Ford vs. Chevy ? Nope. .45 vs. 9mm ? Nope. SIG vs. Vortex ? Yes!

KAOS THE CAT · December 3, 2020, 08:09 PM

Hi all,

I must admit to being over the top/ECD on this subject. I've been researching reviews/videos/etc. for WEEKS! Waaaay too much time researching (although I also admit I'm sort of enjoying the process).
At any rate, I am in need of a GOOD "budget" Red Dot sight for a Rifle caliber PISTOL (7.62x39mm). I have been looking at all the "Usual Suspect" such as Primary Arms, Holosun, Burris, Ade, AT3, SIG, Bushnell & Vortex. I THINK I've narrowed it down to three main contenders :

HOLOSUN HS403"B"

SIG Romeo 5

VORTEX SPARC AR ll

I would greatly appreciate your thoughts/suggestions/opinions (especially) if you have experience and own one or more of the aforementioned Brands.

Thanks.

KAOS THE CAT

jmr40 · December 3, 2020, 08:15 PM

I've had the Sig and Vortex. Of course I was using them on a rifle and came to the conclusion that I liked a low powered 1-4X conventional scope much better. I sold both of mine.

But for what you're doing a dot sight makes more sense. Between the 2 if I were to buy again I'd go back to the Sig.

HiBC · December 3, 2020, 08:37 PM

I bought a Vortex,there was a lot I liked,but I returned it. IMO,it took an unreasonable amount of force on the rubber covered brightness button.I did not have a measuring device. Subjective guess? More than 20 lbs. Muscle tremor hard,

When I returned it,my LGS agreed. We tried another. it was worse.

I'm not condemning them all for a sample size of two.Try before you buy.

I like the Vortex 30 mm size Field of view,

So then I found a great on-line price for a SIG.About $110. The 20 mm size is a compromise Optics seem quite good.I got the one with lens caps and skeletonized AR mount. Mount is fine. Lense caps....At this point,difficult.
I prefer the SIG twist knob brightness to the Vortex rubber covered button.
IMO,the SIG is good "Value Received" . I don't have durability data

I just built it,haven't shot it. I'll see if I prefer the gun clean,with just iron sigjts or if the red dot is a major aid.

KAOS THE CAT · December 3, 2020, 10:01 PM

Hello Gentleman,

Thank you for your thoughts/insight on this subject. jrm40, I too think a 1-4X conventional scope is a good choice on certain Arm however, in this case (for this paticular set up) I believe my sixty five year old Eyes will benefit more from a Red Dot (and Laser) system/set up. HiBC, very interesting regarding the needed extra force used for the rubber covered brightness buttons on the Vortex. Thanks for that information. I have a (now disconntinued Vortex SPARC ll I purchased about a year ago for a different Firearm which has the "old style" knob. Truthfully, I haven't used this set up too often (due to not wanting to burn off Ammo that may be impossible to replace at a resonable price). That being said, this older model Vortex SPARC ll appears to be very well made and it performed fine during my (albeit brief) Range time. I'm not so sure about the newer (budget) models being equal to the older models. That being said, I must admit, I'm sort of leaning towards the SIG Romeo 5 due to all the excellent reviews and lesser price (vs. the Vortex). Oooh HiBC, regarding "durability data", somewhere on Youtube, I saw a video "Torture test" of the SIG Romeo 5 that was AMAZING! HiBC, please keep us posted on your decision regarding the Red Dot. Ooh, I'm sure you guys know that SIG is (reportedly) made by HOLOSUN.

KAOS THE CAT

armoredman · December 5, 2020, 06:17 PM

I had a SIG MSR on my BREN 2 MS 7.62x39mm pistol, simply because I lacked that tiny extra scratch for the Romeo5 which sits on the AR. I love my Romeo5, great dot. I am not fond of the green dot MSR, but the Romeo5, heck yes.

Bfglowkey · December 6, 2020, 06:30 AM

Sig and Vortex are both excellent Red dots and well priced. Vortex edges out for Warranty but Sig is just a great value. My father is in the same boat with his eyes and he seems to gravitate toward my Holosun red dots when he shoots though. He says he likes the ability to go from Dot, to circle to dot and circle ( easier to put the circle on what he wants to shoot in a timely manner)
If the Dot alone is working great then my nod would be to the Sig though personally. Simple, rugged and priced right.

KAOS THE CAT · December 6, 2020, 07:26 PM

Thank you Bf and amor,

I very much appreciate your advice. I think I'm going to go for the SIG. Thanks again.

KAOS THE CAT

Shadow9mm · December 7, 2020, 02:39 PM

If I had to choose between the 3, sig all day

KAOS THE CAT · December 8, 2020, 02:50 PM

Thank you for your suggestion Shadow.

KAOS THE CAT

December 3, 2020, 08:09 PM	#1
KAOS THE CAT Member Join Date: November 30, 2008 Posts: 17	Ford vs. Chevy ? Nope. .45 vs. 9mm ? Nope. SIG vs. Vortex ? Yes! Hi all, I must admit to being over the top/ECD on this subject. I've been researching reviews/videos/etc. for WEEKS! Waaaay too much time researching (although I also admit I'm sort of enjoying the process). At any rate, I am in need of a GOOD "budget" Red Dot sight for a Rifle caliber PISTOL (7.62x39mm). I have been looking at all the "Usual Suspect" such as Primary Arms, Holosun, Burris, Ade, AT3, SIG, Bushnell & Vortex. I THINK I've narrowed it down to three main contenders : HOLOSUN HS403"B" SIG Romeo 5 VORTEX SPARC AR ll I would greatly appreciate your thoughts/suggestions/opinions (especially) if you have experience and own one or more of the aforementioned Brands. Thanks. KAOS THE CAT

December 3, 2020, 08:15 PM	#2
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,809	I've had the Sig and Vortex. Of course I was using them on a rifle and came to the conclusion that I liked a low powered 1-4X conventional scope much better. I sold both of mine. But for what you're doing a dot sight makes more sense. Between the 2 if I were to buy again I'd go back to the Sig. __________________ "If you're still doing things the same way you were doing them 10 years ago, you're doing it wrong" Winston Churchill

December 7, 2020, 02:39 PM	#8
Shadow9mm Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2012 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 3,975	If I had to choose between the 3, sig all day __________________ I don't believe in "range fodder" that is why I reload.

December 3, 2020, 08:37 PM	#3
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,288	I bought a Vortex,there was a lot I liked,but I returned it. IMO,it took an unreasonable amount of force on the rubber covered brightness button.I did not have a measuring device. Subjective guess? More than 20 lbs. Muscle tremor hard, When I returned it,my LGS agreed. We tried another. it was worse. I'm not condemning them all for a sample size of two.Try before you buy. I like the Vortex 30 mm size Field of view, So then I found a great on-line price for a SIG.About $110. The 20 mm size is a compromise Optics seem quite good.I got the one with lens caps and skeletonized AR mount. Mount is fine. Lense caps....At this point,difficult. I prefer the SIG twist knob brightness to the Vortex rubber covered button. IMO,the SIG is good "Value Received" . I don't have durability data I just built it,haven't shot it. I'll see if I prefer the gun clean,with just iron sigjts or if the red dot is a major aid.

December 3, 2020, 10:01 PM	#4
KAOS THE CAT Member Join Date: November 30, 2008 Posts: 17	Hello Gentleman, Thank you for your thoughts/insight on this subject. jrm40, I too think a 1-4X conventional scope is a good choice on certain Arm however, in this case (for this paticular set up) I believe my sixty five year old Eyes will benefit more from a Red Dot (and Laser) system/set up. HiBC, very interesting regarding the needed extra force used for the rubber covered brightness buttons on the Vortex. Thanks for that information. I have a (now disconntinued Vortex SPARC ll I purchased about a year ago for a different Firearm which has the "old style" knob. Truthfully, I haven't used this set up too often (due to not wanting to burn off Ammo that may be impossible to replace at a resonable price). That being said, this older model Vortex SPARC ll appears to be very well made and it performed fine during my (albeit brief) Range time. I'm not so sure about the newer (budget) models being equal to the older models. That being said, I must admit, I'm sort of leaning towards the SIG Romeo 5 due to all the excellent reviews and lesser price (vs. the Vortex). Oooh HiBC, regarding "durability data", somewhere on Youtube, I saw a video "Torture test" of the SIG Romeo 5 that was AMAZING! HiBC, please keep us posted on your decision regarding the Red Dot. Ooh, I'm sure you guys know that SIG is (reportedly) made by HOLOSUN. KAOS THE CAT

December 5, 2020, 06:17 PM	#5
armoredman Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,299	I had a SIG MSR on my BREN 2 MS 7.62x39mm pistol, simply because I lacked that tiny extra scratch for the Romeo5 which sits on the AR. I love my Romeo5, great dot. I am not fond of the green dot MSR, but the Romeo5, heck yes.

December 6, 2020, 06:30 AM	#6
Bfglowkey Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2018 Posts: 302	Sig and Vortex are both excellent Red dots and well priced. Vortex edges out for Warranty but Sig is just a great value. My father is in the same boat with his eyes and he seems to gravitate toward my Holosun red dots when he shoots though. He says he likes the ability to go from Dot, to circle to dot and circle ( easier to put the circle on what he wants to shoot in a timely manner) If the Dot alone is working great then my nod would be to the Sig though personally. Simple, rugged and priced right.

December 6, 2020, 07:26 PM	#7
KAOS THE CAT Member Join Date: November 30, 2008 Posts: 17	Thank you Bf and amor, I very much appreciate your advice. I think I'm going to go for the SIG. Thanks again. KAOS THE CAT

December 8, 2020, 02:50 PM	#9
KAOS THE CAT Member Join Date: November 30, 2008 Posts: 17	Thank you for your suggestion Shadow. KAOS THE CAT