Rifle Scopes Vortex 3-15 HD LH

[dhbwa]

I’ve not been much of a Vortex fan but must admit the 3-15 HD LH G2 is pretty impressive for straight out hunting.

To me the glass is right there with the Bushy LRTS and it only weighs 16oz.
Not meant for dialing but with that reticle I can go as long as I need.

Thoughts??

 

[AznTactical]

I just compared that same scope to a Swarovski Z3 4-12x50 last night at Scheels. With both scopes at 4X's then 12X's power they were identical at seeing features on a fake tree's leaves and trunk on the other side of the store. For now I'm giving the Vortex Razor the edge because it has a wider range of magnification so now I'm looking for one for my hunting gun.

 

[Chargerguy]

I picked up a couple of these with the HSR-4 reticle when Cabelas was blowing them out in their bargain cave. Very impressed with them so far.

 

[Bevan]

Wish it was FFP.

 

[Just Macca]

Wish it was FFP.

Me to. But then it'd probably be 20oz+

 

[ChrisAU]

One of my favorite hunting scopes. Rinella could use any Vortex product he wanted, watch the last season of his show and he has one on every rifle.

 

[Rancid Coolaid]

I just compared that same scope to a Swarovski Z3 4-12x50 last night at Scheels. With both scopes at 4X's then 12X's power they were identical at seeing features on a fake tree's leaves and trunk on the other side of the store. For now I'm giving the Vortex Razor the edge because it has a wider range of magnification so now I'm looking for one for my hunting gun.

As long as you only hunt in that store, and you only hold the scope up to your eye and never mount it, and they never turn the lights off, this should be sufficient for testing the effectiveness of the specified optics in their specified roles.

I've never been a fan of the bay window test and you just dialed that shit up to 11.

 

[AznTactical]

I've never been a fan of the bay window test and you just dialed that shit up to 11.

You're absolutely right so that's why I was at Scheel's testing them at 8:45pm aiming at a fake tree and the ceiling's rafters that was in the shadow's of the skylights. It was dark enough that you could NOT see the tree trunk with the naked eye.
Both scopes were mounted to an optics test rifle replica too.

 

[Rancid Coolaid]

My being an asshole sometimes precludes the transfer of valuable information, let me try again:

You hunt outdoors in wildly varying lighting conditions. In a store, with a mix of artificial/natural light, and your eyes accustomed to a well-lit area while looking at a not-well-lit area - that has no relevance to hunting. Unless you point a light at yourself before/during your glassing dark woods.

Dammit, the asshole is coming out again, start over:

Take every opportunity to test optical instruments under conditions same/similar to the usage conditions. Do not evaluate scuba gear while skydiving, do not test television set image quality while spotlighting said television set, and do not try out new pickup lines on your wife prior to a "guys' weekend."

I've spent some time behind that Vortex, good scope for the money; and considerable time behind several Z3s/Z5s/Z6s and the older AVs and PHs. Without spending some time with each side-by-side, I doubt you'd be dissatisfied with either. Spending considerable time with each side-by-side would start to show some pretty significant optical differences.

For my eyes, anyway.

 

[AznTactical]

My being an asshole sometimes precludes the transfer of valuable information, let me try again:

You hunt outdoors in wildly varying lighting conditions. In a store, with a mix of artificial/natural light, and your eyes accustomed to a well-lit area while looking at a not-well-lit area - that has no relevance to hunting. Unless you point a light at yourself before/during your glassing dark woods.

It's ok. I'm used to assholes that tells me that my Gen 1 and Gen II Razors, Viper PST's, Leupold MK4's and Leupold VX3's and VX Patrols are subpar junk or I didn't test them enough. Hell even assholes that's always telling me that my Ford and Toyota's are junk and I should of spent days on end test driving them.

Different lighting from the shooter's location to the target has a huge relevance to my shooting of up to 300yds. It could be from walking in a bright field and seeing deer in the dark shadowy pines from sitting under the shadow's of a tree and seeing deer in my open swamp on a sunny day which is why I choose to head to my local Scheel's after 8:30pm.

Not everybody also has extended "time" to test optics nor will most retailer's allow you to walk outside 15minutes to closing to glass around ESPECIALLY when holding an optics test bed in the shape of rifle stock. I'd have Paul Blart the mall cops all over me if I stood outside with it and was glassing all over the place. I'd love to be able to drive 3 hours to Vortex's new HQ and glass for miles but unfortunately their showroom is only open until 4 or 5pm M-F.

 

[wade2big]

Good thing that riflescopes are aiming devices and nothing more. I would wager that the Razor is plenty clear enough to take game at distances those shots should be taken. A $150 Leupold is so a $800 scope better be.

 

[sako17]

It's one of my favorite scopes. I just wish it had a little heavier or lighted cross hairs.

 

[Langford]

I’ve had a few of the Razor HD LH scopes, they are surprisingly good for the money. I’m not a vortex fanboy, but every scope in the razor line that I’ve owned or used has been very good.

I had a 3-15 for a while, and enjoyed hunting and shooting behind it. I replaced it with a Swaro z8i 2.3-18, which is much better all around...but for 6x the price, it should be. I still have a 2-10 razor had lh on another rifle and love that too. Wish I would have kept the 3-15 for one of my rimfires.

I know it would up the weight and price, but with an illuminated reticle...these would make the near perfect lightweight hunting scope without spending a ton.

 

[wade2big]

It's one of my favorite scopes. I just wish it had a little heavier or lighted cross hairs.

I’ve had a few of the Razor HD LH scopes, they are surprisingly good for the money. I’m not a vortex fanboy, but every scope in the razor line that I’ve owned or used has been very good.

I had a 3-15 for a while, and enjoyed hunting and shooting behind it. I replaced it with a Swaro z8i 2.3-18, which is much better all around...but for 6x the price, it should be. I still have a 2-10 razor had lh on another rifle and love that too. Wish I would have kept the 3-15 for one of my rimfires.

I know it would up the weight and price, but with an illuminated reticle...these would make the near perfect lightweight hunting scope without spending a ton.

I didn’t realize that the reticle is thin. I wonder why they did that on a hunting rifle. Seems like Vortex does that on all their scopes unfortunately. A thicker reticle should be used on a hunting scope to make illumination unnecessary.

On second focal plane scopes with thicker crosshairs I never wanted or needed an illuminated reticle. With FFP scopes, all of mine are illuminated.

 

[Fret]

I like the 3-15 with the G4 reticle. The center dot is 0.35 MOA and the cross hair near the dot is 0.175 MOA so not very thin.

 

[Bevan]

Me to. But then it'd probably be 20oz+

20oz would still be better than 100% of what is on the market currently for a FFP scope