Vortex SPARC 2 Review
Red dot sights aren’t just found in Call of Duty games anymore. They’re becoming increasingly popular throughout the ranges and fields of the United States because they offer easily adjusted optical solutions that work in any light conditions. They’re easier to use for target acquisition and re-acquisition than iron sights and in a world where most shooters will never really try to hit a target past 200 yards, speed matters more than the ability to zero in on a perfect 600-yard shot. With these developments in mind, the Vortex SPARC II Red Dot sight was released to tremendous success. What made the SPARC II such a success in what some would say is a saturated market?
Into Vortex Optics red dot sights? Maybe you’d also like to check out our Strikefire review.
The Price is Nice for This Red Dot
First, it occupies a great space in terms of price. Red dot optics can easily exceed $600 or be as cheap as $20. The inexpensive end of the spectrum surrenders longevity and quality of construction, while the more expensive optics never seem to live up to the added price tag. The SPARC’s very reasonable price tag represents a practical compromise that set performance and affordability above other considerations.
Lightweight and A Great Battery Life
In a world where things that do many things at a time rarely do any one thing well, the SPARC II weighs in at just a third of a pound and done only one thing – provide a crystal clear and well illuminated range of vision to the shooter. With a 2 MOA red dot that can be adjusted 10 different ways to meet different light conditions, its battery will last for nearly 300 hours. If you’re looking for a great red dot sight with legs, this is it.
Perfect Fit on Your AR-15 Rail
Unlike cheaper models, the SPARC II finds itself at home on the rails of AR-15s, .22 LRs, .308 Winchesters, and everything in-between. The optic’s ability to keep a centered and true red dot is something you’ll appreciate if you’ve ever gone shooting with cheaper red dots and if you find that you need to adjust on the fly, you’ll be able to do so with a slightly-less-than 1 MOA adjustment knob that gets you back on target. While precision optics’ adjustment systems tend to adjust ¼ or ½ MOA at a time, the SPARC II’s 1 MOA adjustment-per-click is a subtle recognition by the manufacturer that this is a short-range scope that prioritizes speed of target acquisition over all else.
Surprisingly, This Red Dot is Built Tough
Durability is something Vortex prides itself on and if you ever find yourself having problems with the scope, their Very Important Promise (V.I.P.) warranty system is there to fix it. It’s a pretty straightforward warranty – if it breaks, they’ll fix it or replace it free of charge. While I haven’t had to take them up on this offer, other SPARC II customers report that Vortex typically swaps any broken or damaged scopes out in as little as a week. Not bad!
The SPARC II comes with a free riser plate that is exceptionally functional for those who want to retain the ability to shoot off iron sights. If you’d prefer to remove your irons, the scope can also mount easily (and snugly) onto a Picatinny rail. While the mount has some really great functionality and permits co-witnessing with iron sights, it’s also not quite as rugged as the scope itself. It does wobble a bit more than its far more expensive competitors and that could reduce your shooting performance or the optic’s ability to hold a red dot where it needs to be. This isn’t a dig at the sight, it’s a knock against the free mount that’s included. If you want to upgrade the mount with an aftermarket product, that’s perfectly fine and this is still a great option.
Conclusion
The Vortex SPARC II is an exceptionally reasonable option for a red dot sight. Priced well below the competition, this scope does precisely what you want it to do and it does it very well. Sporting a great manufacturer’s warranty and with a proven history of surviving a beating, this is a strong option for your duty rifle, range queen or field gun.