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Vortex Diamonback or Leupold VX2

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brownchristian View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote brownchristian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Vortex Diamonback or Leupold VX2
    Posted: December/06/2014 at 17:06
Mounted a Vortex Diamondback 4-12 x 40 on my sons Weatherby Vanguard 308 and after 20 rounds and a gun smith visit learned that there was 4 inches of parallax and the scope was bad.

So now I am questioning my purchase.  What scope should I mount now?  Another Diamondback or should I go with a Leupold?  Also considering Nikon.

Budget is $350 or less.

This gun and scope is a gift to my son from my father and I convinced him to purchase the Vortex over the Leupold initially.  He is a die hard Leupold fan.

Thoughts?  
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Skytrash View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Skytrash Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2014 at 07:50

I'm kind of curious, how did your gunsmith come to the conclusion that you have 4" of parallax?

Your Diamondback should have  the parallax preset  @ a range of 100 yards. With a 40 mm objective, you should have around 1.5" of parallax @ 100 yards. This would be the same with most 40mm objective scopes that have preset parallax.


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brownchristian View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote brownchristian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2014 at 08:03
Maybe parallax is the wrong term. Basically I could not get the gun to group. I could place two shots within 1/4 inch then the next shot would be 5 inches up, down, left or right.

So left it with an expert and after 3 shots they called and said the scope had 4 inches of parallax and couldn't be sighted in.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Skytrash Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2014 at 19:38
I have been very happy with the Sightron SII rifle scopes. They have some decent glass, and excellent tracking for your price range.  You can probably even find an SII Big Sky for around $350.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cropslx Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/16/2014 at 15:19
Vortex has a great customer service reputation. Send it back and they will make it right. For a couple more dollars over your $350 budget you can get a Meopta 3-9x42mm. I think I got mine a couple weeks ago for $355 delivered :)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bugsNbows Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/16/2014 at 16:16
Originally posted by cropslx cropslx wrote:

Vortex has a great customer service reputation. Send it back and they will make it right. For a couple more dollars over your $350 budget you can get a Meopta 3-9x42mm. I think I got mine a couple weeks ago for $355 delivered :)


This ^.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kudukid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/15/2018 at 07:43

If scope was set to be parallax free at 100 yards then there should be NO parallax at that distance.
The scope could be bad but it could also have some play in the mounting.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote urbaneruralite Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/15/2018 at 08:12
I would revisit the mounting system before suspecting the scope. 


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gdpolk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/16/2018 at 06:58
  1. I would check the mounts to make sure they are tight before tossing the scope.  When remounting use locktite on the threads.
  2. If the scope is a Vortex, it should have a lifetime warranty.  I would send it back for repair/replacement before sinking more money into another scope.
  3. I might suspect ammo choice as well, unless your shooting a round known to group tight.  For example, my Marlin 336 will consistently shoot 5-shot 170gr RNSP Core Lokts 3/8" groups.  Throw in a 150gr Federal Power Shock and I get 3.5-4" groups at 100yds.  A couple of my rimfires are even more picky.

If your dead set on a new scope though, I would look for a Leupold VX3i on sale or with a coupon.  The last one I got from competitor with a coupon ran me $352 to my door.  Shortly after that sale, Euro Optic put them all on 15% off as well.  Like new, in box ones can be found on auction occasionally for pretty cheap also.

None of my VX2 scopes are bright and clear enough for true dark thirty to dark thirty performance.  I get +/-15-25 minutes of sunrise/sunset, depending on lighting conditions (weather and how thick the forrest is).  My VX3/VX3i scopes can get me to +/-25-45 minutes depending on lighting conditions.  The only times they go too dark to hunt for my eyes before the +/-30 minute legal shooting times are when there is very heavy cloud cover (storms approaching) and in all honesty I don't typically hunt storms anyway.  I do hunt rain and snow, but not heavy storms so I just don't see that as a big functional loss. 

I have owned several higher end scopes before and still own alpha class binoculars, but for hunting purposes the VX3 line is really quite hard to beat.  It will do all you need to do in the woods and doesn't break the bank while having an excellent warranty/customer service and the optional Alumina flip covers are absolutely amazing for hunting.  They mount flush allowing a lower mounted scope, are impervious to water, and more importantly don't make the "POP" noise that a Butler Creek does when game animals are right on you.

Just an opinion of mine, but I would back down on magnification as well on a 308 to something in the 3-9 range.  You won't need 14x in the field but the lower end of magnification going lower means a wider field of view and brighter optics for woods hunts.  Also you can find 3-9's that are a bit smaller and lighter than 4.5-14's.  My recommendation there would be the VX3i 2.5-8x36.  Its TINY, has a huge FOV on 2.5x which is awesome for when deer appear out of nowhere 10 yards from you, can consistently be bright enough to shoot through legal shooting light and at 8x you should be able to shoot deer sized animals out to 600-800 yards which is more than enough optical magnification for that caliber.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote oldfortyfive Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/16/2018 at 08:17

Just an opinion of mine, but I would back down on magnification as well on a 308 to something in the 3-9 range.  You won't need 14x in the field but the lower end of magnification going lower means a wider field of view and brighter optics for woods hunts.  Also you can find 3-9's that are a bit smaller and lighter than 4.5-14's.  My recommendation there would be the VX3i 2.5-8x36.  Its TINY, has a huge FOV on 2.5x which is awesome for when deer appear out of nowhere 10 yards from you, can consistently be bright enough to shoot through legal shooting light and at 8x you should be able to shoot deer sized animals out to 600-800 yards which is more than enough optical magnification for that caliber.

Great advise. My personal favorite is Leupold 2-7 Firedot.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Son of Ed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/16/2018 at 09:10
I took my Colt Officers Model Match into a gun store one time just to show it off.....because it is kind of rare.....

.....the Gun EXPERT didn't know how to open the cylinder latch.....   Whatever


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Son of Ed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/16/2018 at 09:15
I was in a gun store here in Waco a couple of years ago and they had a Colt New Service revolver from the Old Days ( World War I )....

.....they had it tagged as 45 Colt.....

.....if you opened out the cylinder and looked inside the chambers you could see that it it had been rebated for 45 ACP......


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote onespeedbiker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/18/2018 at 10:35
There is also the fact that parallax is only a factor when you are not looking down the center of the scope. I had a similar problem (not with a Vortex) and it turned out one of the 2 piece Weaver bases had come loose.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/18/2018 at 11:11
This thread originated in 2014, so looking for a solution may be a little late.  I am sure it has all been resolved by now.

ILya
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