VORTEX SPARC AR RDS REVIEW!

Hey everyone!

So as my custom Ares Amoeba Octa Arms Honey Badger build with Bespoke Airsoft is almost complete, so it's time to start looking at what went into the build and I'm going to start with the optic! The awesome team at Vortex Optics kindly sent over one of their SPARC AR red dot sights to complete the build and here is the long awaited review!

As you all know, my poison of choice is Airsoft, more specifically CQB and when looking for the perfect optic to finish off this build, I had an idea of what I needed - tough to withstand the stress of being used in such a close environment, longevity, durability and it had to be a red dot. This is where Vortex came onboard and recommended their SPARC AR RDS.

Let me tell you a little bit about Vortex Optics to start. Dan and Margie Hamilton, the original and current owners, started a small outdoor retail store in 1986 shortly after moving to Wisconsin. Their small outdoor retail business grew and evolved over time and in 2002 Vortex Optics was born. Vortex is an American Owned, Veteran Owned, Family owned/operated business that designs and manufactures optics for hunting, bird/wildlife watching, outdoor recreational sports and law enforcement. So far their range of optics includes binoculars, rifle scopes, spotting scopes and other optics. 

The Vortex SPARC AR has a similar look to T1 RDS sights that Airsofters know and love. It is a lightweight and compact sight crammed with features such as a rubber armour casing and a tethered rubber lens cap making the sight shock proof, neutral pressure Nitrogen purging ensures that the sight is both waterproof and fogproof - and that it will withstand the elements at any elevation. It has rear facing digital power and dot brightness controls for quick access and they are always viewable from the shooters position, as well as boasting a bright 2 MOA dot diameter that promotes a precise point of aim.

Now those are the facts? But how does it feel/perform?

Upon opening the box and retrieving the unit I eagerly set about getting the sight running and mounted on my rifle. It comes with an AAA battery already in the box so you just have to unscrew the battery compartment, pop it in, unscrew the allen bolts with the supplied allen key and mount it to any 20mm RIS rail. The sight is pretty much plug and play and is super easy to zero in and operate.

You get a clear picture from the sight and when on the brightest setting the red dot is super bright and easily visible in all light conditions. 

It is also worth mentioning that the SPARC AR comes with Vortex's VIP unlimited lifetime warranty, which means if the sight gets damaged or becomes defective they will repair or replace the optic free of charge. It doesn't matter who's fault it is or where you purchased it from. This 'Very Important Promise' to their customers is a big selling point for me on the sights, as we all know, things can get pretty hairy in CQB especially so having the knowledge that it will be repaired or replaced if anything goes wrong is a great piece of mind!

Overall, it's a great little sight that is packed with features and it's easy to use on the field, what more could you need?

1

IWA 2017 SHOW REPORT: VORTEX OPTICS!

Hey everyone!

Next in our IWA 2017 Show Reports is Vortex! Vortex Optics are a family owned/run business that develop optics for hunting, bird/wildlife watching, outdoor recreational sports and law enforcement. So far their range of optics includes binoculars, rifle scopes, spotting scopes and other optics. With the Airsoft Community slowly moving away from replica sights to explore real steel optics, Vortex offer real steel products at an affordable price with an awesome guarantee. Here's what caught my eye from Vortex at IWA 2017: 

SPARC AR

The SPARC AR is a sight that I will be reviewing later in the year. It is a durable, lightweight, compact sight which makes the perfect sight for any AR platform. It has digital rear-facing controls that control power and dot brightness and it features a 2 MOA dot diameter which promotes a precise point of aim.

Unlimited eye relief means that you always get the full picture and parallax free helps shooters hit their targets early. It is also waterproof, fogproof, shockproof and automatically shuts off after 12 hours to prevent the battery from running down. What I really love about this sight is the rubber armour that protects the sight and the tethered lens cap. The sight is super bright and I am really excited to get it to a game! It looks similar to the T1 sights that Airsofters know and love.

Venom

Another sight that caught my eye was the Venom. The Venom is the perfect low profile sight choice for an AR, Pistol or Shotgun.  It comes in both 3 MOA and 6 MOA size red dot varieties for rapid target acquisition. It features a durable machined aluminium housing that helps protect the unit from whatever the shooter throws at it and the top load system makes throwing a new battery in super easy and you don't have to remove the sight to change the battery - awesome. The power and dot intensity controls are located on the left hand side of the unit for ease of access. The Venom also features a premium Wide-Field Lens. Unlimited eye relief and is parallax free.

It is waterproof, shockproof, coated with a anti-reflective lens coatings and ArmorTek that helps protect the exterior lenses from scratches, oil and dirt.

RAZOR

The Razor is the high end reflex sight that is built specifically built for top-tier performance - from an AR to a pistol, this is a great option for competition shooters. It is clear, accurate, compact and durable.

It features either a 3 MOA or 6 MOA Red Dot, is waterproof, shockproof and is coated in XR (delivers the highest level of light transmission for maximum brightness) fully multi-coated lens and ArmorTek coatings.

VIPER

The Viper Red Dot from Vortex has a super-low mounting height which makes it the perfect solution for handguns with cut out slides. It offers shooters the accuracy, simplicity and speed advantage of a red dot sight whilst keeping the stock iron sights perfectly in view. All the controls are conveniently placed on the left hand side for ease of access.

It is waterproof, shockproof, has a fully multi-coated wide-field lens 

0

IWA 2017 SHOW REPORT: SHIELD SIGHTS!

Hey everyone!

Next up in the IWA 2017 show reports is Shield Sights! Shield are a family run business who design and manufacture high performance Red Dot Sights for Military, Law Enforcement and Civilian use. I have ran my Cerakoted pink Shield CQS and SMS sights for the last year and half and they have both held up fantastically, from being dropped down a 6ft storm drain to being shot and sat in the pouring rain. I have always been really impressed with the Shield range of optics so let's see what's new for this year!

This year Shield are launching their RMS (Reflex Mini Sight) after receiving feedback from their customers that showed a demand for a metal design. This particular sight is made from aerospace aluminium and the new design offers the shooter an accessible battery drawer for a quick battery change.

The RMS is a glass filled polymer sight that has a Reflex - x1 lens with a true colour/anti reflection coating. It's light source is LED and it is available in 6 different dot sizes. It runs on 1x 3V Lithium battery (CR2032) that is housed in a removable drawer and the battery has an average life span of 3 years - one of the cool features of these sights is that you do not have to turn them off. This sight is also compatible with Night Vision Goggles.

It weighs just 14 grams and operates in temps from -46 degrees Celsius to 49 degrees Celsius. The only downside to this sight is that it isn't waterproof but it is a perfect pistol mounted sight for competition shooters. The standard colour is matte black but the sights can be Cerakoted on request!

At IWA 2017, Shield also had on display some of their other signature sights! 

The Shield CQS which is what I run on my G&G Black Rose Version 2. It's built upon the combat proven CQB sight framework and was developed using the expertise gained whilst training, testing and manufacturing many ruggedized military products! The CQS is the smallest, lightest and toughest in its class of sights and offers a full field of view with an automatic brightness adjustment. I cannot sing the praises of this sight enough.

It is made from hard anodized aluminium with a matte black finish but like the RMS they offer Cerakoting. It comes in 6 different dot sizes, has a 1 year battery life, weighs just 64 grams, is waterproof and works in temps of -46 degrees Celsius to 49 degrees Celsius. Like I said this sight has gone through a lot of abuse and is still performing skirmish after skirmish!

Nice work Shield Sights!

0