I ordered some 1632 batteries for my FF3 and just now tried to install a new one. I was dreading the job because I have already stripped the plastic threads and one battery cap and I knew it could happen again. Sure enough, it did despite me babying it in every way possible. It is designed so that the cap.has 2 plastic threads that most fit in perfectly, and it often doesn't.

I'm tired of fooling with it, and ready to try the Venom, but is it going to be any better? There are so many ways they could have engineered the FF3 to make it easy to change batteries, but they have never seemed to be concerned about it. Will I like the Venom any better?

Most on here prefer the Venom, but i have one sitting in my safe because #1 the base it came with already had a stripped screw #2 the new one they sent me stripped a screw when i tried to install it. So i reckon I'll call them one day for another mount, since their warranty is so good 😁

I had one di the same, James. They replaced it when I called. Fairly quick too. I’ve got one on one of my guns now, but I can’t speak for it just yet. After I bang it off a couple pine trees, let it sit in a rain and then 90 degree heat, I’ll be able to put in more thought. Where the battery goes seems to be durable though.

Yessir PCP you will like the venom so much better it isn’t even funny.

The battery cover looks sturdy in the picture, so maybe I will get to work with different stripped screws. That should break up the monotony.

The battery cover is definitely a better design, and i like the wide field of view with the Venom vs the ff3, but I'm still pissed about the mount 😁

I have 2 venoms and have not had any problems with either of them.

I had the same issue with the FF3. I have a Venom now and the battery situation is definitely better.

I have a Venom and I have had zero issues out of it. I also have FF2 and ff3 on different guns. Seems like they all have their good points. To be honest I wish the FF2 had top battery access.

12 lbs on the two torx screws, and 15 lbs for the Phillips head on the base. This info is per Vortex.

And not a pound more.

I changed the battery in mine this weekend going into my 7th season with the original battery and it still worked but wasn't going to push my luck anymore.

My FF3 was working fine, but the battery was in it all of last season and I didn't want to risk trying for 2. But it would not tighten down on the new battery. I checked and the new battery had the same writing on it as the old one, but it was .004 thicker. That might have been the reason it wouldn't go on. So I tried to put the old one back in but the threads on the cap were ruined by then. If they are gonna use such lousy caps they should give you several of them when you buy it. What they really should do is make the cap deeper and put more threads on it, and also let it stick up above the frame. Someone could make some money by making aftermarket caps.

I've read on another forum that Duracell batteries fit better than the Energizer I have been using. Anyone who has to change one might try that.

I got my Venom and installed it and sighted it in. It definitely has a better battery system than the FF3, but that's the only advantage I see to it. I guess my astigmatism is getting worse, but I can't see the dot clearly on any setting. The starburst effect is so bad on the automatic setting that I can't use it, so I will have to adjust it manually. I also found that it had more parallax than the Burris.

Thanks again for all the comments; my problem with it is likely just related to my eyes and others will see the dot without a problem. If I can get a new battery cover to work on the FF, I will probably try to sell the Venom.

Preacher I’ll trade you a 3 moa FF3 for it

I would trade it for an 8, but I can't see a 3. The Venom is a 6, but it is a noticeably smaller dot than the FF. It looks like I am gonna have to hunt with the Venom for a while; the battery cover probably won't get here until next week.

I sure wish I could still see well enough to use a fiber optic sight; I hate using electronics. There must be some upside to old age, but I haven't found it yet.

I use the manual setting on mine if it is to bright I get the starburst effect, but I had the same problem with my ff2. As for the dot being smaller are you sure you got a 6moa? That is what
I use and can tell its bigger than my ff2 which I believe is a 4moa. Maybe they put a 3moa in a
6moa box by accident, might want to call vortex about it.

PCP my eyes are getting worse with age also. I've noticed the starburst issue isnt as bad outdoors with the dot turned down a little lower on the brightest settings. I seem to always get a starburst condition inside with any of my red dots doesnt matter which manf.

Bullet, my FF3 is an 8, so the Venom should be smaller. It seems to my eye that the difference is greater than 2 moa, but it could be just my perception, and it could be either one of them is not perfectly sized. But that was a minor issue; the big problem for me is that the starburst effect is much worse with the Venom.

Brent and I are working on a trade, but we don't have time to do it before the season starts, so I'll just have to try to get by with it.