10 Best Vortex Scopes For Deer Hunting [2024]

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The best Vortex hunting scopes for deer hunting will depend on how you like to deer hunt. By the end of this post, you will know which Vortex scope is best for you.

The best Vortex scopes for deer hunting will be budget friendly without sacrificing build quality. This post has sorted the best short-range scopes, mid-range scopes, and long-range scopes by price. This way you can find the best scope within your budget quickly.

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use my links, but it does help fund these posts in hopes of bringing more value to you!

Table of Contents

Vortex’s Scope Hierarchy (Least to Most Expensive)

Below I’ve narrowed down the best Vortex scope models for deer hunting. The crossed-out models indicate that better Vortex options are available for the price:

Vortex Rifle Scope Models

~~Sonora~~ – Get a Crossfire for about the same price
~~Copperhead~~ – Get a Crossfire for about the same price
Crossfire
Diamondback
~~Venom~~ – Buy a Diamondback Tactical instead
~~Strike Eagle~~ – Either buy the less expensive Diamondback or upgrade to a Viper
Viper
~~Golden Eagle~~ – Designed for long-range competition shooting, not deer hunting
Razor

Top 4 Vortex Rifle Scope Models For Deer Hunting

Crossfire
Diamondback
Viper
Razor

Top 6 Vortex Rifle Scopes For Deer Hunting


Best Vortex Rifle Scopes	Vortex Crossfire II	Vortex Diamondback	Vortex Viper HS	Vortex Razor HD LHT	Vortex Viper PST Gen II	Vortex Diamondback Tactical
Award	Best Budget	Better Value Budget	Best Value	Best High-End	Best Short-Range	Best Long-Range
Magnification	3-9x40	3-9x40	2.5-10x44	3-15x42	1-6x24	4-16x44
Price*	134	246	550	1300	600	350
Availability	Check Amazon's Price Check Optics Planet Price	Check Amazon's Price Check Optics Planet Price	Check Amazon's Price Check Optic Planet Price	Check Amazon's Price Check Optic Planet Price	Check Amazon's Price Check Optics Planet Price	Check Amazon's Price Check Optic Planet Price

*Price at the time of this post

Best Vortex Crossfire Deer Hunting Rifle Scopes

Vortex Crossfire II 1-4×24 (Short-Range LPVO)

The Vortex Crossfire II is one of the most well-known scopes on the market because of its low price, excellent reviews, and industry-leading warranty. You can buy this scope in different magnification ranges including this low-powered 1-4×24.

This scope is illuminated with a V-Brite reticle and has multiple illumination brightness options. If the battery dies on the Crossfire II it can still be used because the illuminated red dot will be replaced by a black dot.

The Crossfire II does have poorer sharpness and a pickier eye box compared to more expensive models. However, for the price, you can’t beat it.

*Vortex Crossfire II V-Brite Illuminated Reticle*

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Vortex Crossfire II 3-9×40 (Mid-Range)

The Crossfire II 3-9×40 version, like the 1-4×24, is one of the best hunting rifle scopes for the money. This version of the Crossfire II comes with multiple reticle options. One of which is an illuminated V-Brite reticle, just like the 1-4×24 but it is nice to have the option to choose whether you want an illuminated scope or not. This is one of the best mid-range illuminated scopes at this price.

Vortex Crossfire II 3-9x40 Reticle — *Vortex Crossfire II 3-9×40 Reticle (more available)*

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Best Vortex Diamondback Deer Hunting Rifle Scopes

Vortex Diamondback 3-9×40 (Mid-Range)

The Vortex Diamondback doesn’t need much of an introduction, it is one of the best mid-range scopes for the money because it is a durable scope with an industry-leading lifetime warranty. This scope is time-tested (over 10 years) and has excellent reviews (5 out of 5) just about everywhere you look. This scope does not include illumination which helps keep the price low.

Vortex Diamondback 3-9x40 Reticle — *Vortex Diamondback 3-9×40 Reticle*

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Vortex Diamondback Tactical 4-16×44 FFP (Long-Range)

The Vortex Diamondback Tactical is a recent addition to the Diamondback line (in 2019). With this new addition comes one of the best long-range scopes for the money. It’s a First focal plane (FFP) scope with a Christmas tree style reticle and parallax adjustments for easier long-range shooting.

Additionally, it comes with tall exposed turrets for making quick in-field adjustments, it’s the only long-range scope in this review with a 30mm tube (bringing in more light), and it comes with that Vortex industry-leading lifetime warranty. This newcomer has excellent reviews (5 out of 5) just about everywhere you look.

Vortex Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 Reticle — *Vortex Diamondback Tactical 4-16×44 Reticle*

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Best Vortex Viper Deer Hunting Rifle Scopes

Vortex Viper PST Gen II 1-6X24 (Short-Range LPVO)

The Vortex Viper PST Gen II 1-6×24 is arguably the best of the best LPVO scope on the market for the money, it’s well worth the money because of how much value you get.

For example, it has a true 1x magnification, industry-leading warranty, crisp and clear glass, true daylight bright illumination, and excellent reviews it earns its spot as one of the best short-range LPVO hunting rifle scopes for the money.

This scope is so good it is often said to undermine Vortex’s Razor Series 1-6×24 LPVO scope (which are +/- 1500$). The Vortex Viper is much better than the Vortex Strike Eagle, so if you can save your money, buy on sale, or buy used, it is definitely worth it.

*Vortex Viper PST Gen II 1-6X24 Reticle*

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Vortex Viper HS 2.5-10×44 (Mid-Range)

The Vortex Viper 2.5-10×44 is an excellent deer hunting scope for the price. This scope offers slightly more magnification versatility than your average 3-9×40. Also, the low-light abilities of the Viper are excellent. For example, it has a larger 44mm objective lens compared to your standard 40mm. Additionally, it also has a 30mm tube. For this reason, this scope does excellent in low light compared to Diamondback or Crossfire II.

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Vortex Viper PST Gen II 3-15×50 FFP (Mid/Long-Range)

One of Vortex’s best scopes for deer hunting is the 3-15×44 FFP. It’s a perfect scope for someone who wants a long-range rifle scope but also wants to have the ability to use it in closer-quarter situations. The 3-15x is a versatile magnification range and the 44mm is a nice balance between weight and low-light performance. Just about everywhere you look this scope gets 5/5 star reviews.

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Best Vortex Razor Deer Hunting Rifle Scopes

Vortex Razor HD Gen II-E 1-6×24 (Short-Range)

This low-powered LPVO hunting scope is one of the best for close-range deer hunting. This scope was built for speed having one of the truest and most accurate 1x magnifications you will find on the market. Additionally, the glass clarity and overall build quality are superb. There are really no cons with this scope except the price tag.

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Vortex Razor HD LHT 3-15×42 (Mid/Long-Range)

The Vortex Razor LHT is one of the top-of-the-line deer hunting scopes. It’s very lightweight (19.1 oz) which is by far the lightest long-range scope in this review which is very impressive given it has a 42mm objective lens and a 30mm tube (meaning it has a lot of glass). The larger objective lens, tube size, and glass quality allows more light-gathering capabilities, making it great for deer hunting low-light.

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Vortex Razor HD Gen II 4.5-27×56 (Long-Range)

The Razor HD Gen II is perhaps the best Vortex long-range deer hunting scope if you need something with a higher magnification than 15x. It’s heavy because of the large 56mm objective lens and the large 34mm tube size. However, these are important for gathering light at those longer magnification ranges. The glass quality on this scope is superb.

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Best Vortex Deer Hunting Rifle Scopes Specs

Best Vortex Scopes For Deer Hunting Spec Sheet — *Specs of the scopes mentioned in this review. Prices are based on when this post was published. *W,F,S = Waterproof, Fogproof, Shockproof.*

More Hunting Optic Resources:

Find the best hunting gear faster by navigating to one of my more specific articles:

Best Hunting Optics

Best Brands To Look For When Buying Deer Hunting Rifle Scopes

Brands To Avoid When Buying Deer Hunting Rifle Scopes

Nikon (they stopped producing rifle scopes)
Cheap off-brand Amazon scopes (not worth the money)

More Hunting Gear

Best Places To Shop For Hunting Gear

Some great places to find hunting gear include:

Amazon – Free Two-Day Shipping For Prime Members
Cabela’s – Free Shipping on Orders Over 50$
L.L. Bean – Free Shipping on Orders Over 50$
Walmart – Free Shipping on Orders Over 35$
Dick’s Sporting Goods

10 Best Vortex Scopes For Deer Hunting [2024]