Scopes

The Diamondback promises big performance in a small package, but did Vortex deliver on this economical spotting scope? Hunting the spacious prairie of South Dakota often mean that the game you’re after can be miles away. Because of that, good glass is a necessity to see if the pursuit is worth the effort of closing the distance. In these situations, a spotting scope shines when your binoculars have reached the end of their rope. I used the Vortex Diamondback 20x60x60 for a season’s worth of tags in the Rushmore State, chasing whitetails in the southeast, waterfowl in the northeast, mulies in the northwest, and elk in the southwest. It quickly became a favorite piece of gear that made an appearance on every hunt.

This calls for a celebration. NightForce may have just unveiled the holy grail of Illuminated Low Power Variable (ILPV) optics with its new 1-8X ATACR. The military and 3-Gun competitors have been searching for the perfect low power illuminated scope for the last 20 years.

Earlier this year I noticed a Facebook ad for American Technology Network’s (ATN) new X-Sight II HD digital rifle scope. As firearm-related ads are wont to do, it called my name until I finally decided to check it out.

When it comes to long-range competition, the automatic assumption is that you need a riflescope that’s equal or greater in cost to most people’s house payment in order to compete. While you can certainly go that route, there’s also a lot to be said about budget-friendly glass that’s still more than qualified to take on the benchmark 1,000-yard shot. A case in point is Nikon’s new Black X1000, a scope engineered from the ground up to tackle the precision rifle game.

This is probably not a surprise to any of my regular readers, but I am a bit of an optics snob. I played sniper professionally for most of my military career, and that left a distinct mark when it comes to glass. According to the data, Vortex was the glass of choice for an astounding 73 percent of those in the top 15 slots in PRS 2015. Enter the Vortex Razor HD Gen II.

I am a hater of Weaver style bases, and I will make no apologies. If I could wave my magic wand and make one firearms accessory disappear, it would be anything with a Weaver slot. Why so hateful? Glad you asked.

The first thing that comes to mind when someone says Steiner to most U.S. veterans is the ubiquitous Steiner 10×50 binoculars. These were a staple in every unit I ever served in, and had a great reputation for clarity and toughness. German glass is legendary in sniper circles for clarity and lack of imperfections. I was never issued a Steiner, but I had enough of the other Kraut options to know I should jump at the chance to test a myriad of Steiner glass.

Trijicon is one of the most respected and recognizable names in the optics industry. In fact, you would be hard pressed to go anywhere in the world and not be able to find someone who recognizes the ACOG optic. Trijicon launched a new electro optics (EO) division to lead the industry in “no-light” aiming systems. The new EO division features a complete lineup of thermal imaging monoculars, helmet sights, rifle sights and clip-on sights.

This week I got a chance to take a quick look at two fantastic products from Bushnell. How am I already so excited in the pants for these products, when I have had them less than a week? Easy. These aren’t completely new. They are updated models of two products I have actually been running for years. Bushnell has really come up in the world with the Elite Tactical line, and they represent arguably the best buy in optics today.