Review: Vortex Razor Red Dot

[42769vette]

Can you disable the auto-shutoff?

i talked to vortex today. as of now you can not disable the auto shutoff. as i said earlier vortex is very good about listening to the shooting comunity so i would say disableing the auto off is in the near future

 

[OneBadV8]

i talked to vortex today. as of now you can not disable the auto shutoff. as i said earlier vortex is very good about listening to the shooting comunity so i would say disableing the auto off is in the near future

Thanks for following up on that, hopefully they offer that as some sort of option.

 

[lovemachine]

i talked to vortex today. as of now you can not disable the auto shutoff. as i said earlier vortex is very good about listening to the shooting comunity so i would say disableing the auto off is in the near future

Heck yea!

The more I read about the Razor, the more I'm liking it.

And for the money, and the way it mounts, how can you not want to try it?

 

[esrice]

Escrice, I offered to let you test drive my M&P months ago...

Yeah I tried convincing Scutter to hijack it from you yesterday.

 

[Rookie]

He should have asked, I would have sent it home for a week.

 

[cedartop]

Great review as always Evan.
I do have some questions and suggestions. Everyone I have ever seen start off new to using a RDS on a pistol has a bit of a time with consistently finding the dot. I wonder how someone less seasoned with iron sights would adapt to the RDS? It seems to me that a rock solid repetitive presentation is required for the dot to fall where the eyes are looking. In other words, the RDS is not an easy replacement for technique and iron sights, right?


Thanks.

For answers to these questions and more.
TSD Glock | TSD Combat Systems

If you look closely, you may just see someone who has posted in this thread committing a big range no-no.

 

[esrice]

If you look closely, you may just see someone who has posted in this thread committing a big range no-no.

Haha, saw it. Funny.

 

[cedartop]

For those of you who appreciate using carry gear to compete. This guy from WT uses a TSD RMR Glock to compete in the three gun Ironman.

http://sinistralrifleman.com/2012/06/15/ironman-3-gun-2012-videos-and-report/

 

[esrice]

Great review as always Evan.

Thank you sir.

Everyone I have ever seen start off new to using a RDS on a pistol has a bit of a time with consistently finding the dot. I wonder how someone less seasoned with iron sights would adapt to the RDS? It seems to me that a rock solid repetitive presentation is required for the dot to fall where the eyes are looking. In other words, the RDS is not an easy replacement for technique and iron sights, right?

Good observation and question.

As I said in the initial review, I was actually surprised how easy it was to find the dot. I had imagined it would be much harder.

The first time I shot a Ruger MKII with PA Micro on it, I found the dot hard to "find". This could be a case of where the reflex-style RDS outshines the tube-style. On a rifle I don't notice any difference in finding the dot between the two--probably because of having a cheekweld where your head-to-optic relationship is always the same. With a pistol, however, you now have the ability to "twist" the optic and therefore lose the dot. This would seemingly be more apparent with a tube-style RDS.

Presentations with the dot required consistency, just like with irons. The difference was just a slight elevation change. I had to get used to not raising the gun quite as high as normal. But once I got comfortable with that, I had no problems finding the dot quickly.

Now, this could be different with a new shooter. But then again, new shooters also struggle with quickly lining up 2 points with iron sights. So it may be a moot point.

I'd like to see the results of some cold shots with the RDSed guns. First off maybe a single shot, later maybe a more elaborate drill. The important part is unpracticed or warmed up. The same would go for after the drill, no hour or three of practice, just the drill until the next cold one another day.

This would make an interesting test. Perhaps I can make this happen for "Phase 2" of this review.

 

[rhino]

Those are all good points and after reading it and rereading what I wrote, I don't see disagreement! I see complement more so than contradiction!

When I said "beyond contact distance," I probably should have been more explicit that I do recognize that there are times when it's not possible to use the sights. I was focusing on the idea that too many people think that they "can't" use the sights in way too many situations because they are under the mistaken impression that it's inherently slower than unsighted fire in situations where it is possible to have the gun in front of your face so you could see the sights if you were looking.

This may be splitting hairs, but I am going to disagree, just a bit, with my friend rhino. You CAN get good solid fight stopping hits (as much as that is allowed by a handgun), at close range without using the sights. This may come into play especially if you are not in full extension, maybe some sort of retention position. Is it optimal to get to your sights? Yes! Also in my experiences in FOF I would say that the majority of our students never recall seeing their sights, much less using them. I use my sights during FOF much of the time, but I have trained to do that, and have more practice then most taking our FOF classes in doing just that.

So to bring that around to RDS. You can still point shoot with it if you need to. If you can get to the sight then do so, many find it much quicker and easier to do so in the beginning if they have good cowitnessing BUIS. Training wheels, as it were.

 

[esrice]

**** UPDATE ****

So after my initial range session with the Razor I noted that the entire unit was loose. Talking with 42769vette he noted that he didn't use blue Loctite when mounting it.

So lovemywoods treated the bolt threads with some and reinstalled the Razor, tightening it up. A week later I was down at his house for an Appleseed shoot and someone asked to see it. When I retrieved it from the safe, here is what we saw:

That's not a scratch, but a hairline crack. It appears that the re-tightening was enough to flex the housing and crack the optic window. The unit still functions, though I didn't have a chance to check its zero.

Here's the cool part. . .

Dad contacted Alan at A&A Optics and explained the breakage. Alan said no worries, the Vortex warranty covers such issues. He then went on to request that we return it, so that he could send us another one to continue our T&E.

So a big +1 for the customer service at A&A Optics, and a big +1 for Vortex and their killer warranty.

I sent the Razor back to Alan, but plan on running my "50-yard Car Scenario" test when the new one comes back. Stay tuned!
​

 

[42769vette]

**** UPDATE ****​

So after my initial range session with the Razor I noted that the entire unit was loose. Talking with 42769vette he noted that he didn't use blue Loctite when mounting it.​

So lovemywoods treated the bolt threads with some and reinstalled the Razor, tightening it up. A week later I was down at his house for an Appleseed shoot and someone asked to see it. When I retrieved it from the safe, here is what we saw:​

That's not a scratch, but a hairline crack. It appears that the re-tightening was enough to flex the housing and crack the optic window. The unit still functions, though I didn't have a chance to check its zero.​

Here's the cool part. . .​

Dad contacted Alan at A&A Optics and explained the breakage. Alan said no worries, the Vortex warranty covers such issues. He then went on to request that we return it, so that he could send us another one to continue our T&E. ​

So a big +1 for the customer service at A&A Optics, and a big +1 for Vortex and their killer warranty.​

I sent the Razor back to Alan, but plan on running my "50-yard Car Scenario" test when the new one comes back. Stay tuned!​

i got the razor today. vortex sent me a replacement the day after you contacted me so i had a extra one instock to put it on. i hope to get it back to you by the end of next week. i ran it today and i was functioning fine, but ill get the new one on asap and get it back your way

 

[esrice]

but ill get the new one on asap and get it back your way

I'm in no hurry, but I really do appreciate your lightening fast response and attention to detail.

 

[42769vette]

attention to detail.

like forgetting loctite

 

[esrice]

like forgetting loctite

You said it, not me.

 

[42769vette]

You said it, not me.

i had to beat all the other jokers on here. i figure if thats the worst mistake i make ill be doing ok

 

[cedartop]

I'm in no hurry, but I really do appreciate your lightening fast response and attention to detail.

Yes, he is starting to win me over. I think when I pick my optic for my VEPR, I will be giving him a call.

 

[42769vette]

Yes, he is starting to win me over. I think when I pick my optic for my VEPR, I will be giving him a call.

i appriciate the shot at your or anyones business. im a fairly new company, the only way for me to gain the reputation i will get is for folks to give me a shot at there business and for me not to let them down

 

[42769vette]

bump

now that hunting season is winding down and evan reminding me about it, this is going ot take a higher priority.

I do think im going to mill the slide before sending it back to evan. That is going to be a much better mounting option. I have a list of things to bring up with vorex in a month or so at shot and the auto shutoff is on that list.

anyways carry on