For affordable accuracy the Vortex StrikeFire hits near the bullseye...
Written: May 09 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Cheap, easy to acquire target, 2X magnifier works well, stays zeroed, red and green dots.
Cons: Optic caps very cheap and flimsy, lenses on the dark side, durability questionable, minor problems.
The Bottom Line: If you're looking for a budget red dot for a range toy or affordable hunting-rifle, the StrikeFire fits the bill. Just don't expect an Aimpoint or EOTech at 50% off.
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| openroad's Full Review: Vortex StrikeFire Red Dot Riflescope |
Manufacturer: Vortex
Magnification: 1X (2X with included magnifier)
Tube Size: 30mm
High recoil caliber rating: Tested with .375 H&H Magnum for 1000 rounds.
Mounting: Standard height rings included, no Weaver/Picatinny rail mount.
Rounds Fired with StrikeFire: 500+
----- Why buy a budget Red Dot sight? -----
When I started looking to replace the poor factory iron sights on my Sig Sauer 5.56 rifle I was pretty sure I wanted to stick with a red dot or EOTech style sight system. I originally was looking at either an EOTech or Aimpoint system but those run between $550 and $900 for a complete setup. While browsing the optics counter at my local sporting goods store I saw the linup of optics from Vortex, a company I'd never heard of before. Vortex is based in southern Wisconsin and is relatively new to the red dot sight market. Their only offering so far is the StrikeFire model which joins their already huge lineup of standard rifle scopes. The StrikeFire retails for around $150.00 making it a great deal for a red dot... that is if it works and keep you on target.
----- Installing the Strikefire -----
I first installed a high-mount Picatinny Rail type base then mounted the 30mm tube mount included with the Strikefire. This brought the sight high enough to have a good field of view without pushing your cheek into the stock. I positioned the scope so it sits about 3" away from your eye to prevent recoil injury after firing. Since the Strikefire has unlimited eye relief ( unlike a scope you can see clearly no matter how far away your eye is ) you can place it as far away as you want.
Once you tighten down the mounting ring screws I recommend putting a little blue LocTite on the threads or you may have to retighten them after a few months.
----- Using the Strikefire -----
The only controls on this unit are four buttons located on the left of of housing and include on/off, Night Vision, up, and down buttons. Obviously pushing on/off controls the power, however it also toggles between red and green illuminated dot. The up and down buttons control brightness with 10 settings for both red and green dots. N/V mode locks the unit into the lowest illumination setting and is best used with night vision device (not included and sold separately).
When first fired after installation my StrikeFire was about 2" low and 3" left. Using a bench rifle rest and the elevation and windage dials I locked the StrikeFire into perfect 1" groups at 50' distance. To make adjustments, turn the dials in the correct direction (Up/Down or Left/Right) as indicated by the arrows on the dials. I really appreciate the coin-sized slots allowing you to use a penny or nickel to adjust the calibration dials instead of a stupid mini-screwdriver. Each dial has detents that make an audible click so you know how much adjustment you're making. Locking caps keep the dials from getting turned unintentionally.
----- Shooting with a Red/Green Dot -----
After using this sight I was amazed at how easy it is to hit anything... if you can see it this sight will put a hole in it! The advantage to the Red Dot system is once the dot is sighted in and accurized anywhere the dot is resting is where the shot will go. You can keep both eyes open while shooting which gives you better situational awareness and reduces "tunnel vision" you get when sighting using one eye. There's also no "lining up front and rear sights" as all you look at is where the red dot is! This sight has dot diameter of 4 MOA, the same as the pricier Aimpoint units.
The option to toggle between red and green illuminated dots is very nice as some targets make the red harder to see where the green stands out clearly. If using while out hunting I would think the red would be perfect.
Included with this unit is a screw-in 2X magnifier which threads into the eyepiece and magnifies everything just enough to make this a very decent 75-100 yard sight. The recoil on my Sig 556 isn't significant so I can make follow up shots on target quickly and accurately. My record at 50' is a 10-round cluster fired in under 20 seconds that fell in a group under the size of a quarter.
One more nice feature of the StrikeFire is its auto-off function, after 1 hour it turns off to preserve the battery life. This unit takes one CR2 size battery to operate.
----- Bottom Line -----
Not all is roses and sunsets with the StrikeFire, the included sight tube pop-up covers are very annoying and are visibly cheap. They are hard to snap closed and often will pop back open after you shut them.
The lenses on the StrikeFire have a slight shaded tint to them which makes everything you see through the sight slightly darker than what you see with the naked eye.
Lastly, I'm unconvinced about the long-term durability of Vortex products as they haven't been around a long time. As with almost everything I've purchased over the years, 97.3% of the time you get what you pay for. I'm still considering an EOTech sight for it's hell-and-back durability proven by the military and years of service.
I so far have a positive ownership experience with the StrikeFire Red Dot Sight, if I have any problems in the future I'll be sure to update my review and star rating accordingly. I would recommend this sight for a range toy or for a lower priced hunting sight perhaps for a youth or person on a budget. I've fired more than 500 rounds using the StrikeFire and haven't had to adjust or re-zero it yet which is more than I expected initially.
NOTE: Vortex offers a Limited Lifetime Warranty on this unit.
Thanks for reading and feel free to comment!
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Thanks for reading and feel free to comment!
© Openroad 2009
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