Can't Take It.

[Khunter]

This is all over all kinds of newsgroups. Meateater keeps Vortex alive. Just don't.
I had a friend that had a binocular from them. Broke in the middle. Replaced promptly. He loves them.

I have a Leitz Wetzlar, made in West Germany in the 50's; had it rebuilt last year for less than the price of a Vortex. Superb.

i wish I could get new lenses for my leitz 10x42 made in 1982. I waited too long and lenses no longer available.

 

[seeth07]

I find it surprising how many comments here are anti-Vortex. I absolutely love my Vortex products. I've had to return two of them, one because the glass shattered in one of my scopes while out in Wyoming (was totally my fault for not properly casing my gun while flying down some rough roads) and the other my eyepiece on my binoculars cracked so it didn't spin in and out correctly. Both times, the return process was as breeze and I had my product back in two weeks (granted shipping took only a day as I live about 2 hours away).

 

[longbow51]

i wish I could get new lenses for my leitz 10x42 made in 1982. I waited too long and lenses no longer available.

What's wrong with them? If they just lost the coatings I can try to find the name of the guy who did mine.

 

[Redmt]

At what point does the sponsor drag down the company? If I was trying to maintain a hold in the market, I wouldn't be featuring lesser products.

 

[thomas89]

I find it surprising how many comments here are anti-Vortex. I absolutely love my Vortex products. I've had to return two of them, one because the glass shattered in one of my scopes while out in Wyoming (was totally my fault for not properly casing my gun while flying down some rough roads) and the other my eyepiece on my binoculars cracked so it didn't spin in and out correctly. Both times, the return process was as breeze and I had my product back in two weeks (granted shipping took only a day as I live about 2 hours away).

Glad they got you squared away. I agree the return process is relatively painless. I agree binoculars would be no big deal, take them out of the box and if they work they work. A rifle scope is wayyy more in depth to find out it doesn’t work or it shits the bed later on.

Call it four days to get there. Two week turn around, 4 days to get back. Now we’re over three weeks. Now I have to properly mount everything back up, bore sight, range costs, ammo costs, fuel costs, time invested etc., … starts to sting after a bit let alone the actual monetary cost involved. This is the second time back for this scope. Not a really cheap scope IMO, a middle of the road offering at the time, since discontinued. I’m glad you’re Vortex choices have worked out better for you.

 

[seeth07]

Glad they got you squared away. I agree the return process is relatively painless. I agree binoculars would be no big deal, take them out of the box and if they work they work. A rifle scope is wayyy more in depth to find out it doesn’t work or it shits the bed later on.

Call it four days to get there. Two week turn around, 4 days to get back. Now we’re over three weeks. Now I have to properly mount everything back up, bore sight, range costs, ammo costs, fuel costs, time invested etc., … starts to sting after a bit let alone the actual monetary cost involved. This is the second time back for this scope. Not a really cheap scope IMO, a middle of the road offering at the time, since discontinued. I’m glad you’re Vortex choices have worked out better for you.

I have gone with the Viper or Razor line of glass and those products exclusively for what it's worth. My one buddy has had a pair of the lesser diamondback rifle scope and binoculars and while he hasn't had to return them yet, its is amazing to me how much difference there is - both in quality of glass and how they are made. They just seem "cheap" in comparison.

 

[Khunter]

What's wrong with them? If they just lost the coatings I can try to find the name of the guy who did mine.

coating s are a wreck. and small chip in one lens.

 

[longbow51]

coating s are a wreck. and small chip in one lens.

Well, obv the chip he couldn't fix. Sorry.

 

[Hunter4Life78]

You guys are just saying bad stuff about Vortex because this is a Leupold sponsored site. mtmuley

And we all Leupold sees the praises and offers significant discount because of those praises...

 

[SFC B]

Right. The fact all of vortex scopes are made by communist slave labor in china has nothing to do with it. There is a reason they can afford to replace so many peices of broken equipment.

I am one of those that will stand up (again and again) for Vortex......and I sell them, as well as Leupold, Burris, Sig, Leica, Zeiss, Swaro, Kahles, Nightforce and a few more. There are a few things to note.

1. If you think that Leupold optics aren't Asian (most probably Chinese or Filipino) you are flat wrong. They are disingenuous about their descriptions of their products and are NOT transparent about their sourcing AT ALL. Look on every Vortex scope and you will see where they are made. Generally the lower end scopes (Crossfire and Diamondback) are Chinese, Viper and midlines are Filipino, the Razors are Japanese and the AMG line is completely US made along with ALL of the military components they were just awarded contracts for (remember they are a Vet owned, start up in Wisconsin). NONE of the commercially available Leupold products are made with US optics...period.

2. Comparing Diamondbacks to VX3s or above is like comparing a Toyota to Mercedes. The cheapest retail line of Leupolds, the very mediocre VX Freedom (undeniably Chinese), is priced at the same point where you can get into a Viper- $299. Looking at features available on the scopes is another point. The first Leupold with paralax adjustment is about $550- you get that on Vortex scopes at less than half that....and if you are shooting any distance at all you should care about paralax.

3. Complain about having to use service if you want, but TRY and get attention or a straight answer from Leupold in the same manner. Good luck with that (remember that they warranty only defects-not damage, and anything electronic get 2 years and not a DAY longer.) Here is my personal knowledge of the difference. Before our store opened we in the gun dept went through about 4 months of training. This consisted of all of the vendors being given the opportunity to come and train us on their products. Vortex sent a two man team for a day and a half or training. First a half day of classroom on the different lines. Then a full day of shooting. For this they rented a private ranch with an 1100 yd range, brought a trailer full of rifles, scopes, rangefinders, spotting scopes and an outfitted gunsmithing bench for adjustments. Leupold chose to take a 3 hours block of in store classroom training. The store paid for the entire gun staff to be there for the allotted time. The Leupold rep showed up an hour late without the courtesy of even a call. When he DID show he dumped a box full of swag (shirs, stickers, coozies, etc) on a table, said "Hey guys, we have some great stuff, check out the website" Turned, showed us his back, and was off......seriously. If we have an issue with either supplier it is either call Vortex and get a person immediately on the phone (worst case scenario next business day) or call Leupold to get voicemail/email and wait....and wait. Literal disinterest. I am NOT saying there is anything wrong with their products, but company attitude and attention is a serious component of satisfaction.

4. This may break some hearts but it is a fact that folks really should get their head around no matter what optic you choose. If you want to get long term, top flight, performance out of your rifle you should be spending AT LEAST in the same cost neighborhood on your optic as you are on your rifle. Most modern rifles can shoot better objectively than 95% of shooters. Optics systems (including mounting and rings) are a HUGE component of performance. If you are trusting your hunt to a $250 scope and crappy rings you should take a hard look at that.

I am not going tell folks what to buy, as a matter of fact I make MORE money from selling Leupolds than Vortex products due to the inherent cost difference. Neither am I going to say that Vortex is my favorite line of optics. For my purposes (mostly hunting), and what I have access to, that would go Swaro, Leica, Zeiss, Vortex, Leupold and Burris. This is a value and performance based list based on MY observations and needs. As a matter of fact, right now we have GREAT sales on both Leica and Zeiss scopes for under $1000 with German and Japanese glass respectively. Pick what you want, but look at things from a bit wider view, check out all the options and do research. BTW, you can get into Swaro Z3s for the same price as some VX3s and Z5s for the price of VX5s.......think about that. Asian glass from Leupold versus Austrian glass with Swaro with the Z3 and Z5 having that glass AND being assembled in the US .....IJS......

 

[mxracer317]

I am one of those that will stand up (again and again) for Vortex......and I sell them, as well as Leupold, Burris, Sig, Leica, Zeiss, Swaro, Kahles, Nightforce and a few more. There are a few things to note.

1. If you think that Leupold optics aren't Asian (most probably Chinese or Filipino) you are flat wrong. They are disingenuous about their descriptions of their products and are NOT transparent about their sourcing AT ALL. Look on every Vortex scope and you will see where they are made. Generally the lower end scopes (Crossfire and Diamondback) are Chinese, Viper and midlines are Filipino, the Razors are Japanese and the AMG line is completely US made along with ALL of the military components they were just awarded contracts for (remember they are a Vet owned, start up in Wisconsin). NONE of the commercially available Leupold products are made with US optics...period.

2. Comparing Diamondbacks to VX3s or above is like comparing a Toyota to Mercedes. The cheapest retail line of Leupolds, the very mediocre VX Freedom (undeniably Chinese), is priced at the same point where you can get into a Viper- $299. Looking at features available on the scopes is another point. The first Leupold with paralax adjustment is about $550- you get that on Vortex scopes at less than half that....and if you are shooting any distance at all you should care about paralax.

3. Complain about having to use service if you want, but TRY and get attention or a straight answer from Leupold in the same manner. Good luck with that (remember that they warranty only defects-not damage, and anything electronic get 2 years and not a DAY longer.) Here is my personal knowledge of the difference. Before our store opened we in the gun dept went through about 4 months of training. This consisted of all of the vendors being given the opportunity to come and train us on their products. Vortex sent a two man team for a day and a half or training. First a half day of classroom on the different lines. Then a full day of shooting. For this they rented a private ranch with an 1100 yd range, brought a trailer full of rifles, scopes, rangefinders, spotting scopes and an outfitted gunsmithing bench for adjustments. Leupold chose to take a 3 hours block of in store classroom training. The store paid for the entire gun staff to be there for the allotted time. The Leupold rep showed up an hour late without the courtesy of even a call. When he DID show he dumped a box full of swag (shirs, stickers, coozies, etc) on a table, said "Hey guys, we have some great stuff, check out the website" Turned, showed us his back, and was off......seriously. If we have an issue with either supplier it is either call Vortex and get a person immediately on the phone (worst case scenario next business day) or call Leupold to get voicemail/email and wait....and wait. Literal disinterest. I am NOT saying there is anything wrong with their products, but company attitude and attention is a serious component of satisfaction.

4. This may break some hearts but it is a fact that folks really should get their head around no matter what optic you choose. If you want to get long term, top flight, performance out of your rifle you should be spending AT LEAST in the same cost neighborhood on your optic as you are on your rifle. Most modern rifles can shoot better objectively than 95% of shooters. Optics systems (including mounting and rings) are a HUGE component of performance. If you are trusting your hunt to a $250 scope and crappy rings you should take a hard look at that.

I am not going tell folks what to buy, as a matter of fact I make MORE money from selling Leupolds than Vortex products due to the inherent cost difference. Neither am I going to say that Vortex is my favorite line of optics. For my purposes (mostly hunting), and what I have access to, that would go Swaro, Leica, Zeiss, Vortex, Leupold and Burris. This is a value and performance based list based on MY observations and needs. As a matter of fact, right now we have GREAT sales on both Leica and Zeiss scopes for under $1000 with German and Japanese glass respectively. Pick what you want, but look at things from a bit wider view, check out all the options and do research. BTW, you can get into Swaro Z3s for the same price as some VX3s and Z5s for the price of VX5s.......think about that. Asian glass from Leupold versus Austrian glass with Swaro with the Z3 and Z5 having that glass AND being assembled in the US .....IJS......

x 1000%

 

[noharleyyet]

Someday I’ll quit messin around and snag a Schmidt and Bender.

 

[SFC B]

Someday I’ll quit messin around and snag a Schmidt and Bender.

Shot my muntjac in the UK over a S&B fixed 4X........wonderful!!!!

 

[Don Fischer]

Well. That's all she wrote. Broke out the .270 1500 topped with a Vortex Diamondback HP 4-16 which has been sitting in the safe while we lived in Washington (save for a trip as a back up rifle to Wyoming ... which did see it get some use). Anyways, got my new Stocky's stock VG2 mounted up, and have been enjoying shooting it in preparation for the season.

Save for this annoying little squiggle in the optic, things have been going fine. I don't know that I have noticed it before, or if I did I just kind of didn't pay any attention to it. Super hard to explain so I attached a photo, worse at lower magnifications, noticeable as heck against a clean white target. Anyways, finally got irritated enough to call Vortex about it. After confirming that, no the scope was not mounted improperly, it's not just some Schmutz on the lens, it's most likely finishing marks, or lack there of, of any actual finishing. They even floated the idea that the windage or elevation was cranked so hard one way it was messing it up. Can't blame them, I'm sure they've seen some crazy stuff. Starting the return process tomorrow.

At this point this will be the second time this scope has gone in for service, over the course of I think 6 years. First time in it cost me from late September/early October to around late November to get back for a loose lens. This time they are saying turn around is two weeks.

Long story short, I've ordered a VX3HD 4.5-14 with the CDS-ZL windplex reticle and side focus and all that jazz. I've been looking at them, they never seem to be in stock, but when I looked today they had them, so I took it as a sign to pull the trigger.

Took you 6 yrs to notice that? Mustr not really be much of a problem!

 

[Don Fischer]

Sorry about the Vortex, but I think that you will be really happy with the VX-3HD.

If not sounds like it gonna take him 6 yrs to find out!

 

[Don Fischer]

Vortex always has a bunch of refurbished scopes on the aa optics site..There must be a reason there's so many.

I had a terrible time with Sport Dog and something I'd read about modern business is they have elminated quality control over simply taking back and replacing products that get sent back in. I don't know if thats true but somehow I'm not doubting it!