Vortex vs Leupold and why

In the market for a new optic for my 7mm rem mag. Will be used mostly for whitetail at 200 yds or less, but will also go out west for elk and antelope. Trying to decide between Vortex Viper PST gen 2 3-15 x 44 FFP and Leupold Vx-5HD 3-15. I can get both for 40% off but can't figure out which way to go. Thoughts?

I'd go Leupold over Vortex..

If you read around on some PRS forums or FB gun groups, a lot of folks have to send their Vortex back for warranty work and there are tons in the used market from folks wanting to get away from them. My brother has the Gen 1 PST 6-24 and its been doing just fine, but hasn't been shot a whole lot or abused yet. So there's that..

Leupold gets my vote. They make a good scope.

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Leupold is an optics company, Vortex is a marketing company.

When it comes to an optic, you get what you pay for. It would really suck to be out west (after spending time/money to get there) and have a beautiful shot at a nice Elk and miss due to a problem / issue with your optic because it would not hold a zero, glass fogged on the inside, reticle shifted, misalignment of the internals resulting in your shot being way off, etc...

Look at the Sig line of optics. I have one on my AR and love it. Of the two you mentioned I have a Vortex on my hunting rifle. I got a good deal on it and needed a scope in a hurry. If I had the money and wasnt in a pinch i'd get a Leupold. I sell firearms and shooting accessories including scopes nation wide and hands down i sell more Leupold VX series scopes than any other.

I was gonna write a book but

In my opinion Leupold is the standard old Redneck deer rifle scope. Trusted, everybody's got one.

When you really dig and do some HARD research in comparison, you get much less scope because of that name versus others on the market with better glass, focal plane offers and adjustments.

Personally I love vortex. They have quality glass, awesome siting adjustments and killer first focal plane reticals that are crystal clear.

Meh, but I'm that off ball guy that bucks the norm

I suggest you sit down one afternoon on a Sunday and research for hours. Write down comparisons to what you want and what it costs.

LightBnDr said:

I was gonna write a book but

In my opinion Leupold is the standard old Redneck deer rifle scope. Trusted, everybody's got one.

When you really dig and do some HARD research in comparison, you get much less scope because of that name versus others on the market with better glass, focal plane offers and adjustments.

Personally I love vortex. They have quality glass, awesome siting adjustments and killer first focal plane reticals that are crystal clear.

Meh, but I'm that off ball guy that bucks the norm

I suggest you sit down one afternoon on a Sunday and research for hours. Write down comparisons to what you want and what it costs.

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That is true, the "high feature" Leupolds are $$$.

Dad probably owns $30-40k worth of rifle scopes, and the Vortex are quickly moving up his list of favorites as he has just now got into long range shooting, doping for distance and wind, reticle ranging, etc.
I think he has at least 3 of the Viper PST models.

If you are gonna practice and learn the features of a uses of scope for shooting long range/windage, then they are great.

If you are planning to shoot at antelope and elk at 400-500+ yards, I'd be looking into the 50mm 20+ power optics, rather than the 2 options listed anyway.

That said, shooting at deer with a 7mm Mag at 200 yards, I'd just as rather have a scope with a duplex reticle and capped turrets (like the Leupold listed, or even a VX3i)

Big question, where are you hunting you're getting a 200 yard shot at a white tail? I've hunted since i was 7 or 8 and my longest shot to date was 65 yards.

FFDave said:

In the market for a new optic for my 7mm rem mag. Will be used mostly for whitetail at 200 yds or less, but will also go out west for elk and antelope. Trying to decide between Vortex Viper PST gen 2 3-15 x 44 FFP and Leupold Vx-5HD 3-15. I can get both for 40% off but can't figure out which way to go. Thoughts?

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Easy one vortex viper. If you want to big **** it and money is no object US optics and Schmidt and bender are number 1 nightforce is next then vortex in that order.

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TBItoy said:

Leupold is an optics company, Vortex is a marketing company.

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Negative sir stick to building rig something your very good at? The high end leupolds are junk now compared to what they were serval years ago. Huge change in Quality. I've seen a ton of failures in long-range match's the last serval year and the first I've seen myself not google researched

LightBnDr said:

I was gonna write a book but

In my opinion Leupold is the standard old Redneck deer rifle scope. Trusted, everybody's got one.

When you really dig and do some HARD research in comparison, you get much less scope because of that name versus others on the market with better glass, focal plane offers and adjustments.

Personally I love vortex. They have quality glass, awesome siting adjustments and killer first focal plane reticals that are crystal clear.

Meh, but I'm that off ball guy that bucks the norm

X2

I suggest you sit down one afternoon on a Sunday and research for hours. Write down comparisons to what you want and what it costs.

Click to expand...

X2

jeeptj99 said:

Big question, where are you hunting you're getting a 200 yard shot at a white tail? I've hunted since i was 7 or 8 and my longest shot to date was 65 yards.

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Stand is just into the woods at pinch point looking across the dam of a 20 acre lake that is 200 yds across. Last rifle kills have been 120 and 100 yds. Just want an optic that I can use on whitetail and be able to reach out and touch something a little further away w/o having to have two separate guns. Unfortunately, my hunting budget comes from the same funds as my 1 ton YJ budget.

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86chevota said:

Negative sir stick to building rig something your very good at? The high end leupolds are junk now compared to what they were serval years ago. Huge change in Quality. I've seen a ton of failures in long-range match's the last serval year and the first I've seen myself not google researched

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I guess my frame of reference might be a little dated, I'm thinking of like 10-12 years ago when Vortex was pretty new and they were literally giving product away and sponsoring anything they could to get their name out there. Their products were "OK".

They kinda reminded me of Yukon or Trail Gear with the endless warranties that were popular early-mid 2000s. Like "Yeah our products are pretty kinda good, but they also come with piles of cool stickers and we'll give you more when they break"

FFDave said:

Stand is just into the woods at pinch point looking across the dam of a 20 acre lake that is 200 yds across. Last rifle kills have been 120 and 100 yds. Just want an optic that I can use on whitetail and be able to reach out and touch something a little further away w/o having to have two separate guns. Unfortunately, my hunting budget comes from the same funds as my 1 ton YJ budget.

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People use iron sights to shoot that far. I get it. I have a Vortex its OK. In the same price range a Leopold is going to be the same way. You're not having to put your life on the line or win a national comp, either will be a fine choice for what you're doing. Just make sure pre season everything is still zeroed, practice shooting at 150+ yards and call it good

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TBItoy said:

I guess my frame of reference might be a little dated, I'm thinking of like 10-12 years ago when Vortex was pretty new and they were literally giving product away and sponsoring anything they could to get their name out there. Their products were "OK".

They kinda reminded me of Yukon or Trail Gear with the endless warranties that were popular early-mid 2000s. Like "Yeah our products are pretty kinda good, but they also come with piles of cool stickers and we'll give you more when they break"

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Spot on it's sad how companies and people are content with junk now a days

So I stand corrected. After talking with 2 long range shooters at work (1000-1200) yards consistently, apparently vortex is the low end of their prism but they are competing with 5-15k scopes on their rifles. One of the 3 gun shooters at work told me the vortex on his ar he competes with is the best thing since sliced bread.

jeeptj99 said:

So I stand corrected. After talking with 2 long range shooters at work (1000-1200) yards consistently, apparently vortex is the low end of their prism but they are competing with 5-15k scopes on their rifles. One of the 3 gun shooters at work told me the vortex on his ar he competes with is the best thing since sliced bread.

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I priced both of them out today at around $750 my cost so I just have to decide which route to go with. Kind of leaning towards the Leupold, after looking through both of them and it being noticeably lighter. Just reading a bunch of forums to find out more. Hard to believe that the best response I've gotten if from Hardline. Thank you for your assistance.

FFDave said:

I priced both of them out today at around $750 my cost so I just have to decide which route to go with. Kind of leaning towards the Leupold, after looking through both of them and it being noticeably lighter. Just reading a bunch of forums to find out more. Hard to believe that the best response I've gotten if from Hardline. Thank you for your assistance.

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Where are you located?

jeeptj99 said:

Where are you located?

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Just outside of St. Louis.

I bought a pair of Vortex binoculars that I've been really happy with. Wanted a nice pair for when we went out west and I was always seeing and hearing about them from Steve Rinella of Meateater and he seems like a down to earth guy that wouldn't promote junk so that's what I went with.

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