Hokkmike
Member
Gonna add a red dot to my SUB2000.
Any suggestions?
Comments on the SPARC Red Dot by Vortex please?
Any suggestions?
Comments on the SPARC Red Dot by Vortex please?
Anybody familiar with the Vortex SPARC Red Dot?
- Thread starter Hokkmike
- Start date
silicosys4
Member
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2012
- Messages
- 3,691
They are a decent little budget red dot, my buddy has one and hasn't had a problem with his, my personal experiences with Vortex electronics have not been good but I haven't used their red dots.
mcb
Member
I have two. Love that they use a single AAA battery. They have been reliable for me so far.
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Hokkmike
Member
BigMike45 - So the red dot works OK without the after market McCarbo flip sight base? No interference from the from sight post? Did you use only the base(s) supplied by Vortex? Any problems with what I have heard described as the "rounded" top of the SUB2000 rail? (sorry to ask so many questions but you have done what I was thinking of doing. Great picture also. Thanks....)I added one to mine and really like it.
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Hokkmike
Member
THANKS...Your definition of budget and mine must be different. At $449 MSRP and $275ish street I thought it to be a little pricy. I do understand that Vortex has a FIVE STAR customer service repair or replace no questions asked rating.
maxxhavoc
Member
I have a SPARC II. I would not buy one again, and would trade one out for a Sig Romeo 7, 5 , or Holosun with shake awake.
Having to turn the optic on and off with each use (or suffer SEVERE battery life shortage) is a pain. Batteries last 5x as long in my actual use than the SPARC due to long power off delays when you forget to switch it off. And no matter what you do, it takes extra steps to put the gun into use. Once I started using auto on/off (shake awake style) optics, the rest just seem clumsy.
Having to turn the optic on and off with each use (or suffer SEVERE battery life shortage) is a pain. Batteries last 5x as long in my actual use than the SPARC due to long power off delays when you forget to switch it off. And no matter what you do, it takes extra steps to put the gun into use. Once I started using auto on/off (shake awake style) optics, the rest just seem clumsy.
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Hokkmike
Member
I was told that the SPARC model I bought with solar panels has a continuous "on" life of 150, 000 hours or 5 years.
maxxhavoc
Member
Mine is advertised as 6000 hours on Low, 300 on high. Mine does not have solar.
The first shake-awake model I got (power off after 2 or 5 minutes, there's always a dot when you raise it and look through) has the original battery 3 years later, always set 1 down from High, I have never turned it off.
Hokkmike,
I had no problems at all. Yes, I used the bracket that comes with the sight. At that height I can co-witness the irons through the red dot. I think if I ever decide to change, I will go with the McCarbo flip up sight base.
I had no problems at all. Yes, I used the bracket that comes with the sight. At that height I can co-witness the irons through the red dot. I think if I ever decide to change, I will go with the McCarbo flip up sight base.
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Hokkmike
Member
Thanks. I ordered the flip-up base. I wonder if that will require that high or low mount?
I had one. For me a Holsun is worth the extra money.
In fact I've tried several dot type sights and had just about given up on finding one that I liked.
In fact I've tried several dot type sights and had just about given up on finding one that I liked.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
No but I've had two Strikefires fail. After that, I'm loathe to trust or recommend their red dots. Prefer SIG or Primary Arms in their price range.
trackskippy
Member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2010
- Messages
- 3,514
Just be aware, if the gun is subject to "any" vibration in the slightest, the sight will be constantly going on, and if the vibration is fairly constant, it will always be on.
Shake Awake is great for forgetting to turn it off when you put it in the safe or whatever, as long as there's no vibration.
I recently put a couple of Holosun red dots that have the shake awake feature on a couple of handguns and Im keeping a close eye on them to see just how long they go, so I know when to start changing the batteries out. The dot on the gun in my holster is always on, or at least until I take my pants off when I go to bed, so figure its on around 16 hours a day.
Even when I put one of the guns in a rack I keep on the counter, and don't touch it, the dot is often on when I check it, even though the gun hasn't been touched. All it takes is, the counter getting randomly bumped into and the dot is on.
From what Ive heard, the Holosuns do pretty well anyway, but its still a learning curve for now until I know for sure.
Ive had a couple of Romeo 5's on a couple of 22's now for a couple of years, and haven't changed the batteries out yet. Those guns don't get used a whole lot though and tend to sit in the safe until the kids show up.
All my other red dots are Aimpoints, and older versions at that (10K hour sights). Other than the 5 minutes or so it takes to change the batteries out once a year on a couple of those that are in constant use, I don't turn them off. They have been on non stop for around 20 years now.
I have a sparc II. Happy with it for the price (mine was under 200 bucks, I'm not familiar with all the models), it feels well made and everything fit up nicely. Glass is pretty clear. I do find it a pain to turn off and on, the buttons on mine seem very stiff and slow to register. It is not a sight I trust to just grab in an emergency because of that. Seems like I have to hit the button ten times and the next thing I know its on the brightest setting and I'm hitting more buttons to get to a reasonable level. If this is for a home defense gun or something of that nature I would lean towards something with auto on like the sig shake awake function.
I also have an astigmatism apparently and the fuzzy dot is kind of annoying. I took advantage of a black Friday deal and put a strike eagle 1-6 ( LPVO scope) on my M4 instead, and so far I like that much better.
I'm finding the farther from my eye the Sparc II is the less the dot bothers me and I'm toying with the idea of mounting it on a 20 year old buckmark pistol with a broken sight rail I've been neglecting. Not really its intended purpose but I'm not using it or the pistol at the moment.
I also have an astigmatism apparently and the fuzzy dot is kind of annoying. I took advantage of a black Friday deal and put a strike eagle 1-6 ( LPVO scope) on my M4 instead, and so far I like that much better.
I'm finding the farther from my eye the Sparc II is the less the dot bothers me and I'm toying with the idea of mounting it on a 20 year old buckmark pistol with a broken sight rail I've been neglecting. Not really its intended purpose but I'm not using it or the pistol at the moment.
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