Vortex Venom Problems, Things To Be Aware Of!

The Vortex Venom is a tiny handgun sight made with great details and performance in mind. While the optic is a bargain for a pistol any day, it’s got some issues that can be a deal breaker for some.

I have recommended this optic in the past and provided insight before. But it’s about time I talk about the failings of this optic and why you should care about the issues beforehand. Without further ado, let’s find out the Vortex Venom Problems and how to deal with them.

Problems With Vortex Venom

There are several problems with Vortex Venoms. Some are nitpicking and some are of genuine concern. Let’s see if there is a problem that might be a deal-breaker for you or not.

Windage and Elevation Adjustment

This is a tiny optic with tiny buttons. The buttons are hard to press with gloves and they lack proper tactile feedback. Often you will overpress them and they change too much to your liking.

Sometimes the installation process also plays a role in messed-up windage and elevation adjustments. When that happens, you will need to make sure the optic is installed correctly and properly leveled.

If your windage and elevation aren’t accurate after readjusting the sight, then you might want to head over to Vortex for help. Chances are, your optic might have some factory adjustment issues.

Flickering Red Dot

The flickering red dot is a common issue among a lot of budget red dot sights for pistols. There is also the blemish and glow spread concern. Luckily those two don’t happen here but the annoying flickering is there.

Chances are, your battery isn’t properly placed or it ran out of juice if you are facing this flickering issue. But if you are sure your battery is new and the connection is proper and still facing the flickering, your red dot factory tuning has issues. Chances are, the changes in the battery will fix it for you. If it doesn’t, then nothing else but the warranty will.

Battery

I feel like this is a common occurrence in pistol sights. The advertised battery life just does not happen to be real. I mean, I expect it not to be real but it should be around the same ballpark, no?

The Venom is a hungry sight. If you are using it daily, you will often find yourself stranded with zero battery life. It’s not the scope issue most of the time. But it’s an issue nonetheless. But if you are finding ridiculous battery life, like 1 month only for example. Then it’s time to contact Vortex. That’s not acceptable. Otherwise, a better battery does the job.

Field of View

Now, we are entering the nitpicking area. The viewing lens of Venom is really small. Some might think it’s a bit too small. And this is going to be a dealbreaker for a lot of people. The small display means a small field of view.

With a pistol, you don’t need the largest viewing angle in the world, but you still would want to look at multiple targets while shooting fast. That won’t be possible with this sight. Unfortunately, it is also not fixable. You will need to look at other sights if you want a larger objective lens.

Do I have any Alternative Options?

You have plenty. The Venom is not the cheapest sight on the market. It’s far from being an expensive option, but it’s priced in a territory where a lot of other brands want to compete.

Trijicon RMR

The first alternative I want to recommend to you guys is from Trijicon. The RMR is a great sight and it’s a great pick for a beginner. The adjustments are easy to understand and super simple to work with.

Holosun HS507C

Holosun is a brand that has gained a lot of respect recently for how good its after-sales service is. Their optics performance is top-tier as well. They are also working regularly to provide shooters with better optics each year. The HS507C is a perfect start to your CQB pistol practice if you are looking for a good red dot sight.

Leupold DeltaPoint Pro

Leupold makes great sights. Their light management system is one of the best in the market. If you are someone who shoots in a low-light environment a lot, then this is one of the best choices for you. The late dusk shooting with this is going to be flawless.

Aimpoint Micro T-2

The last optic I want to recommend to you is from Aimpoint. Their Micro T-2 is an extremely small and compact sight that is made for pistols. This one has the same field of view issue as Venom. But if you want a bit more durable sight than Venom and want to pair a red dot with a high recoil weapon, then the Micro T-2 can turn out to be a better option for you.

Conclusion

And there you have it. Do I still recommend the Vortex Venom? Absolutely. It’s a classy product with a great lens. That is if you are okay with the field of view. The other mentioned problems are either due to bad QC or just due to sheer unlock. The battery problems can be easily solved and Vortex does offer replacement guarantees as well.

If your sight is in a bad state right from the factory, opt for a replacement and you will get a fresh unit that shouldn’t have any of the issues that you faced in the past. With that said, that’s all for now.

Thanks for reading as always. Hope you had a fantastic time reading it. I know I had a great time writing it for sure. Good luck with your Venom and I hope nothing bad happens to it. Till next time, take care and have fun.