Swampfox Raider Review: A Micro Prism For The Masses

Image	Product	Price
	Swampfox Raider	Check Price

It’s no secret that I’ve been a fan of Swampfox from the early days. I’ve tested plenty of its products, from LPVOs to red dot sights to other prism scopes. All of which have impressed me, especially given their respective price points.

The Raider 1x Micro Prism isn’t Swampfox’s newest offering, but I wasn’t able to test it for myself until recently. The team there was nice enough to send it out for review, so we’d like to give them a quick shoutout!

Having astigmatism and typically shooting within 100 yards, an etched 1x reticle is perfect. That’s why I was so excited to test the Raider, and it’s been seeing range time quite a bit since I received it.

A simple 6 MOA dot may not seem impressive to some, but you’d be surprised how much the market lacks etched reticles that don’t feature something like bullet rise compensators, rings, or crosshairs.

Today, we’ll look at all the Raider has to offer to help you decide if it’s one worthy of joining your collection.

Using the included 1.6” mount, I’ve been running the Raider primarily on my Aero EPC-9 but also had it on my Springfield Saint Victor for about 150 rounds.

In total, I’ve put roughly 450 rounds down range with the help of the Raider, and it’s stayed put, zeroed, and I’ve found the brightness levels to be adequate for every light setting from a dimly lit indoor range to a sunny day outside.

I found the top-mounted rubberized brightness buttons easy to manipulate without looking at them and appreciated the windage/elevation dials not requiring a specific tool.

I used a spent casing to adjust them with no issue. Nothing is worse than needing a specific tool and not having it at the range.

The crisp 6 MOA dot allowed for precise shots, and even during rapid-fire sessions, I could maintain tight groupings like the one above. From ten to 50 yards, the Raider left no target safe, and depending on the size of the target and your chosen firearm, you should have no problems out to 100+ yards either.

Etched Reticle

As I mentioned earlier, the etched reticle is a huge selling feature for me. Not only does it remain crisp and clear, but you’ll always have a reticle regardless of your battery level.

Although it can be hard to see in certain conditions or at certain distances, it’s not meant to be used primarily without illumination.

Ten brightness settings are available when you need that extra brightness and color. I found myself mostly floating around setting 5 indoors and setting 8-9 outdoors in sunny conditions.

Shake N’ Wake & Side-facing Battery

Battery life is important, so integrating the technology to automatically turn off your optic when not in use is ideal.

Not only does the Raider automatically turn off after 225 seconds of inactivity, but it will instantly turn back on at the slightest amount of motion being detected. Best of all, it turns back on to the previous illumination setting.

While the Shake N’ Wake helps conserve battery life, when it is time to change the battery (which you should do regularly), the side-facing position makes it easy to do so without having to remove and re-zero the optic.

Flush-mounted Dials & Rubberized Buttons

I’ve tested several optics where the dials and buttons were either overly complicated or laid out in a manner that was easily bumped, causing unintentional manipulations. The Raider is not one of them.

The windage and elevation dials are flush with the housing and only require a flat “tool” to adjust. No specialty tools are needed, so even a simple bullet casing will do the trick.

The brightness buttons protrude just enough to find quickly and are rubberized for traction and comfort. I would prefer they were separated as individual buttons, but I haven’t had any issues to note necessarily; it is more of a personal preference.

Honeycomb Grid

While the Honeycomb Grid comes included with the Raider, you can buy another straight from Swampfox if you ever lose it. It’s not just for looks; it is an anti-reflection device that prevents the sun from glaring into your eye and helps avoid detection from targets down range.

It’s worth installing one, and the price gives you no excuse not to.

After spending quality time with the Raider, it’s hard to deny its value, especially given its lower-than-expected price point.

With its etched reticle, durable construction, and Shake N’ Wake technology, it gives its competition a serious run for the money. Does it have every feature under the sun? No, but at this price point, I wouldn’t expect it to.

If you’re looking for a quality prism scope that won’t break the bank and is backed by a limited lifetime warranty, I’d strongly recommend you consider the Swampfox Raider.

As always, stay safe, train hard, and have fun.