The Vortex Strikefire 2 is a highly popular choice in red dot sight optics. This optic’s performance, along with a friendly price, has shooters buying more than one to put on their favorite firing platform.
In this review of the Strikefire II, we look at the features and specifications that make purchasing more than one contagious.
The sight is a favorite among AR and other carbine enthusiasts enjoying a day at the range or employed in the self-defense role. The sight is perfectly at home on a shotgun or rifle to take down your favorite game.
Strikefire 2 Red Dot Sight Review
Based in Wisconsin, Vortex Optics is a United States manufacturer with a history of producing quality optics. Founded in 2004, Vortex Optics produces various types of weapon scopes, binoculars, holographic, and red dot sights. Their products are utilized by outdoorsmen as well as professionals in law enforcement.
The Strikefire II red dot sight has become a very popular choice for many shooters for its quality and performance at an excellent price. The sight is intuitive to use, making it a great option for shooters at any experience level.
Top Features of the Strikefire 2 Red Dot Sight
Design
The Vortex Strikefire 2 is constructed from a single alloy aluminum billet. From the single billet, a 30mm lightweight solid single-piece chassis is formed. The results are a 7.2 oz optic that is strong enough to withstand the bangs and bumps you will encounter during range and hunting days.
The 30mm tube allows for a large Field of View (FOV). The red dot sight has a matte finish hard anodized coat that reduces glare for a low shooter signature. Filled with argon gas and sealed with o-rings, the Strikefire 2 is protected from dust and moisture. The optic is also fog-proof through a wide range of temperatures. This sight is suitable for operation in almost all environments.
The Strikefire II red dot sight has an overall length of 5.6 inches with a 1.45-inch objective lens and a 1.8-inch eyepiece lens. The size and compact design of the sight is ideal, allowing for ease of maneuver and unimpeded employment. This red dot sight’s overall size and design allow for smooth and snag-free target acquisition and transition.
Reticle
With the Vortex Strikefire II, you get two reticle color options all within one sight. You can select a 4 Minute of Angle (MOA) red dot option or a 4 MOA green dot option. This is a great feature as some shooters prefer a green dot reticle for specific light and environment conditions and a red dot reticle for daily use. You will find the 4 MOA reticle is suitable for close to intermediate range engagements.
This red dot sight has ten illumination brightness settings. The two lowest settings are night-vision compatible. Adjustments to the reticle brightness are made via two rear-facing side-mounted buttons. Additionally, this sight includes an automatic shut down after 12 hours.
Operation
The Strikefire is powered from a single CR2 Lithium battery. If you factor in the 12-hour automatic shutoff, you can expect a battery life of up to 7,000 hours at lower settings. The battery compartment is easily accessible for quick battery changes.
The sight is easy and intuitive to operate. All functions are controlled with two side-mounted rear-facing buttons. Press and hold the UP button to turn the sight on/off. Press and hold the DOWN button to change reticle color. The same buttons are used to adjust the reticle brightness. This simple design in operation procedures makes the sight one of the easiest you will ever use.
Elevation and windage adjustments are made by removing the turret cover and adjusting the turrets in the proper direction with a coin or a screwdriver. Adjustment increments on this red dot sight are in 1/2 MOA. A single click adjustment on the Strikefire 2 will move the point of impact 1/2 inch at 100 yards. The ability to make 1/2 MOA adjustments allows for increased precision.
Mounting
Included with your purchase of the Vortex Strikefire 2 is a cantilever mount that will mount on a Picatinny or Weaver-style rail base. Utilizing this mount will place the optic bore center 40 mm above the base. If you are mounting the red dot sight on an AR-style platform, you can expect to achieve a lower 1/3 co-witness with the existing iron sights.
If you need to mount your Strikefire II at a different height, you will have to purchase a different 30mm ring mount.
Details
Included with your purchase:
- Vortex Strikefire II, 4 MOA Red/Green Dot Sight SF-RG-501
- CR2 Lithium battery
- Flip Cap Optic Covers
- Torx T-15 wrench
Customer Feedback
The Vortex Strikefire II has earned strong reviews from shooters across all experience levels.
What shooters liked about this sight:
Dual Color Reticle: The ability to switch between red and green dot gives shooters flexibility for different lighting conditions and environments.
Build Quality: The single-piece aluminum construction feels solid and holds up well under heavy use.
Warranty: The Vortex VIP warranty is consistently praised as one of the best in the industry.
