Vortex SPARC Review (Page 3 of 4)
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Finally made a trip to the range with my Xmas gift Sparc. Installation when on wtihout a hitch. Mount seems very solid and i am impressed with all the mount options that come with it. After about 5 rounds at 50 yds i zeroed the Sparc in. I have not tossed my Sparc around or rolled it off the roof. I will take others word for it that it will hold zero. Had an interesting coversation at the range with another shooter. He had another manufactures micro red dot. I noticed him looking at the Sparc and he finally asked what it was. ?????? I told him it was a Vortex Sparc and then i indicated how much it cost, with the mounts and the 2x. His jaw didnt drop but he did stare for a moment. He liked the controls and said he would check it out.
I have 2 issues with my Sparc. One is the On/Off button. It seems that it is too easy to turn on. Even putting the rifle in my hard case is enough to turn it on. The other is the coated wire that is attached to the battery cover. It was frayed and one little wire sticks out. I have poked and pricked myself a few times and hit hurts. Im going the have to trim it. Other than that i like the Sparc. It does what it is supposed to do. |
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Originally Posted By VortexSam:
Originally Posted By aaholland:
Interested in one of these. What does the 2 MOA mean? Anyone use them with a magnifier? 2MOA is the diameter of the dot. It's an angular measure (Minute Of Angle). Most red sots have a larger dot, 4+MOA. So what is better? |
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Originally Posted By aaholland: Originally Posted By VortexSam: Originally Posted By aaholland: Interested in one of these. What does the 2 MOA mean? Anyone use them with a magnifier? 2MOA is the diameter of the dot. It's an angular measure (Minute Of Angle). Most red sots have a larger dot, 4+MOA. So what is better? It's really personal preference. I would say that, generally, if you plan to use a magnifier then the 2MOA dot is better. If you don't really care much about the magnifier then the 4MOA dot would be better. |
www.vortexoptics.com
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Originally Posted By VortexSam:
Originally Posted By aaholland:
Originally Posted By VortexSam:
Originally Posted By aaholland:
Interested in one of these. What does the 2 MOA mean? Anyone use them with a magnifier? 2MOA is the diameter of the dot. It's an angular measure (Minute Of Angle). Most red sots have a larger dot, 4+MOA. So what is better? It's really personal preference. I would say that, generally, if you plan to use a magnifier then the 2MOA dot is better. If you don't really care much about the magnifier then the 4MOA dot would be better. So larger dots would be easier to see when it is bright out? |
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Originally Posted By aaholland: Originally Posted By VortexSam: Originally Posted By aaholland: Originally Posted By VortexSam: Originally Posted By aaholland: Interested in one of these. What does the 2 MOA mean? Anyone use them with a magnifier? 2MOA is the diameter of the dot. It's an angular measure (Minute Of Angle). Most red sots have a larger dot, 4+MOA. So what is better? It's really personal preference. I would say that, generally, if you plan to use a magnifier then the 2MOA dot is better. If you don't really care much about the magnifier then the 4MOA dot would be better. So larger dots would be easier to see when it is bright out? It seems like some people find the larger dot a little faster and easier to see in general. I don't think it necessarily makes a difference how bright it is though. |
www.vortexoptics.com
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Originally Posted By VortexSam:
Originally Posted By aaholland:
Originally Posted By VortexSam:
Originally Posted By aaholland:
Originally Posted By VortexSam:
Originally Posted By aaholland:
Interested in one of these. What does the 2 MOA mean? Anyone use them with a magnifier? 2MOA is the diameter of the dot. It's an angular measure (Minute Of Angle). Most red sots have a larger dot, 4+MOA. So what is better? It's really personal preference. I would say that, generally, if you plan to use a magnifier then the 2MOA dot is better. If you don't really care much about the magnifier then the 4MOA dot would be better. So larger dots would be easier to see when it is bright out? It seems like some people find the larger dot a little faster and easier to see in general. I don't think it necessarily makes a difference how bright it is though. Cool I ordered one on Amazon. Cant wait to try it out. |
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Originally Posted By aaholland: Originally Posted By VortexSam: Originally Posted By aaholland: Originally Posted By VortexSam: Originally Posted By aaholland: Originally Posted By VortexSam: Originally Posted By aaholland: Interested in one of these. What does the 2 MOA mean? Anyone use them with a magnifier? 2MOA is the diameter of the dot. It's an angular measure (Minute Of Angle). Most red sots have a larger dot, 4+MOA. So what is better? It's really personal preference. I would say that, generally, if you plan to use a magnifier then the 2MOA dot is better. If you don't really care much about the magnifier then the 4MOA dot would be better. So larger dots would be easier to see when it is bright out? It seems like some people find the larger dot a little faster and easier to see in general. I don't think it necessarily makes a difference how bright it is though. Cool I ordered one on Amazon. Cant wait to try it out. Thanks for the business!  |
www.vortexoptics.com
| Currently I have 3 sparcs, two mounted on ar's and one mounted on a sig rifle. Besides the fact that I think that the battery dies fast ( I guess the on off button sometimes gets pushed inside the case while carrying my guns), they have been flawless and been holding zero perfectly. |
Utrinque paratus
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Originally Posted By VortexSam:
Originally Posted By aaholland:
Originally Posted By VortexSam:
Originally Posted By aaholland:
Originally Posted By VortexSam:
Originally Posted By aaholland:
Originally Posted By VortexSam:
Originally Posted By aaholland:
Interested in one of these. What does the 2 MOA mean? Anyone use them with a magnifier? 2MOA is the diameter of the dot. It's an angular measure (Minute Of Angle). Most red sots have a larger dot, 4+MOA. So what is better? It's really personal preference. I would say that, generally, if you plan to use a magnifier then the 2MOA dot is better. If you don't really care much about the magnifier then the 4MOA dot would be better. So larger dots would be easier to see when it is bright out? It seems like some people find the larger dot a little faster and easier to see in general. I don't think it necessarily makes a difference how bright it is though. Cool I ordered one on Amazon. Cant wait to try it out. Thanks for the business!
Got it in the mail today. It seems to work great so far. Are there any quick release mounts you would recommend? I want to be able to switch it and a 1-4x out easily. |
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Originally Posted By aaholland: Got it in the mail today. It seems to work great so far. Are there any quick release mounts you would recommend? I want to be able to switch it and a 1-4x out easily. American Defense and LaRue both make QR mounts that will work (Aimpoint T-1 mounts). I would look at one of those first. |
www.vortexoptics.com
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Nope it wont. Any mount designed for the Aimpoint T-1/H-1 will work with the Sparc. |
LCpl. Nigel K. Olsen March 4th, 2010 Southern Helmand Province, Afghanistan
LCpl. Carlos C. Aragon March 1st, 2010 Southern Helmand Province, Afghanistan
LCpl. Carlos C. Aragon March 1st, 2010 Southern Helmand Province, Afghanistan
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Originally Posted By sono:
Ok here is my .02 I bought the Vortex due to Katie Harris in 3gun. So I figured hey lets buy from those that help our sport. Sight arrived from AIM and I mounted it up on my Daniel Defense rifle. Short story is that I'm very impressed. Once zeroed I got hits consistantly out to 300yrds on 10inch plates. Me and my buddy passed the gun back and forth ringing the 300yrder until we got tired of shooting in the rain. The rifle and optic were soaked but ran just fine. I'll be picking up another for my ak74 and I bet it handles the heat from the ultimak just fine. I was unaware of Vortex's involvement in 3-gun. Good too know. |
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I'm loving my SPARC. In fact, it is so good, it makes the very few not-perfect things much more noticeable:
(Even with the below issues, I'd still rate this a 5-star product)
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Originally Posted By SvdSinner:
I'm loving my SPARC. In fact, it is so good, it makes the very few not-perfect things much more noticeable: (Even with the below issues, I'd still rate this a 5-star product)
+1, great optic, I have noticed the same thing and what you suggested above would just make it better. @Vortexoptics, thanks for listening!! |
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Waned to say thanks to the OP and everyone else providing reviews. And Vortex for stepping in and answering questions!! This thread is pretty much the reason this product will be my next order.
I'll make sure I drop by and voice my experience with it when I order it. |
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Took my SPARC out for a test drive a couple weeks ago on a new 9mm pistol build.
Didn't even zero it in (no time), and was hitting clays semi-consistently at 50 yards! Thought that was pretty accurate for straight out of the box haha. Maybe not tho, I dont have to much experience with optics. I only have the sparc and an aimpoint ive had for awhile, but i zeroed that in right away. Gotta say, im a fan of the sparc so far! 
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I have a Sparc mounted on a K-VAR Rail on my Arsenal SGL31. AWESOME OPTIC! Just ordered their StrikeFire for my JRC 9mm carbine, thinking of a Sparc on that larue mount for one of my AR's!
Good review and I concur FULLY! Well made and hold zero. Doesn't look like a cheap optic either (A lot of super cheap red dots almost look like they are made or Plastic. Not the Sparc.) |
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I've got a question about mounts for the Sparc. I've got flip up rear BUIS standard height and I want to keep my cowitness that I have with the stock mount. Will this mount be too tall for that?
https://www.primaryarms.com/American_Defense_ADT111_lower_1_3_cowitness_p/ad-t1-socom.htm Or is this the right one? https://www.primaryarms.com/American_Defense_T1_CO_p/ad-t1-co.htm |
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Originally Posted By Synyster06Gates:
I've got a question about mounts for the Sparc. I've got flip up rear BUIS standard height and I want to keep my cowitness that I have with the stock mount. Will this mount be too tall for that? https://www.primaryarms.com/American_Defense_ADT111_lower_1_3_cowitness_p/ad-t1-socom.htm Or is this the right one? https://www.primaryarms.com/American_Defense_T1_CO_p/ad-t1-co.htm Do you want absolute cowitness or lower 1/3? Which one of these do you prefer? That tells you which mount to buy... 
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Originally Posted By PlaneJane: Some of the best contemporary fiction being written in America today gets published right here on ARFCOM.
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Originally Posted By SgtKiwi:
Originally Posted By Synyster06Gates:
I've got a question about mounts for the Sparc. I've got flip up rear BUIS standard height and I want to keep my cowitness that I have with the stock mount. Will this mount be too tall for that? https://www.primaryarms.com/American_Defense_ADT111_lower_1_3_cowitness_p/ad-t1-socom.htm Or is this the right one? https://www.primaryarms.com/American_Defense_T1_CO_p/ad-t1-co.htm Do you want absolute cowitness or lower 1/3? Which one of these do you prefer? That tells you which mount to buy... http://i47.tinypic.com/25ap1f5.jpg I would prefer a lower 1/3, but I know that the Sparc sits a little different than the T1. I'm not sure if it's higher or lower on the same mount, but they are not the same. I'm going for a LaRue LT660HK height |
| If you have a flat top rail on your AR, all you will need to do is add the thicker shim that comes with the SPARC. Do not use the thinner shim that also comes with it. Just install the SPARC with the thick shim somewhere on your flat top rail. This should line up nicely for you on in an absolute cowitness configuration. Thanks again and let us know if you have any other questions. |
SPARC on my new 16" 5.45x39 Very happy with it. Thank you Vortex for doing an incredible job with your optics. |
RIP John Noveske. You are missed & This industry suffers a loss. Prayers for healing for all lives you touched.
Want to buy: 5.45x39 ASC or CPro AR mags. Email me if you have some for sale.
Want to buy: 5.45x39 ASC or CPro AR mags. Email me if you have some for sale.
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I took the plunge and just ordered a Sparc for my SO's rifle. She's a fairly new shooter and prefers a lightweight platform. Our newly arrived son has put a significant damper on my fun money so an Aimpoint T1 is out of the question. I was a bit leery about about spending money on a "budget" dot, but after reading a lot of reviews and seeing how the Vortex folks conduct themselves here I feel positive about my decision and eagerly await the arrival of my Sparc.
Keep up the friendly service and you might just convince me to buy a Viper PST! 
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