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Products and equipment

Practice with the Mantis Titan X Dry Fire Training Pistol

February 2, 2026Electronics and Tech, pistols, Product reviewdry fire, mantis, mantis titan x, mantis x, titan, trainingcoldboremiracle

Introduction

Mantis is a firearms training tool manufacturer, the Illinois company manufactures a variety of differing products all designed to help gun owners improve their skills. Today we are taking a look at one of those products, the Mantis Titan X. Like other Mantis products, the Titan X uses both technology and props to help you sharpen your practice. By adding some technology to dry firing and some structure to training, Mantis offers a great value in practice and savings in ammunition.

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, magazine

Mantis Background

The Titan X is a polymer training pistol that can be had in various copies of popular pistols like the Glock 19 used here today. The pistol has onboard electronics to monitor the movements and trigger manipulation by the user. This and other data is sent by bluetooth to your phone, where the Mantis app analyzes and gives you feedback on every aspect of your draw, presentation, and trigger pulls. The whole idea is to perfect dry-fire training, and improve your handling.

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, — the Titan fir perfectly into my **Safariland Holsters**

This is the trend with Mantis products; using their technology to give excruciating detail of firearms handling. Giving you the ability to watch your own movements and replay every trigger pull. Additionally, the Titan X has an adjustable laser that fires when the trigger breaks, illuminating the “impact” of your shot. This alone is extremely helpful in dry fire practice.

Mantis Features

The Titan X comes in a padded soft-case, with the instructions, charging cable and two magazines for reloading drills. As a copy of Glock pistols, it can accept your favorite weapon lights and lasers. And it has an optics cut to accept RMR and RMSc red dots on top of its immovable slide.

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, optic, red dot, optics cut, rmr, rmsc, — the Titan is optics ready for your RMR and RMSc red dots

The weighted magazines offer a realistic feel and fit to the whole ensemble. It really feels just like a Glock in your hand, and sure to fit in your holsters just like your live fire pistol.

The Mantis App was free to download, and very simple to connect to the Titan X. Charging the Titan X pistol is done using a micro USB cable that plugs in where the chamber would be (if it had one). There is a single button on top of the chamber used for syncing the pistol and other operations.

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, app, mantis x app, — the Mantis X app gives you feedback on your trigger finger movement, and how it moves the pistol upon firing

The Titan’s internal sensor can tell exactly what direction the pistol is pointed. It can tell where the gun is aimed and any movement between shots, as well as trigger inputs. This is all recorded and can be replayed in real time or slow motion so you can see your overtravel on the target, as well as the movements you put in while pulling the trigger. You can even watch live as you shoot with the gun to see all the right and wrong inputs you are doing. Or have a partner watch on your phone and give you coaching.

Other Mantis Products

Other products from Mantis are in a similar style of training but offer different use cases. The Mantis X system is a phone based app training module that uses a sensor attached to your firearm. It gives feedback on handling and aiming while using your actual firearm. The X2 version of the product is designed for use as dry fire practice only. Adding live fire to the training is done with the X3 version, which allows the same drills and skill practice while running live ammunition on the range.

The Mantis 10X version combines all features of the X series products, and maximizes your ability to train both on the range and at home. And not just handguns either, it can be used with long-guns and even archery tackle.

The Mantis Laser Academy is another training module, again using your phone and other props in addition to a laser cartridge chambered in your gun to practice shooting. Its quick and easy setup allows you time on the trigger of your favorite gun without leaving home and saving ammunition costs along the way.

The Mantis Blackbeard system is a product you install on your AR15 rifle, it allows you to dry fire the rifle without having to recharge the rifle every shot. The Blackbeard resets the trigger for you, and its optional laser also gives you a witness of the impact from each trigger pull. This helps build handling skill and again saves ammo costs. There is another model called the BlackbeardX that combines the Blackbeard system with the MantisX technology giving you the best of both.

Mantis Titan X Review

I dry fire a LOT, ask anyone who knows or works with me. I am always practicing my draw from holsters, and presentation of whatever gun I happen to be carrying that day. Up until now, the only feedback I could give myself was based on the sights location when the trigger breaks. Watching to see where my red dot is on my point of aim as the striker snaps, as I’d imagine many of you do as well.

The Titan X is perfect for this practice as it adds something you can’t do with a real firearm, at least not safely. The laser impact on your aimpoint serves the same purpose as a bullet when you shoot. After all; shooting is simply a process of aligning sights, cleanly breaking the trigger, seeing the impact and adjusting accordingly for the next shot. The Titan X allows you to do all those things without ear protection, without leaving home, and most importantly without blowing through your ammo stash.

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, case

Operation

With the Titan X you can practice with the pistol, complete with your favorite accessories such as red dots, weapon lights, holsters and such. And execute the same training by drawing, aligning the sights, and breaking the trigger. Seeing the laser as the impact gives you the exact same ability to analyze your sight alignment, trigger pull and more. The only thing missing is the recoil and noise. Add to that the data record captured by the Mantis app, that allows you to analyze every aspect of your shooting and trigger pull. Additionally, the laser is far more consistent than even quality ammo can be. That translates to better training because your gun is literally a laser beam, and the “hits” will be more valuable because you are removing the anomaly of variations in ammunition. Sim guns, rubber bullet guns, and even airsoft can offer some of the same training aspects, but some of those are semi-destructive to your home decor. And none of them are as accurate as the laser.

Shooting the pistol right out of the box I found it immediately useful. Seeing the laser “impact” right where the sights lined up gives you that immediate feedback much like a bullet does. I had no reason to adjust the laser out of the box as it lined up great with the sights.

But because I usually shoot with a red dot it wasn’t long before I decided to install one. For that purpose I went with an easy choice, the Gideon Optics Alpha red dot. Its RMR footprint which would make it easy to attach. At that point you could either adjust the red dot to match the laser impact. Or vice versa adjusting the laser with an Allen wrench to match the red dot.

In Business

With the sight mounted and everything lined up, I got busy shooting the Titan X. The very best part of this product is you can train at home in your pj’s if thats what you desire. I found a spot in the house with roughly 8-10 yards from a wall. Then got to work making my way through the various drills included in the Mantis app.

Following the training regimen in the Mantis app, I found a variety of drills that were both fun and educational. Drawing from both CCW holsters and OBW holsters gave good insight to my draw and first shots after. The realistic weight and feel of the Titan made it very natural. It should have come as no surprise to me how much better you can focus on your trigger control when it isn’t covered up by noise and recoil. And if you add to that the impressive after analysis with the app you can really quickly find what you need to improve on. The Titan gives you the ability to really shoot without burning up ammunition. This gives you much better insight on what happens before the bullet leaves the muzzle.

It only gives you analysis after the fact, so don’t expect the Mantis Titan to make any corrections to your execution (it’s not a training wheels). You will still have to do everything but load magazines. So don’t count on the Titan to correct your finger placement or grip angle, you will still need to know the fundamentals. What it will do is show you if your finger placement is causing you to pull one direction or another.

Lessons Learned

The more I used the Titan, the more holes I found in my shooting. And if nothing else, the Titan did an excellent job showing me what I’m doing wrong. So I know what to work on. Much like an honest friend, the Mantis Titan will tell you what you suck at. No sugar coating here, just the straight truth of how your handling flows. And the Mantis app keeps a history of your training, so you can go back and see how you’ve improved over time.

Obviously there is never any danger with the Titan, as it cannot be loaded. This also makes it very useful for training. Whether you are at home, in the office, or elsewhere you don’t have to worry about office pops. Which is a concern with dry firing your regular pistol. The bright red color also gives the impression of a training pistol. I doubt it would keep an unlearned cop from turning you into a deadly training story.

The Mantis X App

Not only does the app come with a list of various popular drills, but additionally several courses of training. They are set up in progressive sections, finishing one with a high enough score opens the next. You can create a profile, and the app will track your progress and scores.

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, app,

Much like a video game you can configure the drills depending on skill level. With difficulty levels of beginner, intermediate, advanced, and even a custom setting.

The drills have a shot timer built in that signals you to fire just like at the range. And you can adjust the delay to your liking as well.

The app helps you analyze your own handling of the pistol. Giving you times from the holster to breaking the trigger, and your time between shots etc. You can watch every draw and watch the muzzle tracking as you do, and every trigger pull is also shown allowing you to see what needs work. What it doesn’t do is give you a target, anything you choose can be an aimpoint. The Titan tracks the aimpoint based on where you shoot. You could quite literally set up targets in your house and run drills on them. There is really a lot more to the app than I can go over here, but I found it to be very helpful in analyzing my shooting.

Mantis Titan X Pros and Cons

There is very little I can judge against the Titan based on its purpose. It does what I expected it to do, even better than I thought it would. I didn’t really think I would like a training pistol this much, the immediate feedback of my shooting really blew my mind. I suppose if I had to say something I’d like improved on the pistol it might be this; I would like it if the slide was operational, even though it’s not really necessary. I’d like it for the reloading drills, so you could actually operate the slide lock and such. The adjustment screws for the laser were slightly janky. I never did figure out exactly which size Allen wrench I used to adjust it, but I made it work. The battery life lasts longer than expected which means you can get a lot of trigger time on the gun.

As it is there are a few different pistol models of the Titan. Mantis is also taking what appears to be suggestions on their website. I expect they are looking to see what the next most popular model is that should be produced.

Mantis Titan X Report Card

Shootability (A) it feels like every other Glock 19 clone you’ve handled and shot

Reliability (B+) I seems like the laser wandered slightly with use, but the laser never didn’t go bang

Ergonomics (B+) Gen5 Glock feel, no finger grooves and undercut trigger guard

Accuracy (A) The laser can’t miss when you aim properly

Value (A) For the amount of training the Titan is an exceptional value

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, surefire x300, gideon alpha — the Titan worked great with the **Gideon Optics Alpha red dot** and **Surefire X300 weapon light**

Mantis Titan X FAQ’s

How realistic is the trigger?

I found the trigger to feel very comparable to the Glock and Glock clone pistols that the Titan is designed to mimic. The take up and snap of the trigger feels close enough that if blindfolded I would likely not distinguish it from any other random Glock copy.

Does the slide move on the Titan?

The slide of the Titan is fixed, and not meant to move as far as I can tell. There is no need to operate the pistol slide anyways, as all operations are done without it.

Is it compatible with standard holsters?

In my experience, the Titan fit perfectly in my various collection of Glock 19/17 holsters. Several different Safariland ALS holsters, as well as the IncogX and Gravity holsters.

How do the smart magazines work?

The Titan senses the magazine when seated, which is used during various reloading drills. I also found that standard Glock magazines will fit in the Titan as well for additional training.

Accessories for the Mantis

I used several accessories together with the Mantis Titan X, for starters a Gideon Optics Alpha red dot. I also used my Surefire X300 weapon light because I wanted to run the gun from my Safariland holsters. And the Titan X fits perfectly with the holster and light combo.

mantis, titan x, glock, model 701, training pistol, dry fire, safariland, holster

It’s nice that the Titan X uses the popular RMR and RMSc footprint, and since the gun doesn’t recoil you needn’t worry about it shifting on the base plate. And using the Titan together with my holsters that I use every day make drawing practice more valuable. And reloads can be performed using the mag-caddy’s on my gun-belt.

Final Thoughts

For the asking price of $199 I think the Mantis Titan X is a great deal. Sure you can argue that you can get something like a PSA Dagger for just $50 more. But the Titan X will save you far more in ammunition and practice. That is where the value comes in, the Titan X costs only a bit more than a case of ammo for training. And you can certainly argue that you’ll get more training out of the Titan. It gives you all the ability of safe dry fire and nearly live fire practice, with exceptional analysis of your practice with the Mantis app. I was a bit skeptical of this kind of product when I first saw it, but it only took a few moments to see what a great asset it can become.

-CBM

VEEKTOMX Portable Charger

January 14, 2026Electronics and Tech, Product reviewveektomx, VEEKTOMX Portable Chargercoldboremiracle

The VEEKTOMX charger is a compact battery pack that has several different built-in cables. The various cables allow you to charge the unit, as well as connect to various different devices to charge them.

The VEEKTOMX power pack also incorporates a small screen indicating its readiness and power level. You can use USB, USB-C, Micro USB and Apple Lightning cables to charge most small portable electronics. One of the cables does double duty as a wrist strap.

This power pack has 9 layers of protections with various overcharge and heating protection features. It is TSA friendly according to the manufacturer, which I assume means you can take it on planes. The 10,000 mAh charger can charge your phone, camera, or other device quickly and on the go.

VEEKTOMX Portable Charger Built-in Cables,10000mAh Power Bank — the Screen indicates power bank charge status

My Experience

I’ve been using the VEEKTOMX charger for several months now. I’ve taken it on planes, to keep my phone charged. I’ve carried it in my backpack into the frozen Rocky Mountains to keep my camera and thermal scopes charged up. It has been very handy, allowing me to keep my electronics in peak condition. For the $30 that it costs, I think this is a great lightweight power bank to keep with your equipment. Whether it be hunting, hiking or just to keep a speaker powered up while ice fishing in my Ice Tent, I think its a great option.

Primary Arms SLx 3X Microprism Sight

January 10, 2026Optics, Product review3x, acss, microprism, primary arms, rap[tor reticle, SLXcoldboremiracle

Introduction

I have been very happy with the direction Primary Arms has taken since I picked up on their brand. The folks at Primary seem to keep their finger on the pulse of what the American shooting public want. Using this information they either source or make their own products to fit what shooters want. Today I am taking a look at one of their own branded products that seems to have a very close following; the Primary Arms SLx 3X Microprism sight.

Primary Arms, SLx, Prism, micro Prism, 3x, primary arms SLx, Desert Tech, Quattro 15,

I was first turned onto microprism sights by a friend. The reticles within them offer more options than a red dot by comparison. One of the advantages of this product is its 3X magnification, which can give you an edge when shooting certain distances. But does this advantage outweigh the benefits of the 1X version of the SLx?

Unboxing the SLx Microprism

I had ordered the SLx together with the SLx Anti Reflexion device. I like these not necessarily because I’m afraid of being picked out by a sniper, but mainly because they prevent fingers and other things from touching my lens.

primary arms, slx, 3x, microprism, prism, acss raptor reticle,

In the box with the Microprism came various mounting options. Like other PA Microprisms it came with the Trijicon ACOG compatible footprint. This would come in handy for those looking for that kind of interface. I was surprised to find that Primary also threw various cantilever options in the box. This allows you to select your mounting location by having shorter or longer cantilever distances.

Additionally it came with a battery and all the tools needed to mount and adjust the optic. All this in a handsome box padded with foam to keep it all intact. I wasted no time in lifting it from the foam to see the image through the three-power magnification, and inspect the ACss raptor reticle.

primary arms, slx, 3x, microprism, prism, acss raptor reticle, honeycomb, lens shade, 10/22, bro-22, back rain ordnance, — Here you can see the honeycomb lens shade threaded onto the front of the SLx 3X

Specifications

Battery Type CR2032 3V Lithium Coin

Click Value 1/4 MOA

Color Black

Exit Pupil Diameter 7.4mm

Eye Relief 2.70 in

Field View 100 38.00 ft

Focal Plane Prism Scope (fixed magnification)

Illuminated Illuminated

Magnification 3X

Mount Compatibility Trijicon Mini-ACOG, Primary Arms MicroPrism

Night Vision Compatible Night Vision Compatible

Reticle ACSS Raptor

Reticle Color Red

Total Elevation Adjustment 80 MOA

Total Windage Adjustment 80 MOA

Turret Features Exposed Turrets, Low Profile, Tool Adjustable

Weight 7.95 Oz.

Mounting Options

The Primary Arms SLx prizm came with three different mounting stems. This allows the user to adjust the cantilever effect of the mount, as well as the sight height over the picatinny rail. There are also other mounting options you can use, but I found this one to be perfectly adequate. The picatinny foot is attached by three robust screws, offering a very stout connection. The foot itself also uses large fasteners with good gripping power.

Shooting the SLx 3X Microprism

The 3x SLx does give a nice clean image of your target, and the ACSS reticle gives you a few tools for holding and measuring on targets. I do think I might prefer the 1X microprism after using the 3x for a while. This is because its a very small aperture you are looking through, and when you magnify it three times it can be a little harder to pick up in a hurry.

it was hard to get a good picture of the reticle, it is clearer and sharper than it appears here

That said, it’s a great image, and allows accurate placement of shots. Making more precise shots at somewhat further distances is definitely better with 3X vs. 1x. The reticle of the SLx gives several different hold-over options, as well as wind holds. This comes in very handy when shooting beyond your zero distance. Having a low profile sight like this with three-power magnification and the ability to use it to accurately engage targets as far away as six hundred yards is very handy.

primary arms, slx, 3x, microprism, prism, acss raptor reticle, honeycomb, lens shade, desert tech, quattro 15, cmmg, dissent,

The Raptor BDC reticle gives you hold points for every hundred yards out to six-hundred. As well as windage holds for the four, five and six-hundred distances. These of course can be used as needed for other purposes as well. The model I tested here has the 7.62×39 BDC reticle, but obviously can be used for other calibers with slightly different results.

We used the SLx on various firearms, but mostly .223 carbines. But it was also very useful on .22Lr and other short to medium range firearms. My SLx also came with a honeycomb style lens shade, which slightly conceals the lens from everything like fingers to sticks and brush when hiking. These types of shades often darken the image slightly, but I found it to be barely noticeable.

primary arms, slx, 3x, microprism, prism, acss raptor reticle, honeycomb, 10/22, 22lr,

Pros and Cons

First off, this thing is very compact. Other than a red dot, you’d be hard pressed to find a more compact optical sight. And the SLx has 3X power, allowing much better definition of the target and target area. Also, the image is very bright and clean. I suppose it’s easier to make clear optics when they are fixed power, and low magnification as well. And the Raptor reticle is very handy for making on the fly adjustments while you are shooting. The various mounting solutions included with the SLx are also very convenient.

On the down side, I did mention the 3X magnification can occasionally be a little much at close range. I will admit that after more use, it bothers me very little, to the point that indoors it is quite useful. This might sound a bit petty but the rheostat control for the reticle feels a touch squishy, but perfectly functional. I’d also say I’d like off settings between brightness settings. But because the SLx has the AutoLive feature that shuts it off when motionless for 3 minutes, it is not really a concern. The only other thing I would say, and it’s purely subjective to my taste; I don’t like how far back on the gun these need to be mounted. I just think it looks weird, there isn’t any functional problem with it, but I can’t unsee it. It might seem like 335-dollars is a touch steep for something so small, but I think the SLx is well worth it. I am not aware of many other compact comparable sights with magnification and reticle options like this.

Conclusion

As it turns out, the Primary Arms SLx 3x Micro Prism is an outstanding little weapon sight. For a small carbine or similar firearm I think its fantastic. It gives a great deal of dexterity in shooting, allowing you excellent aiming abilities at both close and medium ranges. It does so with excellent clarity as well as with illumination should you need it. All this in a very professional package, that won’t clutter up your rifle. I expect to use this little sight for years to come.

-CBM

Big Windows from Gideon Optics: Gideon Storm and Omega Red Dots

January 9, 2026Optics, Product reviewgideon optics, omega red dot, Red dot, storm red dotcoldboremiracle

Introduction

As my love for shooting develops more depth, I have greatly come to enjoy the use of red dot sights, particularly on my pistols. Today I am bringing you a look at two new to me red dots, both from Gideon Optics. Both of them use big windows for a broad field of view. First of the two is the Gideon Omega, which has been around for a while. The newer of the two sights is the Gideon Storm.

gideon, gideon optics, storm, storm red dot, red dot, rds, shadow systems, dr920, 9mm, omega, red dot, rds, bca, bear creek arsenal, grizzly, grizzly 101, glock clone,

While these two sights are similar, they have some distinct differences that might appeal to different shooters. We’ll go over the features of these two sights, and why you might select one over the other.

gideon, gideon optics, omega, red dot, rds, bca, bear creek arsenal, grizzly, grizzly 101, 9mm, glock clone,

Specifications

	Gideon Omega	Gideon Storm
Footprint compatibility	RMR	Delta Point Pro
Weight	1.6 Ounces	1.37 Ounces
Battery	CR1632	CR1632
Material	7075 Aluminum	7075 Aluminum
Reticle	3MOA dot or 45MOA circle/dot	6MOA Dot
Reticle Color	Red or Green	Red or Green
Click Value	1MOA	1MOA
Shake Awake	Yes	Yes
Waterproof	Yes	Yes
Lifetime Warranty	Yes	Yes
Dimensions	52.5mm x 30.7mm x 31.7mm	47.7mm X 31.2mm X 30.8mm
Screws Included	6-32 x 0.374″4-40 x 0.25″M3.5 x 0.6 x 11mm	M4x0.7×8.6mm and M4x0.7×10.1mm

On paper these two sights look pretty similar, and I would say they could easily share similar duties. The Omega is very similar in looks to the Trijicon SRO, the shape and everything makes it look like a clone. But the Omega offers a little diversity in reticle options, with its circle dot versus just the dot option. What it doesn’t copy is the impressive price, the Omega can be had nearly a quarter the price. The fine 3MOA dot of the Omega gives some dexterity in aimpoints, it’s easy to accurately pinpoint targets, or bracket the target inside the circle dot version of the reticle.

The Storm on the other hand, closely resembles my Holosun 507 Comp being just a bit smaller. It uses the more traditional square shaped display, versus the Omega’s rounded look. Both of these optics come with a selection of screws to make it easier to attach these optics to their base. They also come with a tool to both tighten the screws, as well as adjust the reticle of the red dot. The Storms big window and 6MOA dot are quick to get on target, and easy to find in a hurry.

gideon, gideon optics, storm, storm red dot, red dot, rds, shadow systems, dr920, 9mm, nightstick,

Both of these dots use Gideon’s shake awake feature, that preserves battery life by shutting down when motionless for 255 seconds. They instantly revive when any movement is made. The Storm red dot incorporates a rear sight notch, in the event the rear sight is removed when installing a red dot. Both units came with a picatinny base mount, should you wish to mount it to a rifle.

Mounting Gideon Red Dots

To experience these two red dots together, I decide to mount them to two comparably sized pistols. The Storm would get mounted to my Shadow Systems DR920, a nice clone. Meanwhile the Omega would be mounted to my Bear Creek Arsenal Grizzly 101, another clone of the popular Glock 17.

gideon, gideon optics, storm, storm red dot, red dot, rds, shadow systems, dr920, 9mm, nightstick, mounting, — both red dots came with tools and other extras for mounting options

Luckily I was able to find the right screws to mount both sights, and with a dab of blue loctite I tightened them down. Using the supplied tool, I adjusted the reticle to co witness with the iron sights. And it was time to hit the range.

On the Firing Line

We took both pistols to the range, and with a bucket of 115gr ammo, we went to town. We started with targets up close, 7-10 yards away. Later we would shoot more targets at further distances like 15 and 20-yards.

Presenting the pistols from the holster gave a good chance to evaluate how the larger windows aided in rapidly getting on the target. Using the different reticle options between the two gave interesting contrast. The finer dot was more concise, while the 6 MOA dot was easy to just cover the target and squeeze. I think I prefer the circle dot options though, this has been the case with other red dots with the option as well.

Over the course of shooting, I ran several boxes of ammunition through both pistols. I love shooting pistols, and using these two red dots added to the enjoyment. Their bright reticles showed up excellent in both bright afternoon light, and especially in the dull overcast skies. I didn’t experience any shift in the reticle once they were zeroed, we just plowed through the shooting.

Quality

Both of these dots come with a lifetime warranty, but so does everything these days. For that matter a huge portion of red dots come from China, and despite the taboo of 中国制造, so many of these red dots are more than adequate for the folks who use them. I couldn’t find anything about these dots to complain about, especially considering their price. The lenses were clear with no significant effect on my ability to find and engage the targets. The finish on the aluminum was fine, and I’d expect it last for the lifetime of the optics. The bright reticles looked good against my targets, and they were well defined with no worse or better bleed than others.

gideon, gideon optics, strom, storm red dot, red dot, rds, shadow systems, dr920, 9mm, nightstick, — my DR920 seen with the Storm and the **Nightstick Weapon** light

Reliability

I saw no zero shift from these dots during testing, none that was discernible anyways. The control buttons were a touch squishy, but not bad. You can feel the click of each button when pushed.

Using side tray battery installation is a nice feature, and one that is becoming standard for most red dots. This makes it so you don’t have to remove the sight to change the battery. Using these dots over time will give more insight as to how well they are made and how reliable they will be. But I also have a Gideon Alpha that has been going for almost two years now, swapped across various pistols. It has neither gone dead or crapped out on me in any way during that time. I expect the Omega and the Storm will do the same.

gideon, gideon optics, strom, storm red dot, red dot, rds, shadow systems, dr920, 9mm, nightstick, safariland — the Storm and Omega both fit neatly in my **Safariland holsters** molded for large optics

Value

Both of these optics offer a pretty good deal. I already mentioned the difference in price between some of these. That’s not to say I’m making a direct comparison between these optics and ones that cost three or four times their cost. But for what these red dots cost they are certainly a good value. The Omega can be had for $170 on Optics Planet, which is fifty-bucks less than you can get the Storm for $220 on Optics Planet. I expect many might make their decision based on budget, I myself am a little more about aesthetics.

Conclusion

If I had to choose between these two optics, it would be a little tough. The Omega is a better deal, but I prefer the look of the Storm. But whether you go for beauty or value, I don’t think you’ll be let down by either of these sights. Your choice between them might also be based on the footprint. If you’re lucky, you might have a pistol with a configurable footprint like my Ruger RXM and run either of them.

-CBM

Looking Through the Gideon Optics Guardian 1-6X24 LPVO

January 4, 2026Optics, Product review1-6, gideon, gideon optics, guardian, lpvocoldboremiracle

Preface

Gideon Optics draws its name from the the historical character in the bible. Leading the charge with affordable sighting options seems to be the mission for them, and today we are looking at another product from the manufacturer; the Gideon Optics Guardian 1-6X24 rifle scope. The Guardian is a low power variable optic (LPVO) which has become a very popular choice for carbine and short-range rifles. I’ve been a bit of a fan since I got my first LPVO, so as my collection grows with the Guardian 1-6 it already had a variety of competitors for comparison. In today’s review we are going to evaluate the Guardian 1-6 as it compares to other similar LPVO’s, and see if Gideons value makes it worth your consideration.

Gideon Optics Guardian 1-6

Gideon’s 1-6 LPVO joins a family of scopes including their 1-10 Guardian that uses a 34mm tube and exposed turrets. There are both FFP and SFP options in the 1-8 sized Guardian, so the 1-6 is in good company for sure.

Built on a 30mm tube, the Guardian 1-6 has a 24mm objective. The reticle is placed in the second focal plane, and has a very sharp red or green illuminated dot at the center of its reticle. Its controlled by a variable rheostat on the left-side of the turret housing. Additionally the reticle features a couple different hold points for either measuring or corrections. The low-profile capped turrets are .25 MOA per click, and reticle subtensions are in MOA as well.

The Guardian comes with a removable throw-lever installed to make quick changes in magnification. It can be purchased together with a Gideon scope mount for a discounted price as you’ll see here. As is typical in the optics market, the Guardian comes with a set of flip-caps, battery, and tools for zeroing.

Specifications

Magnification: 1-6x
Objective Lens Diameter: 24 mm
Main Tube Size: 30 mm
Turrets: Capped
Click Value: 0.25 MOA per click
Parallax Free: At 100 yards
Illumination Brightness Setting: 12 levels
Illuminated Dot Size: 0.6 MOA
Power Supply: 1x CR2032 3V Lithium battery
Shockproof: 1000G
Waterproof: IPX7
Elevation/Windage adjustment range: +/- 70 MOA (Total 140 MOA)
Field of View: 125.0 ft – 20.0 ft
Eye Relief: 3.9 in
Exit Pupil: 9.1- 3.5 mm
Weight: 19.4 oz (approx.)

Mounting and Zero

I mounted the Guardian using the Gideon 30mm cantilever mount, which of course was a perfect fit for my AR15 rifle. ThenI leveled the scope and torqued everything down before I boresighted it. I did this using my traditional method, looking down the bore of the secured rifle, and adjusting the reticle to coincide with the boreline. After adding a suppressor to the rifle, I was ready to head to the range.

Shooting with the Guardian

My first trip was to a public range, where I typically don’t go. But this was an opportunity to do some good testing of the scope on paper. But before I even fired a shot, I spent a good deal of time simply looking through the scope, and getting a feel for it. I was quite happy with the optical presentation of the Guardian 1-6, at all magnifications it looked very bright and clean. I didn’t notice any significant blurring around the edges or other aberrations. And the bright illumination of the dot stood out with great contrast against the downrange view.

gideon optics, guardian, 1-6x24, lpvo, low power variable optic, riflescope, scope, reticle, illumination, — It’s hard to get a perfect picture through a scope, but it does look better than these pictures portray

I removed the caps of the turrets in preparation for some adjustments, and fired a few shots. It took very little adjustment to get on target, this rifle typically shoots around 1 MOA patterns. And with a zero confirmed at one-hundred yards, we went to shooting. With distances as far as two-hundred yards on the range, it was simple and fun to engage small targets holding over with the Guardian reticle.

Later the rifle would come along with us on various trips into the open country of the wintery Rocky Mountains. For fun we typically set up a variety of shooting drills and transitions, this allows plenty of opportunity to shoulder the rifle and adjust the scope. We did shoot as far as four-hundred yards using the Guardian 1-6, holding over the targets using the reticle. Most of it was done using 55-grain ball ammo.

Optical Quality

The Guardian 1-6 had great transmission of the target image, with sharp detail. I am a big fan of adjustable parallax scopes, but I understand that it doesn’t always make sense for scopes in this power and price range. And that said, I found the fixed parallax of the Guardian to be perfectly serviceable. Picking out things as small as tiny birds on the hillside 200 yards away was easily done, even allowing identification of them. Using this scope for sport shooting inside the effective range of a 5.56 carbine would make target acquiring and engaging very doable.

Controls

The controls of the 1-6 Guardian are simple and effective. The resistance on the magnification ring is just right. I don’t like it when they are too easy or hard to turn. And only the ring turns, not the whole eyepiece.

Illuminating the center dot is done by turning the left-side turret. There is an “off” setting between each of the 12 brightness settings allowing you to keep it close to ready but not powered up.

gideon optics, guardian, 1-6x24, lpvo, low power variable optic, riflescope, scope, turret, brightness,

Value

Optical quality is very subjective, as my eyes age I seem to notice a little more between glass qualities. I have several other 1-6 LPVO’s that I have used quite a bit over the years, and so far I feel like the Guardian 1-6 stands up to the same useability as my others. Sure there might be some in my collection with an optical quality higher than the Guardian. But it usually comes down to the users choice.

For the price of $299 I think the Guardian is an easy choice for those looking for a good LPVO for their carbine. Any of the big names in optics are going to cost you more for a comparable scope, and lower cost will only come from other bargain brands. Gideon’s warranty mirrors what has become the standard in the optics industry, with a lifetime warranty against defects. So you can count on their products being there when you need them.

gideon optics, guardian, 1-6x24, lpvo, low power variable optic, riflescope, scope, ar15, carbine, yhm , yankee hill machine, fat cat, suppressor, cole tac, python, quattro-15, — this rifle is perfected with the **YHM Fat Cat Suppressor**, and a **Cole-TAC Python suppressor cover**

Pros and Cons

I really like the optical quality of this scope, it has a forgiving eye-box, and I found it easy to focus for clear reticle definition and target clarity. The textures of the controls surfaces are not too flashy and they work perfectly. Capping the turrets was a good choice for a scope like this, as I don’t anticipate doing much dialing. I’ll throw in an honorable mention for Gideon’s cantilever scope mount, the four bolt caps are just right for properly clamping down your scope, and the foot makes excellent contact with your picatinny rail. I especially grateful they didn’t put the cheap protruding nut fasteners on the foot, which alway get hung-up in things.

gideon optics, scope mount, scope rings, cantilever, mount, — **Gideons Guardian Mount** was a perfect fit

The only things I would like to add to this scope would also drive it’s cost way up. And that would kind of defeat the purpose of an affordable 1-6. But I’d love to see an option with MRAD exposed turrets, and adjustable parallax. But those are features probably better suited for the 1-8 or 1-10.

Last Thoughts

Having used various Gideon Optics products over the last few years, I feel pretty confident that they will be around for a while. And providing additional options for those looking for quality sighting products. The Gideon Guardian 1-6 is a great choice for a short to medium range rifle like the one I used here. The variable power gives the shooter dexterity in aiming options. Whether you are after a fast shooting sport rifle optic, or something for defensive situations, the Gideon Guardian 1-6 gives a great value and performance.

-CBM

DiscoveryOpt ED-PRS 5-25X56 Gen 2 Riflescope Review

December 12, 2025Optics, Product review5-25x56, discovery, discovery optics, discoveryOpt, ED, gen 2, PRScoldboremiracle

Preface

As the shooting sport optics market continues to grow, it can be challenging to keep up with all the options. I try to keep informed on so many of the optics manufacturers, but admittedly it can be challenging at times. Today I bring you another optics brand that is new to me called Discovery Optics, oddly shortened then lengthened again to DiscoveryOpt Optics. Like some other Asian optics companies, DiscoveryOpt offers a variety of riflescopes at surprisingly affordable prices. According to the company’s mission statement, they seek to deliver scopes that rival the worlds best at factory direct prices. In order to evaluate this proposition, I present for you today a review of the DiscoveryOpt ED-PRS 5-25X56 Gen 2 Riflescope. I spotted these optics on display at the final Snipers Hide Cup at Rifles Only, and I was interested enough to give a closer look.

DiscoveryOpt ED-PRS 5-25X56 Gen 2, Riflescope, discovery optics, Desert tech, SRS M2, Anubis defense, banish, suppressor, two vets, tripod,

DiscoveryOpt Optics

Discovery Optics has a broad line of products, composed of just about every type of optical sight type you can imagine. It seems many Asian optic manufacturers start out their product lines based on what they see in movies. We have all seen the memes of Temu scopes stacked with ridiculous levels of bells and whistles. Yet the quality of any one of those features is questionable.

Discovery Optics seems to have moved past that, though browsing their website I still see some interesting products. But they also have done a very good job at emulating proper products that I wanted to try out. That is where the ED-PRS 5-25X56 Gen 2 riflescope comes in, on paper it boasts most the of desirable features we precision rifle junkies are after.

Zeroing the rifle and scope combination, the **Athlon Chronograph** as a luxury accessory

The DiscoveryOpt PRS Gen 2

When the box arrived, I was quick to open it. Quality packaging protected this scope, with a foam-lined box. Inside the box I found a selection of included accessories:

The ED PRS Gen 5-25X56 scope
A sunshade
Ocular and objective flip caps
A lens cloth
Manual and Spec card
Tool for adjustment
A lens pen
A scope leveling tool

I unpacked everything, and was quickly impressed with it all. The scope itself seemed really large, its turrets might be the largest of any riflescope I’ve ever used. The turrets are adjusted with no tools needed, you can remove them using only your fingers (all five of them if you want). The control surfaces have a nice texture to them, and they included a removable throw-lever on the magnification ring.

My initial inspection running the turrets and other controls up and down confirmed everything worked as designed. The reticle illumination fired on command, illuminating only the center of the reticle out to 1 MRAD. Parallax adjustment went from 25, 50, 100, 200, 500, Infinity. I spun on the shade, which made a flawless transition on the objective. Just for fun I installed the flip caps which were also pretty nice, they looked similar to Tenebraex caps but likely not as tough. After a few more minutes tinkering, it was time to mount this scope and see how it worked with a rifle.

Specifications

Mounting

I decided to mount the Discovery scope in my one-piece Anubis Defense scope mount. It too is a bit overbuilt and robust so I figured it would match. Leveling the scope was easy using the scope leveling tool included by DiscoveryOpt. There is a baseplate and a wedge you can use to ensure the bottom of the scope housing is perfectly parallel. It’s really a nice little tool, and can be used to setup scopes in a variety of configurations. It will definitely be staying in my toolbox.

I intended to mount the scope on my Desert Tech SRS M2, where I do a lot of my scope testing. This rifle makes it extremely easy to swap scopes around, and has very predictable accuracy to evaluate the scope performance.

Zeroing Turrets and Zero-Stop

After zeroing the scope to the rifle, it was time to slip the turrets back to zero. This is very easy using the finger secured turret caps. Just spin them loose and lift them off the inner hub. You can set the turrets back to zero, and snug the caps back in place.

DiscoveryOpt ED-PRS 5-25X56 Gen 2, Riflescope, discovery optics, Desert tech, SRS M2, Anubis defense, banish, suppressor, — slipping the turrets back to zero after zeroing the rifle

Setting the zero-stop is easily done during this process as well, using the provided tool. Loosening the screw that clamps the stop to the turret hub, you can slide it down against the base of the housing, and turn it clockwise against the stop lug. With the stop in place you snug the screw back up, and reinstall the turret.

With the turret zeroed, and the zero-stop set I was in business. Part of the reason I used my SRS M2 for this review is because I have exhaustive experience shooting it. The dope I have for the 6mm GT barrel is as predictable as the sunrise, so it would be perfect for testing the performance of the DiscoveryOpt PRS Gen 2 Scope.

Shooting the PRS Gen 2

My initial concerns about the eye-box being to tight weren’t warranted. By that I mean it was a little touchy getting perfect eye relief for a concise image, but once I got on the rifle it was much easier. With the rifle setup the way it fits me, I didn’t even really notice the slightly tighter eye-box. My experience has shown me that less expensive scopes tend to be touchy like that.

DiscoveryOpt ED-PRS 5-25X56 Gen 2, Riflescope, discovery optics, remington 700, two vets tripod, anubis defense, suppressor, two vets, tripod, CMMG, zeroed 36 Suppressor, — the PRS Gen 2 also functioned perfectly on my custom .223 **Remington 700** seen here with the **CMMG Zeroed 36 suppressor**

I moved to shooting from a 100 yard distance to a much wider canyon area. This allowed me to shoot as far as I dared, but for starters I picked out a small patch of snow sitting on a rock at 405 yards. I dialed my correction, and fired a shot that would scatter the snow.

Both at the range and in the field I found the DiscoveryOpt ED-PRS scope to be very easy to use. The turrets can be felt and heard with every click, making it easy to adjust blindly. Though it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if they were a touch sharper. Shooting back and forth from near to far, I had no problems focusing the reticle for sharp contrast on the target. The included throw-lever made it easy to swing between magnification settings.

Quality

The feel of this scope is robust, it feels well built. With its oversized turrets I would expect it to stand up to bumping into and getting smacked during use. As I moved from target to target while shooting, not once did I feel like I was looking through a cheap scope. It looked like the sharp clear images I am used to seeing, allowing me to see the wind moving snowflakes across the hundreds of yards to the targets. And picking out the details of distant landscapes

the parallax adjustment was a bit touchy, but perfectly serviceable

Durability

Turning the controls of this scope in the freezing temps of the high Rocky Mountains didn’t change much to its feel. The way this scope seems a little bit overbuilt and gives the impression it will last through tough use. Time will tell of course if that proves to be the case, I’ll continue to use it as designed to see how it lasts. If you’d like to hear about that, check back in the future as I’ll update this review as time goes by.

So far, the bouncing about in a scabbard on an ATV, or in a soft case in the bed of the truck haven’t seemed to phase the scope. Carried on a sling through snow and brush, dialing back and forth sweeping both power and corrections it hasn’t lost zero or focus. Which I’d consider the bare minimum for durability

Accuracy

I like to bolt down scopes to a sturdy mount, and see how they measure up against their actual travel. To do this, I put out a yardstick at 100 yards, and measure the travel of the reticle. I do this both against the yardstick, as well as the reticle measurement to see how close they measure up. This way I can confirm repeatability and actual travel vs. the indicated.

On paper you can also see this manifest doing a box test. DiscoveryOpt’s scope was more than close enough for most of the shooting I do. Making corrections and come-ups precise enough for first rounds hits time after time.

Pros and Cons

There are many things to like about this scope, but there are a few things I would count against it. These aren’t a huge deal depending on your shooting practices and budget, but they are things you should know before you buy it.

Cons

First off, this scope is pretty big. You can probably tell in my pictures that is is bulkier than most comparable scopes. I have many 56mm objective scopes, this one has the largest external diameter of all of them, many of them easily fit inside this one. And it’s not just the body of the scope, turning the turrets on this bad boy make you feel like a Soviet Akula submarine operator.

the large turrets with their big numbers are easy to see even for failing eyesight

Ok, maybe I exaggerate a little, but they are the biggest I’ve seen. Additionally, as soon as I picked up the box containing this scope, I knew she was gonna be heavy. At 44-ounces it might be the heaviest 5-25X scope in my inventory.

But even with all that said, I must temper it with the price point. At print, the MSRP of this scope is $359.99. Which is $200 less than the comparable Arken I recently reviewed. And after shooting the Discovery Optics scope, I think the only reason I’d choose the Arken over this would be weight requirements. And these days people are throwing weights and extra things on their rifles anyways so it might not even be a problem. For some folks, the Chinese origin is reason enough to second guess one of these products. I’ll leave that up to your discretion.

Pros

Now let’s get to what I like about this scope; Optically it punches above its weight, a decade ago I would have expected looking through a Chinese scope under four-hundred dollars to look like a glass of tea. But even as my eyes begin to show their age, I think this scope looks pretty good. Sharp detail and good focus make placing precise hits and target identification great. The parallax adjustment is a bit touchy but fully functional, similar to the eye relief.

I mentioned the berthy turrets, but other than their size they are fantastic. Seeing the numbers up close is great with how big they are printed, and ten-MIL turrets are a must. And being able to easily and quickly slip the turrets to zero without any tools is a great feature. And the robust zero-stop is the coupe de gras for me.

The reticle inside is pretty close to what everybody is making these days. There is plenty of detail and subtensions for every need. I like that only the center 1MRAD is illuminated as well.

Pictures don’t do it justice, like most scopes, it looks better than photos can show

Value for your money might be the big thing here, the included extras and performance for such an entry level price would have blown the pants off of 2005 me. I can’t believe that as little as a decade or so ago, I paid more than this for scopes I would consider borderline trash today.

My Conclusion

My initial impression looking through these scopes was pretty positive, and after taking one out for some serious shooting my positivity remains. The concerns we all typically have with inexpensive scopes made in China seem to have been overcome these days. For at least this scope, I feel like the performance more than warrants its price. Giving judicious shooters a great value with all the features we like in our precision rifle scopes.

-CBM

If you like this scope, here is another one that you ought to consider

Field Testing the Vector Optics Frenzy 1x17x20 MRT Red Dot

December 4, 2025Optics, Product reviewfrenzy, MRT, rds, Red dot, vector, vector opticscoldboremiracle

Intro

As red dot sights become more and more popular, many variations of them are being brought to market. The enclosed emitter type is a more recent development, and today I am bringing you a review of another enclosed emitter option. This one comes from Vector optics, and it is called the Frenzy 1x17x20 MRT red dot. The Frenzy family has various models for differing applications, possibly one for every need.

The Vector Optics Frenzy 1x17x20 MRT Red Dot

Standing out from the other Frenzy models, the 1x17x20 MRT uses aspheric lenses and an enclosed emitter. Keeping the emitter sealed inside the housing prevents contamination and deterioration of the reticle. The aspheric lenses on the other hand, improve peripheral vision when looking through the sight. Giving an overall better view than traditional spherical lenses.

Controlling the Frenzy is done using two rubberized buttons on the left side of the optic. There are nine brightness settings and two for night vision usage. There is a motion sensing option, that will auto shut-off after three minutes of not moving, and power back up instantly upon moving.

Specifications

Specification	Details
Magnification	N/A
Window Lens Size / Objective Lens Size	17×20 mm / 0.67×0.79 in
Eye Relief	N/A
Parallax	≤ 2 MOA
Parallax Setting	25 yards
Dot Size / Reticle	3 MOA Dot, Circle, Crosshair, etc.
Dot / Reticle Color	Red
Sensor	Motion Sensor
Click Value	1 MOA
Elevation Adjustment Range	≥ 90 MOA
Windage Adjustment Range	≥ 90 MOA
Footprint	MGT (comparable to RMSc/SMS footprint)
Mounting Rail	Weaver
Illumination Setting	9 Daylight & 2 Night Vision
Battery Type	CR1620
Battery Life	50,000 hours (Lowest Power Mode)
Battery Placement	Side Loading
Waterproof	IP67
Shockproof	1500 G
Working Temperature	-20~+60°C / 2H
Housing Material	7075-T6 Aluminum Alloy
Mount Material	6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy
Finish	Matte Black
Weight (without mount)	26 g / 0.92 oz
Items in the Package	User Manual, Cleaning Cloth, Vekey, Weaver Mount, Hex Keys, etc.

Features

Multi-Reticle Options: 3 MOA Dot, Crosshair, and Circle with 9 Brightness Levels & 2 NV Illumination Modes for Diverse Shooting Scenarios. I used the Frenzy with the dot and the circle dot, I like the precise aimpoint of the dot alone, but the larger circle dot is nice for covering targets. The brightness settings all seemed perfectly adequate in daylight and less. I even tried the NV settings which were perfectly visible, though it did seem a little harder to get a clear presentation of everything. But that could be more a NV thing than to do with the Frenzy.

the Frenzy was right at home on my **Shadow Systems DR920**, seen here with the **Nightstick TWM-30-T**

· Distortion-Free Clarity: Aspheric Lens Minimizes Aberration, 26g / 0.92oz Lightweight Design Ideal for EDC. I did notice a little difference than with other red dots, it seemed there was better reticle acquisition. As well there was less distortion when moving the red dot, the target area behind the reticle seemed more stable.

· Smart Power Management: Motion Sensor Prevents Wasted Battery, Side-Loading Design Allows Easy Replacement Without Losing Zero. I can’t believe this isn’t standard equipment on every red dot on the market. The auto power off is a great feature to save battery power, and the power-up is instantaneous with any movement. I did notice that it did take slightly longer than advertised to shut down, but that is nothing to worry about in my opinion.

· All-Weather Performance: 7075-T6 Aluminum Alloy with IP67 Waterproof Enclosed Design for Reliable Outdoor Use. Another fantastic feature that keeps rain and snow out of the important parts of your sight. Even in pretty thick snow fall, it was easy to just wipe the front and back lenses clear. With no concern of anything getting into the emitter.

· Broad Compatibility: MGT Footprint Fits RMSc/SMS Mounts for GLOCK® 43X/48 MOS, Canik® TP9, Walther® PPS, etc. This was a new one for me, I guess the MGT footprint is one Vector Optics created. It did fit perfectly on various handguns, making it a great choice if you have a variety. I really liked the configurable footprint of my Ruger RXM which the Frenzy-S dropped into perfectly.

Mounting the Frenzy

So far I’ve mounted the Frenzy on two different Glock clone pistols. The first one is my Shadow Systems DR920, it too has variable mounting options for different red dots. But the Frenzy fit snugly, and easily allowed the use of the rear sight when looking through the window of the sight. The Frenzy has a rear sight incorporated to its housing, so in the event your pistol’s rear sight is too short or removed to run a red dot you can use this one.

The Frenzy came with various different mounting screws that can be used in different pistol slides. This was very handy when I decide to swap the sight over to my Ruger RXM. It dropped into place after configuring the recoil pins into the right location. And with a touch of Loctite, I torqued down the screws to keep it in place.

looking through the window of the Frenzy on the RXM

Shooting with the Frenzy Red Dot

Some enclosed emitter red dots have a very narrow field of view, which makes it feel like looking through a small tube, instead of looking through a window like most red dots. I have used some very popular red dot sights that seemed too narrow, and didn’t care for the view. One thing I like about this Frenzy is it doesn’t block out the area around the target, it feels like most open red dots giving a pretty wide field of view.

Zeroing the Frenzy was simple using the miniature rifle shaped tool that was included with it. Adjusting the reticle to match the iron sight position was quick and easy. The two buttons are rubberized which makes them easy to feel, and adjustments are concise with a small click everytime the button is pushed.

adjusting the brightness of the Frenzy is easy using the rubberized buttons. The RXM with the Frenzy and **Streamlight TLR-8** is an excellent combination

You can cycle through the brightness settings easily using the two buttons. Changing the reticle is done by holding down the + button until it changes to one of the three options. Carrying a pistol with the Frenzy was great because of its small size. Many enclosed emitter red dots are much bigger than this, making them a little uncomfortable for CCW. With its small size it fit neatly into holsters and doesn’t extend beyond the width of the slide.

the Frenzy mounted on the **Ruger RXM** fit perfectly into my **Safariland Incog-X holster**

Pros and Cons

The Frenzy feels well built, with its aluminum housing that appears to be machined from a single piece. The lenses are clear and give excellent transmission without much reticle flare. The MSRP of $249 might seem a bit steep to some, but it can easily be had for as little as $169.99 That is reasonable considering I’ve seen many others priced comparably that are inferior.

And not only does the Frenzy come with a limited lifetime warranty, they also come with a 15 day money back guarantee. They give you plenty of ways out should you not like the product, but I expect you will. The only strike against the Frenzy is arguably that it is made overseas. But nearly all red dots are made in Asia, and it hasn’t stopped some of them from being among the most desireable sights on the market.

Final Thoughts

This Vector Optics Frenzy 1x17x20 MRT is definitely a red dot that will stay on my more frequently used pistols. I have really grown to appreciate its clear view and easily picked up reticle. There is very little not to like about this dot, so it will stay in my collection of most used red dots.

-CBM

Winchester Supreme Optics 6-18×50 Riflescope

November 29, 2025Optics, Product review6-18x50, riflescope, scope, winchester, winchester supreme, winchester supreme opticscoldboremiracle

Preface

Winchester Supreme Optics is on a mission to grow the famous brand once again, and today we are taking a look at one of the products doing the work. Our topic today is Winchester Supreme Optics 6-18X50 riflescope, built on a 30mm tube and with a second focal plane reticle. Offering a variety of quality features at an affordable price is part of the program here, and I was curious to see how this scope stood up to my biases.

Winchester Supreme Optics

Winchester Supreme Optics looks to bring back the quality and standard of the Winchester name. Our first look at this riflescope proved to impress me, so I am looking forward to seeing how the rest of their products perform.

Besides the scope tested here today, Winchester Supreme Optics also makes other products like binoculars, rifle scopes, thermal optics as well as spotting scopes. I have also been able to test and evaluate Winchesters 10×50 binoculars, you can read all about that here. And I look forward to seeing additional products from the brand, as so far I am impressed.

Specifications

WINCHESTER^® SUPREME^® RIFLESCOPE	6-18×50 mm SFIR(Side Focus Illuminated Reticle)
MAGNIFICATION RANGE	6X-18X
OBJECTIVE LENS DIAMETER	50 mm
OBJECTIVE OUTSIDE DIAMETER	57.5 mm
OCULAR LENS DIAMETER	35.5 mm
OCULAR OUTSIDE DIAMETER	44 mm
BODY TUBE DIAMETER	30 mm
LENGTH	352 mm / 13.8 in
WEIGHT	659.5 g / 23 oz
CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL	A6063-T6
BODY CONSTRUCTION	1 Piece
COLOR / FINISH	Black Matte
WATERPROOF	YES
FOGPROOF	YES
SHOCKPROOF	YES
SIDE FOCUS	YES
PARALLAX ADJUSTMENT	YES
PARALLAX ADJUSTMENT RANGE	10 y – ∞
PARALLAX SETTING	100 y
ADJUSTMENT TURRET TYPE	Low Turret-Finger Adjustable
WINDAGE ADJUSTMENT RANGE	70 MOA
HORIZONTAL EFFECTIVE RANGE	±30 MOA
ELEVATION ADJUSTMENT RANGE	70 MOA
EFFECTIVE VERTICAL ADJUSTMENT RANGE	±30 MOA
CLICK VALUE	0.25 MOA
RETICLE TYPE (ETCHED / WIRE)	Etched
RETICLE DESIGN	Illuminated
EYE RELIEF	109-93 mm / 4.3-3.6 in
EXIT PUPIL	8.33 mm – 2.77 mm
FIELD OF VIEW (FOV)	19.2 ft – 6.4 ft
FOCAL PLANE	Second (SFP)
DIOPTER COMPENSATION	+2/-2.5
BATTERY	CR2032
ZERO STOP	NO
RESETTABLE TURRET	YES
IP RATING	IPX7 (1m/30min)
FULL MULTICOAT TYPE	Winchester WINcoat™

Winchester 6-18×50 Features

Building on the quality, Winchester kept within well known boundaries to guarantee success. And at the same time they pushed their own advancements to improve their products. Time would tell if this made this scope an exceptional value or just a marketing ploy.

One of their claims to quality is based off of quality lenses and coatings. Their proprietary WINcoat™ claims to reduce glare, and aid in light transmission while protecting the lens from things like fingers and dirt. Lens coatings have become standard these days, so I would look to see if there was a discernible difference to similar priced scopes.

The large 50 millimeter objective promises to compress details of your target into a bright image for your observation. That paired with the 30mm tube gives a pretty standard construction for long-range precision riflescopes. The 30mm tube allows wider range of adjustment internally than smaller sized scopes.

winchester supreme optics, 6-18x50, riflescope, winchester, CVA, CVA Cascade, Cascade SB, 6.5 Creedmoor — the Winchester 6-18 scope isn’t heavy, making for a very agile rifle

A reticle in the second focal plane (SFP) means that the reticle stays the same regardless of magnification power setting. Most of us likely learned to shoot on SFP scopes so this should be nothing new, though I will say I tend to prefer the first focal plane (FFP) that seems to be more common among precision shooters. If you’d like to read more on the subject, I go into more detail on selecting FFP vs. SFP here.

Inside the scope we also found some more traditional features. The turrets are 15 MOA per revolution and can easily be set to zero using a tool or coin. The parallax is user adjustable and can go as low as 10 yards, which could come in handy if you mount it to a rimfire.

Unboxing, Setup and Mounting

The packaging for the scope was handsome, and right to the point. By that I mean there wasn’t a lot to it, a polymer clamshell holding the scope, bikini covers, lens-cloth and owners manual. I’m not complaining about it, as for the most part people just toss packaging. And it’s that much less cost involved which keeps the price lower.

After opening the box and inspecting everything, I installed the battery into the illuminated reticle rheostat housing. After which I snugged down the lid using a coin.

winchester supreme optics, 6-18x50, riflescope, winchester, battery, cr2032,

I chose to mount the scope to my CVA Cascade SB, an eighteen-inch 6.5 Creedmoor hunting rifle. The Winchester would make a good companion for it. I used a simple set of Vortex rings to attach the scope, followed by torquing it all down. My tradition of boresighting the rifle was quick and easy on the kitchen table. All that was left was a few more accessories.

A Harris bipod would make both field and range shooting easier. And because I like some variety, I also threw on a PVA Jetblast muzzle brake for when I wasn’t using the Banish Buck 30 suppressor.

On the Range

My first trip into the field with the rifle and scope combo would be into the early winter in the Rocky Mountains. With a few cow elk tags in our party, I thought it might be handy to have a potent little rifle like this along. And if we didn’t see any elk, I could engage in one of my favorite pastimes of picking out targets in the windswept canyons. Either way I was sure to find out how this little Winchester scope performed.

shooting supported from the **Two Vets Tripod**

My initial impressions were positive, the scope had a very bright image with excellent clarity and detail. The magnification range was a touch shorter than I am used to, but I don’t see anything particularly wrong with it. I can’t think of one of my typical hunting scenarios where 6X would have been too much, and 18X wouldn’t have been enough.

As it was, we engaged targets as far as 900 yards with the Winchester scope. The known dope for the rifle crossed over perfectly to the turrets of the Winchester, allowing for near first round hits at that range if it wasn’t for the wind.

Quality

The optical quality of this little scope was great, I dare say punching above its weight at this price point. Regardless of power it felt like the image was fantastic and clear, though the eye-box felt a bit touchy at higher power.

Adjusting the turrets gave a nice audible and tactile click, this would come in very handy should you need to make adjustments while on the scope. I am a bit more fond of MRAD than MOA, but it seems that the hunting public seems more accustomed to MOA. The 15-MOA per turn turrets would certainly do for most purposes I planned on with this rifle. But it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if it was a 30-MOA turret instead.

Inside the scope, the duplex-dot reticle is a nice combination for hunting. The illumination only affects the center dot, giving you a bright aimpoint in low light conditions. It’s been a while since I used such a simple reticle, and I found it a little refreshing. That said, if long-range shooting is in your future it might be harder to evaluate wind corrections without any reference points.

winchester supreme optics, 6-18x50, riflescope, winchester, reticle

Durability

The mechanical simplicity of this scope in nice, there are fewer things to go wrong I guess. I look forward to using it over the next year or two to give it a good workout. Make sure you follow along as I will update this story in the future as time passes.

During the course of my testing. we ran the turrets on this scope up and down constantly. Moving the turrets and magnification from extreme to extreme was part of the daily routine. Additionally, I ran the scope up and down against a yardstick. This was to see how consistent the movement of the scopes erector was, and how accurate the movement was compared to the indicated turret travel.

Junior’s WSO Binoculars are safely secured inside a **Cole-TAC Bino Harness**

Using the scope in the ice cold air of the winter Rocky Mountains didn’t affect its operation. And the image was pristine looking through the crisp winter landscape.

Value

There are many layers of quality and value in the optics market. Bottom tier optics like the kind manufacturers give away in a rifle package are often barely worth the trouble of zeroing them. Some might assume because of the Winchester name, that these scopes are in that class. But that would be a big mistake. While this scope is priced under $300 on Optics Planet, it is definitely above average compared to the three hundred dollar scopes I am used to. Though to be honest that is changing rapidly. The optical quality of this scope, its turret operation, and sharp focus stand out against other similarly priced scopes.

CBM Junior is seen here using the **WSO 10×50 Binoculars** which are another great buy if you’re interested

Pros and Cons

Let’s start out with the negatives on this one, just to get them out of the way. First of all a couple of design features; the illuminated reticle control has only one “off” position on the zero out of eleven settings. This is a bit of a minor thing I’ll admit, but everybody else has been able to make various off settings on comparable scopes. I’d also like some kind of zero-stop, its very easy to get lost in the rotations without one. To be fair, zero-stops are typically for scopes priced higher than this.

On the optical performance I found a couple things to knit-pick as well. While the overall imagery through this scope was very good, I did find the eye relief to be a bit picky at 18X. With the scope at max power it required you be very consistent with your positioning on the rifle to get the best view. This wasn’t a deal breaker for me or anything, but something to note. Additionally, most parallax adjustments go from something like 100, 300, 500, 600, 700, etc. The parallax adjustment on this scope is much more course, with a broad close range spanning from 10 to 100 yards. But then goes from 200 yards to infinity, making it a very small amount of adjustment range when shooting at longer ranges. This was a small inconvenience, and I had no problem focusing the reticle on targets as far as 900 yards away.

After evaluating those drawbacks, I can still say I like this scope for a variety of shooting purposes. With its price point and market presentation, I think this scope is optimal for a typical hunter who might be after big game, predators or varmints. It might not be optimal for longer range shooting such as 600 yard plus shooting, but it is a great affordable option for inside that distance.

The bright dot illuminated reticle is great for fast target acquisition, or making good shot placement in dark woods. The second focal plane is consistent and simple for those who like that. The turrets are accurate in their travel, and easy to reset at zero. I am more of an MRAD fan, but there is nothing wrong with MOA. All the scopes controls are easy enough to adjust from the shooting position, and not too easy to either. This helps avoid inadvertent adjustments when brushing against packs and other gear while hiking. And the crisp image through the scope is more impressive than the pictures I can take through it.

My Conclusion

If you are one of those who likes to look down their nose at lower priced optics, you might find yourself surprised by the Winchester Supreme Optics 6-18X50. I think this scope would be a great addition to a hunting rifle, a definite upgrade from the cheap giveaway scopes that come preinstalled on some rifles. I am certainly not an elitist when it comes to optics, but I don’t typically use scopes in the 200-300 dollar range. But I was more than happy to go hunting with this one mounted on my rifle, and felt perfectly comfortable chasing big game through rough country with it.

I’m happy to see the famous Winchester name making a comeback, and with good products like this at an affordable price I expect the brand will grow. I will continue my pursuits through these mountains, and this little Winchester will be by my side. Follow along to see how it stands up over time.