Which Vortex Scope do i need?

[Ccctennis]

I have read close to 100 different reviews and articles about choosing a particular Vortex scope. I am more confused than before i started. I only own Nikon Buckmaster BDC scopes currently. I wanted to put together a lighter pack rifle 280 Ackley with a nicer scope that i could use for hunting out west for Antelope, Elk, Mule Deer.

I think i understand FFP vs SFP.

Narrowed down my Vortex search to Viper PST, HS, HST, or HS LR

Could someone help with the differences. I looked online and have the basic differences but how did you guys decide when looking at similar scopes?

would the dead hold BDC matter? Would switching to FFP matter? Do i need 44mm or 50mm exit bell? ect. Sorry for all the questions! Just feeling lost at the moment

 

[86alaskan]

If you're looking for a lighter pack rifle and don't intend on dialing for correction. I'd get the HS in at least a 10x. Practice with a known good load and get the BDC dope lined up spot on so you can actually use it. The other scopes have the same glass, just added features that all add weight. I've used all but the HS and they're good scopes. If you're looking for dials, the HS-T has 1/4MOA adjustments, the HSLR has 1/2MOA adjustments. The hslr only has exposed elevation, so that makes it a bit simpler. Go to a store that has them all and check them out, no amount of online reading will replace hands on experience.

 

[86alaskan]

also, you can find an HS/HS-T/HSLR for around 450 for a 4-16x50. the pst scopes run at least a couple hundred more than that and all they really add is illuminated reticle and a different style reticle.

 

[Ccctennis]

i'm going to be shooting between 200-700 yards majority of the time.

 

[Barrelnut]

I use a PST and a HS-T. I would get a PST for the illuminated reticle. It adds about 2 ounces to the scope. It is obviously not needed for target shooting and hardly ever for antelope since you hunt then all day in usually clear sky's with good light and contrast. But, the reticles are rather fine and in lower light, with low contrast, they do not work well. You can loose the reticle on a darker object. And I am not talking FFP either, both of mine are SFP scopes.

Get a MOA reticle. It is more precise than a BDC reticle. Plus you can measure the size of your target and your groups at distance with them, when practicing long range on boulders and such

50mm or 44mm bell just depends on how much you expect to be hunting in low light. The 50mm will gather light better and make things brighter. Probably give you another 10 minutes at dark. 50mm will add a couple more ounces.

FFP or SFP is always a preference thing. If you think you might be using the reticle for holdover, say on shots to 300~500 yards, I would consider the FFP as the reticle subtensions are accurate at all magnifications. If you envision longer range shots from a hide with time to dial, a SFP would be the better choice, as the reticle will not get tooo big at max magnification.

If I were looking for a do all Vortex scope on a non-dedicated long range rifle. I would get a PST Gen II 3-15x44 FFP or an older Gen I PST 4-16x50 FFP

In the end, I just think it is better to have the illumination and not need it than to need it and not have it. It is very likely you might be hunting elk and mule deer in darker timber, in the evening, in a lot of places.

 

[Barrelnut]

One more thing... Vortex has the stiffest zoom ring I have ever used. They actually make a lever for it because it is so stiff. I use a black tie wrap on my HST. Better than paying $50 for Vortex's crap "SwitchView" accessory, that you really shouldn't need in the first place.

 

[86alaskan]

In all reality, I guess I'm in the illumination group too. I'd rather have it for that one time I need it than not have it the rest of the time. I shot at steel this weekend and the last shot I took was only made possible by good glass and a high contrast target. If the steel hadn't been fresh white paint, I couldn't have shot. But when I switched rifles and turned on the reticle, I could have clearly made the shot a good 5-10min later. I love my pst FFP, but it's a good bit more expensive. I'd probably lean for a used PST gen 1 in 4-16x50.

 

[Ccctennis]

thanks for all the great info. this scope will be mounted on a kimber ascent in 280 AI. i'm hunting south africa in june. antelope and mule deer in the fall in have always just held over for longer shots. being a southern hunter we rarely shoot out past 300 yards. my elk hunt last month almost every possible shooting lane was past that. most were four hundred plus. currently all my nikons are Four by twelve power

 

[Barrelnut]

That's a nice rifle. Vortex PST scopes are kinda heavy. Maybe a higher end lighter scope would be a better fit. A Vortex PST 3-15x44 is 28 oz. A Leupold VX-5HD 2x10 with a CDS turret is only 17 oz. That's about 3/4 lb. Lighter! It might be a better fit on an Ascent.

 

[Ccctennis]

that was part of what i am looking for. i want to keep this rig fairly light. just spent a week on an elk hunt with my 300 rum and paid the price. lol. i need a lighter setup. i think the vortex scopes between 20-21.5 oz might be the sweet spot.

 

[stx]

If you're wanting a lighter scope(16.5 oz), the new Razor HD LH 3-15x42 is very nice.....you can use hold over with MOA hash marks or dial it.....Nice Glass, Very Clear! They offer 2 reticles....HSR-4 and G4 BDC.....I have the HSR-4. I just used it on an elk hunt last week on my 300 Wby to take my elk at 370 yds. Worth checking into!

 

[Ccctennis]

Not to steer completely off line but do i want Mil or MOA? I have read that no matter which i choose it needs to be MIl/Mil or MOA/MOA which makes total sense. If i wanted to learn how to dial for my target rather than hold over is one better than the other?

 

[Barrelnut]

If you think in yards/inches the math for range estimation is easier with MOA. If you think in meters/cm the math is easier with MIL. I think in inches so I use MOA.

1/4 MOA is a little more precise than than 1/10 Mil. A lot of PRS guys like Mils because it is somewhat easier to communicate to someone and lots of times it is a team where you have a shooter and a spotter who communicats the info to the shooter. For example 12 MOA is just 3.5 Mils.

I practice most of my long range shooting at various rocks on cliff faces and boulder fields. If I use my range finder to measure the distance to the rock, I can then use the MOA reticle to measure the size of the rock in inches. So if I know a rock is 800 yards away and I measure it with my MOA reticle to be 1 MOA, I can determine that it is an 8" rock. Now I shoot three rounds at the rock, look in the scope and measure the distance between them and the they measure about 1/2 MOA apart. I can determine that it is a 4" group. A 4" group at 800 yards is acceptable to me. I can do all of this without ever having to hike to the rock and measure with a ruler. (1 MOA is actually 1.047" but for most purposes you can just round to 1" so the math is real easy)

 

[Ccctennis]

I think i narrowed down my choices to two possible scopes.

HS LR 4X16X50
HS-T 4X16X44
I was trying to keep the total weight down so staying in this zoom range helps some.
Trying to figure out FFP vs SFP is now the deciding factor.
I read that in FFP the lowest power the cross hairs are tough to view?
It looks like the vortex site has a dope chart calculator for most of their scopes. I could use those as a starting place for using the reticle subtensions for BDC correct?