I’m looking for a reliable lightweight optic for a couple of rifles to be used out west where shots could be longish. I know I could slap Nightforce NX 2.5 - 10s on them and be golden, but I’d like to have a little more magnification if possible.

Given the fact I want to stay light (~20 oz.), I’m ok with the fact I’m most in second focal plane territory. One scope I am considering is the Vortex HD LHT 3-15. It seems you hear very little about this scope, but the few I have asked have had zero problems with them and all have said they have tracked very well.

I’d like to ask the group for feedback, good or bad on this scope. Also, I’d ask any other suggestions you might have for a reliable hunting scope. I’d like to stay with a Mil reticle which knocks the Zeiss V4 off the list.

Thoughts?

No complaints with mine

I've been in a similar situation to you. I'm not anti-Vortex, but I've not had great luck with some of their lines. It makes me hesitant to buy a scope in this series. I also prefer miliradian scopes, which also strikes Zeiss. At this point, I'm running a Mark 6 which I'm not a fan of, but its a FFP 3-18x scope that weights 23 oz.

I was just considering similar scopes. I went NF SHV 3-10. For me, since a SFP reticle is only useful at a specific magnification, 10X seems like a more practical magnification to be fixed at than 15X.

I didn’t realize the Leupold MK 6 3-18 only weighs 23 oz. For some reason I thought it was heavier. Did you weight it, or is that advertised weight. That’s a lot of scope in 23 oz.

23 oz is advertised. I have no reason to doubt it. It is very light. Problem is they aren't reliable.

There have been several threads here on that particular vortex. I’ll see if I can find a couple. The consensus I recall was most really like them.

Here’s one.
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/14749770/re-vortex-razor-hd-lht

Lots of them out there now; hopefully some who have had them a while will weigh in with longer term reviews.

No problems with mine on a 300 Win Mag for awhile now.

Thanks for that! Brain dead me should have thought of that first!

This. I've used the LHT 3-15 the last couple years without complaint. But it is a vortex product which makes me uneasy for backcountry hunts. I also have the SHV 3-10 with the MOAR reticle and like it just as well. The SHV reticle is a little thinner, but completely useable for hunting. The LHT will save you a couple of ounces as the SHV is chunky at 22oz.

Bottom line, I have more confidence in the SHV not taking a sheit when I need it most.

Your thoughts are exactly the same as mine and I’m not the kind to fiddle f ukk around. I want to do things once and get it right. And that is the reason for my thread, repetitive as it may be. If someone has had dialing / tracking / repeatability issues, I’d like to know. Same for those who are happy with their scope. I had a Bushnell LRHT sheeet the bed on me. It was mounted on my lightweight 300 Wby. Just locked it up, frozen like a chunk of Yukon River ice. But I’m a sample size of one on that, I don’t think I’ve heard of ANYONE else having issues with those scopes. Their reputation is that they are bulletproof.

There’s a lot of feedback for the bigger, 30 oz. scope crowd via PRS. A hunting scope? We’re reliant on our own experience, the experiences of friends, writer reviews (I believe Koshkin and Form to be an exception here as we get more of a User / extended use perspective), and forums such as this (Thanks Rick). That’s it. I will say Bater has provided a lot or use perspective, both in the forums and per PM.

I’m not the backcountry hunter I used to be, but I just put a deposit down on a WY Red Desert antelope hunt after 14 years of gathering points. I want my scope to work flawlessly.

I’ve got a couple NF 2.5-10 x 32 in the safe that I need to send in to get upgraded turrets installed. That or since I am a vet, I might just order an NX 2.5-10 x 42

Thanks for taking the time to post. I appreciate it.

I have 5 of them. I carried one all over Kodiak the past two years, no issues. I have one on a 7 ½# 340 Wby that has been a proven scope killer. It's going strong.
Tracking is true, glass is clear and i love the reticle. All of mine are Mil- mil

Thanks Dennis, I have no doubt you are a hard user! I’d say you just tipped the scales!

I briefly had a LHT 3-15. Did what it was supposed to, but had very few rounds through it and it was never carried in the field, so not really any substantive data points there other than initial testing.

Moved on from it because I don't care for SFP on which you have to be greater than 10X or so to have the reticle measure how it's designed; for myriad reasons, I like to be at the lowest practical X for a given shot and feel that being constrained to be at too much X can be a liability. Used a friend's 4.5-22 LHT FFP for an afternoon. It did well enough, but I wasn't a fan of the reticle. I also don't have use for anything close to 20+X on a big game rifle.

I liked them well enough that if they offer an FFP in the 3-15 variant with a reticle I like, I'll give one a try.

Otherwise, as has been stated, the NF SHV 3-10 MOAR is a nice set up as far as SFP scopes. I have several, and they've all been really rugged. I've dialed a lot on them, and they haven't skipped a beat. Not my favorite reticle, but being SFP it's very usable. I also like that, given the X range, only the center is lit; makes it very fast aiming on low X.

I have two of the , one on a 300wsm, and one on a 6.5 prc. Made at LOW great glass and so far durable . I think they are a great scope.

Nice thing about high magnification range and FFP, you can dial it up or down. So long as the low end is usable, I don't care if the top is 15 or 25x. It makes no difference. Just because its there doesn't mean you have to use it.

I have three LHTs: 4.5-22x50, 3-15x42 and 3-15x50. No issues so far. I have a lot more rounds and a lot more rough handling with the 4.5-22x50 though.

ILya

Just put a LHT mil version on a 7mm mag and both rifle and scope working well together...

Certainly the best attribute of an FFP.

Unfortunately, not all FFP reticles are optimized at the X's I most frequently like to use them on. I've found that a 3-4 zoom range, lower X FFP, such as the SWFA 3-9, the S&B Klassik 3-12, or the LRHS/LRTS 3-12, yield reticles that are, to my eyes, highly usable throughout the X range and are really great around 6-10X, which is where I usually am on big game. Of course, little extra X doesn't hurt if it's just there and you don't use it, but IME, it can come at the cost of the reticle being unusable without being lit on low X, and/or not the best in the mid X's.

Thanks gents, appreciate all the feedback!

I’ve owned several of the LHT and earlier 1” version.
Optically awesome and light. Turrets are not the most awe inspiring but I don’t dial so didn’t bother me. I bought a used one that arrived with the side focus not focusing…..Of course Vortex took care of it but I don’t think now I would trust one on a hunt of a lifetime.
But we all must determine our opinion our own way. I pretty much trust what I know…..
Still use one on my expensive rifle but I would likely put a 3-10 or 2.5-10 NF on it if again I was going out of state, etc.
Regardless I only trust a scope that I have put 40-50
rounds down range and a trip or two on a UTV…..

It would be a blessing if these products were made, so each of us would have great confidence.

Unfortunately, super light and durable/reliable doesn’t exist. You’ll have to pick which quality you value more. I learned I’ll just have to accept a few more ounces if I need a scope I can depend on. Between a Nightforce and the Vortex, it’s a no brainer.

I would venture to guess that the guys here that have posted about their NF rifle scopes have plenty of confidence. Even though the SHV mentioned several times is less expensive than its bigger brother (NXS), it has a great reputation for reliable tracking and good glass as well. I use them and they dial just fine.. You take your chances with Vortex. I've seen many schidt the bed..

I know, I have one NXS, and it works well. I been thinking of a new scope just checking on what's out there that works besides another N/F. I would like a good scope that is made for hunting, not combat.

Seen many (how many?) sch itt the bed? And how many LHT’s? If any. Please be specific. I’ve yet to have a single person say they have had issues, let alone a serious issue with a LHT.

Thank you - Bob

Says the March fan! That was a friendly poke btw. But SWFA and even Huskamaw seem to do ok. Ya? Lol

I still don’t consider March lightweight. Lighter, yes, but still hard to call 24 oz truly lightweight.

If someone could figure out truly lightweight, that was durable, accurate tracking, capable longer range, good reticle, etc, they’d light the scope world on fire. Unfortunately, I don’t even think any manufacturer is actually trying.

I have 4 3-15 LHTs right now. The third one I got had to be sent back for illumination not working, the replacement they sent me stopped focusing after a few rounds down range from a Barrett ‘06. Other than that I’ve had no issues tracking. I did tall target tests to check tracking and all tracked and returned to zero. I have killed 2 mule deer, 3 white tails, and around 15 wild pigs with the LHT scopes. I have a threaded 6.5 I need to scope and have thought about trying the nighforce nxs 2.5-10 on it but I may just put another LHT on it. I even did an accidental drop test and it held zero and dialed to 500 yard and hit immediately after.

Thanks fishermen0105. Good feed back and much appreciation.

Since first posting on this, I've put another 45 rounds down range with a 3-15×42 on my 340 Wby including 263 and 285 grain bullets that have substantial recoil. Still going great.
I dont think the SHVs have enough eye relief

I have 5 3-15x42s.
700 7stw
700 300h&h
700 338t&m
Forbes 270
Forbes 3006
All have been dialed to 600 and back lots of times and have tracked perfectly. I was looking at many options and found the 3-15 LHT the best option for my hunting and I'm very happy with them.

I think I might get one on y'all good word about them.

Did I sound like I was from the South?


Hmm, Mother from Oklahoma Father from Arkansas and all the relatives to go with them.

I have three of the 3-15s and like them, lightweight and great glass. They are on a 6 Creed, 6.5 Creed and 6.5 PRC, so not heavy recoiling guns but they have been through a few seasons with no issues and plenty of dialing. All the rest of my scopes are NF FWIW

I have one of them on a semi heavy 280Ai custom built from bergara. Last Saturday while at the range it was sitting in the shooting bag on a portable shooting table. The bolt was open and it was cooling. Gust of wind came up and blew the table over. Now this is a real world drop test. Landed scope down completely riuned the turret cap. It was a hard fall. Picked it up cleaned it off fired a 3 shot group. Poi changed 2 inches to the right. Dialed 6 clicks left and shot another 3 round group and it was dead on. Dialed to 500 hit the gong dialed back to zero and shot another perfect 3 shot group. Not sure why the poi changed might have been movement in the rings or who knows. Still seems to work perfectly. Ordered a new turret cap today. I'll change that out and go shoot it again this weekend. I will report back to let you all know if it is still working correctly. Going to shoot a box test as recommended by Vortex.

I had the exact same thing happen to me sometime back. Except there was around 5 rifles leaning on a rack, which the wind dropped a tree limb on. Rifles took a hard fall onto concrete. Lots of scope dents. 2 of the rifles were mine. Of the 5, only 1 of them (mine) had a POI shift very similar to yours. Like you, I was able to get it re zeroed and it seemingly worked and dialed well. But, the POI shift really bothered me. Since the scope was already dented, I recreated the fall from the same position. Damn thing shifted POI again. It was taken out of service as soon as I got home. Adding insult to injury, it was by far the most expensive scope of the 5 that tipped over.

If I am not mistaken, I saw a posting here a while back that the Vortex Razor HD LHTs are manufactured in Japan at LOW (Light Optic Works). The same facility that manufactures so many of the scopes that members here love and have excellent experience with. I own a couple of the 3-15x50 LHTs and because of an eye injury a while back, the bolder G4i reticle works real well for me.

AFAIK, the LHT is produced by LOW. But, it is produced to spec, which is to say that not all LOW built scopes are equally rugged. I'm not saying that the LHT isn't rugged, because I don't know first hand. I'd just point out that this model is lighter than some other comparable scopes made by LOW, so that weight had to get cut from somewhere.

There's been enough good reports on this model that I'd give one a try if/when they offer the 3-15 with a FFP mil reticle that I like. I'm just not into SFP's over 10x or so for big game hunting, and I didn't care for the reticle in the larger, FFP LHT model I tried. It's plenty usable, but I like other reticles I currently have much better.

So far, not a single report of tracking issue. The one issue, at least in my mind, is it’s ability to handle stops or falls. A couple here have reported POI shifts after falls. Personally, I don’t throw my rifles in the back of a truck or UTV and let them bounce around. I’m not necessarily gentle with them either, at the end of the day, they are a tool, not art. I have to admit that POI shift is a concern. Someone also posted a drop test thread that Form posted on Rokslide and it failed miserably (it actually was the higher magnification model, but close enough for me).

I have two of these now, and two NF 2.5-10 x 32s for five main rifles. These are < 500 yard waking varmint/hunting rifles. I’m trying to keep the weight down on these. Maybe #5 will get a Trijicon?. I need to get them all mounted up and do some shooting.

I’m building two long range guns and for starters, one will have a 4-32 NX8 and the other a 4-16 ATACR, both about the same weight. So a different ball game here.

I could live with a couple more ounces for a bit more toughness, but it is what it is.


Thanks all!

I think you are trying to distract us from the fact you are living in CA!!!! Come move up to ID and you can use any accent you wish!😂😂😂

Right, I use to live in Montana. That was great, I loved it. My wife and her job got us moved. She has relatives in Idaho. Her cousins would like her/us to move there.
Time will tell.