Rifle Scopes IOR vs Vortex

GillJr

GillJr

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 11, 2009
244
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NC
#1
Gentleman,

I am considering two scopes in completely different price ranges. Will be riding an AR15 with a 20in barrel to engage targets upto 800 yards. Probably a PRS stock. The selection a Vortex 4-16x50 Viper PST FFP MIL/MIL SF with a 3 month wait. Or a 3-18x42 35mm FFP MIL/MIL SF, MP-8 XTREME-X1 DIGITAL ILLUMINATION ready to ship for twice the price.

I was hoping someone with both would chime in. Do you think the IOR is worth twice as much as the Vortex? Is the glass really worth $800 more.
 
#5
Re: IOR vs Vortex

PM or Call Scott at Liberty Optics...hide vendor, great prices on optics.
.
Not to mention he is the man who may just have the knowledge you seek. Will give you an opinion based on what you wanna use it for not based on what he wants to get out of the shop case.
 
#7
Re: IOR vs Vortex

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ghogs Nightmare</div><div class="ubbcode-body">PM or Call Scott at Liberty Optics...hide vendor, great prices on optics.
.
Not to mention he is the man who may just have the knowledge you seek. Will give you an opinion based on what you wanna use it for not based on what he wants to get out of the shop case. </div></div>

Have to vote for the above. Those 2 scopes are in completely different leagues but I've never regretted waiting for what I really want.
 
#8
Re: IOR vs Vortex

IOR is cheaper then the Razor. I prefer the IOR reticle over the Razor, just wish IOR would number and have half mil marks better.
 
#9
Re: IOR vs Vortex

Dude...... It's like you're trying to compare a 1989 Chevy Caprice to a 2012 BMW. If you have the money then heck yes the IOR glass is worth $800 more.....
 
#10
Re: IOR vs Vortex

I have an IOR 3-18x42 (SH edition, non-illuminated), I have looked through a PST 4-16x while at the range and did a quick side by side comparison.

There is no comparison.
The IOR was far brighter, far clearer with no distortion.

But the IOR was 700 bucks more. I would expect far better performance from it.
I liked the reticle in the PST and it is a very well designed scope.

If you want apples to apples, then look at the weaver 3-15 illuminated emdr scope.
It is about 100 less than the PST, all reports are that the glass is excellent and the tracking true.
 
#11
Re: IOR vs Vortex

The IOR scopes are large and heavy you will definitely notice it on top of the rifle however they do have great glass quality. Another choice would be the super sniper 5-20 but again it is very heavy.

Vortex will be a half pound or so lighter and offers a lot but the glass quality isn't that great. If you are picky about your glass then you probably won't like it because of that.

Why not the 6-24 FFP PST? That would be under a grand and the glass quality on it is for some reason better than the 4-16 model.
 
#12
Re: IOR vs Vortex

BCP I don't know that about the 6-24 vortex. That is interesting.

I really didn't want a huge objective scope on this rifle. Hoping to get the scope as low as possible on the rifle.
 
#14
Re: IOR vs Vortex

I own an IOR 3-18X50 4th gen. I do like the scope, it has great glass, but my two complaints with it is when the large elevation turret gets bumped by my hand reaching over the scope to adjust focus (I shoot left handed). When bumped, it moves the turret (done it a few times). I have to be very careful and if I bump the turret, I have to check that it didn't move. It moves easier than I would like it to.

Secondly, I find having to unscrew 4- 2mm screws to reset the zero on the turrets to be cumbersome and a couple of times, the turret screws have loosened during firing, losing zero. I have to check for tightness occasionally.

For a scope in the same price range, I'd look at the Vortex Razor. They are about ready to release the new model with 10 MIL per revolution turrets.
 
#15
Re: IOR vs Vortex

I don't make recommendations for any particular brand because I don't have access to every scope brand out there. I did own an IOR 3-18 4th Gen. and consider it one of the worst purchases I've ever made. The paint (paint because it scraped off instead of scratching like anodizing) on the scope body was so thick that the scope would not fit in IOR-branded 35mm rings. You could force the rings on but that would bind the magnification ring. Even if I could get rings on it, the scope had such a stupidly short eye-relief and short rear tube that I could never use it on a bolt-gun. That POS went in the trash.
 
#18
Re: IOR vs Vortex

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: GillJr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Called Scott. Busy man and they do not sale IOR at this time. </div></div>

Wut? I thought Scott at Liberty Optics was THE IOR go-to guy. Any idea what happened?
 
#21
Re: IOR vs Vortex

I talked to Scott today. He said he does not sale IOR right now. He has taken them off his website.

I wanted to ask him what he thought of the scope but didn't out of respect.
 
#22
Re: IOR vs Vortex

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: GillJr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I talked to Scott today. He said he does not sale IOR right now. He has taken them off his website.

I wanted to ask him what he thought of the scope but didn't out of respect. </div></div>

That doesn't sound right to me. They're still listed on the sight. I just ordered one 2 weeks ago and he said nothing about dropping IOR. Are you sure he didn't just mean the particular model you were looking at was out of stock? He did just have a huge sale on the 3.5-18. They were $1699 down from $1850 for the fourth of July. Maybe he's just sold out?
 
#25
Re: IOR vs Vortex

Strange... When I checked last night they still came up but today they're gone from the site. One of the main reasons I ordered mine from him was that he has been so good to others if an issue ever came up with their scopes. Had I known he was dropping them from his line I probably wouldn't have gone IOR.
 
#26
Re: IOR vs Vortex

IOR is really nice. I have a 6x fixed power that has been around for a while and is wonderful. Just got my first Vortex and though it isnt nearly the same, it is pretty nice for the price.
 
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