I'm looking to upgrade from my leupold VXR patrol 1-4. Nothing wrong with it, I think I just want a little more magnification and a bit better glass.

What's out there that would be a worthy while upgrade for under 1k?

I'd prefer daylight bright and capped turrets.
There's just a dam ton of options and different models. It's a bit overwhelming.

Spend a bit more and get a Vortex Razor HD. You can sometimes find them used for around $1100.

Or give up the 1 power and get a 2-7 or 3-9 VX-R

I thought about getting the Vortex 2.5-10 and just using it as more of a precision role but I really don't need that much mag for the ranges I get too. 400 max around here.

I think I've kind of narrowed it to the Vortex gen 2 1-6 or the Razor. The Razor being muuuuuch more than I had originally anticipated wanting to spend.

Could the Razor really be worth double the viper at this point?

If I'm looking at paying Razor prices I could also look at the Trijicon 1-8 and that only adds more confusion...

If you haven't already, read through this thread:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_18/713751_True-1x-to-6-8x-Combat-Worthy-Optics.html

There's a lot of good info on exactly what you're looking for.

To be honest, I have not handle or seen the Vortex Viper. I have shot 3 gun with the Razor for 4 years, love it. If you can handle the Viper check out the glass, hard to beat Leopold glass for the price.

I have all sorts of scopes from $1500 NightForce scopes, Trijicon ACOG's and Leupold's running from their European-30 up through their Mark 4 6.5-20x50mm. One of the best all around scopes for use on an AR is the one you own.

If you use match grade ammo you will be amazed at how well your rifle will shoot using your $500 optic. Even 4x will shoot 1" or less off a bench at 100 yards with Hornady/Nosler/Sierra 52/53 grain Match Bullets. 69 Sierra Match Kings will hammer too.

The ability to dial down to 1x, 1.25x or 1.5x for home defense and close range action shooting is huge. 4x to 5x is plenty high for good precision out to 300/400 yards. The scope you have can do it all.

It does shoot very well with match grade ammo. It's a BCM 16 410ss upper.
My eyes just kinda suck. So I figure with some better glass that'll pick up more light and some more magnification it'll make steel at 300 and 400 yards a bit easier.

I don't want to make it an SPR type rifle but that is mostly what it's used for.
That's why I'm thinking a 1-6 is a good compromise.

Meopta RD MeoStar® R1 1.5-6x42 RD  (if you can find one)  exit pupil @ 8mm & Schott glass

Razor glass is definitely better than VXR glass, but VXR glass quality is very far from poor. I'm not sure you would gain much in the aid of shooting by going higher on glass quality than the VXR has. I own some very high end glass but I like them mostly because great glass presents a wicked image more than because I need the glass quality to see well. Are you sure you're not after a larger objective lens for better light transmission, & exit pupil, or just maybe higher magnification? Also since I saw the Viper 2.5-10 mentioned, Europtic had the gen 1 PST on sale for $550.

For what I use the rifle for I may be better served with the 2.5-10.
The glass on the leupold isn't bad at all. I've loved the scope since I got it. It's pretty hard to pick out small white steel targets in a wooded background with Sun coming through.

I love my T2 on my other rifle but I can't hit shit with it at distance.
Maybe I should rethink my optics choices and put a 1-6 in place of my T2 and the higher power scope on what I like to knock steel with.

Would the Razor or viper theoretically not give me much of an advantage over the leupold for what I'm doing with it? Would the small objective offer the same light gathering potential as the VXR?

Exit-pupil diameters that exceed about 7mm deliver more light than your (average) eye can accept.
Coatings on glass are another factor...HD glass for example..and if you require a lit reticle
But then the costs go up.
More magnification and larger front objective and the overall footprint of the scope goes up as well as it's wt.
Take a look at the Leupold 3-9 X 40 patrol or VX-R 3-9 X 50

Can't seem to find that. Must be out of them