Ah, Vortex! What can I even say? Before I start let’s check out Vortex Viper 6.5-20×50 Review.
Vortex is – hands down – the most reliable scope manufacturers in town. And this is not just owing to their experience in the field. Vortex has with time found a formula that will let them stay the best for ages and ages. Yes, I am talking about their perfect blend of quality and affordability.
Vortex may not experiment a lot with technological advancements, but it does stay true to the roots in a manner that will only ascertain your faith in the brand. They are undoubtedly experienced, efficient, and trustworthy. And I believe that is enough for most of us, to begin with.
Moving on to what the model called Viper has to offer. Viper is a highly reliable model scope for most hunters. It is rugged, precise, and highly user friendly. Add to this the affordability factor. I wouldn’t necessarily call it cheap but it definitely is cost-effective. The scope is without a doubt worth a lot more than it costs. I guess that is enough of beating around the bush. Let us move on to a detailed study of a particular model within the Vortex Viper range – Vortex Viper 6.5 20×50 riflescope.
Vortex Viper 6.5-20×50 Review
This particular model within the Viper range has proved itself to be incredibly popular amidst professional hunters. In fact, this scope is still among one of the most sold Vortex scopes. There is no much surprise here cause Vortex took it upon themselves to perfect this scope. Their prior experience in the field of hunting, ie, the fact that Vortex is a veteran-owned company does help a lot in the construction of a remarkable scope of this kind. Let us move on to a detailed dissection of this Vortex Viper scope. Read on!
Optics
Let us start with the very basic part of this or any scope – the one that determines the quality of your image. Yup, a good lens gets half your job done. So what do you essentially mean by a “good” lens? The first thing of importance is the size of the lens. A big lens implies better light transmission prowess. And as obvious as it can be – more light means better clarity image and hence a sharper shot. The lens we have here is 50mm in diameter. Now, that is huge! hence, the scope will be filled with more than sufficient light rays.
The next step to attaining “goodness” is to ensure that this light ray is put into good use. This is done with the help of two features. One, the coating. This lens is fully multi-coated in order to ensure maximum light dispersion and retention. The second feature is the XD elements. This basically ensures you better color fidelity, high resolution, and quality dispersion of light rays. So in essence, this lens will give you a clear, bright, and sharp image. And as a whole unit, the lens lets you utilize even dawn and dusk for your hunting expeditions. Cool huh?
Another equally important factor is the reticle. The reticle in a very basic sense helps to aim and shoot the target. This Vortex Viper scope has a Mil-Dot reticle. Mil Dots are essentially range finders. It makes use of the sub-tensions present in the unit of MRAD. The Vortex Mil-Dot is a tad bit more advanced in the sense that it takes into account many factors upon which the accuracy of a short relies. The Vortex Mil-Dot reticle helps in range estimations, windage holdovers and also helps in tracking and targeting a moving object efficiently.
This sort of reticle was introduced and became successful in the US Marine Corps who required long-range shots in abundance. In essence, it is this need for long-range target estimations that makes this reticle feature relevant even today. Further, this reticle is placed in the Second Focal Plane. In this reticle position, the reading of the reticle or the size of the reticle does not alter according to the changes in the magnification. The main advantage of this is that the appearance does not change at all. This helps in multiple ways.
Firstly, it becomes easier for an amateur hunter to practice his aiming. It is also beneficial in situations where you have to constantly change your target especially when there is a moving target involved. All these are again beneficial for a long-range shooter. So, in conclusion, a Vortex Mil-Dot reticle coupled with a Second Focal Plane position, makes the Vortex Viper a strong and sharp reticle.
Range and Magnification
Well, it is evident from the aforementioned discussion that this Vortex Viper scope is remarkable for long-range shooting. Actually, this scope can successfully tackle mid and long-range shots. It has a magnification scale of 6.5-20x. This is exactly why many buyers consider Vortex Viper 6.5 20×50 as a versatile scope. That is, the magnification scale is wide and versatile thereby extending the range of the scope from the lowest mid-range scale to the farthest lonf range scale. Not many scopes can do that!
Adjustments
An equally important feature in any scope is its technical and structural adjustments. The first thing I will put forward here is the functionalities that guarantee precision. There are two things here – the Precision Glide Erector System and the Precision Force Spring System. The former deals with the smooth functioning of the zoom lens thereby assisting in easier magnification transitions while the latter looks into the smooth functioning of the spring erector system thereby making the repeatability of an act feasible.
This scope is bestowed with one of its kind MAG bars. This lets you make lever controlled adjustments in the magnification. Hence, you can make swift adjustments without having to take your eye off the target. Neat! Another feature is the Fast Focus eyepiece. This is quite common for any Vortex scope. Because Vortex realizes the need to tackle the movement of the target.
What better way to do it than manufacture a scope in such a manner that the eyepiece transitions from one point to another neatly and swiftly! Also, this scope is bestowed with an efficient side focus as well so that the target is visible even at the periphery of your vision. As the name suggests, the scope has a high-quality parallax feature. The parallax adjustment extends from 50 yards to infinity.
The next essential feature is the turrets. This Viper sope has capped turrets that function efficiently in reindexing the turrets to zero. Further, the capped feature ensures that no accidental changes are made to the reading. This turret has an audible click, thereby making the mere act of changing the indexes easier and much more comfortable. Speaking of comfort, the side parallax adjustment knob is a must mention. The side knob is easy to access and easier to change. Again, you need not take your eye off the target to do this!
Structure
Now comes the body of the scope – the factor which determines the durability and the strength of the scope. The Vortex Viper 6.5 20×50 PA scope is made of aircraft-grade Aluminum. This means that the scope is strong and rugged. It is further purged with Argon and O-ring sealed. The former makes it waterproof and the latter fog proof. In essence, the scope becomes weather resistant.
Further, the rugged construction of the scope makes it shockproof. Thus, it can easily withstand recoil or other heavy impacts on the device. All these functionalities are bestowed upon a single tube which enhances the rigidity and accuracy of a scope.
Vortex makes sure to check their devices at least 500 times before setting it out for sale. Being pressure practiced like this, the chances of the scope failing you are very less. Add to this the VIP warranty and you have nothing to worry about.
The Very Important Promise that Vortex makes to its Customers includes repair and replacement of structural as well as workmanship based defects. A promise always proceeds a clause and that is exactly why I trust their warranty scheme a lot more than anyone else’s.
Compatibility
You have to be a bit careful here. The Vortex Viper is a tad bit disadvantageous if you look at its weight and eye relief. The scope weighs around 21.5 ounces which is definitely not lightweight but something which is slowly approaching the scale of bulkiness. Due to this reason, it would be better to use it with rings rather than rails. Rails might add to the already existing weight and hence make it difficult for you to aim and shoot perfectly.
So, depending on the weight of your rifle and your familiarity with bulky ammo decide if you would like to go for a ring or a rail mounting system. Now about the eye relief – the scope has an eye relief of 3.1 to 3.3 inches. This is not remarkable but reliable depending on the caliber of your rifle. Hence, if there are more chances of hard recoil remember to keep yourself safe and avoid a scope eye!
Pros
Cons
FAQs
Diamondback or Viper?
The pricing and list of features each of the two have made it evident that Viper is on a slightly higher rung than Diamondback. While Diamondback focuses mostly on making the scope accessible and affordable to all, Viper extends its premise to include more features. This is why Viper is more than twice the cost of Diamondback. Viper is definitely on the high rung when it comes to mechanical quality as well as quality optics. By the way, do check out our in-depth review of Vortex Diamondback Tactical.
If you need help to set the CRS Zero Stop, click here.
Conclusion
There goes my review of this popular scope. So if you are looking for a long-range scope that has a good lens, reticle, and other mechanical features that guarantee precision, then this is your it! The strength and durability is an added advantage. What are you waiting for? go and check on Amazon and bag the best deal. Trust me, you won’t regret it. Off you go now. Happy Hunting!