Trijicon sights has been keeping its place as the favorite company for optical sights among shooters for a long time. The RMR model is one of the traditional red dot sights you will find in the market that offers the best features you will need for your firearms.
Recently, Vortex optics has been joining the battle of the best optical sights with its Viper Red Dot sight to compete with the legendary RMR red dot. And, that’s why today we are going to compare these two sights and look at the contrasting features to get a better view of what both sights have to offer.
The following specifications are going to give us an idea about the general points of the models. Later we will be listing the differences between them and discuss them in detail to conclude who holds the better deal.
Vortex Viper/ Trijicon RMR – Outlooks
Trijicon RMR/ Vortex Viper – Specs
| Specs | Vortex Spitfire 3X | Burris 332 |
|---|---|---|
| Magnification | 1X | 1X |
| Reticle | 3.25 MOA, 6.5 MOA | 6 MOA |
| Battery | CR2032 | CR2032 |
| Eye Relief | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Brightness Settings | 8 | 10 |
| Parallax | Free | Free |
| Adjustment Graduation | 1 MOA per click | 1 MOA per click |
| Weight | 1.2 oz | 1.03 oz |
| Mount | Trijicon RMR mount | Weaver/Picatinny |
| Waterproof | ✔ (66 ft) | ✔ |
| Dimension | 1.9”x1.11”x1.02” | 1.8”x1.6”x1.02” |
Difference Between Vortex Viper and Trijicon RMR
We can actually spot quite a few contrasting features when comparing the Viper and RMR sights. Let’s list our findings!
- Firstly, the footprints of both sights are completely different from each other and so they are compatible with different types of handguns and rifles.
- Although the models use the same lithium batteries they have different battery life because of the brightness intensity difference.
- The RMR optical sight offers you more reticle options to cover most of the hunting spheres. Whereas, for Viper sight you only get one reticle option.
- The lenses of both red dot sights have different coatings and visibility for a clear picture.
- When it comes to windage and elevation adjustments you will see similar click values but their controlling system is different.
- Lastly, both sights have different housing material durability levels so they are suitable for different ranges of calibrations. Their weights also play a role in determining their usage.
Read More: RMR or Venom
Discussion On The Differences
After we have listed the dissimilar features of the models, we will discuss them below to come to a verdict about which one is worth your money.
Footprint & Mounting Style
First thing to always check in a red dot sight before purchasing it is whether it has a footprint that matches with your weapon or not. It will help you to determine which one of the models will fit the mourning style of your firearm.
Viper: Similar to most of the Vortex optics such as the Vortex Venom sight, the Viper red dot also follows the Noblex mounting standard footprint. This gives the sight access to a wide range of weapons. Besides, the red dot comes with mounting plates to support popular handguns such as Glock 19, FN 509, and S&W M&P or any other pistol with Picatinny/Weaver rails.
Moreover, the sight can co-witness with the existing iron sights of any handgun because of its low height and can work as a backup 45-degree red dot sight for multiple rifles.
RMR: On the other hand, the Trijicon RMR Type 2 red dot sight has the same footprint as Type 1. It does not come with a mounting rail. As a result, the sight can only be attached to the guns supporting this mounting standard. In case you want to personalize this sight with your gun, you will need to purchase a separate Picatinny adapter to mount it on that gun.
Considering the mounting system and compatibility list it is clear that the Vortex Viper red dot sight is more cost-effective and versatile than the RMR sight in this regard.
Battery & Brightness Settings
The battery quality and lifetime are important to judge the overall quality of a sight. Although both the sights use the same battery, they provide different battery life. The brightness settings will also give input in the battery life of both the sights.
Viper: Vortex Viper uses a CR2032 lithium battery which comes in the package. The battery is commonly used for any electronic device, making it easily accessible to people. The red dot sight has 10 different brightness settings you choose to adjust with any light situation. With the highest setting on, its battery will go on for 150 hours whereas you will get 30,000 hours of work time with the lowest setting.
RMR: Similar to the Viper sight, Trijicon RMR also uses a CR2032 lithium battery and provides its users with 8 brightness settings along with night vision compatibility. At the 4 number setting this lithium battery lasts for 4 years. On the other hand, when using the highest setting, it will last only for 25 days.
Although on the surface level, the battery life of RMR sight can seem limited, it will actually depend on the user. Personally, the Viper Sight will make a better choice with the pricing range it is offering. However, some might want to go for RMR because of the easy battery detachment facility.
Reticles & Lens Size
Another feature to compare is the reticles of the sights. Reticle is an essential part since it will determine the accuracy of your target acquisition. Besides, having a clear and bright image quality will depend on the lens of the sight.
Viper: The red dot sight comes with only one reticle option with the 6 MOA dot size. For targeting, this dot size is precise and will let you target close-range fast-moving objects. However, this reticle will not be a great fit for long-range shooting. Although the lens has an anti-reflective fully multi-coated glass, the 24mm circular lens can be a bit smaller for sighting with a rifle.
RMR: Trijicon RMR sight has always been ready to provide the best options with dot reticles. You will find two different dot sizes for this sight- 3.25 MOA and 6.5 MOA. That way you are getting two separate options to suit your shooting experience. In addition, the .08”x.63” size window of this red dot sight gives a wide view for sighting with rifles or any other shotguns.
Therefore, in this case, the RMR red dot sight beats the Vortex Viper as you will get more reticle options with the former one along with a wide field of view.
Windage & Elevation Adjustments
Next comes the windage and elevation adjustment controls of each sight. Although both the sights have 1 MOA per click adjustment graduation, controlling the adjustments is what creates a contrast between them.
Viper: With the Vortex Viper, you are getting a maximum of 120 MOA of windage and elevation adjustments. This is why its other values and controls are not affected by any external influences, especially with high wind drift. However, changing the windage and elevation adjustments can be difficult as you need to use the Allen Wrench to change the settings.
RMR: Similarly, the Trijicon RMR sight comes with environment-protected windage and elevation adjustments. However, unlike the Viper model, you will get 150 MOA of total travel for both windage and elevation. Moreover, you only need to use any flat-edged object like coins to control the adjustments.
Hence, the easy controlling of both windage and elevation adjustments makes the RMR red dot optics stand out more.
Durability & Weight
complete outlook of the battle between RMR and Viper red dot.
Viper: This red dot sight has a high-strength aluminum alloy housing along with an O-ring-sealed interior to keep the optical sight protected from water and fog. It only weighs 1.03 ounces which makes it portable enough for any handgun. In addition, its specialized Armortek coating on the lens keeps it scratch and dirt-free.
This kind of sight works really well for 22LR, 9mm, and 3-gun style pistol caliber carbines and handguns. However, the sight is not strong enough to handle the heavy recoil of 12 gauge shotguns for a long time.
RMR: This Trijicon red dot sight has a similar aluminum construction that makes it durable and water-resistant to 66 feet of submersion for an hour. The weight of this product is only 1.2 ounces making it a great companion for any type of weapon. For this reason, RMR optical sight can withstand strong calibration of rifles and shotguns such as AR 15.
After comparing the durability and steadiness of both sights, it is safe to say that Trijicon RMR is more suitable for strong rifles and shotguns than the Viper sight.
Vortex Viper/ Trijicon RMR – Videos
Summary
To sum up, we have compared every aspect of the two red dot sights. This Viper vs RMR battle has presented a very interesting picture in front of us. As we already know Trijicon RMR holds a strong position in the market as one of the most popular optical sights and so it was quite difficult to find something similar to it.
The Vortex Viper red dot sight has done a great job of meeting the features of the RMR sight. In terms of compatibility, battery life, and lens quality this sight can truly be considered as a strong product. But despite all these points, it still has a long way to go to be at a similar level as the RMR sight.
We would suggest that you consider the Viper sight in case you have a limited budget because for the price range, this sight comes with excellent features. Otherwise, you can go for the RMR sight, especially if you want it on a shotgun or rifle.
Hi, I’m Brent Hansford. A writer turned hunter & now sharing my love for the sport through writing. As I practically breathe weapons, I firmly believe I’m capable of providing you with new knowledge about firearms and hunting. My mission is to help more people get better at hunting & master the weapons. Let me help with unleashing the beast within you!
