A
VORTEX SPITFIRE PRISM SCOPES
ny regular reader of my reviews will know
that I rate optics from Wisconsin, USA based
manufacturer Vortex very highly; be it a
straightforward, well-priced red dot or a
top of the line magnified optic, everything
they make oozes quality and is backed up
by an absolute gem of a warranty. When
you’re spending good money on a piece
of glass you want to know it’s going to be with you for
a considerable time, and the fact that Vortex offer their
“VIP Warranty” which effectively says they will “repair
or replace your Vortex product in the event it becomes
damaged or defective at no charge to you. It doesn’t
matter how it happened, whose fault it was, or where you
purchased it” means that your outlay is well protected.
I recently had a chance to take a closer look at their
excellent Spitfire Prism Scopes; designed specifically for
the AR platform (although they are equally at home on any
railed platform), the Spitfires combine an impressive array
of high-performance features into rugged, ultra-compact
packages. When fast target acquisition in close to medium
range shooting situations is a priority, the Spitfires excel.
Laced with advanced features, the sophisticated prism-
based design allows for a more compact optical system
without sacrificing optical quality. Selectable red/green
illuminated reticles with five intensity levels to match
specific conditions, are etched directly on the prism to
assure consistent point-of-aim at all times, regardless of
whether or not illumination is engaged.
The 1x and 3x magnification Spitfires benefit from a
design that delivers a sharp image and allows for unique
reticle designs; the DRT (Dual Ring Tactical) red/green
reticle used is etched directly on the prism. They also have
multiple anti-reflective coatings on all air-to-glass surfaces
to increase light transmission.
Both sights have a single-piece chassis which is compact
and lightweight, but which is also fully shockproof; the
rugged construction withstands both recoil and impact,
and they are hard anodized with a durable low-glare matt
finish. O-ring seals prevent moisture, dust and debris from
penetrating for reliable performance in all environments,
and nitrogen gas purging delivers fogproof, waterproof
performance.
The sights come mounted at a lower 1/3 co-witness
height of 40.4 mm from the optic centre to base surface,
but by simply removing the mount riser you can lower
things to a 30 mm mounted height. Adjustable brightness
capability provides five levels of intensity with red and
green illumination settings, and typical battery life is 250
hours at maximum brightness and 3,000 hours at minimum
brightness setting.
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In the box you get two Picatinny Rails, a 2mm Hex
Wrench, a 3mm Hex Wrench, a CR2032 battery and Flip
Caps so you have essentially everything you need from
word go. The Spitfires are extremely easy to set up and
once zeroed are quick to come on target; all in all these
are tough reliable sights and great value for money. The
Spitfires are on sale in the UK at UK£236.99 for the 1x
and UK£277.00 for the 3x and if you’re in the market for
a new rail mounted sight then I thoroughly recommend
you check them out!
For more information on this and the other sights in
the Vortex Optics lineup, along with stockist
details please visit www.vortexoptics.com and
for UK trade enquiries please contact bparsons@
vortexoptics.com.
pmcimagazine.com