Vortex Viper glass quality?

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truenorth777

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can anyone explain the differences in quality between the various Viper models?
there seems to be quite a price range.
i'm aware of the obvious: target knobs vs. caps, reticle types, elevation/windage travel, etc.,
but is the lens and coating quality the same on all Viper models?
and for those who've owned one, what is the glass clarity like? what other brands does the glass quality compare to?
i've heard some say that bushnell elites lose clarity towards 24x magnification and beyond.
does the same problem exist with Viper models?

thanx...
 
Certain models use HD glass. Basically high density. HD glass will be heavier which means a better quality of glass allowing for better light collection without dispersion (hazing or twilighting). Most HD glass has multi coatings which aid in the light collection and colouring. The viper PST line and diamond back HP are from my understanding using the same glass. I've owned several vipers all great glass. I do find they struggle on max magnification.
 
thanx glock man. just trying to figure out if i can get by with an entry level Viper vs. higher end models like the PST
if the glass is comparable the lower price is certainly more attractive, but i guess i'd be sacrificing elevation travel, fancier reticles, etc...
 
Crossfire series: Great glass for what you pay. Coatings are good, but the diamondback simply has a better quality/sharper glass. The diamondback is probably the best bang/buck scope out there. It has excellent night performance and has a nice quality feel to it. However, the Viper series has a hands down better coating on their lense. The difference is when you are looking at a light source or if something is chimmering/reflecting light, then the diamondback or crossfire will give you some glaring. The Viper will be sharp and won't budge, even in direct light source (direct lightbulb or indirect sunlight). Their real performance difference happens at longer range and night time during higher magnifications. You lose the crossfire earlier during the magnification range in terms of clarity. Everything goes hazy/blurry (grey out / grey wash). The Viper on the other hand you can push near max before it starts losing its definition at night (at about 7x on my 3-9).

The PST I have seen did not have any improvements in glass over the non-pst Viper. It had an etched reticle with illumination and target turrets. That is the extent of the upgrade from what I understand. If anything I found the PST to have a different eyebox with a bit more of a "tunneling" effect than the regular Viper. I'm not saying that the PST's have tunnel vision, I'm just trying to describe my experience as comparison between the two.

I think the Viper is meant for the hunter, and the PST is meant for the target hobbyist and are designed as such. Obviously they can both be used for anything, but the finishing touches suggest it from my eyeview.
 
The Viper glass is separate from the Viper HS glass. Now, the glass in the Viper HS all the way up to the PST are all the same. The differences in price are a direct result of reticles, exposed turrets and illumination. You will notice that the PST line up offer substantially more elevation and windage adjustment.

The exception to this is the Diamondback HP line up. This is great glass as it uses the same glass from the HS models, this is why the prices are around regular Viper pricing. I have the 2-7 and 3-12 Diamondback HP scopes on order as I type this.
 
thanks guys. passed up a nicely priced 6.5-20 Viper due to lack of knowledge about glass quality. prolly shouda grabbed it in hind sight.
still concerned about the lesser elevation travel though, so the jury's not out just yet.
(too bad they don't come with a Horus type reticle, that'd take care of that problem ;-)
 
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