Certainly not a cheap knock off!
Check out the Vortex VMX3.
Anyone who has read the reviews on Vortex items or better yet used them extensively would hardly classify them as a cheap knock off as they most certainly are not! Vortex is a US company with products made in the USA, the Phillipines and Japan. They have great service, an awesome warranty and the quality of their optics is comparable to those twice their price.
This part may be a little off topic but here goes....As I mentioned before, when you have Leupold and Nightforce dealers such as Rick at ATRS singing their praises (re: product quality and optical clarity) there must be something to it. I run three Vortex Strikefires, two Sparcs and have just installed my second Vortex PST scope. All great quality items (though the screw in magnifier produces somewhat of a fishbowl effect).
Just in case your wondering... I also run Nightforce and Leupold LRT scopes too. The Vortex is truly a great scope. I would not hesitate to put it on par with the Leupold LRT series. I do not need a $2400 scope on each of my rifles so if I do not need a NF scope I will install a Vortex PST. As a matter of fact I will now be using Vortex PST's over the Leupold LRT's on upcoming builds because they are JUST AS GOOD in my opinion.
I have not yet had a chance to use the Vortex series of swing away magnifiers but if they are anything like the optics or RD sights then they should prove to be a great item that is quite simply reasonably priced!
I do believe in the motto buy cheap buy twice: Vortex just simply happens to be a resonably priced item (something that you do not see much of anymore), not a cheap nockoff or common Chinese junk. Just because they are not $2500 (although their top end scopes are getting there) does not mean they are cheap knock offs.
In short, don't just buy into the tacti-cool kool-aid: an occasional taste of another flavour could well be worth it!
Regards,
