Vortex Venom problems!!!

[Pnut]

I’ve always had good luck with Vortex product, so I purchased a VENOM to mount on my shotgun. When I went to zero it with slugs at 25 yards, the POI elevation knob was maxed out in the UP position but it still hit 4-5 inches low.

I then put the VENOM on my Ruger 22/45 and got it zero’d but again, the POI elevation knob was maxed out in the UP position. The gun is zero’d but the fact that it’s maxed out is bothering me. Did I get a faulty unit? What’s Vortex’s warranty policy/customer service like?

[DamonL]

I had the same problem. I called customer service. They offered to send a shim to fit under the mount or to send it in. I asked to send it in and I got another unit. Guess what? I have the same problem. My guess is the shim solution came about because they get a lot of returns for this problem.

[Pnut]

Just contacted them and they gave me the same response. The shim is made by UM Tactical. The fact that a separate company makes this product specifically designed for this optic tells me something… do that many people have this problem???

I’m curious though, why doesn’t Vortex offer this shim for free to fix THEIR problem? I ordered one for about $14.00

[MVS]

I gave up on Vortex mini red dots some time ago when I was on the third replacement for that and similar issues. I have a replacement one sitting around here somewhere that I never even took out of the box.

[Pnut]

I originally got it to mount on my Beretta 1301. Once that didn’t work out, I figure I’d try it on my 22/45 since that already had a FastFire 3 on a dedicated mount and they shared the same footprint. The optic is nice… big window, nice controls, bright dot… but the fact that a $200+ optic needs a shim is bothersome.

[Pnut]

After checking out and ordering the shim on UM Tactical sight, I read the multiple customer reviews of the product. I guess it’s made for optics that share the FastFire footprint. The funny thing is that all the reviews were customers using it for the use with the Vortex Venom and Viper

[DamonL]

I wanted a cheap red dot for a rimfire. Thats the only reason I bought this one. A friend had several and he had no problems.

[Pnut]

Just an update… received and installed the shim and it fixed the problem! I actually order on off of Amazon from a company called ADE. Once the shim was installed, I was able to backed off the Maxed out dial almost 2 full rotations to get it back to zero on my 22/45. 2 rotations=50 clicks=50 MOA!

[DamonL]

I just bought a 6 moa Venom to put on a Nelson rimfire conversion. It did not need a shim to sight in. I put a 3 moa model on a Smith and Wesson 41 and that one needed a shim. Anyway both are zeroed with some adjustment still available.

[Kyle Reese]

I’ve always had good luck with Vortex product, so I purchased a VENOM to mount on my shotgun. When I went to zero it with slugs at 25 yards, the POI elevation knob was maxed out in the UP position but it still hit 4-5 inches low.

I then put the VENOM on my Ruger 22/45 and got it zero’d but again, the POI elevation knob was maxed out in the UP position. The gun is zero’d but the fact that it’s maxed out is bothering me. Did I get a faulty unit? What’s Vortex’s warranty policy/customer service like?

Excellent customer service, but the unit itself is junk. I encountered units that weren't functional right out of the box, a unit that went completely dead after six live (9mm) rounds through a P10F & in general they're sub par in every way. I went through several in 2019 before throwing my hands up to the sky and ordering several Holosun units for my training/class guns.

[vcdgrips]

By the vast majority of accounts Vortex has outstanding customer service.

By many accounts, Vortex has quality control issues that seem to be concentrated, though not exclusive, to their more modest offerings.

[Lester Polfus]

I have a Marlin 1894c with a Vortex Venom mounted on the forward receiver holes using a EGW mount. On October 31 2021, I used it to shoot a spke blacktail buck during the last five minutes of early firearms deer season. The round went exactly where I put the dot and the deer dropped within ten yards.

Thanks to bouts of The Rona and other shenanigans I haven’t shot the gun until today. I took it out with the intention of zeroing it with 140 grain Barnes loads. First I thought I’d put some of the zeroed load, Federal 158 JSP, ex to get reacquainted.

Somehow the optic broke sitting in the safe. It shot very consistent groups, three FEET low. The witness marks are still on the dials. They haven’t been moved.

So the optic is coming off, to be replaced temporarily with a Vortex crossfire from another gun. Long term plan is to put a Midwest Industries mount on it with an Aimpoint Duty RDS.

[RevolverRob]

I have a Marlin 1894c with a Vortex Venom mounted on the forward receiver holes using a EGW mount. On October 31 2021, I used it to shoot a spke blacktail buck during the last five minutes of early firearms deer season. The round went exactly where I put the dot and the deer dropped within ten yards.

Thanks to bouts of The Rona and other shenanigans I haven’t shot the gun until today. I took it out with the intention of zeroing it with 140 grain Barnes loads. First I thought I’d put some of the zeroed load, Federal 158 JSP, ex to get reacquainted.

Somehow the optic broke sitting in the safe. It shot very consistent groups, three FEET low. The witness marks are still on the dials. They haven’t been moved.

So the optic is coming off, to be replaced temporarily with a Vortex crossfire from another gun. Long term plan is to put a Midwest Industries mount on it with an Aimpoint Duty RDS.

I suppose you'll check the tightness of the EGW mount + the tightness of the barrel bands as well, right?

I would expect a loose mount to result in a wandering zero. But any changes to the barrel band could be consistent enough to move the impact low. Though several feet would be kind of crazy.

[Lester Polfus]

I suppose you'll check the tightness of the EGW mount + the tightness of the barrel bands as well, right?

I would expect a loose mount to result in a wandering zero. But any changes to the barrel band could be consistent enough to move the impact low. Though several feet would be kind of crazy.

Yup. Everything is tight as a tick. Also, it still shoots really nice groups, just not in the place you want them to be. When I've seen issues caused by loose hardware, the groups tend to be huge as well.

[RevolverRob]

Yup. Everything is tight as a tick. Also, it still shoots really nice groups, just not in the place you want them to be. When I've seen issues caused by loose hardware, the groups tend to be huge as well.

Yea, that is in line with my experience, but I figured it was worth a mention, just in case.

Bummer really.

At this point it really seems like Holosun or Primary Arms-branded Holosuns are the solution for low(er) cost optics.

[Borderland]

I have two Vortex Venoms. One on 625 and one on a Ruger MKII. The only problem I've had is the last one I purchased has a battery cover that will only screw in with great difficulty. It uses the same battery as the first one I bought that works just fine. Very frustrating. Probably wouldn't buy another one because of that. Too many other products out there that work.

[Lester Polfus]

I took the sight off the gun. The loc-tite holding the mount to the gun, and the sight to the mount was still solid. At lunch I went out at the side yard and checked the zero with the XS sights. I can only get out to 25 yards and I have to be careful shooting past the kiddo's swing set, but I sent 6 rounds into a 2" orange paster, so it was definitely the Vortex.

ETA: The Vortex was an attempt to answer the question "do I want a red dot on a lever gun," with the idea that if I liked it, I'd put better sight on Later™. I did good with the 1st question, but have been procrastinating on the new sight. I do think I want an enclosed emitter sight, with a big dial instead of little press buttons. I also want one with some kind of shake awake feature, or one with enough battery life that I can just leave it turned on, and change the battery twice a year.