Vortex Micro 3x magnifier

[trob_205]

I picked up my Vortex Micro3X today. Wanted to share some initial thoughts after opening the package and mounting the unit.

First, I have never used a RDS magnifier. I am putting this behind an EoTech EXPS2 mounted on a factory Colt 14.5 SOCOM. Concurrently, I am trying to transition to LPVO for specific reasons on a few other carbines, and I do like my LPVOs but, that said, I still love the EoTech and/or my Aimpoints for many reasons. Kind of looking for the best of both worlds here.

Overall, positive impression out of the box and I like the unit. Nice and compact, and relatively lightweight and it seems well made (does say made in China). The glass is clear and the unit focuses well, and wow, does it clear up the reticle with my astigmatism. The mount seems well made and the hinge strong and positive. I used the included spacer mount for the 1/3 cowitness. I was hoping the eye relief would be a little better but it's not horrible and it's inline with what I have gotten used to with my LPVO.

About eye relief. I originally had a Scalarworks Peak rear BUIS on the gun. That will not work with this setup. Stands up too high and you cannot rotate the unit into position behind the EoTech. (note - I have the EoTech mounted fully on the upper receiver rail - I do not like or want it forward and locking on any part of my RAS rail). So, I tried a Magpul MBUS. And while the magnifier clears, the MBUS is too long and requires the mount to be attached too far forward on the rail (T5) resulting in too long of eye relief for my liking. I tried a Magpul MBUS Pro and that is what I settled in with. I can attach at the T4 slot vs the T5 slot with the polymer MBUS. Not huge movement, but enough to make the eye relief decent for me.

The one noticeable thing about the mount is, when I decided where I would mount the unit on the rail and adjusted the "elevation" and "windage" to center the EoTech reticle, the mount is very finicky about "returning to zero" if the unit is taken off and reinstalled. I thought the rail clamps were grabbing the same way each time, but when I'd look through the unit, the reticle location kept changing. I finally found that if I help back pressure so the mount crossbar was held back against the rail groove, it was more consistent in going back to center. I fully realize it is not an optic and the users manual clearly states the reticle does not need to be center in the magnifier to work. To me, it just feels and looks better.

VortexOptics Rep; one small critique on the details with the mount screws. The box includes an allen wrench and four screws - two are used and which ones depend on if you use the spacer or not. The directions state no more than 20 in lbs of torque. Ok, got it. But it seems the screw bit size is metric so I was not able to use my torque wrench as I did not have any bits that were the appropriate hole size. I ended up hand tightening the screws using the included allen wrench not a big deal but I could not find a bit of the appropriate size, and I have a lot of them.

I looking forward to hitting the range tomorrow and seeing how it shoots.

Thanks for the review! Would you mind posting some pics of the setup with the Magpul Pro rear? I have an AMG UH-1 showing up tomorrow with the plans of running with the new micro as long as it allows use with a rear with decent eye relief.

[arptsprt]

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[arptsprt]

Tell me if you can see the pics. For some reason I’m having trouble uploading.

I have a UH-1 on another carbine. Looks to me like you will have to lock the mount crossbar on the UH-1 in on the T10 slot and you should have about the same clearance as what I have with the EoTech.

Thanks for the review! Would you mind posting some pics of the setup with the Magpul Pro rear? I have an AMG UH-1 showing up tomorrow with the plans of running with the new micro as long as it allows use with a rear with decent eye relief.

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[trob_205]

Tell me if you can see the pics. For some reasons I’m having trouble uploading.

I have an UH-1 on another carbine. Looks to me like you will have to lock the mount crossbar on the UH-1 in on the T10 slot and you should have about the same clearance as what I have with the EoTech.






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You are the man! Pics came through great — Thanks!

[VortexOptics]

I picked up my Vortex Micro3X today. Wanted to share some initial thoughts after opening the package and mounting the unit.

First, I have never used a RDS magnifier. I am putting this behind an EoTech EXPS2 mounted on a factory Colt 14.5 SOCOM. Concurrently, I am trying to transition to LPVO for specific reasons on a few other carbines, and I do like my LPVOs but, that said, I still love the EoTech and/or my Aimpoints for many reasons. Kind of looking for the best of both worlds here.

Overall, positive impression out of the box and I like the unit. Nice and compact, and relatively lightweight and it seems well made (does say made in China). The glass is clear and the unit focuses well, and wow, does it clear up the reticle with my astigmatism. The mount seems well made and the hinge strong and positive. I used the included spacer mount for the 1/3 cowitness. I was hoping the eye relief would be a little better but it's not horrible and it's inline with what I have gotten used to with my LPVO.

About eye relief. I originally had a Scalarworks Peak rear BUIS on the gun. That will not work with this setup. Stands up too high and you cannot rotate the unit into position behind the EoTech. (note - I have the EoTech mounted fully on the upper receiver rail - I do not like or want it forward and locking on any part of my RAS rail). So, I tried a Magpul MBUS. And while the magnifier clears, the MBUS is too long and requires the mount to be attached too far forward on the rail (T5) resulting in too long of eye relief for my liking. I tried a Magpul MBUS Pro and that is what I settled in with. I can attach at the T4 slot vs the T5 slot with the polymer MBUS. Not huge movement, but enough to make the eye relief decent for me.

The one noticeable thing about the mount is, when I decided where I would mount the unit on the rail and adjusted the "elevation" and "windage" to center the EoTech reticle, the mount is very finicky about "returning to zero" if the unit is taken off and reinstalled. I thought the rail clamps were grabbing the same way each time, but when I'd look through the unit, the reticle location kept changing. I finally found that if I help back pressure so the mount crossbar was held back against the rail groove, it was more consistent in going back to center. I fully realize it is not an optic and the users manual clearly states the reticle does not need to be center in the magnifier to work. To me, it just feels and looks better.

VortexOptics Rep; one small critique on the details with the mount screws. The box includes an allen wrench and four screws - two are used and which ones depend on if you use the spacer or not. The directions state no more than 20 in lbs of torque. Ok, got it. But it seems the screw bit size is metric so I was not able to use my torque wrench as I did not have any bits that were the appropriate hole size. I ended up hand tightening the screws using the included allen wrench not a big deal but I could not find a bit of the appropriate size, and I have a lot of them.

I looking forward to hitting the range tomorrow and seeing how it shoots.

Thanks for the review!

By the eye relief being a little bit better - are you referring to longer? It's actually quite forgiving for a magnifier if you look around at the specs on others out there. Perhaps it's almost in a bit of an awkward middle ground for your particular setup, though? Depending on the irons you use, that could be a possibility. Unfortunately, all the BUIS out there have all their own shapes, sizes, etc it's hard to make something that works perfect for every single person out there. The MBUS Pro is an excellent one to use and one that we use around here, especially with a magnifier, very often.

Referring to "Return to zero" - you're referencing taking the entire unit off the rail and then putting it back on in the same place, correct? With any optic on any QD mount, there's never a true guaranteed return to perfect zero every single time. Regardless, we always recommend, even with non-QD mounts, indexing the mount against the forward lug of the rail for consistency and actually to avoid any potential slipping on the rail under recoil. Objects at rest (Optics in mounts) like to stay at rest, so when the gun goes back sharply to the rear, if you're not indexed against the front lug, it's possible it may slip towards that lug slightly over time until it settles in. Always good practice to get that out of the way when you mount any optic right away.

Thanks for the info on the bits with the fasteners for the optic to the mount. I'll pass this along to our NPD team right away!

[arptsprt]

I shot well over a couple hundred rounds through the Micro3x today. First impression is overall, I think I’m going to like it and it will be an option to continue to work with.

Temp was about 80 with a decent swirling breeze at about 5600 ft. My range is up in a mountain draw. Sunny skies.

Gun is a factory Colt 14.5 SOCOM. As mentioned the Micro3x is behind an EoTech EXPS2.

Shot paper for groups at 50 and 100 yds.

Glass was clear. Noticed it has slight darker tint to it but nothing major. Focus worked well and the sight picture was clear. Targets below were:

Top - 10 shots at 100 yds no magnifier.

Bottom - 10 shots 100 yds WITH magnifier. This group was just over 1.5 moa.

Shot all groups prone with an Atlas bipod.

Ammo was that 62 gr OTM Winchester branded Swedish ammo. This gun likes it.

The one thing I noticed was that it seemed like my groups with the magnifier were left a bit (my zero results in a high group at 100). I shot probably four ten shot groups playing around trying to figure out if it was me or the optic. When I used sandbags and was extra delicate with the trigger (LaRue MBT), the groups both non-magnified and magnified were pretty consistent and centered with one click right of windage. I was satisfied.

Then shot several 50 yd offhand two rounds to body (IPSC target) and head for time switching between non-magnified and magnified. Times were pretty even and decent groups with the magnifier once I got used to head position and eye relief.

Also rang some A-C steel at 80, 100, 200, and 267 yds. No problems.

Overall, I had fun and enjoyed the new toy. I’ll go up and try to do more with it this weekend.

Non-magnified 100 yds 10 shots


Magnified 100 yds 10 shots



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[Wake27]

Any updated thoughts on these? I can get one for about $220 so I’m debating it.


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[grizzlyblake]

Anyone running one behind the Crossfire RDS? Kyle Defoor has been running that setup for a while now and seems to be pleased.

[TomPenguin5145]

I picked one up two weeks ago. Its mounted on a 14.7 with an Aimpoint H2 in front of it. There is some wiggle in hinge, but its not bad. What I had a real problem with was maxing out 'windage' adjustments of the mag to get the dot centered. I put about 200 rounds down-range without issue. I looked closer and noted the magnifier is not mounted parallel with the gun. It is slightly canted left. I checked to ensure the mount was clean and the mag was mounted to the mount correctly. I tried it on a different gun and found the same issue.

So I might send it back to Vortex to get it looked at...

[Schootz]

How well does it work with an Aimpoint T2 in a lower 1/3 mount? Thank you.