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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Vortex StrikeFire Red Dot (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 8/24/2008 7:53:12 PM EDT
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Have anyone heard any thing good about this red dot? Just trying to go for a good reliable yet cheap red dot, from the web site sounds pretty good also NV compatible, also comes with a x2 magnification doubler. http://www.vortexoptics.com/riflescopes/view/vortex-strikefire-red-dot-riflescope-with-ar15-mount |
There is no such thing. The mount looks like an airsoft mount I have seen for sale which leaves me to believe the sight is probably made in China or some other place. Save some money for a used Aimpoint. You can find deals on them for sometimes around $250. Save just a little bit longer. While you are saving, learn how to shoot with your iron sights. |
+1 learn how to shoot your irons, too many people use optics as a band aid for bad fundamentals. I looked at the strikefire, and at it's price it looks to be a good buy for range use only... it would certainly be better than Aimpoint clones! |
i am waiting for an official review. it it lives up to the specs and manufactuers claims it may very well be a good option to a 400.00+ aimpoint for most people. if it turns out to be crap, then it's just another low end redot option. |
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I have one on order. I already have an Aimpoint and EoTech and this looks like it might be fine for range play. I've had several different inexpensive red dots and most worked great. I try to keep an open mind when it comes to new optics. For me, it doesn't have to have "Aimpoint" on the side to be a good optic. One thing is for sure. Vortex is not one of these hard to find ebay dealers. They have been very present on this board, and I have no doubt they will stand behind the Strikefire. |
I emailed the company and they said the parts were made in hong kong and assembled here.It has 3000 hours batterie life,is NVG compatible,nitrogen filled,shockproof,fog proof and submersible to 75Ft.I have a good mount and im hoping its gonna work well and it has a life time transferable waruntee.Mine should be here this week..I cant wait id love to get a an M3 aimpoint its just too much right now well see how this one goes.
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Not to toot my own horn, but im not too bad on the iron sights as I just qualified with sharpshooter with the army, I'm just looking for a red dot, but want good reputation behind it. |
So they say, until anyone's had the chance to actually put their much vaunted replacement/warranty service to test, anybody can make those claims. |
Actually, they've been putting it to the test for several years now. They are not new to the business, and neither is their warranty. Vortex Optics |
Yeah... now go tell that to all of the people that bought Leupolds through Premier Reticle with a reticule change or power boost that awoke to no warranty. The great almighty Leupold file 13'd their warranty on those scopes. What's my point? Even well trusted companies 'f it up. I've been watching the development of this optic for some time and will be getting one to try out. |
I agree except this isn't one of those cases. Vortex designed this dot themselves and went to China for manufacturing to get the cost down. They're not importing some no name brand clone. It's not even out yet so maybe we should give Vortex the benefit of the doubt and give their product a chance to show what it can do. |
if it's a chinease design i'd agree. if it's a company using their design and actually getting the components to the spec they request i don't really have an issue. <other than it's chinease labor> china puts out alot of cheap junk but they are capable of quality parts if carefully watched. sadly people seldomn watch them. |
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This is the first time I've ever seen or heard about the 'Vortex StrikeFire Red Dot Riflescope'. I'm definitely interested! I own one of the Aimpoint clones, but so far I've been very happy with it. It's held zero for almost 1 year now with quite a few rounds. I was considering getting another, but this Vortex came out JUST IN TIME! Please guys ... ... when you get yours, let us know if you like it. Do you think that it would work on the Aimpoint mounts? |
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Actually their warranty states: Warranty and Technical Service Limited Lifetime Warranty info: Your StrikeFire scope is warranted to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for the lifetime of the original owner. Vortex Optics will repair or replace such product or part thereof that upon our inspection is found to be defective in materials and workmanship. http://media.sw-network.com/vx/manuals/manual_vt_rfl_strikefire.pdf |
If all this is true count me in!
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Yep, I've read the legalese, it does leave them an out. However, if they do read ARFCOM and I'm sure they are not naive enough to believe that word won't get out if they do mooch on the deal. |
Ciener gets plenty of bad press, not just from ar15.com, yet his business doesn't seem to have suffered any. A few other names come to mind: Botach, ATN, Leapers, Barska, etc. You MIGHT get an acceptable product with acceptable warranty, but with these Chinese and Russian companies you can never be sure of the odds. No I don't have one, nor will I buy one, or use one if it were given to me free of charge. Best prediction for future behavior is past behavior, the quality of present and past Chicom optics has convinced me to steer well clear of them, now and in the future. Personally, I don't keep an open mind as far as ChiCom and Russian optics go. I'll stick to companies with long established service records, and never buy any Chinese or Russian made optics, I'm not a gambling man. |
Perhaps you should take a minute or two to figure out who Vortex is before calling them chineese or russian. Here's the link so you don't even have to search for it. Who is Vortex optics? CLICK HERE. Personally, I am giving a small American company the benefit of the doubt and am currently waiting on the arrival of one of their sights in my grubby lil hands. |
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I don't think Duffy is directly bashing the Vortex product or says its junk. He just says that he will not gamble to find out. Nothing wrong with that. It's just a personal preference. I can't say that I don't understand his point. I have to return most things purchased from Walmart for instance. I'm not calling Vortex Walmart. Vortex sould like nice people. I don't pay hundreds of dollars for my sun glasses, I buy inexpensive tires, I use regular unleaded in my gas tank, I shoot Wolf, and I'm not paying $1,000.00 for my optics. That's just my personal choice too. |
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Found this for $129 delivered. I ordered a pair of the Vortex Vultures earlier from them and they are great low light binos. Company shipped quickly and order was processed without issue. http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/vortex.pl?page=vortexstrikefire Warranty questions? I don't see an out in this! Its' off the above posted site. "VIP warranty works for you! At Vortex Optics, we want you to use and enjoy your optics with complete confidence ... that's why our warranty is so straightforward. Rest assured that if any Vortex Optics product should ever require service, Vortex will repair or replace the product absolutely free — no matter what the cause! · No warranty card to fill out. · No time limit on our promise. · No restrictions on coverage ... even if you transfer ownership of the product " Having said that Bushnell has a Red Dot (Bushnell 1x28 Trophy Green/Red Dot Sight ) I like a little better because of the changeable reticles (a dot reticle is a little hard for me to find sometimes). I just don't know about battery life. http://www.swfa.com/pc-4969-198-bushnell-1x28-trophy-greenred-dot-sight.aspx I have Bushnell's 1X32 Trophy on my 458 SOCOM and it has taken all that recoil without a problem and I absolutely love its "T" reticle. Its much faster to me. The only draw back is its size. That little 1X28 though is the same size as an Aimpoint. |
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Thats all fine and good, I just don't want this thread going the same way every other one does when the subject is a red dot that is not an Aimpoint or Eotech. Vortex is not a fly by night ebay merchant, they are a supporter of the AR15 board, brick and mortar storefront American buisness. They did not buy 1000 red dot sights from china and hawk them on the public, they designed their own sight, wrote the specs, enforce the quality control, and back it up with a guarantee. With that said, we'll see what happens when the sights are in wide use and the reviews start coming in. I can't wait to give it a shot to either prove the naysayers right or wrong. |
Thanks for the link, it's well it's an American, US based company, its manufacturing facilities are in Japan, Philippines, Taiwan and China. I have no qualms with Japan or Taiwan made optics, Philippines, not so sure. You know how I feel about China  Service and warranty may be easier to handle. I'll be looking into their products when they're made in the US. |
I was wrong in assuming they badge engineered ChiCom scopes, since it's an American, US based company, I'm more inclined to consider their products, hopefully they'll be manufacturing their products here soon.
www.ak47.net/lite/topic.html?b=2&f=277&t=159580 They seem like nice guys and I said in another thread I would try them when they came out. However they are made in china and I sure wouldn't get one for anything but a fun gun. Mueller has a similar sales pitch "made in china but we make sure they are still good" My Muller test scope lasted about 5 rounds before the reticle started rotating. 
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Yall will have to excuse me for continuing to comment here but since I placed an order for this sight back in April, I've been keeping close tabs on whats been happening since. Initially the release date was June, that got pushed back a few times untill within the last 2 weeks they shipped the first units. They could have probably met the initial deadline, sold a bunch of sights, and made a bunch of money. Instead, they refused initial batches and took the time to get things manufactured to their satisfaction. Hit up the Vortex forum in the industry section, they have put the whole ordeal out there for all to see. |
| Looks like a good gamble imho lol, not so much money to feel a big loss, and if its a hit good deal. To be honest you have to search hi and low to find a product that doesnt out source something along the way to stay competitive. Anyway I have been eyeing this sight for awhile as well so please let us know how it turns out when you get it. |
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Mueller has a similar sales pitch "made in china but we make sure they are still good" My Muller test scope lasted about 5 rounds before the reticle started rotating.hatI do not work for or have any interest in Mueller, but I own 4 of their scopes, one on a 7mm mag (Tac 2), one on a 7mm mauser (Multi-shot) and 2 in QD rings for my Savage Model 12 in .243, I had issues with one scope, the 8-25 power, it was very minor, the AO was put on so that the yardage increments were exactly 100 yards off. I contacted them, they said to send it back and they would be happy to fix or replace it, no questions asked. I decided it didn't bother me that much and kept the scope. I find them to be very well made, the company responds almost immediately to any email question sent to them and I am able to shoot sub-moa groups with all rifles in question with all four scopes in question (even the 1908 mauser with the 2-7 multi-shot) |
I think they're just saying they aren't paying for it if you put in the microwave or hit it with a bat. yes mueller gave me money back, and for full disclosure, this was not a regular scope it was their "combat" scope with the funky reticle. There was a long thread on it here years ago. I don't think it ever made it to market, so they deserve credit for trying and not putting something out there that did not work They seemed like nice guys and all, I know they are popular on some of the "huntin'" boards and I don't doubt that they stand behind their warranty. |
My god this was a hard read.
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The funny thing is I go buy tools at Harbour Freight, like an angle grinder for $10, people say "it's cheap shit made in China", I go buy a Sears Craftsman angle grinder for $80 read the box "MADE IN CHINA"!!! Sears angle grinder quits working in 6 months.  Just about everything is made in china these days.
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I just received mine today. I ordered it from Sportsmans Guide for $116.00 (Buyers Club Price) and it was quickly backordered until LATE October. This is why I was so surprised to have received it today. It was shipped directly from Vortex Optics. I opened it up, threw in the battery, and everything functions flawlessly. Instructions are not necessary as even a monkey can figure this thing out. I do own Aimpoint clones and I'm not an expert on the internal components of these sights. I personally would like to know if these StrikeFire sights are constructed in a similar fashion as the clones shown in this thread, but I'm not about to crack it open to find out: How To Recognize A Fake Aimpoint I can buy Aimpoint Clones all day long @ $40 - $45 each, but I paid 3-1/2 times that for just one of these StrikeFires assuming that they are more rugged, more reliable, higher quality, and will stand the test of time. We'll see. I'll post plenty of pics here tonight. There are just a few things that 'might' bother the picky people (I’ll show plenty of pics of those), but there are more obvious external qualities that you guys will like. 1. The lenses and their locking bushings are obviously glued in place therefore waterproof and can not come loose. 2. The buttons/controls are absolutely waterproof because they are beneath a tough rubber shroud. 3. The controls, in my opinion, are quicker to use for a right-handed shooter than an Aimpoint. Once you set the StrikeFire to the color and preferred brightness setting ... the StrikeFire remembers. With only 1 quick push of the power button it comes on with the shooters last setting. Sweet! 4. The Aimpoint clones have a distinct odor to them. Not a terrible drawback, but they do have an odor. The StrikeFire has no odor  5. The flip lens caps seem more firm than the clones. They fasten tight and securely therefore more effort to pop them open. 6. The buttons are not weak. They require what seems to me as a ‘deliberate’ push in order to change any setting. In other words the buttons take more effort than a calculator or a digital camera. I don’t consider this a drawback at all as this reduces accidental activation. |
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Here's the pics I promised. I think the first 3 pics speak for itself. The rubber shroud surrounding the lens cap is inconsistent, but this is just an aesthetic flaw that you would never notice unless you were closely inspecting.    Here you can see the sealant that is used to seal the bushing and the lens.  This is the red in its brightest setting. Then red in its lowest setting.   Green brightest ... green lowest.   This image shows the sealant used to seal the front of the battery compartment. No big deal because it's housed and out of sight. Lastly this pic is of the sealed portion of the battery compartment.   I'll let you know how it goes when it's mounted and zeroed in. If anyone wants to see any other photos of the StrikeFire just ask. |
Their Rifle scopes are getting rave reviews over at sniper hide, and their is a lot of anticipation in their tactical line of scopes that will be released next year. I have a pair of their 12x50 binocs that I use for glassing for game when hunting. I bought them based on reviews from other hunters here in AZ where we spend a lot of time sitting on hills looking for antlers in the brush. These hunters place a lot of value on good quality glass. So far I am very, very happy with my choice. |
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I just compared the StrikeFire to my Aimpoint Clone. The StrikeFire is just as bright if not slightly brighter at the highest setting. My clone lenses are noticeably clearer than the StrikeFire. The StrikeFire lenses appear to be more ‘tinted’ noticeably shaded in comparison ~ lens coating? The StrikeFire is about 3/8” longer than the clone. The StrikeFire is sleeker and not as thick (from top to bottom) though it appears to have the same inner diameter (viewing window ~ sorry I lack the proper terminology). |
| I just ordered one, I'll report back when I get to use it. If the warranty is as good as it claims, I have no problem gambling on one. We'll just have to wait and see how these turn out, I remember everyone was doubting SPOT's and the blue ring aimpoint clones but a lot of those have held up good from what I've heard. Obviously every company has the chances to produce a lemon here and there. One thing I noticed in the online directions is the scope will automatically turn off after 1 hour if you forget to turn it off, kinda nice feature for a low budget optic! I ordered from SWFA hopefully they are not backordered I'll have to wait and see. |
[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Vortex StrikeFire Red Dot (Page 1 of 2)
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