Myself and 2 other people did a scope review today at the range.
Nikon 223 1-4x the new 223 series scope
Simmons Aztec 2.8-10x44
Bushnell Banner 4-12x44?
Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50
The test were done by all three of us at various ranges and power settings. Ages of testers: 60,62,43. Time of test was 1330 hrs (1:30 p.m.)
Ranges were 25, 100, 300 yards. Scopes were checked at 4x 6.5x 10x 12x and 20x and were compared side by side at same the magnification when available. There was never any disagreements about which scopes preformed better during a test.
Simmons, Bushnell Banner, and Nikon were all checked at 4x mag because the Nikon only had a 4x mag lens. Vortex minimum was 6.5 so was not used.
Nikon and Banner were not much different if at all; Simmons was not as good.
6.5 mag in this order; Vortex, Banner, Simmons
10 mag in this order ; Vortex, Banner, Simmons
The Vortex Viper was clearly the superior scope at all ranges. With the exception of 25 yards. Targets were not crisp and clear like 50 thru 325 yards.
What was surprising the Banner was on par with the Nikon; the Simmons, while good, was in 3d place on all the test!?
I did see the man I got the Banner from and he told me he had traded for 4 Banner scopes and the one I got from him was the best of the lot. Two of the Banners had been almost junk even when new. He had been saving the Banner for himself to mount on a rifle he never purchased.
I did not say anything to sway the opinions of the other guys with regards to the scopes. I just sat the scopes up (which were all mounted on ARs) at the same magnification and passed them around. All scopes were either on Ars with bi-pods or on a bench rest.
Even with my eyes the crispness and clarity of the Vortex was noticeable over the 3 other scopes tested at all ranges except 25 yards.
The black 10" targets when shot that turn into green bullet holes could be seen with the Vortex at 300 yards with out much effort (20x). The ergonomics and ease of use is well laid out and functional. The side parallax Knob works as a range finder for me!! All you do is turn until target is crisp and look at the numbers and the knob. For me the numbers on the Parallax knob were within 25 yards of our known distance. Thought this was neat! We were focusing at known yardages yet every time out to 300 it worked within 25 yds.
By pulling the windage and elevation knobs up they bypass the moa clicks and just turn the knobs to the zero mark and from then on you always know where your original sight in zero was set and can reference plus or minus from that zero. I was initially concerned about the fine line cross-hair reticle but I must admit the reticle cross hairs and center dot does not cover up the target as some reticules do.
I have Simmons White tail classic 6.5-20x50 coming next week ($109 normally $239+) but after seeing the clarity of the Vortex I wish I had just purchased another one of the Vortexes for they are hard to beat!
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=547531
Update! Midway shipped the Simmons scope out quickly and as I was typing this it arrived! WTG Midway! Scope shows no damage and no paint flecks or dots inside the barrel. Will have to play with it for a bit to see what I have...I am already spoiled with the Vortex though!!!:banghead:
Nikon 223 1-4x the new 223 series scope
Simmons Aztec 2.8-10x44
Bushnell Banner 4-12x44?
Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50
The test were done by all three of us at various ranges and power settings. Ages of testers: 60,62,43. Time of test was 1330 hrs (1:30 p.m.)
Ranges were 25, 100, 300 yards. Scopes were checked at 4x 6.5x 10x 12x and 20x and were compared side by side at same the magnification when available. There was never any disagreements about which scopes preformed better during a test.
Simmons, Bushnell Banner, and Nikon were all checked at 4x mag because the Nikon only had a 4x mag lens. Vortex minimum was 6.5 so was not used.
Nikon and Banner were not much different if at all; Simmons was not as good.
6.5 mag in this order; Vortex, Banner, Simmons
10 mag in this order ; Vortex, Banner, Simmons
The Vortex Viper was clearly the superior scope at all ranges. With the exception of 25 yards. Targets were not crisp and clear like 50 thru 325 yards.
What was surprising the Banner was on par with the Nikon; the Simmons, while good, was in 3d place on all the test!?
I did see the man I got the Banner from and he told me he had traded for 4 Banner scopes and the one I got from him was the best of the lot. Two of the Banners had been almost junk even when new. He had been saving the Banner for himself to mount on a rifle he never purchased.
I did not say anything to sway the opinions of the other guys with regards to the scopes. I just sat the scopes up (which were all mounted on ARs) at the same magnification and passed them around. All scopes were either on Ars with bi-pods or on a bench rest.
Even with my eyes the crispness and clarity of the Vortex was noticeable over the 3 other scopes tested at all ranges except 25 yards.
The black 10" targets when shot that turn into green bullet holes could be seen with the Vortex at 300 yards with out much effort (20x). The ergonomics and ease of use is well laid out and functional. The side parallax Knob works as a range finder for me!! All you do is turn until target is crisp and look at the numbers and the knob. For me the numbers on the Parallax knob were within 25 yards of our known distance. Thought this was neat! We were focusing at known yardages yet every time out to 300 it worked within 25 yds.
By pulling the windage and elevation knobs up they bypass the moa clicks and just turn the knobs to the zero mark and from then on you always know where your original sight in zero was set and can reference plus or minus from that zero. I was initially concerned about the fine line cross-hair reticle but I must admit the reticle cross hairs and center dot does not cover up the target as some reticules do.
I have Simmons White tail classic 6.5-20x50 coming next week ($109 normally $239+) but after seeing the clarity of the Vortex I wish I had just purchased another one of the Vortexes for they are hard to beat!
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=547531
Update! Midway shipped the Simmons scope out quickly and as I was typing this it arrived! WTG Midway! Scope shows no damage and no paint flecks or dots inside the barrel. Will have to play with it for a bit to see what I have...I am already spoiled with the Vortex though!!!:banghead:
