Vortex Strikefire

Six to nine months ago my friend and fellow staff member Captainbarred asked me if I would review a red dot sight for members who can’t afford an EOTech or Aimpoint on every gun, or just couldn’t afford one of those at all. I told him yes. Then he dealt with various optic manufacturers and got a test, evaluation and review model, the Strikefire by Vortex. It is a non-magnified two MOA red or green dot, you choose which, dot sight. It comes with a screw in two power magnifier that you can screw in and remove easily. He did his own initial review here, then sent it on to me.

When I received it it was ready to mount and shoot. I mounted it on the Addax 16 inch GPU which is the current gun that I’m testing. On a side note, the GPU is running extremely well. It has operated with two literal drops of Breakfree on the bolt carrier.

Here is the Strikefire mounted on the Addax GPU.


My purposes for testing were judging accuracy, ability to hold a zero and durability. It took it out to get a general zero for it. Once I got a general zero, close to center of the target, I didn’t turn the adjustment dials.

Here's the initial zero. The circle in the low center of the target is the one hole from three shots.

Next I loaded mags with the ammo that grouped the best with the Sightmark at 100 yards. They were 55 grain TAP .223 and Winchester 45 grain JHP.

I started with the 55 grain TAP which shot well as usual.

The initial target with TAP.

Then I tried the Winchester 45 grain ammo. I squeezed the trigger a little too much while breathing in and got a low shot.

The initial Winchester 45 grain target.
After that I banged the stock on my truck bed pretty hard and knocked on the Strikefire itself. I killed an enemy Dr. Pepper can or two afterwards.

I was unable to go back to my range for a while due to both weather and illness but I recovered enough to get some "after bang" shots. My point was to see if the Strikefire held its zero. I would say it came close.
Again, I fired the 55 grain TAP first.

Second TAP target for zero hold.
Then I checked the 45 grain Winchester. Not as well as the TAP but close enough.

Second Winchester target for zero hold.

This is where I become disappointed with the Strikefire and myself. As I mentioned above my brother had come down and he wanted to shoot a little. I inserted a Pmag in the GPU and handed it to him. We put an enemy Dr. Pepper can about thirty yards out and he started firing. After a few shots he stopped firing and said it was blinking out after firing a round. After he finished his shooting I put another can out in the same place and it did blink between shots.

After the testing was done I talked to Captainbarred as he had the contact information for Vortex. They said that they had had some problems with earlier models and they would submit another Strikefire for testing. That Strikefire should be here tomorrow.

Again, Vortex has stated that the blinking problem in the earlier model/verion of the Strikefire that I have been testing has been addressed.

As soon as I receive the new version of the Strikefire from Vortex, I will put it through it a serious of rough testing, and shooting, to make sure that the sight will continue to hold it zero and that the blinking issue has been addressed as Vortex has stated.

The Strikefire is a very affordable dot sight solution for the AR owner who is on a budget, and the Strikefire is supported by a limited lifetime warranty from Vortex.

More Strikefire testing and feedback coming soon.