Vortex Defender CCW & ST - Enclosed vs. Open Emitter Comparison

Hey Freedom Gorillas, today we are going to delve into the Vortex Defender CCW and ST with an enclosed vs. open emitter comparison. These sights are similar in many ways, but the main difference between the ST and CCW is their intended purpose.

The Vortex Defender CCW has a smaller profile and is intended to be used for concealed carry on subcompact and micro pistols. The Vortex Defender ST fits full size pistols and can be used for concealed carry, but is also appropriate for competitive shooting, serving as a more all-purpose optic.

In this comparison we will take a look at the open versions of each optic and how they are different from their enclosed counterparts. So, let’s get into it!

TLDR

The biggest differences between the Defender ST and Defender CCW open optics versus their enclosed options is that the enclosed have a second plane of glass towards the rear with more material to enclose the emitter. This protects the emitter from dust, debris, and water.

The enclosed emitters also use a MRS, or multi reticle system. This uses a 3 MOA dot and 32 MOA circle, allowing you to toggle between dot only, circle only, or both circle and dot at the same time. The open versions of the Defender ST and Defender CCW have a dot only reticle with the option of a 3 MOA dot or 6 MOA dot.

Open versions of the Defender optics have a top mounted battery while the enclosed have a side mounted battery. The enclosed optics also have a Solar Failsafe in the form of a solar panel on the top of the housing and have a longer battery life than the open emitters; enclosed emitters have a battery life of 35k hours without solar power and 150k hours with solar while the open Defender ST has a battery life of 25k hours and CCW 9.5k hours.

The CCW open emitter has 10 brightness settings while the other three have 12 brightness settings. The CCW open also uses a CR1632 battery while the other three use a CR2032. The open and enclosed sights of both versions have a housing made of 7075 aluminium, have an auto on/off feature, motion activation, a lifetime warranty, and fast rack texturing on the face of the housing.

Quick Specs for the Vortex Defender CCW and ST Enclosed and Open

The Vortex Defender ST and Vortex Defender CCW are both micro red dot optics from the Vortex Defender lineup and have both an open and enclosed emitter option. Here are the main specifications for both versions.

Vortex Defender ST

Vortex Defender CCW

 

Design and Material for the Defender ST and Defender CCW

Both versions of the Defender ST and Defender CCW have a housing made from 7075 aluminum. This makes all of the optics super durable and a good choice for concealed carry and rough duty use. 

Each optic also has a fast rack textured face. This texture protects the front plane of glass as well as the structure of the housing when you fast rack on any surface. The main difference between the ST and CCW is the overall size of the profile. The CCW is much smaller since it is intended for concealed carry on subcompact and micro pistols. 

The buttons for the open optics are located on the sides, with the plus (+) on the left side of the housing and the minus (-) button on the right side. The buttons for the enclosed version are both on the left side of the housing since the battery is on the right side. 

Enclosed Vs. Open Emitters

The main difference between the enclosed and open emitters is that the enclosed will have a second plane of glass behind the emitter and will have a housing that completely encases the emitter and protects it from dust, debris, and water. 

Because there is more material than with the open emitters, the enclosed weights slightly more and has more of a box shape, which is something to consider if you are looking for a concealed carry option  The enclosed versions of the Defender ST and Defender CCW also have a slightly larger window than the open emitters. 

Battery Location and Access

The batteries for the Defender ST and Defender CCW are accessible while the optic is mounted to a pistol. The Defender ST and Defender CCW open emitters have the battery compartment on the top, in front of the emitter. They come with a special tool that allows you to unscrew the compartment, since accessing the battery can be slightly awkward. 

The Defender ST and Defender CCW enclosed emitters have their battery compartments on the side. This makes them easier to access, but adds some width to the optics—another consideration when looking for a concealed carry red dot optic. 

Footprint and Mounting of the Defender ST and Defender CCW

The Defender ST and Defender CCW have different footprints. Both versions of the ST have a DeltaPoint Pro footprint and both versions of the CCW have a RMSc footprint. All four optics also come with adapter plates and mounts to fit on other weapons.

Understanding the Footprints

The RMSc footprint of the Defender CCW is designed to match RMSc cut pistols. These pistols are commonly subcompact and micro pistols which makes the CCW perfect for concealed carry and everyday carry.  

The RMSc footprint has four indentations to fit recoil lugs, one at each corner, and two screw holes at the rear of the optic in front of the rear indentations. 

The DeltaPoint Pro footprint is designed for mostly full sized pistols. The small profile of the Defender ST still makes this a viable concealed carry option on full size pistols, but if attached to subcompact or micro pistols via an adapter plate, will overhang the pistol. 

The DeltaPoint Pro footprint follows the same layout of the RMSc footprint but what makes it different is that the indentations for the recoil lugs on the DPP footprint are further from the front and rear edges. 

What can These Optics Mount Directly To?

The Defender ST has a DeltaPoint Pro footprint, so it can fit all pistols that have a DPP cut. Some common pistols that the ST can directly mount to, include: 

• Glock: 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 34, 35, 40, and 41
• Sig P220
• Walther PDP
• FN 509
• FNX-45 Tactical
• CZ P10 Series
• Springfield Armory 1911 TRP

The Defender CCW has a RMSc footprint which will fit pistols with an RMSc cut. These are mostly subcompact and micro pistols including: 

• Glock 43X MOS 
• Glock 48 MOS
• Sig Sauer P365XL
• Sig Sauer P365X
• Sig Sauer P365-XMACRO
• Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro
• Springfield Armory Hellcat RDP
• Springfield Armory 43X Hellcat
• S&W M&P 22 Magnum
• S&W Equalizer
• Walther PPS M2
• Walther PDP Compact
• Walther PDP Full Size
• Canik Elite SC

Vortex Defender CCW & ST Pricing:

Vortex Defender CCW:

• Vortex Defender CCW Red Dot 3 MOA: $249.99
• Vortex Defender CCW Red Dot 6 MOA: $249.99

• Vortex Defender CCW Green Dot 3 MOA: $249.99

• Vortex Defender CCW Red Dot 3 MOA (FDE): $249.99

Vortex Defender CCW Enclosed:

• Vortex Defender CCW Enclosed Solar Red Dot 3 MOA + 32 MOA Circle: $299.99

Vortex Defender ST:

• Vortex Defender ST Red Dot 3 MOA: $299.99
• Vortex Defender ST Red Dot 6 MOA: $299.99

• Vortex Defender ST Green Dot 3 MOA: $299.99

• Vortex Defender ST Red Dot 3 MOA (FDE): $299.99

Vortex Defender ST Enclosed:

• Vortex Defender ST Enclosed Solar Red Dot 3 MOA + 32 MOA Circle: $379.99

Adapters and Alternative Mounting Options

All four optics can be mounted on other firearms with the help of an adapter plate. Freedom Gorilla has multiple adapter plate options to choose from for your Defender ST or Defender CCW; you can find the right adapter plate with the help of our adapter plate finder. 

Both versions of the Defender ST and the Defender CCW come with a Picatinny mount. This allows the optics to be mounted to a Picatinny rail so they are compatible with many shotguns and carbines. 

Along with the Picatinny mount, the Defender ST comes with an MOS adapter plate, allowing you to mount it to any MOS cut pistol. Keep in mind, an adapter plate can alter the deck height of the optic and the optic may not fit seamlessly with every pistol it’s mounted to. 

To help with mounting possibilities, the Defender ST and Defender CCW come with common mounting screw sets. These include:

• M4x0.7-9.8mm for Glock and Springfield Armory Pistols
• M4x0.7-11mm for the Sig Sauer P320 and Canik Pistols
• 6-32-10.8mm for the S&W 2.0
• 6-40-9.8mm not the FN-509
• 6-489.03mm for Kimber, HK Models

Battery Type and Battery Life for the Defender ST and Defender CCW

Both versions of the Vortex Defender ST and Vortex Defender CCW enclosed emitter use the very common CR2032 battery while the Defender CCW open emitter uses a CR 1632, which isn’t as common, but is still easy to get ahold of. 

The battery life for the Defender ST open emitter is 25k hours while the battery life of the Defender CCW open emitter is 9.5k hours. This is dependent on frequency of use and what brightness setting you typically use. 

The Enclosed options for both the Defender ST and Defender CCW both have a battery life of 35k hours, but with the use of their Solar Failsafe option, both optics can have a battery life of up to 150k hours.

Solar Failsafe for the Enclosed Options

The Solar Failsafe mentioned above comes in the form of a solar panel on the top of the housing and is only available on the enclosed options for the Defender ST and Defender CCW. This solar option will keep the optic on when it is in ambient light, but doesn’t charge the battery. This is an option in case the battery dies, or to supplement the battery usage outdoors. 

Brightness Setting and Power Saving Features

The Vortex Defender CCW open emitter has 10 brightness settings, 8 are daylight settings and 2 are night vision compatible settings. The other three optics, Defender ST open; Defender ST enclosed; and Defender CCW enclosed, all have 12 brightness settings, 10 are daylight settings and 2 are night vision compatible settings. 

These can be toggled through using the buttons on the side of the optics. All Defender models also have the Auto On/Off function which automatically turns the optic off after 10 minutes of inactivity and reactivates it after it senses motion. This helps save battery and makes the optics a great option for concealed carry since the optic immediately responds to movement. 

There is also a Button Lock Out feature that allows you to lock the buttons, so any accidental button presses while the gun is concealed or while you are firing doesn’t change your current brightness settings. 

Reticle Options and Dot Clarity for the Vortex Defender Lineup

The open emitters for the Vortex Defender ST and Vortex Defender CCW have different reticle options. The open emitters have the option of either a 3 MOA dot or a 6 MOA dot while the enclosed emitters have a multi reticle system, or MRS. 

The MRS for the enclosed Defender ST and Defender CCW have a 3 MOA dot and a 32 MOA circle. You have the option to toggle between just a dot, just a circle, or both the circle and dot at the same time. All reticles come with either a green or red reticle. 

The Defender ST has a larger window, dot only reticle, and faster refresh rate so it has good dot clarity while the CCW has a smaller profile and slower refresh rate that may affect the clarity of the dot.

Summary of Similarities and Differences Between Open and Enclosed Emitters

Similarities:

• Both have Motion Activation
• Both have Auto off function after 10 minutes of inactivity
• Both have Button Lock
• Both have fast rack texturing on the face of the optic
• Both are made of 7075 aluminum
• Both come with Vortex’s Lifetime Warranty

Differences

• The Defender CCW open uses a CR1632 battery while the other three optics use a CR2032
• The open emitters have a top loaded battery while the enclosed emitter uses a side loaded battery
• The open emitters have a dot only reticle while the enclosed options have a multireticle system with 3 MOA dot and 32 MOA circle. 
• Enclosed emitters have a Solar Failsafe in the form of a solar panel on the top of the housing while the open emitters are powered by battery only.
• The battery life of the enclosed emitters is substantially more at 35k hours without the solar failsafe while the open ST is 25k hours and the open CCW is 9.5k hours of battery life. With the use of solar the enclosed emitters can have up to 150k hours of battery life.
• The Vortex Defender ST uses the DPP footprint for full size pistols while the Defender CCW uses the RMSc footprint for subcompact and micro pistols. 
• Enclosed emitters weigh slightly more than their open emitter counterparts and have more material and width, especially with the side mounted battery. 
• Enclosed options are pricier than their open emitter counterparts.

Who Should Buy the Open and Enclosed Emitters

Buy the Defender ST Open or Defender CCW Open if…

The open options for the Vortex Defender ST and Defender CCW are great for those who want something less bulky and more affordable. These optics are great for first time optic buyers because of their price simple dot only reticle.

The open emitters can also be better for those who plan on everyday carry since their housing is less boxy than the enclosed emitters so is less likely to be burdensome when carrying. 

Buy the Defender ST Enclosed or Defender CCW Enclosed if…

The Enclosed options of the Defender ST and Defender CCW are great options for those who want more battery life and a solar failsafe option. This is great for those who like to shoot outdoors since the ambient light will supplement the battery power.

The enclosed options are also good for those who want more protection and plan on more rough duty use or for those who require more durability in general for their needs. The enclosed options are also best if you’re looking for a MRS, which ensures more flexibility depending on your shooting needs. 

Starts at $299.99 Buy the Vortex Defender ST At The Best Price

Starts at $379.99 Buy the Defender ST Enclosed At The Best Price

 

Starts at $249.99 Buy the Vortex Defender CCW At The Best Price

Starts at $299.99 Buy the Defender CCW Enclosed At The Best Price

Final Verdict for Enclosed vs. Open Defenders

The Defender ST and Defender CCW from the Vortex Defender lineup both have an enclosed and open option. All four optics are durable, come with Vortex’s lifetime warranty, and share features like an auto on/off, motion activation, button lock, and fast rack textured face.

The open emitters are going to be more durable and offer more protection for the emitter. They are also going to have the Solar Failsafe feature, longer battery life, and side mounted battery. The open emitters are good for those who want an affordable optic with a lighter and smaller profile and who are interested in the 6 MOA sized dot.

Check Freedom Gorilla to see the availability for the Defender ST open, Defender ST enclosed, Defender CCW open, and Defender CCW enclosed today, or check out the full Vortex red dot optic lineup.

Thanks for reading, and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out!