Vortex Defender Purple Dot Evaluation: We Vary Examined Each Mannequin

The newest development for pistol pink dots is utilizing completely different window sizes to match particular use circumstances. There are alternatives with giant home windows for fast goal acquisition, small home windows for hid carry, and the Goldilocks-size that does every part nicely. Vortex launched their concealed-carry targeted Defender-CCW final 12 months and this 12 months added two new pink dots to supply a full vary of window sizes.

I obtained my arms on one among every to run them facet by facet. I examined their sturdiness, precision, and general person expertise based mostly on their supposed roles. After a number of weeks with the Defender-ST and Defender-XL, and greater than a 12 months with the Defender-CCW, I’ve a transparent understanding of what these optics are all about and will help you determine which is greatest on your pistol.

How I Examined the Vortex Defender Purple Dots

I began by mounting the optics to a few pistols and assessed in the event that they have been simple to put in. The method was a breeze. Vortex contains all of the individually labeled mounting {hardware} (full with pre-applied blue thread-locker), instruments, and directions you want.

Then got here my preliminary shakedown of dry fireplace and sturdiness testing. I don’t deliberately attempt to break merchandise after I do that however I do need to affirm that they will stand as much as cheap abuse. With the dot mounted on an unloaded gun, I dropped them from waist peak onto concrete. I additionally did a number of racking the slide with the optic. I repeated the checks between strings of stay fireplace to test for zero shift.

After establishing zero and taking pictures five-round teams to test for accuracy, I moved on to a sequence of 7-yard drills together with the Invoice Drill, El Presidente, and Failure to Cease. Every time, I shot all three pistols one after one other in speedy succession to disclose how the optics differed. All in all, I fired tons of of rounds along with what I’ve already shot with the Defender-CCW throughout the previous 12 months.  

Aiding me on this was a trio of 9mm pistols from Springfield Armory: a Hellcat Professional, an Echelon, and a Prodigy. I additionally used Safariland and Tier 1 Hid holsters and lights from Streamlight to see how nicely the optics match into an ordinary holster and the way nicely the reticles present up in opposition to a vibrant pistol gentle.

Testing the Defender Purple Dots on the Vary

Defender-CCW

• Reticle: 3 MOA, 6 MOA
• Dot Colour: Purple
• Mounting Footprint: Protect RMSc
• Adjustment Increment: 1 MOA
• Battery: CR1632
• Window Measurement: 0.8 inches huge x 0.7 inches tall
• Weight: 0.95 ounces

OL gear editor, Scott Einsmann, examined the CCW when it first launched. He put it by way of the wringer and it earned excessive marks for sturdiness, ease of use, and a remarkably crisp dot.

I’m greater than a 12 months into my time with a 6-MOA Defender-CCW and my long-term take a look at unit hasn’t missed a beat. I dropped it optic-first onto concrete and suffered nothing however a scratched chassis. I drew from inside my coat in freezing temperatures and noticed no fog on the lens. I put 1000’s of rounds by way of the Springfield Hellcat Professional it’s mounted on and have by no means wanted to regulate my zero. Merely put, it’s as robust as I need a concealed-carry optic to be.

Regardless of the toughness it confirmed throughout my drop checks, it nonetheless retains a low profile and weighs in at lower than an oz.. I usually carry appendix, and the Defender-CCW is snug and doesn’t print by way of a T-shirt.

Mounting a pink dot in your CCW pistol is considerably controversial as a result of its dimension is so necessary. Once you’re attempting to keep away from printing and discomfort, each extra sq. inch is problematic. However constructing pace with a window this small takes some coaching, although it may be carried out (it’s sooner than iron sights for me). Give your self a couple of minutes of dry fireplace each day to type this out.

Learn Subsequent: Greatest Dry Fireplace Coaching Techniques

Defender-ST

• Reticle: 3 MOA, 6 MOA
• Dot Colour: Purple
• Mounting Footprint: DeltaPoint Professional
• Adjustment Increment: 1 MOA
• Battery: CR2032
• Windsor Measurement: 0.9 inches huge x 0.8 inches tall
• Weight: 1.48 oz.
• MSRP: $469.99

For starters, the Defender-ST makes use of the DeltaPoint Professional mounting footprint as an alternative of the Protect RMSc footprint. That makes it appropriate with a variety of full-size pistols just like the Springfield Armory Echelon I examined it with, in addition to widespread pistols just like the Glock 17 Gen5 MOS.

The duty-focused massive brother will get extra elevation and windage journey. It’s about half an oz. heavier and takes a bigger battery that ends in a claimed run time of 25,000 hours – greater than double that of the Defender-CCW. It comes with 10 daytime brightness settings as an alternative of eight along with two night-vision brightness settings. You get the identical reticle choices: 3-MOA or 6-MOA. 

The window is barely bigger – simply 0.1 inches in every path – however that 12.5 % improve makes a noticeable distinction. After I was taking pictures drills at seven yards, I wanted much less time to get on course and transition between targets due to the bigger window.

It’ll come as no shock that that is the Goldilocks of the bunch. It’s quick, correct, and hard. It’s sufficiently small that anybody who’s prepared to hold a full-size pistol wouldn’t be bothered by it, however giant sufficient to run rapidly.

I’d additionally advocate the Defender-ST to anybody who plans on placing one among these optics on one thing aside from a pistol. Want a backup optic on your carbine? Put a Defender-ST on high of your LPVO or mount it on a 45-degree offset, and name it a day. Acquired an optic-ready turkey gun? The Defender-ST is the suitable dimension for that, too.

Defender-XL

• Reticle: 5 MOA, 8 MOA
• Dot Colour: Purple
• Mounting Footprint: DeltaPoint Professional
• Adjustment Increment: 1 MOA
• Battery: CR2023
• Window Measurement: 1 inch huge x 0.9 inches tall
• Weight: 1.93 oz.
• MSRP: $599.99

Vortex simply launched the third addition to the brand new line of pistol pink dots: the Defender-XL. This one has a window so massive you would watch Monday Evening Soccer on it.

Two notable variations are the Defender-XL’s reticle and battery compartment. As an alternative of 3- and 6-MOA fashions, you may decide from 5-MOA or 8-MOA dot. The battery compartment nonetheless hundreds from the highest, there’s only a set screw and button holding the cap in place slightly than threads.

If an inch doesn’t sound massive, think about this: The Defender-CCW’s total housing may match contained in the glass of the Defender-XL. On a pistol, the 2 are worlds aside. It even makes the Defender-ST look tiny. 

Each time I shot the Invoice Drill, the Defender-XL’s outsized viewing space meant that I may purchase the intense 5-MOA dot sooner, monitor my dot by way of recoil, and see extra of my goal than I’d with a standard-sized optic. This was much more noticeable when participating a number of targets. In the course of the Failure to Cease drill, I felt like time slowed as a result of I had extra alternative to look at every goal come into my discipline of view and mentally put together for the subsequent shot.

That is sensible as a result of this optic is constructed for aggressive shooters who’re blissful to slap a billboard-sized piece of glass on their slide if it shaves a hundredth of a second off their time.

Are there any drawbacks? It might sound counterintuitive {that a} competitors pink dot would include the biggest reticles: 5 MOA or 8 MOA. This makes the Defender-XL quick but it surely does so on the expense of precision, particularly past 25 yards or extra. The 5 MOA dot will cowl 2.5 inches at 50 yards. So, in case your model of aggressive taking pictures includes key-holing pictures throughout strings of sluggish fireplace, step right down to a Defender-ST with a 3-MOA dot.

There are many optics which might be as robust because the Defender-XL and a few which might be simply as massive. What makes it distinctive is the mix of energy and dimension. I had the Defender XL mounted on my Sprinfield Prodigy which weighs 33 ounces. Drop-testing it with that boat anchor didn’t lead to any injury or shift in zero. It’s not a variety toy that you need to child; it’s each bit as rugged as the opposite two. 

FAQs

Last Ideas on the Vortex Defender Line

There was a time when pistol optics have been a (relative) weak level within the Vortex product catalog. That’s now not the case. I’d like to see manufacturing transfer stateside, however that’s about the one criticism I’ve. All the Defender line left me impressed, and the truth that these optics are priced so competitively makes the prospect of screwing one to your pistol even higher.