Vortex Crossfire II Red Dots Add Solar, Motion Activation

For years the original Crossfire was the default answer when somebody asked what red dot to hang on a first AR without spending real money. Vortex updated it earlier this month, and the Crossfire II lineup closes most of the gaps that had opened up between the old sight and the rest of the budget field.

Start with the window. The Crossfire II runs a 25mm objective, larger than the outgoing model, which opens up the sight picture with both eyes open and behaves better sitting in front of a magnifier. Mounting moved to the Aimpoint T1/T2 footprint, so the aftermarket options that were closed off before are on the table now. Vortex includes both a lower 1/3 co-witness mount and a low mount in the box, covering ARs, rimfires, and shotguns without a second purchase.

Four models make up the line:

• Crossfire II Red Dot, 2 MOA red, black: MSRP $219.99
• Crossfire II Solar Red Dot, 2 MOA red, black: MSRP $249.99
• Crossfire II Solar Red Dot, 2 MOA red, tan: MSRP $249.99
• Crossfire II Solar Green Dot, 2 MOA green, black: MSRP $249.99
• Battery: CR2032, roughly 50,000 hours; solar models rated up to 150,000 hours
• Illumination: 12 settings, 10 daylight and 2 night-vision compatible
• Weight: 4.37 oz base, 4.47 oz for the solar models
• Covered by the VIP warranty

Solar Auto D-TEC reads the available light and hands power back and forth between the panel and the battery without any input from you. The CR2032 stays in the housing as a failsafe on the solar models, so a shaded panel or a late evening sit does not leave you staring at an empty tube. Because the panel occupies the top of the housing, the solar versions relocate their brightness buttons to the side, sitting nearly flush so they stay out of the way of gear and slings.

All four models get motion activation. The dot wakes when the gun moves and powers down after ten minutes of sitting still, coming back at whatever brightness you left it on. Anybody who does not trust an auto shutoff on a truck gun can turn the feature off.

The green dot deserves a second look. A lot of shooters with astigmatism see a cleaner reticle in green than in red, and that option has been scarce at this end of the price range.

Is it the green reticle or the solar panel that would get you to swap dots? Find us on social and let us know. We always appreciate the feedback.

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