Vortex Scope for .223

N

ninosdemente

New member
Need to get a scope for a Savage 12FV .223 to use on range. At the moment, the nearby ranges to me are 200yds. There are two scopes that interests me so far and they are Vortex Viper HS LR 30mm / 4-16x50 and the Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44 Mil-Dot. Now I did find a range about 2.3 hrs from home that goes further. Skill nowhere near for that range. Not going there anytime soon as the other range is closer and need a lot of practice.

What other options are there than these?

The first scope is priced at $599 and the second at $429. In case someone asks what am I looking to spend.
 
I don't consider a 16 or 20X scope necessary for the ranges you mention(or for a .223 at all for that matter).
 
I would get the 4-16. It's a good scope with room to grow, and you will grow past 200 yards. As far as needed power, depends on what you are shooting. I have a vortex 1-4 on my AR for 3 gun, great for close up work and no issues shooting steel at 300 yard with 4 power but wouldn't recommend it for presision work. For deer 9 power would be overkill at 200 yards. When I'm picking off prairie dogs peeking out of their holes the 16x sure is nice.
 
For 200 yards look at the Vortex Copperhead 3-12x44 that is an exclusive at an online retailer. Google should find it no problem.

It's $130 and has vortex VIP warranty and is a great scope to learn with and it's reliable with clear glass. Once you "outgrow" this simple scope just swap it to another rifle and upgrade once you find what you want/need for your particular situation. Who knows you may find the cheaper Vortex is all you need.
 
The Viper HS LR is going to have the better glass, but I wouldn't get it because of the BDC reticle. In that price range I would get the Viper HS-T 4-16 with the VMR1-MRAD reticle instead. You won't be looking to replace it for a very long time.
 
bedlamite said:
The Viper HS LR is going to have the better glass, but I wouldn't get it because of the BDC reticle. In that price range I would get the Viper HS-T 4-16 with the VMR1-MRAD reticle instead. You won't be looking to replace it for a very long time.
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The HS-T reticle is nice. I have that scope with the MOA version.

Some guys don't like the wire reticle and would recommend to step up to the PST with the etched reticle.

The HS-LR used to come with an etched reticle as well, maybe they changed it.

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The XLR reticle on the HS-LR is etched, but that's only available on the 6-24 FFP model, and not what the OP was looking at. If he's willing to spend more the PST is a great choice, but I wouldn't worry about a Vortex wire reticle on a 223 at all. My HS-T has been on my 260rem Savage for years.
 
bedlamite said:
The XLR reticle on the HS-LR is etched, but that's only available on the 6-24 FFP model, and not what the OP was looking at. If he's willing to spend more the PST is a great choice, but I wouldn't worry about a Vortex wire reticle on a 223 at all. My HS-T has been on my 260rem Savage for years.
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Yeah, I wouldn't be worried either. I've just heard others mention it. I actually like the simplicity on the HST reticle vs the PSTs that I have.

I've bumped my HST around quite a bit in the mountains and it's never wavered.

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Mobuck said:
I don't consider a 16 or 20X scope necessary for the ranges you mention(or for a .223 at all for that matter).
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24x is nice if you're JUST shooting from a bench or plinking. I have a 6-24x Viper PST on my Savage .223 which I basically only use for fun shooting.

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I have the Viper 6.5-20X Mil-Dot mounted on a Stag Model 6. I really like it, got it on sale for $279.99 at Sportsman's Warehouse. It is a little short on eye relief, but works fine on a .223. I run mine at 14X most of the time. If you check around, you might find one on sale and save enough to pay for a decent mount.
 
Thanks again. The more power the scope, is more fuzzier when looking through it? Is that the reason I see many posts/threads where people don't go past 12-16 power on scope?

2ndtimer, would be nice to find one for that price as well soon.
 
Well I do see there is a 6.5-20x44 for less vs the 6.5-20x50 at Sportsman's Warehouse . Is there a really big difference in the objective lens size as a consumer?
 
"Thanks again. The more power the scope, is more fuzzier when looking through it? Is that the reason I see many posts/threads where people don't go past 12-16 power on scope?"

Good quality scopes don't get "fuzzier". Higher magnifications have disadvantages: narrow field of view, overall size, and more tendencies to show mirage. Using a huge, gnarly, heavy scope that "overpowers" the rifle it's on, is illogical.
 
I have a 4-16 Vortex Viper PST on my 260, and i like it a lot. On my 223 I’ve had 4 scopes over that many years. For a time I had a Vortex Viper 6-24 PST, and it was fine, but i had to send it in for minor repair and replaced it with a Leupold 4.5-14 VX3. I like the Leupold better, and it stays on the gun.

If i ever buy another scope, it will be a Leupold VX5 3-15 CDS with the illuminated dot. That will go on the 260 and the 4-16 Vortex Viper will go to another rifle, probably the 223.
 
Vortex Diamondback 4x16 42 used to be on my varmint hunter AR-15, and could get hits on prairie dogs out to 500 yards. Head shots out to at least 325 yards. That's a target about 12-15 inches high, by 3-4 inches wide (p-dog heads are about 2x2). More than enough scope for your stated purposes.

If I could go back, I probably would opt for the Viper (HD?) instead of the D-back, and the MRAD recticle instead of the BDC.
 
The scopes I have in mind would those "overpower" the 12FV? Usually when I buy, I buy to keep for a good amount of years and try to avoid having to buy something "better/good" later if I can buy something that will be satisfactory now to keep for a good amount of time.
 
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