KRL1116
Well-Known Member
Any opinions, reviews or experience with th Vortex Razor HD LH 1 inch scopes? What would you all believe to be the top of the line 1 inch scope?
Vortex Razor HD LH
- Thread starter KRL1116
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
B23
Well-Known Member
I just recently bought a couple of these Vortex Razor HD LH 3-15x42 scopes. One of them is going on a little CZ 527 17 Rem I have.
To be honest, I'm really not that big of a fan of Vortex scopes, I think you have to get up into their higher end price range of scopes before they are very good but I have to admit, these Razor HD LH scopes that I just bought appear to have extremely clear and bright optics. I have a VX6 (not the HD model) 3-18x50 and a 5-25x50 Zeiss HD5 that I did a little comparing with at home and I have to say this Razor HD LH is easily on par, optically, with either of those and to my eyes the Razor was noticeably brighter.
So far, the only thing I can complain about is the clicks are a little on the spongy side but other than that, for now at least, that is my only complaint.
I bought mine on sale at Cabelas for $599 and last time I looked they were still on sale.
KRL1116
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the info. I appreciate it.
For a 1 inch scope, I'm impressed. I have one on a 6.6 SAUM and love it. At distance I dial it up to 15x and use the hold over on the reticle rather than dial. Glass is better than my Nightforce NXS.
chopit
Well-Known Member
I am of the same opinion the glass on my razor hd lh is better than my older model nxs. I like it just a basic scope with a good reticle and really clear glass with no fussy eye relief. The clicks are not as positive as a tactical style scope but with the reticle i just hold over. I like mine for the money.
Bang4theBuck
Well-Known Member
I have to agree with the previous posters. I put on on my hunting gun and at 10x, which is the same magnification as my Leica hdb 10x42 Binos ($1750), I could see much better and deeper into the low light hours. I have a nightforce ATACR on another hunting gun and this glass out performs it in a much lighter, and lower profile set-up. Not to say that the NF aren't great scopes, but I really like this Vortex. I also did a turret tracking test out to 22 MOA, and the scope tracked perfectly. Very preactical reticles available for it too.
Hand Skills
Well-Known Member
Pleasantly surprised with this scope. I have a 3-15x42 w/ HSR-4. My other scopes are mainly vx3's and a couple of zeiss diatals.
At the time of purchase I was actually looking for a VX5HD 3-15, but was having trouble finding one as the reticle I wanted was backordered (here in Canada). The Leupold is a more fully featured scope (zero stop, locking turrets). I found a razor LH (used) for half of what the Leupold would have cost. Between the cost savings and weight savings (Vortex is 3oz lighter) I haven't looked back. Love the fact that it has a 1" tube and 42mm obj - I can easily swap it onto any rifle wearing 1" rings.
In use I really like the HSR-4 reticle. One happy discovery for me was how user friendly the 2moa hashmarks are. At first I was reticent, thinking that 1moa hashmarks would offer more precision. What I really appreciate about this reticle is that the 2moa subtension at 15x becomes a 3moa subtension at 10x. I've found the HSR-4 to be really user friendly at 10x. It may sound silly, but honestly that is my favourite 'feature' of this scope. Great midrange; I like the ability to use the (3moa) reticle at 10x between 300-500yd, and 15x (2moa) beyond that.
Bottom line; there are better long range hunting scopes out there, but there are also a lot worse... The Razor LH hit a sweet spot for me. It's lightweight, high quality (optically and mechanically), and user friendly.
Like @chopit said, good basic scope.
Is it the top of the line 1" tube? Hardly... I'm sure there are better optical designs, better mechanical designs, and lighter weight designs
For a dedicated LRH rifle, I would consider something else. For someone looking to equip a 'sporter' or typical hunting rifle, it may be hard to find a better value than the razor LH - especially when it fits into the low 1" rings you probably already have.
At the time of purchase I was actually looking for a VX5HD 3-15, but was having trouble finding one as the reticle I wanted was backordered (here in Canada). The Leupold is a more fully featured scope (zero stop, locking turrets). I found a razor LH (used) for half of what the Leupold would have cost. Between the cost savings and weight savings (Vortex is 3oz lighter) I haven't looked back. Love the fact that it has a 1" tube and 42mm obj - I can easily swap it onto any rifle wearing 1" rings.
In use I really like the HSR-4 reticle. One happy discovery for me was how user friendly the 2moa hashmarks are. At first I was reticent, thinking that 1moa hashmarks would offer more precision. What I really appreciate about this reticle is that the 2moa subtension at 15x becomes a 3moa subtension at 10x. I've found the HSR-4 to be really user friendly at 10x. It may sound silly, but honestly that is my favourite 'feature' of this scope. Great midrange; I like the ability to use the (3moa) reticle at 10x between 300-500yd, and 15x (2moa) beyond that.
Bottom line; there are better long range hunting scopes out there, but there are also a lot worse... The Razor LH hit a sweet spot for me. It's lightweight, high quality (optically and mechanically), and user friendly.
Like @chopit said, good basic scope.
Is it the top of the line 1" tube? Hardly... I'm sure there are better optical designs, better mechanical designs, and lighter weight designs
For a dedicated LRH rifle, I would consider something else. For someone looking to equip a 'sporter' or typical hunting rifle, it may be hard to find a better value than the razor LH - especially when it fits into the low 1" rings you probably already have.
Iclimb
Well-Known Member
Hey guys, please join me and a few others actively protesting vortex, via email and social media to start production of this combo scope again…why in the hell they decided to go to a 30mm tube with exposed turrets, like 80% of the other offerings they have AND DOUBLING UP the offerings in the razor line of glass…Jesus the baintrust at vortex must be all on the prs team…razor quality glass to compete with the euro offerings directly…they don't have anything in the lineup that does that! Plus the trend that things are going is lending to lighter rifles imo and this scope fits the bill…
I'm passionate about it and I let vortex know everytime I can. I think it'd be cool if there was a decent group voicing a collective call for the re-issue of the razor lh line at least in the 3-15x42 power (even though I liked all of them)
secondly if anyone has one they want to sell please let me know…going to post a wtb…I had found 2 new in the box but the place sold them…no idea how someone found them (thought I had more time x)
please let them know!
cheers
I'm passionate about it and I let vortex know everytime I can. I think it'd be cool if there was a decent group voicing a collective call for the re-issue of the razor lh line at least in the 3-15x42 power (even though I liked all of them)
secondly if anyone has one they want to sell please let me know…going to post a wtb…I had found 2 new in the box but the place sold them…no idea how someone found them (thought I had more time x)
please let them know!
cheers
Its all about the money. Vortex, like many other optics companies as well as other types of manufacturers in the industry, are putting all their efforts towards the tacticool wannabe warriors and not hunters. There are allot more of them now than there are hunters so they are the ones being catered to. Just walk into most sporting goods stores and the shelves are full of 9mm, 223, and 7.62x51 and not single box of hunting ammo in any caliber.
Iclimb
Well-Known Member
I hear ya but like I said I think that lighter rifles are becoming more popular….doesn't hurt to let them know.._
why they felt they needed another monster tube tall turret "hunting scope" kind of disgusting really…there are far more pro's of the original intent of the razor 'LH' as it was offered…
they even kept the 'light hunter' monicker, had to tack that 'tacticool' on the end though….
"hey bro, nice scope! What do those knobs do?"
"thanks! Beats the hell outta me! Looks pretty sweet though…"
why they felt they needed another monster tube tall turret "hunting scope" kind of disgusting really…there are far more pro's of the original intent of the razor 'LH' as it was offered…
they even kept the 'light hunter' monicker, had to tack that 'tacticool' on the end though….
"hey bro, nice scope! What do those knobs do?"
"thanks! Beats the hell outta me! Looks pretty sweet though…"
I agree. I find it very frustrating trying to find a hunting scope these days. I was in the market for one a month or so ago and decided to just pull one off of a rifle that I had not used in a while.
gpo1956
Well-Known Member
That's because hoarding is not new to the tactical/home defense market. Most of them bought way more than they will ever need during the last hi cap/assault rifle scare. Now it's the hunters/casual shooters turn at panic buying. Has NOTHING to do with the hunter market. Simply a matter demand vastly out pacing supply.
Thats not what I was told by the owner of the local independent mom and pop sporting goods store right down the street from me. He said it was because the tactical market is where the money is at. He said he is getting in exponentially more ammo geared towards the tactical market than he is the hunting market and its not because he is ordering more tactical ammo. His customer base are hunters but he keeps tactical ammo on hand. He is just not getting much in. The ammo manufacturers aren't making that much hunting ammo because when hunter's hoard, its maybe a hundred rounds, whereas the tactical crowd typically hoard thousands of rounds.
Also, the tactical crowd hoards anytime someone flatulates in the wind. Just because they have 5000 rounds in the closet doesn't mean they won't buy another thousand rounds when there is some kind of perceived threat.
Last edited:
Hand Skills
Well-Known Member
They are sweet little scopes, but fact is, the Razor LH did not sell well for Vortex at all.
It appears they have abandoned that model completely - a couple guys sent their Razor LH's in for warranty, and Vortex replaced them with LHT's.
Swarovski still makes the Z5 3.5-18, probably the closest thing to a 3-15x42 Razor LH
I have all 3 versions of the razor LH and happen to agree - the 3-15x42 is my favorite too.
1.5-8x36 on a 30-06, 2-10x40 on a .270win and 3-15x42 on the .280rem.
It appears they have abandoned that model completely - a couple guys sent their Razor LH's in for warranty, and Vortex replaced them with LHT's.
Swarovski still makes the Z5 3.5-18, probably the closest thing to a 3-15x42 Razor LH
I have all 3 versions of the razor LH and happen to agree - the 3-15x42 is my favorite too.
1.5-8x36 on a 30-06, 2-10x40 on a .270win and 3-15x42 on the .280rem.
