A sight is arguably the most important accessory you can add to your firearm.
Adding a sight to your firearm significantly improves your shot's accuracy, and the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot is a great option to consider for many reasons that we'll explore below.
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Vortex Crossfire Red Dot Sight
Pros
Cons
Vortex Crossfire Red Dot Specs
Eye Relief: Unlimited
Adjustment Options: 1 MOA per click
Parallax: Parallax free
Windage: Adjustable dial on the side
Elevation: Adjustable dial on top
Type of Reticle: 2 MOA red dot reticle
Magnification: Fixed standard 1x power
Focal Plane: Single
Objective Lens: 21mm objective lens
Field of View: Maximum
Pros
Below are the main pros:
Unlimited Eye Relief
The Vortex Crossfire Red Dot has unlimited eye relief. Unlimited eye relief means that you don’t have to place your eye directly against the sight's ocular lens to get a clear view. Pressing your eye directly onto the sight or very close to the sight will cause the sight to impact your head or eye from the recoil of pulling the trigger. Unlimited eye relief on the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot keeps you safe and protected.
Parallax Free
The Vortex Crossfire Red Dot is parallax free, which is a great feature for your rifle sight to have if you need to turn your head away from the sight while the reticle is on the target. Parallax free keeps the reticle on the target while you move your head, keeping you from having to realign the reticle on the target.
Easy Adjustability
The Vortex Crossfire Red Dot is easy to adjust through simple dials that adjust at 1 MOA per click. The windage dial is located on the side of the sight, and the elevation dial is located on the top. Each click accounts for 1 MOA per 100 yards.
21mm Objective Lens
The objective lens is the lens that points in the direction that your rifle will be pointed. It is not the lens that you will be looking through to give you eye relief. The Vortex Crossfire Red Dot has a large 21mm objective lens. This gives you a maximum field of vision for when you need to locate your target while looking through the sight.
Brightness and Battery Life
The brightness level can be set from 1 to 11, with 11 being the brightest. This makes the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot the ideal rifle sight to use in daytime or nighttime conditions. The battery life for the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot is approximately 50,000 on one CR2032 battery. The CR2032 battery is included with the sight.
Cons
Below are the main cons:
Permanent 2 MOA Reticle
A 2 MOA reticle is a small, 0.6mm red dot that can’t be adjusted. It is permanently set to 2 MOA. This can prove difficult if aiming at a target a few hundred yards away, as you won’t be able to adjust the size of the red dot on your shot. Many red dot sights allow you to adjust the reticle, which can be beneficial to a marksman who is taking a long shot.
A 2 MOA reticle can be intimidating to marksmen who aren’t comfortable making a long shot, as they may not be able to see the small 0.6mm red dot located on the target.
The upside, however, is that smaller reticles typically prove to offer a more precise target location. This means that where you see the red dot will be the entry location of your shot. This ensures that you have the probability of making a cleaner kill instead of inflicting an injury on the game, causing you to spend time tracking it when it runs.
Adjustability is 1 MOA per Click
We’ve listed this as a disadvantage of the Crossfire Red Dot simply because 1 MOA per click doesn’t allow you to adjust for those times when you need to make a half adjustment.
Sometimes you don’t need to make a full MOA adjustment for the distance you are shooting. With a sight that has ¼ or ½ MOA adjustments, you can make adjustments for those times when your bullet may fall 6” low when shooting a target at 400 yards, as the adjustment for this would be 1.5 MOA.
Best Uses for the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot
The Vortex Crossfire Red Dot is one of the most versatile red dot sights on our list because it can be used on both handguns and long barrels. The size of the sight allows it to easily mount on larger handguns. For hunters or sharpshooters, you can add the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot to your AR-15 or rimfire hunting rifle. The Vortex Crossfire Red Dot is perfect for both applications.
Magnification: How Does it Play a Role in the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot?
The standard magnification for the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot is standard 1x power. Just as a minute of angle is 1 per 100 yards, the magnification is also standard 1x at 100 yards.
If using the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot on a rifle, just remember that the magnification won’t increase beyond 100 yards. The good news is that the reticle is bright, so you should be able to see the red dot on your target even without magnification.
Yardage: What is Yardage and How Does it Relate to the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot?
The Vortex Crossfire Red Dot has optimal accuracy with no adjustments needed at 100 yards. To put it simply, if you are shooting a target up to 100 yards, your shot will be 100% accurate according to the red dot, as no adjustments will have been made to the windage and elevation.
When you’re shooting a target further than 100 yards, you will need to make adjustments. This is when you need to understand MOA and how to calculate it for the type of gun you are shooting. Remember, different bullet calibers have different flight patterns, so it’s important for you to know where your bullet will land in relation to the target to ensure you calculate the right MOA.
Understanding Minutes of Angle and How to Calculate it
MOA stands for a minute of angle, and it measures the distance the projectile will fall over a measured distance. MOA is called minute because it is 1/60th of a degree, and it equates to approximately a 1” drop per every 100 yards traveled.
Because the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot adjusts at 1 MOA per click, you will need to know how many clicks you need to make for the amount of drop you are making up for.
Without going into too much detail about MOA, we’ll use a quick and simple example to tell you how many clicks to make on your Crossfire Red Dot.
If you are shooting a target at 300 yards and need to account for a 9” drop, you will need to adjust for 3 minutes of angle, or 3 clicks, on your sight.
Is the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot Compatible With Any Rifle?
The Vortex Crossfire Red Dot is compatible with all rimfire rifles because of its small design. This includes rimfire ARs, which makes it a great sight to add if you need a small, lightweight, and affordable sight for your .22 LR AR.
What Do I Need to Know About Mounting the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot?
The Vortex Crossfire Red Dot has two mounting options: a low mount and a skeletonized mount. The low mount should be used when attaching the red dot to a handgun, while the skeletonized mount should be used for rifles.
Before you can attach the mount to your firearm, you will need to make sure your firearm has a Picatinny or Weaver-style rail/base. Both of these rails/bases are compatible with the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot mount.
A T-10 Torx wrench is included with the sight so that you can properly secure the sight to the mount. Make sure you use the included wrench to properly tighten the four screws on the mount to secure the sight in place. Failing to do so can result in the sight tilting or detaching during use.
What Makes the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot Stand Out From the Competition?
Hands down, the price of the Crossfire Red Dot for the quality of sight you get is what makes it stand out from the rest. It is affordable, accurate, durable, and easy to use. You can adjust the elevation and wind just by turning the dials located on the top or side of the sight for quick and easy adjustments as needed.
It’s also important to mention that the Crossfire Red Dot comes with lens covers to place over the ocular and observation lenses of the sight. This is ideal when your sight is not in use, as it will keep the lenses from becoming damaged or scratched if exposed to the elements.
Comparison Review
Vortex Crossfire Red Dot vs Sparc AR
The Vortex Crossfire Red Dot is an upgraded version of the Sparc AR, with one of the key features being the type of battery the Crossfire Red Dot uses. The Sparc AR uses a AAA battery, while the Crossfire Red Dot uses a CR2032 battery, which provides at least 50,000 hours of battery life.
The other main difference between the Crossfire Red Dot and the Sparc AR is the mounting mechanisms. The Crossfire Red Dot requires a Picatinny or Weaver rail or base to mount the sight, whereas the Sparc AR can mount directly onto the AR.
Vortex Crossfire Red Dot vs Romeo 5
The Romeo 5 and Crossfire Red Dot are extremely similar. Both use the same type of batteries and have similar battery life.
There are a few subtle differences between the Crossfire Red Dot and the Romeo 5. The most subtle difference is in the tint of the lens. The Romeo 5 has a slightly blue tint, whereas the Crossfire Red Dot doesn’t.
The Romeo 5 also comes with a Picatinny mount, whereas you will need to purchase a Picatinny mount separately for the Crossfire Red Dot.
Conclusion
If you’re in the market for an affordable, reliable, and top-quality red dot sight, you can’t go wrong with the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot. You can easily dial in your sights left-to-right and up-and-down with easily adjustable turn dials at 1 MOA each. With a parallax-free and maximum field of vision, it’s one sight that’s hard to beat.
People Also Ask
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What Kind of Warranty Does the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot Come With?
The Vortex Crossfire Red Dot comes with a lifetime VIP (very important promise) warranty. Vortex guarantees that they will repair or replace their product should it become damaged or defective.
How Much Does the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot Weigh?
The Vortex Crossfire Red Dot weighs 5.2 ounces.
Can You Use Vortex Crossfire Red Dot in Low Light?
Yes, because there are 11 levels of brightness, the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot can be used in low light.
How Long Does the Battery Last on the Vortex Crossfire Red Dot?
At the lowest brightness setting, the battery can last up to 70,000 hours. At the brightest setting, the battery will last for 7,000 hours. As no one typically uses a sight on the brightest or lowest setting each time, Vortex estimates the average battery life to be around 50,000 hours.
