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- Alfred Mendoza
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We’re pitting two of the most highly trusted companies for their exceptionally rugged, accurate, and long-lasting optics – Aimpoint and Vortex. For a more specific faceoff, here’s Vortex Strikefire vs Aimpoint ACO. Which one do you think is your most practical choice of optic?
Table of Contents
Main Differences Between Vortex Strikefire and Aimpoint ACO
Vortex Strikefire has a wider objective lens than Aimpoint (300mm vs 22mm). It has 10 brightness settings, including 2 settings for night vision compatibility, whereas Aimpoint features 9 illumination settings without night vision mode. They also differ in reticle size. Strikefire uses 4 MOA while Aimpoint utilizes 2 MOA dot.
Aimpoint offers a wider window of temperature operationality. Aimpoint can work well between -50oF and +160oF, whereas Strikefire can remain reliably operational between -22 degrees F and +140 degrees F.
A single DL/3N powers Aimpoint. The battery life can last up to one year without turning it off. By contrast, Strikefire runs on a CR2 battery. It can last between 400 hours and 6 000 hours, depending on the brightness setup. Unlike Aimpoint, Strikefire has a 12-hour automatic shutdown feature.
Aimpoint is trusted by police forces, military personnel, and well-to-do marksmen worldwide, while Strikefire is relatively popular among civilian and range shooters.
Specification Chart
Aimpoint
- Magnification: 1x
- Low Light Capability: Yes
- Waterproof: Yes
- Fogproof: Yes
- Field of View: Unlimited
- Travel per Rotation: 66 MOA
- Parallax Setting: Parallax Free
- Eye Relief: Unlimited
- Country of Manufacturer: Sweden
Vortex
- Magnification: 1x
- Low Light Capability: Yes
- Waterproof: Yes
- Fogproof: Yes
- Field of View: ~38.2ft./100 yards
- Travel per Rotation: 25 MOA
- Parallax Setting: Parallax Free
- Eye Relief: Unlimited
- Country of Manufacturer: USA
Key Features
Price
How much should you spend on a red dot optic? Your price range should depend on your shooting requisites and needs. Aimpoint and Vortex are known for their high-quality products and reasonable price point.
Aimpoint optics carry premium price tags because they are constructed based on military standards. Vortex Sparc and Strikefire are quite affordable despite their high-grade, well-made features and performance.
For range shooting and hunting, any Vortex sights or optics are a practical choice. For self-defense and tactical operations, get an Aimpoint or Pro to achieve a top-notch performance.
For other cost-effective red dot optic options, here’s our Dagger Defense DDHB review.
Weight & Size
To maximize your range shooting performance, get an optic that complements your rifle better, and won’t weigh you down. The optics in our review are compact, lightweight, and portable. Aimpoint comes with a fixed height mount, but it has a smaller objective lens than Vortex. It’s 6.75’’ long and weighs 7.8oz.
Meanwhile, Vortex is 5.6’’ long and weighs 7.2oz. It’s a bit smaller and lighter than Aimpoint. It provides a lower 1/3 co-witness on your AR rifle and comes with different height mounts.
Warranty
Aimpoint offers a 10-year warranty for its quality products, which is not transferable. Aimpoint will repair the optic without any charge provided that it hasn’t been disassembled, misused, or tampered with in any way. By contrast, Vortex Optics features a fully transferable lifetime guarantee. It will repair any damage or defects and issue a replacement for unusable models at no cost to the owner.
For other optics with good warranty options, check out this Weaver Kaspa scope review here.
Battery Life
Choose an optic or scope that has a reliable power expectancy. DL/3N is used to power Aimpoint. Depending on your brightness setting, ACO DL/3N can last between 300 hours and 5,000 hours. Strikefire runs on a CR2 battery. In minimum settings, it can last up to 6 000 hours. Vortex Sparc red dots and scopes come with a 12-hour automatic shutoff feature, which helps preserve the battery.
Ease of Use
Simplicity and adjustability are two qualities that make your sights easy to use. When it comes to Vortex vs Aimpoint ACO, both are easy to install, and they have easy-to-navigate control buttons and knobs.
This makes your shooting experience much more comfortable, accurate, and time-efficient. Make sure to set up a red dot sight on your rifle as per manual instructions to avoid any misalignment, damage, or performance encumbrances.
Durability
Aimpoint and Vortex red dots are guaranteed well-made, sturdy, and durable. These optics are quite resilient to environmental elements. Look for an optic made of high-quality materials and multi-coated for increased light transmission and reduced glare or reflections.
Aimpoint is completely waterproof and can be submerged into depths up to 15 feet. Many gun experts claimed that a Vortex optic is only water-resistant, and cannot be submerged up to 15 feet. However, Strikefire can remain operational between -22 and +140 degrees F.
For waterproof and fog-proof scopes, here’s our EOTech 512 vs EOTech 518 article.
Image Quality
Mounting a red dot sight on your weapon or AR 15 can facilitate rapid target acquisition, increase accurate shots, and give a better view of your target even at longer distances. The co witness reticle is on the same focal plane as the target, so you don’t need to shift your focus.
You can aim with both eyes open while taking advantage of your peripheral vision. The image on the optic is incredibly clear and unobstructed. A Vortex optic has an illuminated dot visible in all types of nighttime conditions. Hence, this one is preferred by many novice and seasoned shooters. Learn how to determine magnification here.
Focus & Lens Clarity
Aimpoint uses a 2 minute of angle (MOA) red dot while Strikefire uses 4 MOA green or red dots. Both optics can give you a clear shot on any target. Their lenses are multi-coated for great viewing and clearer image of your point of impact. Aimpoint doesn’t have a flip lens cap, so the lens can be easily damaged. The lens of your optic should never be cleaned with your fingers. Lens paper or cloth can be used instead to prevent any damages.
Looking for holographic optics? Check out our in-depth EXPS3 review here.
Eye Relief
In the battle of Vortex vs Aimpoint ACO, which optic offers unlimited eye relief? Both do. These optics can withstand powerful recoil from heavy-duty calibers and weapons.
Also, your shooting eye and face are safe from any injury caused by the recoil. You can shoot with both eyes open, which is good for maintaining awareness of your surroundings.
Aimpoint Pros & Cons
PROS
- Exceptionally durable
- Accurate
- Completely waterproof
- Extremely user-friendly
- Unaffected by extreme weather conditions
CONS
- Expensive
- Limited features
Vortex Strikefire Pros & Cons
PROS
- Extremely durable and compact
- Accurate
- Night vision compatible
- Easy to use
- Budget-friendly
CONS
- Reflective front lens
- No magnification
Vortex vs Aimpoint? We Recommend...
We recommend Vortex Strikefire because it’s an economical optic with top-grade quality and performance that will never let you down. It’s well-made and can withstand most environmental conditions.
This optic may not be as tough as Aimpoint, but it’s impact-resistant, and it has more brightness settings. It’s ideal in all lighting conditions and can be used in many firearm platforms. Purchasing one would never leave you feeling gouged. It’s a proven and tested optic suitable for any shooting purposes.
Our #1 Recommendation
Vortex Strikefire
- Extreme durable
- Night vision compatible
- Good battery life
- Accurate
- Affordable price
