Hands-On: Vortex Razor Red Dot Review

The company that is now Vortex was founded in 1986 by Dan and Margie Hamilton in Madison, Wisconsin. Their Eagle Optics brand of binoculars expanded in 2009 to include Vortex red dot sights and range finders. In 2011, Eagle Optics and Vortex lines merged to become Vortex Optics. 

Vortex products are designed in the USA and manufactured by other companies in the U.S., Japan, China, and the Philippines. However, Vortex manufactures their top-tier Razor HD AMG rifle scope at the Vortex plant in Barneveld, WI.

In 2016 Vortex released their Japanese-made Vortex Razor Red Dot sight into the ever-growing market of point and shoot optics. Since then, the Razor Red Dot has earned a reputation as a rugged, durable, premier reflex sight.

With the addition of one of our favorite accessories, it might make one of your rifles into the ultimate woods gun. Read on to find out why this red dot gets top marks.

In A Hurry? Here Are The Vortex Razor Red Dot Sight 3 MOA Quick Specs:

Our Review Of Vortex Razor 3MOA Red Dot Sight:

The Vortex Razor 3MOA Red Dot Sight is a premium product at a reasonable price.

Vortex Optics’ top-line products share the Razor moniker. Vortex Razor scopes and optics represent state-of-the-art offerings. The Vortex Razor Red Dot reflex sight is no exception. The one piece chassis is made of aircraft quality aluminum, and the build is shockproof in every aspect.

The wide field-of-view multi-coated lens has Vortex Armor Tek scratch and water-resistant coating. 3moa and 6moa models are available. The battery is accessible via a snap-lock side door that has o-ring seals. There is unlimited eye relief through the anti-reflective lens. To learn more about the Vortex Razor Red Dot features, click on the video link below.

View the Vortex Razor video here

The Vortex red dot is adjustable with a 2.5mm hex wrench (supplied). Windage and elevations controls are 1 MOA clicks which are audible and positive. A 1.5mm hex wrench (also provided) operates the adjustment locking screw.

The Picatinny rail mount is positive and secure. Press either of the UP/DOWN buttons to turn on the sight. Press the down button for 3 seconds to deactivate. The correct adapter for your gun is available from Vortex.

Vortex Red Dot Sight Picture

The red dot is crisp and clear, with only the slightest blooming at the highest settings. The wide lens makes target acquisition easy, especially on running targets like hogs.

A lot has been said about parallax and the lack thereof on red dot sights. No red dot sight is perfectly parallax-free. By virtue of the physics involved, movement of the eye position behind the sight will result in a slight apparent point of impact (POI) shift.

However. If you intentionally cant the gun and pin the red dot to the edge of the glass, the actual POI shift is minimal at close range and decreases with distance. Bottom line, you won’t be affected by parallax while shooting at any reasonable target.

Some Alternatives In The Reflex Red Dot Arena

1. Burris Fast Fire III 3 MOA

The Burris Fast Fire III 3 MOA comes in at $229 and functions as a lower-cost alternative to the Vortex. The Burris Fastfire III Tactical Red Dot Sight has a top-mounted power button. It has three levels of brightness for the 3 MOA dot. An automatic brightness setting adjusts for ambient lighting conditions. Battery access is on the top of the sight, making it easy to change the battery.

This red dot is not in the same league as the Vortex for ruggedness and reliability but treated with reasonable care, it will serve the shooter well. The field of view is somewhat smaller than the Vortex, and the dot is not as crisp. However, these are not deal-breakers at this price point. You can find the best deals at our affiliate links below.

Burris Fast Fire III 3 MOA Specs:

2. Trijicon RMR Type 2 3.25 MOA Red Dot Sight

For those of you who want an accurate, mil-spec, bullet-proof red dot, this may be the one for you. RMR stands for “Rugged Miniature Reflex,” When Trijicon says rugged, they mean what they say. This red dot sets the bar for military, law enforcement, and special operations dependability.

The Picatinny rail mount version sells for about $790 bucks on the street, and many say it’s worth every penny. Eight brightness settings are visible in any condition, including night vision ops. It is waterproof to 20 meters and shockproof on any handheld armament made.

Some don’t like the bottom-mounted battery cover that necessitates removing the sight for change out, but with a battery life of 1-4 years, that’s a minor issue. Click on our affiliate links for the best price.

Trijicon RMR Type 2 3.25 MOA Red Dot Sight Specs:

3. Holosun HE508T-X2, Reflex Red Dot Sight

We love the Vortex red dot for its ruggedness and tactical applications, but the Holosun HS508T-X2 remains one of our favorite red dot sights. At a street price of about $370, the Holosun has an impressive list of features.

• Solar Failsafe: The integrated solar cell powers the sight in the event of a battery failure.
• Shake Awake: A motion sensor automatically turns the unit on for instant use.
• Multiple Reticle System: A dot or dot-plus-circle reticle is built-in.
• Super LED: The led emitter has a battery life of up to 50,000 hours.
• Multi-layer Reflective Glass: Holosun’s glass is suburb and anti-reflective
• Titanium Housing: A rugged and reliable build is a hallmark of Holosun products.

This trim-profile sight fits in almost any red dot ready holster. You can carry your defense gun all day, every day for months or even years on one battery, and the sight is on and ready when you draw. Mounting plates are available for just about any firearm.

Look up the Holosun HS508T-X2 on one of our affiliate links for the best price on this superb red dot sight.

Holosun HE508T-RD-X2 Red Dot Sights Specs:

Pros And Cons:

Pros:

• Durable and dependable, built like a tank
• The battery door is easily accessible without removing sight
• Outstanding glass and crisp red dot at all brightness levels
• Vortex lifetime warranty

Cons:

• Up/Down buttons oddly placed in front of the lens
• No “instant on” shake awake feature

The Vortex Razor Red Dot sight is a top-notch piece of equipment. If you are buying your first red dot and want to go pro, or if you are looking to upgrade your existing entry-level optic, don’t hesitate to invest in the Vortex solution. Click on the affiliate links to get this sight on your gun soon!

Bottom Line:

The reliability and features of the Vortex Razor Red Dot 3 MOA Sight put it in the class of the Trijicon RMR and Eotech 815 holographic sights. My experience with Vortex red dot sights has been flawless. Vortex offers mounting solutions for virtually any handgun or long gun.

Don’t go away yet! This accessory might turn your rifle into the ultimate woods gun.

Vortex VMX-3T Magnifier with Flip Mount

One of my favorite woods/hog guns is an AR compact in 300 blackout. A red dot sight was a perfect choice for stalking deer and hogs in the North Texas woods. After reading customer reviews, I decided to order the Vortex 3x magnifier.

Adding the Vortex VMX-3T Magnifier with Flip Mount behind the red dot gave me the edge I needed for lengthy shots out to 200 yards. The magnifier has non-critical eye relief.

The 300 BLK is the ballistic twin of the venerable 30-30 Winchester. As such, it is ideally suited for short to medium-range woods hunting. At $199, I wondered if the Vortex 3x magnifier would be worth the price as an add-on.

After shooting and hunting with this setup, I’m glad I made the switch from iron sights. I recommend it highly. You can score one of these by clicking the links below.