Vortex Optics is gradually claiming the spot of the most popular weapon accessory brand as it keeps putting out their best products in the market to suit the needs of shooters from every sphere.
To put more light on the red dot sights specifically designed to take the strong hit of shotguns and rifles, Vortex Optics has successfully put out two most amazing sights. They are the Sparc II and StrikeFire II red dot sights.
These sights are the upgraded versions of their fellow sights such as Sparc AR, Crossfire designed to glide smoothly on the platform of AR rifles. In order to put up with the most notorious weapon in the market, the AR-15s, their features need to be top-notch and without any errors.
That’s why, we are here to compare two of the baddest sights of Vortex Optics. We will go through all the features both Sparc 2 and StrikeFire 2 have to offer. And then we will compare the different qualities of both the sights to find out which one works better.
Sparc 2/ StrikeFire 2 – Outlooks
Sparc II/ StrikeFire II – Specs
| Specs | Sparc II | StrikeFire II |
|---|---|---|
| Magnification | 1X | 1X |
| Objective Lens | 22mm | 30mm |
| Reticle | 2 MOA | 4 MOA |
| Illumination Color | Red | Red/Green |
| Brightness Settings | 10 | 10 |
| Battery | CR2032 | CR2 |
| Mount | Multi-Height Mount | Cantilever Ring Mount |
| Eye Relief | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Adjustment Graduation | 1 MOA | 0.5 MOA |
| Travel Per Rotation | 45 MOA | 25 MOA |
| Max W/E Adjustments | 90 MOA | 100 MOA |
| Parallax | Free | Free |
| Waterproof | ✔ | ✔ |
| Weight | 5.9 oz | 7.2 oz |
| Dimension | 5.76×4.6×2.6 in | 7.5×3.25×6.5 in |
Sparc 2 vs StrikeFire 2 – Differences
From the specification of the red dot sight we can see that the Vortex StrikeFire II vs Sparc II battle has some good comparable functions to list out.
- They both come with different mounts that can be adjusted to be compatible with rifles and shotguns.
- Both the sights have different dot size and the StrikeFire sight comes with more illumination colors than the Sparc sight.
- The sights use separate battery types and so have a massive difference in the runtime department.
- When it comes to the turret adjustments, both the sights have contrasting click values and controlling knobs.
- Although the Sparc 2 and StrikeFire 2 red dot sights are rugged and strong, their weight range is something to consider before coming to the conclusion.
Who Will Win? Sparc Or StrikeFire
Now it’s time to hold each of the differences between the sights and scrutinize every detail to reach the verdict on which sight will win this competition.
Mount
We will be comparing the Vortex Sparc 2 mounting options with the StrikeFire 2 one and find out which mounting style is more versatile.
Sprac II: The Vortex Sparc 2 red dot sight includes a multi-height mounting system that lets you adjust the mounting height to your desired positions. Mostly this mount works great in achieving both absolute and lower ⅓ co-witness with the iron sights of AR-15 rifles. This sight also mounts on any Picatinny or Weaver bases giving compatibility for a wide range of firearms.
When it comes to adjusting the Vortex Sparc 2 with magnifier, the Vortex Micro3x magnifier works better than any other.
- The Micro 3x Magnifier adds next level 3x magnification to your red dot or holographic sight in an ultra compact, lightweight, and optically crisp package. The V3XM weighs in at only 6.9 oz and only 9.55 oz when including the mount.
- Anti-reflective coatings on all air-to-glass surfaces provide increased light transmission for greater clarity and low-light performance. The V3XM offers a wider field of view, better eye relief, a brighter image, and a more true color tone.
- Integrated quick-release mount allows fast attach/detach from your rail and a patented camlock desing quickly engages/disengages magnifier with direct pressure. Adjustable flip mount allows for right or left-handed use.
- The magnifier is shockproof and has been nitrogen purged for reliable water and fogproof performance in the field.
- Allows for lower 1/3 or absolute co-witness mounting heights and is ideal for shooters who want to increase the effective range of their red dot sight.
StrikeFire II: On the other hand, the StrikeFire II has a cantilever ring mount that creates a lower ⅓ co-witness on an AR platform allowing you to position the optic bore center 40mm above the base surface. Similar to the Sparc 2 sight, this red dot also easily attaches to any rifles or shotguns with the Picatinny or Weaver rails.
Besides, this sight accommodates really well with the VMX-3T Magnifiers. However, we would recommend not to use the Vortex Sparc II with VMX-3T magnifier for issues with sufficient eye relief.
- The VMX-3T Magnifier and Flip Mount combo adds a 3x magnification to your rifle's red dot sight. Simple, fast, and effective, the push button design engages and disengages the flip mount allowing the magnifier to lock in at your desired position.
- The lens are fully multi-coated maximizing resolution, light gathering capability, and color fidelity. Eye Relief-2.2 inches. Field of View-38.2 feet/100 yards
- The VMX-3T does not require any special sight-in. The dot centering screws can be used to help center your red dot image in the VMX-3T's field of view.
- The magnifier is nitrogen purged for reliable waterproof and fogproof performance in the field.Use lens cleaning fluid and optical tissue or cloth to clean lenses
- Allows for lower 1/3 or absolute co-witness mounting heights and is ideal for shooters who want to increase the effective range of their red dot sight. Field of View: 38.2 feet/100 yards
All in all, both the sights come with versatile and easy to attach mounting systems. Still the Sparc 2 gives more options with its multi-height mount.
Reticle & Lens Quality
The reticles and lens quality are two very important aspects of a red dot sight to get a high quality target visibility.
Sprac 2: With the Vortex Sparc II red dot sight you are getting a 2 MOA reticle and a 22mm fully multi-coated lens that has 10 brightness settings with night vision compatibility. This is perfectly suited for any long distance targeting.
StrikeFire 2: In the StrikeFire II sight there is a 4 MOA reticle that has two illumination colors of red and green. The red dot works great in the daylight and the green dot lets you use it during low light settings. Similar to the Sparc sight it also has 10 brightness levels with two night vision settings. The 30mm multi-coated lens gives a clear visibility of the target in a wide view.
Because of the extra green dot option and better lens clarity, the StrikeFire II remains a better choice in this round.
- The highly compact, daylight bright Sparc II is packed with performance features and lends itself to a variety of platforms.
- A modular three piece base offers four seperate mounting heights for user and weapon specific customization. A high base and shim plate offer absolute and lower 1/3 co-witness mounting heights. A low base provides options for handguns or shotguns.
- Fully multi-coated lenses offer a clear field of view and the unit is parallax free with unlimited eye relief. Elevation and windage turrets adjust the point of impact up and down or left and right.
- Machined from aircraft-grade aluminum, the one piece body is rugged and lightweight providing shockproof performance withstanding recoil and impact. O-ring seals and nitrogen purging ensure the unit is water and fogproof in the field.
- Rear facing power controls with only two buttons offer simplicity in use and adjustment of the 10 brightness levels available.
Battery
The battery quality and shelf life will provide us another good point to consider in making the decision.
Sprac II: This red dot sight uses a very popular CR2032 lithium battery for powering it up. You are getting up to 300 hours of battery life with the highest brightness setting on for continuous use. Also, the battery will last up to 6,000 continuous hours when the sight is at the lowest brightness level.
StrikeFire II: Whereas, the StrikeFire II uses a CR2 battery which has a better shelf life than the CR2032 battery. This battery will give you a total 80,000 hours of runtime for continuous use when you set the brightness level at 6.
In case of battery life the Vortex Sparc II has a disappointing result and so we would suggest choosing the StrikeFire II sight for better battery life.
Turret Adjustments
In the Vortex StrikeFire vs Sparc battle, we will next look at the turret adjustments and their controlling quality.
Sprac 2: The Sparc 2 sight has a 1 MOA adjustment graduation where you get a maximum 90 MOA windage and elevation adjustments to compensate for wind drift and holdover. The turret caps keep its dials intact and allow you to easily make adjustments.
StrikeFire 2: StrikeFire 2 red dot sight comes with turrets that have 0.5 audible click values along with a maximum 100 MOA windage and elevation adjustments which is a little bit higher than the Sparc sight. Unlike the Sparc sight, its turret dials have covers which you need to take out to make necessary adjustments. However, the 0.5 MOA rotation gives more secure control of the dials than 1 MOA value.
Since you will have better control over the windage and elevation adjustments in the StrikeFire II sight, it will make a better option.
- The new 2019 Strikefire II Red Dot is a rugged, reliable red dot sight that is at home in a variety of applications allowing users to operate between 11 illumination settings with the lowest two settings being night vision compatible.
- With aesthetics and functionality in mind, the power controls are at the rear of the Strikefire for easy access. The Strikefire II Red Dot runs off a CR2 battery and has been updated with improved battery life up to 80, 000 hours at setting 6.
- An offset cantilever mount is provided; allowing you to move the sight forward to be used in conjunction with a magnifier and backup iron sights all on the same rail.
- Fully multi-coated lenses provide a clean and bright, unobscured point of view. Unlimited eye relief allows for rapidtransitions.
- The single-piece chasis is compact and lightweight but still delivers shockproof performance withstanding whatever you may throw at it. Nitrogen purged and o-ring seals ensure fogproof and waterproof performance.
Durability & Weight
Both the sights have strong and high quality aluminum housing so they are durable enough to take recoil from AR rifles.
Sprac II: This red dot sight is specialized into handling calibration of any AR-15 rifles. The interior of this sight is O-ring sealed hence it is protected from water and fog. The Sparc II sight weighs only 5.9 oz without the mount, making it very lightweight and compact for longer use.
StrikeFire II: In case of StrikeFire II, it has the same ruggedness as the Sparc sight since it is made of aircraft grade aluminum with anodized finish. The Vortex sight is waterproof, fogproof and shock-mounted to withstand recoiling of rifles and shotguns. The only downside of this sight is the 7.2 ounces of weight which makes it heavier than the Sparc sight.
Therefore, the lightweight Vortex Sparc II will make a better companion for your weapon during a long journey.
Sparc 2/ StrikeFire 2 – Videos
Summary
Finally, to put an end to this battle between the Vortex Sparc II and StrikeFire II red dot sights, we have considered all of their important features. The Vortex Sparc sight is an excellent optics to use with your AR rifles or any other shotguns.
On the other hand, with the StrikeFire II sight you get a better battery life, lens clarity and more illumination options than the other sight. Besides, the Vortex StrikeFire mount height gives you the opportunity to achieve lower ⅓ co-witness on an AR platform. Thus, in our opinion the StrikeFire II wins this battle.
Leave a Reply