Got my new scope in today and got it mounted on my Vudoo. So far I don't see anything not to like. Going to go out next week with my buddy to do a side by side with his ZCO. Will post back with results.
New Vortex Razor Gen III 6-36x56
- Thread starter Rob01
- Start date
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Very nice! May I ask what made you decide on this particular scope? In that price range there are many choices and models to choose from. I have several Vortex scopes that seem to do quite well but nothing like this. My top end right now is a Golden Eagle. Please let us know how it performs. đź‘Ť
OP
Have used the Gen II Razors in matches for years and really liked them. Shot for Vortex for a little while and have friends that work there and some that still shoot for them so talked to those who had some of these earlier and they spoke very highly of them and being a scope hound I had to try one out. The great LE/Mil/First Responder deals help too. 
Over the years I have used S&Bs, USO, NF, Premier Reticles, Leupolds, Hensoldt and others so I have some experience to draw from when looking at this new optic.
Just looking out today into the woods and at my targets out there I could see the glass is excellent. A step up from the Gen II. I look forward to getting this into a match and trying it out.
Over the years I have used S&Bs, USO, NF, Premier Reticles, Leupolds, Hensoldt and others so I have some experience to draw from when looking at this new optic.Just looking out today into the woods and at my targets out there I could see the glass is excellent. A step up from the Gen II. I look forward to getting this into a match and trying it out.
OP
Personally I don’t think the Gen II were hard to turn. Had no problem spinning them. The Gen III does feel a little different though. The clicks are still audible and tactile but a little softer than the Gen II. I don’t think anyone will have a problem with them.
I'm very excited to hear how this scope does for you in practice. I want to upgrade to a scope of this tier at some point, and I'm not married to one particular make/model over the other. This is a really cool new offering from Vortex that I hope does as good for you as it looks!
Rob look forward to hearing your thoughts! Been drooling over one of these since they started showing up at Mammoth! What is the weight like compared to the 4.5-27? Did I make it in before some one trashed Vortex for having a good warranty on their cheap chinese scopes and talked about how all the Vortex line is trash and un-American? I am sure I will end up with one of these on a rifle sooner rather than later.... I am grateful we have so many choices for good LR scopes and get more every day!
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I %100 agree with you. I have owned all of the gen. 2 line and turrets were always crisp and easy to accurately dial on the clock and under stress!
OP
It’s 45 ounces so lighter than the Gen II by 3.5 ounces. Not a big deal but lighter. The Gen II weight never bothered me but I wasn’t using it for Mammoth lol. Going to be comparing it side by side to a ZCO next week.
And yes you made it in before that inevitability happens. Lol
OP
Well finally got out today with the Gen III on the Vudoo and met up with my buddy Gary at Woody's range to compare the Razor Gen III, Razor Gen II and ZCO 5-27 side by side. Well also to shoot some rimfire to 540 yards also.
There were some broken orange clays out at the 540 yard line which worked out perfectly as a judge of clarity and sharpness. The Gen II worked as many have seen in seeing the broken clays but not sharply. The Gen III and ZCO side by side were tough to give a winner to. We had both on 27x. Gary thinks he would give a slight edge to ZCO and I was seeing almost the exact same clarity and sharpness of the broken clays. It was an overcast day with a hint of sun coming through so a good time to judge as it wasn't bright sunlight day. Both the ZCO and Gen III have great glass.
I also looked at reticle available at 27x also. With the ZCO there was about 7.2 mils to the bottom of the FOV at 27x. The Gen III was about 7.7. Not a big difference as both seem to be fine and give a good FOV.
We did a quick zero at the 50/100 range before going to the 100-540 yard range. Zeroing was nice and easy with the one screw set up. I like it. Went to the 100-540 yard range and put up a little three target swinger at 100 and they had steel at 200, 300, 400 and 540. Got on at 100 simple enough and then went to 200 and got the wind hold and hit and then 300 for same and then 400 with 21.5 mils dialed on and 2 mils of left wind and dropped three shots into about a 4-5" group and then went to 540 and shot the silhouette. 540 was a dial and hold as I dialed on the 26 mils I had in the scope and held another 6 mils over and 2.4 mils of left wind hold. Dropped three on there as well at about 5-6". Could see the impacts on the white steel very easily.
I kept track of parallax and at 50 it was on and at 100 it was on the 100 mark and same for 200 and then started being a little off but as all of us know those marks are just basic references anyways.
I also spun the dial watching for any issues with the knob locking up on me as some have mentioned and I didn't have a problem. I plan to wait until I shoot it in a match and see if there is a problem and if so then just do like some above have. I felt the knob lock and unlock on both the ZCO and the Gen III and the ZCO is a little stiffer in locking/unlocking.
The 7D reticle is nice with the .2 mil marks for hold overs/unders. It worked good for the holdovers I did when shooting 540 and also when I played around at 200-400. I kind of wish it was fully illuminated and not just the main crosshairs but again when I start shooting matches I will see if it matters or not.
All in all I am very happy with the Gen III. I have another on order and that will go on the centerfire when it comes in for those matches.
There were some broken orange clays out at the 540 yard line which worked out perfectly as a judge of clarity and sharpness. The Gen II worked as many have seen in seeing the broken clays but not sharply. The Gen III and ZCO side by side were tough to give a winner to. We had both on 27x. Gary thinks he would give a slight edge to ZCO and I was seeing almost the exact same clarity and sharpness of the broken clays. It was an overcast day with a hint of sun coming through so a good time to judge as it wasn't bright sunlight day. Both the ZCO and Gen III have great glass.
I also looked at reticle available at 27x also. With the ZCO there was about 7.2 mils to the bottom of the FOV at 27x. The Gen III was about 7.7. Not a big difference as both seem to be fine and give a good FOV.
We did a quick zero at the 50/100 range before going to the 100-540 yard range. Zeroing was nice and easy with the one screw set up. I like it. Went to the 100-540 yard range and put up a little three target swinger at 100 and they had steel at 200, 300, 400 and 540. Got on at 100 simple enough and then went to 200 and got the wind hold and hit and then 300 for same and then 400 with 21.5 mils dialed on and 2 mils of left wind and dropped three shots into about a 4-5" group and then went to 540 and shot the silhouette. 540 was a dial and hold as I dialed on the 26 mils I had in the scope and held another 6 mils over and 2.4 mils of left wind hold. Dropped three on there as well at about 5-6". Could see the impacts on the white steel very easily.
I kept track of parallax and at 50 it was on and at 100 it was on the 100 mark and same for 200 and then started being a little off but as all of us know those marks are just basic references anyways.
I also spun the dial watching for any issues with the knob locking up on me as some have mentioned and I didn't have a problem. I plan to wait until I shoot it in a match and see if there is a problem and if so then just do like some above have. I felt the knob lock and unlock on both the ZCO and the Gen III and the ZCO is a little stiffer in locking/unlocking.
The 7D reticle is nice with the .2 mil marks for hold overs/unders. It worked good for the holdovers I did when shooting 540 and also when I played around at 200-400. I kind of wish it was fully illuminated and not just the main crosshairs but again when I start shooting matches I will see if it matters or not.
All in all I am very happy with the Gen III. I have another on order and that will go on the centerfire when it comes in for those matches.