Nsagam graciously pointed out that I should change the title of this to be fair. he has a point and I have done so, but I would request for the 'Fire to be fair, that you read my second post and where I also re-emphasize it on p.3


Ok, so I did NOT take y'all's advice, and ordered a Vortex Crossfire 6-24x50MM scope from SWFA. SWFA is to be commended for their fantastic & prompt customer service.

Anyway, I got he box and pulled the scope out. it looked OK. Then, I tried to attach the provided sunshade. After about 5 minutes of frustrating unsuccessful attempts, I got out my calipers and started measuring. Seems that the sunshade is badly out of round, being off by more that 50 thousandths! Ok, I think, that might work if I do some 'massaging' on it. I take it out on the porch about 45 minutes before dark, in the early eve. Well, at least it appeared to magnify at about 6x on the lowest setting. The edges were really fuzzy. I look at the top, and see that it is set at 10yds, so I start to turn it out to 100 yds, and inside the scope I feel a spring go 'sprong!' and can actually HEAR it! I give the scope a shake and nothing, look thru it and it is fine and much clearer, so I try to turn the objective back in. it is is very stiff, then 'ping!' and gets easy. I try this multiple times and it always works this way. The top-end magnification is 24x. i never intended to go that high, but even working with 'Sprong/Ping', I still see it is pretty fuzzy.

After farting with it for a bit and feeling really queasy, I get out my old El Paso Weaver 4-12x on my .270. Comparing the two throughout their respective range, I see that the Vortex has NO advantage over this 1970's product. in fact, it appears pretty inferior, and the flare on both, due to lack of coatings is there, but the 'new' Crossfire is noticeably more! I take the Weaver and put it in the house, and very carefully repack the scope, and email SWFA to get a Return Authorization Number.

The Crossfire is an absolute piece of Dawg-Shiatt!!!!! I did not expect a Swarovski. Hey-Yell, I didn't even really expect a Redfield Revolution, but Day-Yam...this is terrible!

Man, were you guys ever right about this!

One other thing. I work for a company that is not involved in this manufacturing, but in our market segment, we regularly have to make decisions as to whether or not we want to make a product at a profit, or break-even just to fill a niche, keeping our 'foot in the door' of the respective customer or market segment. When we get to that point, we always as ourselves if the product we are selling at reduced cost/value with ultimately hurt us if the product is perceived as poor.

I think that Vortex should have asked themselves this, and as such, I will not be purchasing anything further from the Vortex Line.

You can't judge the Viper and Razor lines by the one you tried.

+1

After using many of the Vortex line of products, you not scaring me away...As a matter of fact, my opinion is just the opposite as yours!!!

Well to each their own, but basically you are saying that if Ford made a total POS that never ran, that would be Ok if they made better models too.

Your sample of 1 means what? Ford has never had a lemon?

I'm quite certain there are a whole lot of guys out there buying that scope. They're not concerned about quality, they're concerned about having a really big scope with gobs magnification, and for the least amount of money. That one fills that particular hubble niche. The hubble's are in.

I'd not judge Vortex as a whole because of that particular model.

This is what sours me on Vortex. Any company that makes a sub-$100 and a $2000 dollar optic is suspect. Just too much variance.

I have two Vortex Viper 2x7x32 scopes. Excellent values, in my opinion. At $149, an even better value.

I considered the $99 Crossfire 6x24x50. But as I checked, not one positive review.

It's too bad that your $100 scope is not a classic, but that's life.

The Crossfire 4-12X40 is just about right.....

EXACTLY WHAT IS WAS TRYING TO SAY IN THAT 2ND POST!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, if Mercedes came out with a stretch limo for $9999 I'd know better than to drop the coin.

Things seeming to good to be true, usually are.

You bought a wide range variable huge objective entry model line (crossifre) scope for $99 and make a sweeping generalization about the entire COMPANY ?! (check your thread title)

Really?

The 2 vortex products I bought (gifts) are fantastic.

This is sort of amazing. Buy a cheap end product, which you were warned against, found out that everybody was right, so you condemn the whole Vortex line. Don't often find logic like that.

Seems a good point.

Shoulda bought a viper if you were going vortex u get what you pay for.

You want a nice high power scope, you have to drop the coin.

Sounds like you wanted something comparable to VX-3 Leupold, at a BSA price? There's no logic in that. Get real, what can someone expect when dropping $100 into a hubble, really what were you expecting? Try a Viper before you damn Vortex.

Like Scott said above, you get what you pay for. Regardless of who's producing it and where you're getting it from.

I think the missing component here is that anyone can compromise their name and reputation to become cheap. If Vortex was a name synonymous to quality, why produce a lesser scope and still call it Vortex. The same goes with Leupold, Zeiss, Swarovski S&B. Why not call it a Dork, Stump, Weasel, anything but the flagship name of the company if it is going to be a junker.

I work it backwards and wouldn't own a Vortex of any configuration due to the fact they make a junk scope at a cheaper than dirt price, so why would I pay more money for a high end scope produced by a dirt manufacturer?

I was in a Flyshop today and got the same empty feeling when I saw a Winston flyrod that was cheap, and worse than that, made in China. Winston used to represent the best in the flyfishing industry, but now they have morphed into the price market for whatever reason, sacrificing their once great trademark.

I may have missed iambrb's point, but to me this is what he was disappointed about

Cadillac and Vega made by CM.If you want a Cadillac then buy a Cadillac.Why does this need to be explained?

Probably a stupid move by them to have this cheapy scope,but the Razor HD and Viper scopes are really pretty good.

Last time I looked through a Leuplod Rifleman I wasn't too impressed!

Vortex is like most optics brands in that they don't actually manufacture their products. They spec out what they want and have others manufacture them to a certain spec and price target. As is the case here, the high end stuff and the low end stuff isn't even made in the same factory and even in the same part of the world. Vortex is a good company who treats their customers right, but no matter the brand, you can't buy a high magnification variable scope for $100 and expect it to be very good. Their high end stuff is very good.

Yup.

Bushnell has blister pack stuff, and they have the 6500 line. Burris has Black Diamond scopes and Timberlines. Nikon has ProStaffs up to Monarch Gold/African offerings. I think the only folks who don't have a low-end line are the Alphas. I'm not saying I agree with it, I'm just saying that's how it is.

Every time I go to my local range, I'm reminded that, zealous though we are, we Campfire-ites make up a tiny sliver of the hunting/outdoors market. There are many, many more people out there who are content to buy whatever's cheapest. So if a mfgr isn't going to offer a low line, they're going to have to fight furiously for a slice of a tiny pie.

The best we can do is to buy a company first, & the products second. The experience of many has been that Vortex goes above & beyond to make things right. Has the OP contacted them to see if/how they would resolve the problem?

FC

most optics importers do that, just like Bushnell

Absolutely; well stated!

And Leupold. And Nikon. And Burris. And Zeiss (except that their low-end scope is still a Conquest ). Etc.

Thank you Shrap, that is what I was trying to say.

Coupla things:
1 - I did not actually see these reviews until after received.
2 - if you guys would have read more and assumed less, you would know that I in no way wanted a Vx-3 for the cost of a scope base.
3 - I DID expect soething that didn't make slinky-spring noises when operated.

I am sure that there are somgreat Vortex products out there but I think y'all need to re-read that 2nd post. Several others here have and understood what I was trying to say.

Bruce, to be fair I would think you should change the title of this thread to "The Vortex Crossfire Sucks".

The Leupold Rifleman and the Burris Timberline scopes suck pretty bad but that doesn't mean Leupold and Burris as a whole suck.

nsa, I have alot of respect for you, so yes, I will do so if still possible (will know in a minute), but I think the following is what was missed by most:

I work for a company that is not involved in this manufacturing, but in our market segment, we regularly have to make decisions as to whether or not we want to make a product at a profit, or break-even just to fill a niche, keeping our 'foot in the door' of the respective customer or market segment. When we get to that point, we always as ourselves if the product we are selling at reduced cost/value with ultimately hurt us if the product is perceived as poor.

I think that Vortex should have asked themselves this

Also, although the Rifleman series and the Timberline series are not well though of here (and possibly deservedly so), This morning at dawn I got a Father-in-Law's Rifleman 3-9x power and compared, and this Crossfire is no-where NEAR the quality of that scope, FYI.......

I think that is more accurate as well as being more fair.

Thank you for taking the time to do it.

WOW I just bought a vortex diamondback 4x12 Ao for a new rimfire build. Could not happier let me say I run leupold's on just about everthing I own vx111s. Time will tell but this vortex really seams to be a keeper.

I've never been impressed with anything Vortex sells...they are good at marketing, i will give them that.

Well I admit that I should have done better research first, but I so wholly unimpressed that it just was not funny. During deer season, i had a gun with a VX-1 4-12 non/AO scope, and it was far better than this. I would have had it still, but was offered a good trade, so here we are.

You're much better off paying for quality rather than quantity when it comes to magnification. If your budget is low, then the best quality 9x you can afford will probably keep you much happier than any high mag scope for the same money.

I just received the vortex Crossfire 6x24, the 99 dollar special just to see what it was like. While I'm not buy high end german or american glass I do have couple of 4200's, vx-2's, grandslams and sig selects plus a vipe 6.5x20 I understand the difference between good and cheap. Took it out of the box yesterday and ran it through all the gyrations the poster did and it function just fine it is clear to the edges at all powers but very finiky at high power for eye position and adjustment I'm looking forward to getting it on a rifle to check tracking, but I suspect it will do just fine.

When I orderred this I never expected to have a hunt depending on it just to use for load development on my hunting rifles and it can always go back to vortex to fix or replace.

Yap, kinda like Kia offering a $75,000 Sedan.

Too good.

I think that's an excellent point, and I agree with it. I don't believe most missed your intent there, though. Folks were commenting on the fact you were condemning an entire brand because they offer a low end scope as well as stuff priced more toward the high end, when in fact many optics companies do the same. Whether or not the Crossfire is worse than other companies low end scopes is a subjective judgment where opinions will differ. I've seen some pretty crappy low end stuff from Bushnell, Nikon, Burris, and a few others that I personally thought couldn't get much worse. Having really high magnification only makes things worse. If the 3-9X Rifleman topped out at 24X, it would probably look just as bad as the Crossfire. Low price + high magnification = poor optics... regardless of brand.

yawn..............what a revelation!@!

Cheap scopes suck. Now who would have ever thunk THAT?

Yeah, apparently Vortex does provide good customer service, but I would prefer not to have to hassle with sending scopes back for repair/replacement. But to be fair to Vortex in this discussion, it really isn't fair to compare a $99 6-24x50 cheap scope to a Leupold Rifleman 3-9 that retails for almost double the price of the Vortex. I should hope the Rifleman is better optically at half the maximum magnification and twice the price. Same goes for comparing the Crossfire to a Leupold VX-1 4-12, as the Leupie is again, more than twice the price of the Crossfire. And I just got a new Nikon Prostaff 2-7x32 on sale at Cabelas for $95. It is probably superior optically to the Crossfire, too. But again it offers 1/3 the maximum magnification, and I wanted it for my S&W MP 15-22 since it has a 75 yard parallax setting. I don't expect it to equal a VX-3 (or even a Nitrex 1.5-5x32, which I probably should have ordered instead when Natchez and ATK were offering the $50 mail in rebate)
My theory is to buy the best quality you can afford. And watch for discontinued close out items. I have been happy with my $89 Intensity Optics 6.5-20x44 scopes I got a couple of years ago. Not VX-3's but have given good service, and I could probably sell them any time for what I gave for them. (I think they are pretty much identical to the old Simmons 44 Mag scopes from a few years back. All my "cheap scopes" were assembled in the Phillipines. I believe the really cheap scopes, like the Crossfire are made in China.