Rifle Scopes Valdada IOR Scopes? Are their scopes any good?

[pitdog85]

Thank you.
Very serious and thoughtful words, you got me there.

IOR is very controversial, I saw that Uttings is naming that UK warehouse some times in the comments and that Rex did a bunch of vids, praising the IORs, that made me think a bit they way you mentioned here so cristal clear.

My problem is, that 2000 Euro is quite some money for me, and I want the best scope I can get for it (like we all do).
But now I´m stuck.

I wanted my Tikka to be a "all-utility-rifle", a rifle which can be used for serious target shooting AND hunting situations.
That this always leads to some compromises is clear to me.

For the scope specs, the 4-28x50 IOR would fit this bill almost perfect, as the Delta Stryker 4.5-30 or the Athlon Cronus 4.5-29 do.
Not to big, not to heavy, great zoom ranges, christmas tree reticles and so on.

IOR crap? Delta and Athlon completely unknown here.
Worth 2000 bucks?

None of the premium manufacturers has such scopes.
They seem to have low-magnification and high-magnification scopes, but not really something in the middle.
Well, there are some new ones like the 3-27 S&B or the 3-18 Kahles now, but those are 1000 Euro above my budget and the new Nightforces are almost double the price, with over 4000 Euro here.
My wife would kill me, and she would have the right to do so.

But I don´t really want to put an affordablbe but huge and heavy scope on this rifle.
That´s not my idea what it was meant for.

Thanks so far for your help.

Thanks to all of you.
I will go now and robb a bank or so.

I hear what your saying mate your situation does sounds similar to mine. I'm down here in Australia and like you we pay a premium for scopes and anything gun related usually sometimes twice what the US pays. I have found some company's price better relative to the US then others. For example here the guy bringing in march scopes is a hall of fame benchrester and brings all his products for a reasonable price you can get a march for less than a Nightforce. In the US a vortex razor is well priced where as here not so much.

So for me it pays to look very closely at march scopes based on local markets for you maybe someone there is bringing good in certain scopes for a reasonable price?? Make sure find out who they are do your homework.

 

[Jayjay1]

March is another brand I have no experience with, never saw one in my area.

How would you rate it?

Top notch premium like S&B, Nightforce or Kahles, or somewhat below?

 

[jonthomps]

There's lots of great, reliable choices out there. Pick a different scope manufacturer.

 

[Vargmat]

Why is this discussion still going? IOR plain sucks for the price they are asking.
I dont mean to sound anything else but frank and up front, but what do you associate Romania with? It sure as shit wont be precision engineering and quality craftsmanship. Im leaning more towards poverty and prostitution.

 

[pitdog85]

March is another brand I have no experience with, never saw one in my area.

How would you rate it?

Top notch premium like S&B, Nightforce or Kahles, or somewhat below?

I've never used or seen any these premium scopes and never will I live remote and will have to order over the net. From all accounts march is very highly regarded in the f class and bench rest world but not quite as well liked in the prs/snipers hide world.

 

[CarCrusher]

My new RECON 4-28 FFP sits on my Ballista in a Spuhr mount. Bucket-List rifle (don't hang me out as a silver spoon kid).
I don't have a LOT of time behind it (3 sessions) since time is so tight for me this year, but I have been nothing but impressed with the glass (and weapon). I set up a plywood 4x8 that I had grid off into mil radian lines (centimeters) and the scope tracked to 30 Mils dead-on with the rifle locked into a bench vise. I fired 3 rounds and they all went thru nearly the same hole at 100M. Dialed it all the way down to 30 and repeated the string of rounds with a new target. Same result. Went to 800M and the 3 shot string stayed on a 10" pie plate. Wind started coming up so we packed it in for the day.
Next time out we spray painted a bulldozer blade at the abandoned brick plant and went to 1,200M. Dialing the scope all over and TRYING to find fault in the tracking and it gave 10" 3 shot string results.
I'm still breaking in the Ballista barrel but I am blown away by this accuracy. Rounds are Fedral Gold Match 250 gray BTHP.
The reason I bought the scope was that huge elevation adjustment and I could shoot dead on at 400 but adjust all the way to subsonic (1900M) for the round I'm using.
I don't think I made a purchase mistake. Time will tell, I'm sure, to see if it can take this recoil and those FN receiver harmonics. The rig seems solid so far..........

 

[phillip61]

I just bought the new 4.8x30 Recon FFP, the thing is fantastic.

 

[AGrizz]

I am interested in getting the VALDADA-IOR 9-36 X 44 SOUDER FFP MIL/MIL. I just want to know if they make any good scopes before I spend $2400 on this thing.

I have 2 ea 2.5 - 10 Tactical with the MP - 8 retical. To make a long story short one scope was returned to IOR for repairs. Which they did and I still have an issue with the power adjustment ring binding when I change power. The real problem for me was the fact that the scope was gone for "17 months". That is correct 1 1/2 years. I have tried to sell these however there are no takers for a good reason. The next issue these will see the bottom of a trash can only. Stay away from them as far as possible.

 

[Jayjay1]

Thanks for all your infos and support.

Just to much "repair-stories" about the IOR for my taste.
Actually the IORs are much more cheaper over here than in the USA and the ways are shorter to Romania, I´m out of the IOR train.

S&B or Kahles are now on my list, the Vortex Razor is to expensive over here and to heavy in my mind.

 

[phillip61]

Never seen any "repair stories" on any of the 40mm main tube models on here or any other site.

 

[Dirty8404]

Never seen any "repair stories" on any of the 40mm main tube models on here or any other site.

An old senior chief once told me when I was in the service, “ you can build bridges all your life and you’re a bridge builder, but you suck one cock and you’re a dick-sucker.”

Well, IOR has sucked a lot of cock.

 

[Konarex]

I have used a Valdada Recon G2 at 7 matches during the 2018 PRS season. It has been the best scope I have ever used. I own Schmidt and Bender, Nightforce, Leopold Mark 5, Vortex Gen II Razor and Bushnell HDMR. The Recon G2 has been more reliable and durable than any of my other scopes. To my eyes it is brighter and more clear than all but the Schmidt which it is equivalent. It's made in Japan at the same factory as Nightforce. No more Romanian build issues. I have read about all the problems that people have had with IOR. I haven't experienced any of them. It has been a great scope for me.

 

[Jayjay1]

I´ve never heard or read more controversal comments about a scope, than as I did about the Valdada IORs - period.

 

[phillip61]

I have used a Valdada Recon G2 at 7 matches during the 2018 PRS season. It has been the best scope I have ever used. I own Schmidt and Bender, Nightforce, Leopold Mark 5, Vortex Gen II Razor and Bushnell HDMR. The Recon G2 has been more reliable and durable than any of my other scopes. To my eyes it is brighter and more clear than all but the Schmidt which it is equivalent. It's made in Japan at the same factory as Nightforce. No more Romanian build issues. I have read about all the problems that people have had with IOR. I haven't experienced any of them. It has
been a great scope for me.

...........I just got mine sighted in last week, I have a match the 8th. .....so far so good.

 

[Bender]

I have used a Valdada Recon G2 at 7 matches during the 2018 PRS season. It has been the best scope I have ever used. I own Schmidt and Bender, Nightforce, Leopold Mark 5, Vortex Gen II Razor and Bushnell HDMR. The Recon G2 has been more reliable and durable than any of my other scopes. To my eyes it is brighter and more clear than all but the Schmidt which it is equivalent. It's made in Japan at the same factory as Nightforce. No more Romanian build issues. I have read about all the problems that people have had with IOR. I haven't experienced any of them. It has been a great scope for me.

It’s because IOR didn’t even make the G2. Its made in Japan.

PS. The G2 is a good scope. I would rock one.

 

[cageli]

I picked up one Recon g1, made in Romania IOR, and I like it a lot. But I don’t recommend it for match/hunt/battle use. Treat it like a toy, you will be fine. When everyone tells you: don’t fuck the porcupine, I just want to fuck one and makes me feel different. This is it.

 

[Bkultra]

So what's it like fucking a porcupine? Asking for a friend

 

[cageli]

So what's it like fucking a porcupine? Asking for a friend

warm, fuzzy, pointed orgasm.

 

[airdog99]

I've been running the IOR Recon 4-28x50 on my Tikka Tac A1 for over a year now with close to 1800 rounds downrange and its tracking perfect... I generally shoot 100-600 yards but recently got to stretch its legs out to 1000 yards. I've been impressed and have already decided to saddle my next .338 Lapua build in January with the new Valdada Recon G2. I had no experience with any IOR scopes prior to the Recon models. Maybe they were garbage and had problems in the past but it seems like they figured it out a few years ago with the Recon. It's been an excellent scope for me so far and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one. For the sake of keeping this post short and not retyping my reasoning for choosing the Recon you can read more here -> https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/recommendations-for-a-2500-budget.6750207/post-6777246

 

[phillip61]

FFP scope I just got the Gen 2 , the first FFP scope I have owed. It's been nothing short of outstanding since the day I got it. There is actually people on this site that take offense to people talking good about IORs. So I'm sure you will get some heat, but if you're anything like me sometimes I find it hard to hit my targets with that big ass grin on my face every time I look through it.

 

[mikeinfwa]

I have a 4-14x 30mm tactical SFP scope that the ocular lens fell out of. I sent the scope in 3 weeks ago and didn't hear anything. I called to see if it even arrived or was logged into the system. I spoke to Val who seemed nice and surprised that an ocular lens fell out of its mounts. He said that he would check into it for me ... if it takes him 7 months to sort this out ...

What I just learned is that I need to call once a week ...

I had the SAME experience 20 years ago with a 2.5 x 10

 

[mikeinfwa]

I also had a bad experience with repairs on my straight 10X scope. It's a 20 year old scope which began having tracking issues around the max distance settings. Once I ran it to max revolution it would screw up the settings in the 600 - 900 range.
I did a box test and noticed the reticle would stop moving then resume at the 600-900 settings.

Sent scope in for repairs.. got it back a month later ... Same ficked up tracking problem.

Now the scope sits in basement collecting dust as a paper weight

 

[JGus]

I recently traded for an IOR Valdada 1.5-8x26 35mm older model. I come from the world of pistol competitions (USPSA) so other than hunting my knowledge of rifle scopes is limited. It's in great shape. Came with two sets of 35mm rings. Put it on an 18" .223 wylde AR15 for hunting. The trade value was approximately $900. I knew very little about this brand, but after some Google research it seemed like a good scope. I've only sighted it in at 100 yards, but seems to be doing just fine so far. But now after reading this thread I have some trader's remorse. For the trade value ($900) and for the purpose of just hunting, did I make a bad trade or should it be ok?

 

[Deleted member 10043]

You're okay. Most of the bad press here is just part of the company language.

 

[Jackomason]

BUT....Rex says...........

Just spoted my first THEIS post without

Hi, sincerely and Theis.

Dont know how to say this but... thanks for the IOR thread?

 

[THEIS]

Just spoted my girst THEIS post without

Hi, sincerely and Theis.

Dont know how to say this but... thanks for the IOR thread?

Hi,

There are a few of them floating around lol.....Kinda like "Easter Eggs" hidden within a website.

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[Cbmax]

Stupid is as stupid does. Evaluate the scope on your own. Do the research. Does it work for your intended purpose?

What I wouldn’t do is listen to people that have a pre-disposition against a brand and that everything they make sucks!

Have a spine

 

[Dthomas3523]

Stupid is as stupid does. Evaluate the scope on your own. Do the research. Does it work for your intended purpose?

What I wouldn’t do is listen to people that have a pre-disposition against a brand and that everything they make sucks!

Have a spine

Good way to lose 40% or more if you don’t like it.

 

[Bender]

Yes.....IOR fan boys are the best.

Others talk bad about your scope?

 

[Discogodfather]

In Europe you can get an IOR for 30-40% less than what Valdada sells them for. They also have big optical houses like opticstrade and opticswarehouse (that will not sell to US customers) that basically operate like their US equivalents: 30 day returns and no questions asked. I think a lot of problems are solved by that retailer system, which is totally missing here in the USA. If you could get one of the 40mm body scopes here in the US for $2000 and it had a retailer to back it up with a policy of "ship the next one on the shelf" maybe things would a be different.

Ironic thing is even with 40mm tubes IOR's do not have industry leading elevation ranges. That at least partly shows the level of quality of their optical/mechanical engineering. They are super heavy and finished pretty poorly and yet things fall off all the time.

Richard Utting runs a ELR school in GB and it's legit, but it's not some kind of elite tactical academy. It's basically a group of hunters that have a passion for shooting around 1500-2000 yards with non-super calibers (the 375's and 408's and 416's don't exist there like they do here). They also shoot in mostly cold weather situations, not in deserts or in harsher conditions found in the USA. Combination of those factors might be why he doesn't see more breakages and problems. Like most EU customers they can send their stuff back to Romania as if we were to send something to another State, easy and cheap.

Valdada has the worst rep in terms of service and dealing with problems possible, historically. They also are pivoting off their Romanian ties and using JOL or some optical company in Japan to produce the G2, which is basically a cookie cutter scope shoehorned into a 40mm body. I can't see how this improves Val's relationship with Romania, I am sure IOR isn't thrilled. The name IOR appears no where on that scope or in any marketing I have seen, it's strictly a Valdada.

I just don't see how the higher end 40mm scopes sell for so much here in the States compared to Europe. Does it cost a $1000 to import each scope? Add the lack of customer support to that, and it's totally baffling.

 

[Cbmax]

Disco, do you actually own any IOR Valada scopes?

Have you seen the Terminator 12-52X56? It has a SFP reticle, 40mm tube and loads of elevation.

Glass is second to none, MP 8 Extreme reticle is fantastic and the turrets are definitely repeatable.

I will not be personally taking mine into combat or even harsh conditions. It’s a range queen and a prairie dog rig.

I got mine for under $3K. I purchased it from a very well known US retailer that I have known to stand behind the products they sell. Your assumptions on customer service in the present time is simply not factual.

If you ever become a mercenary or soldier of fortune and you break an IOR Valada scope, please let everyone know.

 

[supercorndogs]

The club of people with broken IOR scopes is not small, and most of them did not see hard use, most of them fell apart.

Come on Cbmax, I know you want to say it, just say it, Schott glass bro.

 

[Discogodfather]

Disco, do you actually own any IOR Valada scopes?

Have you seen the Terminator 12-52X56? It has a SFP reticle, 40mm tube and loads of elevation.

Glass is second to none, MP 8 Extreme reticle is fantastic and the turrets are definitely repeatable.

I will not be personally taking mine into combat or even harsh conditions. It’s a range queen and a prairie dog rig.

I got mine for under $3K. I purchased it from a very well known US retailer that I have known to stand behind the products they sell. Your assumptions on customer service in the present time is simply not factual.

If you ever become a mercenary or soldier of fortune and you break an IOR Valada scope, please let everyone know.

I have an older 9-36 x 56mm, the 35mm tube version. It's never given me any problems but I shoot at the range in the best possible conditions and baby it.

Richard recommended the Terminator to me years ago so I was very interested for a second, I had the Schmidt 12-50 at the time. Got tired of trying to track one down, Mike at CS didn't have them in stock at the time (who is the only US distributor I would buy from). Went the March route for a high mag instead.

A friend here in SF has a Recon and I played with it and it's been good to him. He has a great story about dealing with Val, which he thinks was crucial to getting a good one.

 

[Paul_R]

Don't have any experience with their scopes but I do have experience with their non existent customer service...

 

[phillip61]

I guess I've been lucky. I got a 3.5-18 on a custom 308. A Terminator on my F-class rig, and the new Recon Gen II on my PRS rig. Never had an issue with a single one of them. The 3.5-18 is 7-8 years old, the terminator is 6 years old. All I hear is all these horror stories. I don't doubt what people say, but they don't need to doubt me either.

 

[Primus]

How many prs matches you got under your belt using it?

 

[Long Range 338]

How many prs matches you got under your belt using it?

OMG, don't feed it....

 

[Bender]

Some things do not need a necromancer.

 

[acudaowner]

not sure about the other scopes they make , but for the crusader 5.8x40x56 40mm i can say positively its the nicest rifle scope i have looked through and shot so far , and the view is just amazing , clear , easy on the eye my eye at least , built nice n heavy and when picked up on sale for 3k free shipping and rings , and 2 years later i have not regretted that decision once yet . but that is my opinion all companies make lemons from time to time even on the same production line. it is a shame not being able to see through it with your own eyes till after you paid for an item , but that's life . They do not have the vortex lifetime warranty but 15 years is not so bad if your not using things as a hammer .

 

[Cat64]

Why is this discussion still going? IOR plain sucks for the price they are asking.
I dont mean to sound anything else but frank and up front, but what do you associate Romania with? It sure as shit wont be precision engineering and quality craftsmanship. Im leaning more towards poverty and prostitution.

That comment is very insensitive and shows lack of knowleadge and understanding about Romania. Please tell me you at least have been there once to be qualified for such a remark. This is a discussion about scopes not about social and ethical issues of other nations....especially when one doesn’t have first hand experience in the matter.

 

[phillip61]

about 7 or 8.

 

[Rogerthatout]

Wow. I got a RECON 4 to 28. I absolutely love it. Tracks great, the scope is awesome. Val has been great to me.

Show me a scope with more power in a smaller overall package, inline paralox adjustment and it tracks perfectly. I can dial up to 28power in my basement and at 8 yards away I can read warning labels on a medicine label better than if I held it in my hand.

I've looked through many high-end scopes, never have seen a more forgiving eye box, it's so approachable ...it has spoiled me.

Here is where guys will think I'm crazy.

Recently I've been shooting PRS and so I wanted to upgrade my reticle and decided to go all-in and try a tangent theta 5-25. Now the TT may be a better scope with bragging rights for lifetime warranty and feature rich.... I get it and I wanted all that but honestly, after getting it in my hands I couldnt take off my IOR. My eye placement was so much more critical and less forgiving on the TT. The reticle was so fine on the TT, I felt I would be forced to shoot higher magnifications just to see my holdovers. I really wanted the upgrade....wow tooless zero, locking eye piece, lifetime warranty, I want all that, but at the end of the movie I'm struggling to take off my ior just for more subtensions.
I have not made my final decision yet, but my point here is that this RECON has spoiled me. I dont regret this scope one bit, now I'm loving it even more after comparing it to a $4 700 scope. Grrr

 

[koshkin]

IOR vs Tangent Theta. I think that's a first.

ILya

 

[W54/XM-388]

IOR vs Tangent Theta. I think that's a first.
ILya

This looks to have the potential to become an epic popcorn worthy fanboy debate.... Let the games begin, we wish to be entertained.

 

[Dthomas3523]

Wow. I got a RECON 4 to 28. I absolutely love it. Tracks great, the scope is awesome. Val has been great to me.

Show me a scope with more power in a smaller overall package, inline paralox adjustment and it tracks perfectly. I can dial up to 28power in my basement and at 8 yards away I can read warning labels on a medicine label better than if I held it in my hand.

I've looked through many high-end scopes, never have seen a more forgiving eye box, it's so approachable ...it has spoiled me.

Here is where guys will think I'm crazy.

Recently I've been shooting PRS and so I wanted to upgrade my reticle and decided to go all-in and try a tangent theta 5-25. Now the TT may be a better scope with bragging rights for lifetime warranty and feature rich.... I get it and I wanted all that but honestly, after getting it in my hands I couldnt take off my IOR. My eye placement was so much more critical and less forgiving on the TT. The reticle was so fine on the TT, I felt I would be forced to shoot higher magnifications just to see my holdovers. I really wanted the upgrade....wow tooless zero, locking eye piece, lifetime warranty, I want all that, but at the end of the movie I'm struggling to take off my ior just for more subtensions.
I have not made my final decision yet, but my point here is that this RECON has spoiled me. I dont regret this scope one bit, now I'm loving it even more after comparing it to a $4 700 scope. Grrr

Holy shit, this thread is about to get awesome.

Tagging the fuck in.

 

[THEIS]

 

[acudaowner]

depending on which ior you were looking at and the price point of that scope I would buy another in a second again depending on the price . would I pay 4k for any of them probably not but when i got mine the atacr's were in the 4k range the sNB 5400 the extra scope range i got in my crusader 5.8x40x56 40mm for 3k was just too nice a deal to pass up now all the prices have come down and its a year or so later its still a great buy for the usable mag and that view hell yea . a good deal is only a good deal if it is what you want . I still want an atacr one day and as well the snb and tangent but i can wait , though id probably have to have a new house to live and store all the new guns in . I would not rule out delta as well that 5x50x56 stryker is pretty sweet at 1600 + unless stopped in customs then its 1800 + and that stinks its not quite as nice as the ior but its close .

 

[koshkin]

depending on which ior you were looking at and the price point of that scope I would buy another in a second again depending on the price . would I pay 4k for any of them probably not but when i got mine the atacr's were in the 4k range the sNB 5400 the extra scope range i got in my crusader 5.8x40x56 40mm for 3k was just too nice a deal to pass up now all the prices have come down and its a year or so later its still a great buy for the usable mag and that view hell yea . a good deal is only a good deal if it is what you want . I still want an atacr one day and as well the snb and tangent but i can wait , though id probably have to have a new house to live and store all the new guns in . I would not rule out delta as well that 5x50x56 stryker is pretty sweet at 1600 + unless stopped in customs then its 1800 + and that stinks its not quite as nice as the ior but its close .

You can get the Stryker from EdgunWest without having to go through customs:
https://www.edgunwest.com/store/scopes/item/delta-stryker-hd-5-50x56-sfp/

ILya

 

[Primus]

Wow. I got a RECON 4 to 28. I absolutely love it. Tracks great, the scope is awesome. Val has been great to me.

Show me a scope with more power in a smaller overall package, inline paralox adjustment and it tracks perfectly. I can dial up to 28power in my basement and at 8 yards away I can read warning labels on a medicine label better than if I held it in my hand.

I've looked through many high-end scopes, never have seen a more forgiving eye box, it's so approachable ...it has spoiled me.

Here is where guys will think I'm crazy.

Recently I've been shooting PRS and so I wanted to upgrade my reticle and decided to go all-in and try a tangent theta 5-25. Now the TT may be a better scope with bragging rights for lifetime warranty and feature rich.... I get it and I wanted all that but honestly, after getting it in my hands I couldnt take off my IOR. My eye placement was so much more critical and less forgiving on the TT. The reticle was so fine on the TT, I felt I would be forced to shoot higher magnifications just to see my holdovers. I really wanted the upgrade....wow tooless zero, locking eye piece, lifetime warranty, I want all that, but at the end of the movie I'm struggling to take off my ior just for more subtensions.
I have not made my final decision yet, but my point here is that this RECON has spoiled me. I dont regret this scope one bit, now I'm loving it even more after comparing it to a $4 700 scope. Grrr

So you happen to bench 275?

 

[Rogerthatout]

Holy shit, this thread is about to get awesome.

Tagging the fuck in.

ROFLAO