Vortex Razor LHT HD 4.5-22X50 , 2nd thoughts

[Lexyallen2]

Aloha from Hawaii-

Last year was good, so I decided to treat myself to a better scope.
I researched for months and decided on the Vortex Razor LHT HD 4.5-22X50.
However, I'm just not "wowed" by it. It's a fine scope, but, it's not head and shoulders above my Arken Optics SH4 4x16x50, Sightron S-tac 4x16x42, Leupold VX-3HD 4.5-14x40 or even my Vortex Diamondback HP 4x16x42.
The best features of my Vortex Razor HD LHT 4.5-22x50mm are it's light weight, generous eyebox, FFP Christmas tree style reticle and reasonable price.
But, the glass and clarity seem exactly the same of the scopes I listed above. I've got great backdrops from my backyard to compare: a building at 1000 yards, a neighbor's window at 500 yards, and heavy brush at 300 yards.... in all of my scopes, everything just looks good, clear and crisp.
I was expecting some big surprise of clarity for over $1000 razor, but, anti-climatically, the glass seemed similar to my other scopes.
Not much better, & definitely not worse, but definitely not night and day.
Maybe my expectations were too high.
Can anyone please share their experiences with their Vortex Razor HD LHT 4.5-22X50 and hopefully sway my 2nd guessing???

These were the contenders:

MARK 5HD 5-25X56 M1C3 FFP PR2-MOA

TORIC UHD 30mm 4-20X50 FFP MOA PRS

Element Nexus EHR-1D 5-20 FFP MOA

Zeiss conquest-v4-6-24x50 zbi 68

NIGHTFORCE ATACR F1 4-20X50 MOA-XT

I ultimately choose the Vortex Razor HD LHT 4.5-22X50 because of its great reviews, light weight, reasonable price and reticle.

Oh yeah, I guess it helps to know my intended use:

I wanted an all purpose/ crossover scope: something I could put on my AR-10 or AR-15 for target/ precision shooting, but also, more importantly, a scope I could have on my rifle for an emergency/ bugout situation. A long range, family defense scope...something I could hunt with it, or stop potential threats from 500 yards out (for example, in an SHTF scenario, and it was clear the bad guys were on your trail and up to know good-.... like a capable, lighter weight, lookout scope).
so....
How's your Razor working for you? Do you think I made the best purchase?

 

[jbell]

IMO there is nothing out there that compares to the weight, features, quality, and price (mainly the weight).

 

[st1650]

Sold mine after I got it. I just decided to suck up the weight and go with a Athlon ETR 3-18. It’s infinitely better in every metric except the weight.

 

[jbell]

Maybe I got a good one…

 

[Lexyallen2]

Sold mine after I got it. I just decided to suck up the weight and go with a Athlon ETR 3-18. It’s infinitely better in every metric except the weight.

Wow... so, you could tell a big difference with the Athlon glass?

 

[FuhQ]

Aloha from Hawaii-

Last year was good, so I decided to treat myself to a better scope.
I researched for months and decided on the Vortex Razor LHT HD 4.5-22X50.
However, I'm just not "wowed" by it. It's a fine scope, but, it's not head and shoulders above my Arken Optics SH4 4x16x50, Sightron S-tac 4x16x42, Leupold VX-3HD 4.5-14x40 or even my Vortex Diamondback HP 4x16x42.
The best features of my Vortex Razor HD LHT 4.5-22x50mm are it's light weight, generous eyebox, FFP Christmas tree style reticle and reasonable price.
But, the glass and clarity seem exactly the same of the scopes I listed above. I've got great backdrops from my backyard to compare: a building at 1000 yards, a neighbor's window at 500 yards, and heavy brush at 300 yards.... in all of my scopes, everything just looks good, clear and crisp.
I was expecting some big surprise of clarity for over $1000 razor, but, anti-climatically, the glass seemed similar to my other scopes.
Not much better, & definitely not worse, but definitely not night and day.
Maybe my expectations were too high.
Can anyone please share their experiences with their Vortex Razor HD LHT 4.5-22X50 and hopefully sway my 2nd guessing???

These were the contenders:

MARK 5HD 5-25X56 M1C3 FFP PR2-MOA

TORIC UHD 30mm 4-20X50 FFP MOA PRS

Element Nexus EHR-1D 5-20 FFP MOA

Zeiss conquest-v4-6-24x50 zbi 68

NIGHTFORCE ATACR F1 4-20X50 MOA-XT

I ultimately choose the Vortex Razor HD LHT 4.5-22X50 because of its great reviews, light weight, reasonable price and reticle.

Oh yeah, I guess it helps to know my intended use:

I wanted an all purpose/ crossover scope: something I could put on my AR-10 or AR-15 for target/ precision shooting, but also, more importantly, a scope I could have on my rifle for an emergency/ bugout situation. A long range, family defense scope...something I could hunt with it, or stop potential threats from 500 yards out (for example, in an SHTF scenario, and it was clear the bad guys were on your trail and up to know good-.... like a capable, lighter weight, lookout scope).
so....
How's your Razor working for you? Do you think I made the best purchase?

Zeiss Conquest V4 6-24x50 ZBR #68 is an awesome scope! I have 3 of them on hunting rifles, but with the ZMOA-1 reticle and the exposed elevation turrets. Solid and positive turrets, lightweight, excellent glass and coatings, lots of travel (80 MOA) and when used with a 20MOA base, you can retain virtually all of the internal travel of the scope because it will bring the zero at 100 near the bottom, which is nice to have for LR shooting and hunting. I can HIGHLY recommend them.

Also, it's a bit of a chonky boi, but the Kahles K318i is an amazing scope! I just went and zero'd mine today. The glass is supreme (as one would expect from Kahles), the turrets are amazing, the zero-stop is on a cam system and is stupid-easy to set so it won't slip, the mag ring is as smooth as if its on rails, 34mm tube, lots of internal adjustment, lets in TONS of light, amazing lens coatings. Can't say enough good things. Now, it's expensive...But IMO worth it. I actually just swapped my Zeiss V4 off of that rifle to put the K318i on it. I will still be keeping the V4 and it will go on another rifle.

Here's the one I got. I got it from EuroOptic. Give them a call and talk to Clay Hawkins.

Kahles K318i 3.5-18x50 CCW SKMR3 w-right Riflescope 10633

FREE SHIPPING on Kahles K318i 3.5-18x50 CCW SKMR3 w-right Riflescope 10633

www.eurooptic.com

 

[owtlaw]

I use the LHT on my deer and elk rifle. Thus far I have been totally satisfied with it. Price and weight are tough to beat on a scope in this class.

 

[JDB55]

Sample size of 1 vs 1, but the comments between the comparison of the Razor 4.5-22 and the March 3-24, especially considering the price difference are interesting.

I have one, I love it. Ive had cheaper sub 1k optics, it's better then them for sure. Is it mind blowingly better? No. There is a difference though, if you jump up another category of scope class($2k-3k class) there will be another incremental jump but it won't be mind blowing either.

At a certain point, your paying for those incremental step ups, it depends on you and your budget if it's worth it.

The only thing I wish about the Razor is that it was a 3-18 or 3.5-20 for a bigger FOV and it didn't have the push button illumination (but that's a reason it's lightweight). It fits a roll, one that I wanted a needed... excellent glass, lightweight and (so far) durable on a .308 gasser with an offset.

 

[Lexyallen2]

Sample size of 1 vs 1, but the comments between the comparison of the Razor 4.5-22 and the March 3-24, especially considering the price difference are interesting.

I have one, I love it. Ive had cheaper sub 1k optics, it's better then them for sure. Is it mind blowing better? No. There is a difference though, if you jump up another category of scope class($2k-3k class) there will be another incremental jump but it won't be mind blowing either.

At a certain point, your paying for those incremental step ups, it's depends on you and your budget if it's worth it.

The only thing I wish about the Razor is that it was a 3-18 or 3.5-20 for a bigger FOV and it didn't have the push button illumination (but that's a reason it's lightweight). It fits a roll, one that I wanted a needed... excellent glass, lightweight and (so far) durable on a .308 gasser with an offset.

Thanks for the reply... I hear ya.... incremental step ups vs increased benefits.... it reaches a point of diminishing marginal returns ....

 

[Scopeye]

Thanks for the reply... I hear ya.... incremental step ups vs increased benefits.... it reaches a point of diminishing marginal returns ....

The Chinese Athlon Ares BTR G2 4.5-27x50 currently on sale for $565.49 at Walmart online with free shipping and free returns have better image quality and better feeling turrets than your Japanese Vortex Razor LHT. Overall construction doesn't seem to be in the same league either regardless when comparing Japan vs Chinese scopes and the Athlon is closer to the construction of the Japanese Vortex Golden Eagle (which I also have) instead of the Razor LHT.

Even the cheaper budget priced Japan made Tract Tekoa 4-16x with German Schott glass is clearer and has better feeling turrets for around $560 regular price with the tall turrets zero stop and sunshade kit. Weighs around the same and it's a SFP with BDC reticle option and no illumination. Overall build quality is about the same regardless of price difference.

You'd be really surprised how nice the Chinese HD glass used in Athlon's Midas HD line and up (Midas BTR G2, Midas Tac, Ares BTR G2) have which are noticeably clearer than their competition even if the other brands state they "supposedly" use ED glass or XD or Japanese glass, Athlon's Chinese HD glass sure looks a lot clearer without the white fog or haze or milkiness that other brands tend to exhibit on high magnification at long distances. If you think the
Arken SH4 and even the EP5 is clear then the Athlon Ares BTR G2 literally blows them both away in sheer image quality and significantly less chance you would actually need to send it in for warranty compared to Arken.

I wouldn't doubt the Chinese Athlon Ares ETRs would automatically have significantly superior Chinese UHD glass compared to the Japanese Vortex Razor LHTs as well. The Athlon Ares ETR was marketed to directly compete with the Vortex Razor Gen 2 4.5-27x50 for nearly half the price. I have the top of the line Japan made Athlon Cronus and it's clearer than the Vortex Razor Gen 2 and of course clearer than the Ares BTR G2 and ETR but not by much you probably wouldn't notice the difference unless you have them all side by side to compare.

You won't be happy with the Element Nexus 5-20x50. IMHO it's even more of a blatant waste of money than buying your Razor LHT.

You also won't be happy with the Japan made Tract Toric 4-20x50 either regardless if they use German Schott glass in this specific scope Is call it a fail especially since I previously owned 2 of them and got rid of both after buying my first Chinese Athlon Ares BTR G2 4.5-27x50. It was just night and day better regardless if it's Chinese (even I was stunned after comparing all side by side) and I actually prefer Japan made scopes from LOW. The higher power top of the line Tract Toric 4.5-30x56 model is one I actually decided to keep since it too was night and day better than their 4-20x50 version. Both of my 4-20x50 Tract Toric with German Schott glass somehow wasn't as clear and they were too heavy and sorely lacked elevation travel when compared to the lighter weight Ares BTR G2 with 85MOA 25MILs total elevation travel vs 65MOA 20MILs on the Torics while all have 30mm tubes BTW.

What I won't recommend is buying any scope line or models which are below Athlon Midas HD line that don't have Athlon's HD glass such as the Argos which I feel is kind of sucky in glass and image quality nor would I ever ever recommend paying regular street prices for any Athlon or any other brands of Chinese made scopes. They can always be purchased for significantly less than typical street prices regardless if you're Law enforcement, military, or first responders you just have to know who and where to buy from unless you really like paying full price for all your stuff. Markups are insanely huge especially on Chinese made scopes and optics and certain brands that have extremely huge profit margins. I personally wouldn't buy an Athlon Ares ETR because they're still made in China and justifying spending more than $600 for any scope that's made in China is simply not worth it to me when you could instead get a better quality Meopta Optika 5 or 6 or SWFA or Tract Optics (BUT NOT their 4-20x50 model though) which aren't Chinese.