Hunting riflescopes
Vortex Crossfire 3-9x40 (Crossfire HD and Crossfire II): Full Specifications
Quick answer
The Vortex Crossfire HD 3-9x40 Riflescope, Dead-Hold BDC MOA Reticle sits in the under $250 budget band. Published figures: magnification 3-9x, objective lens 40 mm, tube diameter 25.4 mm. It suits a first deer rifle where the scope should outlast the rifle. Tube size is 1 inch (25.4 mm), the same as the older Crossfire II 3-9x40, so 1 inch rings fit either one.
The default first centrefire scope, and the reason is the warranty rather than the glass: Vortex transfers its lifetime warranty to whoever owns the scope, with no receipt and no registration, which is worth more over twenty years than a modest optical upgrade.
Every figure below is the manufacturer's own published specification, taken from the product listing and the data sheet. Where a figure is not published it is left out rather than estimated, which is why some sheets are shorter than others. The budget band comes from the listed price when this page was last compiled; the price Amazon shows at checkout is the one that counts.
On this page
Vortex Crossfire HD 3-9x40 specifications
The Vortex Crossfire HD 3-9x40 publishes magnification 3-9x, objective lens 40 mm, tube diameter 25.4 mm, in the under $250 budget band.
Sourced figure
| Specification | Published figure |
|---|---|
| Magnification | 3-9x |
| Objective lens | 40 mm |
| Tube diameter | 25.4 mm |
| Focal plane | Second |
| Reticle | Dead-Hold BDC |
Specifications above are the manufacturer published figures, taken from the product listing. Figures the maker does not publish, such as total elevation travel or exact eye relief, are omitted here rather than estimated.
What the manufacturer says about it
The manufacturer own listing bullets, quoted rather than paraphrased so you can judge the claims yourself. These are marketing copy, not independent measurement.
Vortex lists 5 headline points for the Crossfire HD 3-9x40, quoted here verbatim.
| Manufacturer listing point |
|---|
| The Crossfire HD 3-9x40 Second Focal Plane riflescope has an HD Optical System that uses select glass elements to deliver sharp resolution, reduces chromatic aberration, and provides excellent color fidelity with edge-to-edge clarity. |
| Fully multi-coated lenses feature anti-reflective coatings on all air-to-glass surfaces to enhance light transmission and improve clarity in low-light conditions. |
| The Dead-Hold BDC reticles uses a customized hashmark design helps eliminate guesswork on holdover and windage corrections. Good for use at varying ranges, where estimating holdover is a concern. |
| The fast focus eyepiece quickly adjusts your reticle focus for rapid target acquisition, whether you're in timber or at the range. |
| Built from aircraft-grade aluminum with a low-glare matte black anodized finish; waterproof, fogproof, and shockproof for lasting field performance. |
What this optic suits
Best for: a first deer rifle where the scope should outlast the rifle.
Category: hunting riflescopes. The honest test for any optic is whether its numbers match your rifle and the distances you actually shoot rather than whether it is a good product in the abstract. Work out what ring height you need, what exit pupil the magnification gives you and how much elevation the distance demands, using the calculators on this site, then check this model against those answers.
The closest alternatives at a similar price
Same category, nearest price. An alternative with no stated reason is filler, so each of these is here because it trades something specific against the model above.
Burris Fullfield E1 3-9x40 Riflescope
Under $250 Full specificationsA long-running American hunting scope with a forever warranty and a reticle with holdover marks that are actually usable rather than decorative.
Best for: a budget hunting build that still wants a real warranty
Check price on Amazon
Hawke Vantage 3-9x40 Riflescope
Under $250 Full specificationsHawke builds its reticles around its own published ballistic software, so the holdover marks correspond to a calculation you can run rather than to a generic curve.
Best for: a hunter who will actually use the holdover marks
Check price on Amazon
SIG SAUER Buckmasters 3-9x40 Riflescope
Under $150 Full specificationsSig glass and a BDC reticle at a price that competes with the unbranded flood, which is the most useful thing any major maker has done in this category recently.
Best for: a budget hunting scope from a maker with a service department
Check price on Amazon
Vortex Diamondback 3-9x40 Riflescope, Dead-Hold BDC Reticle
Under $250 Full specificationsThe same configuration as the Crossfire II with better glass and a cleaner image at the top of the magnification range, which is exactly where a cheaper scope goes soft and dark.
Best for: the buy-once hunting scope at a sensible price
Check price on AmazonSide by side
| Model | Budget | Magnification | Objective lens | Tube diameter | Focal plane | Reticle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Vortex Crossfire HD 3-9x40 Riflescope, Dead-Hold BDC MOA Reticle | Under $250 | 3-9x | 40 mm | 25.4 mm | Second | Dead-Hold BDC |
| Burris Fullfield E1 3-9x40 Riflescope | Under $250 | 3-9x | 40 mm | 25.4 mm | Second | - |
| Hawke Vantage 3-9x40 Riflescope | Under $250 | 3-9x | 40 mm | 25.4 mm | Second | - |
| SIG SAUER Buckmasters 3-9x40 Riflescope | Under $150 | 3-9x | 40 mm | 25.4 mm | Second | BDC |
A dash means the manufacturer does not publish that figure. We leave it blank rather than estimating it.
How we chose
We did not test these optics in person and we never claim to. Picks are researched from manufacturer specification sheets, published optical and ballistic formulas, and the recurring themes in verified owner reviews. Every pick is matched to a real objective diameter, a real tube size, a real ring height or a real exit pupil rather than to a price bracket, and it is placed in the tier where its capability actually belongs. Where a figure is shooter convention rather than a sourced number we label it, and where a manufacturer does not publish a figure we leave it out instead of estimating it.
Sources
- Vortex published specifications for the Crossfire HD 3-9x40
- Amazon product listing features and current pricing
Frequently asked questions
What tube size is the Vortex Crossfire II 3-9x40?
One inch, which is 25.4 mm. The Crossfire HD 3-9x40 that Vortex sells now also uses a 1 inch tube, so the same 1 inch rings fit both. Buy rings sized for 1 inch, not 30 mm, and pick a ring height that clears the 40 mm objective bell on your barrel.
Which reticle does the Vortex Crossfire 3-9x40 use?
The Crossfire HD 3-9x40 on this page carries the Dead-Hold BDC MOA reticle, a second focal plane duplex with holdover hashmarks below the centre, so the holdover values are only true at the magnification Vortex specifies (usually the top power). The older Crossfire II 3-9x40 was sold with a V-Plex duplex or the same Dead-Hold BDC.
Is the Crossfire II still sold?
The Crossfire II 3-9x40 has become hard to find new, and the Crossfire HD 3-9x40 is the Crossfire model current retail listings carry. Specifications on this sheet are for the HD model; tube size and focal plane are the same as the Crossfire II.
How much does the Vortex Crossfire HD 3-9x40 cost?
It sits in the under $250 budget band, based on the listed price when this page was last compiled. Optics pricing moves frequently and promotional pricing is common, so check the current price on Amazon before committing to a purchase or budgeting a whole setup around it.
Is the Vortex Crossfire HD 3-9x40 right for my rifle?
A first deer rifle where the scope should outlast the rifle. Beyond that, the honest test is whether it physically fits and whether its numbers match the distances you shoot. Check the ring height its objective needs and the exit pupil its magnification gives before deciding.
Where do these specifications come from?
The manufacturer published figures, taken from the product listing and data sheet. We do not test products in person and we never claim to, so nothing here is a measured result. Where a specification is not published by the manufacturer it is omitted rather than estimated, which is why some sheets are shorter than others.
Will this fit my rifle and my rings?
Check three things in this order. The tube diameter has to match the rings exactly, because a 30 mm ring will not hold a 34 mm tube. The objective bell has to clear the barrel at the ring height you own. And the rail or base pattern on the receiver has to match the mount. Those three account for most returns in this category.
Is it worth buying this rather than the cheaper alternative?
Only if the thing it does better is something you actually need. The alternatives listed above each trade something specific, and on a first setup the money almost always does more good spent on a solid mount, a torque driver and a level than on upgrading the glass by one model.
Researched, not professional advice. This page is compiled from published manufacturer specifications, published optical and ballistic formulas, and owner-review consensus, not hands-on testing. Figures described as a rule of thumb are shooter convention rather than sourced numbers, and they are labelled that way wherever they appear. Ballistic figures come from a point mass model using the ballistic coefficient the maker publishes, so treat them as a starting point and confirm them on paper at a measured distance. Confirm your firearm is unloaded with the action open before you mount, level, torque or bore sight anything. Verify a zero only on a supervised range or a safe, legal backstop, know what lies beyond your target, and follow the law where you hunt and shoot, including rules on land access and permitted cartridges.
