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Thread: Vortex Crossfire red dot for inexpensive RDS?

  1. #1
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    Vortex Crossfire red dot for inexpensive RDS?

    Anyone have any experience with this one? Seems like a good option along the lines of the Primary Arms/Holosun offering. Vortex is well known for their customer service so it seems like this would be a solid option in it'a price range. It's listed at $149 on Midway, Brownells, etc. and comes with a lower 1/3 mount.

    http://www.vortexoptics.com/category/crossfire_red_dot

    Any feedback is welcome!
    Last edited by sva01; 05-28-18 at 10:23.

  2. #2
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    I got drunk last night and ordered a Crossfire for my 10/22 and a Sparc AR for my 9mm carbine. They're range toy/plinker builds so I wasn't concerned with high end red dots. My main reasoning was pretty much what you're thinking, Vortex has a solid reputation and the warranty is among the best in the industry. I know other companies that offer cheap red dots have lifetime warranties, but I just felt more comfortable with Vortex and feel like they're not going anywhere.

    As far as pricing if you search on dun.deals you can get the Crossfire for $125/free shipping.

  3. #3
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    I bought one a few weeks ago, and I've taken it to indoor ranges a couple times. It was easy to zero, and it's held it so far on a 5.56 AR. The dot it round and the brightness levels are appropriate. The battery won't last 5 years, but if I turn it off occasionally, I expect it to last a year. I'm going to move it to a 308 for a few months, and will beat on it while atop a 12 gauge in a couple weeks.

    If it still works as well in a few months as it does now, I'm going to get another one.

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    Last edited by longshot2000; 06-19-18 at 09:27.
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  5. #5
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    Vortex Crossfire red dot for inexpensive RDS?

    I just bought my third so figured I’d post some thoughts, many of which I’ve already said in several of the generic budget RDS threads.

    I’ve switched them around a few times, but the current setup which shouldn’t change any time soon is as follows: 1st gen crossfire on beater PSA upper, using stock lower 1/3 mount; 1st gen crossfire on Mossberg 590A1 with stock low mount (used to be on an 870 w/ Aridus mount); new 2nd gen crossfire on Badger C1 offset mount, paired with Razor 1-6. The last two haven’t seen much use but the one on my PSA has at least 500 rounds through it without issue.

    Overall, I’m very pleased, especially considering what I’ve paid (never more than $115) but have a few things I’d like to see vortex improve:
    1. Dot brightness is my biggest issue and I’m disappointed they added to NV settings to the newest generation instead of making two brighter settings. Most people don’t shoot with nods by mounting them behind an RDS, and those that do probably have enough money to not buy a $130 red dot to pair with a PVS-14. The vast majority of this optic’s target audience would benefit far more from a brighter dot.
    2. Off settings in between each brightness level would be nice. I wouldn’t pay $50 more for it, but if it could be done for a minimal price increase, that’d be great.
    3. The manual needs to be more detailed. The biggest things lacking IMO are torque specs for mounting it and is like to see a full battery life chart. I’m pretty sure Aimpoint only gives you the life for its “medium” setting that’s over 50k hours, but that doesn’t mean vortex has to as well. I want the full break down so I know I have to replace the battery every six months if I have it two levels higher than the 50k setting.
    4. Holosun has different reticles, it’d be cool if this did too. I don’t follow them much so those optics may very well sell for $100 more than this one, in which case maybe not worth it unless Vortex keeps this as the cheap option and then introduces one with different reticles in the $250 range.

    Overall, I'm obviously very happy with these for the price, otherwise I wouldn't have three and plan on buying at least two more. I've never bothered trying any of the Sig, Holosun, or other budget dots out there, purely because I prefer the company behind the Crossfire.










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    Last edited by Wake27; 03-08-20 at 13:45.
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  6. #6
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    I have several Holosun red dots. Run them on everything from 22lr up to 5.56. No issues in last couple years... other then.... the factory mounts are crap. At least in my opinion. Altho these are couple years old they may have improved the mounts
    I also use Aimpoint on 3 of my rifles. I bought the Holosun as a cheaper alternative for range toys
    (Posted in wrong Thread)
    Last edited by TunaFisherman; 03-08-20 at 14:21.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wake27 View Post
    I just bought my third so figured I’d post some thoughts, many of which I’ve already said in several of the generic budget RDS threads.

    I’ve switched them around a few times, but the current setup which shouldn’t change any time soon is as follows: 1st gen crossfire on beater PSA upper, using stock lower 1/3 mount; 1st gen crossfire on Mossberg 590A1 with stock low mount (used to be on an 870 w/ Aridus mount); new 2nd gen crossfire on Badger C1 offset mount, paired with Razor 1-6. The last two haven’t seen much use but the one on my PSA has at least 500 rounds through it without issue.

    Overall, I’m very pleased, especially considering what I’ve paid (never more than $115) but have a few things I’d like to see vortex improve:
    1. Dot brightness is my biggest issue and I’m disappointed they added to NV settings to the newest generation instead of making two brighter settings. Most people don’t shoot with nods by mounting them behind an RDS, and those that do probably have enough money to not buy a $130 red dot to pair with a PVS-14. The vast majority of this optic’s target audience would benefit far more from a brighter dot.
    2. Off settings in between each brightness level would be nice. I wouldn’t pay $50 more for it, but if it could be done for a minimal price increase, that’d be great.
    3. The manual needs to be more detailed. The biggest things lacking IMO are torque specs for mounting it and is like to see a full battery life chart. I’m pretty sure Aimpoint only gives you the life for its “medium” setting that’s over 50k hours, but that doesn’t mean vortex has to as well. I want the full break down so I know I have to replace the battery every six months if I have it two levels higher than the 50k setting.
    4. Holosun has different reticles, it’d be cool if this did too. I don’t follow them much so those optics may very well sell for $100 more than this one, in which case maybe not worth it unless Vortex keeps this as the cheap option and then introduces one with different reticles in the $250 range.

    Overall, I'm obviously very happy with these for the price, otherwise I wouldn't have three and plan on buying at least two more. I've never bothered trying any of the Sig, Holosun, or other budget dots out there, purely because I prefer the company behind the Crossfire.

    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I'm thinking of doing a similar setup as you and having it offset the Razor 1-10 in a Badger J Arm. How have you been liking the updated Crossfire 2 now that you have had it for a few months? Notice any issues with battery life or other aspects of the red dot?

  8. #8
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    The battery life sucks. Ran it on my Zenith MP5 because the stock mount hollow space allowed me to see the iron sight. In sunlight I usually to go at least setting 8, and the dial have to go back to 0 to turn off so I usually forget, and have to replace battery in 2-3 months, if that. For budget, I would go PA or Holosun.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by morpheus562 View Post
    I'm thinking of doing a similar setup as you and having it offset the Razor 1-10 in a Badger J Arm. How have you been liking the updated Crossfire 2 now that you have had it for a few months? Notice any issues with battery life or other aspects of the red dot?
    I didn’t keep it on there for as long as I expected but that was more because of getting a good deal on one of the Holosun micros that is smaller and lighter and has the circle dot reticle more than it was an issue with the crossfire.

    The RMR like design did help mini me the one problem I had with that setup which was shit from the ejection port occasionally spraying the ocular lens of the Crossfire, though that isn’t really the optics fault. I still have 3-4 crossfires and recommend and trust them as much as any sub $400 optic. Just wish Vortex could make them one or two levels brighter.


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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by AwaySooner View Post
    The battery life sucks. Ran it on my Zenith MP5 because the stock mount hollow space allowed me to see the iron sight. In sunlight I usually to go at least setting 8, and the dial have to go back to 0 to turn off so I usually forget, and have to replace battery in 2-3 months, if that. For budget, I would go PA or Holosun.
    Vortex released an updated version of the optic in 2020 that should have increased battery life to 50k hours. Are you running the original or updated version?

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