My father has a Ruger M77/17HMR that he uses on pests such as crows, squirrels, and especially groundhogs. When Dad commented to me a few months ago that the scope on his .17 HMR was no longer pulling its weight, I decided to find out what all the hype was regarding Vortex optics. I casually brought up the brand to my daughter who works in a gunshop, and she was quick to say how great their experience was with the company regarding customer service and how few of their optics ever seem to have any issues. That was a great indicator and enough reason to contact Vortex and inquire about a variable power rimfire scope for the Ruger.
Dad and I unboxed the Diamondback 2-7x35mm Rimfire V-Plex scope and began mounting it on his Ruger to replace the old scope. I was immediately reminded that Ruger rimfires come with their own proprietary scope mounts and rings, so we did not need (nor could we use) any other rings. The scope was quick and easy to mount and align properly. The one snag I would like to mention for readers to be aware of was that due to the fixed nature of the mounts and their locations on the Ruger M77/17, we could only slide the scope so far back before the forward mount and rings were hitting the flare leading to the objective bell and lens of the scope. Ruger has their mounts attached to fixed positions on the receiver. With the scope as far rearward as we could mount it, we had just enough sight picture to work with. It worked and is of no fault of the scope or design, but more of the fixed nature of the location of the scope-mounting positions on the rifle. Rimfire scopes tend to have a shorter tube than centerfire scopes as well, so readers, keep that in mind.
When we tested the scope, we were using Hornady V-Max Rimfire rounds in 17 grains, which are great on varmints out to 200 yards with a tad over 8 inches of drop at that range when zeroed at 100 yards. Starting out at 25 yards, we quickly had the impacts on paper near zero before pushing the targets out further and further until they were zeroed at 100 yards. Since I am not reviewing the rifle, I will just comment on the scope. After the first adjustment on the scope, all other adjustments appeared true to each click we made. The movements are ¼ MOA at 100 yards, and each click on the scope adjustment knob is precise and can be easily felt. I really like how positive and firm each click is with this model of scope. I also noticed when reading the manual that users can Re-Index the zero indicator if one wishes to do so, in order to later make temporarily adjustments and go back to the original zero. I did not do this as we found the movements of the reticle via the adjustment knob to be accurate. We were able to successfully and easily zero this scope and rifle combo in less than a dozen rounds.
The clarity of the scope was quite good even in twilight. The fast-focus eyepiece works smoothly and the variable powers on the scope also work easily. The matte finish on the scope appears durable and great for not reflecting light easily and giving away positions to animals while in the field.
Shooting this rifle with this scope made me want to try more Vortex products. The prices are very reasonable given the quality of product one gets. Since this was my father’s rifle, he had the pleasure of doing the field testing after our bench testing. Our lease holder has a groundhog problem, and Dad headed over to eradicate a few of them with the rifle/scope combo. I am happy to report that several groundhogs have gone on to the garden in the sky as of this writing, and the hits were dead on. Dad appreciated the clarity of the scope and how easily it was to focus and move the power when he needed it while maneuvering for shots around the landowners property. He said he would likely use more Vortex optics based on his experience with the Diamondback.
Features:
• Multi coated with anti-reflective coating
• Argon gas purging with O-ring seals which keeps it fogproof and waterproof
• Single piece, aircraft grade aluminum alloy construction
• ¼-MOA turrets
• Hard anodized matte black finish
• Fast focus eyepiece
• Precision Glide Erector System
• 1-inch tube weighing 13.7 ounces at 11.6 inches long
• Eye relief is 3.1 inches
• FOV: 64.3-19.3 feet at 100 yards
Summary:
Great scope for the money. I will probably get one for my next rimfire rifle, likely the same exact model. The scope is well made, looks great and most importantly, works just as advertised at the bench and in the field. This is a piece of equipment I feel I can count on for a number of years. I already told my father if he decides he is not using the rifle and scope that much, I would love to borrow it for an extended period of time. I have a few foxes, a coyote that showed up to grab that dead ground hog, and a groundhog that need dispatching!
Learn more about it at vortex.com.
