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- Alfred Mendoza
- June 2, 2023
Whether your purpose is for hunting, surveillance, sniping, or tactical operations, it’s worthwhile to look into riflescopes. It can be pretty challenging since there are several variations in the market. Our team thought it would be good to make some comparisons. Read this review of Vortex Crossfire vs Diamondback to help you find that budget-friendly high-end scope for your firearm.
Table of Contents
Vortex Optics Crossfire and Diamondback Key Differences
While both scopes offer 4-12x magnification, Diamondback has a wider field of view and better eyepiece focus mechanism, making it more suitable with moving targets. Crossfire II has a few models with an illuminated reticle, whereas the Diamondback series doesn’t have any.
Crossfire II is nitrogen gas purged while Diamond is argon gas purged. The elevation adjustment of Crossfire is at 50 MOA, while Diamondback 4 12×40 is at 60 MOA. The objective lens diameter of Crossfire measures at 44mm while Diamondback is at 40mm. Hence, the former lets in more light than the latter.
Crossfire II models are better for target shooting, range shooting, and sniping activity where long eye relief is important. They are exceptional for long-range shots, but they can’t handle heavy recoil.
Meanwhile, Diamondback models are much more suited for hunting and tactical shooting. As such, they work perfectly well with larger weapons and can withstand magnum recoil.
Specification Chart
Vortex Crossfire II
- Magnification: 4-12X
- Low Light Capability: Yes
- Waterproof: Yes
- Fog proof: Yes
- Field of View: 24.7-8.4 ft./100yrd
- Travel per Rotation: 15 MOA
- Parallax Setting: 100 yards
- Eye Relief: 3.9’’-4’’
- Country of Manufacturer: China
Vortex Diamondback
- Magnification: 4-12x
- Low Light Capability: Yes
- Waterproof: Yes
- Fog proof: Yes
- Field of View: 32.4-11.3 ft./100yrd
- Travel per Rotation: 15 MOA
- Parallax Setting: 100 yards
- Eye Relief: 3.1’’-3.2’’
- Country of Manufacturer: Philippines
Key Features
Price
Vortex Optics Crossfire II and Diamondback scopes are way more affordable than other high-end second focal plane riflescopes. They are of exceptional quality and performance with unrivaled warranty and customer services. Why would you purchase an expensive scope if there’s a cheaper alternative with an almost on-par construction and performance? The scope’s price range you are willing to pay for should be determined by your shooting purposes and the quality of the scope’s materials. Crossfire II series is an entry-level scope that is as equally good as Diamondback 4 12×40 for some purposes, but it’s cheaper.
For the best value for your buck, check out this Dagger Defense DDHB optic review here.
Weight & Size
Vortex Diamondback series is smaller and lighter than Vortex Crossfire II series. It’s 12’’ long and weighs 14.4oz, while Crossfire is 13.1’’ long and weighs 17.02oz.
Vortex Diamondback 4 12×40 is more compact and portable, which is a much better choice among agile shooters who hunt in long distances for an extended time. Heavier and bulkier scopes could weigh you down, especially if you’re carrying a heavy firearm.
Warranty
Vortex Optics Diamondback and Crossfire II second focal plane scopes feature a lifetime unlimited warranty that is fully transferable. The company will repair any damage and defects or replace your unusable unit free of charge. However, the warranty does not cover any deliberate damage, loss, or theft.
For another good warranty option, check out this Weaver Kaspa Scope review.
Battery Life
Illuminated reticles are designed to enhance aiming precision in low light conditions. Vortex Optics Crossfire II have illuminated reticles powered by a CR2032 battery. The longevity of the battery depends on the brightness settings.
To preserve your battery, always turn off your scope when it’s not in use. But If you have a lot of reserves or if you’re on a surveillance mission, you can keep it running until it’s all spent. For your spares, you can mount a waterproof battery holder on your weapon’s Picatinny rails.
Parallax Adjustment
When a target and reticle are on a different plane within the scope, it can cause an optical illusion. Thus, parallax adjustment is needed to get rid of it to obtain maximum image sharpness of your aim. Vortex Crossfire and Diamondback 4 12×40 are both factory-set at 100 yards for a parallax-free experience. Most rifle scopes we’ve reviewed are set to be parallax error-free at 100-yard distance, appropriate for most big game hunting situations.
Ease of Use
One of the important things to consider in buying a scope is efficiency. Vortex Crossfire and Diamondback have simple construction, making them easy to install and use. The reset turrets are relatively easy to adjust. You don’t have to spend an unnecessary amount of time making any adjustments with the accessory. If you follow the instructions manual carefully, it’ll work just as it should without any hassle and glitches.
For easily adjustable optics, here’s our EOTech 512 and EOTech XPS2 comparison.
Durability
Vortex Crossfire vs Diamondback: Which is more impact-resistant, bombproof, and longer-lasting? Many say it’s both. One of the selling points of Vortex Crossfire and Diamondback is durability. They are made from aircraft-grade shockproof aluminum alloy, machined, and anodized. They are quite sturdy and rugged, so they are able to survive any harsh environments. Their lenses are fully multi-coated with anti-reflective coatings, making them fog-proof and scratch-proof. If you buy a vortex scope, it’s guaranteed to last for a very long time.
Further Reading:
Image Quality
Vortex Optics Diamondback and Crossfire can provide a crisp, clear, and bright image of your target. Their fully multi-coated lenses are fast focusing. Many gun users claimed that Vortex Crossfire performs better at rapid locational target acquisition, which allows easy switching from one target to the next one. Meanwhile, Vortex Diamondback offers better clarity and brightness as well as a wider field of view.
Focus & Lens Clarity
Scopes with multi-coated lenses and multiple anti-reflective layers on all glass surfaces can increase the transmission of light, reduce glare, prevent distortions, and enhance the clarity of your images. Crossfire and Diamondback are fully multi-coated, which can provide a clear sight picture even at higher magnifications. Here’s a thorough discussion on how magnification works.
If you’re shooting in poorly lit conditions, opt for a scope (e.g., Vortex Crossfire) with a larger objective lens to transmit as much light as possible so you can have a clearer view of your aim. However, if you’re walking long distances to search for targets, choose a smaller objective lens (e.g., Vortex Diamondback) as it’s lighter and can still give you a visible image.
Eye Relief
If your eye relief is good, the image should fill the eyepiece, and there’s no fuzziness or blurring on the edges. Note that the higher the magnification, the lesser is your eye relief. Most standard scopes have an eye relief between 3’’ and 3.5’’. Higher recoiling guns need lots of eye relief to prevent any injury on the shooter’s eye or face.
Vortex Crossfire vs Diamondback: Which one has larger eye relief? Crossfire offers an eye relief 3 .9’’ to 4’’ while Diamondback offers 3.1’’ to 3.2’’. Vortex Crossfire series is often preferred by shooters who wear eyeglasses. Larger eye relief is good but at the cost to your exit pupil and field of view.
Vortex Crossfire II Pros & Cons
PROS
- Extremely durable
- Clear and bright images
- Fully weatherproof
- Zero resettable turrets
- Affordable
CONS
- Fuzzy image on high magnification
- Poor light transmission in low light conditions
Vortex Diamondback Pros & Cons
PROS
- Extremely durable and compact
- Clear glass even in poor lighting
- Waterproof, shockproof, fog proof
- Excellent clarity
- Wider field of view
CONS
- More pricey
Vortex Diamondback vs Crossfire: We Pick…
Between Vortex Crossfire and Diamondback, we pick Vortex Diamondback because it’s more versatile, compact, and portable. It features excellent quality and performance comparable to many high-end brands. The lens is fully multi-coated, making your image clearer and brighter.
It offers a fast-focus eyepiece and a wider field of view, necessary for short and long-range shots. While this is more suited for hunting and tactical shooting, it also works well with range shooting and short-distance hold-overs. It can withstand powerful recoil, so you can mount it in bigger weapons.
Our #1 Recommendation
Vortex Diamondback
- Extremely tough and durable
- Highly resistant to environmental elements
- Very clear image
- Premium lens components
- Affordable
