Vortex Impact 4000 Review

Last updated on March 5th, 2024

The long distance shooting community has long been asking for a viable alternative to the expensive rifle mounted Wilcox Raptar and Envision Tech MARS systems.

Vortex Impact 4000

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There are some scopes available that features inbuilt range finding such as the Steiner IFS and Burris Eliminator, however the choice for weapon mounted systems has been extremely limited for the civilian market in Australia and almost unobtainable due to US export rules.

Ever since Vortex introduced their Next Generation Squad Weapon system or XM157 in early 2022 that featured environmental sensors within the scope that detect and display temperature, altitude, inclination/declination, as well as a compass, the civilian shooting community was intrigued. The release of the XM157 coupled with Vortex’s extensive range of LRF’s left many people wanting a civilian version.

Lucky for us Vortex have released the Vortex Impact 4000 which allows the shooter to stay on the rifle, range a target through the push of a button and get a firing solution displayed right in front of them. This data can then be dialed into the scope or if you are using a capable reticle you can use the relevant holdover.

Does the average shooter need a weapon mounted rapid targeting and ranging platform? Probably not, but its nice to have. To be clear this isn’t for PRS or the target shooter shooting at known distances, its for engaging targets at unknown distances or hunting.

For hunting I can see the benefits where you are waiting for the right time to take a shot but the animal is still moving, with this you can continually range and adjust without breaking from the rifle to use a separate device. This device really speaks to the people that want additional confidence that the range can be determined more precisely and quickly.

Quick Stats Vortex Impact 4000

Features

The build quality is excellent and its clearly built to take a beating in the field. Surprisingly there is also a neoprene protective cover included in the box, this would be handy to protect the glass when out in rough terrain.

Mounting the Vortex Impact 4000 is straightforward and done through a picatinny interface. The unit can be used either on top or on the side of the rifle as the screen rotates. I used Vortex’s new diving board mount which simply replaces the top front ring of the Vortex scope rings. Mounting options for the remote include keymod, MLOK, picatinny mounting as well as a velcro mount. I used the MLOK mount for the side of the TRG.

The array of on board sensors include humidity, temperature and barometric pressure. This feeds into the ballistic solver and together with the range measurement provides you with a firing solution. To achieve the correct adjustments to your optic, the Impact 4000 comes with 10 pre-programmed ballistic profiles for common cartridges.

You can edit these to match your bullet, however I found it easier to enter in my round from the ground up, most of the information was found on the side of the ammo box. There is also the ability to program in a range card for various distances which is handy. Another interesting feature is the ELR or Extremely Long Range mode for lasering smaller targets at longer distances.

In the Field

At the range I tested the Impact 4000 on my Sako TRG 22 A1 in 6.5 Creedmoor with the Gen II Vortex Razor in Vortex rings. Sighting it in you turn on the visible laser in the settings menu and adjust it to the height over your scope center. This is achieved with the help of using the included reflective strips.

Once calibrated and your projectile info entered, pressing the measure button gives you a readout of what adjustments or holdover needs to be made to get on target, with U meaning up, D down, L for left and R for right.

Overall navigation through the menu is intuitive and I didn’t have any problems finding settings or entering in any data. The system is responsive and well though-out which was a bonus. The Impact pairs with the Geoballistics app which provides an easier interface for entering in ballistic profiles for different rifles and calibers. An interesting feature from the app is that its able to draw in wind data from local weather sources or connected weather-meters.

Powered by a single CR123 battery the device has an auto shut off feature set to a default of three minutes, this helps to conserve battery life. Having said that it holds battery power well with 30 hours of continuous use or 4000 ranges. For those interested in the technical side, the laser on board has a beam divergence of .2 MRAD x 2 MRAD and the beam is at a 45-degree angle.

As its not directly interfaced with the elevation and windage settings already on the scope, its giving you a solution from your optics zero, meaning you do need to return your scope to zero between measuring different targets. I prefer dialing so its a little pain for me but if you prefer holdovers it wont be an issue.

Another use is attaching it to a spotting scope that has picatinny rails such as the ZeroTech Trace Advanced for Bushnell Legend. This way the spotter can instantly range targets and inform the shooter of the firing solution, handy for sniper comps.

Conclusion

Overall Vortex continue to bring innovative products to the table, being the only ones pushing the market forward in this space. The Vortex Impact 4000 fills a much needed gap for a more accessible and affordable option to shooters around the world. I’m impressed with the build quality and the speed that it returns a firing solution, if you are looking for a weapon mounted laser rangefinder, the Impact 4000 is hard to beat.

Vortex Impact 4000

Check Price at EuroOptic

Optics Planet(See Price)