REVIEW: Vortex Defender CCW Red Dot Sight

We have already shown you the new products from VORTEX OPTIK in a brief overview; here is the test by Khi Pa Landgraf from KL STRATEGIC in full detail.

For those who are impatient:

The Vortex Defender CCW is an absolute top product that convinces on all fronts; not only for use on guided weapons, but especially for hunting and sport shooting, as it is suitable for any application due to its robust construction, well-thought-out features, and intelligently designed mounting, and can easily handle the toughest treatment. Where others reach their limits, the Defender CCW goes much further. Compact like a Trijicon at an unbeatable price with an extremely wide field of view and a scope of delivery that is unmatched. In addition, the "lifetime warranty" from VORTEX, which is not just an empty promise, but actually holds true to its word.

That's the short, concise review. If you want to know more details, read on…

General

The Vortex Defender CCW is a small, compact, and robust red dot sight specifically designed for tough use with guided handguns. It comes with various features that make it especially suitable for this purpose and comes with an impressive scope of delivery.

The naming of the small red dot sight, available in 3 and 6 MOA, is not chosen randomly, as it is designed to reliably and safely function in defense situations and similarly demanding conditions, hence Defender = defender CCW = concealed carry weapon.

Technical Data

Dimensions LxWxH: 40.6 x 24.1 x 25.4 mm

Weight: 27g

Reticle: 3 or 6 MOA

Reticle color: red

Battery: CR1632

Reticle adjustment: 1 MOA

Elevation adjustment: 120 MOA

Windage adjustment: 110 MOA

Auto Shutoff: Yes

Motion activation: Yes

Lens type: aspherical optical system

Scope of Delivery

The Vortex Defender CCW comes, as usual, in a sturdy cardboard box in which the device with protective cap is presented. Inside is a second box containing, in addition to the instruction manual and the adjustment and battery compartment key, an extensive assortment of screws. With these, the Defender CCW can be mounted on ALMOST ANY handgun (provided you have an RMS/SMS/Shield base). There is also a plastic wedge (shim) included that allows the device to be adjusted at different angles on various weapons for optimal alignment. All in all, a well-thought-out and extensive scope of delivery:

• Red dot sight
• Protective cap (also suitable for mounted device)
• Cleaning cloth
• Battery
• Instruction manual
• Adjustment/battery compartment key
• Angle plate
• Screw sets for various handguns
• Weaver mount
• Lifetime warranty

Mounting

The Vortex Defender CCW uses the RMS/SMS/Shield base (e.g. Glock M.O.S.). If you have a different base, you will need to purchase a corresponding adapter plate, as is commonly done with other red dot sights for handguns. The manufacturer's promise of "can be mounted on any weapon immediately" refers to the included screw sets that allow for secure attachment for robust use.

The mounting itself is very simple, like with any other red dot sight, and is done with two screws located just behind the transverse axis of the device behind the battery compartment. The importance of this will be explained in more detail later.

It is also worth mentioning that the Defender CCW grips the mounting base from the side, providing additional lateral stability, which fits into the overall concept of exceptional robustness.

Operation

The Vortex Defender CCW is designed for easy and secure use on guided weapons; for this reason, it should be so simple and intuitive to operate that no unnecessary operating steps are required in case of use. What does this mean in detail:

1. Auto On/Off Function

The CCW turns on based on motion, meaning the red dot sight is ready for use as soon as the weapon is moved/drawn. The standby time is 14 hours of continuous use, achieved through a particularly energy-efficient projection technology. According to the manufacturer, the battery standby time is approximately 15,000 hours.

Of course, the device can also be completely turned off when stored, further increasing the battery life.

• On/Off and Brightness Adjustment

The only control elements are located on the right and left sides of the body, each consisting of a large button that regulates the brightness. Pressing and holding the button will turn the device on and off.

It should be noted that the last brightness setting remains "saved" and in standby mode (Auto On/Off), the last setting is restored.

Features

The Vortex Defender CCW comes with some really well-thought-out and functional features that make it an absolute all-rounder and ensure that it can handle a lot:

1. Robust Overall Construction

The Defender CCW is built very robustly and milled from a single piece of aluminum. This makes the body itself not only lightweight but also torsion-resistant and offers few points of weakness for breakage.

Although built very robustly, it does not look bulky and clumsy, but as light as it actually is (27 grams)

Due to the broken and rounded edges, it is also suitable for concealed carry and offers no points of contact for snagging in clothing or equipment, whether carried openly or concealed; making it very suitable for hunting use on handguns as well.

The rear support of the lens frame offers two enormous advantages. Firstly, this prevents snagging or catching on clothing and equipment, and secondly, it also stabilizes the special lens frame, supporting an additional feature.

• Shock Shield Polymer Insert

The Shock Shield insert absorbs everyday shocks that can occur while carrying. Bumping into things, getting caught on something, being bumped into, or the gun falling over. All these situations startle users and may require readjustment. This does not happen with the Defender CCW. These impacts are absorbed by the Shock Shield insert, ensuring that the red dot is always ready for use just as you adjusted it, in conjunction with the construction.

• ArmoTek Coating

Similar to protective films for mobile phones, the ArmoTek coating on the lens protects it from scratches and cracks. Another feature of the Defender CCW that increases robustness, promotes longevity, and ensures that users are not constantly startled by touching the lens.

• Multiple Coated, Aspherical Lens

In addition to the wide field of view, lens quality is an important aspect of all optics. The Defender CCW features a multiple coated, aspherical lens, which not only improves image quality in all lighting situations but also increases image contrast, ensuring users always have a clear, high-contrast sight picture. This feature is suitable for all applications and makes the Defender CCW ideal for dynamic sports and hunting use.

• Textured Front Surface

For the first time, a textured front surface is found on a red dot sight, specifically designed to use the red dot sight as an aid for loading. The surface is designed to prevent slipping even in wet and rough conditions, providing more safety for stress-induced, one-handed operation of the handgun. This works well because the overall design of the Defender CCW is specifically designed for this purpose. This includes, in addition to the robust construction and one-piece design, the aforementioned rear support of the lens frame at a specific angle, which directs the forces to the most stable point of fixation - the screw. It is not just a design detail, but a well-thought-out construction. Additionally, the position of the screw behind the device's center axis along with its very compact design ensures that the mounting, when using the device as an aid for loading, is only subjected to minimal torque, preventing unintentional adjustment due to external forces.

• Minimalist Controls

The controls have been reduced to a minimum, so that the Defender CCW can be customized to your needs in advance and you don't have to worry about it when needed. You will only find the recessed elevation and windage adjustment screws with 1 MOA click adjustment, operable with an adjustment key or flathead screwdriver; as well as the rubberized and IP54 protected, relatively large control buttons for adjusting the brightness of the red dot. These can also be operated quite well with gloves and allow for a quick and easy adjustment of the brightness to the environmental conditions if necessary.

• Direct Access to the Battery Compartment

The CR1632 battery can be replaced while the red dot is mounted and does not affect the adjustment of the Vortex Defender CCW. The screw-on cover can be opened with the included key, a wide screwdriver, or even a coin and is held in place with 2 ¾ turns in the slightly raised battery compartment, also protected with a rubber seal IP54. Although this positioning is not revolutionary new and has also been implemented in the Venom red dot of the manufacturer, it has been significantly improved in the Defender CCW (IP54 protection, raised enclosure, fine threads, lid construction, and much more) and completes the well-thought-out overall concept of the Defender CCW.

• Emergency Sight

Like all electronic devices, the Defender CCW can fail exactly when needed most, because "Murphy's Law" always applies. Even though Vortexoptics has done everything possible to prevent this, there is still an emergency sight at the rear of the red dot, which is axially compatible with the standard sights of common handguns and can therefore be easily used in case of emergency. This means that NO elevated SD sight is needed as a retrofit option to provide an emergency sight. This also underscores the thoughtful and practical nature of the Defender CCW.

Test Results

We have thoroughly tested the Vortex Defender CCW for you to uncover any weaknesses. We have not only subjected the device to the intended stresses, but also covered other application areas and increased the stresses accordingly.

We can already say that the Defender CCW has passed all tests and performed excellently. But in detail:

Handgun Shooting Test:

We shot the Defender CCW with various handguns from Subcompact (G26 9mmx19) to Full Size (1911 .45ACP) to cover the entire range of firearms. Both the included Weaver mounting base and the RMS mount were used.

We shot a weak (S&B FMJ) and a strong (Hornady Defense) load in the following calibers:

• 9x19mm
• .357 Mag
• .40S&W
• .44 Mag
• .45 ACP

In addition, the Defender CCW was tested in 3 temperature ranges:

• -15°C
• +10° to +18°C
• +30°C

In all areas, the red dot performed flawlessly and could be remounted precisely. However, we recommend using direct mounting whenever possible, as the Weaver mount may have slight variations due to the single screw.

To our surprise, there were no significant deviations in the red dot display or brightness during tests in different temperature ranges. Only the standby time is reduced from the specified 14 hours to about 8-9 hours due to the cooled battery. We tested with a brand-new high-quality battery and a new, inexpensive battery.

There were only marginal differences in standby time under comparable environmental and usage conditions, which speaks to the quality of the batteries and the low power consumption of the Defender CCW. The runtimes are shown in the following table:

The shock resistance for handguns is independent of the caliber. The mounting was done with a torque of 1.8NM per screw and was checked with a calibrated torque after every 30 shots. There were no deviations, regardless of the test caliber; the types of ammunition and loads did not show any relevant differences.

We also tested the strength of the mounting in use, specifically using it as a slide racker, and the scratch resistance of the lens.

Once again, the Defender CCW performed flawlessly and passed all tests without any issues.

Rifle Shooting Test

To test the shot resistance and durability, we put the Vortex Defender CCW with Weaver mount through the following guns:

• Forend pump-action shotgun (caliber 12)
• Semi-automatic shotgun (caliber 12)
• Lever-action carbine (caliber .44 Mag)
• Lever-action rifle (caliber .30-30 Win)
• Semi-automatic rifle (caliber .308 Win)
• Bolt-action rifle (caliber .300WinMag)

The Defender CCW performed without any issues here as well, making it usable as (emergency) sight on rifles. The Weaver mount held surprisingly securely without any signs of failure.

Therefore, the Defender CCW can also be used on rifles, e.g. in hunting on shotguns or semi-automatic rifles in sporting scenarios and is definitely recommendable due to its high durability.

CONCLUSION:

The Vortex Defender CCW from Vortex is a compact red dot sight that stands out. Not only because of the well-thought-out technology and functional design, it is recommended without reservation for all applications. Originally tailored as a red dot sight for concealed carry of handguns, mainly for the US market, it offers a lot of performance at a more than fair price.

The only downside is that the brightness of the red dot is not automatically adjusted to the surroundings. This can cause the red dot to be invisible or overexposed in extreme lighting conditions, depending on the previous setting.

However, this is a minor point of criticism and falls into the category of "complaining at the highest level."

Pros:

• robust and extremely resistant
• thoughtful features
• high shot resistance
• comprehensive scope of delivery
• lifetime manufacturer's warranty
• easy to use
• long standby time

Cons:

• no automatic brightness adjustment

For us, a clear recommendation for purchasing the Vortex Defender CCW – at a RRP of 279 Euro, absolutely recommended!

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