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Vortex reliability #5516172 01/03/15 01:20 AM
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my VIPER 4-16 PST is fine, so no problems there. But, I was on another forum this morning and read how this particular member (very knowledgable, from what I can tell) had bought and used a lot of Vortex scopes and pretty much all had been bad - especially the PST's. None of you guys have trashed Vortex too much, and some of you are experienced long range guys. Do any of you have personal knowledge of Vortex PST or Razor scopes breaking down a little or a lot.

I'm not taking mine off the gun, I just wanted to see if this other guy just has Vortex hatred or if he has real world data.


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5516255 01/03/15 01:59 AM
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My Viper PST has had some bumps, but not bad. No loss of zero or change in tracking.

Dave had a Gen I Razor that was on his match gun (several barrels) and to my knowledge never had any trouble.

That's all I got.


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5516313 01/03/15 02:30 AM
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I had one for about a year. It had been rock solid till I got to Rocky Mountain 3 Gun last summer. It worked great for two days of the match and on the third, I was suddenly hitting about 20MOA high. I went to the sight-in range and moved it down. Next stage, same thing. I used a different rifle to finish the match. When I got home, I adjusted it again, carried it in the pickup, banged the forearm of the rifle into a tree, banged the stock into the ground. It held. Went to Fallen Brethren 3 gun this fall, and it works fine. I figured someone turned the knob on it at RM3G. Then, I went to a local 3 gun match last month, and shooting the same load, I was hitting 8 inches low at 50 yards. I should have been 6 inches high at that distance. I pulled it off and sent it for warranty. Two weeks later it returned with a note saying, "Checked scope, and all functions are normal." Apparently that is normal behavior for a Viper PST 1-4. Not happy.


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5516398 01/03/15 03:09 AM
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This week, my 5-20 Razor is going back to Vortex for the third time. First time was for tracking issues, second time my reticle came loose and would spin when turning up or down the magnification, and this time it's going back for not holding a zero and tracking issues. Each time they have fixed this scope until it broke again. We will see what they say this time. This a very early Razor, and I hope they will consider replacing it. Three times for issues is enough to burn anyone.

It would be nice to find a scope that doesn't break, but I'm not sure such a scope exists.

Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 6.5x47Lapua] #5516428 01/03/15 03:24 AM
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Have almost abused my SS 5-20 HD, and have not had a single failure.


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5516801 01/03/15 12:54 PM
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I started looking at the Vortex as well, after speaking with Jason. I have read some of what y'all posted on several forums while looking for Product reviews. Enough to make me hold off a bit. From what I have read, you either have a great scope, or not, also have read that the glass can be inconsistent, but assume that may have something to do with an individuals vision. I really like their EBR- 2c reticle

I know they are priced close in with a few models of Ziess and Swaro.


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5516806 01/03/15 01:00 PM
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I've got a Vortex Crossfire II 4-12x44 on the brown truck that will be here Monday. I am actually moving a Minox 3-9x40 over to the kids' 10/22 from my AR and replacing with the Vortex. While this worries me a little, they do have a great warranty. I guess we'll just have to see.


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: kry226] #5517243 01/03/15 06:28 PM
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Originally Posted By: kry226
I've got a Vortex Crossfire II 4-12x44 on the brown truck that will be here Monday. I am actually moving a Minox 3-9x40 over to the kids' 10/22 from my AR and replacing with the Vortex. While this worries me a little, they do have a great warranty. I guess we'll just have to see.


I have read that their warranty is hard to beat!


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5517734 01/04/15 12:32 AM
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If you look at the big picture only a couple to a very few really push the vortex real hard. If you ever leave this place and read around there is for sure a different opinion of vortex. Certain models have a lot of features but to me glass is lacking and they aren't a deal they once were now that others have also improved.
Just an opinion

Re: Vortex reliability [Re: Brother in-law] #5517849 01/04/15 01:43 AM
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Those other opinions. Do they shoot distance with Razors or PSTs?


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5517886 01/04/15 02:04 AM
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I have owned 3 and 2 of them sucked. The first one I bought, a vortex viper HS, the very first shot with a .243 and the crosshair turned on me. I took it back and got a refund. About a year later I bought another vortex viper HS and it was good. I just wanted to upgrade. The last one was a vortex viper PST I never could get it sighted in. After a hour and half I took it back to the store and bought a nightforce. Best decision I have made. Too bad it got stolen from me.


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: Western] #5517888 01/04/15 02:06 AM
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Originally Posted By: Western
Originally Posted By: kry226
I've got a Vortex Crossfire II 4-12x44 on the brown truck that will be here Monday. I am actually moving a Minox 3-9x40 over to the kids' 10/22 from my AR and replacing with the Vortex. While this worries me a little, they do have a great warranty. I guess we'll just have to see.


I have read that their warranty is hard to beat!


Yep everyone seems to know about about their great warrenty. I wonder why?


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5517896 01/04/15 02:13 AM
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Well, let's say a fellow wants a lightweight, turreted, 30mm tube scope with a good shooting mil reticle, good glass, and reticle illumination for the best available price, where should that fellow put his money? At the $1k price point, options are few. Vortex looked to me to be the best option, and I really wanted to see what I'd get with Vortex, so I got the Viper PST 4-16x50 FFP. So, what did I get?

Glass - good, and not noticeably worse than what's in my Leupold VX3's
Turrets- good, not too tall, nice click force needed, not quite zero stop, but acceptable
Reticle - I like it fine
Weight - it is rather light
Hunting use - plenty of coyotes down, maybe 6 deer so far, and a few pigs. I keep it on 8 power, and when the critter of the moment comes into view, the gun and scope come up and I am instantly in full view of the critter. No hunt for a sight picture is required. Reticle is visible in very dim light, without the illumination.

I haven't done a whole lot of turret cranking yet, and if that's the weak spot, then I'll get to it soon.
I like the scope. Do I need to spend 2.5 times the money for a NF? I don't feel the need. When and if the scope ever breaks, I might possibly be less pleased with it. :-)


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: caddokiller] #5517919 01/04/15 02:21 AM
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Originally Posted By: caddokiller
Originally Posted By: Western
Originally Posted By: kry226
I've got a Vortex Crossfire II 4-12x44 on the brown truck that will be here Monday. I am actually moving a Minox 3-9x40 over to the kids' 10/22 from my AR and replacing with the Vortex. While this worries me a little, they do have a great warranty. I guess we'll just have to see.


I have read that their warranty is hard to beat!


Yep everyone seems to know about about their great warrenty. I wonder why?


I've got 2 pairs of bino's, 2 SS, and three scopes. I've used the warranty once on a scope. I was an idiot and dropped a rifle and bent scope. New scope with in a week.

Hunt hard stuff happens. I hunt any where from 2-4 states a year. I'm tough on gear and trucks



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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5517934 01/04/15 02:27 AM
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Running pst on my 300 win mag no issues so far! Held zero and im hard on my stuff


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5517940 01/04/15 02:29 AM
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Mine has not failed me but it is not my favorite. For the application I use mine it is one of the best choices for the rifle. I hear of a lot of warranty work for $500 plus scopes.

Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5517949 01/04/15 02:34 AM
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I used to be on another forum a lot and became convinced they "seeded" the optics forum there with threads touting their greatness/equality with the Big 3. At any given time well over half of the threads on the forum would be "My Vortex Rocks" threads by new guys with less than 10 posts. This has been years ago now.

I cannot deny their marketing techniques have apparently paid off. But I will never buy one.


Originally Posted by Russ79
I learned long ago you can't reason someone out of something they don't reason themselves into.


Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5517983 01/04/15 02:49 AM
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After about 1000 rounds in one week of constant rain and turning the turrets a lot, my first PST did great. I will say however it did have an issue right out of the box, the magnification ring was impossible to turn. Other then that everything has been great and I bought my second PST and it's just as good. I guess I'm not as hard on my scope as y'all


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: Nogalus Prairie] #5518000 01/04/15 02:56 AM
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Originally Posted By: Nogalus Prairie
I used to be on another forum a lot and became convinced they "seeded" the optics forum there with threads touting their greatness/equality with the Big 3. At any given time well over half of the threads on the forum would be "My Vortex Rocks" threads by new guys with less than 10 posts. This has been years ago now.

I cannot deny their marketing techniques have apparently paid off. But I will never buy one.


Every optics maker out there is pretty good for the most part. Vortex has a done a great job dominationing the price points of mid to high mid optics. With that said I do think their prices are starting to creep to high.

Lot of value still in their binos and SS


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5519014 01/04/15 07:21 PM
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So if not Vortex, what are the recommendations in the $150-$200 range. Primary Hunt is Whitetail/Hogs.

Re: Vortex reliability [Re: JDMore] #5519178 01/04/15 08:58 PM
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Originally Posted By: Jimmie Moreland
So if not Vortex, what are the recommendations in the $150-$200 range. Primary Hunt is Whitetail/Hogs.



How about none. If that's your scope budget I would be scared to see your base and rings budget

Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5519465 01/04/15 10:45 PM
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Jimmie, at that price range you can get a very nice Burris FFII. The 4.5-14 was, I think, recently discounted to $200. I have a couple of them on various rifles and think that they are really nice. Used one on my 260 for about a year and can only say good things about them.

Of course, if you want to be cranking turrets, which is rarely necessary for pigs and deer, I doubt you'll get a good scope at that price.


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5519476 01/04/15 10:49 PM
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that prices range i would try to get a swfa fixed power like a 12x


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Re: Vortex reliability [Re: 603Country] #5519477 01/04/15 10:49 PM
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Also look at a Leupold Rifleman or VX-1 in 3-9x.


Originally Posted by Russ79
I learned long ago you can't reason someone out of something they don't reason themselves into.


Re: Vortex reliability [Re: daniel1381] #5519727 01/04/15 11:52 PM
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Originally Posted By: daniel1381
that prices range i would try to get a swfa fixed power like a 12x


I certainly couldn't use a fixed 12x on a deer hunting rifle. 6x would be much more practical.

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