Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6x24 Review

Before scopes like this one, a true 1x variable with an illuminated reticle and a wide enough field of view for fast close-range use was a premium purchase. The Strike Eagle 1-6x24 combined those features with an updated magnification ring that includes a thread-in throw lever and repositioned magnification indicators visible without removing the scope from the rifle, at a price competitive with much simpler fixed 4x optics.

The reticle is second focal plane, meaning the illuminated centre dot stays a constant visual size regardless of magnification, which is the correct choice for a scope meant to be used at 1x with both eyes open exactly like a red dot, and the BDC3 reticle adds holdover marks for when the shot calls for more precision than a centre hold.

The 24 mm objective on this scope is modest by long range standards and is exactly the right size for its job, because the whole design lives at low magnification.

Yes, and it matters more than most spec sheets suggest. A genuine 1x setting introduces no magnification at all, so both eyes stay open and the reticle floats on the target the way a red dot does, with no image shift or apparent movement as your eye position changes slightly. A scope that markets "1x" but is actually 1.1x or 1.2x introduces a small but real image magnification that some shooters find disorienting with both eyes open at speed, particularly under time pressure.

Owner-review consensus on this scope consistently describes the low end as behaving like a red dot rather than like a low-magnification scope, which is the specific claim that separates a well-executed true 1x from a marketing approximation.

A 24 mm objective on a 30 mm tube needs comparatively little ring height, which is one of the practical advantages of a compact LPVO over a long range scope. Check what ring height a 24 mm objective needs on a 30 mm tube before ordering, and consider a cantilever mount if the rifle's rail position requires the scope pushed forward for proper eye relief at 1x.

A throw lever, included on this scope's magnification ring, is worth using rather than skipping: the difference between 1x and 6x needs to be a single fast motion under time pressure, and a bare magnification ring without a lever is slower to find and turn with a gloved hand.

The honest limitation of this scope is magnification, and it is a deliberate limitation rather than a flaw. Six power is enough to identify a target and take a confident shot out to roughly the distance the BDC3 reticle's holdover marks cover, and it runs out of usefulness well before the distances a dedicated long range scope in this catalog is built for. A shooter who expects this scope to also serve as an occasional long range tool will be disappointed by 6x, which was never the design goal.

The second real limitation, shared with every second focal plane reticle, is that the BDC3 holdover marks are only correct at one specific magnification, typically the maximum. Using them at any lower power gives an incorrect holdover distance, which is a genuine drawback against a first focal plane scope and the direct cost of keeping the reticle a constant visual size at 1x.

The most direct comparison is the 1-8x24 version of this exact platform, reviewed separately, plus two competitors at a similar price.

If the extra reach is worth the narrower exit pupil at the top, the Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8x24 Second Focal Plane Riflescope, BDC3 MOA uses the same 24 mm objective pushed to 8x, covered in a companion review specifically addressing what that costs in eye box and brightness. The Primary Arms SLX 1-6x24 Second Focal Plane Gen IV LPVO Riflescope matches the magnification range with an ACSS reticle that adds built-in ranging and holdover instead of Vortex's simpler BDC3, at a modest premium. The Swampfox Arrowhead 1-6x24 SFP LPVO, Green BDC, 30mm undercuts this scope on price with a green illumination option, which reads better against foliage for many eyes than the standard red dot.