Category Archives: Product review

Products and equipment

Taurus Expedition Rifle

June 25, 2024Product review, Shooting hardware308 winchester, expedition, Tauruscoldboremiracle

Introduction

Taurus is a well known firearm manufacturer, well known for pistols that is. The company manufactures a variety of clones and unique handguns but today we bring you something new from Taurus. Our subject today is the brand new Taurus Expedition bolt action rifle, we will review this rifle chambered in 308 Winchester as it currently is available from the factory.

The Taurus Expedition

On the cover of the box, there is a large hunting logo. I think it is pretty safe to assume that Taurus is going after the hunting market with this rifle. And with its short barrel, light weight and 308 chambering I can see it being a hit with many hunters.

Today’s Taurus USA has new goals and culture, one of them being to create guns that they themselves would use. As hunters, some of the folks at Taurus wanted to bring the technology they’ve invested into a hunting rifle. Something they could be proud of and successful with.

I must say, as a hunter, and a precision rifle junkie, if I had been in charge of the Expedition’s development, I probably would have done things almost the same way. The incredible suite of features is matched by lightweight, and a handsome package. And at a price point below what I’d expect for all that.

Specifications

Caliber	308 Win
Barrel Length	18 Inches, Cold hammer forged
Barrel twist	1:10
Action type	Bolt-action Remington 700 clone
Overall Length	38 inches
Overall height	6.67 inches
Width	3.12 inches
Weight	7.06 lbs
Magazine	Detachable box AICS type
Capacity	5 round factory
Receiver/barrel material	Stainless steel
Receiver/barrel finish	Diamond Like Coating

Features

Taurus’s Expedition rifle boasts a significant list of features. When I say significant I mean for a rifle priced in this range, as well as being an introductory model. First off, the Expedition uses the very popular Remington 700 footprint which means you can use the huge aftermarket supply of parts. But wait, there’s more.

The Expedition also incorporates many of the same features that more expensive custom actions offer. Things like a three-lug bolt, M16 style extractor, dual plunger ejectors, and a Savage-like barrel nut system that allows easier barrel changes and assembly. Surprisingly it doesn’t end there either, the Expedition comes with a muzzle threaded ⅝-24 for all your muzzle accessories.

The stock of the rifle also incorporates some additional things. There is a Spartan Precision tripod mounting socket in the front of the stock, allowing use of those support devices. Additionally there is an M-Lok slot at the six o’clock position to add other things like ARCA rails or a tripod foot in my case. Feeding the rifle is done via AICS style magazines. The rifle comes with a polymer five-round mag, but I also intended to use both polymer and metal ten-round models as well.

At the back of the stock, there is a “butt-hook” that allows good purchase for your support hand to keep the rifle steady. The whole thing is finished in a gray textured paint that looks pretty good IMO.

Keeping the bolt secured in the action is done by a left-side spring-loaded stop, very much like those found on custom actions. I like and prefer this design over other designs due to its higher strength. The bolt-handle is skeletonized which reduces weight, and it also appears to have a removable bolt knob for customization.

Taurus Expedition Rifle review

I had planned on mounting a brand new Steiner T6Xi 3-18X56 riflescope on the Expedition. For that I installed a Nightforce 20 MOA one-piece scope base on the Expedition receiver. Then using some Vortex 34mm medium rings I leveled and mounted the Steiner in place. It was a good look, but I wanted to add more, to fully equip the Expedition. So I also grabbed a Maxim Defense PRS 30 suppressor, a Harris Bipod, and my Precision Rifle Solutions tripod. The latter of which uses a foot that can be attached to the bottom of the rifle stock by M-Lok.

With an assortment of ammunition in hand, I headed out to my shooting spot. I fired a few shots through the rifle to ensure function, then it was time to zero the scope. After a few shots into the berm, I moved to paper and fired a few groups with a good zero.

Shootability

Having put several hundred rounds through the Expedition at this point, I am quite confident with its capabilities. I really like the three-lug bolt throw, it makes a much shorter throw and therefore faster operation of loading the rifle.

The trigger feels fine, though I wouldn’t be opposed to swapping it out for one of my Trigger Tech Diamond’s. Anything that uses AICS magazines is better in my opinion, and the Expedition worked great with every magazine I tried. Shooting from the tripod was very convenient and easy to go back and forth with QD tripod attachments.

Taurus expedition 308 winchester, steiner t6xi 3-18x56 — Extraction of rounds was flawless and very consistent

The ejection of the rifle is very consistent, and positive. In fact, feeding cartridges was very smooth all the way around. The lightweight bolt handle and knob worked great, but I do think they may be a touch delicate if you had some sticky rounds from hot loads.

Overall the rifle felt great, shooting at targets from one to nine-hundred yards was very doable. And I would feel very confident hunting these wide open Rocky Mountains with the Expedition.

Reliability

At no time did I experience any failures or malfunctions during my shooting. As mentioned, the magazines and cycling of rounds was great. The only thing I could complain about on the rifle was a screw that sat slightly high in its countersink. This resulted in some excess tension while running the bolt, but after properly seating the screw the problem went away.

Ergonomics

The Expedition stock doesn’t look particularly amazing to me, but it is perfectly comfortable. I attached a stock pack to get a better sight picture but that is more about my scope mounting than anything. I like the grip angle and the butt hook at the rear. The foregrip area is also quite easy to hold while hiking. The bolt throw takes a second to get used to. And I did notice that I would frequently engage the safety by accident by bumping it with my hand as I pulled the bolt back. This is likely something easily corrected with training.

I may use the rifle for some of the younger shooters in my family this fall, the rifle is short enough for some of the smaller statured shooters. Which is an added bonus.

Accuracy

My biggest concern for this rifle was the accuracy because without accuracy I’d have no further interest. After a few boxes of ammo were spent, I setup a target at one-hundred yards. Shooting the DTM 175 match ammunition I fired two 5-shot groups. The first one included a cold bore shot that hit about 3/4 inch high. If you were to throw that shot out, the following nine shots would have still gone in around .5 MOA. That is pretty good in my opinion, and exactly what I was hoping to see from this rifle.

target — Two five-shot groups fired at 100 yds, the left group has the high cold bore impact

Pros & Cons of the Taurus Expedition

I’ve spent a few months shooting the Expedition now, and I have yet to find something about it I can say I dislike. The closest thing I can come to a negative with this rifle is the way the bolt handle is bolted onto the bolt body. I can’t say it’s a bad thing because it hasn’t failed. But my guess is that it would be the first thing to break under heavy use.

I can however say a lot about the things I like. I love the short eighteen-inch barrel, it reduces the rifle weight and makes it much more maneuverable. The short throw of the bolt makes it easy to shoot quickly, and the AICS magazines are a must have nowadays. Bolting on parts that I already had on hand is nice, and that feature continues to shine as time goes on.

Accuracy from the little rifle is excellent, and makes the icing on the cake.

Preferred Ammunition

The best accuracy experienced while shooting the Taurus Expedition came from Hornady 168 Match and Desert Tech 175 Match. I have no problem hunting with those loads, but I’m sure you could also use Hornady’s Precision Hunter 178 ELDX with similar performance.

Accessory Options

Any hunting rifle needs a good sling, and for a lightweight rifle like this I love the Butler Creek stretchy type slings, they are comfortable and stay on your shoulder.

Next up I would for sure put a bipod on the rifle, and it is hard to go without a Harris SL bipod here. It’s a perfect match for the rifle.

I also put my Quake Industries stock pack on the Expedition, this helped my sight picture with the elevated scope. And it also gave me a place to stash some extra rounds.

I for sure would put a suppressor on the Expedition, it is a great host. I used the Maxim Defense PRS 30, but any good 30 cal suppressor would go well with the rifle.

Final Thoughts on the Taurus Expedition

Taurus’ Expedition is jumping into a very competitive space in the rifle market. With other manufacturers offering affordable accuracy as well. Rifles from Tikka, Ruger, and Savage will all undoubtedly give the Expedition a run for the money. But in defense of this rifle, it has a lot going for it as well. I liked this rifle even more than I expected to the first time I picked it up.

I intend on enduring with this little Expedition for as long as possible. Long-term endurance over the course of a couple hunting seasons will surely show if this rifle is worth its asking price. In my opinion so far, I would say if you are looking for a rifle in this price point it is definitely worth having a look at. Taurus has changed my mind once already, so it could happen again.

CBM

Eberlestock Recon Bino Pack

June 5, 2024Ancillary gear, Product reviewbinoculars, eberlestock, reconcoldboremiracle

Preface

Let me start out by saying that I love binocular packs. I have been rocking one kind or another for years and I find them to be very convenient. Today I wanted to bring you one of my latest acquisitions, and show you why I think it is worth both your time and money. That product is the Eberlestock Recon bino pack, which is more like a system than just a single pack.

The Eberlestock Recon is a shoulder mounted harness and pouch system that comfortably supports your primary reconnaissance tools. Having your binoculars immediately ready for spotting is a very valuable practice, but the Recon takes it to another level. With a well-known history of quality textiles, Eberlestock was well positioned to bring such a product to market.

Eberlestock Recon

Before we get into using this product, I’d like to go into some of its features. Then we’ll discuss how these features are used and can help you in your shooting and hunting practices in the field.

Large Internal Dimensions: 9H x 5.5W x 2.5D
Small Internal Dimensions: 8H x 5.5W x 2.5D
Weight: 13.6 oz.
One Size Fits Most
Magnetic closure to keep binos secure and accessible
EMOD compatible with six available accessories
Easy access large front zipper pocket
Dual side stretch pockets
Adjustable forward-pull shoulder harness
Low profile MOLLE compatible wings
Available in 3 solid colors, and 3 camo patterns

the Leupold Range HD BX-4 binoculars fit perfectly in the Recon pouch

Features

The Recon has a healthy pouch for fitting most popular binocular footprints, I used three different units and only one of the three didn’t fit perfectly. Inside the bino pouch you will find a soft interior to protect your valuable lenses. As well as two elastic tethers to attach to your bino’s to prevent them from being left behind.

Eberlestock Recon interior — the cozy and roomy interior of the Recon pouch, note elastic tethers

At 13.6 ounces, the Recon isn’t heavy. But it also has available accessory pouches that you can add to the kit which will add a little weight. But by the time you add optics, your phone, a handful of cartridges, granola bars and cheese sticks, and anything else you can fit in the Recon, it might gain some considerable weight. This might be a big deal if the harness wasn’t comfortable.

Speaking of storage, the Recon is full of it. There is a zipper pouch up front of the main pouch, inside are two additional pockets. These are perfect for storing things like folded permits and tags, or a turkey or elk reed case. On the side of the main pouch, you will find two elastic closed finger pockets. I call them finger pockets because they are just the right size to fit two or three fingers inside. These are great for handkerchiefs, extra cartridges, lighter or any other little thing you may want to keep close.

Accessories

The Recon pack uses the popular molle system to attach accessories and sub-structures to the Recon system. On either side of the main compartment, the Recon has two molle wings that allow attachment of additional zippered storage pouches. I added one on each side, these smaller pouches are big enough to fit small rangefinders, archery releases, calls and other similar items. All zippers on the Recon system have pull-lanyards attached for easy use wearing gloves. And even the accessory pouches have their own little elastic closed mini pouch.

desert tech WLVRN 6.5 creedmoor — the Recon stays put, and doesn’t get in the way of me shooting my Desert Tech WLVRN

With it’s molle attachment system, you can also add things like a matching hand-warmer that sits just under the bino pouch. Other things like a bear-spray pouches, and a separate rangefinder pouch can also be attached. There’s even a molle panel that can be used to mount other aftermarket accessories like holsters and such to the pack.

Across the back of the shoulder harness, there is even a molle mounting area there so you can add any additional accessories you’d like. Obviously for things you don’t need as often.

Apex Optics Rival Desert Tech SRS M2 — the molle across the harness backer allows additional storage space for something like a **Hydration bladder**

The Eberlestock Recon in the Field

After adjusting the straps to fit, I donned the Recon and headed into the mountain country where I spend most of my time. Like most bino packs, I prefer to wear them over at least my second layer. This is typically because I don’t like the harness rubbing against my neck, though that didn’t seem to be an issue with the Recon.

Eberlestock Recon, Sig Sauer Kilo 10K binoculars

Inside I carried my Sig Sauer Kilo 10K binocular set, my go to binocular option. The 10K fits perfectly, and the magnetic seal of the lid keeps dust away from the lenses. A very valuable attribute because I do a lot of miles on ATV’s.

My initial impressions of the Recon were very comfortable. I’ve had other bino packs and harness’ that were comfortable, but the lightweight and soft harness of the Recon were above average comfort. The easily adjustable straps made it quick to readjust when adding or removing layers of clothes. And the parts of the Recon that face your body are ventilated, for all you bowhunters out there it will help avoid getting a big sweaty spot on your chest.

I also tested the Recon with a pair of Leupold Range HD BX-4 binoculars. They also fit perfectly, and the snug fit of the lid seemed to be all I needed to keep my binos secure. Additionally, I tested a pair of Steiner Predator LRF 10×42 binoculars as well. While a little long for the Recon, they still fit well enough to use.

Eberlestock Recon, Steiner Binoculars — Testing the Recon with the **Steiner Predator 10×42 binoculars**

Everything in the Right Spot

One of the reasons I like bino packs so much is because you can keep your most important things close. And due to their proximity to your immediate work area, they are easier to keep track of. Being literally right under your nose also means they are likely to be protected from weather and other potential concerns.

Keeping the most important things close is easy with the Recon bino case. If I leave my pack for a stalk, I know I’ll still have at minimum some essential tools and survival gear. And having all that in a comfy pack that you barely even know is there most of the time, sure is nice.

Comparisons

Comparing the Eberlestock Recon against other bino carry cases was pretty easy. I have several others that I have quite enjoyed, but I think the Recon takes the win among the others. Most factory supplied bino cases are lacking, the only one I like even a little bit is the one that came with my Sig Kilo.

Aftermarket ones are typically much better. I like my Cole-TAC bino case quite a bit, but the modularity and comfort of the Recon make it more desirable. I also have had several of the Badlands bino packs, I always loved their comfort and look. But again the Recon has a leg up with so many options and configurations.

It’s possible that the Recon design was a lucky hit with guys like me, but this isn’t the first Eberlestock pack I’ve had. I also have one of their Cherry Bomb daypacks, and I have had an excellent experience using it as a rifle EDC bag. You can read more about that here. So I am confident Eberlestock’s popularity is not just luck.

another hunting expedition with the Recon and the **Mossberg Patriot**

Final Words on the Recon

Eberlestock must have gotten into my algorithm, as I’ve been bombarded with ads about the Recon. I wish there was a way to tell the internet I already have and love it. Among the many ads I see that the Recon was chosen as the overall winner of Outdoor Life’s bino case evaluation. This comes as no surprise to me, as I too would put it at the top of the list.

Do yourself a favor, and before spending your money on a bino pack, try one of the Eberlestock Recon configurations and see if it fits into your hunt as well as it does mine. My bet is you will be glad you did, and your binoculars will thank you.

-CBM

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

Safariland Liberator HP 2.0 hearing protection

June 2, 2024Ancillary gear, Product reviewhearing protection, liberator, safarilandcoldboremiracle

Preface

After decades of shooting, I have noticed a decline in my quality of hearing. No doubt in part to a lack of using good hearing protection. I have more recently adopted the use of various hearing protection options, and today I bring one of them to you. I’ve been using the Safariland Liberator HP 2.0 headset for several months now, and I think its time to tell you more about them.

Safariland Liberator HP 2.0

Modern hearing protection is incredibly helpful compared to what many of us grew up on. I remember wearing those original old foamies, which were better than nothing but still unpleasant. And then there was the old hand-me-down headphones we used to use for both shooting and riding around in Dad’s airboat. Neither gave great protection, and of course resulted in plenty of yelling in order to communicate.

The Safariland Liberator HP 2.0 headset is a modern electronic advancement. It is an over-the-ear design that uses gel-filled cushions, spring-wire band, and dual microphones to bring in only the sound you want to hear. The Liberator’s are powered by a rechargeable battery using a USB-C connection. You can also power them with dual AAA batteries or a single CR123 lithium cell. The Liberators feature noise cancelling technology with multiple settings to adjust to your liking. Push-button controls allow you to adjust settings and volume, and the stereo mics and high definition speakers will help you with situational awareness.

the Safariland Liberators, note dual wind insulated mics.

In the field with the Liberators

Most of my shooting is done with rifles and carbines. But due to an overwhelmingly fun time shooting pistols, I have recently started spending a lot of time shooting them more. I usually don’t care for over-ear protection when shooting rifles, especially since I always shoot suppressed in open country. But for shooting pistols the Liberators are ideal, and I have put them to great use.

I have used other headsets before, but my very first impression of the Liberators was fantastic. The gel filled ear cups are very comfortable, and seal very well to the side of my head. The dual sealing cups block out a great deal of noise.

note the very soft gel filled cushions, with dual sealing rings to keep out noise

Turning on the headset was another satisfying experience, when powered up you here a “power on” followed by the sound of your surroundings in great detail. You can adjust the volume to better suit your conditions, a high pitch tone accompanies the volume up button and a low pitch tone accompanies the lower volume button.

Other less expensive headsets cancel noise, and pass voices through to your ears. But they also make it hard to tell where sounds are coming from. The Liberators dual mics give you a 360 degree awareness of where sounds come from.

Until shooting with the Safariland Liberators, I had never realized how valuable this feature is. If you’re out shooting alone it may not be a big deal. But when you are on a live range with others around its nice to know where everybody is, and which direction the shooting is coming from.

Going Hot

As I drew my pistol from my Safariland holster I was excited to get busy with targets. Most 9mm pistols aren’t incredibly loud, but they certainly justify hearing protection. As I went through magazine after magazine I was very quickly enamored with the sound control the Liberators offer. I tried different settings to see which one I liked best, allowing the voices of my friends to come through while blocking out the high impulse noise of gunfire.

the push-button controls are simple and have audible sounds when actuated

The spring suspension of the Liberators holds tight to your head without being uncomfortable. It also doubles to help keep your ball cap in-place when the wind gets out of hand. The Liberators can be swapped to behind the head suspension as well, or to a helmet set.

The three modes allow for differing scenarios, such as mostly quiet other than occasional gunfire. A second one for when there is more ambient noise present such as riding in vehicles. And the third setting is for very loud environments like a Swifty concert where you want to keep all noise suppressed but the voices right around you. All three settings are designed to be compatible with radio transmissions.

While I don’t particularly care for wearing any headset for longer than necessary, I found the Safariland Liberators to be as pleasant as possible. I’ve used the Liberators over the course of many range days, and I have recently distilled my opinions on them.

Pros & Cons

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons I’ve come up with so far:

Pros

Very comfortable ear cups and spring suspension
Excellent noise reduction
Excellent situational awareness with stereo sound
Three modes for different conditions
Push-button controls
Very handsome presentation
Available in various colors and camo patterns
American made product
Rechargeable battery system
Compatible with other Safariland HP configurations
Not huge, can be used without stock interference

The comfort and ease of operation make the Liberators an excellent choice for hearing protection. They are easy to use, and always ready with long battery life and ease of recharging. And they are good looking too, and the custom color options will match your best mall-ninja outfit. The Liberators truly shine because of the quality audio, and how they help your directional hearing.

watertight USB-C charging port, which can be swapped out to run the AAA or CR123 batteries

Cons

Your ears can get sweaty
Not inexpensive

The only downsides I could come up with about the Liberator was of course the cost, as they are more expensive than other options. And as with any over-ear headset you are likely going to sweat when it gets hot or if you live in Houston.

Conclusion

I have really grown to appreciate good ear protection. And having used the Liberators for around six months, I can say they are an excellent product. If you need or desire professional grade hearing protection, I don’t think you could go wrong with the Safariland Liberator HP 2.0. I will continue to use these and others to see how they compare and endure, make sure you follow for more.

-CBM

Shop all you hearing protection options at Optics Planet

Putting Together an AR 15: My latest AR project

May 24, 2024blog, Product review, Shooting hardwareaero precision, ar15, eotech, fab defense, quattro-15coldboremiracle

Introduction

The AR 15 rifle has become the most popular rifle in America at this point. Countless configurations and options are available, but the reason the rifle is so popular is because of the massive aftermarket allowing customization. This has driven American gun owners wild as they can tinker and alter every aspect of their rifle. Today I am putting together an AR 15 of my own, and for fun I’ll bring you along for the ride.

Desert Tech Quattro 15 Eotech Vudu fab defense — Modern AR rifles have countless options

Often referred to as adult Legos, the AR 15 market has nearly too many options to discuss. Every aspect of the rifle has its own little niche market allowing you to change to your liking. The very basics consist of lower and upper receivers, a barrel, handguard, bolt carrier and gas system, trigger, grip, and buttstock.

But before I get into the particulars, it would be silly to start without a purpose in mind. If you plan to shoot 3-gun for example, you might build a different gun than someone looking for a fighting rifle. The rifle I’m putting together today is for general purposes, some sporting and always for fun.

desert tech Quattro-15, eotech Vudu, Aero Precision — the Aero Precision upper looks and functions very well

Parts Selection

I’ll start out with my parts list, because that is what makes a rifle. I took the easy way and got an Aero Precision complete upper, they are pre assembled and well known so it was an easy choice.

Aero Precision M4E1 upper receiver 16-inch 223 Wylde SS Hanson barrel
Desert Tech Quattro-15 ambi lower receiver
Trigger Tech AR trigger
FAB Gradus pistol grip
FAB Defense GL Core Impact buttstock
CMMG buffer tube assembly
Area 419 One -Piece scope mount
Eotech Vudu 1-8 LPVO rifle scope
Eotech EFLX Red Dot

Lower Receiver

With all my parts in one place, I started with putting all the lower receiver parts together. Adding takedown pins and detents can be a challenging process if you’ve never done it. My advice would be to get a couple extra springs and detents before you start.

Using the Quattro-15 lower would allow me to use either the standard 53-round magazines, or traditional twenty and thirty-round magazines. The Mil-spec receiver went together easily with my parts selection, and I really like the ambidextrous bolt-catch. The ambi mag release is nice too, though obviously I don’t need it.

Desert Tech Quattro-15 — the dual Eotech optics work great, read more about them here

Adding trigger, safety, and safety detent and pistol grip typically has to be done in sequence depending on your components. Often these parts interfere with each other, requiring them to be done in tandem. My Trigger Tech Trigger came with anti-walk pins that have screws on the end. Which made install a little more tedious, but allegedly they’ll be less problematic over time.

Buttstock

After trigger and safety, I tightened down the pistol grip carefully to get the safety detent right. Then moved to the buffer tube and then the stock. The FAB Defense stock came with several interesting options. It has an adjustable cheek piece that can be raised or lowered to fit you, but for this rifle I didn’t need it, so I was happy to see that it was also easily removed. Two sets of buffer tube guides came with the stock, one of them fit tighter than the other. I hate wobbly stocks so I was very pleased to see the option.

The GL Core Impact buttstock incorporates a shock absorbing feature using what appears to be an RC Car coil over shock. But in reality is simply a spring, it allows the stock to slip slightly back under recoil. And has three different adjustment settings.

Upper Receiver

Aero Precision’s M4E1 upper receiver was an easy choice to make, the 16-inch barrel and lightweight handguard fit in nicely to my plans for the rifle. The handguard is pretty large in diameter, but when paired with the high-capacity Quattro lower and magazines it fits very nicely. I’ll probably add an additional foregrip as well.

The 16-inch stainless Hanson barrel has a mid-length gas tube, and is threaded 1/2-28. I’ll remove the birdcage to run a suppressor because that’s how I shoot. The M-Lok handguard gives countless accessory mounting opportunities, having M-Lok slots on every angle and surface also reduces weight. Adding QD sling cups in several places also allows various sling configurations.

Shooting the rifle

With everything put together, all that was left was a test fire. Shooting some PMC Bronze 55 grain ammunition, I ran a few mags worth of ammo through the gun. As I had hoped, it ran flawlessly.

I added one of my suppressors to the rifle, a short one to reduce the size of the overall package. Using a traditional baffle-stack, the suppressor increased the backpressure of the rifle. While I didn’t find it to be a big deal, it was certainly noticeable.

The rifle shot very well, I was very pleased with the feel of the Trigger Tech. Making rapid follow up shots was incredibly fast because of the short reset. Even with 53 round magazines you can empty the gun quickly, though you will for sure have a tired finger when you’re done.

Accuracy from the Hanson stainless steel barrel was more than adequate for my purposes. I surely noticed that much of the rifles weight did come from the barrel. Anything from sport shooting on a steel target safari, to hunting the lightning quick jackrabbits in western deserts would be handily done with this rifle. I am quite sure I could get tighter groups out of the rifle with a different scope. But for my current purposes this works fine.

The dual Eotech optics on the rifle made for quick target acquisition and engagements, while also allowing much further shots with the 8x setting. Using heavier ammunition like Hornady 73 grain match would provide minute of groundhog accuracy even at distances like three and four-hundred yards.

Afterthoughts

One of the beauties of putting your own rifle together, is you can do it to your design. Changing parts out for something you like slightly better is what makes these rifles so appealing.

I’ve really liked the result of this combination of parts and sub-assemblies. The Aero Precision upper has worked out great, giving good accuracy and modularity. The finish and craftsmanship are great and match up perfectly to the Desert Tech Quattro lower. With the ability to run whichever magazine I need for any given purpose as well.

quattro 15 vudu banish suppressor — the rifle fitted with a **Silencer Central Banish Speed K suppressor**

Soaking up recoil is not a huge task on a 5.56 rifle, especially a larger one like this. The Fab Defense GL Core buttstock would shine even more on a 7.62 rifle, which could definitely use additional recoil mitigation.

It wouldn’t hurt my feelings to redo this rifle with a little less weight, but that’s the beauty of these guns. I can easily split it up and reassemble with lighter parts if needed.

So there you have it, go ahead and critique the way I did this rifle. Or if you like it, tell me why. I suppose in the meantime I’ll start rounding up the next batch of parts to try it again.

-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

MDT GRND Bipod

May 14, 2024Ancillary gear, Product reviewbipod, grndcoldboremiracle

Preface

A good bipod is right behind a good scope when it comes to rifle accessories. At least in my opinion. A solid shooting position is fundamental to proper shooting, bipods make building a solid position much easier.

With the precision rifle craze at it peak, there are many great options for shooters when it comes to bipods. Today I am bringing you another one of those options, the MDT GRND Bipod. I assume they just pulled out the vowels, and that it means ground bipod.

MDT GRND Bipod, US Optics FDN25x — uneven ground is no match for this bipod

I’ve had the good fortune to try a multitude of different bipods, so I was excited to try out this one today and see how it stood up to the competition. And it IS a ferocious competition.

With so many great options it’s hard to put a crown on just one. Though in this price range and size, the obvious unit to beat is the Atlas or CAL-Atlas bipod. Let’s get into this and see how the MDT does in this match of stance.

Two Feet

The MDT GRND Bipod uses the same two-legged design that separates us from the animals. Like most bipods, it has some very basic features. Two legs that can fold up for transport, and can also be extended from 4.5 to 9-inches to raise the shooting height of your rifle. While this bipod can cant from right to left, it doesn’t have any built-in movement for panning left to right.

At its heart the MDT appears to be all aluminum, but the lower portion of the legs are made from carbon fiber. There are polymer buttons to unlock the legs for extension, as well as for folding up the legs. Folding the legs can be done either forwards or rearwards, one direction has two folded settings at 90 and 50 degrees. The other only has a lock setting at the 90 degree angle. You can reverse this feature by simply removing from the rifle and reinstalling the opposite way.

My bipod is configured with an ARCA clamp at the top. This design has become more and more popular lately, both for the convenience and speed of movement. The ARCA clamp can be slid up and down the ARCA rail on your rifle, and uses a thumb-screw to tighten down.

Additionally, the bipod uses a friction locking clutch to solidify the leveling feature. You can level the rifle and tighten down the lock, to keep your rifle solid. Or you can leave it slightly loose to retain your ability to rock the rifle.

Other Configurations

In addition to the features mentioned already, there are some additional accessories that can be added. And other mounting configurations available.

In addition to the ARCA rail mount, the GRND bipod can be had with a picatinny rail mount, an A.R.M.S #17 mount, as well as the very common M-Lok. With one or another of these options, there is surely a way to attach this bipod to all of your rifles.

The rubber feet that come with the GRND bipod can be swapped out for the very popular options from B&T Industries Atlas bipod feet. Which is very handy.

In addition to the Atlas bipod feet, the MDT Ckye bipod feet also fit the MDT GRND bipod. But it was incredibly hard to find any of those feet unless they were in a Ckye bipod.

Shooting with the GRND Bipod

I slapped the GRND bipod onto a couple rifles, to see how it fit and how I liked the function. First up I mounted it to a custom built 25 creedmoor in a KRG Bravo chassis with an Area 419 ARCA rail attached.

This was an excellent combination, as the ARCA mount of the bipod allowed me to quickly move the bipod to wherever I needed it under the rifle. The only thing I could have wished for was a little better clamping device. The thumbscrew seems to take a bit of extra effort to get it locked up as good as I’d like.

Maneuvering the rifle through various shooting positions was greatly enhanced by the ability to fold and adjust the bipod in different locations. Including just getting it out of the way when shooting from other support.

I also ran the bipod on an AR for a few days of shooting. The light weight of the MDT was a nice feature on a rifle I had overburdened with scope.

More Guns

For the last month or two the bipod has been attached to my main precision gun, my Desert Tech SRS M2. I took my Atlas bipod off the rifle to try this one instead, and across a couple different calibers it has been a very nice addition.

The GRND bipod has basically the same controls, but it seems much easier to operate single-handedly. I’m not saying it’s hard to extend Atlas legs, but you know the awkward little motion you have to execute to extend or collapse the legs? None of that is needed with this bipod, its as simple as grabbing and setting the height.

Reversing the bipod on the ARCA rail gave you the option to have the 50 degree lock setting to the front or back.

My Thoughts

After shooting with this bipod for a couple months I feel like it does just about everything my Atlas does. And for two hundred dollars I sure hope it would. Which makes me wonder, other bipods have stainless steel fasteners and locking mechanisms. And are made mostly from aluminum.

I suppose if you have more faith in traditional construction that might be the way you lean. Whereas if you like the composite materials, the MDT is a great way to go. It certainly isn’t the lightest bipod, but you may find it to your liking over others. While I like this bipod, and have nothing against it, I don’t see my Atlas bipods going anywhere.

-CBM

Desert Tech SRS M2 Apex Optics Rival — steadying the rifle over the MDT GRND bipod

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