Vortex viper hs lr 6-24X50 your thoughts?

[Kingdr1300]

I was thinking of buying this scope to put on my Ruger precision 6.5 creedmoor. I looked through one today at Sportsmans warehouse and was not impressed with the clarity of the glass. I also was having problems picking up the super fine reticle against dark objects in the store. I have a couple other Vortex scopes and like them. I also like the warranty and price, but am now worried about this scope in a real world application. Was it just a bad apple? Any thoughts? I also looked through a nightforce ATACR and a Leupold vx6 HD and dang, nice scopes, but are they worth the extra coin?

 

[MudRunner2005]

Save $300 and buy an HS-T 6-24x50. Anything that says Viper HS, Viper HS-T, or Viper PST on it, has the same glass. The added price is dictated by a different reticle, first-focal plane reticle, and an illuminated reticle. Hardly worth the money, IMO.

But that is simply just my opinion. I have 4 HS-T 6-24x50 scopes and a Viper HS 6-24x50 BDC, and I love them. I also have 3 SWFA SS scopes (20x42 MilQuad, 3-15x42 MilQuad, 3-15x42 MilQuad DM), and they are also excellent scopes for the money.

All of them sit in Seekins Precision or TPS TSR aluminum rings, and the SS 3-15x42 MQDM sits in a Vortex CM-202 mount on my 6.5 Grendel AR. I also have numerous other brands of quality glass, like Zeiss, Kahles, Leupold, etc... The best bang for the buck is hands-down the Vortex Viper HS-T and the SWFA SS scopes.

 

[Joefrazell]

I've got a viper hslr 4-16x44 that sits on a ruger american predator 6.5. Im able to pull 1/2 moa groups with it but it does leave much to be desired in the glass department. Love the 1/2 moa adjustable elevation turret while keeping the windage capped for hunting and the bdc reticle is cool but dont really use it much. Depending on the price your gunna pay I'd say there's probably better options. My next scope will be one of the 30mm tubed leapolds with the cds if that says much. I payed $350 for my vortex

 

[kweidner]

I personally like the FFP on my hunting rigs. On my competition rigs not so much. IMHO the lighted ffp is very hard to beat for low light. I also have the one mentioned in the OP so have real world side by side comparisons. When dialing up the power on the FFP the crosshairs become thicker and that is an added bonus in a lowlight situation. The fine crosshairs are hard to pick up in fading light. It is important to note on target competitions i dial and in hunting i use holdovers as much as possible. Vortex has recently chaged their reticles mine has 28MOA in 1MOA increments and are numbered so only need a click or two either direction. The new one my buddy got only has about 10 if i remember correctly. I love vortex and am a vortex supporter since my first viper pst ffp.

 

[Rich Coyle]

Kingdr1300,

If you are not locked into the FFP and twisting turrets you will do a lot better in the glass department with a Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50. The glass is as good as that in a VX-6 4-24X52 and Swarovski z5 5-25X52. Also, it matches them in low light performance. I purchased three of them. Two cost $750 and one cost $785 delivered. I have a plex, a mil dot and a 600 DOA.

 

[FIGJAM]

I had the 6-24x50 hs lr on a sendero SFII in 300 rum. I thought it was an awesome piece of glass. It was my first FFP scope and I decided I prefer second focal plane, so I kicked it down the road. I was in a situation where where a nice buck stepped out at 200 yards towards the end of legal shooting light and at 6x the crosshairs were too fine to see real well. It didn't have anything to do with the clarity or quality of glass. If I would have had the FFP PST with the illuminated reticle it would have been fine. I have a few different Vortex Vipers (HS LR and PST) and have been pleased with all of them.