Test report on the Vortex Viper HD 5-25×50 FFP rifle scope

The more time I spend hunting, the more I realize how important versatility in equipment is. Of course there is room for specialty items, but overall space in our backpacks is limited, so our gear needs to be efficient. Rifle scopes are no exception. I prefer a rifle scope that can be used in a variety of situations. You never know what you’re going to get when you’re hunting. And there’s no room for subpar products.

The Vortex Viper HD rifle scope impresses across the board and even more. And all at a price that is affordable for the everyday hunter.

In summary: For the dedicated hunter looking for a solid all-around riflescope, the 5-25×50 Viper HD FFP is the perfect fit. If you’re happy with a clutter-free reticle, this riflescope is capable of virtually any hunt you throw at it.

Test report on the Vortex Viper HD 5-25×50 FFP rifle scope

overview

New for 2024: Vortex Optics has introduced the redesigned Viper HD riflescope series. A few major differences between the redesigned series and the original series are the exposed locking turret and illuminated reticle, but we’ll get to those later. The new Viper HD series is available in 2-10×42, 3-15×44, and 5-25×50. I chose the 5-25×50, so we’ll focus on that today.

The 5-25×50 Viper HD riflescope is the only option available in both first and second focal planes. We’ll get into more detail about this later, but I chose the FFP. Vortex also offers the option of a MOA reticle or an MRAD reticle on the Viper HD. Both options are based on the VMR-4 reticle.

Like most modern scopes, there is a ¼” MOA adjustment scale. The tube size is 30mm, which gives plenty of room to adjust elevation. And when you need to go back to zero, you don’t have to worry about losing that zero thanks to the RevStop zero ring that Vortex includes with your scope.

In terms of layout, the 5-25×50 Viper HD features an exposed elevation turret on top, an enclosed windage adjustment on one side, and a parallax adjustment on the other side that is adjustable from 20 yards to infinity. It is 15.2 inches long and weighs 25 ounces. In the box, you’ll find a neoprene sleeve, sun shield, RevStop Zero Ring, custom turret tool, CR2032 battery, and lens cleaning cloth.

guarantee

You can rest easy knowing that your Viper HD riflescope is covered by the Vortex VIP Lifetime Unlimited Warranty. Honestly, it really is one of the best warranty programs in the industry.

characteristics

Exposed, lockable elevation turret

There are many horror stories. Stories of hunters accidentally hitting the elevation turret of their scope, of hunters accidentally twisting it while transporting it on a horse, etc. With the 5-25×50 Viper HD, you don’t have to worry about that as it has an exposed elevation turret with a locking feature.

When you want to dial, just pull the turret up, dial, and push it back down to lock the turret. And again, thanks to the RevStop zero ring, you don’t have to worry about losing your zero. It lets you dial just a few clicks past zero.

FFP (First Image Plane)

The Viper HD 5-25×50 FFP is a First Focal Plane riflescope. This means several things. First, the yardage value is valid for every mark on the reticle, no matter what magnification you are using. This is the biggest selling point for an FFP riflescope for me.

Second, the size of the crosshair changes as you adjust the magnification, so at the lowest magnification the crosshair is quite small and gets larger the more you increase the magnification. This could be considered a disadvantage because the smaller the crosshair is, the harder it is to read.

Illuminated crosshair

You may have noticed that this scope actually requires a battery. That battery is for the illuminated reticle feature – a super handy addition that hunters will no doubt find useful. By pressing a button on the side of the scope, you can illuminate the reticle in red. Whether it’s low light or you’re trying to aim at a black bear with a black reticle, this illuminated reticle will work wonders.

My experience

I have been a long time user and fan of Vortex Optics riflescopes. I have put them through their paces time and time again and always come out with a smile. So when I heard that this Viper HD 5-25×50 was coming out, I obviously couldn’t wait to mount it and get it in the field.

The packaging of the scope was impressive. And when I picked up the scope, I noticed that it was very well made. All of the adjustment points were consistent. By that I mean the tension of the knobs was consistent, easy to adjust, and felt sturdy. Only time will tell how this thing will hold up after a few trips. Assembly was seamless.

Zeroing the Viper HD went smoothly and I was soon setting my zero point. Of course I installed the RevStop Zero Ring at the elevation. This was a very familiar process.

What I wasn’t familiar with was how to zero the windage. Vortex has now designed it so that you don’t need any tools to zero the windage. All you have to do is pull the windage knob away from the scope, rotate it to zero and lower it back down.

Do not apply pressure to the scope when turning it. If you don’t, you will accidentally adjust the wind direction, which is what happened to me on my first attempt. You should not feel a click when you zero the knob.

After spending quite a while at the range and having no problems with the Viper HD, I was allowed to take it with me on a bear hunt in the wild. Since Sunday, it has been knocked around in all sorts of ways, and it has stayed at zero the whole time. I have no complaints so far. Well, with one exception…

What is wrong?

The only disadvantage I can think of is this rifle scope is the crosshair. It’s a busy Christmas tree style crosshair and takes up quite a bit of space in your field of view. Some people may not like that, and I get it.

At the same time, I also consider this to be a strength because you can use all of those markings on the crosshairs to your advantage when shooting. These markings can be used as holdover points, to determine wind direction, and even come in handy when zeroing in your scope. But that’s another article.

Final Thoughts on the Vortex Viper HD Riflescopes

I mounted the 5-25×50 Viper HD on a 6.5 Creedmoor. My goal was to create a versatile setup that I could take with me on backpack hunts, but also one that was fun and easy to shoot with, especially at long range.

In my opinion, This scope was the perfect addition and I’m super happy with the setup. If you’re looking for a new scope that can do it all, take a look at the 5-25×50 Viper HD FFP. I’m glad I did.