Tag Archives: vector

Field Testing the Vector Optics Frenzy 1x17x20 MRT Red Dot

December 4, 2025Optics, Product reviewfrenzy, MRT, rds, Red dot, vector, vector opticscoldboremiracle

Intro

As red dot sights become more and more popular, many variations of them are being brought to market. The enclosed emitter type is a more recent development, and today I am bringing you a review of another enclosed emitter option. This one comes from Vector optics, and it is called the Frenzy 1x17x20 MRT red dot. The Frenzy family has various models for differing applications, possibly one for every need.

The Vector Optics Frenzy 1x17x20 MRT Red Dot

Standing out from the other Frenzy models, the 1x17x20 MRT uses aspheric lenses and an enclosed emitter. Keeping the emitter sealed inside the housing prevents contamination and deterioration of the reticle. The aspheric lenses on the other hand, improve peripheral vision when looking through the sight. Giving an overall better view than traditional spherical lenses.

Controlling the Frenzy is done using two rubberized buttons on the left side of the optic. There are nine brightness settings and two for night vision usage. There is a motion sensing option, that will auto shut-off after three minutes of not moving, and power back up instantly upon moving.

Specifications

Specification	Details
Magnification	N/A
Window Lens Size / Objective Lens Size	17×20 mm / 0.67×0.79 in
Eye Relief	N/A
Parallax	≤ 2 MOA
Parallax Setting	25 yards
Dot Size / Reticle	3 MOA Dot, Circle, Crosshair, etc.
Dot / Reticle Color	Red
Sensor	Motion Sensor
Click Value	1 MOA
Elevation Adjustment Range	≥ 90 MOA
Windage Adjustment Range	≥ 90 MOA
Footprint	MGT (comparable to RMSc/SMS footprint)
Mounting Rail	Weaver
Illumination Setting	9 Daylight & 2 Night Vision
Battery Type	CR1620
Battery Life	50,000 hours (Lowest Power Mode)
Battery Placement	Side Loading
Waterproof	IP67
Shockproof	1500 G
Working Temperature	-20~+60°C / 2H
Housing Material	7075-T6 Aluminum Alloy
Mount Material	6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy
Finish	Matte Black
Weight (without mount)	26 g / 0.92 oz
Items in the Package	User Manual, Cleaning Cloth, Vekey, Weaver Mount, Hex Keys, etc.

Features

Multi-Reticle Options: 3 MOA Dot, Crosshair, and Circle with 9 Brightness Levels & 2 NV Illumination Modes for Diverse Shooting Scenarios. I used the Frenzy with the dot and the circle dot, I like the precise aimpoint of the dot alone, but the larger circle dot is nice for covering targets. The brightness settings all seemed perfectly adequate in daylight and less. I even tried the NV settings which were perfectly visible, though it did seem a little harder to get a clear presentation of everything. But that could be more a NV thing than to do with the Frenzy.

the Frenzy was right at home on my **Shadow Systems DR920**, seen here with the **Nightstick TWM-30-T**

· Distortion-Free Clarity: Aspheric Lens Minimizes Aberration, 26g / 0.92oz Lightweight Design Ideal for EDC. I did notice a little difference than with other red dots, it seemed there was better reticle acquisition. As well there was less distortion when moving the red dot, the target area behind the reticle seemed more stable.

· Smart Power Management: Motion Sensor Prevents Wasted Battery, Side-Loading Design Allows Easy Replacement Without Losing Zero. I can’t believe this isn’t standard equipment on every red dot on the market. The auto power off is a great feature to save battery power, and the power-up is instantaneous with any movement. I did notice that it did take slightly longer than advertised to shut down, but that is nothing to worry about in my opinion.

· All-Weather Performance: 7075-T6 Aluminum Alloy with IP67 Waterproof Enclosed Design for Reliable Outdoor Use. Another fantastic feature that keeps rain and snow out of the important parts of your sight. Even in pretty thick snow fall, it was easy to just wipe the front and back lenses clear. With no concern of anything getting into the emitter.

· Broad Compatibility: MGT Footprint Fits RMSc/SMS Mounts for GLOCK® 43X/48 MOS, Canik® TP9, Walther® PPS, etc. This was a new one for me, I guess the MGT footprint is one Vector Optics created. It did fit perfectly on various handguns, making it a great choice if you have a variety. I really liked the configurable footprint of my Ruger RXM which the Frenzy-S dropped into perfectly.

Mounting the Frenzy

So far I’ve mounted the Frenzy on two different Glock clone pistols. The first one is my Shadow Systems DR920, it too has variable mounting options for different red dots. But the Frenzy fit snugly, and easily allowed the use of the rear sight when looking through the window of the sight. The Frenzy has a rear sight incorporated to its housing, so in the event your pistol’s rear sight is too short or removed to run a red dot you can use this one.

The Frenzy came with various different mounting screws that can be used in different pistol slides. This was very handy when I decide to swap the sight over to my Ruger RXM. It dropped into place after configuring the recoil pins into the right location. And with a touch of Loctite, I torqued down the screws to keep it in place.

looking through the window of the Frenzy on the RXM

Shooting with the Frenzy Red Dot

Some enclosed emitter red dots have a very narrow field of view, which makes it feel like looking through a small tube, instead of looking through a window like most red dots. I have used some very popular red dot sights that seemed too narrow, and didn’t care for the view. One thing I like about this Frenzy is it doesn’t block out the area around the target, it feels like most open red dots giving a pretty wide field of view.

Zeroing the Frenzy was simple using the miniature rifle shaped tool that was included with it. Adjusting the reticle to match the iron sight position was quick and easy. The two buttons are rubberized which makes them easy to feel, and adjustments are concise with a small click everytime the button is pushed.

adjusting the brightness of the Frenzy is easy using the rubberized buttons. The RXM with the Frenzy and **Streamlight TLR-8** is an excellent combination

You can cycle through the brightness settings easily using the two buttons. Changing the reticle is done by holding down the + button until it changes to one of the three options. Carrying a pistol with the Frenzy was great because of its small size. Many enclosed emitter red dots are much bigger than this, making them a little uncomfortable for CCW. With its small size it fit neatly into holsters and doesn’t extend beyond the width of the slide.

the Frenzy mounted on the **Ruger RXM** fit perfectly into my **Safariland Incog-X holster**

Pros and Cons

The Frenzy feels well built, with its aluminum housing that appears to be machined from a single piece. The lenses are clear and give excellent transmission without much reticle flare. The MSRP of $249 might seem a bit steep to some, but it can easily be had for as little as $169.99 That is reasonable considering I’ve seen many others priced comparably that are inferior.

And not only does the Frenzy come with a limited lifetime warranty, they also come with a 15 day money back guarantee. They give you plenty of ways out should you not like the product, but I expect you will. The only strike against the Frenzy is arguably that it is made overseas. But nearly all red dots are made in Asia, and it hasn’t stopped some of them from being among the most desireable sights on the market.

Final Thoughts

This Vector Optics Frenzy 1x17x20 MRT is definitely a red dot that will stay on my more frequently used pistols. I have really grown to appreciate its clear view and easily picked up reticle. There is very little not to like about this dot, so it will stay in my collection of most used red dots.

-CBM

Vector Optics Continental 2-12X44

July 17, 2025Optics, Product review2-12x44, continental, lpvo, vector, vector optics, vector optics continentalcoldboremiracle

Preface

You may have seen my past reviews of other Vector Optics, but today we are diving into another one. This time we are looking at the Vector Optics Continental 2-12X44 riflescope, I think this one fits into a very niche purpose. Its almost a low power variable optic (LPVO) by some standards, and yet it shares some of the long-range features of the other Continental scopes. But will this medium power scope fit into one purpose or the other? Let’s find out together.

Vector Optics Continental 2-12

Lets get one thing out of the way, foreign made optics have taken up a massive share of the market. A huge number of them are coming from China, Japan and the Philippines. Whether we like it or not that is the way things are going, and since it’s spoiled us for choice there is a positive side. Vector Optics are made in China, and I’ve mentioned before that these Continental scopes have made a strong case for changing our perception of what made in China means.

Vector optics, continental 1-12x44, riflescope, desert tech, quattro 15, aero precision, quadmag 53,

The 2-12 is built on a 34mm maintube. Most scopes in these lower power ranges use a 30mm tube or perhaps even the smaller 1-inch tube. This scope like the other Vector’s I’ve tried is a first focal plane design, which means the reticle changes size with the power magnification.

The reticle is moved inside the large erector housing using the exposed turrets. Both turrets have a push/pull locking feature to prevent unwanted movement. And both are graduated in MRAD with 1/10 MRAD clicks and a total of ten MRAD per rotation.

Vector optics, continental 2-12x44, riflescope, turret, — note rotation indicator pin elevated on top of the turret. On the 1st rotation it pops up red, and on the second rotation it exposes the silver under the red.

The adjustable parallax is another nice feature, and one that is paramount for shooting long-range (you can read about why HERE). Additionally, there is illumination for the reticle which is stacked on top of the parallax adjustment knob. This makes the milling reticle even more useful in scenarios where light might not be adequate.

Specifications

Magnification	2-12x
Objective Lens Dia	44 mm
Focal Plane	First Focal Plane
Eye Relief	100 mm / 4.0 in
Lens Coating	Fully Multi-coated
Linear Field of View @ 100 yd	62.4 – 10.8 ft @ 100 yards
Linear Field of View @ 100 m	20.8-3.6 m @ 100 meters
Angular Field of View	11.92 – 2.06 °
Reticle	VET-CTR 2 Etched Glass

Tube Dia	34 mm
Side Focus	10 yards to Infinity
Click Value	1/10 MIL
Turret Function	Zero Stop, Turret Lock
Elevation Adjustment Range	≥63 MIL
Windage Adjustment Range	≥30 MIL
Diopter Compensation	-2 to +2
Illumination Setting	11 Gears, On/Off Switch
Battery Type	CR2032
Waterproof	IP67
Fogproof	Nitrogen Filled
Shockproof	1000 G
Housing Material	6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy
Finish	Matte Black
Length	317 mm / 12.5 in
Weight	767 g / 27.1 oz
Items in the Package	User Manual, Cleaning Cloth, Plastic Wrench, Lens Caps, Spare Elevation Turret, sunshade, scope rings

Unboxing the Continental 2-12

Unfortunately, my package was mistreated during delivery which resulted in some damage to the box. But after close inspection the packaging was very good at protecting the scope and its accessories inside.

Inside the box, there is the scope, a sunshade, a set of 34mm rings, an extra elevation turret (for use without zero-stop). As well as the owners manual, lens cloth, a tool for adjusting the turret, and a battery. It was a very nice package before it was damaged.

Mounting Solution

I really appreciate the included rings with these Continental scopes. Often when rings are included they look so cheap you don’t dare use them. These ones on the other hand look very adequate for a scope like this.

Vector optics, continental 2-12x44, riflescope, rings, — the included **rings from Vector Opt i cs**

Even so, I chose to use a different mounting solution for my initial purposes. I grabbed a Zro Delta cantilever 34mm scope mount, it would allow proper mounting and eye relief on different rifles. The strong oversized screws give robust even clamping.

With the scope mounted in the Zro Delta mount, I attached it to the picatinny rail of my rifle. This rifle is a hybrid made from an Aero Precision upper and a Desert Tech Quattro 15 lower. After which I did a quick boresight job to get it on paper at one hundred yards.

Shooting with the Vector Continental 2-12

My first outing with the Continental 2-12 was to a rifle range. With a target hung at one hundred yards, I fired a few shots to see where they impacted. With the rifle resting securely on sandbags, I measured the distance from my point of aim to the impacts using the reticle. And dialed the correction with the turrets before firing another shot. That shot landed right where I expected it to, and drew smug chuckle out of me.

Using the scope at 12X I fired a few groups at the 100 yard target. I was quite pleased with how sharp and clean the image was, and at that high power setting the outer ring of the reticle is not visible. Leaving only the center part of the reticle with all its details.

Round Two

For a little more long-range testing, I chose to mount the Continental 2-12 on the Bergara Premier Canyon 308 Winchester. For that I did use the rings that came with the scope, and mounted it to the pinned picatinny rail of the Bergara.

Vector optics, continental 2-12x44, riflescope, turret, bergara, premier canyon, tripod — shooting the **Bergara Premier Canyon** rifle with the Banish Backcountry suppressor

I’d take the rifle into the mountains to see how the combination would perform in more open country. I really liked this setup to be honest, it made an excellent lightweight hunting rifle. The accuracy of the Bergara paired with the sharp images of the Vector made for fast and sharp shooting.

The wide angle of view at low power was excellent. If I had to take a quick shot at a running animal up close, it was ideal. And being able to zoom the scope into 12X made making precise shots very doable. I did find that most of the time I was shooting, I rarely took it below 5-6 power. Mainly because in this open country everything is far away.

Vector optics, continental 2-12x44, riflescope, turret, FFP, reticle — The VET-CTR 2 reticle seen at 12X left, and 2X right. When illuminated the outer ring and center most ring are lit.

Vector optics, continental 2-12x44, riflescope, turret, FFP, reticle, illumination, — illumination setting 9 out of 11 as seen at 5X

Zero Stop

Setting the zero-stop requires use of the turret with the red pin. Once the rifle is zeroed, you can remove the elevation turret using the plastic included tool. Underneath the turret, you rotate the inner ring of the turret clockwise until it stops. There is a small pin that snaps into place, you can then install the turret at zero. The turret then will stop at zero every time you wind down the turret.

If you don’t want or require the use of the zero-stop feature, you can remove that turret and install the other. With the zero-stop set with my one-hundred yard zero, the scope had 29.5 MRAD of elevation left for elevation. That’s more elevation than most folks are going to need with a scope like this.

Turrets

Like the other Continental scopes I’ve used, these turrets are fantastic. The clicks are very crisp and audible, making it easy to adjust even without looking. The push/pull locking feature is also very nice, making it easy to prevent unwanted movement of the turret.

With 10 MRAD per rotation, a lot of my shooting might not even require hitting the second rotation. But the pop-up indicator is excellent for showing you which rotation you are on. The red button pops up when you hit the second rotation, and it pops up even further exposing a silver ring when you hit the third rotation.

The parallax adjustment is easily read from the shooting position, and has perhaps a touch more resistance than I would like. But it is perfectly serviceable. The 11 position illumination knob has off settings between each power setting. The texturing on all control surfaces is great for purchase with fingers or gloves.

Optical Performance

The large tube does a great job of passing the image to your eye. The 44mm objective while smaller than some precision optics is still more than adequate at compressing the landscape into a bright and clear image.

Vector optics, continental 2-12x44, riflescope, turret, bergara, premier canyon, tripod, two vets tripod, no name, — steady shooting off my Two Vets No Name Tripod made clear and precise use of the reticle

The HD lenses used in these scopes are pretty impressive considering their price point. I found picking out tiny holes in paper to be surprisingly easy, and seeing the movements of small animals two and three hundred yards out to be suitable for precise identification. I found this scope to be impressive considering it’s only a 12X, engaging targets as far as 1000 yards would still be quite doable. And with all that elevation and precise parallax there’s no reason not to.

Browning, x-bolt, x-bolt 2, x-bolt speed, 308 win, vector optics, continental, 2-12x44, banish backcountry suppresor, — I’ve also tested the Continental 2-12 on the Browning X-Bolt 2 308, shooting easily out to 1000 yards

Pros and Cons

Because I am a bit of an enthusiast for long range shooting, I think one thing I would change would be the ring around the reticle. With that said it is handy when trying to shoot using low power settings, because the center part of the reticle becomes very fine and harder to see. This appears to be by design, at 2X you have a ring and a center dot when illuminated. Its like looking through an Eotech in that scenario.

deer hunting, mule deer, kids, children, browning, x bolt 2, 308 win, vector optics 2-12x44, banish backcountry suppressor, — this combo worked out great to take this young buck from 470 yards

Twelve power isn’t a lot, but it is plenty for much of the shooting I do. I think this scope is an excellent choice for a hunting rifle or a fast action carbine. It has excellent clarity, a good reticle, and an impressive erector range allowing for broad corrections when shooting long-range. The turrets are excellent, the image is fantastic, and removing parallax with the focus knob is simple. There is really very little to take away from this rifle scope.

Last Words

As with the other Vector Continental scopes I have used, this one seems to be a hit. Whether on one of my carbines or a hunting rifle it performed exactly as I hoped it would. And when you consider the price point of this scope, with a street price of only $499 it is hard to pass on it. I would feel absolutely confident in taking this setup on one of my big game hunts, or a shooting competition. If you are looking for a scope in this range, you’d be injudicious for not at least taking look.

-CBM

Vector Optics Continental X6 5-30X56 Riflescope

April 6, 2025Optics, Product review5-30x56, continental, scope, vector, vector opticscoldboremiracle

Preface

In my endless quest to get hands on every riflescope available on todays market, I bring you another scope review. This one comes from Vector Optics, which has been in the optics industry since 2005. Vector Optics has a stated goal of changing our perspective of what a “made in China” riflescope means. In furtherance of this goal, Vector seeks to build the most value in a riflescope possible. Today I find myself in a position to evaluate exactly that, and I bring you a review of the Vector Optics Continental X6 5-30X56 riflescope.

The Vector Optics Continental is built on a 34MM maintube, with a 56 millimeter objective lens up front. The erector assembly while fairly petite, carries a robust elevation turret that has twenty-six MRAD of elevation. Inside you’ll find the EBC-MBR MRAD illuminated reticle. All these features fall into the set of a serious long-range rifle scope, lets go deeper into this scope review.

The Vector Optics Continental 5-30X56

Vector Optics Continental 5-30X56 Riflescope Features
Magnification	5X-30X six power zoom
Objective Lens	56 Millimeter
Tube Diameter	34 Millimeter
Ocular Lens	42 Millimeter
Field of View	24.5-4.1 feet @100 yards
Eye Relief	4.0 Inches
Length	15.4 Inches
Weight	28.6 Ounces
Click Value	1/10 MRAD
Mechanical Elevation Range	26 MRAD
Mechanical Windage Range	16 MRAD
Parallax/Focus Range	10 Yards to Infinity
Reticle	Etched glass VEC-MBR
Reticle Illumination	Six Position Red
Battery Type	CR2032
Turret Values	10 MRAD (100 clicks) per turn
Zero-stop	Adjustable
Included Accessories	34mm picatinny high rings, sunshade,, lens caps and cleaning cloth

Vector Continental Features

So far you might have figured out this scope has an impressive suite of features, and all the right ones for most precision rifle shooters. The broad 34mm tube has become the standard for tactical long-range shooting, as it allows greater internal travel for larger elevation corrections. Large lenses compress great detail into the image viewed through the scope, and with a parallax adjustment down as close as 10 yards make it suitable for rimfire purposes. A six-position illumination knob with off settings in between sits outside the focus turret.

the included tool for adjusting turrets was handy and prevented overtorquing

The turrets of the Continental are quite impressive. Ten MRAD per rotation of the turret is what I consider a minimum these days for a serious scope. But theres more; the turrets feature a push/pull locking system, as well as an adjustable zero-stop. The elevation turret also features a revolution indicator that is both visible and tactile, it pops up red upon hitting the second revolution. And when you reach the third revolution of the turret it pops up further still, exposing a silver ring under the red. This feature is excellent for keeping track of what rotation you are on. The Continental also comes with a second elevation turret that allows you to function without the zero-stop and rotation indicator.

the two included elevation turret options

Added Accessories

Aside from the extra elevation turret, the Continental also came with a sunshade which has become common practice as well. As have the inexpensive flip caps that often come with scopes, particularly those made in China. It also came with all the necessary tools to service the scope, including a plastic tool to safely loosen and tighten the turret screw.

the included **scope rings from Vector**

What hasn’t been a typical included accessory is a set of scope rings. I was actually expecting something a little more “economic” to put it candidly. But to my surprise, the rings were actually quite nice. Triple-screw rings with Torx fasteners on both the ring-cap and the pic-rail clamp.

Mounting the Vector Continental

Because I am so familiar with it, I decide to initially mount the Continental to my Desert Tech SRS M2. The included rings were a perfect fit for the height of the scope over the long picatinny sight rail. After leveling the scope in the rings, I torqued them down using my torque limiter T15. The wide coverage of the rings appeared to give great purchase on the scope, which should hold even under heavy recoiling cartridges like the 338 LM.

the SRS fitted with the Continental scope and **Area 419** equipped **Atlas bipod from B&T**

It was then time to boresight the combo, using my visual tool-less boresighting method. Adjusting the scope to match the bore of the rifle would put it on paper at 100 yards. After shooting a few rounds to make final adjustments for zero, it was time to adjust the zero-stop.

Setting the Zero-Stop

Once you have the rifle zeroed properly, the zero-stop can be set. The way to set it requires removing the elevation turret, you gently push in the inner ring of the turret and rotate it according to the arrow printed on it. If zeroing the rifle requires you to dial down on the turret, you might have to remove the turret and release the zero stop by pushing in and turning it counter to the arrow indicated underneath. Approximating the amount you think you’ll need to dial down.

vector optics, continental, 5-30X56, rifle scope, zero-stop, turret — under the elevation turret you can see the zero-stop feature

After zeroing the rifle, you can again pull the turret off. This time rotate the inner ring with the arrow indicator. When the inner ring engages a locking pin, you will hear an audible click. That aligns the turret with the zero, and you can reinstall the turret. Check to see that it aligns properly on zero after installing.

On the Range

For starters, I used the Continental on my Desert Tech SRS M2. Using a 22-inch 6.5 Creedmoor would make for pretty easy and predictable shooting. The SRS M2 uses a 30 MOA tapered optics rail, which would allow me to maximize the elevation adjustment available in the scope.

Optical Performance

With a 6X zoom the Continental has an impressive magnification range. I had brought along my Kahles 318i as well, and I took the opportunity to look through both scopes at five and eighteen power to see how they compared. It came as no surprise that the Kahles was clearer, with a slightly less hazy image than seen through the Vector scope. I would expect the Kahles to look better at four and a half times the cost.

While it might not have been as clear as the Kahles, it was certainly very usable. The clear image was as good as any Chinese scope I’ve used at that power range. I often find that folks with poor eyesight have more to say about optical quality than I, so keep that in mind.

Ergonomics

I was very happy with the controls of this scope, the textures of the control surfaces were just right. And the resistance to the magnification ring and parallax adjustment were also appropriate. The turret lock is both crisp and audible, so you’ll always know when you’ve locked or unlocked it. And the clicks are also quite crisp and audible, so you’ll have no problem simply counting the clicks if you are dialing blind.

Tracking Performance

Few things have made riflescope more friendly over the last few decades than matching turrets and reticles in my opinion. Being able to spot an impact at 900 yards, quickly measure it and dial a correction, and hit with a following shot is much easier with such a scope. The Vector Continental worked perfectly for dialing corrections, and the reticle gives you a great deal of data points to use.

Measuring the movement of the reticle proved to show repeatability and accurate movement. I like to bolt down my scopes to an immovable object, and run the turrets up and down repeatedly to see how close they track. The Vector Continental was as close to the actual distance adjusted as most scopes I have checked. With less than plus or minus 1/10 MRAD across 20 MRAD of adjustment.

VEC-MBR Reticle

Using reticles for their actual purpose has gotten much easier as they have developed better options. The VEC-MBR reticle of the Continental gives you some great features like an open center, a Christmas tree style drop grid, meter ranging bracket, and an illuminated center. I am not a big fan of incredibly busy reticles, but I found this one to be fine enough that it hasn’t bothered me. It was very effective at measuring corrections and holding wind.

Value

I have had a great variety of Chinese and other Asian made riflescopes, both good and bad. I will certainly say that they have come a long way from the comically poor quality from decades ago. After shooting with the Vector Continental now, this might be the best value for a high-power precision long-range rifle scope I’ve seen yet. After opening the box and seeing the presentation, features and the image through the scope I was actually blown away at the $700 price on Euro Optic.

Pros and Cons

The Vector Optics Continental 5-30X56 has a fantastic feature set, with all the features most precision rifle shooters are looking for these days. Professional finished looks that don’t suggest it was made in a sweat shop, and matched with good lenses that provide great detail. Excellent controls make this scope a precise tool for hitting targets, as do the little extras that matter like zero-stop, turret rotation indicator, 10 MRAD rotations etc.

Included extras also greatly improve the value of this scope, even the packaging gives the feeling of a high quality product. The scope rings were also a nice touch I wasn’t expecting. My very initial thoughts about this scope seem to have been right, its as though Vector engineers channeled some European scope design and brought it all together for less.

If I had to come up with something to dislike, it could really only be the Chinese origin of this scope. I never liked the idea of my sport/defense products being made somewhere besides at home, but thats the world we live in currently.

the view through the Continental at around 24X

Final Thoughts on the Continental

The foreseeable future it seems will be filled with more and more options for shooters, which is a nice thing. Vector Optics has done an excellent job changing what Made in China means. I expect that competition among the optics manufacturers will continue, and we will see more rifle scopes like the Continental that break molds and drop prices.

The Vector Optics Continental X6 5-30X56 riflescope offers impressive performance that would do well for most shooters. It is an excellent value if you find yourself wanting to compete with your financial superiors without spending your children’s future on a scope. Be it plinking in the hills like me, heavy varmint hunting, or shooting PRS competition, I expect the Continental would do well.

-CBM

Looking for a scope? Check out these other reviews

Kriss Vector

January 30, 2024Product review, Shooting hardwarekriss, vectorcoldboremiracle

Introduction

As a true gun nut you simply cannot look past some cool designs, regardless of their utility some firearms simply must be experienced. Today we are looking at one of those, the undeniably unique Kriss Vector. We’ll review it in full.

Specifications


Model	Vector CRB
Caliber	.45ACP
Capacity	30rds
Barrel Length	16.0″
Overall Length Collapsed	35.25 in / 895 mm
Overall Length Extended	38.25 in / 978 mm
Operating System	Closed Bolt, Delayed Blowback
Action Type	Semi-Automatic
Stock	Folding Stock
Color	Duotone Black/FDE
Weight	8.0 lb / 3.6 kg
Barrel Material	4140 Chrome Moly
Barrel Finish	Black Nitride (QPQ)
Twist Rate	1:10″ RH
Trigger Type	Pivoting, Single Stage

Kriss Vector Background

The Kriss Vector utilizes a very unconventional operating system, which gives the firearms its very unique look. With a strong base both here in the US and Switzerland, the Kriss brand promises to be much more than a flash in the pan.

Part of the design that makes the Vector so unique also aids in the gun’s operation. It also is what gives the gun its stand alone profile. Unlike most semi-automatic carbines, the bolt is blown down and back. Instead of straight back in the traditional fashion. This compound motion of the bolt and carrier creates an opposing inertia to the recoil impulse, making the gun more controllable than its straight recoiling counterparts. Another benefit to the design is that it creates a lower bore axis, which again makes the gun more controllable.

These are very desirable features for a sub-machine gun. And the Vector was built to be a venerable version of exactly that for those who need one.

Other Kriss Firearms

Kriss USA supports the North American firearms market, while its Swiss counterpart sells their products worldwide. With such a recognizable firearm, you might think it is the only thing that Kriss is known for. My children even knew what the Vector was from seeing it in video games like Call of Duty. But Kriss also manufactures other firearms.

A pistol called the Kriss Sphinx SDP is a 9mm duty pistol with several options for those interested. Additionally Kriss offers an AR pattern rifle called the Kriss DMK 22c chambered in 22lr for rimfire enthusiasts. Kriss USA offers up to a 2 year warranty on their rifles and a lifetime warranty for their Sphinx pistol line. Be sure to follow them if you too are curious to see what the future will bring from the company.

Kriss Vector Features

Super V operating system- The nonlinear system reduces muzzle climb
Glock Magazine compatibility- Popular design makes magazine options simple
Tool Less Takedown- Making cleaning and maintenance easy
Suppressor Ready- A gun this smooth needs a good suppressor
Broad Picatinny Rail- Gives you ample sight mounting options.
Folding stock- For more compact storage and transportation

Other Models

In addition to the CRB Origin model tested here, there are Canadian and various state complaint models available. As well as a rimfire .22Lr model. And if you find yourself among those who get to practice freedom without infringement, the submachine gun version of the Vector is also available. Depending on the model, Vectors can be had in 9mm, 40S&W, .45ACP, and even 10mm.

Kriss Vector Review

I was excited to get the Vector onto the shooting range. Additionally, I had brought along a SilencerCo Osprey suppressor to enhance our shooting and testing of the gun. On the sight rail I had some pop-up iron sights, as well as a Holosun 509 red dot mounted on a riser. The whole thing seemed pretty compact and ready for quite a few scenarios.

I’d brought along a few boxes of Sellier & Bellot 230 grain ball ammunition for testing purposes. Loading magazines for PPC’s always seems to be so tedious for me, they seem to empty so much faster than they fill.

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First thing, I wanted to zero the red dot, by shooting some cardboard hung targets at 25 yards. After a few course corrections, we were hitting very close to the point of aim. From there we sorta went nuts, shooting a wide variety of targets from 15 to 75 yards.

kriss vector — the folding stock made the Vector easily transported

My immediate impressions were these; it was clearly a .45Acp and not the 9mm I was used to shooting. While certainly not excessive recoil, it surely felt like more than I had anticipated. Based solely on the size and weight of the gun, as well as suppressor and other factors. Perhaps the gun was a little more violent due to being suppressed. I was also quite impressed with how accurate the Vector shot. Hitting targets at PCC ranges was all but guaranteed if you did your part right.

The Vector definitely takes a minute to get used to as far as controls and handling are concerned, let’s start at the front. If you get the short barrel version of the Vector, your hand could get pretty close to the muzzle if shot unsuppressed. Using the Kriss vertical foregrip made it a little less of a concern. Grabbing the magwell is also a good option, particularly if you’re a magwell grabbing kinda shooter. The down side to that is the potential for accidental magazine releasing, which is probably something you can easily train out.

The Super V action definitely shined during our test. The low bore axis of the design, and the bolt riding on rails made followup shots fast and accurate. It was incredibly fun to shoot, even though I could see dollar signs piling up on the ground around us. The Vector is for sure a different experience in shooting, and one you are going to pay a little more premium for.

The Kriss design is definitely made for right handed shooters, the charging handle and bolt controls are on the left side of the gun. There is a hold-back and release type paddle control much like an AR, but it is a fore and aft design vs. a top and bottom. The safety is on both sides of the grip area, allowing either side use. The charging handle has a different feel than I anticipated, there are varying resistance sensations as the bolt is pulled to the rear.

It took a little getting used to, but in what seemed like short order the Vector felt like second nature. Swapping mags during reloads was a touch more of a challenge than I expected due to the small target size of the magwell.

Cleaning

After some range time, I disassembled the Kriss Vector CRB to see how easy it was to maintain. As well as to gain some insight to its curious design. Removing four push-pins made disassembly a snap, and the upper and lower were easily separated. There I could see the function of the Super V recoil system, which is quite genius. The recoil spring is seated down into the lower receiver, and pushes up on a yolk that harnesses the bolt. The receiver has a track that carries the bolt on a path back and down into the lower receiver, to be pushed back up by the spring.

Another strange part of the Vector, is that the hammer swings down and forward into the back of the bolt. Near completely the opposite of what we are used to, and also a feature shared with the Laugo Alien 9mm pistol. Cleaning up the Kriss with some towels and oil, I snapped it back together to finish out our test.

Pros and Cons

Compact size for easy maneuvering
Glock magazine compatibility
Suppressor ready
Accurate shooting
Very controllable under fire
Ample sight mounting area
.45Acp firepower
Cool factor +10

Whole new manual of arms
Unique design has reduced aftermarket
Cost more than other PCC’s

Report Card

Shootability (A) The Vector shoots very well, and easy to handle

Reliability (A) We experienced zero malfunctions during testing

Ergonomics (B+) Some of the controls were easy to hit by accident

Accuracy (A) The Vector shot much better than expected for a PCC

Value (B+) Not inexpensive, but people who buy Vector’s have a reason

Preferred Ammunition

We only shot the S&B 230 grain ball ammo through the gun. It functions flawlessly. For defense ammo, I would use the Federal HST 230 grain personal defense ammunition.

Accessories

A good red dot like I used is a must in my opinion. While I quite enjoyed shooting with the Holosun, I think I would have preferred the Trijicon MRO a little more with its larger window.

The SilencerCo Osprey was a definite must have for the Vector. Whether you use the Osprey or another .45 caliber suppressor, I would highly recommend one. The hushed report of the typically subsonic .45Acp cartridge is like therapy.

The Magpul MBUS 3 sights would also make a good option for the Kriss, and with plenty of room there’s not really a reason not to run two options.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed shooting the Kriss Vector. It is a little different when it comes to practice and use, but certainly something you can get used to. It was fun and reliable, and is sure to catch the eye of any gun fanatic.

-CBM