Vortex Viper 4x16x44mm or 4x16x50 both in HS LR scopes.

[204_ruger]

I am looking at this scope to go on my new rifle. It's a Browning Xbolt in Hells Canyon Speed Long Range 280AI. I want a scope I can use to shoot steel out to 500 or 600 yds. Plus for hunting also. Planning on going northwest spring bear hunt. Next spring i hope so. I never had any dealing with a Vortex. I put a 20 MOA 1 piece base on my rifle. The scopes are Viper 4x16x44mm 4x16x50mm HS LR.

 

[Shō[t]gun]

I had one. I liked the reticle, the eye relief, the 1/2MOA elevation clicks, capped windage, clarity was good.. but it was sent back to Vortex 3 times until they offered me a refund or replacement. I took the refund.
They have a great Various Intermittent Problems warranty, but my money will be spent elsewhere from now on.

 

[eric1115]

Making me choose between those would be like making me choose between getting my thumb smashed with a hammer vs smashed with a rock.

Both are gonna suck exactly the same, and the sucky parts are going to completely overwhelm any difference between the two.

 

[EdP]

I have a Vortex Diamondback HP 4x16 on a rifle I have used for deer and pronghorn. It has worked fine for me but has not seen rough service. My experience with it convinced me to limit the top end magnification for big game hunting to 12x maximum. I also have a couple of Vortex Vipers on rifles and have no complaints. However, my suggestion would be to consider the Trijicon 3-12x40 in the reticle of your choice. The Huron is a solid scope with good glass and a variety of reticle options in the same price range.

 

[Kurts86]

I wouldn’t mess with either. The 16x on those vipers just pushes all their flaws to the for front and since they aren’t FFP backing them off to 10x or 12x ruins the wind holds. I used my HST 4-16 at 8x a lot for that reason.

Those scopes have too much magnification for field use, the glass quality isn’t there and they have a poor track record of durability. Some version of that scope has been on sale perpetually for 10 years and I’ve seen a lot of them in use. I’ve had my HST for nearly a decade and it’s either on rimfire duty these days or sitting unmounted in the sell stuff drawer. I would look elsewhere. Trijicon or a Nightforce SHV demo would be my suggestion.

 

[EricBender208]

I’ve had two; one on a ruger American in .270. Shot well out to 500, never pushed out past that. Sold it for a VX3, then recently bought one two years ago for a 6.5 Grendel AR. Haven’t shot it past 100 yet but does it fine.

 

[Kyguy]

I had the HSLR on a .223 for a bit. It is one of the only Vortex I was disappointed with. I couldn't see bullet holes in white paper with it at 100yds, regardless of the parallax and diopter adjustment. I could see the just fine with a HS 2.5-10. Sold it and put something else on it. For a hunting gun, the Nightforce SHV 3-10 will do anything you need to do and you can still shoot steel as far as you can see it.