By R.K. “Bob” Campbell | Contributing Editor
There is a huge market for rifle scopes, and the choices include everything from expensive scopes well worth their money, and a very few middle priced scopes that perform outside their price range.
The Vortex Strike Eagle is one of those that performs better than what you would expect from the MSRP.
When I wanted to outfit a new AR with a versatile and useful optic I turned to Vortex. The brand has given good results in every optic I have tested and I didn’t have reason to expect anything else. I own and appreciate just a handful of rifle optics. As those who know me will attest I have a handgun for every occasion. My rifles are few but fill a very real and much appreciated role in the scheme of things.
I recently upgraded to a special Ruger AR 15. The MPR features an 18-inch barrel compared to the 16-inch barrel of most AR carbines. The finish is a beautiful Cerakote American flag motif.
While we are looking closely at optics in this report the Ruger is as good as it gets in a modern AR-15-type rifle. You can pay more but you get very little more in performance.
The barrel is the heart of the rifle and the MPR features a Ruger 452 trigger. This is a clean breaking trigger action at 4.5 pounds with no creep and a sharp reset. This is a well thought out rifle with excellent performance.
But this report is about optics. I received one of the first of the new Strike Eagle 1-10 x 24 FFP rifle scopes and mounted it on the Ruger. Like all scopes that wear the Vortex name the glass is clear.
The scope is a first focal plane design. That matters in some areas. The magnification is ideal for those who like to run one rifle for personal defense, hunting, and some forms of competition. I am very pleased with this combination to 200 yards. The Strike Eagle scope is light enough at 1.35 pounds. Finish is good and overall quality is apparent upon inspection.
The designation 1 x 10 means the optic allows setting the magnification from one to ten power. This makes for real versatility in a number of situations. As an example for home defense the lowest setting is called for while hunting medium sized game at modest range may call for a magnification of eight power. Small targets such as coyote at 200 yards are best addressed with the ten power setting.
First focal plane simply means that as you zoom in and out with the rifle scope the cross hairs also grow or shrink. This is a desirable option for many uses. This is a good scope for the shooter who owns one rifle or a dozen.
A handy feature of the Strike Eagle is a throw lever that allows quickly changing magnification. Simply turn the lever and the adjustment knob turns with it. Setting magnification in the field is simple enough. With the first focal plane feature the same reticle picture is retained through all magnification steps. The illuminated reticle features an automatic off and shake awake feature. That is unusual and a boon to practical shooters.
There are nine brightness settings. I ran through the settings; there is clearly the perfect setting for each situation. I will decide on the perfect setting for my use after more firing. The turrets are positive in operation. They require the right amount of effort to adjust and click in properly. I like to exert a little effort in turret manipulation. These stay in place after the range is set.
The EBR 8 BDC reticle is a good feature. This reticle offers a reliable aiming point at all magnifications and rapid acquisition of the target. Hold over is simple. I sighted the rifle in for 100 yards and then practiced hold over to 140 yards with good results. My rifle’s eye relief is 3.7 inches with the sight properly mounted.
The Strike Eagle is nitrogen purged and o-ring sealed. While most quality scopes are fog proof this is a comforting feature. I mounted the Vortex scope using a Vortex cantilever mount. I cannot overstate the suitability of this mount of hard use. It isn’t inexpensive and it should not be. This is a secure system, rigid and tough.
Firing Tests
I sighted the rifle in first at 25 yards, setting the rifle to fire two inches low. This would get the rifle near zero at a long 100 yards. Most of the rounds fired in the early test were inexpensive FMJ loads, ideal for practice and initial sighting in. I fired the combination in off hand fire during the first evaluation burning up 100 rounds quickly.
The Strike Eagle is very fast on target when set at its lowest setting. The combination is fast on target at modest range showing its viability for close range defense use. I fired at man sized targets at 50 yards and dialing in the magnification at 100 yards fired at smaller targets. The combination of a fast handling rifle and a clear optic proved effective.
While a lighter AR 15 rifle is useful for a great defensive piece the MRP isn’t that much heavier and is very stable. If you are tired and your arms shaking a heavier rifle is actually steadier on target. When you move to 50 and 75 yards the rifle proved to have an advantage in stability. In off hand fire the MRP is as good as it gets in a solid reliable and useful AR. Moving to benchrest fire the combination was put to the test in a meaningful manner. I appreciated the reticle especially, the aiming point is very precise and affords the shooter a consistently reliable aiming point.
I began in with Black Hills Ammunition 55-grain FMJ ammunition in sighting the rifle in for 100 yards. It took less than a half a magazine to zero the scope in after the initial 25-yard work.
Federal American Eagle 62-grain Green Tip also provided good accuracy. Settling into the new Rival Arms Ratchet Rest shooting bag, propping the butt stock up on a smaller bag, the rifle was in as stable a firing position as possible. These range bags are adjustable for height and give a serious shooter a real advantage in bench rest shooting.
Accuracy results are cataloged below. The rifle is a good AR by any standard but only as good as its glass. The Vortex Strike Eagle 1x10x24 is easily one of the most useful rifle scopes available. The coated class is clear without distortion, the FPP design makes for accuracy during rapid adjustment, and the turrets are well suited to hard use. This is a winning combination that will see much use in the future.
Accuracy results 100 yards
Load 3 shot group
Black Hills Ammunition 55 grain FMJ 1.4 inch.
Federal 62 grain Green Tip 1.25 in.
Black Hills Ammunition 60 grain JSP .9 inch
Federal 62 grain Fusion 1.0 in.
Black Hills Ammunition 77 grain SMK .75 inch
Ruger MPR Specs
Hardware/stocks MagPul MOE
Free Floating handguard with MOE SL™ collapsible buttstock on the Mil-Spec buffer tube. This is a rifle length gas tube.
- Handguard is free-floated for accuracy
- Flat top receiver
- Bolt 9310 alloy steel
- Trigger Ruger® Elite 452™ two-stage
- 4.5 lbs compression
- Barrel 18 inches with 1 in 8 inch barrel twist
- Chambers both 5.56mm NATO and .223 Remington
- Ruger radical port muzzle brake
- Model Number: 8538
- Caliber: 5.56 NATO / 223 REM
- Capacity: 30
- Finish: American Flag Cerakote
- Height: 8″
- Weight: 6.8 lb.
- Overall Length: 35″ – 38.25″
- Length of Pull: 11.10″ – 14.40″
Vortex Strike Eagle 1x10x24
Magnification 1 x 10
Objective Lens 24mm
First Focal Plane
Reticle EBR 8 BDC
Weight 1.35 lbs
