Vortex Viper 6.5-20x 44mm Mil-dot Reticle

[Y85]

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/2420772363/?cm_mmc=pe_weekly-_-supersonic-_-ssp_vortex_20140709_1-_-AdBlock01

For those of you who didn't get the email, MidwayUSA has these on sale for $299, which is a good price (and free shipping). However, I was wondering about the scope after I looked it up on the Vortex website.

It is a second focal plane scope and, for reasons that are not clear to me, the Mil-dot reticle is designed to function only at 14X. I own a couple of Trijicon Accupoints with mil-dot reticles but they are set to function on maximum power.

Is there a reason that Vortex would choose 14X, rather than 20X? I was planning to use the scope on a 20" heavy barreled 6.5G -- with the thought of having a 1000 yd rifle. (I realize I would need a sloped scope mount to buy more elevation.) I just can't figure out if the scope would be useful at long ranges (long for me), if I couldn't count mil-dots at 20X.

Anybody have any thoughts?

[Errorhead]

Tagged for interest, I got this email from Midway also and I'm listening in on this thread for what y'all think of this scope.

[Errorhead]

Oh we'll, looks like it's out of stock already,

[Y85]

Still interested in thoughts, experience, education on the scope.

[tackdriver]

FWIW, I have this scope w/ v plex reticle and I like it a lot. I like it so much I just bought another w/BDC for a recent .260 build.

[Blazin]

Same scope at Camera Land is $325, and they have SUPER customer service: http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/v...exviper6-20x44

[VASCAR2]

I have the 6.5 X 20 X 50 Mil Dot Vortex Viper with an Aadamount 20 MOA mount. I just got back from shooting my Vortex at 1000 yards on an 18" T shaped steel target. The second plane scopes have advantages but also disadvantages compared to first focal plane scopes. With first focal plane scopes you can use the Mildot to range regardless of power setting. On my 2nd FP Viper I have to be set on 14 power to accurately gauge distance. I normally know the distance or verify the distance with a laser so the range estimating feature of the first FP scope is not as important to me.

The prices are typically higher for 1st FP scopes but actually all my other scopes are 2nd FP and I have always used them effectively. With the parallax adjustment the Viper scopes are very versatile and 20 power has enough magnification for me to shoot steel out to 1000 yards.

The 6.5 X 20 X 44 is a little smaller and lighter and may gather a little less light than my 50 MM Viper but you'd probably have to do a side by side comparison to see the difference.

I am completely satisfied with my scope and mount choice.

[Heywood]

I would assume that they chose to use that position as it is their cheaper scope and they do not have tactile indents for you to feel the scope stop exactly at the 1/3 or 1/4 intervals as do their higher cost scopes? So they chose to put it at 14 as it is very close to center power and you can always just divide or multiply by two if you are at either full or low power instead of at 14.
Never actually handling one, it is only a wag.

[Y85]

I never thought of that -- actually, the division/multiplication thought never occurred to me.

So, to make sure I understand: if the mil-dot function is set at 14X (on a 6-20 range) and your ballistic program gives you a drop of 2 mils (at 14X), would that be 4 mils at 20X or 1 mil at 20X?

I realize that's a stupid question but, such are the advantages of asking questions amongst friends.

[Heywood]

I never thought of that -- actually, the division/multiplication thought never occurred to me.

So, to make sure I understand: if the mil-dot function is set at 14X (on a 6-20 range) and your ballistic program gives you a drop of 2 mils (at 14X), would that be 4 mils at 20X or 1 mil at 20X?

I realize that's a stupid question but, such are the advantages of asking questions amongst friends.

Not stupid questions, I am just learning this myself so someone may actually need to correct me.
The purpose I stated is for ranging. If you are using your reticle for ranging distance and you are at 20x you would need to halve the number of mills you use in your equation. conversely, if you are at 6.5 you would double the number of mills you read.

[Onewolf]

So this scope has a mil-dot reticle with MOA turrets?