Introduction
If you’ve followed me for very long, you know I have a soft spot for low power variable optics (LPVO). I use them quite a bit, and have dug deep into the subject many times. Part of the allure for me with great LPVO’s is the ability for rapid close engagement with carbine sized rifles. Without giving up the accuracy these same guns can use at greater distances. So, as I continue my quest to play with all the good LPVO’s out there, I bring you today’s subject; the Vortex Optics Razor HD Gen II 1-6 riflescope.
The Vortex Razor HD Gen II 1-6
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last few decades, you know who Vortex Optics is. The company has become a dominant force in the optics industry, well known for excellent customer service and listening to what shooters want. I guess its fair to say Vortex offers a lot of inexpensive products as well (like I said, they listen to their customers). But in my experience the higher end products like the Razor line are fantastic professional grade optics. So it was with anticipation that I opened the box of the Vortex Razor HD Gen II 1-6.
As is typical with Vortex products, the scope came in nice packaging and included the typical stickers, manual and tools. Because I had it handy, I decide to mount the scope in a 34mm Primary Arms cantilever scope mount for testing. This would allow proper eye relief on a variety of host rifles.
Specifications
| Magnification | 1-6x |
|---|---|
| Objective Lens Diameter | 24 mm |
| Focal Plane | Second Focal Plane |
| Reticle | VMR-2 (MRAD) |
| Eye Relief | 4.0″ |
| Field of View | 115.2′ – 20.5′ @ 100 yds |
| Turret Style | Capped |
| Tube Size | 30mm |
| Adjustment Graduation | .2 MRAD |
| Travel Per Rotation | 20 MRAD |
| Max Elevation Adjustment | 43 MRAD |
| Max Windage Adjustment | 43 MRAD |
| Parallax Setting | 100 yds. |
| Length | 10.1″ |
| Weight | 21.5 oz |
My initial handling of the scope was quick. It wasn’t as heavy as I’d expected, like other Razors I’d handled before. The finish and textures were perfect, so I lifted it to my eye to get that first look. As I expected, the Razor has an immaculate image. Sharp detail and contrast is what makes these Razor HD scopes so desirable.
Controls
A cursory investigation of the controls felt good, the power ring being easy to adjust quickly between one and six-power. I was slightly surprised that Vortex hadn’t incorporated a throw lever attachment, but they do offer an attachable Switchview throw -lever you can add. The illumination control is also a little fancier than others. The rheostat knob must be pulled out slightly to allow it to turn and ignite the reticle inside. Pulling the knob out also exposes the white background of numeration labels for various power settings.
The 20 MRAD turrets certainly give plenty of travel should you choose to use them such. Inside the scope, the second focal plane VMR-2 reticle gives some fairly course MRAD subtensions. This is fine in my opinion as it gives you all you’ll likely need for the effective range of a carbine. Whole MRAD marks are shown with only the very center of the reticle illuminated, and the marks are accurate when used at the full six-power.
Shooting with the Vortex Razor HD Gen II 1-6
For testing purposes, I used the Razor HD on two different carbines. The first one is my OG Desert Tech MDRX chambered in 308 Winchester, and the other is an AR15 I put together using various parts (read about that here). The Razor made an excellent scope choice for both of these rifles, as they are both accurate enough to take advantage of the scopes range. Shooting these two rifles both on and off the range would give a good feel for how well the Razor HD is for engaging different targets.
It was quick to zero the Razor HD using the turrets for a perfect zero at about 75 yards. From there we switched it up, shooting various different targets at differing ranges.
Optical Clarity
As I mentioned, the Razor HD lenses offer a fantastic viewing experience. Both in the open country of the mountains and on the range I found the image to be above average quality. At 1X the Razor gave a broad field of view, making it very fast for moving between close targets. And zoomed in to 6X it gave more than adequate presentation for making sharp shots at distances well beyond six-hundred yards.
The parallax adjustment allowed excellent focus of the reticle against targets, leaving me with a sharp holdover for distance. And the bright dot in the center was fantastic for use like a red dot at low power.
Mechanical Function
I definitely need to get the throw lever for this scope, as I want something to grab onto to switch magnification. I do like the level of resistance on the mag-ring, it is frustrating when they are too stiff to turn quickly. The locking function of the illumination is great to prevent accidental rotation of the knob. Nothing worse than turning on your reticle only to find a dead battery. It’s also easy to keep it in the off-position between two brightness settings so you don’t have to search for the one you want.
The turrets on the Razor HD are capped which makes it easy to not worry about them while maneuvering. Underneath the caps the low-profile turrets are easy to turn with just fingers, and their audible click of .2 MRAD can be both felt and heard. I am used to .1 MRAD clicks, but for a scope like this I get why they went with .2. The courser scale is fast to make adjustments, and scopes like this are less likely to be used in a precision shooting scenario. Where a 1/4 of an inch on target one way or another is not a big deal.
Durability
Vortex Razors have a pretty good history of standing up to abuse, much more abuse in fact than I like to give. I love packing my guns all over these mountains, where the worst abuse they usually get is lots of turret twisting. But a scope like this one I am far less likely to adjust the turrets often. Far more likely it will get slung and rubbed against a pack while hiking, maybe smacked on a rock in a hasty pursuit. I have every confidence this scope is prepared for far harsher abuse than what myself or typical gun owners will sustain. And the famous warranty that Vortex owners love to to tout, is always there for you. A warranty that likely had a large influence on the entire industry to follow.
Pros and Cons
As long as you have the understanding of the scope’s application, I don’t think theres anything wrong with this scope. Or at least anything you can knit-pick on it. I like FFP scopes, but I totally get why this one isn’t, and it works just the way it is.
It has an excellent optical quality, robust construction with great features. There is very little about this scope I would change but for personal preferences and reticle details. All these features do come at some cost however, as none of the Razors come cheap. With a current street price around $1300, the Razor is roughly double many other good LPVO options. I only bring this up because I have several other 1-6 scopes that I quite like that are significantly less.
Final Verdict
I have never picked up a Vortex Razor and thought “this won’t do”. On the contrary I feel like every Vortex Razor I’ve ever used has been great, and at best all I could complain about was a reticle option or cursed MOA turrets or something like that. The Vortex Razor HD 1-6 is another great option for those looking for a quality LPVO. If you are considering dropping some serious money on an LPVO, make sure to at least look at one of these.
