SRO vs Vortex Defender XL vs 507comp

[Jtown]

I'm looking to get into USPSA and none of the local matches around me seem to have anyone shooting irons. I am looking to get my Shadow 2 milled for an optic and I'm trying to weigh out price for performance. From what I've seen online the Vortex Defender XL and the 507 comp are highly regarded. However, that is mostly from youtubers who get them for free. Anyone have experience with either? I just want a dot, don't care bout the circles or whatever else reticles the 507 has.

If they suck I'll bite the bullet and get an SRO

 

[DD130]

I have a couple of 507Comps. They are kinda huge. I liked my first so much, I've been fitting them to all my target guns. They are pretty large, and I don't know about durability, so I've not fit them to any defense guns. It's the 507 on steroids. Larget window, more reditle / dot options.

I don't have an RDO or Vortex to direct compare, but I do have a DeltaPoint Pro, which is also huge, and the 507Comp is larger and "seems" like it'd be every bit as durable.

If there are any specific questions about the Comp, I'll do my best to answer.

Left to Right: SIG Romeo1, HS 507Comp, HS 507C-X2, Canic Mec1, Leo DPoint Pro

 

[Jtown]

I have a couple of 507Comps. They are kinda huge. I liked my first so much, I've been fitting them to all my target guns. They are pretty large, and I don't know about durability, so I've not fit them to any defense guns. It's the 507 on steroids. Larget window, more reditle / dot options.

I don't have an RDO or Vortex to direct compare, but I do have a DeltaPoint Pro, which is also huge, and the 507Comp is larger and "seems" like it'd be every bit as durable.

If there are any specific questions about the Comp, I'll do my best to answer.

Left to Right: SIG Romeo1, HS 507Comp, HS 507C-X2, Canic Mec1, Leo DPoint Pro
View attachment 476037

Thanks for the info! Also that is quite an impressive case. I can see you like the 320 lol.

For the comp, do you use the red dot reticle? If so do you find it to be big enough?

 

[baboon]

I bought a SRO and really like it. I put it on a suppressed pistol figuring it would be easier on my eyes then suppressor sights.

 

[DD130]

Thanks for the info! Also that is quite an impressive case. I can see you like the 320 lol.

For the comp, do you use the red dot reticle? If so do you find it to be big enough?

No problem. Yeah.. I've drunk a few hundred gallons on P320 coolaid it would seem. I've gone back to the dot, the 8 MOA circle was a little distracting for me, but having the outer 32 MOA cicle was really helpful when I was transitioning to dots to help me get that first sight picture on draw or presentation.

The case is made by Condition 1 here in Texas. I've been using it for a couple of years, and it's great! I picked up their smaller 2-pistol case and it's used to hold ammo, 2 guns, pile of mags, hearing pro for all range trips.

 

[baboon]

 

[Jtown]

No problem. Yeah.. I've drunk a few hundred gallons on P320 coolaid it would seem. I've gone back to the dot, the 8 MOA circle was a little distracting for me, but having the outer 32 MOA cicle was really helpful when I was transitioning to dots to help me get that first sight picture on draw or presentation.

The case is made by Condition 1 here in Texas. I've been using it for a couple of years, and it's great! I picked up their smaller 2-pistol case and it's used to hold ammo, 2 guns, pile of mags, hearing pro for all range trips.

Thanks for the info! I def appreciate the feedback. Going to check out those pistol cases too!

View attachment 476153

That is sick AF! Is that a west german 226?

 

[baboon]

Thanks for the info! I def appreciate the feedback. Going to check out those pistol cases too!



That is sick AF! Is that a west german 226?

Yes it is. Its so old it lacks the rail on the dust cover and was not cut for a dot. The SRO is on an adapter plate that went into the rear sight dove tail. Even with it lacking that its West German which in my opinion were better built guns.

 

[MTA]

another vote for the Chinasun 507Comp.. I have one on my S&W Competitor and its been outstanding.. wouldn't mind an SRO though

 

[asn]

I have the 507 comp on my shadow 2 Orange that I used for USPSA, as well as a couple of other pistols. It is a great optic and a very reasonable price

Before they came out, I was using Delta Point Pros. Another great optic, just a smaller window

 

[Jtown]

Well dang y’all are making me want a holosun now lol

 

[Jtown]

Yes it is. It’s so old it lacks the rail on the dust cover and was not cut for a dot. The SRO is on an adapter plate that went into the rear sight dove tail. Even with it lacking that its West German which in my opinion were better built guns.

Jealous dude. That is a sweet gun.

 

[etmo]

I compete in USPSA with an Accu-Shadow that wears an SRO. Red dot and nothing else, simple and stupid fast.

I've tried a friend's Shadow 2 with the 507 comp -- the optic is good in a lot of ways, but the reticle choices did annoy me.

A 2 MOA dot is too small for USPSA imo, you'll lose time trying to pick it up at speed in certain situations, and all those stupid circles are in the way, cluttering up the field.
I think the choice I hated the least was the 2 MOA dot with an 8 MOA circle around it. I tried to just pretend it was an 8 MOA dot.
In the end it was still too busy, pulled my eye too much, a bit too big, but the other choices were (for me, YMMV) totally unusable for USPSA. Maybe there are more choices now, or maybe I didn't notice some choices for reticles, so check that out first.

The SRO is still clearly the top of the heap, but the 507 comp does not suck except that the reticles suck. If you like the 507 reticle choices, I think you'd be OK. IIRC, they both use the RMR footprint, so if you decide to change your mind on optic, you'll be GTG.

Haven't tried the Vortex, I don't see a lot of guys running it.

 

[baboon]

Jealous dude. That is a sweet gun.

The story of that gun is pretty good. I had an FFl still at that time. At work I became friends with the salesman for Armor meats. In talking he asked what gun I was planning to order next? Back then Ploy Technologies milled Ak’s were on the market, and that was what I was planning on. So Tom from Armor said he wanted one too.

As luck would have it the Assault Weapon Ban hit, and the wholesales cut of their sales to reap the rewards of their increased value. Tom asked me what was I gonna buy instead. At that time the West German Sig 226 was the same price.

Needing to feed our new pistols the cheapest 9mm ammo was Egyptian at IIRC was .03 cents a round. I ended up buying 5K of it and splitting it with 4 others. It turned out to be some of the crappiest ammo I had ever seen, bought and shot. The nice thing about the 226 was the ability to recock it if it failed to shoot.

 

[Jtown]

The story of that gun is pretty good. I had an FFl still at that time. At work I became friends with the salesman for Armor meats. In talking he asked what gun I was planning to order next? Back then Ploy Technologies milled Ak’s were on the market, and that was what I was planning on. So Tom from Armor said he wanted one too.

As luck would have it the Assault Weapon Ban hit, and the wholesales cut of their sales to reap the rewards of their increased value. Tom asked me what was I gonna buy instead. At that time the West German Sig 226 was the same price.

Needing to feed our new pistols the cheapest 9mm ammo was Egyptian at IIRC was .03 cents a round. I ended up buying 5K of it and splitting it with 4 others. It turned out to be some of the crappiest ammo I had ever seen, bought and shot. The nice thing about the 226 was the ability to recock it if it failed to shoot.

man I can't even imagine 3 cent 9mm. Even if it was crappy I'd buy a whole truckload of it

 

[baboon]

man I can't even imagine 3 cent 9mm. Even if it was crappy I'd buy a whole truckload of it

It was absolutely the worst ammo that I ever bought in my life. The first thing you noticed was this fine sand. loading magazines meant your going to have to clean them afterwards. The primers had something going on as many had to be struck twice, Accuracy wasn't supper bad, but it wasn't good.

One of the guys that I slit it with would shoot two pistols at the same time because it was so cheap & he just wanted to burn through it.

Years later my niece married the guy that I bought it from. This was back in the good old Shot Gun News days. He said the owner bought a container that was full of it and some of crap ammo from Egypt.