Picked up a 6.5-20x44 Viper

[remingtonman_25_06]

Well I dont know if I can justify this somehow or not, but here goes lol.

I had a really nice Leupold VX3 LR 6.5-20x50, 30mm tube, side focus, fine duplex. I had this scope for about 5 years and its been on a few magnum rifles 7 RM (braked), 300 RUM (1200 rounds) 338 EDGE w/300g SMKS braked, and has held up fine and has never given me any problems. Its extremely bright, crisp, and clear all the way up to 20x. I can put spikes on elk at 1K at legal shooting hours, works for me. Its always tracked the way it was suppose to, never any problems with that.

However, as everyone knows times are tough and I am down a scope at the moment. My relatively new 264 is sitting in the corner with nothing just waiting to be fed some 140g AMAXs once again. So, I knew a guy looking for a higher powered varmint scope for his hvy bbl tikka 22-250. Told him I had a nice Leupold vx3 LR 6.5-20 that I'd sell for $700. He came and looked at it, within few minutes it was sold.

So my thinking here is that I can now have 2 LR scopes for basically the price of 1. Make sense? I know I have to throw in another $100 for the 2nd one but thats not to bad. I've read a lot on the Vortexs the last year or so, everything seems to be good with them. Not a lot of bad out there, and if anythign, there customer service was always superb everywhere ive read.

So I just got back from sportsmans with a new 6.5-20x44 Viper with the BDC reticle. I will mainly be using this as a "dial up" scope, but I thought the 3 dots that are spaced 1.5 MOA, 4.5, 7.5, and the bottom post is 11 MOA, it will offer 4 quick shooting points. The crosshairs are pretty fine, the dots are small, the glass is crisp and clear, everythings tight. Seems like a great buy for $400 new out the door. My only real concern is there tracking ability over time, and the available MOAs. I might need to start buying 20 MOA bases to reack out to 1000-1200 yards.

This one is going on my 243 at the moment. I need to get some new rings so it will be a bit before I can get her out in the field, but I'm pretty excited. I'm working on some 105 AMAXs and once I get a load figured I'll run the scope through its course out to 1K.

 

[JD338]

Jorey,

The Vipers seem to be pretty good from what I hear as well.
Give us a field test report when you get the chance.

JD338

 

[SJB358]

Looking forward to the field test. I know you will put it through its paces. Your right about Vortex, they seem to be putting out great scopes for good money. Seems like a win win deal to me. Plus, with Leupold like customer service they are pretty well rounded. Scotty

 

[DrMike]

I've been struggling with the decision to buy another scope. I weighed a Vortex HD, which is a very impressive scope. I also considered a Viper PST. Ultimately, I settled on a Trijicon. However, it was a close call. I chose the Trijicon primarily because I don't have one and I've only shot a couple. However, the Vortex is a great scope, and I'll likely be adding some to my safe soon. Good choice, Remmy.

 

[SJB358]

What are you putting the Trijicon on Mike? We run the ACOG's on some guns and they are some Marine proof optics and pretty clear. Never looked through one of their commercial scopes, but I do like their aiming points. Scotty

 

[DrMike]

What are you putting the Trijicon on Mike?

A .375 Winchester. I'm trading off a really nice early model Model 94 for a pretty rough looking Angle Eject model so I can scope it. My eyes have deteriorated enough that the Williams peep sight isn't enough to get the groups I want at 120 yards. I'm still minute of deer or elk, but I would like to be a little better than that. I trust I can reduce my 3 inch groups to 1.5 inches. The rifle will be Teflon coated to make it look a little nicer. The bore is in good shape. I don't believe the rifle was shot much, but it was carried in the back of a pickup, and it looks like it. I'm looking at the TR21-3 AccuPoint.

 

[SJB358]

That sounds like a cool rifle Mike. I am all for pretty rifles, but the way you are doing up the new 375 AE sounds like a pure hunting rifle. Scotty

 

[DrMike]

It'll be a hunting rifle. It will work just fine for black bear, elk and moose at reasonable ranges. As I indicated, I looked at the Vortex HD, which is a very impressive scope. It compares very favourably with European glass. The Viper gives Leupold a run for its money, that's for sure. I will likely grab a Vortex HD at some point in the future for a project. The Vortex I've used are very impressive.

 

[SJB358]

That will be a cool one. Your right about the Vortex's, they do look like serious scopes. I saw one 4x16 with a 44MM obj with turrets and side focus. Seems like a perfect scope for a flat shooting longer range rifle. Plus it has the 30mm tube. Scotty

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I decided to go ahead on put this on my 264 at the moment since my weaver 20 MOA tactical base for the rem700 SA is still backordered...

2 things I have noticed about this scope that I dont particularly care for is the eye relief at higher magnification, and its real easy to lose your sight picture on higher magnification as well.

The eye relife isn't a major concern at this point to me since it will only be on a 243 or 264 mag, but I dont think I would want this scope on a RUM shooting in a not so great position, I think its got disaster written all over it. The sight picture going in and out is more of a concern and PITA. Just have to make sure you have a real good consistent cheek weld and sight alignment is what I"m finding. But even just a bit of movement and it seems to go black.

The leupold had tons of eye relief and I think the sight picture was a lot more forgiving as well.

The Vortex also seems to lose quite a bit of clarity and gets distorted at the edges around 16-20x as well it kinda looks like to me.

All in all, for the price, $400 the vortex is really in a class of its own, however I still dont think they are as good as a Leupold vx3 that costs twice as much. Whether or not the double price of the leupold is worth it or not is still up in the air. If money was no option, I would still buy Leupold anyday however.

Once I start shooting it and seeing what it does and how it performs in the field I'll give a bit more feedback on it.

 

[SJB358]

Thanks for the review Remmy. That is the kind of thing that is really nice to know when investing in scopes. I know you have just swayed me back to Leupold/Zeiss again! I'm sure it is a great scope, but Leupold is such a known, it is hard to change up too much. Scotty

 

[Guest]

Scotty - get the Zeiss. Seriously. You won't regret it. I wish I could afford them on everything I own. If I've got the money to get a Leupold, I've got the money to get the Conquest, and I'm going Conquest every time in that scenario.

 

[SJB358]

I hear ya, but to be totally honest, I really couldn't see too much difference between the NEW VX3's and the Conquests. Both were excellent. I do get a better deal on Zeiss though. I would like to try one. Might stick one on the WBY and see what it does. Can't really lose I don't think. Scotty

 

[Wapiti Slayer .270]

For what its worth, and its not much, but I ended up with a set of Viper 8x42 bino's at Christmas. I was also able to spend some time with a buddy who owns what seems like every alpha glass under the sun. For what one pays for any of the Viper line its a phenomenal quality. Only looked through a few scopes in a store, but I am very impressed with their glass.

 

[FOTIS]

I put the same thing on my Sendero 7mm RUM. I LOVE THE SCOPE!

 

[FOTIS]

 

[DrMike]

Scotty,

Check the glass at dusk. That should settle the issue very quickly.

 

[FOTIS]

Review from optics talk.............

Well guys I just got my new pair of vipers and i went out to make some tests.

I couldn´t fire any bullets from where i was but i mas making some view tests.
I decided to compare my 8.5-25X50 fine duplex VX-III, My 5-20X44 BDC Monarch and my brand new 6.5-20X44 Wide V-Plex Viper and my 6.5-20X50 Target Dot Viper.

For this test i set all my scopes @20x and then @10x even though the leupold could go up to 25x. This was so i had the same conditions on each one.
I was looking at a construction site located @1,000 yds from me, i did this test in late afternoon, about 1 hour before sunset so the light conditions were not the best (that´s what i intended) and the results were the following:

1.- The 6.5-20X50 target dot Viper outstanded every other scope. The image was crystal clear all around the field of view, a little difficult to locate the dot on dark surfaces, but doable. I was thinking about using this scope on my coyote rifle, but after this test a had to look another way. I just think trying to make a quick shot on a moving target with this reticle would not be easy.

2.- The 6.5-20X44 Wide V-plex Viper had the second best image. In those light conditions you had to really try to notice the difference between the 2 Vipers. Also the image was very crisp and clear. I couldn´t notice any dark ring around the center of the image. The reticle is great, really helps you find the center of the cross but the thin part is really thin. Very eye friendly. I think i will use this scope for my coyote rifle.

3.- Leupold VX-III was good. Not as good as any of the Vipers. I have this scope on my competition rimfire rifle. I have no complains on the scope (except for the price), but the image was not as clear as the one i got from the vipers. You could see a little dark ring ond the edge of the FOV.

4.- 5-20X44 BDC Monarch. This scope looks very nice when you dont have a better comparison, it´s an average scope. The image was very different from the one I got from the other 3 Scopes. It looked like it was a foggy day. You could see the target, but it had this light fog effect that didn´t really helped you appreciate the fine details on the target. the BDC reticle is good, but i think it´s a little bulky compared to the other 3. the horizontal line is extremely wide it only leaves a very small space too place your target at the center of the reticle. Good scope, but I´m selling both my monarchs and replace them with vipers.

I was also very impressed by the construction of the vipers. Even the turret caps are thicker than both leupold and Nikon turret caps. My leupold scope alredy has a dent in one of the caps. The only thing Vortex is missing is a good pair of flip-up caps. They have the ARD flip-up, but a little expensive and I didn´t really liked the construction. I would expect for something like the leupold alumina caps from vortex. I can´t complain about Nikon´s flip-up caps since they are free.

 

[jmad_81]

I have the same thing on my 338 Edge. Shot a brown, black bear at 600 yards with it a week ago with about 45 min of daylight left. Worked great. One thing I that I noticed about it is that they don't seem to be as clear at top end power, but turn it down to 16x or so and it is very clear. I would have to say great scope for the money.

I'll do some shooting this weekend if the wind stops to test their durability. My brother fell/rolled 100 yards down the mountain with it on his back. He and the scope got pretty banged up. Should be a good test.

 

[atmoshpere]

I would just like to note that it wasn't this brother :mrgreen: Leave it to the marine to get banged up on a simple bear hunting trip lol!