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Dang, my first dead Vortex #7028346 01/07/18 06:38 PM
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Well, not exactly dead, but major vertical stringing. The scope is a Vortex Viper 6-24 PST ffp. I was already set up to load, so I decided to catch up on my 223 40 gr BT loads - about 100 of them. It’s an old favorite load and shoots nice little groups. I loaded them up and thought i’d shoot a few. But, first cold bore shot was 2 inches low. That’s odd. So I shot a few groups and would get 3 out of 5 pretty much right on the money, but 2 would be straight down an inch or two. Started worrying about the scope, but NAHH, can’t be. Shot a few more groups, alternating between one 40 gr Nosler and one 65 gr Sierra. Vertical tracking is not working in a predictable manner. Well, I had that ‘available’ Leupold Var-XIII 4.5-14, so I put that on there. And we are back to tiny little groups with the 40’s and the 65’s.

Never have sent one back to Vortex, so I’ll box it up on Monday. Just to say it, that is the third scope (Nikon Monarch 4-16, Leupold VX2 6-18, and now the vortex) that has had a wandering POI after time on that Ruger Hawkeye 223. Only ‘scope killer’ rifle I have. Geez. I’ve been saying nice things about Vortex.


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7028358 01/07/18 06:58 PM
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I hate that for you. But it does not surprise me.


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7028365 01/07/18 07:13 PM
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Originally Posted By: 603Country
Just to say it, that is the third scope (Nikon Monarch 4-16, Leupold VX2 6-18, and now the vortex) that has had a wandering POI after time on that Ruger Hawkeye 223. Only ‘scope killer’ rifle I have.


THAT is kinda weird. Lotsa "why" swirling in my mind, and I'm inspired to ask whether the rings on that rifle were ever lapped. I just can't accept the idea of .223 being a scope killer.


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7028429 01/07/18 08:14 PM
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RiverRider, i’m going with it just being coincidence, for now. The first two scopes were set and forget type, and didn’t get adjusted much. The Vortex actually got used, turretwise, with most being up/down. That’s why I shot alternately with the two bullet weights, since the heavier bullet POI needed adjustment upward, to see if the adjustment actually adjusted. And it didn’t.

I think i’m coming around to the logic of buying more expensive bulletproof scopes, though I don’t work scopes hard enough that I should have to spend the big bucks. Oh, well. Get the Vortex fixed, put it back on the ‘scope killer’, and send the Leupold to get it “CDS’d”, and then put it on the rifle I don’t have.


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7028494 01/07/18 09:20 PM
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Maybe it IS all just coincidence. Who knows...but maybe twisting that turret as much as you did was just enough to bring on the failure. Sounds good to me.


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7028871 01/08/18 01:33 AM
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I heard nothing but glowing reviews of Vortex's customer service for years. Last year I had three opportunities to experience their customer service. They did replace one Diamondback but that took them two times to get it right. For my Viper HS and Viper HS LR, they told me they were fine but my rifles were jacked up. No issues with those "jacked up" rifles when using other scopes with the same bases and rings.

With the exception of their Razor line (even that is now coming into question), I'm no longer looking at Vortex products based upon my experience with their customer service.

Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7028902 01/08/18 02:06 AM
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^^Good post


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7028925 01/08/18 02:25 AM
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The fact that so many people can testify to their warranty being so outstanding says a lot about more than just their warranty. In the field, I depend a whole lot more on my scope not failing than I do a warranty.

Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7028994 01/08/18 03:06 AM
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Well, I guess i’m next up in the rotation to deal with Vortex customer service. I’ll call them tomorrow. I’ll let you know if it doesn’t go well. And I’ll ship the scope off in a day or so. And, I need to ship off an old fixed 6 Leupold, so I can do a running comparison of how it goes with the both of them. My dealings so far with Leupold have been terrific - friendly helpful people and rapid turnaround time.


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: Sneaky] #7028998 01/08/18 03:07 AM
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Originally Posted By: Sneaky
The fact that so many people can testify to their warranty being so outstanding says a lot about more than just their warranty. In the field, I depend a whole lot more on my scope not failing than I do a warranty.


=Night Force for me.


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7029017 01/08/18 03:19 AM
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Originally Posted By: 603Country
Well, I guess i’m next up in the rotation to deal with Vortex customer service. I’ll call them tomorrow. I’ll let you know if it doesn’t go well. And I’ll ship the scope off in a day or so. And, I need to ship off an old fixed 6 Leupold, so I can do a running comparison of how it goes with the both of them. My dealings so far with Leupold have been terrific - friendly helpful people and rapid turnaround time.


I’ll be in line right behind you.

Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: J.G.] #7029022 01/08/18 03:22 AM
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Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
Originally Posted By: Sneaky
The fact that so many people can testify to their warranty being so outstanding says a lot about more than just their warranty. In the field, I depend a whole lot more on my scope not failing than I do a warranty.


=Night Force for me.


I only bought that Vortex because you told me to. grin

Nightforce is like the Tundra of the optic world. I’m leaning that way more and more. That Tangent Theta sure looks nice, though. Any idea how tough they are? I’ve looked and looked and can’t find any reviews referencing that. Given my bad habit of tearing stuff up, bulletproof is a quality very near the top of things I require in a scope.

Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7029037 01/08/18 03:33 AM
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If I told you to, you had a budget, and I try to not exceed people's budget.

Only guy I know with a Tangent Theda is "Red Snake".

Not bashing Tangent Theda, but they dont have a decades old tract record of toughness, some of which was earned on the battle field.


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7029114 01/08/18 04:53 AM
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I did have a budget. Next time I won’t. It’s actually not a bad scope. My confidence in its reliability has just faded.

That’s my biggest hang up. It doesn’t have the track record. I still have time. Maybe some light will be shed in the mean time. If not, I know what to expect in the ATACR.

Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: Sneaky] #7029301 01/08/18 01:55 PM
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Originally Posted By: Sneaky
I know what to expect in the ATACR.


All I cook with is Cast iron skillets. What does Lodge say? "You have a friend for life".

So far, I am looking at NF that way.


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7029312 01/08/18 02:01 PM
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The more I look into that F1, the more I like it. They’ve added some really nice touches since I’ve used the original ATACR.

Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7029467 01/08/18 03:35 PM
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603, I think you tend to shoot rifles one at a time. You could consider what FJG does, and share one scope on multiple rifles.


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: QuitShootinYoungBucks] #7029476 01/08/18 03:41 PM
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Originally Posted By: QuitShootinYoungBucks
603, I think you tend to shoot rifles one at a time. You could consider what FJG does, and share one scope on multiple rifles.
I tried to do that. It works fine if you have a range to yourself where you can verify zero. If you have to pay a range fee to double-check every time you switch, it becomes a bit more hassle and expense. However, I was always within .2 mils and nearly always within .1 mils or exactly right when I moved from one rifle to the other. So it absolutely can be done, but it was more hassle than I wanted to fool with. If I was going to keep both rifles, I probably would have bought a fixed-power 12x42 SWFA for the 223.

I ended up selling my 223 and keeping my 6.5 and I have one bolt gun and one scope and it works much more stress-free.

Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7029510 01/08/18 04:03 PM
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Quitshootin, I hadn’t really thought about it, but I guess I do shoot one rifle at a time, but I think i’ll stick with one scope per rifle, though I will admit to having more scopes than rifles. When the Vortex went wonky, I put the Leupold on the 223, and that Leupold had previously been on that rifle prior to the Vortex. Hardly any adjustment needed to get it back to dead on.


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7030724 01/09/18 03:55 AM
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Has something changed in vortex? Seems like I either had really good luck, or things have gone downhill?? Seems like I hear more and more folks saying they have had problems. Honest question. I don’t hunt much in daylight anymore, so I’m out of the know I guess

Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: 603Country] #7030821 01/09/18 04:56 AM
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My ‘sick’ Vortex is one of two that I have. No problems with the other one. Today I mailed a Leupold and the Vortex off to their respective repair shops. Scopes these days are more actively used than the set and forget ones I grew up with (and still have several of). It makes sense to me that if you want a seriously problem free scope, you are going to have to spend serious money. And from what I read, even spending the big bucks doesn’t automatically get you a trouble free turreted scope. On another forum, a knowledgeable guy said that the toughest of the tough was “Nightforce mil-spec”.

If I buy another scope for a center fire rifle, I don’t know what it will be.


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: Midwaytmm] #7030922 01/09/18 09:56 AM
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I think you had good luck.


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: J.G.] #7031329 01/09/18 05:04 PM
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Originally Posted By: FiremanJG


Not bashing Tangent Theda, but they dont have a decades old tract record of toughness, some of which was earned on the battle field.


Tangent is an upgraded premier and Premiers have a stellar track record. They have issues if rings are over tightened but so do other scopes.


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: dee] #7031351 01/09/18 05:20 PM
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Originally Posted By: dee
Originally Posted By: FiremanJG


Not bashing Tangent Theda, but they dont have a decades old tract record of toughness, some of which was earned on the battle field.


Tangent is an upgraded premier and Premiers have a stellar track record. They have issues if rings are over tightened but so do other scopes.


Got a little sick to my stomache for what I paid for my ATACR. I'm just not in the mode to spend more on a Tangent or a S & B. Those that do, more power to ya!


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Re: Dang, my first dead Vortex [Re: Midwaytmm] #7033475 01/11/18 12:27 AM
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Originally Posted By: Midwaytmm
Has something changed in vortex? Seems like I either had really good luck, or things have gone downhill?? Seems like I hear more and more folks saying they have had problems. Honest question. I don’t hunt much in daylight anymore, so I’m out of the know I guess


I think you had really good luck.


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