An honest review of the vortex strike eagle 5-25x56 ffp scope - Vortex Strike Eagle 5-25x56mm 34mm Tube First Focal Plane Rifle Scope

The Vortex Strike Eagle 5-25x is a mid-priced optic with generous features.

I purchased this scope for a .300 Winchester-Magnum back in December of 2023, so this is a review written after a year of ownership and use. I have taken the rifle with this optic on it out on a guided hunt in the mountains in Western Montana (Missoula vicinity), as well as a few other hunting trips in wooded and mountainous environments. (Typically in colder climates)

Durability and tracking:
The optic is very durable. I have taken it into the field on a hunting trip to the mountains of Montana for a week-long Elk hunt. Even after being somewhat abused, it managed to hold my zero. The punishing recoil of .300 Win-Mag did not affect tracking and zero. The nitrogen-filled tube did well in the colder weather, and no noticeable clouding to indicate fogging was observed.

Glass:
The Glass is very good for the price you pay for this scope. I can comfortably see detail out rather far, and Light capture is very good. Parallax goes from 15 yards to infinite, which is ideal for any cartridge down to .22 LR. My only gripe is that the eye box is slightly smaller than other optics in its price point, but that should not matter for a precision shooter, which is what this scope is made for. The reticle is the real strong point of this optic, as I found the EBR-7C an easy-to-use reticle for holdovers out to 1000 yards with my setup on a 20 MOA Picatinny base atop my action. Paired with a ballistics software of your choice, a rangefinder, and a wind meter I can easily see this taken to 1500+ with the right cartridge choice.

Build quality:
While on the heavy side, the optic can take some punishment. I had dropped my rifle twice on my Montana trip, and the optic held zero. it took the recoil impulse of the hard-hitting .300 Winchester-Magnum like it was nothing special as well. the finish on the scope body is well done as well. The turrets are slightly spongey but tactile. the clicks are not so loud as to be excessive or obnoxious, which helps keep the noise down in the field. Illumination is good, with clear and defined reticle lines. Still readable even on full brightness settings. The brightness knob is slightly hard to turn, but that should loosen up with use.

Zero-stop feature:
Very intuitive and works quite well. Prevents overtravel and you can mindlessly set the dials back to zero without having to put much thought into it. Once it is zeroed, just insert the zero-stop ring, screw your cap back on with the white tick mark on the zero line, and forget about it!

Summary:
This optic is well built, priced decently, and offers features you find on more pricey scopes in its class. For a new long-range shooter or a more budget-friendly, but higher-end option this is a good buy.