Vortex Viper 6-20 x 50mm

S

Strawberry780

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I have the above mentioned scope. I have had some problems with adjusting the scope. Let say it shoot a 5 shoot group and it lands about 2 inches low and 3 inches left. I make the required adjustments on the turrets to bring the group to the centre at 100 yards. The next group i shoot will not be in the centre, I've had the group jump high and right or left for the next group. Never do i get the scope to shoot as per the adjustments I make. I am not the greatest shot in the world but I am good enough to know when some is wrong. I have returned the scope once and now i'm having the same problem with the new one. I have checked the screws--yep not loose. Checked my hand loads--not a problem i can find there. I've had a second person shoot groups and they have had the same result. I know I can take it back again but I wanted to gather some thoughts from others first. I have a friend who loves his same model Vortex, would not trade it in any day of the week. I know the girl at the gun counter at my local gun store(I trust her so much I married her) she tells me that only one person has ever returned a Vortex for this type of problem. Do i just have crap luck and have received two bad scopes?? Any thoughts gun friends:)
 
Have you checked the contact of the rings to the scope ? Perhaps the rings need lapping ?

What sort of rest are you shooting from ?

caliber and load data ?

I'm going to spit in the wind and bet the bullet doesn't like your barrel.
 
Yes I did check the rings and bases they looked OK, lapping check

Shooting from a concrete bench off a rear sand bag and adjustable front rest

223 powder is Varget, I've tried 75gr 80gr and 90 gr bullets out of my 1:9 twist barrel, gun is a savage model 12

I will not argue about the barrel not liking some bullets, the groups are good sub.5 MOA and they stay that way after I adjust the scope it's just that the place they go to after adjustment is not the same.
 
Do you really expect a scope that is only worth $400 to be a 100% reliable? There is a reason some guys run high end scopes. I got rid of that same scope for the same reason. Now that rifle wears a Zeiss 6.5-20x50 and the problem went away.
 
I was shooting sub moa at 200 yds with same gun and a similar Vortex....keyword (was ) it did than same things you describe so I changed to a Sightron and the issues stopped. Now my target rifles all get Sightron S111's including my 338 LM

Hope u get it worked out....
 
Tchardy said:
Do you really expect a scope that is only worth $400 to be a 100% reliable? There is a reason some guys run high end scopes. I got rid of that same scope for the same reason. Now that rifle wears a Zeiss 6.5-20x50 and the problem went away.
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What a ridiculous thing to say. I'm not saying that a cheapo tasco'll shoot as well or as reliably as a 2000 night force. But with a middle of the road scope especially Vortex, whose reputation is quite good, there is NO reason that it should not be reliable 100% of the time. If it isn't take it back and get them to give you a new one cause that one is probably a lemon.
 
Well this happen to me, but with more expensive scope.

First time it was the base(it rattled loose)
2nd time it was incorrect torque on ring clamp to the base.

Check for the correct torque then try again.
 
Yep make sure the bases are solid, and the ring fit to the bases are solid.


Also, another shot in the wind but try adjusting only windage or elevation each time. I know with the ACOGS they say to fire a couple rounds after every adjustment to make sure the adjustment tube is nice and set, then make sure the POI is staying set to the POA.

Sometimes the springs that keep the tube pushed against the adjustment turrets can torque if you do double adjustments and when you fire they'll "relax" into their normal position (and cause POI shift). If you do only windage or elevation at a time they should stay in their proper place and not effect the adjustments.



Otherwise, Vortex has that VIP lifetime warranty for a reason, you can send it in and find out directly from them if something is awry on the scope. As for these issues, I've never heard of this issue happening with anything other than a really cheap tasco on a .338 win mag or something like that, but no scope manufacturer is perfect. I've seen leupolds and Zeisses have weird problems just as often as bushnells or the lower end crossfires etc... (especially the black flecks from the powder coat on the Zeiss scopes)
 
Rail could be lose or not straight rings same thing or to tight. the scope could be crooked ie not straight so when you make an adjustment it moves all over the place I recomend doing 1 type of adjustment at a time ie lower raise or left or right then fire agian nad see were it prints. Go with a 3 shot group and if they're wild just average them and go with the middle of them.
 
Gunslingr said:
What a ridiculous thing to say. I'm not saying that a cheapo tasco'll shoot as well or as reliably as a 2000 night force. But with a middle of the road scope especially Vortex, whose reputation is quite good, there is NO reason that it should not be reliable 100% of the time. If it isn't take it back and get them to give you a new one cause that one is probably a lemon.
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It's pretty simple. A lesser quality optic does not have the same quality parts or attention to detail or quality control an expensive one will. Some people get Lucky, and get one that just works. There are good ons and bad ones with everything. Vortex is ok, but why would they make their razor line if the cheaper viper line can track the same. My experience with 2 of this same scope on the same rifle is that they don't track well. And of the 2, one was no better than the other.
 
Interesting I wonder if this is a common problem of the design or just a occasional factory defect with the Vortex, I was about to buy one. It would be nice to hear from some more owners of this scope.
 
I had the same problem with mine. I checked everything. Finally took it off to send back and ONE of the screws on my base (the one covered by the front ring was loose). I loctited the screw and torqued it - no issues since.

I also saw a high end leupy, a night force and my other vortex get some odd adjustments this summer. The fix for all of them was to work the turrets all the way one way and then the other several times and then zero and shoot. Try that and then contact Vortex if that doesn't work.
 
I was having similar problems with my Viper PST this fall on my 300 RUM. POI was always changing and when I adjusted the scope up it went down etc. Turned out to be a bedding problem. Bedded the gun and all is well. I am not saying it is not the scope because stuff happens. But check your bedding; and your action screws. Might fix your problem.
 
Got a bore sighter?
Set up the bore sighter, and then wind the knobs. See if the tracking is predictable and consistant.
 
Be sure not to over torque the scope rings or damage will occur to the scope tube. If you're using Vortex rings, torque the lower screws, which hold the scope to the rail to 30 inch-pounds, and the upper screw which tighten the rings to the tube to 20 inch pounds. The rail screws should be torqued to 30 inch pounds, and all the screws should be treated with a medium strength (blue) thread locker.

If you have no bore sighter, bore sight the old fashioned way, by removing the bolt and peering through the bore at some distant object, then adjust the scope to cover that target.

Once your scope is sighted in, try shooting a box, at 100 yards. That will tell you what the value of your adjustments really are, and if the adjustments are uniform. By shooting a box, I mean you fire your first shot,which should hit close to your intended point of aim, then adjust 6 minutes up and fire a second shot, adjust 6 minutes right and fire another, adjust 6 minutes down and fire, then adjust 6 minutes back up and fire. If your adjustments are true, the last round should hit your first bullet hole, and the box formed on the target by your group should be square.

I agree that the adjustment values on a new mid priced scope should be true and as indicated. The difference between the adjustments on an expensive scope and those on a mid priced scope, is in how long before they wear enough to cause an error.
 
here is another thing you could try. after you ajust the scope take a bic lighter or something similar and tap the top of the turret knob a couple of times . this will help settle everything into place. I had to do this to one of my Sightron III s when it was new. After doing this procedure maybe ten times total it started to work without tapping the turrets.
 
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