The Vortex Strike Eagle has a staggering array of features, but without the high price tag to match.

In fact, I’ve hand-tested this scope to reveal just how well all of the features perform.

By the time you finish reading this Vortex Strike Eagle review, you’ll know if this is the right scope for you. Let’s get started!

The Vortex Strike Eagle is perfect for those who want to get into long-range shooting without breaking the bank to do it.

It’s got crystal clear fully multi-coated lenses, a glass-etched reticle, and tactical style turrets. Incredible value for a low price.

But you might be wondering: doesn’t going low on price mean you’re sacrificing in another area? I thought so too. That is, until I tested it myself to find the answer. 

Glass Clarity and Reticle 

Being fully multi-coated, the lenses on the Vortex Strike Eagle ensured that I had a perfect view of my target. The extra-low dispersion glass pairs well with the coating, sharpening the image and creating a crisp picture to aim at. In fact, I can easily shoot out to 1,000+ yards. 

The Vortex Strike Eagle uses an illuminated reticle, which is great for dusk or night shooting. Since the reticle is etched, this isn’t necessary for most day shooting. In fact, the illumination isn’t really strong enough to compete with a bright day anyways. 

The reticle is an EBR-4 MOA, which means that the scope does all the heavy lifting for you. It’s incredibly detailed yet didn’t distract me from my long-range targets at all. 

However, the main downside is that this scope is definitely stronger when shooting accurately from distance. Despite being sold as either close or long ranged, the crosshair felt a bit busy on closer targets. I’d much prefer some form of dot when I’m in a place with tight corners and barricades. 

Eye Relief and Eye Box 

The eye relief is a solid 3.5”. 

This makes it safe even for those guns that kick harder than professional soccer players. I didn’t have to worry about being bitten even when shooting for max distance. 

Eye fatigue is also a non-issue. The picture is so clear and there’s such a lack of distortion that I never had to go home with sore eyes.

The eye box is unfortunately a bit tight. At higher magnifications it got even tighter, so I had to practice good cheek weld to make sure my picture was centered. Considering most scopes with great eye boxes are way more expensive, I didn’t mind putting some time into compensating. 

Durability 

The Vortex Strike Eagle is as tough as they come. 

I fully submerged it in water and dropped it several times. There were no dents or scratches, and it still held my zero perfectly. 

How? 

Not only is it O-ring sealed and nitrogen purged to prevent fogging and moisture, but this scope is made out of aircraft grade aluminum. 

Elevation and Windage Knobs 

The capped turrets on the Vortex Strike Eagle are very solid. 

Each turn gives an audible click, which lets me adjust quickly and precisely. They are firm enough that it is difficult to change them accidentally, but when I want to change them they smoothly rotate as desired. 

The best part? 

It only took five shots to find my zero. Even my first shot at 100 yards was reasonably close. And after 200 more rounds, it was still holding zero. 

No problems here. 

Parallax and Magnification 

The parallax adjustment turret has two different dials. 

The inner one affects the parallax while the outer one adjusts the illuminated reticle. There is enough space in between them that it was quite difficult to confuse one with the other. 

The magnification is a broad 4-24x. This allows for incredible accuracy at distance while still being viable for closer targets. 

There is no throw lever, so making adjustments on the move is difficult. I found that committing to my original adjustments was necessary unless I was going to purposely switch to shoot at a different range. Otherwise, I’d highly recommend buying a throw lever separately to overcome this issue.

Mounting and Rings 

Unfortunately, the Vortex Strike Eagle doesn’t come with any mounts or rings. Regardless of how much scope elevation, the mount and rings I found are only going to raise the price an additional $60. These are the Vortex Pro 30mm mount and PR30 scope rings, which can go from 0.90” to 1.54”. 

I do recommend getting a switchview throw lever if you plan on using this in a fast-paced environment. If this isn’t how you plan on using this scope, then I wouldn’t worry about it. Just be prepared to commit to your adjustments. 

Is the Vortex Optics Strike Eagle 4-24x50 for you? 

If you’re looking for a cheap beginner’s optic to get you into long-range shooting, then the Vortex Strike Eagle is what I recommend. 

Here’s why: 

-Very durable 

-Crystal clear picture 

-Great long distance crosshair 

To sum it up: This is a very reliable scope. 

It’s a fairly cheap scope that focuses heavily on quality glass clarity and emphasis on distance shooting. Vortex also guarantees a lifetime warranty. So if you break it, you’re going to get a free replacement. 

Despite a few minor flaws, this scope definitely has the bang for the buck. If you need a rifle scope to hop into the world of long distance shooting with, I’d look no further than the Vortex Strike Eagle 4-24x50.

Richard Douglas is a firearms expert and educator. His work has appeared in large publications like The Armory Life, Daily Caller, American Shooting Journal, and more. In his free time, he reviews optics on his Scopes Field blog.