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Vortex Viper vs Leupold vx-3

HDR

I was going to but a Leupold vx 3 2.5 ,10, 40. The salesman tried to sell me a Vortex Viper. He said that the quallity was as good as the vx 3 and had a better warranty. Does anyone know if this is true or have anything to say about the Vortex scopes?
 
HDR-

I asked the question about Vortex scopes about a month ago. Look on page 2 of this sub-section of the Forum. Sounds like Vortex are good scopes, I am going to get me one shortly.

Bill
 
Not questioning the quality of a Vortex scope, but it's very difficult for me imagine how a company can have a "better warranty", than Leupold. Lifetime, for whoever owns the scope, no questions asked. Sounds like more sales B.S., and makes other claims suspect.
 
I've owned Leupolds for years and have very little if anything bad to say about them. They are an incredible value for your money especially if you buy used. I have sent scopes to Leupold to be modified by their custom shop and their customer service is hands down the best I've ever experienced. I've only had limited time to use my Viper and it seems to be 'good' quality glass and tracks just fine. However, parallax is the issue with mine and I can't say that it is IMO as good as my VX-3's because of this reason. Only time will tell if I find any other flaws in the scope but I do believe that you get what you pay for and even a used Leupold VX-3 commands a higher price than a new Viper in the equal respective power ranges.
 
Vortex at their price point, IMO don't have any competition.

Vortex warranty states "In the event your scope requires service, NO MATTER THE CAUSE, Vortex Optics will repair or replace it at no charge to you.

They will not cover loss, theft, deliberate damage, and damage due to unauthorized repair, modification or disassembly.

So I guess if you and your rifle/scope take a tumble off a mountain and your scope has seen better days, they should cover it. Don't know what Leupolds' warranty states or if it would be covered.

A warranty is just an insurance policy and is only as good as the company issuing it. Everybody knows that you never know how good your insurance policy is until you have a claim.
 
fdshuster said:
Not questioning the quality of a Vortex scope, but it's very difficult for me imagine how a company can have a "better warranty", than Leupold. Lifetime, for whoever owns the scope, no questions asked. Sounds like more sales B.S., and makes other claims suspect.
Click to expand...

I don't see any BS from Vortex. Just superb CS and at least as good a warranty as Leupold. Never heard anything bad about Vortex only how great that they have handled any issues that might have arisen.
 
My personal experience says dont waste your time and/or money on anything from Vortex. Very poor quality and very poor glass.
 
You are the very first person that I have ever encountered that did not like Vortex. What was your issue and did you allow Vortex the opportunity to correct it? I now own 3 Vipers and for the money, they are fantastic, vs anything else available IMO. I am curious about your problem.
 
After looking at their website ( Vortex), I believe I'll pass on this brand until others have tested them at their expense. Some red flags that jump out at me on their site.....1) they don't say where they are made, the owner is listed as a wholesale importer 2) the warranty repair is done in the USA by a "factory trained" subcontractor (Sheltered Wings, DBA Eagle Optics) 3) It's a little dubious to name their scope models after Jerry Stillers (SPF) actions.....Viper and Diamondback.
If they won't be around when it comes time to use that "best in the business" warranty .....well you know the rest.
 
McKinneyMike said:
You are the very first person that I have ever encountered that did not like Vortex. What was your issue and did you allow Vortex the opportunity to correct it? I now own 3 Vipers and for the money, they are fantastic, vs anything else available IMO. I am curious about your problem.
Click to expand...

Mike, new poster here but I had a similar experience. Last spring I ordered a viper 6.5 to 20 by 44mm with the target dot reticle. Previously I used Weaver Grand Slam 6 to 20 (several) and a Leupold BRD 24x dot reticle.

Looking through the scope before I mounted it up I noticed the cross hairs were the size of phone poles compared to other target scopes I have used in the past. I went ahead focused the cross hairs and mounted up. I Then went to range and put up 100 yard BR target and setup to shoot. I dialed out the parallax with the side focus and settled down to shoot. I could barely make out the target, it was like looking through the bottom of an old coke bottle. I spent about 3 hours messing with scope and it would not clear up. Packed up and went home. I called customer service which is very good by the way, and explained the problem. They had me send it and a week later I called them and they found nothing wrong with the scope. They asked if I wanted a different one and I politely requested they send a replacement to the dealer and I would apply for a refund. That all went through fine. It was by far the absolute worst piece of glass I have ever looked through and that includes bsa's barska's you name it. I cannot believe there was not something wrong with it but they said it was fine.
 
Vortex has been in business since 1986. They are not new nor not well known, other than here it seems. They have a proven product and it and their warranty is one of the best in the industry. Their Razor optics are among the most respected in the industry. Look at some of the larger optics forums. They do not make BR scopes though so I guess most of you have overlooked them.
 
I too have looked thru a few Grand Slam scopes and all of my Vipers are far superior in glass quality without question. Their reticles are not geared toward target shooting. Tactical and hunting is all that they offer at this time. If you bought them as a target only scope I completely understand your position. The glass quality though, I do not understand at all.
Personally the comments that I have read here are the first negative comments that I have read anywhere about Vortex on any large optics forums.
 
Thanks for the info. The scope is going on a Kimber 270wsm. Im sure that Vortex are good for the money, but for now I will stick with what I am sure of. Leupold. Maybe someday the Vortex will find a place in my safe.
 
McKinneyMike: I never said, or implied that any B.S. originated from Vortex, especially since HDR said "the salesman" made the claim. I'm turned off when someone attempts to make a sale by dumping on a competitor. Gives me the impression that when they can't find anything positive to say about the product they are attempting to sell, the only way they believe they can make the sale is by trashing someone else's product. I would have more respect for them if they said, "Leupold makes a very good scope, but I believe the Vortex is better". I personally have no experience with Vortex Viper's, I'm very satisfied with my Leupold's and Nightforces.
 
Frank, I suspect the B.S. from the salesman was motivated by profit margin. Anyone who would say a warranty is much better than what Leupold offers is not well educated when it comes to scopes. If I heard anyone say that, I too would suspect anything else that came out of their mouth.

I know nothing about Vortex scopes and they could be excellent including the warranty.
 
The one I received had to have been a dud and their service dept just didn't catch it. Mine was a sample of 1. For the record their service was as good as anybodys, I was dissatisfied and they handled it smoothly and very professionally. I would certainly consider them in the future provided I can find a stocking dealer where I can actually get hands on first.
 
otter: Yes, I'm really turned off by a lot of sales "tactics". Many years ago I took some college classes on retail selling, and got a real eye opener when the "professor" said that you must do whatever is required to make the sale, even to the point of shading the facts in your favor. Closing the sale, and making the commission is all that matters. I'm paraphrasing, but essentially that was the bottom line. After that "lesson" my thoughts on any form of selling for a living quickly vanished.
 
TBS

I was reading your post and started thinking that I had already posted this very thing...Nope until now!! I had the exact visiual effect that you had on the viper and was crap. The customer service (ladies) said that "o, there's nothing wrong with it" yea and I own only Leaper scope too!! The fact is VX-3 are better scope hands down, wait till the last 5 minutes of light. Looking in very dim light weeds out the lesser of evils. My Weaver Grandslams smash the vipers in daylight shooting by far...now low-light the viper comes out ahead. I personally will never own one till they change thre reicles and I have already talked to CS about that issue and they arent changing anytime soon... But they are ok for the money, heck its a crap shoot... Good luck
 
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