Re: Viper PST 6-24 vs Bushnell Elite 4200 6-24 FFP
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: HOGGHEAD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I may be speaking out of turn. But I am having a hard time believing you guys are going for this Vortex stuff. You are dealing with an import company that has been in business for HOW LONG?? What kind of a long term track record do they really have??
From what you guys say some of their product is pretty good. I do not doubt any of you guys on that. but it still does not make Vortex a Magic Bean?? How many of the $2,000 scopes were actually bought and put through the ringer that some of you guys put them through?? My bet is not very many.
I have been in the sporting good area for close to 40 years. And actually worked in the business for a good part of those years. I have seen a lot of companies like Vortex come and go.
Hopefully for you guys I hope Vortex hangs around. And I hope their products hold up to the standards that you want. But I have read so much about a scope(PST). And it does not even exist yet in the hands of a shooter. I have never heard such hype. No wait a minute I did hear that much hype about a product one time. It was the Ruger P85, and for the guys in the know-you know how that one turned out.
Lordy guys wait a month or two and you will probably buy them for a good bit less. Heck I have seen the new Sightron SIII selling for a couple hundred less than what the first ones sold for.
I do not know for sure about the Vortex scope quality. But their marketing is second to none.
I am probably going to flamed for saying this. And so be it. but I am only saying that I have seen it before.
And before you flame me just think about what I said. I in no way attacked the quality of the Vortex scopes. So don't start on me for that.
But I have seen alot of products over the last 40 years that had lifetime warranties when they were new. And these warranties were worth nothing when the company went out of business 5 or 10 years later!! Just give that a thought before you lay down $1,000 or $2,000 for a scope. Especially when some of you guys use a scope as hard as you do. Just an opinion. Tom. </div></div>
I'll right, I'll respond with some facts that I found out while researching Vortex before I bought my first one.
Vortex is not an import company. They are a family owned company who's founder is a 3 tour Vietnam Vet and has been in the optics business for almost 3 decades. I can't speak to what they did 30 years ago, but now all of their products are designed, R&D'd, tested and serviced in house at their facilities in Middleton, WI. So unlike a lot of their competitors they actually just sub-contract their manufacturing overseas with a number of contractors. Now if they were just going overseas and picking out scopes that were already developed and slapping a Vortex logo on them I might agree with you, but that is not the case.
They've also proven time and time again here that they have customer service unlike I've ever seen and an unheard of warranty too. USO might be close, but they are in a different price point. Several times here I've seen guys asking questions of scopes when someone from Vortex chimes in that a new scope is in the mail to them to remedy a problem. I've also heard stories of free upgrades, shipping paid both ways, etc etc.
Also, I'm curious, if you could kindly give me a list of American scope manufacturers that you think are not "importers", I'd be interested to hear that info too. I'm not saying that Vortex is the best thing since sliced bread, they have their faults I'm sure. What I am saying is that your facts....aren't exactly the facts and should be checked.
Back to the contract manufacturer vs an importer. Damn near EVERY company in America (and worldwide) is a contract manufacturer these days. Do you think these companies all own their own factories or are they contracticing someone else to make a product to their specs? Nike, Dell, SWFA, Nokia, Bushnell, Kitchenaid, Sears, Home Depot....etc etc etc. It's a global economy, it's not about who assembles it anymore, it's about how well and to what spec it's assembled and how the company that sells it stands behind it.
Jason
