Vortex Viper vs Nikon Black Scope Opinions

[cghunter]

Hi everyone,

I recently bought a Sako A7 in 308 for hunting, and I am in the market for a scope to put on it. My previous experience with scopes is limited to a bushnell banner dusk to dawn 3-9. I have been doing some online research, looking through glass at the stores, and I would like to see what opinions people here had regarding a couple choices.

As a note my budget is around the 750.00 dollar mark.

I guess generally: are things like windage moas and parallax adjustments really necessary given that most of my shots hunting have been 200 yards or less (although I would like get more comfortable stretching shots out reasonably), and most times you do not have all the time in the world to make those adjustments. Or could I reasonably get away with a regular duplex style BDC or other type or reticle?

My first choice is a Vortex Viper 4-16x44 with the BDC reticle, and side parallax adjustment.

My second choice is a Nikon black x1000 4-16x50 with Moa reticle and exposed turrets, the glass seemed a lot clearer than the vortex, but I am unsure about the exposed turrets for hunting and maybe it is overcomplicated for my intended purpose, in which case would a monarch possibly be a better choice?

Thanks everyone for taking the time to read.

[buck66]

cant speak for the Nikon but i love my vortex viper tracks great shot it out to 700 yards and tracking was bang on

[dogslayer403]

Ive had a couple vipers the options for pricepoint is a bonus but have been unimpressed with every piece of vortex glass ive looked through besides a gen 2 razor
But on a positive ive had no issues with tracking in the vipers ive owned cant comment on the nikon

[Off in the Bushes]

This is inside the budget
https://www.cabelas.ca/product/10828...D%3D&bc_lid=30

[frigpig]

Why the "Black" series. A "tactical" scope on a hunting rifle is not exactly practical.

The glass is excellent in the black but Nikon makes unreal hunting scopes too. Take a look at the Monarch series. Fantastic glass at a great price.

[dogslayer403]

Originally Posted by frigpig

Why the "Black" series. A "tactical" scope on a hunting rifle is not exactly practical.

The glass is excellent in the black but Nikon makes unreal hunting scopes too. Take a look at the Monarch series. Fantastic glass at a great price.

He wants exposed turrets and depending on your style of hunting a tactical style scope has a very practical place on a hunting rifle

[cghunter]

Originally Posted by frigpig

Why the "Black" series. A "tactical" scope on a hunting rifle is not exactly practical.

The glass is excellent in the black but Nikon makes unreal hunting scopes too. Take a look at the Monarch series. Fantastic glass at a great price.

I was shown the black mostly because the difference in reticle style, I think the stores current hunting riflescope stock in my comparative zoom was mostly in BDC.
While I can see there being some advantages to a MOA "tactical" reticle, I was unsure if many people had any experience with it or if it was generally going to be more cumbersome to deal with in real world hunting applications. I may have to get my hands on a monarch to take a look through too.

[cghunter]

Originally Posted by Off in the Bushes

This is inside the budget
https://www.cabelas.ca/product/10828...D%3D&bc_lid=30

Thanks for the link, I might have to take a look at that one, would a zoom range that large be on the overkill side for typical shots of say 50-250yards? (Obviously just because the option is there, does not mean I need to make use of it)

[C & C]

IMO you are looking at too much scope for what you want to do. At 50-250 yards you don't need much to have a really functional hunting scope.

If I were you I would buy a VX3i 3.5X10X40. Its a simple setup, point and shoot. Find a round your rifle likes and zero it at 200. You will be roughly 2in high at 100 and 3in low at 250. This will vary depending on the round you pick but it gives you a rough idea. Depending on your timeframe they usually go on sale twice a year for up to 100$ off the price.

I have had poor experiences with vortex, after some binos and a scope that had terrible glass I won't buy another vortex product. Some people love vortex and have great results but its one brand you always hear about people returning it for warranty work.

[cghunter]

Originally Posted by C & C

IMO you are looking at too much scope for what you want to do. At 50-250 yards you don't need much to have a really functional hunting scope.

If I were you I would buy a VX3i 3.5X10X40. Its a simple setup, point and shoot. Find a round your rifle likes and zero it at 200. You will be roughly 2in high at 100 and 3in low at 250. This will vary depending on the round you pick but it gives you a rough idea. Depending on your timeframe they usually go on sale twice a year for up to 100$ off the price.

I have had poor experiences with vortex, after some binos and a scope that had terrible glass I won't buy another vortex product. Some people love vortex and have great results but its one brand you always hear about people returning it for warranty work.

Thanks for the input, I had also been a little unsure about zoom as I would like to grow out to making slightly further shots (within the ballistic capability of the 308 caliber) financially short/medium term I would like to buy once and be done, thus the 4-16x but I am not locked into any decision yet.

[fast_pass88]

I have a viper hs 2.5-10 and love it.
Most of my shots in the deer woods are inside 300, and typically less then 150.
I would say a 16x zoom is over kill. I target shoot to 400 with my 10x no problem at all. Someone once told me to purchase a scope with the minimum power you want, then after that look to the max power. 90‰ of time when im hunting my scope is wound down to 2.5 for those quick shots.

As for turrets I have never been keen on them for hunting, nervous they would get bumped. My viper has the BDC reticle and that works great. In fact only time I've used the hash marks in hunting was once at 320, everything else was on my zero

[6.5 shooter]

Originally Posted by cghunter

Hi everyone,

I recently bought a Sako A7 in 308 for hunting, and I am in the market for a scope to put on it. My previous experience with scopes is limited to a bushnell banner dusk to dawn 3-9. I have been doing some online research, looking through glass at the stores, and I would like to see what opinions people here had regarding a couple choices.

As a note my budget is around the 750.00 dollar mark.

I guess generally: are things like windage moas and parallax adjustments really necessary given that most of my shots hunting have been 200 yards or less (although I would like get more comfortable stretching shots out reasonably), and most times you do not have all the time in the world to make those adjustments. Or could I reasonably get away with a regular duplex style BDC or other type or reticle?

My first choice is a Vortex Viper 4-16x44 with the BDC reticle, and side parallax adjustment.

My second choice is a Nikon black x1000 4-16x50 with Moa reticle and exposed turrets, the glass seemed a lot clearer than the vortex, but I am unsure about the exposed turrets for hunting and maybe it is overcomplicated for my intended purpose, in which case would a monarch possibly be a better choice?

Thanks everyone for taking the time to read.

Buy a fixed powered 4x or 6x scope more then enough and will do you well to 500 yards and are cheaper, less to go wrong, and there lighter..Duplex reticule, learn your load and trajectory...you will be fine. Nikon, Leupold, Bushnell buy the higher end ones and go shoot.