Riflescope Blog: Expert's reviews, news, notes on rifle scopes, hunting optics, shooting, binoculars, night vision sights, gun accessories, and more

Riflescopeblog is written by Steven K. Ledin, OpticsPlanet’s Director of Product Intelligence. Follow Steve’s daring exploits as he shoots, travels, hunts, tests, teaches, modifies, and breaks the latest rifle scopes, red dots, lights, lasers and more. Get an insight into the corporate world of a professional gunbitch with a dose of his philosophical insight.

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15 Jan

Leaving for SHOT, Eye Injury, and New Daughter!

Steven K. Ledin, Leaving for SHOT, Eye Injury, and New Daughter!

Leaving for SHOT tomorrow morning early. Monday is media day, and this Riflescopeblog.com gives me credentials to play with the other writers during this event. After about 20 SHOT shows, I’ve never been able to attend. It’s held at a local range, and we’ll shoot all the new stuff from scores of manufacturers. Several people from our marketing group will attend and film some shots. We’ll try to keep everyone informed about new products and developments.

This whole week I’ll be wearing 5.11 Taclite Pro shirts and pants with 5.11 Tactical Trainer boots and a Galco SB3 leather dress belt

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09 Jan

SHOT Show 2012 in Vegas, OPMOD, and Rad’s Departure

Steven K. Ledin, SHOT Show 2012 in Vegas, OPMOD, and Rad’s Departure

The pot is simmering, quickly coming to the full boil that the SHOT (Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade) show is every year. Lots of filming and investigations of OPMOD manufacturers. 14 different OPMOD products were delivered in 2011, and we hope to have several times more than that in 2012. Several new products we’ve been waiting for should be delivered by the end of January.

Dad and Rad

We had to put our boy Rad down Saturday. He was 100 years old and just used up. All three of us were ready for it. He was my and My Shirley’s only …

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31 Dec

Happy New Year, Christmas Party Pinata Smashing, New Shooters at G.A.T. Guns

Steven K. Ledin, Happy New Year, Christmas Party Pinata Smashing, New Shooters at G.A.T. Guns

Happy new year!

Last year was another great one for my family and me, as well as for OpticsPlanet! I was fortunate enough to take lots of trips and a few hunts, including to Alaska for bear.  

I created plenty of sumptuous home-cooked meals using great equipment, and enjoyed a goodly number of fine restaurants. One of my favorite meals ever was superb sushi with great company at Cirella’s in Melvile, NY, where a few of us visited our Nikon Sport Optics friends in their corporate offices. 

Of course, the title holder for my favorite restaurant is …

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23 Dec

Our First Christmas Fireplace, Snow Beard, and Rad’s First Gun

Steven K. Ledin,

My Shirley and I didn’t have much money back in the eighties, similar to today, so to feel a bit more of the holiday spirit, Shirley drew a fireplace on a piece of poster board and taped it on a wall in my bachelor pad. She did a great job, and the colorful and fun picture livened the place up quite a bit. I think I still have it somewhere, over 20 years later. Those were fun times.

Once I tried to look a little like Santa by spraying my big red beard with the aerosol snow that you use …

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14 Dec

Nikon Meeting in New York City!

Steven K. Ledin, Nikon Meeting in New York City!

Nikon Monarch 6-24x50SF

The weather was pretty good for New York’s Long Island, where Nikon keeps its corporate offices. We’ve known the good folks there for quite a while and have a great working relationship with them, besides being friends. This trip was to pick our brains as one of their most strategic partners, and to talk about products to be introduced at this year’s SHOT show. I’ve hunted with some of these folks in Africa and Iowa, and the informality of the meetings keeps conversations interesting and honest. The new sport optics products for 2012 are as exciting as …

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