Leupold vs Vortex vs Nikon

Im lost!! thought I had figured out that I wanted the Viper HS 4-16x44 thats on sale for 309.99, But after talking to the guy at Cabelas, he's got me thinking maybe go with a 3-9x40 Leopold VX2. In the store its not easy to really tell the difference. I know that I probably won't notice at all on clear days when Im in the mid range for the scope. But I think Ill end up noticing when I need to glass further or low light conditions. He mentioned one thing that struck me as weird. He said Vortex scopes are great if the gun is a hunting gun thats meant to be used. But if the gun is to be passed down it should have a Leopold on it... Seemed like a personal preference thing. Nikon is in the mix too, but it seems like they are simply a cheaper made scope at the same price point (500 and below). Would I need a 4-16 or a 4-12 on a .308? Or would a 3-9 be sufficient and then I could go with 50mm objective

I'd roll the vortex.

The preference for Leupold is purely because they've been around longer they are more likely to be around in the future. I wouldn't make that bet! A 50mm objective might be better is the glass is equal, but I believe that the Viper has superior glass, negating any theoretical light gathering advantage.

Part of that is just the name. My dad doesn't know what a vortex is never heard of one. He shot my 243 this weekend which wears a 4x16x44 vortex HS LR and said dang that's a nice scope. Im sure any of them will do I have three Leupolds and don't have a complaint out of them yet. I do like my vortex too. I could buy 2 of the leupold vxII's for what I paid for the vortex though.

Vortex has actually been around for over 30 years, they just change focus from birding to sport a little over 10 years ago.

Is a 3-9 or 4-16 better for my application? Will it really make that big of a difference?

If it is a moderate/normal range hunting gun to a couple hundred yards I think a 3x9 will be plenty but a 4-16 would work also.

I have a 3x9 on a couple guns and it has served me well.

Cabela's salesman.

Stick with the Vortex.

It's like 4wheel drive, do you need it no!!! But sure is nice to have!

Vortex Viper on sale for $309??? Don't buy it! Stay away from it!

BRB, gotta run to Cabelas....

Ooohhh, I just noticed that.

Arrowslinger - are you sure it was a Viper?

Yep. Website says $309 on the 4-16 V-Plex.

Personally, I now stay away from Nikon scopes, but that's just me. I had a Monarch die. These days I have Leupold, Vortex, and Burris. If you want turrets and tracking, I'd go for the Vortex. If it's just for hunting, I really like my 4.5-14x40 Leupold VX3's with the Varmint Hunter reticle. And if you want a hunting scope (set and forget type), the Burris Fullfield II in 4.5-14 is really quite a good scope. I also have a 6-18 Leupold VX2 which I like, but don't like as much as the VX3.

The Vortex, if it's the one I'm thinking it is, sounds like a very good deal. But be sure it's the one you want before you drop the $ on it.

That's a huge deal. I just bought a Nikon 3.5-14x40 but would have bought the Vortex over that at that $. Get the Vortex and quit making things rough on yourself.

Personally, I have all three brands various versions (depending on the rifle)...and love them all...got more Leupolds and Nikons though (been buying them longer)...I love the Vortex optics and the guarantee, as well...BUT MY NEXT PURCHASE in that dollar range is going to be a Ziess Terra ED....I bought the Zeiss Terra Binos last year...use them daily and they absolutely put my Steiners to shame...SO, I don't really think you can go wrong with any of them...BUT, you may want to check out the Zeiss Terra ED scopes next time you are in Cabela's...Just saying...Hope I don't confuse you more, but a qua lit scope is a quality scope...Good luck!

I own a vx3 and a pst. I like the cleanliness , size, and glass of the vx3. I believe it's a better look. The pst has a lot of nice features and a better reticle but that's opinion. The glass on both will put you past legal shooting light easy.
In this specific case I would go with the bigger power. 3x9 just doesnt do it for me. The glass on vx2 and pst will be close. $309 sounds like a good buy but I didn't look it up.

If Nikon would get better reticles and not make their scopes look so cheap they would be better.

Except that the Zeiss is only 12x, and is $140 more.

Not impressed with the terra

I just picked up my viper HS 4-16x50 from SWFA today and its going onto the .308 tonight... So thats how i feel about it haha

I had this same debate for months but decided on the vortex after doing ALOT of research!

When I first got the Viper PST I wasn't that wild about the MRAD reticle. Now I like it. Guess I just got used to it.

Sounds like a pretty good deal on a really good scope. If I was needing a scope, I'd buy that Vortex Viper for $309 and grin like a dang possum every time I thought about it.

Which scope do you have?

I have a vx3, conquest, and pst this week. I didn't think the clarity was there

I think anyone debating the clarity of a vx3, conquest, and pst is picking fly poop out of the pepper.

x2
Vortex is making some elbow room in the hunting industry, but been around for a long time.

Good debate you have going here. When it comes to optics, you cant go wrong with either IME. I do appreciate the lifetime warranty with my new Vortex bino's!

Speaking of the Terra compared to those

The wall opposite the gun counter at the Ft. Cabela's is approximately 78 yards away. There is a good size antelope on that wall along with an eye chart. My experience has been thus: if a prospect is comparing a Nikon vs a Vortex in the same price range and glassing the wall, the vast majority pick the Vortex. When it is Nikon vs Leupold they always pick the Leupold. When comparing Leupold vs Vortex it is about 60/40 in favor of Leupold. Prospects are told that you really can't tell the true quality of the glass until you look through it in low light and very bright sunshine.

How do I know this? I don't have to answer that question.

Just wondering what you consider the lighting conditions to be in Cabelas?

Certainly not any hunting condition. Fluorescent lighting is not the best medium for judging optics glass.

I have some Leica binocs (10x40) and have had them for years. Many times over the years when hunting at twilight, just as the light was fading out, I could see the big buck in the binocs, but couldn't find him in the scope. Once I tried counting the deer from 'the big oak tree', where the monster buck was 5th from the tree. I could see that in the binocs but not the scope, but I could count the deer. So...1,2,3,4 and Bang. Shot a doe and caught major ridicule from hunting buddies. The point of all this is that with today's scopes I can see equally well with the good scopes (Leupold VX3 and Vortex PST) as I can with the binocs. That's just my gear, and if I upgraded the binocs to Swarovski, maybe I'd be back to 'can't see in the scope what I can see in the Swaros').

i still haven't decided, but i have been trying them out at various stores etc. right now for me... the clearest glass is leupold vx2 and nikon prostaff/monarch. i do like the vortex but in my opinion it seemed like it was not quite as crisp. also it seemed like around the edges when I'm looking through the scope that the glass has a little deflection. now i know that doesn't matter of shooting but it just bothered me.

which website?

You have to look a the 30mm tube Vortex scopes to see the 4-16 that is $309.99. Vortex is closing out this scope/reticle combination.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shooting/Optics/Riflescopes%7C/pc/104792580/c/104752080/sc/104535180/Vortexreg-Viperreg-HS-30mm-Riflescopes/1394449.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Friflescopes%2Fvortex%2F_%2FN-1100246%2B4294749954%2FNe-4294749954%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104535180%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253BMMcat104792580%253Bcat104752080%26WTz_st%3DGuidedNav%26WTz_stype%3DGNU&WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104792580%3Bcat104752080%3Bcat104535180

Ok, I will put my money where my mouth is:

I got a Vortex Viper 30mm 6-24x50 with the dead hold bdc reticle that I will trade anyone for a newer Leupold VX3 (needs to be 3.5x10 or 4.5x14 power).


Vortex are good scopes, but not even in the same conversation as Leupold, Swaro or Night Force.

I have spent countless hours out my back door at last light to test scopes, it isn't funny. A $200 Nikon Buckmaster was so noticeably better in this situation than a $600 Vortex. The same Nikon smoked the Zeiss Terra as well! Now, the Swaro and Leupold smashed the Nikon. I have posted my test results a couple times, so I am going to stop now.