How does the Vortex Diamondback Tactical (DBT) compare to the Vortex Venom?
This piece will detail the main differences between these similar but significantly different scope platforms from Vortex, and distill the questions you should be asking if you’re in the market for either. Or both.
Diamondback Tactical vs Venom: The Similarities
It’s not crazy to mention both these Vortex scope families in the same breath. They’re both built around first-plane reticles that are tuned for competition shooters. They both have exposed elevation turrets. And neither have illumination. And both are priced similarly.
Both are generally available in either MOA or MRAD versions. Both are covered by Vortex’s industry-leading warranty. And both have precise and useful side parallax adjustment, focus extending from 20 yards to infinity.
But even within that demarcation there are differences. Turns out there is a second-plane Venom, the versatile 1-6x24 with the AR-BDC3 reticle. And, guess what? Turns out that the reticle is illuminated.
Then there’s the second-plane DBT, the 4-12x40 with the very good hash-style (unilluminated) VMR-1 reticle in MOA.
But without getting bogged down in the details, both families are designed for competitive target shooting.
Beyond that second-plane LPVO, the Venom line’s best expression is the do-everything 3-15x44 that I have mounted on a 3-gun AR-15 in .223. The 5-25x56 Venom, with the first-plane EBR-7C tree-style reticle will put you on target in just about any PRS or other center-fire steel competition.
On the Diamondback Tactical side, there are only three models, that 4-12x40 second-plane model and the very good 6-24x50 and 4-16x44 versions.
DBT vs Venom: The Differences
In some ways, it’s easier to talk about what differentiates these two families vs what units them. The biggest demarcation is that the Venom has Vortex’s very good RevStop zero stop. The Diamondback Tactical has no zero stop.
The two bigger Venom scopes are built on 34mm tubes, and have prodigious amounts of internal adjustment that please those competitive shooters who like to dial their aiming solution. The DBT scopes, built on 30mm tubes, have fairly limited internal adjustment.
Venom scopes have a better class of glass. They have more precise and tactile turret adjustments. And they’re generally useful across the full range of magnification.
The DBT scopes have decent, but not remarkable glass. They have tinny turret adjustments. And they have stingy eyeboxes at higher magnifications. That’s a squishy term that basically means it’s hard to keep both the reticle and the target in the same image plane.
Most shooters recognize eyebox limitations when they have to keep hunting for the perfect alignment of reticle and target. Over time, it causes fatigue and bleary eyesight.
DBT vs Venom: Price Differentiation
One source of confusion between the two scope families is their fairly similar prices. Generally the Venom scopes cost more, owing to their better glass and tighter build. But in the world of discounts the two families can line up close to either other on price.
Here’s what Vortex says, quoting the MSRP for each configuration:
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Venom 1-6x24: $449
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Venom 3-15x44: $649
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Venom 5-25x56: $699
Keep in mind that you can often pick up one scope line or the other for far under these MSRP prices, but they give you a good basis for comparison. And they help answer that question: No wonder shooters want to know how they’re different. The two families are priced pretty similarly. So, which is the scope for you?
DBT vs Venom: Conclusions
I opt for the Venom over the Diamondback Tactical at almost every point of comparison. The price isn’t wildly more, but with the Venom you get a better grade of glass, Vortex’s premium controls and reticles, and way more internal adjustment. Plus, you get a zero stop.
That addition might not matter much for shooters just breaking into competitions, but the more you shoot, especially at wildly varied distances, the more you will rely on a solid and consistent zero stop to quickly and surely return to your pre-established zero.
Generally speaking, the Venom is heavier and more robust, but in the field that translates into better durability.
Plus, I’d argue that the Venom scopes are more versatile. When you’re done with the competitive-target season, take that same Venom scope to the field on a deer or elk hunting rifle. The glass and controls will serve you in far more situations, including those you might not expect, than the fairly single-purpose Diamondback Tactical line of scopes.