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Sightron Big Sky vs Vortex Viper

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Sandracer View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sandracer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Sightron Big Sky vs Vortex Viper
    Posted: February/07/2010 at 09:26
For quite a while we heard a lot of good things about the Big Sky, now it's the Viper. Could someone give a comparison of these side by side? 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucytuma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/07/2010 at 10:33
I think both are pretty comparable optically and both offer great bang for the buck.  You really can't go wrong with either and I feel it boils down to what specific features appeal to you most.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DAVE44 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/07/2010 at 23:45
Ive had a Sightron SII 4x32 and a Big Sky 3-9x42 and they were both optically nice but both were also equally finicky as to eye position. If your eye wasnt exactly centered or the exact distance from the eye piece each time then the view would blink out or have a distortion around the edge. Also, the Sightrons all have a Wide Plex reticle and I prefered a regular Plex so I sold them. Ive heard the Vipers are nice and I know from experience the Vortex has excellent customer service and they do care about quickly solving any problems.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/08/2010 at 00:23
Not knowing the exact model you are looking at, it is hard to make a detailed comparison.  Overall, if you are looking at S2 Big Sky and Viper line-ups, here is how they stack up (I am talking about Viper, not Viper PST):
-S2 Big Sky has slightly better resolution
-Viper has slightly better contrast
-S2 Big Sky has longer eye relief
-Viper has less critical eye relief
-Both have good adjustments
-For the same configuration, S2 Big Sky will typically have a larger adjustment range
-S2 Big Sky line offers more variety (especially with higher magnifications) and both 3x and 4x erectors
-Vortex Viper has an exceptionally nice tweener: 2-7x32
-S2 Big Sky does not offer a tweener configuration, but has a nice low range variable: 1.25-5x20
-Vortex Viper 4-12x40, has somewhat significant (compared to other Viper scopes) tunnel vision
-Most S2 Big Sky scopes with top end magnification of 16x or more (and with 4x erectors) have 1/8 MOA clicks, which are too fine for my taste.
-All Viper scopes have 1/4 MOA clicks.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote greywolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/08/2010 at 06:24
Originally posted by DAVE44 DAVE44 wrote:

Ive had a Sightron SII 4x32 and a Big Sky 3-9x42 and they were both optically nice but both were also equally finicky as to eye position. If your eye wasnt exactly centered or the exact distance from the eye piece each time then the view would blink out or have a distortion around the edge. Also, the Sightrons all have a Wide Plex reticle and I prefered a regular Plex so I sold them. Ive heard the Vipers are nice and I know from experience the Vortex has excellent customer service and they do care about quickly solving any problems.
I will second the comments about the finicky eye position, though I was running into that as well with the shorter eye relief on the Viper I had.
 
I am graduating up to the Viper PST FFP ill. reticle when it comes out, which tells you what I think of Vortex vs. Sightron.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tip69 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/08/2010 at 08:19
ILya - do you know if you can get the Viper 2-7X32 with parallax set at 50 yds?  Thinking about one for a .17HMR that we hunt tree rats with and shots can be as close at 10 yds.
take em!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/08/2010 at 12:29
Originally posted by Tip69 Tip69 wrote:

ILya - do you know if you can get the Viper 2-7X32 with parallax set at 50 yds?  Thinking about one for a .17HMR that we hunt tree rats with and shots can be as close at 10 yds.

Not that I know of.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/08/2010 at 12:30
you could ask sam@vortex he is a member here and works for vortex, but im guessing if ilya says doubtful that he is probably right. never hurts to ask though
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cpwomack Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/08/2010 at 12:40

They do have a 2-7 model with the parallax set at 50, but it is a Diamondback, not a Viper.  I have one on my 22.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/08/2010 at 12:44
thats interesting info, to bad the diamondback and the viper are like comparing the buckmaster to the monarch.
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