Vortex Defender XL Review — Bigger. Faster. Better.

By Michael Mills

Over the past 10 years, micro red dot optics on pistols have become the norm. Many major metropolitan police departments and sheriff’s offices now either issue or allow pistol-mounted optics. The U.S. military has pistols ready for optics. Competitive shooting disciplines all have optics divisions now, and every day more and more people carry pistols every day with optics on them. And as with the Springfield Armory Echelon we are using today, Springfield Armory has committed heavily to making optic-ready pistols.

With the explosion in demand for pistol-mounted optics, Vortex released the new Defender-XL. This is the third of the Defender line, and it’s the largest in both window-size and dot-size offering from the company. The model line-up from Vortex includes the smallest Defender-CCW, the duty-size Defender-ST, and now the Defender-XL. All now have upgraded functionality and battery life based on inline changes Vortex made in response to consumer requests.

The Vortex Defender-XL, specifically, has a generous window size of 25.5mm width x 23.3mm height. This large window lends itself to target and competition shooting alike, and is offered with either a 5 MOA or 8 MOA red dot. The parallax-free glass design gives a great clear view with no noticeable distortion when in use on the range. The projected red dot is extremely crisp and clear with 10 levels of adjustment to use in any light condition, with the lowest two being night vision compatible if you like the nightlife range time.

The optic features motion-sensing auto shut-off and turn-on features, giving it a robust 25,000 hour battery life depending on brightness settings. And despite its large size, it comes in right at 1.93 ounces, which is not bad at all. The body is constructed of tough 7075 aluminum, and it is both water- and fogproof. A “ShockShield” system of polymer inserts help absorb the impacts of recoil and protect the mechanism of the optic.

One of the coolest features is the pop-up battery tray. This design makes battery changes very easy and fast. You simply loosen the set screw and push the battery tray button. Once the lid pops up and open, you see that it is magnetic. This ensures you can easily get the battery in and out. No more having to fish it out with a small pin or knife due to being captured by battery contacts like with some optics.

Mounting Up

Mounting the Vortex Defender XL is very simple, especially on the Springfield Echelon. Since the Echelon has the Variable Interface System using locking pins and deep threaded fasteners, you just choose your pin set based on the Echelon mounting instruction. The result is a system that can direct-mount more than 30 popular red dot optics.

In the case of the Defender-XL, it features the Leupold Delta Point Pro footprint, so you choose Pin set #2 and the appropriate fasteners. Unlike other optic companies, Vortex has made mounting very easy by including most of the major fasteners needed, and they are individually labeled and packaged. If you choose to mount onto a Picatinny rail, you can do that as well with the included Picatinny mount.

With a little bit of thread locker applied and the torque specification met, you are now ready to wait. Yup, I said ready to wait. Remember, you want to give that thread locker time to cure, so make sure you follow the instructions. Once you have, it’s time for a zero.

I like to zero my red dots at 15 yards, but you can do 10, 25 or whatever you feel comfortable with. The adjustments for windage and elevation with the Defender-XL are in one MOA increments with tactile feedback, so you know when you have made an adjustment.

Upon zeroing I noticed the generous window size, which allows for a very clear view of an entire IPSC-sized paper target and some area around it. The dot was very bold and concise. As someone who has an astigmatism, not all dots look the same to my eye. Oftentimes, I see what looks like a bug splatter more than a dot. This can come from many different reasons, to include glass curvature, LED strength or notch filters on the glass. I ran both the 5 and the 8 MOA versions, and personally I like the 5 for normal use. But for a competition-style pistol, the 8 MOA is the way to go for those super-fast, flash sight pictures.

In case some of you were wondering, this Echelon pistol does have some custom work to it. The barrel and slide porting was done by Floyd’s Custom Shop. So was the magwell and magazine base plates. Floyd’s Custom Shop is well known for precise machine work and performance driven modifications. The growing support from the aftermarket for the Springfield Echelon is just another sign of its growing popularity and confidence owners have in it.

No Easy Range Days

I took the dot through the paces on the range from simple presentations to running plenty of holster drills. Any time I use a new red dot, I love to run drills like the Bill Drill, Baer Solutions Drill, target transitions and generally some longer-distance shots. I laid off the 100-plus-yard shots on the XL though, since the 5 and 8 MOA dots are not intended for precise aiming and are really much more for up-close work.

One of the biggest qualities I look for when running a pistol at speed is the LED’s strength. By this, I mean does the LED appear to blink or phase when moving rapidly. One way to extend the life of an optic is to use a LED that has a lower power, or refresh rate. Think about seeing super high-speed camera footage where it looks like the lights are blinking. Effectively all lights pulse or blink, it’s just that most do it so fast your eyes don’t see it. But, if you cheap out on the LED in an optic, it becomes pretty apparent very quickly. Vortex put the money where it needed to go in the Defender line, and the LEDs are all extremely solid.

Range Thoughts

After a good training day, there were a few things that really stood out and one thing that will require me to change equipment based on the size of the Defender-XL. Some standout features are the clarity of the dot and the glass. They used a minimal notch filter, so there are no weird color distortions when you look through the glass. The magnetic pop-up battery tray is a really cool feature. The polymer shock insert has proven to be very durable when conducting drop tests on other models. Also, the window size is just really nice when going from one target to another. Now this may be a bit big for a concealed carry set-up, but for a belt-mounted or competition set-up, this fits the bill in every way.

We do have to address holsters and other gear anytime we make a change. As I was practicing on the range, I noticed several times as I drew my pistol that the dot was dim. I would re-adjust, do some more drills, and then the dot would be on low again. Needless to say, I had some concerns that the battery was dying or that the optic may be malfunctioning since I had set up the optic per the instructions and knew my settings were manually controlled.

When I inspected the dot and my current Safariland ALS holster, I noticed the optic appeared to be making contact with the side of the holster. It just so happens that the area of contact was right on the brightness adjustment on the Defender. Now let me say this holster was not designed for XL-sized optics, and is an early prototype I have tested for the past year. This is a great example of why you always need specific holsters and gear for what you are carrying or intend to carry. The good news is there were no issue with the optic, functionally or quality-wise.

Who Is It Actually For

I guess I should start by saying you can put this on anything you want and use it how you want. But, the Defender XL model is really meant for competition use. The overall size, window size and size of the dot is directly designed for competition. It can also cross easily over into outside-the-waistband carry pistol.

Again, I’m not saying you cannot carry it concealed, but if you’re looking for a super small optic for your Hellcat Pro, the Defender CCW is right for you. If you want a duty-sized optic that you can still easily carry, the footprint of the Defender ST is for you. If you want a big optic with a big window ideal for competitive, fast-paced shooting, the Defender-XL is right for you. Luckily you have all of these options to choose from, and they are all backed by the Vortex name and lifetime warranty.

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