[Hands-on Review] Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8x24 SFP

The Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8x24 SFP is one of the most popular LPVOs on the market and the reason is no surprise: the Strike Eagle offers decent glass, a great reticle with illumination, and a solid magnification range for a great price.

In this article, I’ve covered everything there is to like (and dislike) about this scope, as well as some other strong options in the same price range.

Summary: Why the 1-8x24 Strike Eagle?

LPVOs have been increasingly popular because they offer 1x performance similar to a red dot, with the added capability of punching out further using magnification ranges from 4x - 10x.

The Strike Eagle 1-8x24 SFP hits a sweet spot in that ideal magnification range without pushing into a larger scope. 8x on an AR-15 will comfortably take you out to 500+ yards, and the Strike Eagle has the brightness and clarity to hit these distances easily.

Combine this with a great reticle that has ranging capabilities and illumination, the Strike Eagle 1-8x24 is one of the best LPVOs in the $300 - $500 price range.

Bright Glass, Excellent Reticle

Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8x24

Great lens coatings for brighter glass and one of my favorite reticles for 1x through 8x.

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Best Value

Primary Arms SLx 1-6x24mm SFP

Glass quality beyond its price point—outperforms more expensive options in field of view and clarity.

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Upgraded Pick

Vortex Viper 1-6x

For a bit more money, the Viper offers excellent clarity for the money and is still backed by Vortex.

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First Person: Testing & Review

For this review, I tested the Strike Eagle 1-8x24 SFP on a few different AR-15 setups to see how it would perform at various distances.

At 1x, the Strike Eagle feels just like a red dot—as long as your head position is within the eye box, ringing steel from 10 - 50 yards is light work for the LPVO. The glass is bright, and the illuminated reticle is the perfect size in both the second focal plane (SFP) and first focal plane (FFP) variants.

As the magnification is turned up, the eye box becomes a bit less forgiving but that is to be expected on a scope with a small 24mm objective lens (common on most LPVOs). For shots at longer distances, the assumption is you’ll have more time to get your head into position behind the scope, unlike at 1x where speed is important.

Effectively engaging targets at my local 300-yard range was easy with the Strike Eagle. At 8x, I still had plenty of scope available for shots longer than this.

My only complaint with the Strike Eagle was the field of view and the glass quality. For the price, the glass is still well above average, but there are other options like the Primary Arms SLx 1-6x and 1-8x that offer better clarity (less fisheye/warping) and better field of view for the same price.

If you’d like to stick with Vortex and don’t mind spending a bit more, the Vortex Viper 1-6x24 is a massive step up, but priced at around $600.

Overall, if you’re looking for an LPVO from a reputable company with one of the best warranties in the business, the Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8x24 SFP is a solid pick in the $300 - $500 price range.

Strike Eagle 1-8x24 Reticle: AR-BDC3

The AR-BDC3 reticle in the Strike Eagle 1-8x24 SFP is probably its best feature, and is one area I prefer over similar LPVOs like the Primary Arms SLx.

The AR-BDC3 reticle that comes with the Strike Eagle 1-8x24 has subtensions that are designed for .223/5.56 bullet drop. These holds can also be used for .308/7.62 as well.

Using the holds with .223/5.56 through an AR-15, I was able to repeatedly hit targets at the 300 yard mark, with additional subtensions available to take the rifle out to 600 yards.

Best of all, the reticle illuminates with a bright 1 MOA center dot and ~17 MOA outer ring that helps put you on target faster at lower magnification levels. At 1x, the reticle feels like a red dot sight with an outer ring + dot.

One of my favorite features is the dedicated ranging feature placed at the top of the scope which allows you to align the numbered widths to the shoulder width of a target in the distance.

Align the shoulders of your target with the ranging feature, and use the corresponding number to determine where they are between 300 - 600 yards. The ranging is surprisingly accurate, and the numbered lines were small enough to stay out of my way while aiming.

Glass: Clarity, Eye Relief, and Eye Box

The glass and eye box are areas where most LPVOs struggle. Because the objective lens of the Strike Eagle 1-8x24 is only 24mm, the eye box is less forgiving than larger scopes at the same magnification levels.

Still, at 1x the eye box on the Strike Eagle is plenty forgiving and feels fast like a red dot. My only real complaint is with some of the warping in the glass—at all magnification levels, there is a slight fisheye effect that causes a small amount of distortion.

Options like the Primary Arms SLx 1-6x or 1-8x have minimal distortion in comparison. I also noticed the field of view is a bit more narrow than competing scopes like Primary Arms SLx. 

On the bright side though, the Strike Eagle 1-8x24 does have superior lens coatings, allowing much more light through the scope. In lower light conditions (dawn and dusk), the Strike Eagle outperforms almost every other LPVO in this price range. Here in the Pacific Northwest where we have dark overcast days for half the year, the brightness of the Strike Eagle is worth noting.

FFP vs SFP: Which Strike Eagle should you get?

For an AR-15 setup or .308 battle rifle, speed is going to be much more important than anything else, and I don’t think the FFP reticle is necessary. Your money is likely better spent elsewhere unless you plan on taking shots beyond 300 yards at lower magnification levels and want to use the BDC markings in the reticle.

The SFP reticle remains constant in size regardless of magnification level, which means the holds are only applicable at the highest magnification level (in this case, 8x). I don’t find this to be a problem: if you need to use the holds etched in the scope, you are likely shooting out past 300 yards where you will want the scope turned to the highest magnification level anyway.

Overall, I’d opt for the Strike Eagle 1-8x24 SFP and save some money over the FFP version.

Pros & Cons

Specs

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8x24 has been an impressive LPVO at an excellent price. If you’re looking to extend the effective range of your AR-15, the Strike Eagle is a great place to start. With an incredibly fast 1x and impressive magnification range, this LPVO will be a competitive option for years to come.

The reticle is by far one of the best I’ve seen in any scope at this price, and the scope as a whole feels pretty bomb-proof.

If you’re looking for other scopes in the same price range, check out the Primary Arms SLx which offers slightly clearer glass with a better field of view (although, still not as bright as the Strike Eagle). For an upgraded pick by Vortex, I’m also a huge fan of the Viper 1-6x.