Vortex Diamondback Tactical FFP Review: The best value scope?

The Diamondback Tactical series is a feature-packed entry point into precision rifle scopes. The Diamondback Tactical is different from other Vortex scopes thanks to its low(er) price point while still offering exposed windage and elevation turrets, side parallax adjustment, and First Focal Plane reticles.

I’ve owned the Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 FFP for over 4 years now, shooting it in all sorts of conditions and configurations. I got my hands on a Diamondback Tactical 6-24x50 FFP and created this in-depth review to share my testing and hands-on experience with these scopes.

Summary

I would highly recommend the Diamondback Tactical to anyone looking for a scope in the $400 - $450 price range. The features you get at this price are tough to beat, and Vortex is a stand-up company with a great reputation and warranty.

The Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 and 6-24x50 both offer a first focal plane reticle with exposed windage and elevation turrets. The FFP reticle means you can reliably memorize and use the numbered MRAD or MOA holds etched in the scope reticle, and the exposed turrets mean you can quickly dial in your windage and elevation on the fly without needing to remove any turret caps.

My only real complaint with these scopes is the eye box. Eye relief is great on both of the Diamondback Tactical scopes with nearly 4” of eye relief… That’s plenty of room. The eye box can be a little bit unforgiving at the higher magnification ranges—you’ll need to get your head positioned square behind the scope at 16x or 24x to avoid the dark scope edges jumping into your view. Still, for this price, I’m definitely being nit-picky. 

If you want to pay about $50 more, the Vortex Venom 5-25x56 offers a better eye box, brightness, and glass clarity, but is just over a half pound heavier than the Diamondback Tactical—35 oz vs 25 oz. The Venom offers better performance at a slightly higher price, in a much larger and heavier package—the Diamondback feels more nimble which I prefer for hunting in the backcountry or mountains. 

The glass from both of these scopes is solid—I would argue these scopes perform well above the price they are listed at. Clarity and brightness at the edges of the Diamondback Tactical leave some room for improvement–particularly on the 4-16x44. The 6-24x50 is pretty phenomenal though, and a part of me is ready to trade in my 4-16x44 and keep the 6-24x50 for the extra magnification—they are only 1 oz apart in weight too.

Overall, I’d recommend the Diamondback Tactical to anyone wanting a feature-packed, lightweight (yet solid) scope at a phenomenal price—particularly the DBT 6-24x50 FFP. If you’re looking for a step up, the Vortex Venom 5-25x56 is another great pick, just know it comes at the cost of extra size and weight.

Mentioned in This Article

Best Overall

Vortex Diamondback Tactical 6-24x50 FFP

Best glass clarity, brightness, and the additional magnification doesn't add much weight.

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Best Field of View

Vortex Diamondback Tactical 4-16x FFP

4x provides a wider field of view that is better for tactical applications and scanning for targets.

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Upgraded Option

Vortex Venom 5-25x56 FFP

Better glass quality, turrets, and eye box—for almost the exact same price.

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Our Testing & Review

I took both the Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 FFP and 6-24x50 FFP out to my local range that offers distances from 100-600 yards for testing. For the sake of keeping things uniform, I mounted both of these to an AR-15 for testing, but typically I use my Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 on my 22LR Bergara.

I have a lot of experience shooting small targets from varmint hunting at a handful of different ranges, but shooting some .223/5.56 was a good way to push these scopes the distance they were built for.

Glass: Clarity, Reticle, Eye Box

On the Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 FFP, I found that the glass got a bit dimmer on the very edges while looking through the scope, especially on an overcast day. The DBT 6-24x50 was definitely a bit brighter, probably thanks to the larger 50mm objective lens.

At lower magnification levels, both of these scopes are phenomenal. Absolutely zero complaints. I was able to easily hit man-sized targets ranging from 100 - 300 yards with solid accuracy, and both scopes offered an excellent field of view for scanning for targets.

Pushing these out further to 500+ yards at mid to higher magnifications, I started to notice a few shortcomings. As I’ve already mentioned, the brightness and clarity at the edges could be better, but for the price I was seriously impressed. 

The eye box is also a bit sensitive when the magnification is turned all the way up—some of the more expensive Vortex offerings like the Vortex Venom 5-25x56 or Viper are more forgiving. At this price though, I would happily use these scopes with no complaints. Unless you plan on shooting from some seriously uncomfortable positions, you shouldn’t have any trouble with the eye box.

The last thing I want to mention is the reticle—I am a huge fan of the "Christmas Tree" style reticle Vortex went with in these optics. Because the Diamondback Tactical is a first focal plane scope, the reticle will get larger as you zoom in and smaller as you zoom out, allowing you to repeatably use the numbered MRAD or MOA holds etched in the reticle.

Most importantly, the reticle didn't obstruct my view in any way while shooting and testing at different magnification levels. The center of the crosshairs are very fine, allowing you to squeeze some serious precision out of the reticle without blocking your view.

Controls: Turrets & Parallax

Turrets are about what you’d expect from a scope at this price point—less tactile and “clicky” than the more expensive Vortex offerings, but work perfectly. I appreciate that the Vortex left the windage and elevation turrets exposed on the Diamondback Tactical—you can quickly adjust these without needing to unscrew any cap covers.

From my repeated testing and adjustments, tracking on the turrets works flawlessly. I dialed the windage and elevation up and down repeatedly and was able to punch overlapping holes in the paper at 100 yards.

The Diamondback series is also the most affordable offering from Vortex that provides a side focus parallax adjustment (compared to the Adjustable Objective, AO Crossfire scopes that are cheaper). The side focus on the Diamondback Tactical is much easier to use and adjust on the fly, rather than needing to reach for the front of the scope each time on the Vortex Crossfires.

Construction: Durability & Finish

Overall, durability and finish on the Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 and 6-24x50 is fantastic. The exterior scope and lens coatings are super durable—the Diamondback Tactical on my 22LR has been tossed around, experienced wind, rain, dust, and has been knocked around on a four wheeler. Zero issues with scratches, scuffs, or wear—I’m honestly surprised.

The Diamondback Tactical is significantly lighter than other Vortex scopes at higher prices, which can make it a great pick if you’re trying to build a precision-oriented rifle that is still lightweight. Despite the weight savings, the Diamondback Tactical feels just as solid as my Vortex Viper PST Gen 2 that costs (and weighs) a lot more.

What is it missing?

Higher end offerings from Vortex and other manufacturers might offer reticle illumination, locking turrets, and a zero stop. You can always pay more money for brighter and clearer glass but the returns diminish quickly. 

I’d say the Diamondback Tactical 6-24x50 offers 85% of the performance of the Vortex Viper for half of the price. That is pretty tough to beat.

The other important thing to note is that the shortcomings really only apply at the highest magnification levels. Up until you hit around 12x on the 4-16x44, or 18x on the 6-24x50, any issues with glass clarity at the edges or brightness are nonexistent. 

Pros & Cons of the Diamondback Tactical

4-16x44 vs 6-24x50: Which Diamondback model is right for you?

Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 FFP

I would recommend the Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 FFP over the 6-24x50 FFP to anyone who plans on really leveraging the lowest parts of the magnification range. The 4x setting on the 4-16x is incredibly helpful for scanning for targets and maintaining a wide field of view. A lot of people are opting for higher-powered scopes on their AR-15s (sometimes with a piggy-back red dot). I think the 4-16x FFP would be a great candidate for more tactical setups like this. The 4x power is helpful if you need to scan for a target or act quickly at mid range, providing an additional 9 ft in the field of view over the 6-24x50's 6x.

If target acquisition and field of view is most important, I would take the Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 FFP over the 6-24x50.

Diamondback Tactical 6-24x50 FFP

Because the Diamondback Tactical 6-24x50 and 4-16x44 are only 1.5 oz apart in weight, I’d recommend the 6-24x50 to most people.

The additional magnification is always helpful, and the optical quality from the larger 50mm objective lens is worth taking over the smaller Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44. Clarity, brightness, and distortion at the edges is improved on the 6-24x50. Unless you need the additional field of view from the 4-16x44, the extra magnification is a welcome addition on the 6-24x50 for not much of a trade-off.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Diamondback Tactical is an outstanding entry point into precision rifle scopes. If you’re looking for a more affordable First Focal Plane (FFP) scope that is lightweight yet rugged, the Diamondback Tactical is one of the very best options out there.

For anyone looking for slightly better glass quality and doesn’t mind the extra weight, I also highly recommend the Vortex Venom 5-25x56. Between this or the Diamondback Tactical 6-24x50, both are excellent options.