. I thought I another problem with the gun or load, nope, turns out it's a sub moa shooter with the same load I use with my old howa 1500 amazingly enough. I probably won't be buying anymore Leupolds or Vortex. SWFA or Nightforce going forward.

For a $200 scope I'm not too disappointed with it if it holds zero and tracks true. But with the short eye box it's probably going on an AR.

If a company with a full warranty tries to blame the customer, that is BS. Shouldn't matter if you dropped it or if it was defective. Should be fixed, no questions asked, and no blame given. Thank you, I will never own a product of theirs