I have both scopes in question. Razor Gen 2 3-18 & 4.5-27 as well as two T5XI 5-25’s. They all track and return to zero like they are on rails. Both Gen 2 Razors are on 300WM’s and the T5’s are on a 7RM and a .308 bolt. Tracking with the Steiner’s are spot on to 14 Mrad. Razor’s track perfectly to 24 Mrad. I have not tested them further.
I strongly believe that the Razor is definitely worth the extra coin. For what little it may actually matter when it comes to functionality and durability, the Gen 2 Razor feels much more robust given the weight and overall feel and performance of the controls. I love the T5XI turret design but the Razor’s turrets feel much more crisp and robust. I’m a fan of locking turrets but with the Gen 2 Razor or Steiner rev indicators, I don’t ever get lost. Razor is easier to settle behind, less CA, more forgiving parallax, parallax references are accurate, ability to achieve perfect zero. To me, image quality through the Razor is higher than that of the T5XI. I have a much easier time picking out details at 1,200+ yards through heavy mirage as well as dark, overcast days with the Gen 2 Razor.
The Steiner’s parallax is finicky and the distance references become so far off past 100 meters that I don’t pay any attention to where the references line up. (Parallax free at 800 yards is 400 yards on the knob) This may not mean much to some but when time is a constraint and the references are accurate, things can go smoother in a high pressure situation. Personally, I always adjust while looking down range to read wind and remove parallax correctly so the references mean little to me.
I’ve dealt with Vortex’s CS over a Gen 1 Razor 5-20 and Gen 1 PST 6-24 ffp. Through both transactions, they couldn’t have made it a better experience. Setup to send it back was a breeze. Call Vortex, they tell you to fill out the online form, print it, put it in box with scope and send it. Turn around on the PST for a canted reticle was 1 week. The Gen 1 Razor went back for a loose ocular housing. Turn around time was 2 weeks. For both instances they kept me updated along the way and when they shipped it back to me.
I will add that one of the Steiners was defective out of the box. Rotation indicator inside the elevation turret was binding hard and began shearing the Cam pin that is fixed to the turret housing. Sent it back for warranty and it was little over a month turn around. I cannot say I’ve had the same pleasant experience with Steiner CS. It was a small hassle to set up the return. There was a 24hr processing period before they even sent me a RMA. On the RMA it states that I will receive periodic emails keeping me updated along the way. They did not update me at all along the way or that they had even received the scope until two days before they shipped it back. Upon receiving the scope from Warranty, I noticed that the feel of the elevation turret was not as crisp as it was before or as crisp as the other T5XI 5-25 that was purchased at the same time.
Since repair, that T5XI has performed as expected when compared to another T5XI that is working properly (minus the mushy elevation turret). I don’t plan to get rid of either Steiner but also don’t plan to buy another T-series. I think the T-series is an excellent scope in the $1,500 range but when compared to the Gen 2 Razor, the T5XI leaves more to be desired.
