I just wanted to post some initial thoughts on the Vortex HS-T mil,mil scope. I have been playing with the HS-T on my 260imp 30 Degree. First off I am "NOT" a mil guy and am patiently waiting for the MOA version to come on the market.
I got a chance to try out the mil,mil so I jumped on it. I know a lot of you guys are wanting to know more about the HS-T so I thought I would share my thoughts. Remember now, I am just a shooter not a writer or reviewer. These are just my thoughts. When the scope arrived I was impressed by the finish and apparent quality of the scope. I really like the exposed external knobs and the way they have put a slot so you can see where your at when dialing and how far you have gone. The dials have a crisp and positive feel to them. They are clearly marked and easy to read. The focus knob for once matches the actual yardage your trying to focus on.
I like the size and weight of the scope. It compares to my MK4 4.5x14 Leupolds. I have the 4.5x14 MK4s on most of my rifles and that has been my go to scope for years. I just feel it offers a lot for the kind of shooting I do. However after playing with the HS-T I may be rethinking that. The HS-T is just as sharp and clear if not more so. I have old eyes and have had problems in the past with some of my Leupolds not focusing clearly at 100yds without a parallax. In order to stop the crosshair movement I need to refocus and by the time the crosshairs are rock steady the target is blurry. I sent a couple of scopes back but the problem never seemed to get corrected. I was very pleased when the HS-T focused the dot at 100yds nice and sharp and the crosshairs were rock solid.
When shooting groups at 100yds I was surprised how clear my 3/4" dot was. It may have been the 16x compared to the 14x of my Leupold but for me it was crystal clear. I did some load testing at 600yds and had run my data off JBM in mils so I would know what to dial. I looked up my data and dialed in the correct mils and was dead on. I went up and down several times then back to my dial and was dead on again. Like I said earlier, I really do like the feel of the clicks on the knobs. They have a positive feel but are easy to dial and stay where they are dialed when going in an out of my drag bag.
I really like the cross hairs both in size and the clarity. The one thing I would really like to see is for Vortex to number the main hash marks in both the mil and the moa scopes. It would be a lot easier to use them for hold overs and a lot quicker to get a shot off if your using them for hold off or hold overs. I also hope they offer the MOA with half minute adjustments. I personally like the second focal plane and not having the illuminated reticle. I know a lot of you guys like the single plane and the illuminated reticle but you can get those in the Viper PSTs. I think this scope was designed to be reasonable in price for the shooter yet give you some really nice features that both long range shooters and hunters will really enjoy.
I am going to pass this one on to my son in law to try out. (Maybe he will give you guys another perspective on it). My overall opinion is that it is one hell of a scope for the money!!! I have one on order in the MOA version and can't wait until I get it. I will be ordering an additional scope when my next rifle is ready. I think Vortex has a clear winner with the HS-T and It will be hard not to consider them when your looking for a damn good tactical or long range hunting scope. I feel they hit the bulls eye with the HS-T!!
I got a chance to try out the mil,mil so I jumped on it. I know a lot of you guys are wanting to know more about the HS-T so I thought I would share my thoughts. Remember now, I am just a shooter not a writer or reviewer. These are just my thoughts. When the scope arrived I was impressed by the finish and apparent quality of the scope. I really like the exposed external knobs and the way they have put a slot so you can see where your at when dialing and how far you have gone. The dials have a crisp and positive feel to them. They are clearly marked and easy to read. The focus knob for once matches the actual yardage your trying to focus on.
I like the size and weight of the scope. It compares to my MK4 4.5x14 Leupolds. I have the 4.5x14 MK4s on most of my rifles and that has been my go to scope for years. I just feel it offers a lot for the kind of shooting I do. However after playing with the HS-T I may be rethinking that. The HS-T is just as sharp and clear if not more so. I have old eyes and have had problems in the past with some of my Leupolds not focusing clearly at 100yds without a parallax. In order to stop the crosshair movement I need to refocus and by the time the crosshairs are rock steady the target is blurry. I sent a couple of scopes back but the problem never seemed to get corrected. I was very pleased when the HS-T focused the dot at 100yds nice and sharp and the crosshairs were rock solid.
When shooting groups at 100yds I was surprised how clear my 3/4" dot was. It may have been the 16x compared to the 14x of my Leupold but for me it was crystal clear. I did some load testing at 600yds and had run my data off JBM in mils so I would know what to dial. I looked up my data and dialed in the correct mils and was dead on. I went up and down several times then back to my dial and was dead on again. Like I said earlier, I really do like the feel of the clicks on the knobs. They have a positive feel but are easy to dial and stay where they are dialed when going in an out of my drag bag.
I really like the cross hairs both in size and the clarity. The one thing I would really like to see is for Vortex to number the main hash marks in both the mil and the moa scopes. It would be a lot easier to use them for hold overs and a lot quicker to get a shot off if your using them for hold off or hold overs. I also hope they offer the MOA with half minute adjustments. I personally like the second focal plane and not having the illuminated reticle. I know a lot of you guys like the single plane and the illuminated reticle but you can get those in the Viper PSTs. I think this scope was designed to be reasonable in price for the shooter yet give you some really nice features that both long range shooters and hunters will really enjoy.
I am going to pass this one on to my son in law to try out. (Maybe he will give you guys another perspective on it). My overall opinion is that it is one hell of a scope for the money!!! I have one on order in the MOA version and can't wait until I get it. I will be ordering an additional scope when my next rifle is ready. I think Vortex has a clear winner with the HS-T and It will be hard not to consider them when your looking for a damn good tactical or long range hunting scope. I feel they hit the bulls eye with the HS-T!!
