gear review

That was one of the furthest shots I’ve even made with a thermal optic, at night, on a hog. My guide and fellow hunters were cheering my shot, and I certainly felt good about it. But I also knew the REAP-IR made the shot possible.

I love a good ground blind set for springtime toms. A semi-brushed-in hub-style blind paired with some realistic turkey fakes will create some solid in-your-face action. However, being cloaked in ninja gear huddled in a blind’s back corner while you work a bird with seductive hen talk isn’t the only way to skewer a spring longbeard.

I was more excited about the 22-C1 trigger for the 10/22 (and compatibles) than any other. Why? Because ammo is freaking expensive. Slinging lead is fun, but those 30-round .223 Rem. magazines add up quick. With the 22-C1, you can have the fun of super-fast semi-automatic fire without setting fire to your wallet. You may not win any wars with a 10/22, but it’s one of the best range toys I’ve ever had.

As one who switches between day and night optics often, quick detach or QD mounts have been an excellent tool in my toolbox. While QD mounts were always convenient, many people worry about what accuracy they may be sacrificing by not utilizing a fixed mount. Curious myself, I decided to test out how well the BoBro Engineering QD mounts would hold zero when being taken off and then re-attached to the same rail slot.

DeltaPoint Micro is a fully enclosed, low-profile red dot sight designed specifically for concealed carry and personal defense. It provides all of the advantages of a miniature red dot sight without the high profile of other sights. No red dot on the market is more compact, its low height to bore replicates the same sight plane that iron-sight shooters are accustomed to, allowing for intuitive target acquisition, and it delivers the legendarily rugged performance that Leupold consumers expect. Your iron sight presentation will put the red dot right in your field of view.

A few years ago, Vortex Optics entered the laser rangefinder game and shook up the industry. Offering multiple options and expanding that lineup to what it is today, this Vortex rangefinder is designed to fit almost all your needs. Competing in the mid-range of affordability, the Vortex Ranger 1800 packs a lot of performance for the price. 

I’m an unashamed shotgun nerd, and I love all types of shotguns. This includes guns that are technically not shotguns but use shotgun patterns, shotgun ammunition, and the like. You know, those pesky little firearms like the TAC-14 and Shockwave firearms. These guns tend to be tough to aim and tough to shoot, at least compared to a stocked shotgun. Crimson Trace has your back in making that a fair bit easier via the Crimson Trace Laser Saddle.

Red dots on pistols continues to be one of the strongest trends in the industry, which leads to some incredible developments. Much like electronics in other consumer spaces, it doesn’t take long for what was once only an option for the rich to make its way down to us mortals. It wasn’t that long ago that an HD TV cost a fortune, with very few brand options. Now you would be hard-pressed to find a television that wasn’t HD, including the sub $200 models at Best Buy or Walmart. As goes TV’s, now so goes slide mounted red dots.

It is said a dry duck hunter is a happy duck hunter. For the many that hunt marshes, ponds, lakes, and rivers the need to enter the water is inevitable. Depending on the depth of the water you may opt for knee boots, waist waders, hip waders, or chest waders.