Vortex SPARC II Red Dot
Today we’re going to look at the Vortex SPARC II red dot. Typically, there’s a huge gap between quality, premium optics, and the junk you’ll find flooding the market at the low end. That’s not to say that all inexpensive optics are junk, it’s just that you get what you pay for. We happily encourage someone just getting into shooting to test out all manner of hardware before they commit, and if they don’t have the cash to spurge on something high end, we won’t tell if you get something cheap. There’s value in becoming familiar with different types of hardware, even if it’s not a long term commitment. While we’d never advocate using some of these products on a primary defense weapon, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting a toy to plink around with on the range. However, we’re not going to be talking about compromise when we talk about the Vortex SPARC II Red Dot.
Someone who is looking for the right gear to go on a weapon that they intend to harvest their food with, or protect their family, would be wise to consider spending money on something that has proven to be tough and durable. That’s why companies like Aimpoint, Trijicon, EOTech, and a handful of others can charge the premiums they do; they simply do not compromise on quality to get a product out the door.
Vortex is a company that has been able to maintain a balance between price and performance, without compromise. Personally, I run an original Strike Fire on one of my primary weapons, and have been impressed with its toughness. I met their president once at a tradeshow, and was very impressed with his commitment to quality and delivering affordable products that perform in the real world. The Sparc II is a good example of such product.
- Vortex Optics Strikefire II Redot Dot & Tripler Magnifier Review
- VORTEX SPARC II Red Dot Sight, 2 MOA Bright Red Dot Reticle (SPC-402)
- Vortex SPARC II: The Dot That Would Not Die | RECOIL
Vortex SPARC II Overview
The SPARC II from Vortex is a relatively compact red dot optic that is extremely tough. Sealed o-rings prevent moisture and dirt from entering into the sight. It is fogproof, waterproof, and has an operating range from -4F to +158F. There are ten variables of illumination, the lowest of the two are compatible with night vision products. The display is extremely bright during the daytime, and multiple anti-reflective coatings on the lenses increase light transmission. A 12 hour auto-shutdown feature keeps your battery from getting drained, although it is rated for 5,000 hours of operation at the lowest setting, or 300 hours at its highest.
As it’s a 1x red dot, its eye relief is unlimited, and it has a 22mm objective lens; the scope is parallax-free. The reticle is a 2 MOA dot, and can be adjusted in 1 MOA increments, up to 45 MOA per rotation, with a max elevation and windage adjustment of 90 MOA. The SPARC II includes a multi-height mounting system that allows for four separate heights, including absolute or lower 1/3 co-witness.
- Fully Multi-Coated: Multiple anti-reflective coatings on all air-to-glass surfaces increase light transmission
- Bright Red Dot: Display is highly visible in daylight & Single-Piece Chassis maximizes strength and water proofness
- 12-hour auto-shutdown feature maximizes battery life
- Typical battery life is 300 hours at maximum brightness and 5,000 hours at minimum brightness setting
- Waterproof: O-ring seals prevent moisture dust and debris from penetrating
Full Specs
Specifications
Performance
For as tough as this scope is, it’s relatively light weight. That doesn’t mean its featherweight, or even particularly small. It is 3.1 inches long, bigger than an Aimpoint or even the SPARC II’s younger sibling, the SPARC AR. It is 5.9 ounces, so less than a half-pound is added to your rifle.
The 10 levels of adjustment on the brightness allow for use in all kinds of lighting, and the durability of the product means that you don’t have to worry about the SPARC II failing, regardless of the environment you have it in. Recoil Web did a fantastic durability test of the SPARC II, and came away extremely impressed. You can read that here. They let it soak overnight, froze it, set it on fire, ran it over, and through the majority of their testing, the dot stayed on. They had to SHOOT the damn thing before they could kill it, and then they took advantage of Vortex’s no-questions-asked return policy. That’s pretty amazing.
It’s up to you to decide if you think the Sparc II is as good or better than its competition, but we believe we’ve found the most affordable optic that can be placed atop a fighting carbine.
Peter Palma - Recoilweb.com
That is how we feel about the Vortex SPARC II. It’s not sexy. It’s not the smallest. It’s not the lightest. However, I’d put my trust in it, and that goes a long way.
Vortex Sparc II Red Dot Scope Review
Fun Gun Reviews Presents:The Vortex Sparc II Red Dot sight. It's rugged and yet has a ton of features. Adding the advancements over the Original Sparc, for the ...
