Riflescope Blog: Expert's reviews, news, notes on rifle scopes, hunting optics, shooting, binoculars, night vision sights, gun accessories, and more
Tuesday, July 31, 2007Shotgun Scopes for Deer
Shotgun scopes for deer are more popular every year. Slugs and guns shoot more accurately, greatly increasing the effective maximum range. The range is further enhanced by your ability to see your target clearly through a magnified rifle scope. Maximum ranges of 75 to 100 yards just a couple decades ago have doubled, and are getting farther every year with new technology. A scope for a rifled slug gun should have a few attributes. Long eye relief, important in preventing scope eye. A reasonable parallax correction distance. Most are 75 yards, and shooting closer or farther will have minimal effect. And low power, allowing for a wide field of view. You can always shoot far with low power, but you can't shoot close at high power. A 3-9 variable riflescope set a 3 power will give you a wide field of view for close shots, and if you need to turn it up for farther shots you generally have time. The Nikon Omega has been the star the last couple years and has proven to be a top performer. The SlugHunter version should be out shortly. The Leupold VX-1 2-7 and 3-9 are also reasonably priced and are strong enough for any job. Sight in with the ammo you're going to hunt with, and good luck this season.
Aimshot Universal Laser Boresighter
The Aimshot universal laser boresighter is an easy to use product that can save you time, pain, and money. Time because you won't be wasting it trying to put a bullet through paper when you don't even know which way to adjust. Pain, because why beat yourself up with the unnecessary firing of high recoiling guns just to adjust a rifle scope. Money, because time and cartridges are expensive. With the Aimshot laser boresighters you simply insert a laser with the appropriate collar into your gun and adjust your scope to the red dot coming out of your bore at a distance of at least 25 yards. The .223 laser accepts most collars for centerfires, and various collars are inexpensive for use with the same .223 laser. Keep in mind that this bore sighter or any boresighter will not sight in your gun, it's just a starting point for you to actually shoot your exact cartridge and sight in by firing. Boresighters do save time, pain, and money, though.
Galco Holsters
We've been adding Galco holsters to our website as fast as we can, and a large variety of them will be in stock at any time. I've been using their top quality products for years, and have even had occasion to send one back for repair through no fault of the manufacturing, just my stupidity. Customer service was excellent, and it came back in a couple days. The people making Galco holsters obviously take pride in their job because the details and quality control are superb. The new Matrix line promises to take a large market share of molded synthetic holsters, and they are extremely well thought out and reasonably priced. The cowhide and horsehide holsters have exquisite stitching, and just smell them to get an idea of the quality. No south of the border dog skin here. Indeed, exotic holster materials like ostrich and sharkskin are available for the well-heeled. Fashionable Galco Purses are available for the ladies, dog collars and leashes for your best friend, and belts that will last until your belly grows too large. Galco has made some of my favorite holsters, and they will last a lifetime.
Swarovski Z6 Rifle Scopes
Swarovski Z6 rifle scopes are causing quite a buzz in the optics industry, being one of the first, and certainly the best known manufacturer able to offer an incredible 6 times zoom on a riflescope. This makes it even easier to purchase a scope able to comfortably handle shots close and far with equal ease. A favorite Z6 model of mine will zoom from a low of 1.7 power to a maxumum of 10 power, and another model goes from two power to twelve. The Z6 1.7-10x42 weighs in at 16.6 ounces, and the Z6 2-12x50 tips the scales at only 18.7, both of them quite reasonable and comparable to other rifle scopes without the wide magnification range of the Z6s. There are also illuminated reticle versions of the Z6 available such as the Z6i 1-6x24 with 4.72 inches of extended eye relief and they are appropriately called the Z6i. The "High Grid" technology used in Swarovski illuminated rifle scopes is attractively built into the eyepiece and is unobtrusive, allowing maximum use of peripheral vision. The scopes are waterproof and are available with several different reticle styles as well as a rail option for mounting. Swarovski riflescopes are arguably the brightest scopes made. Austrian world class products.
Illuminated Reticle Rifle Scopes
I get a lot of questions about illuminated reticle rifle scopes. Most of the questions are asking if they have a backup reticle if the illumination fails. The answer is yes. The crosshairs are standard black crosshairs and the illumination part comes from a light that shines on the reticle from inside the scope. The crosshairs are there with or without the illumination feature switched on. The riflescopes generally use readily available CR2032 batteries that can be found at most stores that carry batteries. They're the ones that look like a nickel. The problem with most of these scopes is that by the time your eyes are used to the dark, even the lowest setting on the illumination dial will result in a reticle so bright it drowns out your picture. Sometimes options are gimmicks and sometimes not. Leupold VX-III reticles are good, as are reticles from Swarovski, especially the new High-Grid offerings such as found in the amazing new Z6i. The Z6 series offers the latest in technology with a 6X zoom, something entirely new in rifle scopes.
Pentagonlight Molle Light Desert Flashlight
The new Pentagonlight Molle Light Desert flashlight has been talked about for a while and has been advertised in gun and outdoor magazines for quite some time. It's here now. The little bugger fits in a single molle strap on a vest, or just as easily on a belt or pocket. It has an angled head that directs light forward instead of up or down. The spring steel clip can be rotated 360 degrees to position the light in any direction. This superb quality little flashlight has a run time of about 5 hours with a 1/2 watt LED giving 25 lumens of continuous light. The power switch is on the top of the unit for easy access. The Pentagonlight optional compass built into the body is currently included at no charge, as is the red filter for easier viewing in certain circumstances. The whole light weighs in a 1.5 ounces. A lanyard may also be easily attached.
Lasermax Unimax Laser
The new Lasermax Unimax laser is now available, and fits the needs perfectly for many firearm applications. The unit is as small as a matchbox and weighs as much as a .45 ACP cartridge. It is made to fit on standard Weaver bases or Picatinny rails, including most pistol accessory rails. The laser has a pulse mode and a standard on mode, and has an accessory rail built into it to hang a light or other accessory. It turns itself off after 30 minutes of non-use to prevent battery consumption. A Unimax remote switch is available for immediate activation on a handgun or long gun and comes in six or ten inch lengths. This small Lasermax unit is ideal for mounting on a pest control gun for use at night against various creatures when a magnified scope won't do. You won't even notice you have it on your gun unless you need it.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Propoint for Flattops
A recent addition to the venerable Tasco Propoint line is the PDTS 132. This red dot sight has a profile similar to the superb Aimpoint Comp M2, and also attaches with one ring, which is included. The ring that comes with the sight is too low for a flattop, so for one of my guns I substituted a Burris XTR ring in extra-high. This centers the dot about 1/4" above the front sight post. With a GG&G MAD flip-up rear sight (BUIS) you are able to co-witness in the bottom 1/3 of the sight picture. The Propoint with the Burris ring will cost you only about $125.00, and it's worth every penny. The scope has a 5 MOA dot and 11 brightness settings. It comes with a battery and a wrench and is a proven and durable design, having the same internals as the other sights in the Propoint line. If you can't spend money for an Aimpoint or EOTech, this is an excellent alternative.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Browning Flashlights
Browning flashlights are now orderable from OpticsPlanet. As a hunter and outdoorsman, I know that all Browning products are well thought out and designed by folks that actually use them. All Browning outdoor products are top quality and compare with anything made. Some years ago I was invited to Browning in Morgan, Utah for a week or so for training. I was a Browning Archery Staff Shooter at the time. Everything about the trip was second to none. We built things, shot things, broke things. Learned more about clothing design. Gun cases. Bows. Guns. Everything. I flyfished a bit in the Great Ogden river. Went to the John Moses Browning museum. This was when the Chicago Bulls won their last championship against the Utah Jazz. I wore my Bulls shirt and got into a bit of trouble at a local watering hole when Michael Jordan hit the winning shot. The Browning cafeteria served me Chicago Bull burgers. They wanted to use me as a target. I don't blame them. But the research and development team was second to none, and almost everyone I had contact with was a hunter or outdoorsman. These folks live for this stuff. It shows in the quality and innovation of Browning products. The Browning Tactical flashlight line shows forward thinking with the latest technology. This line is new, and will shortly take over lots of sales from other established companys. We will shortly have Browning clothing and accessories available also.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Hunting Accessories for All
OpticsPlanet has tons of hunting accessories available, from custom designed Surefire flashlights to Browning clothing and rifle slings. Here is one accessory we don't carry that I thought some of you might get a kick out of. Click on this LINK and watch the 20 second video. I carry a small pocket knife and a bit of string for this procedure and have never been lacking, but some folks need gadgets. GPS units have pretty much replaced compasses, but a compass will always work without satellites and batteries. Dry boxes and targets are available, along with prescription glasses and rifle scopes to enable you to better see your quarry. Regarding the video link, I'll bet that'll smart if you're not quite dead. I hear they did similar things to people during the inquisition, but since plastic wasn't around yet they most likely didn't use this exact product.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Surefire Build Your Own
Surefire flashlights has a new "build your own" program and it is now on our site. With this offering you can mix and match parts to configure what you think is the best light for your application. Many Surefire illumination tools are modular and are mountable on various firearms. Surefire offers many Picatinny mounts and replacement parts to modify exiting weapons platforms for use with tactical lights and other accessories. Surefire lasers are not excluded from this "build your own" presentation, and in some cases may even work in conjunction with an illumination tool. Surefire has always made the best lights, and now you can make them even better by adding your own bit of personalization to the mix.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Millett Adjustable .22 Rings
I came across a perfect reason to use the Millett Adjustable .22 rings the other day. A friend came over with and old Remington .22 pump gun the other day because I said I had an extra scope he could use to practice with. I put the scope on and when I tried to boresight it I didn't have nearly enough windage. I turned the rings I was using 180 degrees and tried it again. Same thing. Eliminating the possibility of the scope being faulty, I tried different rings and a different scope. Same again. The grooves on the gun's receiver were actually machined crooked. With the Millet adjustable rings this will prove to be a non-issue. They come in black, matte, or nickel, and are readily available for any grooved receiver application.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Leupold Custom Shop Scopes
The Leupold Custom Shop has been around for quite some time, and for about a year OpticsPlanet has been taking orders for them. We are the only internet dealer that offers this service. We offer significant discounts off of retail Leupold prices, and all orders are scrutinized for accuracy and detail. Some options can't be done with some others, and alternative options can be suggested to come to a similar end result. Help with trajectories and reticles and BDCs is available, as well as mounting solutions and proper fit with applications. Simple engravings and initials add a classy touch to a fine rifle scope, and having a scope built to your specifications makes it even more personal. Lead time is a few weeks, so check our Leupold Custom Shop pages for details on ordering. A personalized scope makes a perfect Christmas gift. Start making plans to order a Leupold Custom Scope for you or that special person today!