• Vortex Diamondback 3-9x40mm Rifle Scope Review

    I think it is safe to say that the 3-9 variable power scope is by far the most popular and widely used scope amongst hunters. Most manufacturers literally offer dozens of models with the 3-9 power range with varying features to meet each and every price point.With so many options out there it's no wonder one of the top questions we see on the forum is, "What scope should I get?"

    Like most of you, I've been through more 3-9 power scopes than I'd care to ever admit. Some were good, some were acceptable, and some were flat out terrible. What I have learned though is that in most cases you do get what you pay for, and don't assume that just because a scope wears a particular brand name it's going to be a good one.

    Today we're looking at the Vortex Diamondback 3-9x40mm rifle scope. With a MSRP of $259.00 it falls within what I consider the "sweet spot" of $200 to $300 for a 3-9x hunting scope. While there are likely a few select exceptions, I've found that the vast majority of 3-9's costing less than $200 leave a lot to be desired and at best offer mediocre optical performance. There are also numerous 3-9's that cost well over $300, some of which offer a noticeable advantage and others that don't, but in my experience the slight edge in performance really doesn't warrant the highly inflated price in all but the most extreme conditions.

    The Vortex Diamondback 3-9x40mm (as well as all scopes in the Diamondback Series) features a one-piece aircraft grade aluminum alloy construction, Argon gas purging for water and fog proofing, fully multi-coated lenses, and Vortex's Precision-Glide Erector System. The scope comes packaged with a lens cloth, lens caps, owners manual and warranty card.

    According to Vortex's literature, they specifically chose Argon over Nitrogen for the purging process because it does not absorb or chemically react with water, eliminates internal fogging, maintains it's protective properties over a broader range of temperatures, and because it does not diffuse as quickly as other elements - thus resulting in an extended service life.

    Vortex's Precision-Glide Erector System features premium-grade Fluoropolymer Teflon resin bushings that provide exceptional resistance to stress cracking, temperature change, corrosion, and friction-induced wear. In addition, these bushings have an ultra-low coefficient of friction for the smoothest possible operation of the magnification adjustment. The result is fast, precise windage and elevation adjustments with both audible and tactile clicks and repeatability second to none.

    The Diamondback 3-9x40mm offers a field of view (FOV) ranging from 44.6 feet (3x) to 14.8 feet (9x) at 100 yards. Eye-relief is rated at 3.3 to 3.5 inches, though I did find it to be a little sensitive to both distance and eye alignment. Turrets are of the low-profile, finger adjustable type with both audible and tactile clicks, offering 1/4 MOA per click. Total windage and elevation adjustment is rated at 90 MOA and 84 MOA respectively. Weight is approximately 14.4 ounces.

    Measuring 11.7 inches in overall length, the 3-9x40mm Diamondback is a fairly short scope and could pose problems when mounting - especially on long-actions. Using a standard Savage short-action rifle, standard Weaver two-piece bases and Burris Signature-Zee rings I was left with very little room to adjust the eye relief. At best I might have had a quarter-inch. Extended bases would net a little more room for eye-relief adjustment, but a rail-type base would offer the most flexibility with this scope.

    Moving on to the optical performance of the Vortex Diamondback, I found that it compared extremely well with several well respected models from other brands with similar price points in my rudimentary tests. One significant advantage the Vortex exhibited over the competition though was uniformity in resolution. What I mean by this is that when viewing a resolution chart with the Vortex, I was able to achieve the same score with both the vertical and horizontal line groups, something I couldn't do with any of the other brands (for the record, all of the other brands were pretty much equal with the vertical lines, but the horizontal lines usually scored one to two points lower).

    In terms of clarity and light gathering ability, the Vortex Diamondback was right in the thick of it with the other brands I compared it to. Vortex claims a light transmission rating of 91%, and though lower than another makers rating rating of 92% the Diamondback was noticeably brighter to my eyes. Clarity was also very good with no noticeable haze or fuzziness around the edge of the view.

    The tracking system proved to be very accurate and repeatable, but I wasn't real impressed with the feel of the adjustments. Compared to some of my other scopes the tactile clicks just felt mushy and undefined, and I often caught myself getting two audible clicks from what felt like one. This shouldn't pose much of a problem though as most don't regularly change the adjustment on their 3-9x hunting scopes once they are zeroed in on the rifle.

    One nice feature of the Diamondback's low-profile turrets is that they can be reset to zero once zeroed in. This is a good feature to have just in case you ever need to change your zero to account for a significant atmospheric change during a trip as it will permit you to easily return to your previous zero once you return home.

    The magnification ring was pretty stiff at first, but loosened up just enough over time without becoming to loose or sloppy. I found the larger knurling on the ring to be especially useful when wearing gloves as it made gripping it far easier than the traditional slots or small knurling found on most brands.

    All in all I was favorably impressed with the Vortex Diamondback. While there are a few areas that could use some slight improvement, it measures up very well with other scopes in it's class and price range (Sightron SII, Bushnell Elite 3200, Leupold VX-II, etc.) and is definitely worth your consideration the next time you're in the market for a quality all-around hunting scope that won't break the bank.

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    Vortex Optics
    2120 West Greenview Drive
    Middleton, Wisconsin 53562
    (800) 426-0048
    www.VortexOptics.com