Leupold vs Vortex Viper

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versdog

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I currently have a Leupold VX-III 4-14.5x40. I started to pushing my 22-250 AI further (was hoping to get to 7-800 yards). I mostly spot and Stalk and call Coyotes with it. So I was going to send in the scope to Leupold and get turrets installed on it. $90 per turret.

I have recently found Vortex Optics Viper HS Long Range Rifle Scope, 4-16x50 for $599. I have also found a good deal on a Vortex viper PST 4-16X50. Should I buy a vortex and sell the Leupold or keep the leupold and forget the Vortex.

I figured the Vortex would cost a slight bit more due to rings. I have no experience with Vortex Viper Scopes so let me know how they compare.
Thanks in advance
Scott
 
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Just my humble opinion, the VX3 and the Viper are in two different league's. The Leupold has much better glass and a time proven performance. Vortex is all the rage right now, but for what you pay there are better options. If it were me I'd pay the money for new turrets and be done with it.

That's not to say that Vortex is a junk scope, I just don't think they are as great as people are making them out to be. I was on the bandwagon at one time myself, I had a bad experience with a Viper HS and after reevaluating their product I generally look elsewhere. I still own one Vortex scope and it does what i want it to do but there are better values for what I paid for it.

The VIP warranty is awesome no doubt but I'd rather have better performance than an outstanding warranty.

So after all that what I'm trying to say, in my opinion you would be downgrading by going to the Viper.
 
Originally Posted By: FairChase93Just my humble opinion, the VX3 and the Viper are in two different league's. The Leupold has much better glass and a time proven performance. Vortex is all the rage right now, but for what you pay there are better options. If it were me I'd pay the money for new turrets and be done with it.

So after all that what I'm trying to say, in my opinion you would be downgrading by going to the Viper.

I full heartedly agree. I had 2 Vortex Vipers, both broke from riding on a 7RM. There was something wrong with the parallax adjustments. After a range session or two, it simply would not focus in any more. And the optics to begin with are nothing compared to the VX-2 let alone the VX-3, IME. The PST seems a little better, but the turrets are better on the Leupold.

What turret system are you sending your Leupold in for? For what you are talking about, I'd go with an M1 elevation turret and mount the scope on a 20 MOA rail. That should get you a LONG ways out there before running out of adjustment. You could even run the 20 MOA rail and Burris Sig rings with the offset inserts. FYI, if you set the sig rings to 3.6" center to center, the offset in thousands of an inch will equal MOA of slope...
 
I have a Ruger 7mm mag with a Leupold VX3 4.5-14x40 B&C and a Tikka 7mm Mag with a Vortex Viper HS 4-16x44 with BDC.

I would say the Vortex has sightly better glass but is heavier. Also, it has side focus which does seem to help with clarity.

I would be hard pressed to know which to give up. The Vortex was about $100 cheaper.
 
I still can not see how folks find the Viper line optically better than a VX-3...certainly not in low light conditions. And the turrets are not even close.
 
Originally Posted By: pahntr760I still can not see how folks find the Viper line optically better than a VX-3...certainly not in low light conditions. And the turrets are not even close.

I have to agree, I have a few Burris scopes that I would place well ahead of the Viper glass.

I'm not looking to dispute anyone else's opinion, but to me it's really not even close.
 
That vx3 scope is about top in its price range I feel. I had a vx2 I sent in for repair almost 2 years ago and had M1 turrets put on both turrets and it was only $105. No way I'd get a viper over the leupold.
 
Originally Posted By: pahntr760I still can not see how folks find the Viper line optically better than a VX-3...certainly not in low light conditions. And the turrets are not even close.

Agreed..the PST and HSTs that I have had paled in comparison to even the Mark ARs I have, and thats only VX2 glass.
 
I have a viper hs lr and a leupold vxiii 4.5-14 and the viper is 4.5-16. I went hunting at night over the last full moon with a buddy and he had a nikon monarch but is was a 50 mm obj and the leupold was a 40 and viper a 44 and the nikon was night and day better it actually made it look brighter than it really was outside if that makes any sense. I was kinda kicking myself for buying the viper but I like the options for the money but now u can buy the Monarchs and they will come with a custom elevation turret. It might not get u to 800 but u are shooting a 22-250 and if u hit a coyote with that at that range your probably going to pencil through him and he is going to be a runner and u gonna get good at tracking!!! Don't take that the wrong way either.
 
Originally Posted By: devildoggI have a viper hs lr and a leupold vxiii 4.5-14 and the viper is 4.5-16. I went hunting at night over the last full moon with a buddy and he had a nikon monarch but is was a 50 mm obj and the leupold was a 40 and viper a 44 and the nikon was night and day better it actually made it look brighter than it really was outside if that makes any sense. I was kinda kicking myself for buying the viper but I like the options for the money but now u can buy the Monarchs and they will come with a custom elevation turret. It might not get u to 800 but u are shooting a 22-250 and if u hit a coyote with that at that range your probably going to pencil through him and he is going to be a runner and u gonna get good at tracking!!! Don't take that the wrong way either.

A VX-3 and a VX-III are not the same scopes...not even a little bit.
 
Originally Posted By: pahntr760I still can not see how folks find the Viper line optically better than a VX-3...certainly not in low light conditions. And the turrets are not even close.

scopes are no different that prescription glasses. One guy looks through brand A and B and says A is trash but B is great. The next guy is the opposite.

Ive looked through many leupolds and for me they simply are not worth the money. I cant say they are bad or poor quality but for me they just do not impress me the way some people talk. Id like to take a peek through the vx6 3-18x but Im fairly positive I would not spend over $1k on one.

I acutally find vortex glass to be very crisp and clear at all mag ranges. Ive had a crossfire, diamondback, diamondback HP, and a viper as well as looked through viper HS and pst. The only one I didn't like was the crossfire, scope was fine until upper end of mag spectrum and then clarity went south. Heck, my simmons whitetail classic has better glass than a crossfire but the crossfire tracked way more consistent. The diamondbacks are nothing to write home about but they are not a $500 scope either. The diamondback HP is on par with the viper and I didnt see any benefit in stepping up to the HS or PST unless you want the extra options.
 
True, to an extent, but I also feel that a large portion of those, even most, that claim "Leupold doesnt impress me," do so as an excuse/reason not to spend the money. This is an unpopular opinion many time, but it often rings true.
 
Originally Posted By: liliysdadTrue, to an extent, but I also feel that a large portion of those, even most, that claim "Leupold doesnt impress me," do so as an excuse/reason not to spend the money. This is an unpopular opinion many time, but it often rings true.



I could see that point of view from quite a few folks. For me, spending the cash is not the issue so long as I feel Im benefiting by doing so instead of going with a different product. But not everyone can justify spending a little more to get a little more and most will not spend more to get what they feel does not improve upon something else.

I will give you this, one thing that I cant stand are the leuy snob types that think everything else is complete garbage and people are morons for not buying a leupy instead. Like I said, I cannot in good conscience say they are piss poor because that is far from the truth. I just don't find them to be so much better as to justify double or triple the money.

The best advice I can give someone about scopes, take the time to personally look through the ones you are considering. ask the store clerk if he will walk you outside to get an accurate picture of how the scope does in natural light. Then sit on it for a day or 2 or whatever, go back and look through them again. This will usually show which one someone likes better. All companies can have a dud now and then but you can only do so much to avoid that.
 
Call me one of those odd balls, but I've been switching over my scopes from Leupold to Vortex.
I feel the glass of the Viper is better than the vx-3.
 
Originally Posted By: kbucCall me one of those odd balls, but I've been switching over my scopes from Leupold to Vortex.
I feel the glass of the Viper is better than the vx-3.


Your feelers need calibration.

While Vortex makes a decent product for the price, they have never been known for glass quality in anything less than the Razor. It has been universally recognized that Vortex sacrifices glass quality for features to make a price point. If it were possible to build a Mark 4 or VX-3 for what a Viper PST or HS costs, it would have been done. Its not.

The last straw for me and Vortex was when I had to use my Mark AR 4-12 to resolve bullet holes at 200yd that my 4-16 Vortex could not.
 
Originally Posted By: liliysdadOriginally Posted By: kbucCall me one of those odd balls, but I've been switching over my scopes from Leupold to Vortex.
I feel the glass of the Viper is better than the vx-3.


Your feelers need calibration.

While Vortex makes a decent product for the price, they have never been known for glass quality in anything less than the Razor. It has been universally recognized that Vortex sacrifices glass quality for features to make a price point. If it were possible to build a Mark 4 or VX-3 for what a Viper PST or HS costs, it would have been done. Its not.

The last straw for me and Vortex was when I had to use my Mark AR 4-12 to resolve bullet holes at 200yd that my 4-16 Vortex could not.

My experience as well.
 
Not sure if the PST scopes have different glass in them but I liked the 1-4 that I had, and really like the 2.5-10x32. I have a vx3 coming next week that I can compare it to.
Honestly, I bought the vx3 from recommendations here on this site so I have high hopes for it. What turned me away from Leupold before were the reticles and magnification ranges. I love the TMR reticle in my mk6, but I'm less enthusiastic about the duplex reticle I have coming in the vx3. Perhaps I'll change my mind when I get my hands on it.

The downside to the Vortex in my eyes is the weight. If they could lighten up their offerings, perhaps ditch the illumination, they would be more competitive. I don't think anyone has Leupold beat in that area.
 
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