Vortex Viper HS-T 4-16×44
SAM MILLARD
For the long range precision rifleman, it is essential to have an aiming device that allows him to place accurate shots on a distant target. A riflescope with exposed turrets and/or graduated reticle hash marks is the standard for shooting at distances exceeding 400 yards. The Vortex Viper HS-T works well for this purpose.
The Viper HS-T weighs in at 21 ounces and is 13 ½ inches long, with plenty of ring mounting space on the tube fore and aft of the elevation turret. It is available with a VMR-1 reticle in either minute of angle (MOA) or mil-radian (MRAD). It provides 75 MOA (21 MRAD) of adjustment on the elevation and windage turrets and dials 12 MOA (5 MRAD)for each revolution. The reticle is designed with stadia lines on the horizontal and vertical cross wires in 2 MOA (.5 MRAD) increments. This style of riflescope is ideal for the long range rifleman because it allows the shooter to dial all corrections for a dead on hold at any distance or a simple holdover with the graduated stadia lines on the reticle. The scope tested was equipped with the MRAD reticle.
For this review, I mounted the scope on a Savage LRP in 260Rem using a Nightforce 20MOA rail and Nightforce UL medium height rings. A top ring with integrated bubble was used as an anti-cant device. After adjusting the ocular focus to my eye and rough bore sighting, I zeroed the scope at 100 yards. Vortex uses a system to allow the elevation turret to be returned to zero called Customizable Rotational Stop (CRS), consisting of a pack of brass shims installed under the turret drum once the scope is zeroed. The drum bottoms out on the shims, allowing the shooter to dial to zero without counting revolutions or watching the dial. This is a very handy feature for those of us who shoot at distances requiring more than one revolution of the elevation turret. I found the shims to work quite well and had no problem installing them to provide an exact zero stop.
A riflescope used on a precision rifle for long range work must be capable of exact corrections throughout its turret travel. It also has to reliably return to and maintain its zero. Before I use a scope for long range shooting, I test it at 100 yards. We marked a 48″ piece of cardboard with a plumb vertical line, a zero reference target dot, and horizontal lines at 5 mils and 10 mils. After firing a group to confirm zero, I fired shots with several different dialed corrections, both elevation and windage, then returned to zero and fired another group. The Viper HS-T performed perfectly, keeping all shots within the rifle’s accuracy bubble at the dialed corrections andreturning to its exact zero.
For the field test portion of this review, we fired 58 shots at distances up to 834 yards. The scope performed admirably. The turrets are aggressively knurled and have very positive clicks with no perceived backlash. Parallax was easily adjusted for and provided a clear sight picture/reticle relationship on every shot. Our 100 yard zero was checked frequently between sessions, with no movement during the test period. The eye box of the scope is generous and it was easy to obtain a consistent cheek weld and full sight picture with the scope. The sight picture was clear and bright, even while shooting under less than ideal conditions (morning sun in front of the shooter.) The VMR-1 reticle subtension on this model is .045 mils (.15 MOA) thick, allowing a relatively small aiming point for precise shot placement while at maximum magnification, while still allowing positive crosshair placement at lower magnifications under hunting conditions (dark timber, low light, etc.) The HS-T has no option for a lighted reticle.
In conclusion, at a suggested retail price of $659 and a street price of $559, the Vortex 16x44Viper HS-T 4-16×44 is a great entry level riflescope for the rifleman who wants to extend his range by dialing corrections with exposed turrets. I feel this scope would be adequate for shots out to 800 yards and would not hesitate to use one for that purpose.
