RifleScope Blog

Holsters 101 Featuring Bianchi, Blackhawk, Fobus, Galco, Etc.

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:34:00 +0000

Last training class was Holsters 101. I spoke about construction and materials, applications, real world daily carry, and my favorites. I started the class wearing an Uncle Mikes Bandolier with a scoped Freedom Arms in it over a Galco Miami Classic with a Glock. Inside my 5.11 tactical shirt was a Star PD. My ankle held a Kel-Tec in an Uncle Mike's rig. On my belt was a Galco Phoenix Crossdraw with a model 10 in it, next to a left hand Blackhawk Serpa with another Glock, then a Galco SOB with another Glock, then a Galco Yaqui Slide with a Beretta, then a #5 Uncle Mike's hip holster with thumb break with the straps removed and a cocked and locked 70 series 1911 in it, then an Uncle Mike's inside the pants with another Kel-Tec. A Jennings was in my pocket in a Galco horsehide Front pocket holster. A J frame was in an Uncle Mike's fanny pack. I did this to explain how each holster is different, and these visual aids helped the employees engrain the information. In the Democratic Republic of Illinois, one of the most restricted states we have, most folks have never touched a holster or a handgun, and certainly have never put a handgun in a holster and actually worn one. This was another fun class, and it's not often I get to wear a dozen guns at once and get paid for it.

Safari Synopsis

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:44:00 +0000

Safari Synopsis

6-3-2008
8 AM. I’m leaving today from gate L-9. Airport’s not too busy. Guns got checked in okay. TSA had a tough time closing my gun case and a few items came out. Of course they wouldn’t let me help put it back together. Altogether it went well for Chicago O’Hare.

Flew to Atlanta fine. Transferred to another flight and then on to Dakar, Senegal, a 9 hour flight across the Atlantic. Felt like it. At Dakar a bunch of security people came on and sprayed disinfectant and checked every chair and bag for contraband going to South Africa. This took a couple hours, then another 9 ½ hour flight to Johannesburg, South Africa.

Eventually landed in Johannesburg. Scarier than I remember it last time. I would last 5 minutes on the streets by myself. A 6 hour drive to the Northernmost part of South Africa to hunting camp in a pair of vans crowded with scraggly and anxious hunters with luggage and guns. This camp borders Zimbabwe. 35 hours total travel time. One road block with no incidents.
Finally slept. Can’t do it on a plane, never was able to. Saw a lion coming in. They roared until I fell unconscious . There’s a shower in my cabin with hot water and a toilet. Both were extremely appreciated.

6-5-2008
Up early. Working on about 3 hours sleep for two days. I’m glad I brought an obnoxious alarm clock with. Some people had a tough time getting up. My neck and back are burning pretty good. Ibuprofen and coffee should fix it. No heat in the cabin, temperature in the 40s. Bird noises this morning were indescribable. Quick breakfast, then out to the range to check zero. I oiled my bore before I left, so threw a fouler first, and my next shot was on the X. I’m ready to hunt. Got to know some of the guys a bit. Several gun magazine editors and photographers. Lots of nice guns.

Several people commented on the nice wood on my Howa. This happens often, but too bad it’s not wood. Just an old synthetic Bell and Carlson with wood grain. Gun’s been a good honest friend on a lot of hunts. It’s never lied to me. Boring and wonderful old 1906 cartridge does everything I ask of it. My 1500 is wearing a Nikon Monarch 2.5-10x42 with a BDC reticle in Leupold 2 piece dual dovetails. Browning X-cellerator sling, one of my favorites for years. Easily adjustable for shooting and carrying. I also have with me my Stony Point Expedition bipod with the clamp and pivot kit and a third leg. Worth it's trouble carrying around. Especially when someone else carries it for you. You simply cannot shoot sitting here, and there are no trees to rest against, just heavy, thorny brush.

We’re in a Toyota pickup outfitted for the bush. I sat in back in the bed on one of two bolted on padded chairs with the PH (Professional Hunter) Eddy driving and his tracker Elifas in back of me. A local tracker was beside him. Saw kudu, impalas, zebra, nyala, gemsbok, warthog, steenbok, and a zillion colorful and raucous birds and rodents. I had taken many of these animals on an earlier safari or didn’t want them. I really wanted a red hartebeest, ostrich, blue wildebeest, and warthog mainly on this trip.

Back from the evening hunt. Stalked some wildebeests but lost them. Very thick here. Unlikely to take a very long shot. I was asleep on my feet. Hard to stay awake, even in the hot seat holding a gun. At the main lodge I continued to get to know my hunting partners with a few drinks and war stories. I had been reading some of these guys for many years. We were all ready for dinner and bed. One of the guys shot a nice buffalo today.

6-6-2008
Lions roared me to sleep and woke me this morning. Pretty surreal. I slept well. Jet lag not really an issue, and I feel recharged and ready. To the lodge for breakfast. We are on the Limpopo river, and on the opposite shore about 80 yards away I’m looking at 3 rhinos eating. There are several hippos in the water snorting not 40 yards away. Unreal. Crocodiles upstream. Eggs and bacon and coffee taste so much better here than at home. It’s still a bit dark and there’s a sliver of moon over the trees with baboons barking underneath it. We’re not in Kansas anymore.

Shot a big male baboon this morning out of a tree at about 150 yards. He fell at least 50 feet. Nice shot, but unfortunately the bullet entered his back and deflected and knocked a portion of a canine tooth off. I took him just after he was done mating. He didn’t even have time for a cigarette.

Stalked a nice impala, about 24”, a good trophy. I didn’t need another, but it was a fine example and they don’t cost a ton. We stopped the stalk when we saw a red hartebeest, an animal I really wanted. Put on several stalks with no success. My legs are telling me I’m an office worker.
These trackers and PHs don’t make noise when they walk. It’s an acquired skill you had better learn quickly. To spend hours on a stalk and blow it because you snapped a twig or kicked a rock is not acceptable.

Later we saw more hartebeests, worked a good stalk and I made a perfect shot in the chest of a large one facing me at about 125 yards. I had time to turn the scope up to 10x and shot him using the guide’s shoulder as a rest. He dropped cold. I hoped to recover the bullet but the skinners didn’t get it. Saving the skull. No room in the house or money for more shoulder mounts, even on a beautiful animal like this.

Noon. Sat hidden in a quickly assembled hide in comfortable folding chairs under some acacia trees about a hundred yards from a water hole waiting for warthogs. Had lunch with my PH, chewing on some dried sausage and a sandwich with some yellow meat. Didn’t care what it was, and didn’t ask. Probably better off. Acacia thorns are perfect toothpicks. Bottled water only when you travel. Or pop or beer. Bugs were driving me nuts, swarming my face and ears. At the hole at one time there were eland, giraffes, baboons, monkeys, impalas, guinea fowl, and later on, even a jackal, but the only warthogs we saw were small. Giraffes are my favorite creatures here. Gargantuan and magnificent. I even watched three of them spread their legs to drink, with several red billed ox pickers running up and down their necks snacking on ticks. What a sight. Having a blast. The trackers took the truck and left. Here we sit. No talking, no moving. A change of pace from walking and stalking and glassing.

One impala ram keeps chasing off several smaller ones, protecting his heard of females. They are so vocal. I think they are the noisiest animals here besides birds. I have a giraffe 20 yards to my left, 20 yards to my right, and 30 yards in back of me. They know something is here, but don’t know what we are, and don’t seem to be afraid of us. Guinea fowl all around us. I’d like to shoot the jackal, but I really want a warthog, so I’ll wait. I may have other chances for a dog. A herd of wildebeest thundered by on the run about 20 yards away. We must be on a highway.

Getting dark now and it cools off FAST. On the way back we’re going to an orange orchard and shine for warthogs. What a blast. Better be on your game and be able to shoot quickly. My Browning Tactical flashlights are the best value on the market and absolutely my favorites. I also use their Night Seeker PRO cap light constantly. Everyone needs one.

This country is like an old man’s face with scars. Rugged and harsh and used and only pretty in a tough way. June 21st is the first day of summer at home, but the first day of winter here. From 40s at night to 80s in the day so far. Bright, strong sun with no clouds. Gotta watch for sunburn. My wide rimmed hat and sunscreen are effective, as are long sleeves.
Drinks and dinner and war stories around the fire.

6-7-2008
Up before dawn again. Clear and chilly, about 40F. Coffee and breakfast. I had to wear earplugs to sleep last night. The lodge was rocking pretty late. Interesting to see the conditions of different people in the morning. Hippos are blowing in the river. Today we look for wildebeest. My clothing and equipment is performing perfectly. Most of my pants and shirts are 5.11 and BLACKHAWK! and are made for this kind of environment.

I normally use Nikon Monarch binoculars, but this trip is about the new EDG binocular, and we all have prototypes to use. I have never used anything better. We are the first people to use them in the field besides in the earlier commercials I filmed. I’m using a 10x42 model here.
Hornbills, baobab trees, chacma baboons, fervet monkeys, all new to me. I saw an ostrich and wanted one for the leather, but no opportunities. Too bad, I already had myriad projects envisioned.

Lunch at an outdoor camp. Steaks and sausage and raw vegetables. Lots of protein around here. The animals normally siesta during the hottest parts of the day. Hunting stories all around and a couple of cold beers. There’s an outhouse nearby. Better to use it now with the spiders here than out in the bush. Baby wipes are not just for babies.

My thighs are burning. Damn mountains give a good perspective for glassing, but you have to climb them first. Small steps in granny gear. Breath in through the nose, out through the mouth. Repeat until you’re at the top. Watch your footing. Tough for a flatlander.
Back at camp. Made some stalks. Sunburned a bit. Tired. I’m used up and cut up and sore and feel great. Beer is good. Dinner is satisfying. Company is fun. Gonna get a good night’s sleep.

6-8-2008
Sunday. Cold this morning. No heat here. No windows on the cabin, just screens. Windy. Hot coffee and breakfast will be devoured. It’s fun watching the PHs speak among themselves. They talk about their clients like all cliques do, but they speak Afrikaans, so we can’t understand them. Hippos in the water again. Lions are loud. Coffee tastes good.

10:30. Spotted a nice wildebeest through the brush. About 70 yards away. Scope was set at 2.5x. Shot him quickly. Called the shot a bit high. Found him about 25 yards away piled up. Nice animal. I recovered the Winchester Accubond. It lost the front but retained the back. Shot was perfect. Saving the skull and the beautiful brindle flatskin.

Drums in the bush all morning calling the Christian natives to worship. Lots of Moslems here also, and many folks that rely on strange practices (to us) and witch doctors.

Lunch at a chalet with lots of protein again. No luck in the evening. We all met at a mountaintop camp when finished with the day’s hunt. Classy tables and china and delicious South African wine in crystal stemware. What a treat this was. Gourmet food in the bush under the Southern Cross, with native dancers and music and way too much to drink. When in Rome…. Got to know some folks fairly well. More war stories. We all got a special engraved Benchmade knife with Nikon EDG Africa 2008 on it. Very nice.

My gun is so dirty and dusty I’ll have to clean it before I hunt tomorrow.

6-9-2008
Hurting a bit, but first one up at the lodge. Lot of folks fairly green today. Funny. Builds character. Pony up.

Nothing this morning. Back at lodge for lunch, hunting locally. Cool today, maybe low 60s and humid and windy. A beer and a bit of reading and a short nap before we go back out.

3:30 PM. Shot a monkey at around 200 yards out of a tree at 10x. He must’ve fallen 75 feet. Gonna use his skull for a paperweight.

5:40PM. Shot a nice impala at around 100 yards at 10x. I was on him for the longest time, but his vitals were completely hidden by a tree. Had only a second to shoot when he moved. Dropped him in his tracks.

Saw lots of game today. Cleaned up and met at lodge for war stories. Hippos everywhere, some not even 30 yards away, blowing like steam engines. I brought some Spiderwire and topwater baits and hooks with me in case I had the opportunity to fish. I found a reel with some light line on it that worked and baited a hook with some fish from an appetizer and dropped it in the water. If I got a nibble I would respool with my good line, but not before. I set the drag light and left it. I would check it again in the morning with no luck.

6-10-2008
Dropped a baboon at 175 yards at 10x. The trackers do not like touching these creatures, not only because a wounded one will easily kill you, but it’s also religious. They think of them as quite human. If you look at one skinned you would believe it also. Later we stalked zebra with no success. Lunch was some kind of meat pie. Yesterday some kind of lasagna. Rained a bit today, just a few drops. My clothing is excellent. Still overcast and windy. A big difference from the first few days of blistering sun and heat.

One of the PHs stepped down off a rock onto the head of a puff adder. Lucky he stepped on the snake’s head. Another guy saw a 10 foot python and freaked. I saw what was probably the biggest spider of my life in one of the editor’s rooms when we talked shop. A lizard dropped from the rafters on one of the guys taking a shower and scared the hell out of him. Funny. Just think what kind and how many creatures would be around in summer. We also found that lions and crocodiles love monkey carcasses.

Saw huge monitor lizards, a bushbuck, duiker, steenbok, springbok, klipspringer, mountain reedbuck. Yellow billed hornbills everywhere as normal. Stalked more zebra. No luck. I came across a few times on cliffs I could’ve used a slope meter on my Monarch Gold 1200 rangefinder.
Back at lodge. War stories. One of the guys shot a cape buffalo with a 500 S&W. The hard cast bullet penetrated 5 ½ feet. Several buffalo were taken altogether. A leopard. A record book warthog. I won’t name names for good or evil. Drinks were flowing. Guitar and drums and even singing “Southern Cross.” May not sound too butch, but I will never forget it. Some of the best music I have ever heard. I contributed by playing the Leatherman on an empty wine bottle.

A PH’s montra:

Kill them all,
Big and small,
Let them fall,
That is all.

6-11-2008
Killed a lamp in my room last night. Oops! Jaku is my PH now, Eddy had to leave.
Zebra stalk. All bits of flavor were represented. We spotted him from the truck, a Mazda this time. We went after him. After a while I set up the sticks but had a bad angle and brush. Couldn’t shoot. My crosshairs were on him for minutes. Finally he moved and I could’ve shot, but another zebra was in back of him and I was concerned about a pass-through. They bolted after getting our scent. Then started about a two hour stalk with crawling, tracking, duckwalking, sweating, hard breathing, and getting poked and cut by everything. We finally saw them about 500 yards away, too far for me to shoot. We took our time and inched closer. They felt safe and came back our way. I fired off the sticks at 255 yards and he fell nicely. Good zebra. I will get amorous on his skin covering my guest bed. I saved some of his liver to use for fishing bait. Something broke the line a couple times later on, but I never saw what kind of fish it was.

After we dropped off the zebra at the skinners with instructions to save the bullet, we went to make a hide by a waterhole for warthogs. Jaku and his tracker Johannes built the blind in about 30 minutes. I’ve been building them for years for deer and couldn’t have done nearly as well in hours. What professionals. The trackers often just wear sandals but don’t seem to know it. Without my boots I would be helpless. We propped the sticks to comfortably position my rifle for a shot and settled in for another long wait. Ants crawling all over us made it uncomfortable as hell. Saw only one small warthog and a couple jackals. Should’ve shot a jackal, but really wanted a warthog. Didn’t get one last trip. Turns out no luck on the warthogs here either, but if I would’ve shot the jackal I wouldn’t have had a chance at all.

Back at camp. The gut pile on a zebra is HUGE! Tomorrow is the last full day of hunting. I’ll bring my 870 with for some birds.

6-12-2008
Last full hunting day. Brought the shotgun for dove and grouse and guinea fowl. I’ve always been a bird hunter primarily and get a lot of enjoyment out of it. Ammo was provided, but an open choke with number fours is not optimum for dove. Still, a real kick in the pants and memorable shooting from the back of a moving pickup.

9 AM. Had a few seconds to turn up my scope and shoot a warthog at about 150 yards down a road. He went about 20 feet, but the brush was so thick we didn’t see him until we were right on him. The trackers treat these pigs with a ton of respect. The tusks will rip a person to shreds. Got lucky seeing this one in this area, it wasn’t expected.

10 AM. Riding through the bush we came upon two South African soldiers that stopped us. They were checking for smugglers. We were alongside the Zimbabwean border, and if you follow the news you have heard about the troubles in that country. The soldiers were friendly and spoke some English. I was looking at their rifles and they were looking at mine. Incredibly, one of the soldiers traded guns with me. The select-fire R4 rifle is similar in design to an FAL but in a 5.56 chamber. We shot each other’s guns and we both got a kick out of it. I told them I was old U.S. Navy and they wanted to know if I had any contacts. I didn’t know if they wanted me to call in an air strike or what. Turns out they wanted to join the U.S. military and go to Iraq where the pay is better and steadier than what they have. Meeting these guys was a pretty memorable slice of my trip. We spoke about politics, AIDS, landmines, etc. Some people in South Africa now believe that if you have AIDS and have sex with a virgin you are cured. Now babies under a year old are being raped. There is no death penalty.

Some of my clothing was on the bed of the truck along with my backpack. My warthog bled all over it and it soaked through everything. I was able to find water and wash most of it off. I’ll do a better job in my washing machine when I get home. They wash clothes here every other day for us, which saved some packing room in my luggage.

Back at lodge for lunch. Afterwards I went on a birdwatchers walk by myself. You’re supposed to go with a group and a guide, but I figured it wasn’t necessary. I got a few hundred yards into the bush with only a small path to follow and a tall canopy of trees when something fell from the branches on my left and my right about 10 yards away. It sounded like someone dropped two sacks of potatoes from a roof. It was two huge baboons and they were barking and shrieking bloody murder with constant eye contact. Scared the holy crap out of me. I would’ve felt a lot better with a pistol or howitzer or something. Tarzan I am not. They followed me for a while, all the time woofing at me. They maybe could sense that I shot a couple of them this week. They eventually got tired of playing scare the human and left.

There was a golf course next to the main entrance to the lodge, and I wanted to say I played in South Africa, so a companion and I went to play 9 holes with a PH and his tracker. We should’ve brought a rifle since it was okay to hunt while on the links. The tracker was downrange and actually spotted our balls for us every hole. If you lose a ball in the rough it’s gone forever. The acacia trees and wait-a-bits will rip you to shreds. The wait-a-bits are bushes with rose-like thorns that curve backwards and stop you in your tracks. I’m still picking out some pieces from my hands and knees. On the seventh hole you have to hit across a river filled with hippos and crocodiles and take a boat to the green. Craziest hole I’ve ever heard of.

When I got back we had a boat ride planned down the Limpopo. Lots of birds and hippos and crocks. Beautiful scenery. Inspiring.

6-13-2008
Leaving today. In Benidorm, Spain in the navy I fell in love with a girl and stayed with her for a week until my ship got under way again. I was mournful and missed her badly for quite a while. I felt the same way about leaving the Limpopo river and Tshipisi Safaris at the Popallin Ranch. We shot some group photos with the hunters and the scores of animals taken this trip. My Nikon Coolpix camera worked superbly throughout every ordeal, and fit my pocket perfectly. Don’t ever leave without lithium batteries.

Typical of South Africa we had to grease a few palms at the airport to stumble our way less hazardously through customs and the police station. It took forever and we almost missed our plane although we were there three hours before flight time. Didn’t get a chance to buy any trinkets there, although we did stop on the way at a small place, so my Shirley and a couple folks got gifts upon my return. The total travel time home was 36 hours, and felt a lot longer than the travel time on the way there. I watched a total of 10 movies on the flights, countless mind-numbing sitcoms and documentaries, and read three books. Almost 18, 000 travel miles total.
Mercifully and finally I returned to my residence and my beloved wife Shirley and my boy Radical Lee von Dundee. Fast food and a proper toilet and shower were gratefully utilized to their fullest.

Great trip.

8 shots, 8 animals. Didn’t get hurt. My equipment and I performed well. I got to know a lot of people I’ve admired for years, and garnered friendships that I will cherish. I learned a lot, and every moment of it was delicious. I hope all of you get to experience something similar once in your life.

Aim Hard,

Steven K. Ledin

Safari

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Fri, 30 May 2008 22:54:00 +0000

Today is my last day at work for a couple weeks. Safari time. I'm going with some heavy hitters. Nice to be included in their group. My Pelican case is cut and filled, and got my Accubond ammo from Winchester to sight with. I'll do it Saturday at a friend's place where I can get a good long zero and check the BDC circles in my Nikon Monarch. Several guys hunting cape buffalo, another for leopard. We'll all shoot birds.

Scope Mounts and Mounting

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:00:00 +0000

Here's the handout I gave the class during the last basic training session, here shown optimized for web use:

Choosing and Installing Bases, Rings, Mounts, and Scopes

The bases and rings used to connect a riflescope to a firearm are often the weakest link in a shooting system. Without a properly fitted connection, the very best scope and rifle combination is rendered useless. Often it is impossible to tell if you have an unsecure or ill-fitting connection until you’re at the shooting bench or in the hunting field, where a poor mount or installation may show itself as inconsistent at best, and at worst cause an excess expenditure of valuable time and ammunition or a wounded animal. Think of scope mounts as the lug nuts of the shooting world.

Once installed you should never have to trouble over a loose wheel. Choosing rings and bases is not the time to pinch pennies or just make due with “good enough.” The money spent will be more than made up for in reliability, ruggedness, and peace of mind. Glossary: These terms are thrown around everywhere quite loosely. Take them with a grain of salt.

Base: A simple steel or aluminum platform in one or two pieces that connects to a firearm receiver via clamps or screws and accepts scope rings into them or onto them secured by clamps, screws, or friction secured dovetails. Some receivers have bases built into them, notably many Ruger/Sako rifles, target and hunting handguns, and various military long guns like the M-4 type.

Rings: Circular clamps used to hold a riflescope and connect it to a previously installed base on a gun. The ring inside diameter must match the scope’s outside diameter. These are mostly one inch or 30mm. The height of the ring must be chosen in regards to the objective lens outside diameter, the ocular bell size, scope length, eye relief, bolt lift, and barrel contour.

Extension rings: Rings of any style with a cantilever portion that allows for a shorter mounting distance between rings. Extension rings are useful to mount short scopes on long receiver rifles or to manipulate eye relief slightly. Normally extension rings offer another ½” of mounting leeway.

Tipoff rings / .22 rings / 3/8” dovetail rings: 3/8” dovetail rings are normally used on grooved receivers. Grooved receivers have cuts running lengthwise in the top of the gun deep enough for the claws of the rings to firmly grip onto. Grooved receivers are normally found on .22 rifles and airguns (although some European .22s and air rifles have grooves that are 11mm or 13mm). Sometimes there is actually a 3/8” base screwed into the receiver instead of grooves cut into it, often because of lack of metal thickness of the receiver. These 3/8” rings may have a circular diameter to hold a scope with a main tube of 30mm, 1”, 7/8” ¾” or others. A standard .22 ring may be called a “one inch tip off”, a “one inch .22 ring”, or a “one inch 3/8” dovetail ring”. Some grooved receiver .22s are drilled and tapped for Weaver style bases. It is prudent to use these much larger bases if available. Weaver style bases simply offer more area for the rings to grab onto.

Weaver style bases: Basic aluminum rails to fit the contour of the firearm receiver. Probably the most commonly used type for sporting firearms. These are inexpensive, and readily available for most guns. Sometimes found manufactured in steel. These are 7/8” wide and vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer. The slots running crossways are called recoil slots, and on Weaver style bases will measure around .180” wide.

Weaver style rings: Everyone makes a version. Some are aluminum, some are steel, many are a combination of both. They are made to clamp onto a 7/8” wide base. There is a metal bar or connection screw underneath these rings called a recoil lug that fits the corresponding .180 wide recoil slots on Weaver style bases. Recoil lugs under rings prevent fore and aft movement of the scope during recoil and handling. Most Weaver style rings are detachable from their bases with the scope still in them, and can be reinstalled without major loss of zero. Swapping scopes for different purposes is also facilitated.

Quick detachable / Quick release rings: These systems incorporate some kind of lever to quickly and easily remove your scope for transport, cleaning, exchanging scopes, or other reasons. Some are Weaver style, some are proprietary and require matching bases. A perfect return to zero is normally not accomplished when reinstalled.

Picatinny/1913: These rings and bases are similar to Weaver style. The main difference is that they are based on specifications standardized by the U.S. Picatinny Arsenal in 1913. The main physical difference is in the size of the recoil lugs on the bottom of the rings and the corresponding larger size of the recoil slot in the top of the base. This size is .206”, much bigger than the .180” in the Weaver style. Therefore, a Picatinny ring will not fit into a Weaver base, but a Weaver ring will fit into a Picatinny base. Some manufactures label their products as Picatinny/Weaver but are actually Weaver style. Some Picatinny rings are tightened with an inch-pound torque wrench to ensure a return to zero when reinstalled. Our military M-4 carbines utilize Picatinny rails.

Leupold style: The Leupold style of bases (also Redfield, Burris, and others) are a standard that non-Weaver style mounting systems are measured by. They can be one or two pieces, and are steel, sleek, and strong. They are reliable and trouble-free. There is almost as much interchangeability between manufacturers with the Leupold style as there is with Weaver style systems. Unlike Weaver style rings, the Leupold system is not easily detachable. The top half of the rings must be separated to remove your scope. The front ring is kind of a press fit, with a protruding, beveled rectangle of metal under the ring, turned tightly into a corresponding dovetail slot in the front base. Normally, the two halves of the rings are loosely assembled, and a scope ring tool or a one inch wooden dowel or a screwdriver handle is inserted between the pieces to gain leverage to turn the ring into the base. This is a press fit and cannot be done by hand.

The rear ring sits flush atop the base and is held there by two opposing screws tightened into it. The screws have a leading edge that fits into corresponding slots in the ring. The base screws are tightened into each other, squeezing the ring between them tightly and immovably. By backing out one screw and tightening the other, the ring moves laterally on the base, effectively acting as a windage adjustment. This is of minimal importance unless your base holes are drilled off-center, or there is some other problem that makes your gun shoot left or right so much that it can’t be easily corrected with minor internal scope adjustments.

Dual dovetails: Dual dovetail bases are the same as the standard Leupold style, but instead of the windage screws holding the rear ring to the base, they are omitted, and the rear ring is turned in, just like the front. This system does not offer the extra windage adjustments that the standard bases offer, but it is normally not of major importance, and you may prefer the cleaner lines and fewer parts that the dual dovetail system offers.

Mounts: Mounts generally are a ring and base combination in one piece. See through mounts are common, as well as saddle mounts for shotguns. Mounts from companies like B-Square, NcSTAR, and DedNutz normally do not require gunsmithing to install, and are easily removed without harm. Older handguns and longguns may utilize these mounts, making the gun a much more useful and fun firearm that can be shot more accurately.

STANAG: STANAG means “standard agreement” and is a standardized mounting system used by NATO forces. This system is not widely used in the U.S. STANAG rings and bases must be used together, although there are some STANAG mounts that incorporate a Picatinny style rail that will accept Weaver/Picatinny rings as well as STANAG rings. STANAG rings will not install on standard Picatinny bases.

Ring height:

Scopes should be mounted as low as comfortably possible without touching the barrel. A slightly higher ring may be used to provide clearance for scope caps.

50mm scopes will generally use high rings. Heavy barrels may require extra-high. Mediums may occasionally work with standard contour barrels.

42-45mm scopes will mostly use medium rings with standard contour barrels.

40mm scopes will generally use low rings with standard contour barrels.

Flattop rifles will need super-high rings with an optical center of 1.5 inches or just slightly less for a proper cheek weld.

If you choose to mount the riflescope yourself you will need a few things first. A gun vise of some kind and a clean, well lit area. Remove any filler screws in the top of your receiver with a properly fitted screwdriver. Degrease the holes. This of course does not apply to grooved receivers or integral Weaver/Picatinny bases. Degrease all mount parts, then reapply a light coat of oil to the top of the receiver and the bottoms of the bases or rings. Check the instructions for your particular mounting system. Some manufacturers that use Torx screws suggest a light coat of oil on the screw threads. I normally use Loctite on all base screws. Never Loctite ring screws. Always apply to the screws, not in the threaded holes. Some bases will have screws of different lengths. Check them first visually. Make sure the screws are in the correct places. Screw threads should protrude about the same amount from the underside of the bases. Putting too-short screws in the wrong places can result in a scope being torn off by recoil or handling, and screws that are too long can bind a bolt or result in a loose base. Install the bases using Loctite or oil, depending on what the manufacturer suggests. A tiny dab of fingernail polish works well when Loctite is not available. Tighten securely.

Next, install the bottom half of the rings onto the bases. If you have a Weaver or Picatinny system you may tighten them securely with a properly sized screwdriver or wrench. If you have a Leupold turn-in style you will need to assemble the top half of the ring onto the bottom ring, place it in the base, and use a wooden dowel or non-marring screwdriver handle to turn the ring 90 degrees. This is a press fit and cannot be done by hand. Do not remove the factory applied grease on the mating parts. Every time a Leupold system is installed it gets a little looser. Reapply grease if needed. A Leupold ring wrench is worth its weight in gold for installing rings.

If using a dual dovetail system, repeat this procedure for the rear ring. The adjustable rear base on a standard Leupold system has two opposing screws that allow for significant windage adjustments. Center the ring onto the base by eye and snug the opposing screws.

This is the time to use a scope ring alignment tool if you have one. Those sold by Wheeler Engineering are excellent, and prevent damaged scope tubes caused by misaligned rings. These tools are two piece 1” or 30mm rods. Each one has a pointed end. Install the alignment tool between the ring halves and move the front and rear rings using the alignment tool until the pointed tips of the tool are almost touching.

Remove the top halves of the rings and place your scope in the bottom ring halves. The scope should fall to the bottom of both rings. You can lightly install your top ring halves.

Remove the bolt of your rifle if possible and look through the bore at a target placed at least 25 yards away and adjust your scope so your crosshairs are pointing at the same place you see when looking through your barrel, or use a boresighter of any kind. Results are about the same with any type of boresighting. I prefer a magnetic boresighter such as the Leupold, which does not require specific arbors or lasers, and a target set some distance away is not needed.

Remember, boresighting will simply get your shots on paper at shorter distances so you can sight in by actually shooting at a certain distance with a certain load. No boresighter can sight in a gun. Period.

If you can easily adjust your scope when boresighting to approximate center without significant manipulation of the windage and elevation knobs on your scope you are ready for the next step. If your windage is off a lot and you have standard Leupold type bases with windage screws, take your scope back out before you move the bases accordingly so you don’t misalign your rings and damage your scope. Move the rear base and realign both rings with your alignment tool or place your scope back in the bottom ring halves and ensure the scope drops to the bottom again. Lightly install the top halves of your rings and check the boresight again. With dual dovetail systems you have no option for base adjustments, so if your adjustments are at their maximum, switch to a base with windage screws. If you have a Weaver/Picatinny system and your windage is off, some manufacturers like Millett offer rings that are windage adjustable. If elevation is an issue with any system you may have to place a shim under your front or rear base, or get a base with built-in elevation.

If you don’t have a boresight or alignment tool just do the best you can by eye. You can use a 1” or 30mm bar or an old scope that you won’t mind a scratch or two on to see if it falls to the bottom of the rings. I still sometimes use a piece of an old Harley handlebar that measures .9997 and is perfect.

If your boresight looks good you may now lap your rings if you like. Lapping polishes the inside of your rings. Lapping tools are available from Wheeler Engineering and they not only ensure maximum scope to scope ring contact, but remove any sharp edges on rings that can scratch scopes. Instructions are provided with these lapping tools. The Tipton gun vises and the Wheeler Engineering screwdrivers, alignment tools, and lapping bars are an important part of any firearm workspace and are inexpensive investments that will last a lifetime.

If you have lapped your rings, take care to remove all traces of the abrasive lapping compound with a solvent, then degrease with a moistened patch. Place your scope in the bottom half of your rings and loosely install the top ring halves. With your scope at its highest magnification, aim the scope at a bare wall some distance away or at the sky, and adjust the eye relief. To do this, move the scope gently fore and aft until you get the maximum distance the scope can be from your eye and still give you a full sight picture. At lower magnification you generally have more eye relief available, so remember to set the placement of your scope when it’s at its highest magnification.

This is also the time to level your crosshairs. Again, Wheeler Engineering sells a neat leveling product that rests on your gun and your scope that takes the guesswork out of this procedure. Adjusting the crosshairs by eye is loads of fun. You’ll often have to loosen your ring screws to re-level several times until you’re satisfied that the reticle is straight. Tightening your ring screws also moves your scope slightly one way or another. Tighten the top half of your ring screws evenly from one side to the other, just a bit at a time and always from one side to the other, trying to keep the gap between the rings even. There will be a gap. Tighten your ring screws securely, but don’t try to tighten the screws enough to close this gap.

With your scope now securely mounted, check the function of your gun to make sure the action is not bound by too-long base screws and that the ocular bell does not interfere with the manipulation of your bolt on a bolt action rifle.

Boresight your gun and shoot! Check the tightness of your ring screws occasionally. Have fun!

Aim Hard,

Steven K. Ledin

OpticsPlanet Technical Sales Manager

Getting Close to Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Fri, 23 May 2008 20:30:00 +0000

Only about 10 days left until safari. Scrambling. The folks I'm going with had two years to prepare. I got three weeks. Had three more training sessions for the crew this week. About 50 people. Scope mounts and mounting. Lots of visual aids and guns everywhere.

Gotta get a rough 100 yard zero this weekend with whatever ammo I have. Next weekend I'll go long. Leave Tuesday morning. Winchester is one of the sponsors, and I'm waiting to see what kind of ammo they send for me to use. Should've been here already, but that's the way it goes. I'm going with some gun writers and people in the industry. Cape buffalo for them, plains game for me. I'm strung as tight as a piano wire right now getting ready and still working hard. Too bad work has to cut into hunting time. The current political unrest and violence is a bit troubling in Johannesburg, as well. I'll be there for a couple days. I didn't plan to be a war correspondent.

Guatemala or Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Wed, 07 May 2008 18:53:00 +0000

Early last month I was invited on a bird watching expedition to the cloud forests of Guatemala in early June. I was learning Spanish through discs in my Jeep on the way to and from work. They were pretty useful and were working well. My new trail boots are comfortable and were waiting to walk on Central American soil. I actually watch birds for Cornell university every year. I don't just watch birds through my oven window. I was very much looking forward to the trip. Then a strange thing happened. I got invited to Africa on safari at the same time. Bird watching is fun, but I'd rather be lugging guns through the bush with grubby shooters on the dark continent. So I'm going to Africa instead. Only a few weeks left until I leave, which leaves me with very little time to sight in and get familiar with a new gun, so I'm bringing my old go-to Howa in '06. It killed everything just fine last time down there including dozens of varmints, some over 500 yards away when they let me walk up my shots. Some bird shooting also, so maybe I need a new shotgun. Good excuse to give My Shirley, anyway. Not that I need an excuse; she's very understanding about my needs. I'm a bit out of shape and could lose a few pounds. I have a bit of time to correct that. I ordered a Nikon Monarch 2.5-10x42 with BDC for glass. I don't like big scopes. My Monarch Gold 1200 rangefinder and Monarch glasses are ready to go. Needless to say this is a Nikon trip. Gotta get some range time in. I'll keep you guys posted.

New Nikon Rangefinders

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:49:00 +0000

I did some filming last week for our site as well as YouTube. New Nikon products represented were the Riflehunter 550 (one of the very best new laser rangefinders on the market), the Nikon Monarch binocular, and the most technologically advanced binocular available, the Nikon EDG (pronounced EDGE). Nikon's introduction of the EDG is going to reset the optical standard of high-end glasses, and the Europeans had better be well aware of the capabilities of this new offering. I have never tested optics that rated as high on a resolution chart. My normal go-to binocular is a Monarch, and has performance far outweighing its selling price.

Riflescopes 101 and a Full Day

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:15:00 +0000

Yesterday started the first two Riflescope 101 classes. Almost 40 attended alltogether. Lots of scoped guns and targets for visual aids, and instructor Steve bouncing around like a monkey. Classes were great and enjoyable and not boring in the least. A big load off my mind completing this section, it was lots of work and very important. After class yesterday I shot a pistol match. It was a no light match, so I chose to use a Glock 19 with a Streamlight TLR-1. This is the first time I used a weapon light in a match and it certainly contributed to me winning. After that, I won a couple dart games and made a nice dinner for my Shirley. Certainly was a full day.

Riflescope Recoil Ratings

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:15:00 +0000

A customer asked the other day for recoil ratings on a few different scopes. For the most part, there aren't any. Some manufacturers will say that they take "1000 thumpings with a .375 H&H", or rated to .454 Casull, but this is largely marketing hype. What is the weight of the gun? Who determines what recoil factor this is? Manufacturers also do not test for recoil the same way. The best way to determine recoil resistance of a scope without bells and whistles is price and reputation. Why do most rifles in gun magazines wear a few certain brands of riflescope? This is not hype. Some people use a variety of different products all the time and know what breaks. This is how a reputation is formed. Don't put tons of faith in recoil ratings if you can find them.

2008 Training Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:29:00 +0000

OpticsPlanet strives to furnish constant, meaningful product education for our sales/customer service agents and other related job titles in an effort to provide a better understanding of our products. This relates directly to the experience our customers get when ordering, and it's my job to see that this happens. Our Senior Product Specialist, Jne, will teach some non-gun-related classes, and as a professional educator, we use her classes as a template for others. Ryan will teach a couple, and the balance goes to me. This is what it looks like so far:

Binoculars 101
Riflescopes 101
Red dot sights 101
Riflescope mounts 101
Binoculars 201
Spotting scopes 101
Holsters 101
Night vision 101
Night vision 201
Radar guns 101
Laser rangefinders 101
Telescopes 101
Telescopes 102
Microscopes 101

I wish a lot of you readers could attend these basic classes. They're a lot of fun, and the tests at the end of these classes are graded and used for annual review purposes. Each employee will have to learn the basics, and be able to use them in their every day dealings with our customers. This is a very positive program.

My Favorite Boresighters

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 23:16:00 +0000

There are two boresighters I prefer over all others. The best unit ever made so far in my opinion is the fantastic Leupold Zero Point Magnetic boresighter. The lit reticle feature isn't required, but can be useful. The magnetic boresighters do not require a target for a laser to reflect off or an arbor of the correct size to insert into a muzzle, and are every bit as accurate. Remember, a boresight is simply to get you onto paper when shooting so you can sight in with the loads you want to use at your particular distance. I use mine every time I mount a new scope, and it is also useful for checking your zero after travelling. A reasonably priced alternative is the Bushnell magnetic version, unlit, but more affordable. Remember, you only have to buy one once, and it fits all calibers and gauges.

Vortex Optics

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:29:00 +0000

Some of you may already know Vortex Optics because of the excellent advertising campaigns they've been up to. It's hard not to notice the great full-page ads in most of the hunting magazines introducing their riflescope lines. Vortex binoculars are well respected in birding circles, and Field and Stream voted a Vortex binocular as a best buy earlier in the year. I'm looking forward to wringing out a couple Vortex riflescopes this season, and I'm expecting very good things out of them. Many of their products are argon purged, and all carry a no questions asked lifetime warranty.

Chuck the Vet's New 700 with ProHunter

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:15:00 +0000

My friend Chuck the veterinarian is at it again. After picking my brain for a few months he splurged and bought a new Remington 700 Light Varmint Stainless Fluted in 22-250. It was a bit more than he wanted to spend initially, but he ponied up one time for the last rifle he will ever need (or so he thinks). He fell in love with the cartridge from using one of my guns last year in preparation for his first antelope hunt. The gun I loaned him was wearing one of the new Simmons Master Series ProHunters in 6-24x44 with side focus and mildot. He loved the scope, too, so I got one for him. Chuck is a pragmatic kind of guy, so when I told him I had one for him he didn't look a gift horse in the mouth, he just beamed. I'll do my standard anal retentive gun preparation for him with the lapping and crowning, et cetera. The rifle is in my Gunroom waiting its turn among a score of other important projects. Dual dovetails and a Harris bipod for this one, and maybe a box or two of my favorite Ballistic Tip loads for good measure. This riflescope is a good value, and goes to show you don't need to spend a mint to get an extremely usable product that will last.

Chuck's New 700

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:15:00 +0000

Biologist's New Gun with ATN PS-22

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:56:00 +0000

I've been supplying equipment for my local forest preserve biologist friends for about 20 years. These folks band birds and bats, relocate beavers, collar coyotes, and study every wild thing that lives in the woodlands and swamps. Population control of deer takes place most of the year including now. The carrying capacity of our woods for deer is from 9 to 11 deer per square mile. Some of our preserves have OVER 100! The latest package that was dropped off at my house was a new stainless 700 in .243. I lapped the barrel 777 times like I usually do, polished the crown and installed a 3.5-10x50 Zeiss Conquest in fully lapped Leupold Dual Dovetail two piece rings and bases as my standard. The problem was that the windage adjustment of the scope was almost buried to one side when boresighted with my Zero Point boresighter. I swapped to a different set I had laying around as well as turning them 180 degrees, all with no change in windage. The screw holes were obviously not centered. By my caliper measurements they weren't even close, and I could see the difference just with a close look. So I installed Standard rings and bases and adjusted windage that way. I could've used Burris Signature rings with inserts, but I like metal on metal. Along with this rifle I packaged an ATN PS-22 with the 3A tube and appropriate adapter. The rings were extra-high for a bit more clearance with this ultra-modern night vision unit, so I also put on a Blackhawk Ammo Cheekpad for a more comfortable cheek weld. Formerly the biologists had to carry two guns when they stayed out a while: one for daytime and one for night. Now with the ATN PS-22 they simply install the unit onto the existing daytime riflescope in about 5 seconds and shoot away. The whole package has been out of my Gunroom for two days and I can't wait for the required reports from a person who will put it all through its paces and give me real-world reports with no bias. I learn an awful lot from these guys and gals. I also sold them another pair of 8x42 Leica Geovids which probably have the nicest picture of any binocular I have ever used. If you want to know how tough a piece of equipment is, just give it to these folks for a season. I enjoy helping these people a lot, and they are a wealth of information.

Drilling for Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 23:36:00 +0000

I was speaking to a colleague the other day that didn't know what a drilling was. Drei (pronounced "dry") is the German word for three. Three barrels on a gun is a drilling. Mine was bought in parts without wood and missing some metal pieces. I hooked up with a metalworker whose son was autistic and couldn't care for himself but was a genius with wood. He made the stock without plans, and the blank was gorgeous. The rifle was built in Suhl by Edgar Keiss in the early thirties and is two 16 gauge 2 1/2" barrels over an 8x57R J bore. The gun is a work of art, and shoots well. I promised to send a few pictures to my colleague, and here's one to share with you folks. Time to get into the safes and spring clean and plan for the new shooting year!

Bushnell Night Vision Monocular Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:21:00 +0000

One of the best first generation night vision units on the market is the Bushnell Tactical Monocular # 262013. For most of 2007 I have been recommending this reasonably priced tactical monocular because it comes with headgear and is an excellent value. It offers a view better than most first generation night vision products due to the tremendous influence Bushnell has with manufacturers. They get some of the cleanest intensifier tubes available. This was a steal at $399.99 all year, but has been discontinued because of the supply being predicted as spotty in the future. Our negotiators have managed not only to purchase the remaining hundreds that were available, but they were able to buy them so low that now we are able to sell them at the incredible price of only $299.99. A hundred dollars off our already low price! This is the time to get a great performing Bushnell monocular at a great price with easily adjustable and comfortable headgear included. I highly recommend them.

New Flashlights for 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:31:00 +0000

Many companies brought out new flashlights this year, or at least incorporated innovations into existing models. Streamlight has a new pistol grip light for under the barrel of a long gun (mainly AR-types) that looks good. Surefire made many of their existing models last longer, and some now offer two or more brightness levels and more maximum lumens. We should have most models fully described and available to order very shortly.

Israeli Commando Scuba Gear by Omega Aquatics

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:26:00 +0000

One of the new lines we're starting to carry is scuba gear starting with the Omega Aquatics company. The story is that as an Israeli commando was parachuting into a combat zone he had an idea how to transition from land to water without having to waste time removing his fins from behind his back with all his clumsy expensive equipment and putting them on. The Omega Aquatic Amphibian swim fins are made to quickly and easily flip up out of the way for walking and running, as well as climbing a ship's ladder. More products including BCDs from this exiting company will follow shortly. Even though I'm Old Navy, the only reason I use a scuba tank these days is to fill a PCP air rifle or power a keg of beer.

2008 SHOT Show

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:24:00 +0000

The SHOT (Shooting, Hunting, Outoor Trade) show is the largest and most important show for our shooting sports industry. It was in Las Vegas this year, and was better than ever. Vegas is a user friendly town for conventioneers, and getting around is not difficult. The new products will be trickling in in the next few weeks and months, and new vendor relationships are being solidified. There were over 30,000 manufacturers and distributors there, and I saw every one. Tons of notes taken, a few acted upon so far. Lots of exiting new offerings, so keep an eye out for them on our website!

First Plane vs. Second Plane

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:13:00 +0000

A customer asked a good question the other day and I thought I would share it and the answer with you:

"On a variable power scope, the reticle in the first focal plane increases or decreases with the power setting ( correct me if I'm wrong) so th reticle appears the same size on the target. In the second focal plane the reticle stays the same size as the image increases or decreases in size with the power setting, so the reticle covers more area on low power, and less area on a higher power. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the reticle being in the 1st or 2nd focal plane and why aren't there more scopes made with the reticle in the first focal plane? "

I answered:

"The assessments in your question are fully correct.

Europeans prefer first plane scopes because they legally and normally hunt a lot later than we do here, and larger reticles are easier to see on a target. First plane scopes also cannot change point of impact when changing magnification because the reticle does not move. The focus for the reticle and the parallax adjustment are such that when you change the parallax setting on a first plane scope you will sometimes lose sharp focus of your reticle. Therefore, most European scopes have a fast-focus eyepiece. This is for the reticle and nothing else. Most European scopes are also built on 30mm tubes, many of them steel instead of aluminum. They are in general bigger and heavier than their American counterparts.

First plane scopes with rangefinding type reticles may be used at any power. European glass is second to none. Second plane scopes or "American" scopes are smaller and lighter and can have point of impact change when changing magnification, and many of them, especially less expensive ones certainly do. The parallax setting on second plane scopes has nothing to do with the reticle focus, so fast-focus eyepieces are a matter of convenience and pretty much a useless feature. Set it once properly at high power and leave it forever. Second plane scopes also have a smaller appearing reticle on the target at high power than low power, which is extremely important for precise shot placement. Second plane scopes with rangefinding type reticles are designed to be used at one power only. BDC reticles are not excluded from this. Traditionally, second plane scopes are one inch, but 30mm tubes are gaining popularity rapidly. Most people think that the larger tube offers a brighter image, but this is not true, although it may in some cases offer better resolution. Steel scopes are a thing of the past here. Also, all of our glass is imported, with no exceptions I am aware of on magnified scopes."

I hope this enlightens some folks.

Scope Choice for a .22

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:25:00 +0000

A customer asked a question the other day that kind of relates the importance of price and purpose in choosing a scope for his son's .22. This is the question:

"I just purchased a Savage MK II BTVS for my son and I need to get a Scope for him.
There are way to many for me to learn, so when in doubt ask the experts. I just would like to buy a scope that is good for the range and will standup to time and a teen's usage and easy to use. Stainless Steel would be nice to match the Rifles look. Any help will be very appreciated.
Yours truly, RB"

I answered:

"Hi,
You need to determine what purpose and price range. This article may help: http://www.opticsplanet.net/how-to-choose-riflescope.html
Silver limits choices considerably, particularly for a .22.
For a good quality variable .22 scope you should have an adjustable objective. Here's a few overall choices in various magnifications and price ranges. Nice choice of a gift.
http://www.opticsplanet.net/leupold-vx-iii-6-5-20x40mm-efr-target-rifle-scope.html

http://www.opticsplanet.net/bush-rs-bnr-714124.html

http://www.opticsplanet.net/bushnell-trophy-6-18x40mm-matte-finish-riflescope-multi-x-reticle-and-o-ring-736184.html

http://www.opticsplanet.net/swift-6-5-20x44mm-high-recoil-scope-686m.html

http://www.opticsplanet.net/swift-3-9x40mm-high-recoil-scope-685m.html

Have fun!"

Doctors and mechanics need all the information that is available to choose the right course of action. Same here.

Holiday Greetings

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 01:03:00 +0000

I hope you all had a merry Christmas! God bless you with health and happiness in the new year! Thanks particularly to all the fine forum contributions from the regulars. Aim Hard!

VX-7 Worth the Money?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 22:27:00 +0000

A customer posed an interesting question yesterday:

"My sons both have VX-III scopes on their rifles (7mm Mag Remington Sendero 3x10; 270 Remington XCR 2.5x8) and they seem to be fine scopes for our purposes. I am getting a new $3,000 custom rifle for Elk, and would like advice about whether the 2x price for the VX-7 is justified.
I have also read comments that for the price a Swarovski or other high end European scope might be better."

My answer was:

"Good question. The VX-7s have been chosen as best picks in several magazines. I have only seen them at SHOT show last February and in our warehouse. I haven't used them in the field. As you may know, when you get to this price range the increases in price offer minimal improvements in performance. There haven't been enough sold to give you real world reports from customers rather than gun writers. The old Leupold Premier line was excellent, and these should prove to be better. That being said, there's nothing wrong with the excellent VX-IIIs, and they are my choice for most of my deer type guns.
Scopes certainly do get brighter than VX-IIIs though, and most European scopes are, such as all Swarovski and Zeiss scopes. How much more you want to pay for slight increases are up to you.
I would recommend the VX-7 if you made me say yes or no, but here's a couple others to look at. Keep size and weight a factor. I just used a http://www.opticsplanet.net/swarovski-av-4-12x50mm-rifle-scope-tds-plex-52037.html on last month's antelope hunt and it was great, although I generally don't use scopes with that much magnification. It also has a one inch tube and it's a bit lighter than the following classy recommendations that would be appropriate fits on your custom gun:
http://www.opticsplanet.net/swarovski-z6-2-12x50-riflescope-4a-7a-tds-plex-reticle.html
http://www.opticsplanet.net/schmidt-bender-klassic-3-12-50-large-objective-lens-illum-reticle-var-power-riflescopes.html
http://www.opticsplanet.net/nightforce-nxs-35-15x-tactical-riflescope.html
http://www.opticsplanet.net/zeiss-victory-2-10x50-riflescopes-30mm.html
Take a look at one of my all time favorites if weight and size are a factor:
http://www.opticsplanet.net/swarovski-av-3-10x42-rifle-scope-tds-plex-reticle-52027.html
Good luck with your new gun and scope. Use great mounting hardware."

I wish we all could afford a custom gun. Good for him.

Different Base Types

noreply@blogger.com (Steve L) — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 23:43:00 +0000

A customer asked a question on the Riflescope Forum the other day I thought would be useful for this blog. Here is the question:

Does anyone know the significant differences between getting a 1 piece or a 2 piece? Also what if any differences (pros/cons, purpose) are between a Dual dovetail design, "Standard" design or a $100+ Mark 4 Base and Rings? I am planning to get a Remington 700 LTR with a Leupold Mark4 4.5-14x40mm, what are my best options for leupold rings/bases? Thanks in advance!

Here's what I answered:

Significant differences are none. Minor differences are that two piece bases offer more eye relief options with sometimes reversible front and/or rear bases, use two screws on each base, are lighter, cleaner looking, and offer increased loading room for top loading guns. One piece bases generally use three screws, offer insignificantly more receiver rigidity, are a bit heavier, and decrease loading room for top loaders. Standard bases have a front ring which turns into the base 90 degrees. The rear base sits between two opposing screws and is held in place by tightening these screws into circular grooves on the ring. These screws can be loosened and tightened to move the base perpendicular to the receiver, effecting a way to adjust windage on your mounts instead of your scope. Dual dovetails have the rear ring turning in 90 degrees just like the front ring. This does not allow for any windage movement in the base. Rarely will this be a cause for concern, as it is extremely uncommon for the base holes to be off center enough to cause a problem that a bit of windage adjustment in the scope can't fix. A scope does not have to be mounted in perfect center of its adjustment range. I use two piece dual dovetails on most of my guns becase they look clean and have two less parts (the opposing screws on the rear base) to loosen or have a problem with, which I have seen many times. To be certain, though, you can easily mark your scope by installing it in rings that are not lined up perfectly. No rings will be, and I recommend lapping rings every time. Weaver style and Picatinny bases and rings can be quite a bit stronger overall depending on the manufacturer used because of the amount of bearing surface. The recoil lugs can be almost 7/8" wide on these systems. By the way, Weaver rings use a recoil slot in the base that is about .180", and Picatinnys use a slot about .206". This varies slightly by manufacturer. Some manufacturers call their Picatinny Weaver and some call their Weaver Picatinny. Picatinny is a U.S. arsenal in New Jersey where in 1913 they standardized the dimensions of the base. That's why a Picatinny base is also called a 1913. Not truly a Weaver, although a Weaver ring will fit on a Picatinny base but not vice versa. Not all the strength you can get is always needed or wanted. The lug nuts on my truck are not an inch in diameter. Dual dovetails suit me fine. I'm not a soldier and people aren't shooting at me and I'm not dragging and bouncing my gun around for weeks on end. Don't get me wrong, I've hunted hard my whole life and I know the abuse guns take in the field and getting there. But enough is enough. It can get to the point of diminishing returns. You have a hell of a gun and one of my favorites, and even though I have been advocating dual dovetails, your gun and scope combination was kind of made for Mark 4 rings and bases. I would use Mark 4 #61983 bases and Mark 4 rings #61049 (steel) rings or Mark 4 aluminum rings (save a bit of weight and plenty strong) #57398. If money is no object use Nightforce base (20 MOA built-in) #NF700SA120 and Ultralight Titanium alloy rings #NF885UL. Nothing is better unless you want to enlarge your mounting screws to 8-40.

And by the way, Happy Thanksgiving. We have a lot to be thankful for every day.