If you are on a tight budget and looking for a mid-range red dot sight, you are likely to come across the Vortex Strikefire 2 very often but the question remains, is buying the Vortex Strikefire 2 worth the money?
Hey guys, it is Jason again, and I am an NRA-certified firearm instructor who has been working with scopes and rifles for almost 18+ years now.
I have used the Strikefire 2 quite a few times over the last 1 year, and to help you make an informed buying decision, I’ll review it based on important features like durability, optics quality, ease of use, price-point, and so on.
If you are looking to make a quick-fire purchase, here’s a short review of the scope.
Vortex Optics Strikefire 2 Review: A Summary
For budget buyers, the scope is a no-brainer. It works perfectly well with both rifles and shotguns. Plus, it is waterproof and can handle the rigors of hunting in the wild like any high-end scope thanks to its solid aluminum build. Even the reticle is illuminated with 10 brightness levels to choose, so it remains visible even in low light.
The unlimited eye relief also allows you to take shots with both eyes open adding to the ease of using the scope while the smooth elevation and windage turrets in tandem with the red dot, ensure maximum accuracy.
Specifications:
- Reticle: 4 MOA Dot Red/Green
- Brightness Setting: 10 Levels
- Magnification: 1x
- Unlimited Eye Relief
- Parallax Free
- Battery Type: 3v CR2 Lithium Battery
- Battery Life: 6000-7000 Hrs
- Adjustment per Click: 1/2 MOA
- Windage Adjustment: 100 MOA
- Elevation Adjustment: 100 MOA
- Housing Material: Aluminium
- Weight: 7.2 oz
- Dimension: 5.6 inches length
Vortex Optics Strikefire 2 Reviewed in Detail
If you geek over details and want to learn about the scope before making a purchase, let’s jump into the nitty-gritty stuff.
Build and Design
The scope has a rock-solid aluminum construction that ensures it can easily handle the bumps and hits that come with hunting in the wild. Further adding to its durability is the 30mm single tube construction.
Lesser the number of joints, the less the chance of the scope breaking. Plus, it also makes it more resistant to recoil.
Even though very durable, Vortex Optics manages to keep the scope ultralight as it weighs a mere 7.2 oz. This means whether you carry it in a bag or have to move around with it mounted on the rifle, you barely feel its weight.
Another reason why you should have no trouble fitting it into any backpack is its compact size.
Its dimensions are a mere 13 x 6 x 3 inches which means when the scope is detached, it is super easy to store (shelves, cupboards, drawers, it’ll fit in anywhere you want).
Furthermore, it has a hard-anodized matte finish that improves camouflage so you remain hidden and safe in any situation even in broad daylight. The reason being, it cuts down on glare and also blends in well with the green and rocky terrain of the jungles.
Oh, and did I tell you it is waterproof? Yes, the build, in tandem with the tightly sealed o-rings means the scope can even be submerged in water for a few minutes (dropped the scope in a puddle? No problem).
Furthermore, it is also equipped with a nitrogen purge that keeps the lens from fogging up.
The only drawback here compared to more premium red dot sights is that it fails to perform in extreme cold. So if it is snowing, this isn’t the scope to take hunting.
Reticle
The reticle is one of the most important features in any scope. After all, how accurately you aim is mostly down to the reticle, and the Strikefire 2 doesn’t disappoint considering it is one of the cheaper scopes out there.
One of my favorite things about the reticle is that you can switch between red and green colors. The red reticle is ideal for daylight, while green works like a charm in low light.
You can also adjust the brightness between 10 levels, in turn, giving you a visible reticle that doesn’t get lost in the background even if you were hunting at dusk, dawn, or in cloudy weather.
Not just that, it will remain bright and clear even at night if you are using night vision as the first two levels are tailor-made for it (with this baby by your side, it is never too late in the day to hunt).
Changing the reticle colors and brightness levels takes only seconds as the buttons are conveniently placed on the sides.
Press and hold the button up to turn the red dot sight on or off while holding it down changes the colors. The other button helps change brightness levels. This straightforward operation is one of the reasons I highly recommend this scope for beginners.
Battery life
With illumination comes the worry of having to charge the batteries constantly or carry additional battery packs on your hunting trips. But not with the Vortex Optics Strikefire 2, as it delivers exceptional battery life.
Yes, on medium to low settings, the CR2 battery delivers an amazing 6000-7000 hours of runtime. And when you do need to replace batteries, it only takes a few minutes as the battery compartment is easy to access.
And if you are as forgetful as me and leave the reticle illumination on or on the highest settings more often than you’d like, you will be happy to know it has automatic off feature. I would have preferred a slightly lesser cut-off time than the 12 hours it takes, but I’ll take it.
Turrets
Turrets are another factor that has a direct impact on your accuracy and thus, whatever the price range, there’s no compromising with them, and Vortex Optics knows that.
This is why they have made sure adjusting the windage and elevation is easy peasy. One of the reasons for that is the good audibility. The click sound tells you exactly when the turrets have changed position for 100% precision.
Number with white markings would have been great and would add to the ease of using the sight and precision, but that’s rare in budget scopes and red dots, so I won’t complain too much.
To adjust the windage, here’s what you need to do.
- Remove the covers. This should take you seconds as they come off easily.
- Adjust the dial with a coin or a screwdriver.
- Rotate the dial as per the arrow
- Put back the covers once done
While covers make it harder to adjust the turrets on the go, it isn’t something you will need to do often while hunting.
On the bright side, these covers ensure the turret holds position through any sudden movements and constant mounting and dismounting. It also provides them with an added layer of protection.
The turrets adjust at ½ MOA. This means one click will move the impact of the round by ½ an inch per 100 yards or ¼ inches for 50 yards.
Optics Clarity
Despite being a budget pick, I was quite impressed with the lens quality. Yes, it doesn’t outperform the more premium red dot sights, which means you might notice some blurring as the distance increases but for a short to medium range, it works perfectly well.
The lens is multi-coated, which improves light transmission and also protects it from dust, dirt, and oil adding to the durability of the sight.
If you want better range, there’s also ample space on the rail to add a magnifier or an iron sight depending on your preference.
Furthermore, it has unlimited eye relief which means you can take shots accurately with both eyes open (just the kind of thing you need for a surprise situation). It also makes target acquisition quicker, so you are locked and loaded onto your target in a matter of seconds.
Mounting
Since this is more suited for beginners, you want the mounting and detaching to be hassle-free, right? Well, Strikefire 2 has you covered. It comes with a cantilever mount that easily fits on any Picatinny or Weaver-style rail base.
This is also one of the reasons why this red dot sight is so versatile.
In case you are having trouble mounting the scope, don’t forget to check out this detailed guide on how to mount scopes to ensure you do it the right way as it will impact the performance of the sight.
Few things you want to keep in mind are not to over-tighten the screws. You should also stay away from Red Loctite and turn to a thread locker for keeping the screws in place.
You also want to ensure the reticle and eye relief are correctly adjusted.
Pros
- Delivers an amazing battery life of 6000-7000 hrs at low settings.
- Ideal for budget buyers and beginners as it costs less than $200
- Saves on the battery by automatically turning off illumination after 12-hrs
- Choose between a red and green reticle
- 10 brightness levels available for clarity in low light
- Turrets are smooth and easy to adjust
- Good durability and waterproofing
- Nitrogen purge keeps the lens from fogging up.
Cons
- Turrets are not numbered
- Automatic turn off could have been shorter
- Doesn’t turn on automatically
Conclusions
Well, that’s pretty much everything there is to know about the Vortex Strikefire 2 red dot sight. To sum it up, if you are a beginner or on a tight budget, it is the ideal red dot sight for you.
It delivers good durability, excellent runtime, good optics, and an illuminated reticle that gives you the freedom to go hunting any time of the day.
If you have been using Strikefire 2 or have used it in the past, feel free to share your experience in the comments. You can also send in your questions about the scope.
I am also available via email. Just head over to the contact page and send in your queries right away. I’ll get back to you within 24-hrs.
