It would be foolish of someone who shoots often, to not take proper precautions for their safety. When I was younger, I didn’t think about it much and looking back I sure wish that I had. Protecting eyes and ears while shooting has never been more easy, with technology and materials giving us many options. Today I am bringing you my opinion of another one of those options. Shell Shock Protection is a manufacturer of safety equipment for shooters, and today I present to you their Shell Shock Ultimate Eyes and Ears Combo. Just like it sounds, this kit comes with everything you need for shooting protection.
we did quite a bit of shooting with the Ruger RXM, you can read more about it here
Shell Shock Ultimate Eyes and Ears Combo
The Shell Shock kit comes with a set of their EXO PRO Bluetooth Earmuff’s and a pair of Switch Ballistic Glasses. These items come with a few additional accessories in a tidy little soft-case lined with foam and enclosed by a zipper.
The EXO PRO Bluetooth Earmuff
Pulling the EXO Pro muffs from the case, I was happy to see they use a gel cup for comfort. My other headsets also have this feature so I was both aware of and pleased by it. The ear cups fold out from the wire headband making them compact to stow and quick to deploy. The headset came with a set of AAA batteries and an AUX cord for plumbing in audio to the headset.
In addition to the dual omnidirectional microphones, the EXO Pro also has a Bluetooth connection feature. This allows you to connect your phone or other device to the headset to listen to music or in my case a conference call while sitting on a shooting bench. There are two individual volume knobs to adjust the BT volume and the ambient sounds.
Switch Ballistic Glasses
The Switch Ballistic Glasses come with two lenses, a shaded one for bright sunny days, and a clear lens for indoors. The lenses can be switched out of the frame by unlocking two levers on each side of the frame before swapping the lens. There is also a handy protective cinch-close carry liner to protect the glasses from being scratched or damaged.
The lenses are coated to prevent fogging, and of course they are rated Z87 for protection against flying debris that could damage your eyesight.
On the Range
As I shoot pretty often, it wasn’t long before I put the kit to use. Both indoor shooting and out door shooting would be involved. I typically shoot suppressed, which arguably doesn’t often require hearing protection. But I like to shoot handguns unsuppressed, and you definitely want ears for that.
I found the headset to fit just fine, and the gel cups felt soft against my face. One of the nice things about the gel cups is that they easily form around the temple arms of the glasses. I dislike when a headset crushes the temple arms of my glasses causing discomfort of the ear. The gel cups balanced the pressure against your head without pressing too hard, and still making a good seal.
The dual microphone pickups on the EXO Pro do a great job of picking up the sound around you, and blocking out what you don’t want to hear. I did notice that there seemed to be a bit higher frequency of sound picked up by the microphones, making it sound slightly more shrill sounding than I’d anticipated. Of course I had to fire up the BT receiver on the EXO Pro, so I could listen to my jams while I shot.
With the Switch Ballistic Glasses on, I found something that is typical of personal protective equipment. Not everybody’s face is the same, and I found that the glasses rode a smidge high on my nose for my taste. Requiring me to keep them further out on my nose, this leaves a little more gap than I’d like around the eyes. I think I can correct the issue by altering the removeable nose-pad some. Either way, glasses always fit depending on how your face is built. The lenses were nice, and the dark lens wasn’t as dark as many of my other sunglasses which made it easy to find targets. Switching out the lenses was quick and easy, though I am afraid I’d be more likely to lose one of them. Perhaps I should just get another frame.
Finding pistol sights and red dots through the lenses was easy, and it does feel good to have something between my eyes and all the bullet spall and debris flying around the range.
Pros and Cons
I mentioned the fit of the glasses not being perfect for my face, but that’s just life when you look like I do. It certainly wasn’t a big deal. On the EXO Pro headset I felt just a slight let-down. I’d expected the dual mics to give better awareness of sound direction. I also had hoped they had a rechargeable internal battery option. But to be fair the battery life is pretty good, so maybe I’ll just keep a couple AAA batteries in my shooting bag.
On the positive side, the headset does a great job of protecting your ears from the noise of shooting. They are comfortable even after several hours, and I love the Bluetooth option. For the street price of around $135 dollars, I think these are a pretty solid buy.
If you are ready to step up to a set of electronic ears, or just need another set of protective equipment to keep in your vehicle this would be a good option. It comes in a handy case ready for the range making it a slam-dunk for shooters on the move.
Over many years I have had a variety of different Leupold optics, for a long time I had several of the old Mark 4 scopes. I have always been a fan of Leupold’s brand you could say, so I am excited to bring you a review of one of their more recent scopes. Today’s subject is the Leupold Mark 5 3.6-18X44 riflescope. The Mark 5 line of scopes promises high-quality imagery, with professional grade optics, and built with quality in the USA. Leupold has kept a finger on the pulse of professional and precision shooters alike, so it comes as no surprise to see them often in both arenas of shooting.
This particular model of the Mark 5 line, is one of two more compact models. The Mark 5 2-10X and 3.6-18X are both smaller objective scopes, with shorter overall lengths. This while retaining all the same Mark 5 long-range features, and with a lighter weight. Making them ideal for smaller precision rifles and tactical carbines.
The Leupold Mark 5 3.6-18X44
I have wanted one of these for some time, I think they would be fantastic on one of my hunting rifles. The Mark 5 low profile turret system offers three revolutions of the 10.5 MIL turret. Locking the turret is done using the Zero-lock feature, this requires pushing the button to release the turret from zero.
Left: here you can see the lock button (depressed) and rotation indicator . Right: you can see the coil that guides the locking pin and rotation indicator
Being built on a 35mm tube is a small but significant difference. It does reduce mounting options but I suppose it might give some travel advantage. The physical dimensions of this scope are impressively compact, and it is also much lighter than similar scopes. This is one of fewer modern scopes I’ve had that don’t feature an illuminated reticle, which likely also keeps the weight down.
The magnification ring also features a removable throw lever, to aid in quickly transitioning from one setting to another. Taking it off is handy for when it interferes with bolt manipulation.
Specifications
Adjustable Parallax
Side Focus
BDC Dial Included
No
Custom Dial System (CDS)
No
Daylight Bright Illumination
No
Elevation Adjustment Type
M5C3
Electronic Reticle Level
No
Illuminated Reticle
No
Locking Dial
Yes
Magnification Type
Variable
Motion Sensor Technology (MST)
No
Nightvision Compatible Illumination
No
Reticle Focal Plane
First Focal Plane
Revolution Indicator
Yes
Reticle
FFP PR-1MIL
Rezero Type
Set Screw
Reticle Type
First Focal Plane
Adjustable Objective
No
Windage Adjustment Type
Capped
Weight (oz)
26
Elevation Adjustment Value per Click
0.1Mil
Elevation Adjustment Range (MOA)
100
Elevation Adjustment Range (MIL)
29
Elevation Adjustment Range (cm @ 100m)
291
Elevation Adjustment Per Revolution
10.5 MIL
Elevation Dial Travel Limit
30MIL
Windage Adjustment Value per Click
0.1Mil
Windage Adjustment Range (MOA)
80
Windage Adjustment Range (MIL)
23
Windage Adjustment Range (cm @ 100m)
233
Windage Adjustment Per Revolution
10 MIL
Magnification Max
18
Magnification Min
3.6
Objective Lens Diameter (mm)
44
Linear FOV Low Mag (ft@100yds)
28.3
Linear FOV High Mag (ft@100yds)
5.8
Angular FOV Low Mag (Degrees)
5.4
Angular FOV High Mag (Degrees)
1.1
Eye Relief Low Mag (in)
3.5
Eye Relief High Mag (in)
3.8
Minimum Parallax-Free Distance (yd)
50
Mounting the Mark 5
Due to the 35mm tube of the Leupold Mark 5, it was necessary to use a 35mm mount. Leupold offers a 35mm mount that works great for this. There are other 35mm ring options, but this was an easy button so that’s the way I went.
With the scope mounted and level, I set to zeroing the rifle. The first host for this scope was the brand new Desert Tech SRS Carbon SD rifle, chambered in 308 Winchester. On the rifle range it was a quick job of adjusting the Leupold to match the rifles point of impact. I was a little thrown off by the witness mark of the windage turret, located higher than the typical centerline of the tube.
I fired several rounds to confirm zero and see how the scope and rifle worked together. During this process I found my first flaw with this scope, I am not a big fan of the Tremor reticles . Maybe I am the flaw, but I just don’t like all the dots and such. Chalk it up to personal preference, but I would have picked a different reticle. Looking at my 100 and 200 yard targets I could easily make out great detail through the sharp image of the Mark 5.
I am not a big fan of public ranges, and if you find me there it’s usually more labor than love. So my next trips out with the Leupold Mark 5 were into the frozen Rocky Mountains and the dry winter ranges of the desert. This would give me more opportunity to scour the distant ridges through the scope. Allowing me to evaluate clarity and other qualities.
The bright environment made for excellent target identification. I practiced my typical routine of picking out targets, usually small rocks protruding from the snow. Snow makes a great indicator when the light is just right, sometimes you can even see bullet holes from great distances.
Dialing the elevation turret for various target distances put me in touch with its function pretty quick. I like the locking zero, and the rotation indicator feature lets you know where you’re at in the numbers. The clicks on these turrets are crisp and easy to count. I mentioned my reticle preference, but the Tremor obviously gives plenty of use for holding wind corrections.
Optical Clarity
I have always liked the look through Leupold scopes, and this one was no chump. Great detail and crisp imagery made this scope very useful in this big country. One of the reasons this scope is so appealing is because it is one of few good scopes that are this compact. The 44mm objective keeps this scope low, and its short length and light-weight make it optimal for a sharp-shooting mountain gun. Together with the SRS SD this scope would make an excellent night-vision or thermal combination. Despite the smaller objective and proportions this scope’s HD lenses still gives a great impression of downrange detail. That said I do feel like some of the 50 and 56mm scopes do look better. Its a trade-off.
Controls
I really like mid-range variable scopes, the 3.6-18 power is a very useful range in my opinion. The power ring of the Mark 5 is smooth and fairly easy to turn, I wouldn’t say too easy but it is close. The removable throw-lever is handy if you need it, and removable if you don’t.
I found the optical focus features of this scope to be very helpful as eyes begin to show their age. Both the ocular adjustment, and the parallax turret gave very fine adjustment, making those images pop.
The curious design of the elevation turret is both effective and functional. The coiled path underneath keeps the rotation indicator accurate, and the scope was always on zero when left there. With a total of 29 MRAD in elevation adjustment, there’s not many shots where you’ll need to hold over with the Tremor reticle. But its nice to have the option if you’re that kind of shooter.
here you can see the unorthodox windage witness mark
The capped windage turret I thought was going to bug me, but it ended up not being an issue at all. I found it really wasn’t worth the risk of having it exposed, and I didn’t need to use it much.
Value
There are a few other competitors scopes that closely mimic the features of this one. Most of them are 30mm tube though, and they are also about half the cost. As a rampant 3-18 power enthusiast I have a variety of them in my collection, and this one is definitely at the top of the price points. That means it has big shoes to fill, and I expect Leupold is up to it.
Having been chosen for the main optical sight for the US Army’s M110 sniper rifle is certainly a feather in their cap. Leupold claims the scope was designed with input from elite shooters, a claim I take at face value since I wasn’t asked…
At the end of the day I feel this scope while expensive can certainly justify its heritage. Military use isn’t necessarily the golden ticket that so many manufacturers portray it to be. But it definitely does mean something, and brings value to both the brand and the scope.
Pros and Cons
As I mentioned already, this scope is very light considering its features. It is also quite compact and optimal for use with other optical tools like clip-on thermals and night-vision. Its sharp imagery and easy to operate controls make it a slam dunk if you want such a scope. I suppose the only downside to this scope is its cost, with a street price around $2300.00 it might be a stretch for some shooters. And if you want illumination which might be necessary if you plan on using it with night-vision it’ll cost you another 350 clams.
Last Words
Few other optics in this category enjoy such heritage. So it should come as no surprise that if you want the top dog in the short and small game, you’re gonna pay for it. Luckily with Leupold you get more than just a good scope, you get the name behind it and the warranty and customer service that comes with it. Scopes like this make me wish I hadn’t sold off all my old Mark IV’s, even if just for the nostalgia.
Mantis is a firearms training tool manufacturer, the Illinois company manufactures a variety of differing products all designed to help gun owners improve their skills. Today we are taking a look at one of those products, the Mantis Titan X. Like other Mantis products, the Titan X uses both technology and props to help you sharpen your practice. By adding some technology to dry firing and some structure to training, Mantis offers a great value in practice and savings in ammunition.
Mantis Background
The Titan X is a polymer training pistol that can be had in various copies of popular pistols like the Glock 19 used here today. The pistol has onboard electronics to monitor the movements and trigger manipulation by the user. This and other data is sent by bluetooth to your phone, where the Mantis app analyzes and gives you feedback on every aspect of your draw, presentation, and trigger pulls. The whole idea is to perfect dry-fire training, and improve your handling.
This is the trend with Mantis products; using their technology to give excruciating detail of firearms handling. Giving you the ability to watch your own movements and replay every trigger pull. Additionally, the Titan X has an adjustable laser that fires when the trigger breaks, illuminating the “impact” of your shot. This alone is extremely helpful in dry fire practice.
Mantis Features
The Titan X comes in a padded soft-case, with the instructions, charging cable and two magazines for reloading drills. As a copy of Glock pistols, it can accept your favorite weapon lights and lasers. And it has an optics cut to accept RMR and RMSc red dots on top of its immovable slide.
the Titan is optics ready for your RMR and RMSc red dots
The weighted magazines offer a realistic feel and fit to the whole ensemble. It really feels just like a Glock in your hand, and sure to fit in your holsters just like your live fire pistol.
The Mantis App was free to download, and very simple to connect to the Titan X. Charging the Titan X pistol is done using a micro USB cable that plugs in where the chamber would be (if it had one). There is a single button on top of the chamber used for syncing the pistol and other operations.
the Mantis X app gives you feedback on your trigger finger movement, and how it moves the pistol upon firing
The Titan’s internal sensor can tell exactly what direction the pistol is pointed. It can tell where the gun is aimed and any movement between shots, as well as trigger inputs. This is all recorded and can be replayed in real time or slow motion so you can see your overtravel on the target, as well as the movements you put in while pulling the trigger. You can even watch live as you shoot with the gun to see all the right and wrong inputs you are doing. Or have a partner watch on your phone and give you coaching.
Other Mantis Products
Other products from Mantis are in a similar style of training but offer different use cases. The Mantis X system is a phone based app training module that uses a sensor attached to your firearm. It gives feedback on handling and aiming while using your actual firearm. The X2 version of the product is designed for use as dry fire practice only. Adding live fire to the training is done with the X3 version, which allows the same drills and skill practice while running live ammunition on the range.
The Mantis 10X version combines all features of the X series products, and maximizes your ability to train both on the range and at home. And not just handguns either, it can be used with long-guns and even archery tackle.
The Mantis Laser Academy is another training module, again using your phone and other props in addition to a laser cartridge chambered in your gun to practice shooting. Its quick and easy setup allows you time on the trigger of your favorite gun without leaving home and saving ammunition costs along the way.
The Mantis Blackbeard system is a product you install on your AR15 rifle, it allows you to dry fire the rifle without having to recharge the rifle every shot. The Blackbeard resets the trigger for you, and its optional laser also gives you a witness of the impact from each trigger pull. This helps build handling skill and again saves ammo costs. There is another model called the BlackbeardX that combines the Blackbeard system with the MantisX technology giving you the best of both.
Mantis Titan X Review
I dry fire a LOT, ask anyone who knows or works with me. I am always practicing my draw from holsters, and presentation of whatever gun I happen to be carrying that day. Up until now, the only feedback I could give myself was based on the sights location when the trigger breaks. Watching to see where my red dot is on my point of aim as the striker snaps, as I’d imagine many of you do as well.
The Titan X is perfect for this practice as it adds something you can’t do with a real firearm, at least not safely. The laser impact on your aimpoint serves the same purpose as a bullet when you shoot. After all; shooting is simply a process of aligning sights, cleanly breaking the trigger, seeing the impact and adjusting accordingly for the next shot. The Titan X allows you to do all those things without ear protection, without leaving home, and most importantly without blowing through your ammo stash.
Operation
With the Titan X you can practice with the pistol, complete with your favorite accessories such as red dots, weapon lights, holsters and such. And execute the same training by drawing, aligning the sights, and breaking the trigger. Seeing the laser as the impact gives you the exact same ability to analyze your sight alignment, trigger pull and more. The only thing missing is the recoil and noise. Add to that the data record captured by the Mantis app, that allows you to analyze every aspect of your shooting and trigger pull. Additionally, the laser is far more consistent than even quality ammo can be. That translates to better training because your gun is literally a laser beam, and the “hits” will be more valuable because you are removing the anomaly of variations in ammunition. Sim guns, rubber bullet guns, and even airsoft can offer some of the same training aspects, but some of those are semi-destructive to your home decor. And none of them are as accurate as the laser.
Shooting the pistol right out of the box I found it immediately useful. Seeing the laser “impact” right where the sights lined up gives you that immediate feedback much like a bullet does. I had no reason to adjust the laser out of the box as it lined up great with the sights.
But because I usually shoot with a red dot it wasn’t long before I decided to install one. For that purpose I went with an easy choice, the Gideon Optics Alpha red dot. Its RMR footprint which would make it easy to attach. At that point you could either adjust the red dot to match the laser impact. Or vice versa adjusting the laser with an Allen wrench to match the red dot.
In Business
With the sight mounted and everything lined up, I got busy shooting the Titan X. The very best part of this product is you can train at home in your pj’s if thats what you desire. I found a spot in the house with roughly 8-10 yards from a wall. Then got to work making my way through the various drills included in the Mantis app.
Following the training regimen in the Mantis app, I found a variety of drills that were both fun and educational. Drawing from both CCW holsters and OBW holsters gave good insight to my draw and first shots after. The realistic weight and feel of the Titan made it very natural. It should have come as no surprise to me how much better you can focus on your trigger control when it isn’t covered up by noise and recoil. And if you add to that the impressive after analysis with the app you can really quickly find what you need to improve on. The Titan gives you the ability to really shoot without burning up ammunition. This gives you much better insight on what happens before the bullet leaves the muzzle.
It only gives you analysis after the fact, so don’t expect the Mantis Titan to make any corrections to your execution (it’s not a training wheels). You will still have to do everything but load magazines. So don’t count on the Titan to correct your finger placement or grip angle, you will still need to know the fundamentals. What it will do is show you if your finger placement is causing you to pull one direction or another.
Lessons Learned
The more I used the Titan, the more holes I found in my shooting. And if nothing else, the Titan did an excellent job showing me what I’m doing wrong. So I know what to work on. Much like an honest friend, the Mantis Titan will tell you what you suck at. No sugar coating here, just the straight truth of how your handling flows. And the Mantis app keeps a history of your training, so you can go back and see how you’ve improved over time.
Obviously there is never any danger with the Titan, as it cannot be loaded. This also makes it very useful for training. Whether you are at home, in the office, or elsewhere you don’t have to worry about office pops. Which is a concern with dry firing your regular pistol. The bright red color also gives the impression of a training pistol. I doubt it would keep an unlearned cop from turning you into a deadly training story.
The Mantis X App
Not only does the app come with a list of various popular drills, but additionally several courses of training. They are set up in progressive sections, finishing one with a high enough score opens the next. You can create a profile, and the app will track your progress and scores.
Much like a video game you can configure the drills depending on skill level. With difficulty levels of beginner, intermediate, advanced, and even a custom setting.
The drills have a shot timer built in that signals you to fire just like at the range. And you can adjust the delay to your liking as well.
Here you can see how the Mantis X app shows you both your draw to the target and the pull of the trigger
The app helps you analyze your own handling of the pistol. Giving you times from the holster to breaking the trigger, and your time between shots etc. You can watch every draw and watch the muzzle tracking as you do, and every trigger pull is also shown allowing you to see what needs work. What it doesn’t do is give you a target, anything you choose can be an aimpoint. The Titan tracks the aimpoint based on where you shoot. You could quite literally set up targets in your house and run drills on them. There is really a lot more to the app than I can go over here, but I found it to be very helpful in analyzing my shooting.
Mantis Titan X Pros and Cons
There is very little I can judge against the Titan based on its purpose. It does what I expected it to do, even better than I thought it would. I didn’t really think I would like a training pistol this much, the immediate feedback of my shooting really blew my mind. I suppose if I had to say something I’d like improved on the pistol it might be this; I would like it if the slide was operational, even though it’s not really necessary. I’d like it for the reloading drills, so you could actually operate the slide lock and such. The adjustment screws for the laser were slightly janky. I never did figure out exactly which size Allen wrench I used to adjust it, but I made it work. The battery life lasts longer than expected which means you can get a lot of trigger time on the gun.
As it is there are a few different pistol models of the Titan. Mantis is also taking what appears to be suggestions on their website. I expect they are looking to see what the next most popular model is that should be produced.
Mantis Titan X Report Card
Shootability (A) it feels like every other Glock 19 clone you’ve handled and shot
Reliability (B+) I seems like the laser wandered slightly with use, but the laser never didn’t go bang
Ergonomics (B+) Gen5 Glock feel, no finger grooves and undercut trigger guard
Accuracy (A) The laser can’t miss when you aim properly
Value (A) For the amount of training the Titan is an exceptional value
I found the trigger to feel very comparable to the Glock and Glock clone pistols that the Titan is designed to mimic. The take up and snap of the trigger feels close enough that if blindfolded I would likely not distinguish it from any other random Glock copy.
Does the slide move on the Titan?
The slide of the Titan is fixed, and not meant to move as far as I can tell. There is no need to operate the pistol slide anyways, as all operations are done without it.
Is it compatible with standard holsters?
In my experience, the Titan fit perfectly in my various collection of Glock 19/17 holsters. Several different Safariland ALS holsters, as well as the IncogX and Gravity holsters.
How do the smart magazines work?
The Titan senses the magazine when seated, which is used during various reloading drills. I also found that standard Glock magazines will fit in the Titan as well for additional training.
It’s nice that the Titan X uses the popular RMR and RMSc footprint, and since the gun doesn’t recoil you needn’t worry about it shifting on the base plate. And using the Titan together with my holsters that I use every day make drawing practice more valuable. And reloads can be performed using the mag-caddy’s on my gun-belt.
Final Thoughts
For the asking price of $199 I think the Mantis Titan X is a great deal. Sure you can argue that you can get something like a PSA Dagger for just $50 more. But the Titan X will save you far more in ammunition and practice. That is where the value comes in, the Titan X costs only a bit more than a case of ammo for training. And you can certainly argue that you’ll get more training out of the Titan. It gives you all the ability of safe dry fire and nearly live fire practice, with exceptional analysis of your practice with the Mantis app. I was a bit skeptical of this kind of product when I first saw it, but it only took a few moments to see what a great asset it can become.
The VEEKTOMX charger is a compact battery pack that has several different built-in cables. The various cables allow you to charge the unit, as well as connect to various different devices to charge them.
The VEEKTOMX power pack also incorporates a small screen indicating its readiness and power level. You can use USB, USB-C, Micro USB and Apple Lightning cables to charge most small portable electronics. One of the cables does double duty as a wrist strap.
This power pack has 9 layers of protections with various overcharge and heating protection features. It is TSA friendly according to the manufacturer, which I assume means you can take it on planes. The 10,000 mAh charger can charge your phone, camera, or other device quickly and on the go.
the Screen indicates power bank charge status
My Experience
I’ve been using the VEEKTOMX charger for several months now. I’ve taken it on planes, to keep my phone charged. I’ve carried it in my backpack into the frozen Rocky Mountains to keep my camera and thermal scopes charged up. It has been very handy, allowing me to keep my electronics in peak condition. For the $30 that it costs, I think this is a great lightweight power bank to keep with your equipment. Whether it be hunting, hiking or just to keep a speaker powered up while ice fishing in my Ice Tent, I think its a great option.
here you can see the charging ports and cables neatly stowed
I have been very happy with the direction Primary Arms has taken since I picked up on their brand. The folks at Primary seem to keep their finger on the pulse of what the American shooting public want. Using this information they either source or make their own products to fit what shooters want. Today I am taking a look at one of their own branded products that seems to have a very close following; the Primary Arms SLx 3X Microprism sight.
I was first turned onto microprism sights by a friend. The reticles within them offer more options than a red dot by comparison. One of the advantages of this product is its 3X magnification, which can give you an edge when shooting certain distances. But does this advantage outweigh the benefits of the 1X version of the SLx?
Unboxing the SLx Microprism
I had ordered the SLx together with the SLx Anti Reflexion device. I like these not necessarily because I’m afraid of being picked out by a sniper, but mainly because they prevent fingers and other things from touching my lens.
In the box with the Microprism came various mounting options. Like other PA Microprisms it came with the Trijicon ACOG compatible footprint. This would come in handy for those looking for that kind of interface. I was surprised to find that Primary also threw various cantilever options in the box. This allows you to select your mounting location by having shorter or longer cantilever distances.
Additionally it came with a battery and all the tools needed to mount and adjust the optic. All this in a handsome box padded with foam to keep it all intact. I wasted no time in lifting it from the foam to see the image through the three-power magnification, and inspect the ACss raptor reticle.
Here you can see the honeycomb lens shade threaded onto the front of the SLx 3X
Specifications
Battery Type CR2032 3V Lithium Coin
Click Value 1/4 MOA
Color Black
Exit Pupil Diameter 7.4mm
Eye Relief 2.70 in
Field View 100 38.00 ft
Focal Plane Prism Scope (fixed magnification)
Illuminated Illuminated
Magnification 3X
Mount Compatibility Trijicon Mini-ACOG, Primary Arms MicroPrism
Night Vision Compatible Night Vision Compatible
Reticle ACSS Raptor
Reticle Color Red
Total Elevation Adjustment 80 MOA
Total Windage Adjustment 80 MOA
Turret Features Exposed Turrets, Low Profile, Tool Adjustable
Weight 7.95 Oz.
Mounting Options
The Primary Arms SLx prizm came with three different mounting stems. This allows the user to adjust the cantilever effect of the mount, as well as the sight height over the picatinny rail. There are also other mounting options you can use, but I found this one to be perfectly adequate. The picatinny foot is attached by three robust screws, offering a very stout connection. The foot itself also uses large fasteners with good gripping power.
changing out the riser stem on the SLx
Shooting the SLx 3X Microprism
The 3x SLx does give a nice clean image of your target, and the ACSS reticle gives you a few tools for holding and measuring on targets. I do think I might prefer the 1X microprism after using the 3x for a while. This is because its a very small aperture you are looking through, and when you magnify it three times it can be a little harder to pick up in a hurry.
it was hard to get a good picture of the reticle, it is clearer and sharper than it appears here
That said, it’s a great image, and allows accurate placement of shots. Making more precise shots at somewhat further distances is definitely better with 3X vs. 1x. The reticle of the SLx gives several different hold-over options, as well as wind holds. This comes in very handy when shooting beyond your zero distance. Having a low profile sight like this with three-power magnification and the ability to use it to accurately engage targets as far away as six hundred yards is very handy.
The Raptor BDC reticle gives you hold points for every hundred yards out to six-hundred. As well as windage holds for the four, five and six-hundred distances. These of course can be used as needed for other purposes as well. The model I tested here has the 7.62×39 BDC reticle, but obviously can be used for other calibers with slightly different results.
We used the SLx on various firearms, but mostly .223 carbines. But it was also very useful on .22Lr and other short to medium range firearms. My SLx also came with a honeycomb style lens shade, which slightly conceals the lens from everything like fingers to sticks and brush when hiking. These types of shades often darken the image slightly, but I found it to be barely noticeable.
Pros and Cons
First off, this thing is very compact. Other than a red dot, you’d be hard pressed to find a more compact optical sight. And the SLx has 3X power, allowing much better definition of the target and target area. Also, the image is very bright and clean. I suppose it’s easier to make clear optics when they are fixed power, and low magnification as well. And the Raptor reticle is very handy for making on the fly adjustments while you are shooting. The various mounting solutions included with the SLx are also very convenient.
On the down side, I did mention the 3X magnification can occasionally be a little much at close range. I will admit that after more use, it bothers me very little, to the point that indoors it is quite useful. This might sound a bit petty but the rheostat control for the reticle feels a touch squishy, but perfectly functional. I’d also say I’d like off settings between brightness settings. But because the SLx has the AutoLive feature that shuts it off when motionless for 3 minutes, it is not really a concern. The only other thing I would say, and it’s purely subjective to my taste; I don’t like how far back on the gun these need to be mounted. I just think it looks weird, there isn’t any functional problem with it, but I can’t unsee it. It might seem like 335-dollars is a touch steep for something so small, but I think the SLx is well worth it. I am not aware of many other compact comparable sights with magnification and reticle options like this.
As it turns out, the Primary Arms SLx 3x Micro Prism is an outstanding little weapon sight. For a small carbine or similar firearm I think its fantastic. It gives a great deal of dexterity in shooting, allowing you excellent aiming abilities at both close and medium ranges. It does so with excellent clarity as well as with illumination should you need it. All this in a very professional package, that won’t clutter up your rifle. I expect to use this little sight for years to come.
As my love for shooting develops more depth, I have greatly come to enjoy the use of red dot sights, particularly on my pistols. Today I am bringing you a look at two new to me red dots, both from Gideon Optics. Both of them use big windows for a broad field of view. First of the two is the Gideon Omega, which has been around for a while. The newer of the two sights is the Gideon Storm.
While these two sights are similar, they have some distinct differences that might appeal to different shooters. We’ll go over the features of these two sights, and why you might select one over the other.
Specifications
Gideon Omega
Gideon Storm
Footprint compatibility
RMR
Delta Point Pro
Weight
1.6 Ounces
1.37 Ounces
Battery
CR1632
CR1632
Material
7075 Aluminum
7075 Aluminum
Reticle
3MOA dot or 45MOA circle/dot
6MOA Dot
Reticle Color
Red or Green
Red or Green
Click Value
1MOA
1MOA
Shake Awake
Yes
Yes
Waterproof
Yes
Yes
Lifetime Warranty
Yes
Yes
Dimensions
52.5mm x 30.7mm x 31.7mm
47.7mm X 31.2mm X 30.8mm
Screws Included
6-32 x 0.374″4-40 x 0.25″M3.5 x 0.6 x 11mm
M4x0.7×8.6mm and M4x0.7×10.1mm
On paper these two sights look pretty similar, and I would say they could easily share similar duties. The Omega is very similar in looks to the Trijicon SRO, the shape and everything makes it look like a clone. But the Omega offers a little diversity in reticle options, with its circle dot versus just the dot option. What it doesn’t copy is the impressive price, the Omega can be had nearly a quarter the price. The fine 3MOA dot of the Omega gives some dexterity in aimpoints, it’s easy to accurately pinpoint targets, or bracket the target inside the circle dot version of the reticle.
the Grizzly 101 was also fitted with a Surefire X300 during shooting
The Storm on the other hand, closely resembles my Holosun 507 Comp being just a bit smaller. It uses the more traditional square shaped display, versus the Omega’s rounded look. Both of these optics come with a selection of screws to make it easier to attach these optics to their base. They also come with a tool to both tighten the screws, as well as adjust the reticle of the red dot. The Storms big window and 6MOA dot are quick to get on target, and easy to find in a hurry.
Both of these dots use Gideon’s shake awake feature, that preserves battery life by shutting down when motionless for 255 seconds. They instantly revive when any movement is made. The Storm red dot incorporates a rear sight notch, in the event the rear sight is removed when installing a red dot. Both units came with a picatinny base mount, should you wish to mount it to a rifle.
Mounting Gideon Red Dots
To experience these two red dots together, I decide to mount them to two comparably sized pistols. The Storm would get mounted to my Shadow Systems DR920, a nice clone. Meanwhile the Omega would be mounted to my Bear Creek Arsenal Grizzly 101, another clone of the popular Glock 17.
both red dots came with tools and other extras for mounting options
Luckily I was able to find the right screws to mount both sights, and with a dab of blue loctite I tightened them down. Using the supplied tool, I adjusted the reticle to co witness with the iron sights. And it was time to hit the range.
On the Firing Line
We took both pistols to the range, and with a bucket of 115gr ammo, we went to town. We started with targets up close, 7-10 yards away. Later we would shoot more targets at further distances like 15 and 20-yards.
Presenting the pistols from the holster gave a good chance to evaluate how the larger windows aided in rapidly getting on the target. Using the different reticle options between the two gave interesting contrast. The finer dot was more concise, while the 6 MOA dot was easy to just cover the target and squeeze. I think I prefer the circle dot options though, this has been the case with other red dots with the option as well.
Over the course of shooting, I ran several boxes of ammunition through both pistols. I love shooting pistols, and using these two red dots added to the enjoyment. Their bright reticles showed up excellent in both bright afternoon light, and especially in the dull overcast skies. I didn’t experience any shift in the reticle once they were zeroed, we just plowed through the shooting.
Quality
Both of these dots come with a lifetime warranty, but so does everything these days. For that matter a huge portion of red dots come from China, and despite the taboo of 中国制造, so many of these red dots are more than adequate for the folks who use them. I couldn’t find anything about these dots to complain about, especially considering their price. The lenses were clear with no significant effect on my ability to find and engage the targets. The finish on the aluminum was fine, and I’d expect it last for the lifetime of the optics. The bright reticles looked good against my targets, and they were well defined with no worse or better bleed than others.
I saw no zero shift from these dots during testing, none that was discernible anyways. The control buttons were a touch squishy, but not bad. You can feel the click of each button when pushed.
Using side tray battery installation is a nice feature, and one that is becoming standard for most red dots. This makes it so you don’t have to remove the sight to change the battery. Using these dots over time will give more insight as to how well they are made and how reliable they will be. But I also have a Gideon Alpha that has been going for almost two years now, swapped across various pistols. It has neither gone dead or crapped out on me in any way during that time. I expect the Omega and the Storm will do the same.
the Storm and Omega both fit neatly in my Safariland holsters molded for large optics
Value
Both of these optics offer a pretty good deal. I already mentioned the difference in price between some of these. That’s not to say I’m making a direct comparison between these optics and ones that cost three or four times their cost. But for what these red dots cost they are certainly a good value. The Omega can be had for $170 on Optics Planet, which is fifty-bucks less than you can get the Storm for $220 on Optics Planet. I expect many might make their decision based on budget, I myself am a little more about aesthetics.
Conclusion
If I had to choose between these two optics, it would be a little tough. The Omega is a better deal, but I prefer the look of the Storm. But whether you go for beauty or value, I don’t think you’ll be let down by either of these sights. Your choice between them might also be based on the footprint. If you’re lucky, you might have a pistol with a configurable footprint like my Ruger RXM and run either of them.
The newest member of Hornady’s Advanced Rifle Cartridge family also happens to be the smallest yet. The 22 ARC is the little ARC, made by necking the popular 6 ARC down to .224 caliber. But do we need another centerfire .224 cartridge? Or perhaps the better question is what does the 22 ARC offer that we don’t already have? Today we will dive straight into the subject and get some answers so grab a drink and a notepad.
The Case for the ARC
The 6mm ARC was designed for many of the same reasons as its parent case, the 6.5 Grendel. Both were designed to shoot heavier bullets out of a case that could fit in an AR-15 magazine. The 6 ARC shoots bullets in the 60-110 grain class at velocities much higher than the popular .223/5.56 cartridges that most AR style rifles use. This gives a very big advantage at further distances or up close.
the 22 ARC (left) seen with the 6 ARC and 6.5 Grendel
Shooting heavier bullets has a great effect on power delivered to downrange targets. And it also greatly improves ballistic performance, shooting flatter and preventing deviation from wind. All of this from a cartridge that can fit into most any AR-15 receiver, of course using a different magazine and giving up a few rounds of capacity.
Making the 22 ARC was a natural evolution, as it seems handloaders are fascinated by making new cartridges out of existing ones. But the ARC isn’t just another .224 caliber cartridge, there is more to it than its neck. With it’s short body, and faster specified twist-rate, this chubby little cartridge was also built for pushing bigger bullets.
Cartridge designers made the case shorter than cartridges like the .223 Remington, this helps fit the longer heavier bullets into the case. And also allows these cartridges to cycle in actions when loaded with these long bullets. In order to boost capacity to make it worth the trouble, the cartridge was also enlarged to the case-head size .441. Making it larger in diameter and shorter gave it the capacity and proportions needed to exceed the performance of other cartridges.
As you can see, the 22 ARC has much more seating room than the 22-250 (center) and .223 Remington (right)
For example, when compared to the .223, the 22 ARC case is shorter, allowing longer bullet seating. The popular 22-250 is even longer than the 223, which allows even less room for seating bullets out. Most 22-250’s use slow twist rates like 1:12 or 1:14 which means they can’t shoot heavier bullets anyways. Limiting their use to 40-55 grain bullets for the most part.
22 ARC Specifications
22 Advance Rifle Cartridge Specifications
Max O.A.L.
2.260 inches
Bolt Face
.441 inches
Trim Length
1.525 inches
Shoulder Angle
30 Degrees
Case Capacity (H2O)
34.6 grains
Barrel Twist
1:7 standard
Bullet Weight Range
60- 90 grain (typical)
So why would you want to shoot heavier bullets? I’ve been loading 75-grain BTHP bullets for AR-15 rifles for decades. Because they simply perform better at further distances. Once upon a time, many years ago my brother and I were shooting a steel target at roughly 700 yards if I recall correctly. I was dinging the steel repeatedly using my AR loaded with 75-grain bullets. My brother shooting his 22-250 was having trouble hitting it with 50-grain bullets. This made a lot of sense once we retrieved the target and found his bullets barely sticking into the wooden target hanger like a dart.
The much higher velocity of the 22-250 burns off too fast in a small bullet for long-range shooting. That’s why in this case my .223 chambered AR was superior, and a rifle chambered in 22ARC would have been even more superior. Shooting 70-90 grain bullets at higher velocities than the .223 can hurl.
But what if you don’t wanna shoot far you might be asking? Well, then the 22 ARC still has a lot to offer you. Shooting lighter bullets up close, the 22 ARC gives devastating performance just like the aforementioned 22-250.
Loading the 22 ARC
Rolling your own 22 ARC cartridges is easily done, getting brass from Hornady. You can also get it from Alpha Munitions and Petersen Cartridge Company. Small rifle primer pockets are used in the ARC, and modest charges of powder will get you excellent velocities.
Gideon Optics draws its name from the the historical character in the bible. Leading the charge with affordable sighting options seems to be the mission for them, and today we are looking at another product from the manufacturer; the Gideon Optics Guardian 1-6X24 rifle scope. The Guardian is a low power variable optic (LPVO) which has become a very popular choice for carbine and short-range rifles. I’ve been a bit of a fan since I got my first LPVO, so as my collection grows with the Guardian 1-6 it already had a variety of competitors for comparison. In today’s review we are going to evaluate the Guardian 1-6 as it compares to other similar LPVO’s, and see if Gideons value makes it worth your consideration.
Gideon Optics Guardian 1-6
Gideon’s 1-6 LPVO joins a family of scopes including their 1-10 Guardian that uses a 34mm tube and exposed turrets. There are both FFP and SFP options in the 1-8 sized Guardian, so the 1-6 is in good company for sure.
Built on a 30mm tube, the Guardian 1-6 has a 24mm objective. The reticle is placed in the second focal plane, and has a very sharp red or green illuminated dot at the center of its reticle. Its controlled by a variable rheostat on the left-side of the turret housing. Additionally the reticle features a couple different hold points for either measuring or corrections. The low-profile capped turrets are .25 MOA per click, and reticle subtensions are in MOA as well.
The Guardian comes with a removable throw-lever installed to make quick changes in magnification. It can be purchased together with a Gideon scope mount for a discounted price as you’ll see here. As is typical in the optics market, the Guardian comes with a set of flip-caps, battery, and tools for zeroing.
I mounted the Guardian using the Gideon 30mm cantilever mount, which of course was a perfect fit for my AR15 rifle. ThenI leveled the scope and torqued everything down before I boresighted it. I did this using my traditional method, looking down the bore of the secured rifle, and adjusting the reticle to coincide with the boreline. After adding a suppressor to the rifle, I was ready to head to the range.
Shooting with the Guardian
My first trip was to a public range, where I typically don’t go. But this was an opportunity to do some good testing of the scope on paper. But before I even fired a shot, I spent a good deal of time simply looking through the scope, and getting a feel for it. I was quite happy with the optical presentation of the Guardian 1-6, at all magnifications it looked very bright and clean. I didn’t notice any significant blurring around the edges or other aberrations. And the bright illumination of the dot stood out with great contrast against the downrange view.
It’s hard to get a perfect picture through a scope, but it does look better than these pictures portray
I removed the caps of the turrets in preparation for some adjustments, and fired a few shots. It took very little adjustment to get on target, this rifle typically shoots around 1 MOA patterns. And with a zero confirmed at one-hundred yards, we went to shooting. With distances as far as two-hundred yards on the range, it was simple and fun to engage small targets holding over with the Guardian reticle.
Later the rifle would come along with us on various trips into the open country of the wintery Rocky Mountains. For fun we typically set up a variety of shooting drills and transitions, this allows plenty of opportunity to shoulder the rifle and adjust the scope. We did shoot as far as four-hundred yards using the Guardian 1-6, holding over the targets using the reticle. Most of it was done using 55-grain ball ammo.
Optical Quality
The Guardian 1-6 had great transmission of the target image, with sharp detail. I am a big fan of adjustable parallax scopes, but I understand that it doesn’t always make sense for scopes in this power and price range. And that said, I found the fixed parallax of the Guardian to be perfectly serviceable. Picking out things as small as tiny birds on the hillside 200 yards away was easily done, even allowing identification of them. Using this scope for sport shooting inside the effective range of a 5.56 carbine would make target acquiring and engaging very doable.
The controls of the 1-6 Guardian are simple and effective. The resistance on the magnification ring is just right. I don’t like it when they are too easy or hard to turn. And only the ring turns, not the whole eyepiece.
Illuminating the center dot is done by turning the left-side turret. There is an “off” setting between each of the 12 brightness settings allowing you to keep it close to ready but not powered up.
Value
Optical quality is very subjective, as my eyes age I seem to notice a little more between glass qualities. I have several other 1-6 LPVO’s that I have used quite a bit over the years, and so far I feel like the Guardian 1-6 stands up to the same useability as my others. Sure there might be some in my collection with an optical quality higher than the Guardian. But it usually comes down to the users choice.
For the price of $299 I think the Guardian is an easy choice for those looking for a good LPVO for their carbine. Any of the big names in optics are going to cost you more for a comparable scope, and lower cost will only come from other bargain brands. Gideon’s warranty mirrors what has become the standard in the optics industry, with a lifetime warranty against defects. So you can count on their products being there when you need them.
I really like the optical quality of this scope, it has a forgiving eye-box, and I found it easy to focus for clear reticle definition and target clarity. The textures of the controls surfaces are not too flashy and they work perfectly. Capping the turrets was a good choice for a scope like this, as I don’t anticipate doing much dialing. I’ll throw in an honorable mention for Gideon’s cantilever scope mount, the four bolt caps are just right for properly clamping down your scope, and the foot makes excellent contact with your picatinny rail. I especially grateful they didn’t put the cheap protruding nut fasteners on the foot, which alway get hung-up in things.
The only things I would like to add to this scope would also drive it’s cost way up. And that would kind of defeat the purpose of an affordable 1-6. But I’d love to see an option with MRAD exposed turrets, and adjustable parallax. But those are features probably better suited for the 1-8 or 1-10.
Last Thoughts
Having used various Gideon Optics products over the last few years, I feel pretty confident that they will be around for a while. And providing additional options for those looking for quality sighting products. The Gideon Guardian 1-6 is a great choice for a short to medium range rifle like the one I used here. The variable power gives the shooter dexterity in aiming options. Whether you are after a fast shooting sport rifle optic, or something for defensive situations, the Gideon Guardian 1-6 gives a great value and performance.
