I’m a big fan of Vortex Optics – they manufacture several levels of high quality glass and provide awesome customer service (not that I’ve ever needed it). At the top is their Razor line that gives users HD glass inside an nearly indestructible package. So seeing a holographic sight from Vortex immediately grabbed my attention. The Razor AMG UH-1 is a new product announcement that will be debuting at the SHOT Show in mid-January.

When it comes to Red Dot and Holographic optics, battery life, ruggedness and reticle brightness usually top the list of consumer requirements. And from the limited information we have now, Vortex seems to have covered all those bases and more.

I had the chance to talk to the good people at Vortex about the UH-1. James “JImmy” Hamilton was nice enough to answer everything he could – production details are still being finalized before SHOT 2017. Here’s what he had to say:

You might like to know that the holograph element is a single focused element with no moving parts – part of what equates to its improved durability over traditional holographic systems and sharp reticle image. People might notice that this holographic does not have a “Hood” or outer “Shell” that is attached and surrounding the sight. Other holographic sights use this because their important parts to the holographic system are connected to the main body of the sight, so they need an outer housing around it to prevent that from being damaged. The important bits in the Huey to the holographic system reticle are not connected to the main body of the sight, so that main body basically acts as the “Shell” by itself and no additional outer housing is needed. In short – it’s very durable and very low profile without a bunch of extra metal in your FOV.

Credit: Nicole Hoffman Photography

From Vortex’s Blog Post:

Meet the Razor® AMG® UH-1, affectionately known in-house as “Huey.” The UH-1 is a completely new force in weapon mounted holographic technology, and you’re one of the first to see it! Inside the durable aluminum chassis the UH-1 features fewer moving parts compared to traditional holographic sights, which equates to maximum durability. The sight is powered with the included CR123A battery, but also has the option of running LFP CR123A’s, which can be recharged using the on-board, waterproof micro-USB port. We believe the shooter is the only one who should see the new EBR-CQB reticle so we engineered the entire system to virtually eliminate all traces of forward signature, unlike any other red dot or holographic sight on the market.

Want more information? Yeah, me too. But we are all going to have to wait about a month for further details. The good news is that the actual public release of the “Huey” will happen soon after its debut.

Credit: Nicole Hoffman Photography

Preliminary Specifications – Vortex Razor AMG UH-1

• MSRP: $699
• STREET: $499 (est)
• CR123 Battery with USB Recharging Capability

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