I’ll admit I wasn’t a fan of the CCW-Defender from Vortex. It was optic, nevertheless it underdelivered. The auto shut-off required an insane 14 hours of stillness to close off robotically. The refresh fee left so much to be desired, and the battery life sucked. It held zero, was fairly vivid, and labored as a pink dot, however I walked away unimpressed. Vortex not too long ago launched a full-sized dot as a part of the Defender Sequence. Does the brand new Defender-ST outperform the Defender-CCW?
Stay Stock Worth Checker
Let’s begin by addressing one in every of my greatest complaints with the Defender-CCW: the shake awake. Why should the gun sit nonetheless for 14 hours to show itself off? Fortunately, the Defender-ST ditches the 14 hours with a way more conservative 10 minutes. Go away the weapon sitting for ten minutes in complete stillness, and the optic shuts off. Transfer it even a hair, and it fires again to life.
Vortex heard the criticism loud and clear, and I’m informed this is identical with the Defender-XL. The Defender-ST makes use of a Leupold DPP footprint. Just like the DPP, it’s an enormous optic designed for full-sized handguns. It has a 23mm large window that’s 20 mm tall. A six or three-MOA pink dot sits in the course of that window.
The optic is 1.83 inches lengthy and weighs 1.48 ounces. The Defender-ST options the identical diamond-shaped texture on the entrance of the optic because the Defender-CCW. It’s textured and designed to rack the gun off partitions, tables, boots, and many others. Contained in the optic sits polymer inserts. These present an inside flex to assist preserve the optic operating and from beating itself up.
Contained in the Defender-ST
The battery modifications out of the highest of the optic. The battery life faucets out at 25,000 hours. That’s decrease than most in the marketplace, however the Shake Awake helps broaden that battery life. The optic has ten brightness settings divided into eight daylight and two evening imaginative and prescient.
This Vortex Defender-ST makes use of the smaller 3 MOA dot. Larger dots could be higher for eye-catching close-range use, however smaller dots could be extra exact. On bigger handguns, I desire smaller dots. Talking of, I mounted the Defender-ST to my Glock 17. The Defender-ST has every little thing you should connect to just about any weapon with a DPP footprint.
The Vortex Defender-ST comes with a ton of various screw sizes for numerous weapons, a handy little device, and a Glock MOS plate. I strapped the Defender-ST to my Glock 17 with none drama and was impressed that Vortex contains all the varied screws with their optics. It even has a Picatinny rail adapter to run the optic on a protracted gun.
On Goal
The Defender-ST makes use of 1 MOA adjustment graduations, and the turret suggestions offers me a heat and fuzzy feeling. I can hear and really feel the clicks. This suggestions makes it simple to zero on the vary when carrying Ear Professional and having others shoot round you. I zeroed the optic in with just some pictures fired and walked away pleasantly shocked. I prefer it when there may be little or no drama in zeroing my optics.
With the optic zeroed, I put it by means of a trial by hearth. By hearth, I meant throwing heaps and plenty of lead at targets close to, far, and in between. I paid cautious consideration to the dot and labored my numerous drills. I wished to see if the dot’s refresh fee was as much as snuff. The Defender-CCW lagged and dragged with a noticeable blur as I transitioned between targets and went by means of a draw to presentation.
The Defender-ST didn’t have these points. Driving the gun between a number of targets was simple. The dot doesn’t blur and stays a constant little 3 MOA circle. I even used my cellphone to try to spot the tell-tale blinking, and it’s merely not there. Vortex mounted the refresh fee and the optic works with out a hitch. Vortex revamped their mini pink dots, and the Defender-ST is the product of a number of revamps and reconfiguring.
Extra Than First Impressions
Past the fundamentals, we get a workable pink dot. The Defender-ST capabilities fairly properly. I might push it to the pink line and blast by means of a protracted string of fireside. The purpose is to maintain the dot transferring and by no means to let it settle. An excellent dot doesn’t blink between pictures. The purpose of shooter is to verify the dot stays a blur.
I’m an okay shooter, so I saved the dot a blur. There was no flickering or failure. The dot’s motion made it simple to trace my pictures and even name my pictures once I went a bit too quick for my talent degree.
The massive window made it simple to search out the dot in odd positions, and the large window gave you a bit little bit of forgiveness. The view by means of the window is coloured by a little bit of blue. The notch filter is seen however not obnoxious. The little pink dot itself is kind of well-refined and straightforward to see. It’s an virtually good circle. At shut vary, it’s huge and straightforward to see, however at these longer ranges, it’s refined and straightforward to make use of at vary.
Have you ever ever hit a ten-inch gong at 50 yards persistently? With some respectable fundamentals and pink dot, it’s surprisingly simple. I did that with the Defender-ST and felt fairly pleased with myself.
Hold It Regular
In case you texture the entrance of the optic and inform me I can use it to rack the gun, I’m going to do this. I slammed this mom trucker towards tables on the vary, a sawhorse, and a few simulated ‘cowl’ I exploit on the vary. It makes the actual fact I used the optic as a charging deal with virtually trivial.
What I hope wasn’t trivial was a couple of drops and falls from chest top. I dropped the optic on either side and the highest a couple of occasions. But, by means of all that abuse, the optic held its zero. Talking of zeroes, I had zero issues with the optic.
In the end, the Defender-ST doesn’t do something new or loopy modern, nevertheless it’s a strong optic general. Its MSRP is $469.99, however the MSRP isn’t avenue value. The Vortex Defender-ST tends to retail for lower than $350. At that value level, I don’t want revolutionary; I would like competent, and the Defender-ST is competent. It’s dependable, simple to make use of, and difficult sufficient.
About Travis Pike
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine Gunner, a lifelong firearms fanatic, and now a daily man who likes to shoot, write, and discover methods to mix the 2. He holds an NRA certification as a Primary Pistol Teacher and is the world’s Okayest firearm’s teacher.
