Vortex is an American company, but where are Vortex scopes made? I wasn’t sure, so I dug into the issue and got the answers straight from the horse’s mouth in Barneveld, Wisconsin:
Vortex themselves.
More specifically Mike in customer service, who was more than happy to answer my questions.
According to Mike from Vortex Optics, Vortex produces riflescopes in the USA, Japan, the Philippines, and China. Let’s break it down by product line.
Razor HD AMG
Vortex optics builds one scope in America, the Vortex Razor HD AMG (AMG meaning American Made Glass).
The Vortex Razor HD AMG is 6-24×50 first focal plane beast of a long-range riflescope that is machined from a single block of aircraft-grade aluminum and then assembled with literal laser precision at the Vortex facility in Wisconsin.
Razor
The rest of the Razor line is made in Japan at a partner facility.
Razors are the top-line scope in the Vortex optics line-up, and Japan has a reputation for producing quality glass.
A reputation that is reflected in the final product. Leupold rifle scopes are also known for their high quality rifle scopes.
Viper
Viper riflescopes are a mid-level offering from Vortex.
These sleek and durable Vortex scopes come from a place not known for optics, the Philippines, along with the Diamondback 4-12×40 riflescope.
Early on there were some quality control issues at the plant, so Vortex optics brought in supervisors and engineers from Japan to ensure that the products are built to standard.
A caveat to this is that the Viper red-dot, and most of the other Vortex red-dot sights, are not made in the Philippines but rather our next stop, China.
Made in China, But the Good Made in China
A product bearing the label “Made in China” can conjure mixed emotions in some people. With Vortex scopes, they should be good ones. Like the Philippines, Japanese engineers and optics experts supervise and staff the Vortex scopes production facilities in China to verify adherence to Vortex’s high standards.
The bulk of Vortex’s rifle scopes production occurs in China. This includes the Diamondback Tactical FFP (First Focal Plane), Strike Eagle, and Crossfire rifle scopes product lines. Asia seems to be the place for optics. In fact, Bushnell gets theirs from South Korea.
Speaking of Bushnell, I wrote a review on the Bushnell 1-4×24 AR Optics Riflescope.
Conclusion
So, they got fancy factories, but can I trust where Vortex scopes are made and to stand behind their optics if something goes wrong?
In short, yes. All of these Vortex scopes and the entire product catalog are backed up by the Vortex warranty “If you ever have a problem, no matter the cause we promise to take care of you.” They are a company that believes in their product, and from personal experience, it shows.
That said, what are your thoughts on Vortex Optics? Let me know in the comments below. Also, check out my Best Holographic Sights Guide.
FAQ
Which Vortex scopes are made in USA?
Out of all the Vortex scopes, the only one built in the USA is the Vortex Razor HD AMG 6-24×50.
Which Vortex scopes are made in Japan?
The Razor lineup (with the exception of the HD AMG) is produced in Japan.
Where are Vortex Diamondback scopes made?
The Diamondback 4-12×40 scope is built in the Philippines. All other Diamondback Vortex scopes are manufactured in China under the supervision of Japanese optics experts and engineers.
Where are Vortex Viper scopes made?
Viper scopes are built in the Philippines at the same factory as the Diamondback 4-12×40.
My comment ….Leupold …made in ….UNITED STATES OF ….
A m e r I c a …NUFF SAID …well not ….screw CHINA….now nuff said
I agree with you Jim! Just bought my first Leupold scope and excited to get to the range with it.
Hey man ..my wife pussy is china made
haha man then replace pussy with American base wife
Not all Leupolds are made in America. I believe it is only the Gold Ring series.
They are made in the US. Many have imported Japanese glass
Every last one of them…..made here in the USA.
If you’re talking about Vortex scopes, I think this article just proved you’re wrong and it was corroborated by The Vortex people themselves.😎
Wrong most are Chinese glass do ur research
Google “Leupold Knock Offs”
i double down on f china
Agree 100%. I mostly buy Leupold, but will buy made in Japan, Europe, and evens the Philippines; but never China. I hate this crap designed in the USA -disabled American Veteran company… and then find out made in China. What American patriot would get rich off production in China while transferring the technical edge to the CCP?
Mark, I looked in to one of those vet own company a few months ago selling red dots. Did a google map look up for the address that is posted on their site. It was a Subway at a mall.
Could not agree with you more sir. Chicoms killed over a Million Americans w Covid, they are partners with Mexican Cartels killing hundreds of Americans DAILY with their “Pure as Death Itself” Fentanyl. They are our absolute enemy and no patriot should help them defeat the US. A few more dollars to a company that’s our Allie and friend is fine. Japan makes great optics,Germany,Philippines S Korea,Taiwan [at least until biden lets china have them].
I found out a “dis-abled veteran owned company” was really owned by a misfit Private who got drunk and fell off a truck. We have to ask, every time,real Vets won’t mind. David
If they can make the product be all the same it’ll be a standard point of target to the society. Each country in the planet should certify shield or a code . Or something like smarties for starters . And mnm ‘s for beginners and a crunches for the lovers . It will be eternal and forever .
Trump made his suits in china, his daughter received patent’s in china yet idiots/cult members voted for the treasonous one!
;
I agree, & I’ll be that guy to say – Vortex is the MOST overpriced junk made, it’s one thing to only be able to afford china stuff for $600.00, it’s another to pay 2-6X that much for vortex crap made in the same place like razor shit which the only difference is japasian-plasticglass……lol.
Well, Jim…..you will be highly disappointed to find out that Leupold has been making a number of their optics over seas now too. Guess where? You got it! China!! Don’t believe me? Call their customer service line and ask. You can even call their custom shop direct and speak to an engineer. They will tell you all about how “it’s ok because we monitor quality control very well” etc etc etc. I just cancelled my Leupold Core VIP membership a few months ago the very day that I found out. If you think they don’t manufacture in China you’re dead wrong. So screw Leupold too.
Who can I contact with a problem with my Vortex viper scope
Call VORTEX they will take care of the optics that’s their promise
See the comment I just left Jim. You’ll be disappointed too.
Made in China , stays in China! Next question??
I guess Leupold needs to start staying in China then too.
This is why I buy Leupold now. My understanding is that the glass for most lines comes from Japan, but the rest of the riflescope is made in the USA. Without spending $3,500, I can get a riflescope that mostly made in the USA, supporting American workers. And their warranty is, of course, second to none. You call ’em, they say send it to us, and they send it back ready to rock. Sometimes you even get a brand-new riflescope as an upgrade. *That* is warranty service.
“Made in China, stays in China”…I like that! I think I’ll use it. 🙂 And if it’s my money that I’m spending, I will do my best to buy American.
I’ll stick with the Leupold Mark 4’s for as long as they keep selling ’em. They work, they’re solid, and they’re made here.
I respect that sentiment, but also remember that many companies that make products in China and elsewhere also employ American workers (myself included).
Well, they should employ more American workers and less slave-sweatshop labor in China, by moving that production back over here. I guess you’re one of the fortunate ones whose decent-paying manufacturing job didn’t get shipped overseas; I know far too many people who weren’t so fortunate. Plus, Red China is not exactly our friend. So, yeah, “made in China, stays in China” if it’s my money I’m spending and I can buy American.
We need to vote more with our wallets that way. My cell phone is actually USA-made. Yes, you read that right. It cost more than the Red China-made ones, but I get American quality and ensure American workers get paid. I also have much better assurance that there aren’t backdoors planted into the hardware.
Which phone do you have for it to be made in the USA??
Purism Librem 5 USA, and yep, they are available.
Options Skippy..
Sometimes there is zero options.. but when there is, I support American workers and I buy MADE IN AMERICA !
Yup my thoughts exactly!
If you want your money to stay in America then stop buying Leupold.
https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/leupold-made-in-china.247440/
So bummed to learn my new Vortex Scope made in China.
What vortex do you have mine was made in the phillipines but it is a viper though
At least they are open and honest about where they make their products.
Because I’m like just about everyone my money don’t grow on trees but I am fortunate enuff to have vortex viper 2.5-10-44 made in the phillipines so far it’s been a super great rifle scope it’s built like a tank I do believe
Vortex has a rifle scope for every hunter on any budget
Where is the venom made
Vortex a so-called American conpany outsources it’s production to 3rd world sweat shops and still charges premium prices? Meanwhile Leupold, Redfield, Weaver, Burris, etc. are trying to remain competitive.
The Chinese can build quality products. They do have a space program. They also pride themselves on selling their junk to fat, lazy, stupid, instant gratification seeking Americans. There’s a reason there are a couple of supercarriers doing figure 8s in the South China Sea and it’s not because the Chinese are our good BFFs.
I couldn’t have said that better.
The Redfield brand got sold last year to Academy Sports, and now the current line of Redfield riflescopes are made in China. The Leupold-made ones, specifically the Revolution line, are the USA-made, quality ones.
Note that Burris offshores a lot of its riflescope production to sweatshops, too. So does Weaver. So, be careful of them as well if you buy from them.
At least Zeiss has the decency to have their so-called “less expensive” line made in Japan, and they’re A.) a friend, and B.) make very high quality stuff.
Shame about Vortex. I had hoped they would stay primarily American.
Well since China owns more than 50% of US food production companies now you and I both might not be as American as we thought we were. Same goes with whatever car or truck you drive. I’ve owned F-150’s and Ram 1500’s. Every module in both of those trucks came from China. And GM is no different. You think we’re mining those rare earth metals that go into those modules here in Arkansas?!?
Amen. God bless you. I wish more people understood that.
Vortex workers at the factory in China are likely getting paid more (per capita) than most equivalent American workers. Vortex, Burris, not Weaver are being made in “sweat shops”. I’m definitely anti China, but those are facts.
It’s not that the Chinese can’t make quality products. Why give your money to them?Spend your hard earned dollars in the USA!
Exactly. It’s not that they make garbage, it’s about keeping the money out of their hands. Unfortunately it’s too late. Only Jesus can fix it now.
I wish I wouldn’t have read this. Now I have to spend twice as much to ethical.
I have several vortex products, and they are top notch and much less expensive. I never had any problem with any of them. Even mounted on a .458 socom.
I live in Wisconsin and do my business in Wisconsin – But only with USA made products (or at least with friends of the US)
Just remember that every dollar we send to china, they will use it to build up their military. Their goal is to wipe out the USA. Covid 19 from china wiped out over a million Americans without firing a single shot. They also decimated our strong economy and supply chain. I would hope every U.S. company would remove their manufacturing out of china and move it back to the USA. Vote with your dollar and your words!!!
Lol…..you think China decimated our economy and supply chain?!? We let that happen when we stood by and let everything get shut down. We did that to ourselves. We let the current administration do it. Just stood there and pissed and moaned about it, but nobody did a damn thing now did they?
At least the XM157 scope that tops the new XM5 military rifle is made in the USA with all American parts….by VORTEX.
Well……
A. the rifle is the M7.
B. It’s garbage so doesn’t matter what glass is on top of it.
C. Vortex is not the only optic that’s going on it.
D. You can’t put 250,000 optics on over 600,000 rifles.
E. Sig military line manufactured weapons are garbage. I’ve had multiple fail in my hands while on duty.
The only optics I would trust on top of my gun in a gun fight are Night Force, Eotech or Trijicon. And that’s because they have been on top of my guns in gunfights and never once failed. THAT…….cant be argued.
I am from Wisconsin, and I was excited to learn about Vortex as they are made in Wisconsin. Then, I found this link when I was trying to find “where in Wisconsin” they are made. Yes, it’s nice that “one” of Vortex’s scopes is made in Wisconsin, but I will not buy Vortex unless they pull production from China. But, there are so many people who keep themselves in the dark, uneducated, about what they buy, or simply don’t care, that I will make a difference. Irregardless, Vortex lost my business before it began by having anything made in China.
You can’t make money as a consumer; money is made by producers.
If you don’t produce it here you can’t control its placement in the supply chain.
Our reliance on others is our weak link.
This is a problem that can’t be fixed overnight and can’t be fixed at all if you never start fixing.
The founding fathers understood this and warned us about it. History is a good place to look for solutions to our future. Wake Up!
Word.
All of this hullaballoo over where your scope is made, while you drive cars with parts made in Mexico, hardly a friend of the USA, or elsewhere. Your TV is not made here, in fact most likely, except for one poster the phone or computer you used to post your comments was also made in China or somewhere else. We live in a global economy so get over it. Most of us have a limited amount of money to spend, and we want the best quality we can get for the money. If I can buy a xyz scope for $200 that offers the same quality as one from abc company for $400 I will buy the scope for $200 and take the leftover $200 and spend it right here in the USA on more products and services which put money into our economy.
If you have unlimited resources you can choose to spend more money than I can, and that is your right and privelege, but that does not make you morally superior to me because I can’t do the same.
Please don’t bash those of us who choose to buy scopes we can afford so that we can spend more time pursuing our outdoor passions.
Thanks
If I don’t have enough money to purchase a US made optic, I prefer not to have an optic than purchase one made in China.
What you are doing, if you follow your argument, is selling your freedoms for purchasing more stuff. 80% of global money is made in the manufacturing sector. As it was observed in the past century in Europe and USA, and in the last decades in Asian countries, manufacturing jobs are the unique sector capable of creating a big medium income population. A country with a higher number on its population in this medium income area is a prosperous country where freedoms can be developed as medium income population want be attracted by false claims of redistribution of income from lefties. If you move manufacturing jobs from USA to China, you are increasing the population in the poor income region. These people very probable will believe to scammers who promise them they will become medium income population if they vote for these politicians, as the Democrats are currently promising to them and you can bet with me and you will lose, the first thing these politicians will do, before anything else, is take away from you your freedoms, as free-speech (with concepts as hate-speech) and the freedom to keep and bear arms.
So buying things made in poor countries is making you closer to lose, between other freedoms, your right to keep and bear arms.
i’m with you. julian From Marcool Optics
The problem is not that PRC are bad, but rather that American engineers and American gun culture is being leverage for “gain of function” improvements to PRC martial products.
http://www.ambgun.com/verboten/gain-of-function
That is so true. Since Red China is not our friend, but rather a very serious (and aggressive!) rival, I see supporting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the same way that one might see supporting, say, Kim Jong Un’s North Korean government. I get that some things are now made exclusively in Red China. That really sucks, yes, but my head isn’t in the sand. However, whenever possible, it remains OUR responsibility not to give Red China our money.
While I prefer manufacturing made in the USA, I could understand going with, say, Japan or Germany. Both Japan and Germany are friends, and they’re high quality. Same with Switzerland; the Swiss make great stuff, and they aren’t anybody’s enemy, by design. But not Red China, any more than North Korea.
I’m the poster that “David”, above, speaks of who has the USA-made smartphone. My running shoes are New Balance 990’s, which are also USA-made. Better to give that money to New Balance’s USA factories vs. the Red China slave sweatshops that put out Nikes, Reeboks, Adidas, and so on.
Same goes for my riflescopes. For US $700, one can get a USA-made Leupold Mark 4, with a 4.5-14×50 magnification. It’s hard to beat a deal like that, in my view. That Mark 4 will get you out past 1,000 yards as long as you, the marksman, do your part. And you avoid funding Communist China’s military. It’s a win for everyone but the Communist dictators.
I’ve been looking at American only made red dots and scopes…my job I lost because of the Mexican trade Its not only china….if we can put a hurting on bud light….I say American 1st…even if it cost more…buy once and done….its a tough world we gotta help ourselves out…
Don’t want Chinese anything unless it is unavoidable—-Rankin–You are a moron–hh
I see a lot of comments about China, most thing these days have parts or are mfg in China there is no way around it. I also see a lot of people comparing Vortex to Leupold.
here is my latest experience. (I hunt the woods, so most shots are under 50 yards).
I went to the range with the Vortex crossfire II 3×9 ($150) and the Leupold vx freedom 4×12 ($350) sight in at 50 yards. Here is what I found out on the range that day.
clarity Vortex (Leupold after 8x got fuzzy and out of focus)
brightness Vortex
windage and elevation Leupold (vortex clicks were mushy not crisp)
eye relief vortex (just better)
Needless to say, I sent the Leupold back to them and I will be hunting with the Vortex.
I have both leopard and Vortex scopes. My thoughts on the purchase is based on the type of game I am going to hunt or the competition shooting event I will compete. So, my conclusion could be affordable or an expensive upgrade— that could be various manufacturers?? I research the scopes for eventual service. I do not care where they are produced/assembled. As I am a senior military officer, and have had success with all scopes that will do the event I have chosen to shoot.
Wally
If all of you were so concerned about Vortex’s products, which are very good, and their being in made in China, why is Biden president, and the Senate Democrat?
David : post 2023 / could not have been said any better. We seem to pick and choose our battles , hide behind a tree with a m16 , but forget to observe that which is behind us , our whole lives have become saturated with hidden realities, we hastily run to a cause, maybe because there’s nothing else to do and want to be part of something, but stop and observe,
Look at VORTEX. For example, JOBS” VORTEX employs well over like 800 employees, I have heard they are such a loving company to there people, employees drive up to 1 1/2 hours to work, there culture is second to none , they pay their people very well, benefits
OFF OF THE CHARTS no one wants to leave , they give their employees extra benefits OH YES so some parts are made over seas ? Some assembly ect. Where is the mention of (For life warranty.) Second to none quality, AND AGAIN employing HunDreds of people, thought – sending all that money to foreign countries? I think more money is being made and kept in and for our people,
So you MAY REPLY on your Chinese Thai Japanese ,phones ,computers from your Chevy or ford that has computers made in India China. Japan ect , parts Canada Mexico , laughing, or your Honda kia Hyundai , Toyota . Final. I don’t like anything leaving USA but it’s here and here to stay, our lives would stop functioning as we know it if y’all didn’t buy anything that has foreign anything in its makeup, I say MAKE WISE CHOICES , support legislation to control all of this ,until it is all changed do ur best at all of what you do,
GOD BLESS ALL,and support each other,
If you saw what VORTEX does to support law enforcement and military at their facility, I KNOW you would see them on such a much diff way .
PS I AM NOT ADVOCATING FOR CHINA. Simply do ur home work , support legislation to change America back to being great ,we are a self sustaining country , my father ww2 tank commander and interpreter for Patton . Keep us free and great , he fought for it …
My Diamondback2 2-7×35 Rimfire is Philippine mfg not PRC.
You might want to suggest to Vortex mouthpiece that he re-check his info.
If any of you think Leupold ANYTHING is “made in America” you need to actually read THEIR websites/literature. Their scopes are “assembled” in America (not even that for many of their other products) with Asian glass. Oh, and you won’t know what part/country in Asia because they won’t tell you. Their advertising is deceptive as hell. Fall for the okie doke if you want to, I don’t like being lied to. BTW, I sell guns and optics and having to deal with the companies? The Leupold reps live and die by this crap and are pretty entitled. Need ANYTHING from Vortex? Call Wisconsin, get someone on the phone immediately and get the problem taken care of NOW. Not the Leupold “leave a message, we’ll get back to you”