Expert Review Possibly the finest budget optic ever - Vortex Spitfire 1x-AR Prism Scope

It was pointed out to me that I have high-end tastes when it comes to optics. I like a crisp reticle, clear lenses, rugged construction, and long battery life. Those attributes can be hard to find in an optical device that doesn’t break the bank. I believe that I finally found the sight that brings everything to the table yet doesn’t cost a fortune.
The mounting is super simple. If you know how to turn a screwdriver, you have all the skills necessary to install this sight on your favorite firearm, so there is no need for a trip to the gunsmith. The screws sit flush, so there is no fear of them sticking out and snagging on anything. A single AAA battery is all that is required to power the unit, and is easy to change out from the front. The buttons on the back of the unit are easy to reach and manipulate. There are no surprises here, the buttons do just what you’d think they should. The mount and battery compartment work together to make this unit sit at just the right height for use on an AR. The adjustment covers moved with just enough friction to make me believe that they aren’t coming off unintentionally. The adjustments themselves where both audible and tactile with their clicks.
This is a prism sight which varies a little form the run of the mill red dot optic. This means that there is a fast adjust focus ring on the eyepiece. This allows you to tailor, the optic to your individual eye. This especially important for those of us with astigmatism or other eye problems. Even if most red dot sights look fuzzy to your eye, the adjustment ring will allow you to focus the sight to you as an individual.
The only downside to this sight at all is that at full brightness, the battery lasts only 250 hours. While that may seem to be too short a runtime to some, it is important to remember that as a prism sight, the reticle is visible without the unit being turned on, or even with no battery installed. In this regard it can be thought of more as a 1X scope than a red dot. Like a magnified scope however, it will have a “sweet spot” where it will need to be mounted for proper eye-relief.