Is it really necessary to spend plenty of money to get a good red dot sight? No, we don’t think so. Expensive red dot sights are definitely worth the money, but not everyone needs them. If you are among those people who would prefer a relatively inexpensive optical sight for your ar 15 rifle, then our Vortex Strikefire 2 review will probably interest you. it isn’t the cheapest model on the market, but it offers a good balance of price and quality.
On our review, we’ll determine who this scope is for, what its features are, and what advantages and disadvantages it has. And we are starting right now!
WHO THE PRODUCT IS FOR?
Strikefire II is a relatively inexpensive red dot sight, as well as one of the cheaper offered by Vortex Optics. Thereby, this sight is made for people who don’t have the budget or who don’t wish to spend too much money on a red dot sight.
Besides, because Strikefire II is a red dot sight, it will be suitable for people who need to be able to aim at targets quickly. The thing that makes red dot sights suitable for fast aiming is that you can take shots regardless of eye placement. As long as you can see the dot and place it on the target, you will hit it.
Since it is a red dot sight with no magnification, Strikefire II could be good for people who do most of their shooting at shorter ranges.
Now that we are done with positioning this product, let’s see what it has got for its buyers. You must check out why Vortex Strikefire 2 is in our list as the best AR 15 scope
DESIGN & FEATURES
Tube design
Strikefire II is a tube red dot sight. Tube red dot sights look similar to standard telescopic sights, but they are completely different when it comes to functionality. Namely, red dot sights don’t have magnification, and their aim point is formed by an illuminated red dot.
As a tube red dot sight, Strikefire II has several advantages over open red dot sights. It has dust covers, and its air-to-glass surfaces have anti-reflective coatings. Due to their design, open red dot sights can’t have these features. So in terms of convenience, Strikefire II has an edge over open designs.
On the other hand, it is bulkier and heavier than an open-design red dot sight would be, but that’s just the way tube sights are.
4 MOA dot
The dot of Strikefire II is sized at 4 MOA, meaning that it will cover 4 inches of the target for every 100 yards. The dot is rather big, which is one of the things that makes it unsuitable for long-range shooting.
At a distance of 400 yards, the dot would cover about 16 inches of the target. If you were to aim at someone, the dot would cover their entire chest. Needless to say, it wouldn’t be too easy to aim with this thing precisely at longer ranges.
Durable build
The overall build of Strikefire II is rather rugged and durable. Made shockproof, this red dot sight is capable of withstanding impact pretty well. Recoil definitely isn’t a problem for it. If it drops on the ground though or hits something hard though, then its zero will probably shift. But overall, Strikefire II is a durable red dot sight that takes impacts very well.
This sight is fog- and waterproof as well thanks to nitrogen purging and o-ring seals. While you definitely should keep this thing away from water, you could expect it to hold up in a variety of weather conditions very well. It’s also rated for use in temperatures from -22 to +140 degrees Fahrenheit, so you could use it in pretty much any weather.
Offset cantilever mount
The offset cantilever mount of the Strikefire II red dot sight should be mentioned as well. The tube’s position is shifted slightly forward, which allows you to conveniently use magnifiers or iron sights at the same rail. Besides, the optic bore center is positioned 40 mm above the base surface in a way to allow co-witnessing.
Convenient controls
The two buttons controlling the dot’s color and brightness are also positioned very well. They are placed closer towards the back, so they are easy to reach. And they are facing the shooter, so you don’t need to take your eyes off of the target to adjust the dot. This is a very big plus in our book.
Accessories
Vortex Optics ships their Strikefire II red dot sight with a T-15 Torx wrench, flip cap optic covers, a CR2 battery, and a Vortex Optics hat. The hat is made pretty well, so it will be a nice addition if you don’t have one.
Lifetime warranty
Vortex Optics covers Strikefire II by a VIP lifetime warranty. They offer free replacement or repair of the sight regardless of the reason. Of course, they don’t cover theft, loss, cosmetic damage, or deliberate damage.
Now, let’s see what functionsStrikefire II has to offer.
Vortex Strikefire 2 – FUNCTIONALITY
Red and greed dot colors
The Strikefire II red dot sight offers two dot colors to choose from – red and green. There are red dot sights out there that offer more color options, but two colors should be more than enough to ensure clear visibility in a variety of light conditions.
Ten dot brightness settings
In addition to the two color settings, the dot of Strikefire II also has 10 brightness settings. At the highest setting, the dot should be clearly visible in bright light conditions. In addition, the lowest 2 brightness settings are night-vision compatible. You could conveniently use night vision goggles on those settings.
Interestingly, Strikefire II remembers the last dot intensity you used. When powered up, it will automatically select it with no actions from you.
Adjustable windage and elevation
The Strikefire II red dot sight allows the adjustment of windage and elevation. They are adjusted with the knobs located on the side and top of the sight respectively.
Windage and elevation can be both adjusted in ½ MOA increments up to 100 MOA.So the accuracy and adjustment range of Strikefire II are both very good. This is a thing that makes Strikefire II red dot sight rather versatile.
12-hour auto shutdown
Another great feature of Strikefire II is that it has a 12-hour auto shutdown. Basically, if you forget to switch the sight off, it will shut down automatically in 12 hours. This solves a rather common problem in red dot sights: some people forget to turn it off, and the sight just wastes the charge of the battery while it is unused.
Overall, if you switch the sight off after shooting, you should get about 300 hours at maximum brightness and 6000 hours at minimum brightness. These numbers are pretty good, but the actual battery life would obviously depend on the kind of CR2 battery you are using.
- Lens with anti-reflective coating.
- 10 brightness settings and 2 colors for the dot.
- Allows very fast aiming.
- Shock-and impact-resistant build.
- Fog- and waterproof.
- Offset cantilever mount allows convenient use of iron sights and magnifiers.
- Can be used for co-witnessing sights.
- The control buttons are easy to reach.
- Comes with a Vortex Optics hat.
- Backed up by a limited lifetime warranty.
Vortex Strikefire 2 – FINAL VERDICT
Overall, Vortex Optics Strikefire II seems like a very solid and quality red dot sight. It isn’t very expensive, but it really does deliver for the price. And, most importantly, it doesn’t have any major downsides that you should be worried about.
As we mentioned at the beginning, the Strikefire II red dot sight is designed more for short-range distances. Its 4 MOA dot will be too big for accurate aiming at longer distances. This is one major point to keep in mind with this red dot sight.
Strikefire II is designed to be used pretty much in any condition though. It is water- and fog-proof, and it withstands hot and cold temperatures well. To put it short, this red dot sight is rugged and durable.
In the end, if you liked the Strikefire II red dot sight, maybe you should check it out!
Question & Answer.
Which rails does Strikefire II work with?
Vortex Strikefire 2 is compatible with Picatinny or Weaver-style rails.
How much waterproof is this sight exactly?
It is rated for 1/2-meter submersion for 30 minutes.
Is the zero of the dot lost when the battery runs out of charge?
This shouldn’t happen since the dot is adjusted mechanically. The battery doesn’t have anything to do with its adjustment.
Does this sight come with everything necessary for mounting?
Yes, Strikefire II comes ready to be mounted.
Can you use any kind of CR2 batteries with this red dot sight?
Yes. All CR2 batteries have the same voltage, so Strikefire II will work with them.
What is the eye relief of the Strikefire II red dot sight?
The eye relief in this red dot sight is unlimited.