Category Archives: Optics

Leupold Range HD BX-4 10×42 Rangefinding Binoculars

June 3, 2024Optics, Product reviewbinoculars, leupoldcoldboremiracle

Introduction

Laser rangefinders have been migrating into binoculars for some time now. Many shooters and hunters particularly have found the added value of putting their rangefinder and binoculars into the same unit. Most big names in the optics world have brought a rangefinding binocular to market, and today we are taking a look at one of those. Today I bring you a review of the Leupold Range HD BX-4 10×42 Rangefinding Binoculars.

Having a rangefinder built into your primary spotting tool saves a great deal of time and weight in your loadout. Not having to switch back and forth between binos and rangefinder can men the difference between a successful hunt and tag soup. And if you are lucky enough to have never misplaced your rangefinder, you don’t know the frustration of digging through pockets and packs when you should be shooting.

Leupold BX-4 Binoculars

The BX-4 family of binoculars from Leupold offers a great deal of options. The Range HD model we are testing today are built specifically for those who want a high quality set of bino’s with rangefinding capabilities.

Leupold BX-4 Range HD binoculars — adjusting the eye-cups

Leupold’s Range HD binos are built on a 10×42 set of tubes. It boasts nice features like robust individual oversized eye-cup adjustment, HD lenses, and smooth focusing. But of course the main feature that elevates this product above its family members is the ability to measure distance using an internal laser.

Not only does the laser measure the distance, but the Range HD binos also have additional functions. Besides a LOS (line of sight) mode that gives you direct actual line of sight distance. You can also use it in an actual ballistic distance corrected mode, this uses the actual distance to target corrected by the angle to the target. It also features a BOW mode, for archery hunters.

You can also use one of the many profiles Leupold has made available for ballistic data. Once selected, this profile will populate things such as drop at given distances, wind holds, and other valuable information.

Other features like Leupolds lifetime warranty, waterproofing, and extreme weather exposure capabilities also add value to the BX-4 Range HD binoculars.

Leupold BX-4 Range HD binos in the Field

As I do quite a bit of hunting and shooting in these Rocky Mountains, I wanted to see how well these binoculars would do as my companion. I have used several other competitors binoculars and I feel quite familiar with their performance. My goal is to see how these Leupold binoculars stack up to what I already know.

As I hiked into the high country, I strapped the factory Leupold binocular case across my chest. I feel bad for manufacturers because they all want to offer a nice binocular chest carrying rig. But they also have a budget, which typically means the bino harnesses they ship with the product are too nice to toss, but not nice enough to avoid being replaced by the aftermarket. I use several types, but the Eberlestock Recon bino pack is a perfect fit for these binos. And I highly recommend it over the factory case.

Configuration

Uncovering the lenses of the Range HD binos is easy, with rubber lens covers that are tethered to it. These are very handy for keeping the lenses clean and safe from debris. After that I wanted to ensure the binos were setup properly for my eyes. Both barrels of the binoculars have an adjustable ocular ring, one is to focus the rangefinder display inside. The other is for balancing the focus between your eyes.

textured rubber grip areas in all the right places

Setting the proper mode can be done using the left button, while the right button is used for powering up the unit, as well as toggling through the settings. If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself left-hand dominant, you’ll be happy to know that the buttons can be reversed.

With the LOS mode selected, I adjusted the diopters to get a crisp image. Like most Leupold products I am familiar with, this one has outstanding image quality. Looking across canyons I pressed the button repeatedly getting distance readings.

Rangefinding Capabilities

As one of the primary functions, I was eager to see how well the laser rangefinder feature functioned. Reflective targets typically provide better results when ranging with a laser. Leupold claims the maximum effective range of the unit is 2600 yards, which is much further than most recreational shooters will need.

Leupold Rangefinder — quickly getting ranges from regular hunting distances out to over 2000 yards was easy

During my testing I found the BX-4 to be very quick at hitting distances as far away as 2,000 yards. Hitting big things like cars or billboards it would go farther still. But in real world shooting and hunting country, I found useful things like pine trees and rocks were still easily hit with the laser out to the 2,000 yard line.

Ammunition Profiles

I selected a profile that was the closest to my current load, and crossed it against known data. I’ll say just a little bit about this feature; I’m not a huge fan of pre-selected ballistic data, mainly because it can change with atmospheric conditions and weather. And even with all the profiles given, you might not find one identical to yours. But with all that said, for most people at average hunting distances it will be more than close enough to be useful. As long as you practice with your equipment and are familiar with the performance you will likely be fine.

some of the available ballistic profiles

Once you’ve selected a profile, the display will give you the appropriate elevation correction for the distance. This is determined using a fixed zero range in the profile. Once the button has been pushed, the range is displayed and the display will alternate between the elevation correction and the wind hold for that distance. A full value 10 MPH wind hold is what will be provided, you’ll have to determine how much of that is necessary.

While these tools can be very handy for estimates, they should certainly be tested and ensure they line up for you long before your trophy hunt. I may be a bit jaded when it comes to systems like this, which is why sometimes I just prefer to get the actual distance and I’ll make my own estimations. But I have no doubt that when tested and practiced thoroughly, this system could be very useful.

Pros & Cons

Pros

High quality HD image
Made in USA
No BS 2000 yard rangefinder
Comfortable armored rubber exterior
Adjustable Eye-cups
Tripod-ready with 1/4-20 mounting
Reversible control buttons
Different Modes for shooting types
Waterproof and ready for any weather

Cons

Wasn’t hugely impressed with bino-case
Not a big fan of the ballistic profile program

Final Thoughts

Overall I was quite happy with the Leupold Range HD BX-4 binoculars, the few things I would be picky about aren’t anywhere near as important as the things I like about the product. With an MSRP of $1599.99, these are certainly not cheap. But when compared to other similar products in the market, I think they hold their own. There are always better and worse options, but this one seems like a great product.

I also own binos from two of Leupolds biggest competitors, the Fury LRF binos from Vortex and the Kilo 10K LRF binos from Sig Sauer. All three have good and bad, and it would be a hard choice between the three of them. But I am quite confident that if I had to hunt the rest of my days with only this pair of binoculars, I’d do just fine.

-CBM

Eotech Vudu 1-6

May 19, 2024Optics, Product revieweotech, lpvo, vudu, vudu 1-6coldboremiracle

Introduction

Low power variable optics are one of the fastest growing type of rifle scope, at least from my perspective. Carbine rifles setup for short to medium range shooting have become very popular, and these scopes are an excellent sight option for them. I’ve spent quite a bit of time shooting with a variety of different LPVO’s, but today I present to you another one; the Eotech Vudu 1-6×24.

Eotech Vudu 1-6x24 — Unboxing the Eotech Vudu 1-6×24

I’ve been able to use this scope on many different rifles, over the course of the last year or so. Which is nice because typically I don’t get such a long timeframe to review a product. This has given me the ability to get a better understanding of this scope.

I’ll share my experience with this rifle scope, and how it can fit into your collection.

The Eotech Vudu 1-6×24

Specifications

Let’s get into this little scope, starting with some specifications.

Length 10.6 inches
Weight 20.1 Ounces
Magnification 1-6X
Tube diameter 30mm
Objective Lens 24mm
Reticle SR1
Battery CR2032
Colors Black, FDE
Turret click value .2 MRAD
Turret rotation value 15 MRAD
Total Elevation travel 25 MRAD
Total Windage travel 23 MRAD
Focal Plane First focal plane (FFP)

Like most LPVO’s, the Vudu 1-6 features a 30mm tube and 24mm objective. This gives a good balance of light transmission and erector travel. It’s unlikely to need to adjust as much as 25 MRAD of elevation on an LPVO, but it’s nice to have the option if you need it.

I also have the slightly larger Eotech Vudu 1-8×24, you can go read up on that option when you are done here. As good as my experience has been with the 30mm Vudu LPVO’s, I’d really like to get my hands on their big brother the 34mm Vudu 1-10×28 FFP scope. It would fit in nicely on one of my 308 carbines I think, or perhaps one of my hunting rifles.

The compact size of these scopes make them ideal for duty on compact rifles. At just over ten-inches, this Vudu doesn’t add too much bulk to your rifle. And at twenty-ounces it may not be the lightest 1-6 out there, but it’s not the heaviest either.

Features

As a first focal plane rifle scope, the Vudu reticle changes size depending on the magnification setting. This can be very useful for some scenarios, especially for a medium range rifle. At 1x for up close shooting the smaller details of the reticle are un-noticeable. And you can use the circle to bracket your target rapidly while squeezing the trigger.

When zoomed in to 6x, the circle is outside your field of view. The fine details of the crosshair and holdover points are now quite visible and useful should you need to make a more refined hold. The reticle is illuminated green, and uses a friendly pushbutton control vs. the standard rotating rheostat turret.

The turrets on this little Eotech are not capped, allowing on the fly adjustments if needed. They are easily re-zeroed once the rifle has been sighted in. As well they have easily read markings to make your corrections.

Adjusting the magnification on the scope is done by turning the ocular housing. Eotech was kind enough to add in a threaded throw-lever to make it even easier to adjust.

The high-quality Japanese manufactured lenses made the image seen through the Vudu very bright. This has been my experience with various Vudu rifle scopes, a very pleasing image with impressive clarity and detail.

Desert Tech wlvrn bullpup 20-inch 223 wilde eotech vudu — The Vudu 1-6 mounted on a **Desert Tech WLVRN**

On the Range with the Eotech 1-6×24

After mounting the Vudu 1-6 in a pretty standard cantilever mount, it was easy to swap back and forth between various rifles for testing. And the easily adjustable turrets made it easy to quickly re-zero.

Shooting up close on 1x and both eyes open was nice. This is one of the reasons I find LPVO’s so handy, it’s just like shooting with a red dot almost. You can simply look at the target, and bring the rifle up until you see the bright green circle around your target.

Adjusting the settings of the illuminated reticle is very easy. There are three push-buttons, one to turn on the reticle, and two more to adjust brighter or dimmer. This made bracketing the targets very easy in low light conditions and crummy weather. Speaking on weather, I got to use the Vudu in some poor conditions, and the lenses stayed clear and didn’t fog up. Another nice feature of a good scope.

While shooting I found the eye relief pretty forgivable, it seemed every time I shouldered a rifle I could see well through the scope. Like any scope, it does vary a little bit with magnification but it was never difficult to get a quick sight picture.

Controls

I’m usually not one to rapidly change magnification while transitioning between targets. The included throw-lever does make it easy to do though. And while six power isn’t exactly high magnification, it is very useful to zoom in on a target two or three-hundred yards away and be able to accurately hit these more challenging targets.

The SR1 reticle was precise enough for carbine work. By that I mean it may not be great for shooting 1/2 MOA groups at long-range. But it is more than precise enough to make accurate shots on ten-inch targets at medium ranges like two to four hundred yards. The subtensions of the reticle also allow hold overs for distances as far as six-hundred yards at my density altitude.

eotech Vudu 1-6 SR1 reticle — the SR1 reticle as seen at 6X 100yds and at 1X

Most LPVO scopes have a set parallax, usually at an optimum use distance like 75 to 100 yards. That seemed to be the case with this Vudu as well. I didn’t do much of what I would consider long-range shooting with it, but the shooting that was done didn’t seem to have an issue with parallax.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Having spent nearly a year shooting with the Eotech Vudu 1-6, and about the same time with the 1-8 model I’ve been able to formulate a pretty good opinion. As mentioned I’ve used quite a few other comparable optics from other manufacturers like US Optics, Vortex Optics and others. And I’m judging the Vudu against the competition which can be pretty cutthroat.

The Vudu LPVO’s definitely have an advantage when it comes to optical quality. The lens coatings and quality are apparent by the beautiful image presented every time. I expect that a good portion of the cost of the Vudu scopes is due to the lens quality.

The controls of the Vudu scope are very intuitive, and easy to operate. But most scopes are like that, I’d say the Vudu gets extra points because it looks good and is well built at the same time. Crisp feeling turrets are matched by a useful reticle that isn’t taxed with too many heavy features that inhibit viewing.

Eotech Vudu 1-6x24, IWI Galil ACE — The Vudu mounted to the **IWI Galil ACE**

Cons

I really had a hard time coming up with something to dislike about the Eotech Vudu 1-6. The functionality was fantastic, as was the optical quality. So if I had to say something negative about this scope it could only really be about the price.

With a street price around $1200 it’s not exactly easy for a lot of gun owners to justify. There are many comparable optics in the five to nine-hundred dollar range, and while they might do the job for you just as well, they don’t have that little exceptional edge.

To be fair to the Vudu, most of the Chinese and Taiwan made optics are hardly in the same league. But let’s be honest, a lot of people are going to opt for the six-hundred or less priced scopes. But much like a professional shooter, I wouldn’t trade my Vudu for one of them, or even two of the others for that matter. And when compared to the high end optics the Vudu is actually pretty affordable.

desert tech WLVRN 5.56 nato suppressed — Another shot of the Vudu mounted to the WLVRN, read about the rifle here

Final thoughts

If you are looking for a high quality LPVO for you next rifle, this Vudu 1-6 is a great little scope to consider. Whether it be for your fighting carbine or for your next pig sticker, the Vudu bring some great qualities. The FFP reticle is great for short and medium range engagements, the exposed turrets allow quick adjustments for other shooting needs.

Other things like the throw lever and push button illumination are nice for rapid changes during your shooting regimen. And while its not exactly an entry level scope when it comes to price, it’s not out of reach. Making the Vudu scope an excellent choice if you want better than most options without blowing your whole budget on your scope.

-CBM

Apex Optics Rival 4-32X56

May 12, 2024Optics, Product reviewapex, apex optics, rivalcoldboremiracle

Introduction

I love riflescopes, and the market has become more and more competitive in the last decade. Bringing you new rifle scope options is one of my favorite things to do, and today I am bringing you another one. Today we are going to look at a new to me brand, the Apex Optics Rival 4-32×56 scope.

The optics market has recently been flooded with a great selection of imported optics. And today I am adding another one to my list. The Apex Optics Rival is a 34mm tube riflescope, with an eight power zoom and first focal plane reticle. Like most scopes in this range, it also includes a side focus/parallax adjustment, and illuminated reticle.

With a plethora of fantastic rifle scopes in my collection, I was happy to add this one to the pile and see how it stands up to the rest. The features of the Rival are ideal for competitive long-range shooting, or any other application needing high power and ballistic compensation.

The Apex Optics Rival 4-32X56

Specifications

Tube Diameter: 34mm
Objective Lens: 56mm
Magnification: 4-32x
FOV @ 100y: 29.9ft-3.73ft
Eye Relief : 3.54″ (90mm)
Exit Pupil: 8mm-1.6mm
Parallax Range: 15y-Infinity
Glass Type: ED
Focal Plane: First (FFP)
Reticle: CLR (Illuminated)
Reticle Type: Glass Etched
Elev. Adjustment: 32 MIL
Wind. Adjustment: 20 MIL
MILs Per Rotation: 15E / 10W
Turret Rotation: CCW
Illumination Color: Red
Illumin. Levels : 6 w/ On-Off between settings
Length: 15″ (381mm)
Weight : 37oz (1049g)
Mounting Length: 7.4″ (189mm)

The Apex Rival is not a compact model, as you can see by the size dimensions. And weighing in at thirty-seven ounces it’s a bit chubby when compared to your traditional hunting rifle scopes. So I guess what I’m saying is that this isn’t a scope for your typical hunting rifle, it means serious business.

Serious precision rifle shooting usually doesn’t concern itself with weight though, so big optics like this are welcome. PRS circuit shooters are usually adding weight to their guns, so putting a serious scope like this isn’t a problem. The Apex Rival also incorporates a bunch of the features that dedicated marksmen use frequently. Adjustable turrets, first focal plane milling reticle are just some of those.

As I opened the box to inspect the Rival, I was impressed with its presentation and accessories. The scope is nicely packaged, and comes with battery, sun-shade, manuals and other swag.

apex optics rival packaging — Handsome quality packaging with plenty of goodies

Mounting the Apex Rival

As a complete optics nerd, I couldn’t wait to get this scope mounted. I grabbed one of my Area 419 scope mounts to use as a mounting interface, you can read more about that here. After leveling the scope and torquing down the fasteners, it was time to stick to a rifle. For that, I chose my Desert Tech SRS M2 with the 223 Remington barrel. This rifle has been one of my favorites over the years, and with the 223 barrel in it, I was sure to give the scope a good exercise.

With the rifle and scope mated, it was time to get busy with it. But before leaving the house I did a quick tooless boresight job. I grabbed some ammunition for the rifle, as well as the rest of my gear and headed to the open Rocky Mountains.

desert tech SRS M2 apex rival scope — Mounted up and ready for action

Zeroing

Once I got to my shooting position, I set to zero the Rival. Sometimes when I’m in a rush, I will simply use an open patch of dirt. Picking out a small detail and firing a shot at it shows what corrections I need to make. After repeating this process as many times as needed, I pick out a tiny little rock chip and see if I can hit it.

The high power magnification of the Rival allowed me to see not only the impact of the shot, but also to pick out the white dusty remnants of the rock chip. I confirmed the results a few times, just to satisfy the sharpshooter in me.

I love shooting in the barren springtime mountains, besides the beautiful signs of spring and singing birds, there is a refreshed feeling of renewal. The spring snow keeps much of the public far away from my operation, and that’s fine by me.

This rifle is very predictable, and I have a solid drop chart programmed into my ballistic computer. So the very first thing on the menu was a target six-hundred and eighty yards away. A flat rock face tucked into a steep chute full of brush. The smooth surface with various lichen spots made a perfect aimpoint, and one I could follow up on.

Apex Rival scope 223 remington cartridges

I was shooting Nosler RDF 85 grain bullets which even at six-eighty hit with some impressive power. The impact left nice little white marks on the rock face as the bullets disintegrated into the soil around it. Using the CLR reticle I measured the difference between my point of aim, and the impact and made an adjustment. With a better wind hold I was stacking one white mark right on top of another.

Shooting Long-range

It was time to stretch this thing out a bit more. After all, part of the reason I went with the 223 barrel today was to give this scope a good workout. The 15 MRAD turrets of the Rival are very nice, I much prefer 10+ MIL turrets like these because it’s much harder to get lost in your elevation. But that’s almost impossible with another great feature, the turret rotation indicator.

Once you dial past fifteen MRAD on the elevation turret, there is a small indicating pin that pops up on the top of the turret. This allows you to both see and feel if you are on the first or second rotation. Due to the huge fifteen MIL turrets, only two rotations are needed to hit 30 MRAD which is well beyond anything I typically shoot.

I found the eye box to be fine, though some of my shooting companions did mention they thought it was a bit touchy. Meaning they felt they had to be perfectly situated behind the eyepiece to be able to see well. I didn’t experience that at all.

Shooting distances like 940 and 1200 yards was a nice little poke for the rifle. And spotting puffs of white at those distances was easy through the Rival. Dialing the turret back and forth between targets felt nice as I could easily count the clicks, and feel them too.

Like most every other scope I’ve ever tested, the Rival darkens some at max power. I rarely use scopes at their maximum magnification, especially when it’s 32X. Which brings me to another thing I like about this and other high mag scopes I have. This scope is clearer at 25X than most scopes that max out at 25X, just because it’s an 8-32 doesn’t mean you can’t use it like an 8-25. I usually use all my scope at roughly 80% of their max power at any time. I prefer the clarity over the magnification.

Apex Rival Features

CLR Reticle

While shooting at these distances the CLR reticle was great. I really like open center’s like this one has, nothing but a very fine dot in the center of the crosshair. The reticle gives a good amount of holdover and measuring subtensions, and also staying open enough to allow seeing low impacts downrange.

This made for quick corrections while shooting in the field. The grid part of the reticle allows you to quickly spot your impact, and estimate quick corrective solutions. Both windage and elevation can be quickly figured out and either dialed or held for the following shot.

Illuminating the reticle is easy with the rheostat mounted on the parallax turret. There are many brightness settings with an off setting between each.

Apex Optics Rival — Note parallax adjustment and reticle illumination stacked

Turrets

The elevation turret of the Rival reminds me of my Kahles K318i, it has a very similar function and design. Which sort of makes a zero-stop unnecessary. The clicks are very clean and audible, and more importantly they track perfectly with the reticle. I mounted the scope to a table for the purpose of some tracking testing. I was very happy to see that over a many courses of motion I could always expect the reticle to end up exactly where anticipated

Apex Optics Rival 4-32x56 — Zeroing elevation turret

Throw Lever

The magnification ring can be quickly adjusted using the throw lever, or cattail as they are sometimes called. The Apex throw lever is open in the middle, which allows you to see your turret through the lever should it be in the way.

Sunshade

Included with the Apex Rival was a perfect fitting sunshade. The shade extends the front of the objective preventing light glare from obscuring your view. This comes in very handy when looking in steep country where the sun could close or even behind your target area. The sunshade prevents the light from hitting your lens unless you are looking almost directly at it. Also included were to obligatory cheap flip caps, that obviously work but I don’t expect to last.

Parallax/Focus Adjustment

It’s become very popular to use a side adjust parallax turret. This allows you to remove the effect of parallax in your image, and get a sharp and clear impression of both the reticle and the target.

SilencerCo, Omega 36M, Omega, silencer, suppressor, modular, 5.56, 9mm, 250, 338, desert tech, srs m2, apex optics, rival, two vets tripod, two vets, no-name inverted, — even at high power, the Rival looks good, especially steadied on my **Two Vets No Name V 2 tripod**

34 Millimeter Maintube

The larger 34mm main tube allows for a very robust structure and larger diameter erector. This is part of why the scope has such a broad movement capacity of 32 MRAD. It has also become a very popular size resulting in a great variety of mounting options like the one I used here.

HTX Lens Coating

The HTX lens coatings are applied to help light transmission through the scope. The extra low dispersion lenses are manufactured to optimise wavelengths of light coming through them. Both the coating and the lenses themselves help provide as bright an image as possible.

Apex Rival Pros & Cons

Pros

Great optical quality- suitable for competition and precision shooting
15 MIL turrets- for concise elevation adjustments
Milling Reticle- the CLR reticle works great for holdovers and corrections
8X Zoom- gives you a broad spectrum of magnification
Included Extras- sunshade, throw lever
Turret Indicator- to keep track of turret rotation
34mm Tube- universal size with longer internal travel
Illuminated reticle- for low light shooting
Robust Construction- heavy duty and built to last
Accurate and repetitive tracking

Cons

Loses clarity at max magnification
I don’t care for the orange trim
Promotes Canadianism 🇨🇦

Final Thoughts

After shooting with the Apex Rival for a while now, I only look forward to shooting it more. Many shooters are quick to discount import rifle scopes unless they come from Europe, but scopes like this are rapidly changing minds.

Apex Optics Rival 4-32x56 Desert Tech SRS M2

With the Rival mounted on my favorite gun, I feel up to most anything. It provides a fantastic picture with an above average magnification spectrum. The controls are crisp and concise, and perhaps more importantly they track accurately. I really like the reticle, it is a good match to the scope’s optical abilities. There were really few things I could come up with that I didn’t like about this scope.

At over $2000 it isn’t cheap by any means but you can certainly spend more. The Rival is in a touchy situation; it’s too big an investment to be easily bought and tested as a casual purchase. But it’s also not as well known as other scopes that people can confidently invest their money. If my experience using this scope is any indicator, I think it is worth its asking price. A comparable scope made in the US or Europe would easily cost at least another five-hundred dollars. My intention is to continue giving this scope a good workout, stay tuned to see more about it.

-CBM

If you like this one, check out one of our other scope reviews

Steiner Predator 10×42 LRF Binoculars

April 2, 2024Optics, Product review10x42, binoculars, predator, steinercoldboremiracle

Background

I went without a good pair of binoculars for far too long, it would seem that maybe I’m going just the opposite way now. I have several good pairs of great binoculars, and today I wanted to share with you another great option. The Steiner Predator 10×42 LRF binoculars are a fantastic option for someone who needs binoculars, but also has serious rangefinding necessities.

Steiner Predator 10×42 Binoculars

Steiner’s Predator binoculars bring the rugged toughness the brand is known for. This set of binoculars utilizes Steiner’s high definition lens coatings to transmit as much light as possible. Housing the lenses is an armored lightweight frame with a center adjustment wheel, with adjustable shaded eye-cups. As always, these bino’s come in a nice little soft-case, with an included soft neck strap.

In addition to Steiner’s famous optical quality, this Predator has a laser built-in. The Predator binos have a rangefinder function that allows the user to hit targets nearly two-thousand yards away. The LRF display is shown in the right barrel of the bino, showing both distance as well as angle to the target. Both barrels of the binoculars have independently adjustable focused eye-pieces, so you can balance the image between your eyes. As well as focus the LRF display inside.

Up front, the object lens-covers are attached by a robust braided nylon strap, much stronger than the typical bikini rubber type. And the super soft rubber shades on the eye-cups keep the sun out of your eyes while glassing.

In the Field

A trip into the dry springtime deserts of Arizona would prove a great opportunity to try the Predator bino’s. I brought along my EDC binoculars for comparison, as I’m quite familiar with and like them.

The first thing I did was test the LRf function of the binos, and this was done before I even left town. Shooting the laser at billboards and signs made easy work inside of 18-1900 yards. Much further than that it was a little bit more challenging to get a good reading. I cross checked all distances with my Sig Sauer Kilo 10K binoculars, and there was rarely more than a yard or two difference between them.

Hours later we found ourselves in the desert scouring the cactus covered hills for shed antlers and fossils. Over the course of several hours I looked through the Predator Binoculars, inspecting every little detail of the rock structures and its inhabitants.

Don’t judge the image based on my crappy phone-pic

Shop all Steiner Binoculars at EuroOptic

Pros & Cons

Let’s start out with the things I like about these binoculars. First off, they have an outstanding picture. Like every Steiner optic product I’ve used, the Predator bino’s has a bright and clean image. The focus of both eye-cups was easily set, and once done you could quickly focus on your target area.

At first I didn’t like the eye-cup shades, but certainly not a big deal as they are easily folded out of the way. Later they came in very handy when the afternoon sun was at its brightest, and I found them pretty handy. The objective lens-caps stayed in place, which is very nice as some don’t.

The rangefinder in the Bino’s worked great, and unless you are calling in artillery it will likely serve your purpose. For hunting these mountains it was ideal, easily ranging distances and country where I would expect to see my prey.

While the neck-strap was quite nice, I didn’t use it much. I’d wager that most folks who spend the money for binoculars like this most likely spend extra cash to get a nice binocular case or harness. I have several nice bino cases that I use, currently I’m using the Eberlestock Recon. It’s been fantastic for various binocular sets, but I was a little let down when I tried to store the Steiner Predator’s inside. The bino’s are a bit longer than most comparable sets of binoculars, and barely fit. Obviously this isn’t a huge deal, as I’m sure there are other good options.

The only other thing I wouldn’t say I disliked, but just something I had to get used to was this; The Predator bino’s required you to get you eyes right up in there in order to see. I was used to other bino’s where I simply touched the eye-cups to my brow, and everything looked great. With the Steiner’s I found myself iris-deep in the eye cups in order to see well.

the Predator binoculars barely fit in my **Eberlestock Recon bino harness**

Last Thoughts

With an MSRP of nearly $1800, these binoculars aren’t for the fairweather gawker. But with an incredible service history, Steiner has certainly earned their place. These bino’s would make an excellent companion for a mountain hunt, where distances can vary greatly. Or if you find yourself ranging distant steel targets these would certainly do well outside of ELR events.

I really like these Steiner Predator 10×42 LRF binoculars. And if they were the last pair of binoculars I ever had, I’m sure I would be fine. Especially since Steiner offers a fully transferable product lifetime warranty, and 3-years on the electronic components.

I would definitely put these binoculars on my list of things I would keep, despite having other options with higher prices and performance, I wouldn’t let these binoculars out of my sight.

-CBM

If you like the Steiner Brand, check out my review on their scopes

Lucid Optics MLX 4.5-18X44 riflescope

March 19, 2024Optics, Product reviewlucid optics, riflescopecoldboremiracle

Introduction

It’s no secret that I am an optics nerd, riflescopes are probably number two for me, right after precision rifles. As such, I get to spend a great deal of time playing with riflescopes of all kinds. Whether it be a five-thousand dollar optic, or a five-hundred dollar optic, I really enjoy seeing what can be done with riflescopes. A secret pleasure of mine is finding high performing rifle scopes at low price points, and today I am on that mission again. The subject of our review today is the Lucid Optics MLX 4.5-18X44 riflescope.

Lucid Optics

Lucid Optics is a relatively new optics manufacturer based in Wyoming, where the air is as clear as the glass in their scopes. It seems that part of getting into the optics business is starting with some no-nonsense slam-dunk products like long-range rifle scopes. I don’t know for sure, but I’d say it’s a fair bet that the open country and big game animals of Wyoming inspired somebody to create an affordable rifle scope for conquering the western landscapes.

Click here to read Concluding Thoughts on the Lucid MLX

MLX reticle, note subtensions and even a detailed elevation post

I found a pair of **Burris rings** that were just the right height

Armasight Contractor 640 2.3-9.2×35 Thermal Weapon Sight

February 29, 2024Optics, Product reviewarmasight, contractorcoldboremiracle

Introduction

Thermal optics have become one of the latest trends in the shooting industry. In fact both night-vision and thermals have become sort of a new status symbol for gun owners. Mainly because they are not inexpensive, and require significant dedication to obtain. But as with many things in our industry, competition drives innovation. We all have benefitted from this competition, as more products and companies have emerged making it easier to get hands on these products. Today we are looking at one of those products, the Armasight Contractor 640 2.3-9.2×35 Thermal Weapon Sight.

Armasight manufactures a variety of thermal and night-vision devices for both observation and weapon sighting. This is not the first experience I’ve had with the brand, or thermal/night vision for that matter. So I was excited to see how the Contractor 640 stood out against other thermal sights I’ve used.

the Armasight Contractor mounted to the **Desert Tech MDRX**

The Armasight Contractor 640 2.3-9.2×35 Thermal Weapon Sight

With so many features to go over, I ‘ll simply list them all at once, and go over the ones that deserve attention:

Multiple color palettes
Intuitive menus with turret controls
8+ Reticle Types
4 hours runtime at 20° C
Image Detail Enhancement
1/2MOA Boresight
Quick Detach Mount Included
Video Recording & Image Capture
USB Video Stream
Wi-Fi Video Stream
Bluetooth 5.0 Capabilities
Application on iOS / Android Devices
USB-C Interface for External Devices
Integrated Stadiametric Rangefinder
Inclinometer
Levelometer
Graphic Compass
Picture in Picture Mode
Angle Cosine Indicator
Reticle ON/OFF Selection
Battery Status Indicator
Alloy Metal Body and Ergonomic Design

Features

With such an impressive suite of features its is challenging to discuss them all. Perhaps the most valuable ones are the practical things you will use on a regular basis. For example, color pallet selection can help define targets and surroundings. Giving you contrast to better see what you’re looking at.

the heads up display of the Contractor 640

The image and video recording capabilities are nice if you like to share your hunting experiences with others. And it’s also valuable for seeing what happened after the shooting is over.

Connectivity is very handy, and with wifi enabled devices like the Contractor 640 you can easily access images and other data from your phone. Armasight has both Android and Apple applications to do this, I downloaded the Apple version to see how it worked

There was a surprising amount of control of the Contractor via the app. You can do almost everything through the phone, change color pallets, reticle style, ballistic solving as well as record video feed. I was quite impressed with how much could be done, the thing only missing was a remote focus adjustment.

Images captured from the Armasight phone app

The different angle finding features of the Contractor 640 can be handy, as is the compass heading. Some of these features aren’t hugely important unless you are shooting beyond regular distances. So they may be overkill for many shooters, but very handy for others.

The dual turrets for bringing up and selecting menus makes changing up some of these features quick to do on the fly.

this short barreled **Desert Tech SRS A2 Covert** was an excellent host

Shooting a Thermal Weapon Sight

One of the first things I find useful with a thermal sight is selecting a color pattern that best fits your eyes. Everybody’s eyes are different, and finding a good contrast setting that fits your eye will help you make sense of the display. I tend to prefer white on black, while you might prefer one of the color pallets.

For those of you who might have seen an ultrasound of a growing baby, it can be similar. You are oftentimes looking at not only what is there, but the negative of what lies around it. Different display settings can enhance your ability to identify your target.

note image focus ring and quick detach mount

In addition to the actual warm and cold image, the Contractor shows additional data in the display. The aiming reticle can be changed, offering you different tools for holdovers. There are also angle and cant indications on the sides of the display. Zeroing the device is easily done following Armasights directions using one of their thermal targets.

Field Use

Before shooting with the Contractor 640, I would need to zero the sight to my rifle. Armasight has incorporated a handy function to zero the sight. After centering the crosshair on your target, and carefully firing a shot, you steady the rifle on the target (using bipod, bags, etc). You can then adjust the point of impact to the bullet hole in the target. It’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it.

the **Armasight Contractor** Mounted to my **Desert Tech MDRX**

Controls

One of the greatest strengths I believe the Contractor brings is the turret menus. Both turrets have a pop-up menu each that can be easily cycled through to select different features or settings. I found them easy to navigate and go through without taking too much time.

The Power knob is easy and secure, you simply push down and rotate it to on or off. There is no question which of the two settings it is set on, and it is not easy to switch accidentally. This is refreshing when compared to other options that uses push-buttons, that can be accidentally pressed. And when cold weather is encountered, their engagement can be less tactile.

another image from the app, showing different color pallets

Recording video through the sight is easily done by pressing the record button behind the right turret. This initiates recording of the display, and it shows a recording icon in the display so you know it’s recording. Four hours of recording time will fit on the internal memory card, which is easily downloaded via the provided USBC cable. Personally I prefer removable memory cards, that allow you to swap and upload as needed.

Focusing the images seen in the Contractor is done by two rubberized focs rings. The one at the rear of the optic, is to focus the image seen by your eye. At the front of the optic, there is another focus ring that corrects the actual thermal sensor clarity. Both are easily adjusted giving a great image.

Mount

Mounting the Armasight Contractor is quite easy, thanks to the Kinetic Development Group QD mount. The cantilever mount uses spring-tension to snap closed over whatever picatinny sight rail you wish to attach it to. It locks into place, and can be removed by pressing the button at the front to release it. It’s a top quality mounting system.

Shop thermal optics at Euro Optic or Optics Planet

Action

With the optic zeroed, there was little to do other than shoot. Selecting an appropriate reticle for my purposes was easy, making shots at various target types a snap. Shooting with a suppressor was a huge plus, keeping the hot gasses of the report focused tightly to avoid target obstruction. Watching bullets fly through the air was pretty cool, as was seeing their impacts. Sparks and hot bullet fragments could be seen as shots impacted. To keep this article less obscene, I’ll avoid mentioning the imagery of animals being hit through the thermal. I’ll let you find those images on your own.

Shooting through the Armasight Contractor in darkness was very effective. But as the freezing fog of winter came in, the image rapidly deteriorated. This is the case with most thermals I believe. With ice crystals floating in the air, there is no way for the thermal to see through so much.

Another thing that I experienced with this and other thermals is a need to be very attentive to the focus. It’s very easy to move from one target area to another and lose clarity, until you remember to refocus the image.

I fielded the Armasight Contractor on several occasions, aiming to find something warm to shoot at. One of the local swamps promised the opportunity of a raccoon or fox, which would have been just right. Unfortunately I never got onto one of them, but the swamp was certainly full of life, such as rats and waterfowl. It was awesome to be able to pick out the living inhabitants so easily, the warm heads of ducks shown starkly against the cold water around them.

Click here to finish reading

-CBM

For more optics and thermals, click here

Best Red Dots for your Rifle: Enclosed Emitter

February 16, 2024blog, OpticsMRO, Red dot, Romeo 5, SLX, strikefire II, TSR-1xcoldboremiracle

Introduction

The red dot optic market has become a whirlwind of options. Today we are looking at a few options to put on your carbine or rifle. Red dots make a handy sighting device for short and medium range firearms. Whether it be a rifle carbine, pistol caliber carbine, or even a shotgun. The rapid targeting advantage of red dots make quick shooting with accuracy a reality. There are plenty of articles discussing the best red dots, today I will be discussing my recommended best red dots for your rifle.

the **CMMG Banshee 9mm** with a **Romeo5 red dot** and **YHM R9 suppressor**

Vortex Strikefire II

There are plenty of decent red dots out there, and some of them are made in a country famous for its red flag and cheap manufacturing. The Vortex Strikefire II is one of those, and while it may not enjoy the legendary status and service record of other popular red dots, it is still a decent option for a carbine.

The Strikefire II has the added benefit of illuminating in either red or green, the dot itself is a 4MOA. It utilizes a 30mm main tube for a larger objective than many other comparable red dots. It also has an auto-off function should you forget to power it down, if you don’t, you should keep some extra CR2 batteries around. The included mount also gives it optimal height for most carbine rifles, it also comes with some handy flip-caps.

All this is included for the MSRP of $275.00, but if you hurry you can find it on Optics Planet for under $140. I’ve had a couple of these red dots for several years now, and while I wouldn’t consider my purposes abusive, they have stood up to everything. I really appreciate the ease of swapping them from one gun to another.

Primary Arms SLX

Primary Arms has stomped their way into the affordable optics market with an impressive host of options. Every PA optic I’ve had the good fortune to use has been more than adequate for everyday shooting purposes. The SLX also features a larger objective, for a broad field of view. It is available with different reticle options like the traditional 2MOA dot, as well as PA’s popular ACSS CQB reticle which feature a circle-dot style reticle with several holdover points. Its lightweight aluminum construction keeps it light, and the included mount makes it just the right height for most carbine rifles.

The SLX uses the very popular CR2023 battery, and using its auto-shutoff feature will greatly extend your useful life of the SLX red dot. It would be silly of me not to mention that PA makes a great companion magnifier for the SLX that renders the two of them a medium range duo.

Prices for the SLX start at $150 and go up if you want to add the better reticle or accessories. Again this presents a great value for everyday shooters, and when affixed to a good carbine we have greatly enjoyed medium to short range shooting fun.

the Vortex Strikefire II has been swapped between too many rifles to mention

US Optics TSR-1X

Another great little enclosed emitter red dot for carbines is the US Optics TSR-1x. The TSR-1x is a little more compact than the above mentioned red dots, which results in a slightly smaller objective and field of view. This may or may not be a big deal to some, you be the judge. The compact TSR-1x is made from aluminium, keeping its weight down. Like many others it uses the CR2023 coin battery, giving it an expected use of two to three years. The TSr-1x has 12 brightness settings you can adjust for ambient light or even night-vision. You can also have it in any color you want as long as it is red. regardless of brightness setting the 5MOA dot gives a great aimpoint for fast shooting. It also comes with a Zro Delta FRZ™ QD mount that allows you to quickly change between rifles without needing any tools.

The US Optics TSR-1X has an MSRP starting at $250, though it can be found for less in places like Optics Planet or Euro Optic. The price comes as no surprise as names like US Optics typically command a higher price point. I’ve used them now for several years, and have again swapped them between too many rifles to mention. After all these years, I’ve yet to change a battery. And the only thing I’ve ever had to do is retorque the mounting screws with a droplet of blue loctite.

The QD mount has made the TSR-1X one of my go-to red dot sights. Being able to quickly swap between guns in the field without tools is very handy. The various brightness settings also make it convenient for different shooting conditions.

the **CMMG Dissent 5.56** paired with a **US Optics TSR-1X**

Sig Sauer Romeo 5

Sig Sauer’s Romeo 5 is another affordable red dot for your carbine, particularly if you are a big fan of the brand like me. The Romeo 5 is a 1X red dot that uses a 20mm objective enclosing its emitter. The Romeo has ten brightness settings; eight for day use, and two additional ones for use with night vision. The five ounce Romeo features a 2MOA red dot powered by the same CR2023 battery for over 40K hours. The turrets, like several other mentioned here today are easily adjusted using the turret cap reversed to easily make adjustments in the field. True to the name, the Romeo is only available with a red emitter.

The Romeo 5 might win as the most affordable optic mentioned here today. You can buy it direct from Sig Sauer for $140, or you can find it for even less from Euro Optic. While I have perhaps a little less time behind the Romeo 5, I still find it be a great little red dot. Perhaps the fact that my wife bought it for me has influenced my judgement…

Sig also offers the Romeo 5 in combination with the Juliet 3 Magnifier, making the two units together a great medium range combination. The Romeo is perhaps a little more tedious to swap between firearms than other models, and the included bikin cover will likely be lost on the first trip to the range. But it is still a great little dot.

the **Sig Sauer Romeo 5** red dot mounted on the Keltec RDB

another shot of the US Optics TSR-1X on a carbine rifle

Trijicon MRO

If you thought the TSR-1X was a bit expensive, you might just skip this part. Because we are about to discuss the Trijicon MRO, perhaps the gold standard in enclosed emitter red dot sights. The Trijicon MRO is available in a variety of mounting configurations, designed to be able to use with other sight options such as magnifiers and co-witnessing with iron sights. The MRO also uses the same CR2023 battery to illuminate its red or green reticle. The reticle is available as either a red or green 2MOA dot, or as a circle-dot reticle. The control is situated a the top of the MRO for use with either hand, and gives the user 8 different brightness settings and two additional night vision options. The large objective gives a wide field of view, and is filled with Trijicons high quality glass and coatings.

Trijicon has a well known duty service with the MRO, so it should come as no surprise that it is priced well above the rest. With an MSRP starting around $600, it is probably not for the fair-weather shooter. But even with various mounting options available, the MRO can be had for well below the MSRP, with some options as low as under $400 from Optics Planet.

Like many of the other red dots mentioned here, I have been using the Trijicon MRO for years. I’ve never had to change the battery, nor do anything else to it. It usually finds itself mounted to my “Oh Sh*t ” carbine, and there it typically stays. The bright dot does well when used together with a light or Trijicon’s 3X magnifier.

an elevated Trijicon MRO mounted a little high on a Magnum Research MLR

Final Thoughts on Enclosed Emitters

This is certainly not meant to be a complete list of good red dots. These are just some great options that I have had a great deal of experience shooting. Whether you want an inexpensive sight to throw on a cheap AR for your kids to shoot, or if you have a serious defense shotgun in need of a sight. You will find some good options here. There certainly are other good options out there, and I intend to try them all. Let us know in the comment section what your favorite enclosed emitter red dot sight is.

-CBM

another **Trijicon MRO** on a cantilever QD mount affixed to my **CZ Scorpion EVO**

Gideon Optics Alpha Red Dot

February 13, 2024Optics, Product reviewalpha, gideon opticscoldboremiracle

Red dot sights have become more and more popular, and mounting them to pistols has become more than just a trend. As an optics nerd, I find myself squarely in the middle of all the activity. Which has allowed me to bring you another optics review, this time of the Gideon Optics Alpha red dot sight.

Years ago a curious development in the optics market occurred; a new brand popped up that offered all the good features folks were after. And not only did the brand present these features at a competitive price, they stood behind it. And thus a new star was born. Those of us who’ve been around the industry for a while have seen this cycle repeat itself over and over again. And these budding brands continue to battle for the same section of the market.

The Gideon Alpha

Gideon Optics is a more recent brand on the optics market, I was made aware of the brand through a friend who showed me some of Gideon’s red dot sights. They produce several different red dots of various footprints, so there is likely one that will fit your needs. Gideon is a sister company to JSD Supply, well known for a variety of firearms products.

The Alpha red dot uses the very popular Trijicon RMR footprint. This gives you the advantage of a great variety of mounting options due to aftermarket support. In addition to the RMR footprint, the Alpha comes with a Picatinny rail mount option as well. This comes in handy for mounting to your favorite carbine.

Function

Since a plain dot has become a little boring, I really appreciate the circle dot reticle that comes standard in the Alpha. The large window of the Alpha allows maximized use of the circle dot red dot, it is also available with a green circle dot. Another popular feature incorporated into the Alpha red dot is the motion sensing illumination, which helps increase battery life. When motionless for a time, the red dot automatically shuts down. As soon as the weapon is moved, the red dot resumes illumination instantly ready to use.

the **CR1632 battery** for the Alpha is centrally located, so you don’t need to re-zero after battery changes

Like most red dot sights, the Alpha comes with two small adjustment screws for elevation and windage corrections. The included tool allows you to turn the screws which equate to one MOA per click of movement. And speaking of included, besides tools the Alpha also comes with a couple different screw sets for different mounting. This is always a welcome practice.

The **Sig Sauer P320 X5 Legion** and **Surefire X300** made a good host for the Alpha

Mounting the Gideon Alpha to a Sig Sauer P320

Of the many hosts that awaited the Alpha, the first pistol was my Sig Sauer P320 X-Five. The X-Five has RMR cuts and threads from the factory, making the drop-in easy. After lining everything up, and torquing down the screws everything looked fantastic. A few simple turns on the set screws to get the reticle zeroed and we were ready for the range.

I carried the P320 Legion with the Gideon Alpha for a month or so, and used it for a variety of range trips. I found that the combination to be very comfortable to shoot. The reticle of the Alpha was very effective for shooting, and helped naturally move the aim onto target.

With the motion setting on, the Alpha was on everytime I presented it. Drawing from a holster dozens of times a day for weeks at a time, I got more and more accurate with my presentation. I really grew to like the Alpha on my pistol.

Swapping Optics On My Pistol

After a good deal of shooting with the Alpha on my P320, I decided to swap it over to my Shadow Systems DR920. Both pistols allow mounting of RMR footprinted sights without an adaptor plate. Which made them ideal for testing the Alpha.

After torquing the screws down holding the Alpha to the slide, I made a couple simple adjustments to co-witness sights. Once again, it made a fantastic sight picture every time I presented the pistol. The lighter weight of the DR920 changed a little bit the way I presented the pistol, but the different grip angle made it seem faster and cleaner every time. And like I experienced with the Sig, the large reticle of the Alpha made it very easy to bring the aimpoint on target.

Concluding Thoughts

Normally I feature a Pros and Cons section, but I couldn’t really find anything I didn’t like about the Gideon Alpha. It has been reliable for the past few months carrying it daily, it’s always on when I look through it. It’s easily zeroed and has stayed zeroed since I put it on. The popular RMR footprint means it will fit a wide variety of popular pistols. And all this comes in a box for a street price under $200, which I think is a pretty good deal compared to other optics on the market.

As I continue to build an army of red dot sights, I am glad to have this Gideon Alpha in my collection. The refreshing selection of affordable quality optics we enjoy today sure makes it feel like the good old days. As always, if you’d like to see how this red dot endures, follow me to see how it performs over time. If you too are looking to broaden your red dot selection, check out the red dots from Gideon Optics, you’ll be glad you did.

-CBM