Gear Reviews

One of the great things about being at SHOT Show is that you never know what you’re going to find that, once you know it exists, you just can’t do without. We saw a demonstration of the AR-15 charger from Caldwell Shooting Supplies, one of the Battenfeld brands, and it was impressive. Starting with a box of .223 rounds, the spokesperson, Kyle, dumped it into the charger, attached a magazine, and in a matter of seconds had transferred 30 rounds to the magazine. All without having to touch a round. That’s fast! See for yourself what a great accessory this is in the accompanying video or go to www.BTIbrands.com.

Winchester Ammunition https://www.winchester.com/ The new Winchester Long Beard turkey loads were named the #1 new product at SHOT Show by Real Tree Outdoors. Winchester created what they call Shot-Lok to provide tighter patterns that extend the range of their loads from the typical 40 yards all the way to 60 or 70 yards. Shot-Lok prevents [...]

Blackhawk is known far and wide for the quality of its tactical gear and clothing. It’s not surprising since the company was founded by a Navy Seal. While he was negotiating a mine field one day, his pack failed, sending his gear tumbling to the ground around him. You can imagine how that could spike your anxiety level. Then and there he vowed that he’d make gear that worked. True to his goal, Blackhawk has become a source of dependable gear for military and civilians alike. Today we got to see some of the new goodies for all you AR-15 guys and gals. From stocks and grips to rail covers and thumb rests, Blackhawk has a bunch of cool new products. Check out the video for a peek at what they have, then go to www.blackhawk.com to see the whole store.

Nightforce has done the seemingly impossible. To understand the truth of that statement, you have to consider that, rather than compete with the big scope manufacturers that produce a broad range of products, Nightforce has focused on producing high-end scopes. Although one scope may look much like another on the outside, what’s on the inside is another story. There are many elements which go into producing the image that you see when looking downrange. Change one element, and it affects all the others. Such a small thing as the tiny spring that maintains pressure on the windage and elevation adjustments receives critical attention at Nightforce. Night Force5The company wants this part, like all of the others that go into making one of its scopes, to operate smoothly and positively for life.

We live in a wonderful time for guns, scopes and shooting accessories of all kinds. Never before has there been the selection that we enjoy today. Zeiss optics just added a few more choices for those looking for the perfect scope or binoculars for their hunting/viewing needs and budget. Long known for superior glass, Zeiss has added larger objective lenses to its line of HD binoculars. You now have the tremendous light-gathering ability that 56mm objective lenses afford. They come in 8 power, 10 power, and 15 power magnification. They are all tripod adaptable, and you’ll need a tripod for the 15 power binoculars. It would make viewing easier for the 10 power as well. Big objective lenses make for big binoculars that beg for the stability a tripod provides. For their popular line of scopes, Zeiss has added 50mm objective lenses to get the brightest sight pictures in low-light situations. The Terra Series of entry level scopes are available with the 50mm objectives in 3-9 power, and 4-12 power. MSRP starts at $349. That’s a great price to put the quality of Zeiss glass on your rifle.

Although more visible to the human eye than red lasers, green lasers use more power and generate more heat. Until now, that is. LaserMax, specializing in industrial and scientific lasers, has developed a solid state green laser based on those used in micro recorders. It’s a case of one consumer industry generating sufficient sales to bring the cost of the technology down for other uses. The new solid state green laser uses less energy to produce a brighter light that is even more visible to the human eye than the old pumped green lasers. An added benefit is that battery life is now on a par with that of red lasers. LaserMax calls the new technology Native Green. Guide rod lasers are completely inside the gun so they don’t change your holster fit. There’s no sighting-in required either; just install them in place of your existing guide rod. LaserMax patented guide rod lasers 20 years ago and it’s still the only company that makes them. Prices for the New Native Green guide rod laser sights run from $349 to $449, depending on gun make and model.

After considerable research, I bought a networked trail camera last year. I use it to monitor a site more than a thousand miles from where I live; it communicates over a cell phone network. In order to accomplish that, I had to buy a SIM card for the camera to connect to the cellular network. I also had to subscribe to the SIM card company’s data plan and subscribe to a website where the photos are sent. Wish I’d waited a few months, because I’d have bought a Bushnell Trophy Cam. Why is the Bushnell camera better?

Thermal imaging scopes have helped our military own the night. Although the cost was peanuts to the government compared to the advantages they offered, it was out of reach for most individuals. Now we’re getting closer to the point where you and I can own the night for our own hunting needs. One of the advantages of thermal imaging, of course, is that it’s entirely passive; you don’t have to emit any light or IR energy. The coyotes and hogs will never know you’re there…not until you reach out and touch them, that is. Another advantage is the ability to see through dust, smoke, rain and foliage, day or night. It’s far superior to night vision scopes, which rely on a light source like the stars, the moon or IR lights. Among the limited offerings in the consumer market, the IR Hunter from IR Defense appears to be a break-through product.

SureFire makes suppressors and tactical products, but it is best known for lights. Whether you’re talking about self-defense, military/law enforcement needs or hunting/camping, if you want a light you can depend on, you have to check out SureFire. We took a look at three of the new lights for 2014. First was the Y300 Ultra. Besides all the SureFire regular features like rugged build, dependable LED lighting and shockproof, waterproof design, the Y300 has the added ability to provide two distinct brightness levels. You can switch between 1,500 lumens for really lighting up the night, or 500 lumens for preserving battery power under less intense lighting needs.