Tag Archives: binoculars

ATN Thermal Binoculars THOR 4 2.5-25X

Optics, Product review, , ,

Thermal Weapon Sights

Thermal weapon sights have become extremely popular over the last decade or so, I’ve had the good fortune to play with a few of them. Today we are going to talk about a supplemental thermal device, one I think is just as useful as a weapon sight; the ATN BinoX 4T 2.5-25X binoculars.
I say just as useful because whenever I find myself in the dark looking for potential animals to hunt, looking around through my riflescope is not only cumbersome but dangerous. The BinoX binoculars allow the user to safely scan the surrounding environment to identify potential targets, and it also gives you additional information that will help you make a better shot when the time comes.
The ATN Binox incorporate a rangefinder, variable power settings, video recording and image capture, and even GPS location that can be used to keep track of fellow hunters in the area. An IR illuminator is also part of the device, which allows you to illuminate targets when using in conjunction with night vision optics. It also incorporates wifi that can be paired to your ATN riflescope through the ATN Ballistic Information Exchange (BIX). Using the connection you can also stream to a paired device for additional viewing while recording the stream to the SD card inside the unit.
The ATN Binox uses an armored housing with a control pad on the top with various buttons to cycle through the menus and activate the different functions of the binoculars. At the rear of the binos you have an adjustable diopter to focus the image of the display inside. The front of the sensor lens can be rotated to focus the thermal image of the target, the right side is for the thermal sensor, the left side houses other sensors and needn’t be adjusted for image focusing.
The Center button doubles as a “Nuc” button that resets the sensitivity of the sensor based on the current field of view, as far as I can tell anyway. You can adjust the power magnification of the binoculars by using the arrows on the control pad, and the power button doubles as a rangefinder trigger when the unit is powered on.
The display inside gives you quite a bit of information, with actual readouts of both incline and cant as well as a compass bearing. You can select to use different widgets such as compass and angle displays, or if you like you can keep it simple and see just the image. There are many different settings that you can adjust to better fit your needs such as different shades for showing heat, you can select different colors or shades of black and white. There are different reticles you can use for measuring targets and distances and such, and of course you can change the units from yards to meters and MOA to MRAD if you like.

Curious already? Check for you new thermal optic here.

The Binox come with an extended life battery, which I was happy to hear. Most thermal devices I have used in the past burn through batteries far too fast. There was also a neck band to carry the BinoX with, it was also easy to adjust the two ocular lenses to fit your particular eye width.

Into the darkness

After confirming a bunch of settings around the yard and making my dog uncomfortable with shouting commands into the dark corners of the yard, I decided it was time to take the BinoX into the hills and see what I could find. It took a few minutes to find a contrast setting that I preferred, but I settled on the “Glowbow” setting. As you’ll see from my pictures I neglected to set the time and date.

a deer as seen at around 20X magnification from approximately 250 yards

Once I got into the mountains I began scanning where I figured I would be able to find a deer or two, or perhaps even a unsuspecting hiker. I did find something that quickly became frustrating. There were plenty of rocks in the hills that appeared to retain a bunch of heat, this inevitably gave me too many false ID’s of potential life. When I actually did see something that was clearly alive and warm, it was pretty clear. But often times I would have to watch at some of the more distant targets to see if they moved before I could confirm their identity.
I spent some time getting used to the imagery through the binos, and testing out the different functions. It did take me a minute to get used to some of the controls and understand everything, but soon enough I was finding things and measuring their distance with the rangefinder and even snapping pictures and videos of them. Much like properly viewing an ultrasound image, it seems there is a bit of a learning curve with looking at images like this. Oftentimes it is easy enough to make out trees, rocks and so forth. You can even make out sunny spots and shadows in the images taken during daylight. I have seen better imagery from other thermal units, but to be fair they cost significantly more than this one.
Finding animals in complete darkness turned out be be everything I hoped it would be, it reduced the eiriness of the darkness. Thermal optics have the benefit of being useful in the daylight just as complete darkness, which is a leg up over night vision optics. I found that using the BinoX during the daytime was also helpful in finding things that were alive in a sea of ambient temperature trees and hills. Continue Reading Here…

SOME DRAWBACKS

I’ll go over the negative things first, as I’ve mentioned I have used other high-dollar units so take my opinion with a grain of salt. One of the most significant things I didn’t like with the BinoX was that things that weren’t warm showed up as if they were. This is likely technological ignorance on my part, it appears that the sensor shows differences in temperature more than anything. For example, the deer I was looking at are surely warmer than anything else on a sub-freezing mountainside with scattered snow at 6:00 AM, but even so many of the rocks on that hillside looked as if they were warm in the BinoX.

The rocks were a whole other color/shade than the ground and trees but were clearly discernible as well. I guess I was just hoping that only warm things would show up as such on the display, but to be fair I got used to it fairly quick, and it ceased to be as difficult.

The rangefinder works, and I tested its accuracy alongside another comparably priced unit. I like rangefinders that reach the two kilometers or more, but for use in the darkness it’s probably better to stay fairly close. Ranging targets inside 1,000 yards seemed to be easy with the Binox, but I didn’t care for the large opening in the ranging reticle, I think it could use a more precise aiming point.

I am not sure what the laser divergence is for the rangefinder, but perhaps the reticle size is based on the beam divergence.

I was unfortunately unable to try the Obsidian APP that I downloaded to view images from the BinoX, I wasn’t able to pair the device and the live chat support on ATN’s website was unable to help me as I wandered around in the darkness.

 

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE BINOX

Now for the good news. I was very excited to be able to see so many things in the dark that were previously unknown. These Binoculars are an awesome tool if you are trying to locate animals in the darkness, or very low light. I suppose you could even use them in the daylight to locate animals. The zoom function is pretty easy and quick to increase your ability to identify targets, and I was pleasantly surprised that resolution wasn’t lost as I zoomed them in.

I was certainly impressed by the battery life, particularly in the cold sub-freezing temperatures in the high Rocky Mountains. The unit has a standby/sleep mode to help conserve the battery, but I wanted to see how long it would last without it. On multiple occasions I would fire the unit up an hour or so before daylight, and I would use it until the deer would begin to bed down around 10-11 at night and the battery was still chuggin’ along!

The photo/video feature is very handy, it was as simple as tapping the button to get saved images of the animals I was watching. Almost too easy in fact, as on several occasions I found I had bumped the video record button and had filled my card up with videos of my feet.

The image quality was as good as I had expected it to be and it gave me an incredible feeling of dominion over the darkness before me.

CONCLUSION

Thermal imaging is definitely not for the penny pinchers out there, there are a variety of BinoX models available but the most affordable chimes in with an MSRP of $2,699. Needless to say, it can be a hard pill to swallow for most. Though you might find it extremely fun to prowl the darkness, you won’t be able to occult such a purchase from your spouse without risking your own body heat. But if you have the ability to buy products like this, then you will surely enjoy them as I have.

The ATN 640 4T BinoX will take your hunting to a whole new level, and the features make it a pleasure to use. Watch for my next article about the ATN THOR 4T HD Riflescope.

-CBM

Sig Sauer Kilo 10K Binoculars

Optics, Product review, , , ,

Introduction

glassing with the sig sauer kilo 10k
glassing with the sig sauer kilo 10k

I’ve been severely hooked on both hunting and long range shooting for more than a few decades, so laser rangefinders are nothing new to me. I still remember saving up what seemed like an eternity to purchase my first one, an LRF I could barely afford but would actually hit a thousand yards and beyond reliably. All these years later my laser has migrated into a good pair of bino’s which are a must have for spotting animals in these Rocky Mountains. But the me from twenty years ago would never believe just how much else has migrated into the binoculars I carry. Today we are looking at the Sig Sauer Kilo 10K Binoculars.

Sig Sauer Optics

Sig Sauer jumped into the optics market with both feet, and like their products or not they have been innovating all over the optics world. They worked hard enough to earn my business a few years back when I bought one of their Tango 6 5-30 riflescopes.

I have had the good fortune to sample a broad spectrum of Sig Sauer’s Electro-optics. Enough so to become quite confident in giving them more hard earned money. The Kilo 10K is that latest purchase, a pair of consumer grade binoculars that feature arguably military grade functions. I decided that I was due an upgrade, and spent the money.

The Kilo 10K Binoculars

I have been using another pair of 10X42’s for the last few years, but a friend bought a pair of the Kilo 3000 binoculars and I quickly noticed they seemed better to my eyes than the binos I was using. The Kilo 10K is a significant upgrade from the 3000 model, with so many features I’ll have to keep it short to avoid this page taking all day to load.
Besides Sig’s standard features such as their Ballistic Data Exchange (BDX) and their various lens coatings and armor, the real juicy details are all encoded inside. The Kilo utilizes second generation Lightwave DSP ranging engine that has various ranging functions that allow you to range reflective targets as far as 10,000 yards away. I was dang sure gonna try that out.

sig sauer kilo 10k
Some of the data displayed in the Kilo 10K Heads up display

The onboard system also has all the sensors needed to calculate real time ballistics via Applied Ballistics Elite ballistic calculator. Instead of pairing to your phone application the Kilo does it all inside. Spoiling you with an incredible array of information right in front of your eyes. All this without ever taking your eyes off the target.
The internal systems of the Kilo also have compass and GPS functions. You can see compass headings and such right in the binocular heads up display, angles of incline are also displayed. And you can mark waypoints in your travels using the Basemap application.
The aforementioned Applied Ballistics (AB) software allows you to store up to 25 different profiles in the binoculars using their complete bullet library. So you can always have you favorite load cued up. The Kilo 10K reads all the relevant atmosphere information to give you a corrected firing solution.  Including current density altitude conditions, and even a wind meter for accurate wind speed measurement.

Figuring out the Sig Sauer Kilo 10K

I was a bit apprehensive about having the brainpower to figure out and run everything the Kilo 10K offered. After reading through the manual a few times, I was less so.
sig sauer kilo 10k
The Kilo can be configured using the buttons controlling it, or using the BDX phone application. I went about changing a few of the settings to better fit what I thought I would like, it didn’t take long to figure out. The menu allows easy switching from meters and yards, as well as MOA to MRAD. Using the onboard sensors, the Kilo provides the air pressure, temperature and humidity. You can configure the system to automatically measure the temperature or you can input the temp manually if selected. You can also select manual input of other atmospheric data using the app on your phone.
The heads up display on the Kilo 10K is incredibly informative. it gives you distance (both actual and angle corrected) shooting angles, and wind corrections as dictated by the bluetooth connected wind meter. I was very please to see that even a milling reticle can be chosen to aid in spotting for corrections.

Ballistic data is displayed both through the binoculars as well as on the phone display, this could enhance a fire teams ability to make quick shots

After several trips into the hills to simply play with and look through the Kilo 10K, I decided it was time to get serious.

Data Input

I replaced the factory preset data that came set for a .308 175gr SMK, and entered in all the data for the 6mm GT I was planning on shooting. All the data is easily entered via the BDX app, and no sooner had I input my data, the Kilo synced everything up with the tap of a button.

The AB calculator uses a bluetooth wind-speed anemometer to capture the speed of the wind. As well as temperature, humidity, angles, and all the other pertinent information is captured and fed into the system.

sig sauer kilo 10k
the whole kit

One slight complaint I had was from the wind meter itself, it measures the wind just fine. But the direction of the wind has to be put in either through the app on your phone (fastest way). Or you can also do it through a quick access menu on the Kilo itself. The quick switching nature of the wind makes me wonder how challenging that data point might be to maintain accurate. I was hoping there was a way to index the wind direction using the compass heading from the GPS.

There are a great deal of customizable options to change how the data is conjured before your eye. The heads up display menu was clear and quick to cycle through despite having to do everything using only the two external buttons on the binos. I have used AB for some time, so my confidence in the ballistic calculations were good. I wanted to see how the interface with the Kilo lined up, to see if it was as simple as point, laze, and shoot.

Hunting Country

On a blustery summer evening, I made my way into the Wasatch Mountains to do some additional testing of the Kilo’s capabilities. The storm front threatened to bring rain, but for the most part all I got was gloomy cloud cover. The high winds carried a visible amount of dust and debris. This had me concerned at how well the laser would reach. But I was quite surprised to see the Kilo light up with just over five-thousand yards, over two-point-eight miles away.

I decided to hit something even further still away, from my perch at over six-thousand feet (9,189 DA according to the Kilo) I could see my house below. I figured the siding would be reflective enough to hit at significant distance. So I pressed the button until it came back with a reading, and it did several times. Nine-thousand three hundred and fifty-one yards it read, that’s five point three miles away as the crow flies.

The Kilo 10K sitting on top of my Field Optics Research tripod

I checked my Basemap app, to see that the waypoint popped up marking my house. Had I needed to I could have just walked home in the dark using the Basemap as a guide.

Ballistic Data

I did some truing of the data in AB for my 6GT load to see that it lined up with confirmed data I already had saved. It was absolutely brilliant to see a firing solution populate in a second or so. With nearly all the data I needed to make the shot. The  Desert Tech SRS M2 6GT shoots very well out to fifteen hundred yards or so. I wanted to see how quick I could go from spotting targets to seeing impacts at various distances. So I played my mock hunting game where a suitable sized target is picked out, and I engaged it as fast as possible as if it were escaping. The trued data from AB via the Kilo lined up beautifully. This allowed me to make hit after hit with minimal delays between shots.
If the system was utilized between a shooter and spotter team, you could put an amazing rate of fire on targets. With a spotter using the Kilo, you could range targets and have the firing solution show up on the shooters phone screen without so much as saying a word. Both could see the live data displayed. And as soon as the next target is identified that data would pop up on the shooter’s screen. You can even actuate the rangefinder from your phone through the app. Once paired, you can touch the range button on your phone screen to activate the rangefinder remotely.
I created a second profile for my favorite twenty-two inch 6.5 Creedmoor, just to see how to cycle between profiles. As with other operations inside the Kilo, it was quick to pull up the menu and switch between profiles and other settings. As I used the internal menu of the Kilo I got much better at changing rapidly the settings. Continue Reading Here…

PROS & CONS

Cons

Today, I’ll start out with the cons, just to get them out of the way. The Sig Sauer Kilo 10k is as much a system as it is a single product. And the system relies on its multiple components for maximum performance.

That said, I don’t think they could have chosen better partners. AB is an extremely well-known ballistic-solver system. And Basemaps also has a great reputation and provides very valuable information. One downside that I found was that the Basemaps’ App required a Pro upgrade in order to use the Kilo as an add-on tool. This isn’t a huge deal, but it’s one worth mentioning.

I did have one apparent malfunction while testing the Kilo, where it did get quite warm from sitting in the sun. It was a hot July day, but I wouldn’t have considered it too hot for the Kilo to work. Much like an iPhone left in a hot car, the Kilo just stopped working, as though the battery was dead. I even replaced the battery thinking maybe I had overused it. But after sitting in the house for a few hours, it fired right back up with the battery showing full power. I haven’t been able to reproduce the problem, so I hope it was simply a fluke.

Pros

The pros of the Kilo10k system are many and hard to list. If you’ve read this far, you have already been over all the functions that I consider beneficial. So, I’ll keep it short by naming my favorites.

First off, there are the ranging capabilities. The Kilo ranges much farther than almost any of us will ever be shooting outside military applications using artillery. It is still nice to have the ranging ability. And the Kilo makes a good navigation tool as well because of its broad capabilities. The Terrapin X has long been considered top of the heap as a rangefinder. Though I have heard from several people that they have had better luck at extreme distances using the Kilo 10k.

Sig Sauer Kilo10k Binoculars
The lens coating and armor are great, but the real money is inside this compact computer of an optic

Heads Up Display

The heads-up display is very intuitive and gives you almost everything you need quickly. Important information appears larger than less pertinent information. But everything you want from a rangefinder is there. And the HUD reticle gives your spotter some reference as well.

The Kilo’s carry case is very nice and well thought out. There are two pockets for carrying small accessories, and a pigtail lanyard to keep the wind meter attached and close. The multiple profile options and quick syncing features make the Kilo incredibly useful for a guy on the move between one hunt or another. Especially if you are switching between multiple calibers or spotting for multiple shooters.

Conclusion

Sig has once again knocked it out of the park with this pair of binoculars. Admittedly, I have never been a big optics snob. But I find them optically superior to most comparable options, that is if you can find something close to the Kilo as far as its capabilities are concerned.

The Kilo does what it says, and I intend on taking full advantage of its well-thought-out features in the years to come. The only thing left to test is that of time and durability. Follow me to keep tabs on how the Kilo 10k performs in the future.

-CBM

The Kilo 10k has gotten plenty of use these past few years. Alongside my Desert Tech SRS, its US Optics FDN25X, and suppressed by the YHM R9

2023 Update:

Last year I did have to send the Kilo back to Sig for some kind of apparent malfunction with the HUD. It was repaired quickly, and returned. I have used it for two hard hunting seasons since without any issues at all. In fact I have come to love these binos even more several years later.

Cole TAC Bino PremierPack

Ancillary gear, Product review, , , ,

Introduction

Is there ever such a thing as too much gear? I say yes and no. If you are going on a ten mile hike into the backcountry looking to shoot an elk, then definitely there is such a thing as too much. But kicking around in the basement, it’s hard to say when there is too much. I definitely have too much, but maybe that’s not a bad thing.

I’ve carried a few bino harness’s around in my day, starting way back with those old Crooked Horn outfitters things that looked like a man-zier. There are many models I like, and I’ve been using the Badlands Packs bino case’s for several years now. But today we are discussing a new one from one of my favorite companies. I say my favorite not because I have all their stuff, but because they are always innovating the market of shooting soft-goods. They are constantly coming up with great new products, some that take off, and others that may not have. But they have the balls to take risks and bring American made high-quality textiles to the precision rifle shooting community.
Among the many products they make, my favorites have to be the Ammo Novel, (a great way to safely transport your precious handloads), their Tripod Leggings (which create a perfect little load-bearing shelf under your tripod head), and of course their Suppressor Covers that protect from contacting hot cans, and keeping the mirage down. But today we are on the subject of bino harness’s so I’ll stop gushing and get to the point.

Why do you even?

If you missed the bus, you’ll notice that everybody who didn’t is using a carry pouch or harness of some sort to protect their precious extra eyes. They are extremely useful for all kinds of things beside just keeping your binos close. Who doesn’t carry a phone these days? And it fits right close to your heart where you can keep an eye on it. Everything from phones to game-calls to earplugs and chewing-gum, but don’t mix those last two up. It keeps all your most important things front and center, I almost use it like a catch-all-wallet when I’m in the mountains.

Even without padding, the PremierPack was extremely comfortable

The Bino PremierPack

So let’s get into the Cole TAC version of this handy predator purse. I was surprised to see a lack of padding around the shoulder straps, something I had grown quite accustomed to using other models. I was also surprised at how robust the harness material was, seemed strong enough for a day pack, but balanced enough for a bino case. The harness panel that runs across your back spreads the weight carried up front over a wide area making it feel lighter, as well as giving molle attachment points for extra accessories (might I suggest the ammo novel). There are also molle attachment points on the front, which are handy for attaching additional pouches or gear.

Pack details: molle back panel, and binocular attachment straps.

The pouch itself features a padded compartment for your binoculars, big enough to fit the average pair of hunting binos with a little wiggle room. The lid of the pouch is secured by a neat little elastic draw-string that slides through a magnetic catch. The catch has both magnetic retention, as well as a physical retainer by way of a dovetail. It goes together so quick I rarely have to do more than get them close together for them to lock right up. You can adjust the elastic draw-string to keep a safe amount of retention on the lid.
In the back of the pouch there is a zipper compartment that rides right against your chest. A great place to keep dope cards, deer tags, or any other little items you’d like to keep handy.
The buckles and other fasteners on the pack are very stout, I don’t recommend that I’d tie-off to it when in a tree-stand, but as strong as they are I’d be afraid of hanging myself if it got caught on a branch on the way down.

So does it WORK?

The first thing I did was adjust it for a good fit, and I wore it around the office for a whole day. I was sure that the lack of padding would make it less comfortable than I was used to, but boy was I wrong. To my surprise, not only was it comfortable but it felt great even after eight hours. And the best part was that it didn’t sag at all, it stayed right where I had put it.
The smaller straps that secure the binoculars to the pack are easily attached, and your binos are easily disconnected with a squeeze of the coupler clips should you need to share your view.

Shop everything Cole-TAC right here


The lid and its securing strap proved to be very intuitive, never did I worry about them coming open and spilling my contents.
The zipper pouch is perfect for small things, though I wish it was a touch bigger so I could fit my big fat clubber-girl phone in there.
The attachment points both front and back proved to very useful for accessories and such when I didn’t want to carry a whole backpack. I did in fact attach my ammo novel to the molle panel across the back, this was a great place for as it was out of the way and the weight helped balance the whole harness even more.

 


I’ve been carrying the PremierPack for a month or so now, hiking, riding, and driving. Its comfortable and robust, and it feels much stronger than perhaps some of the more elegant looking products from big names, though I’d wager those ones are made overseas. Cole TAC products like the Bino PremierPack feel like they were made for NASA missions to the moon.

Conclusion

With so many gadgets and gizmos piling up around, the gear-queer in me loves it when cool ones that I will actually use come out. The Cole TAC Bino PremierPack will definitely stay in my go pile, and I look forward to seeing what the next great thing they either improve upon, or build from scratch.

-CBM

Sig Sauer Kilo 3000 BDX Binoculars

Optics, Product review, , , ,

Introduction

Every hunting or shooting trip has a list of essentials, and at the very top of that gear list you’ll find things such as guns and bullets. But for many of us, it’s not very far down that list that you’ll find binoculars and rangefinder. Today we are discussing the Sig Sauer Kilo 3000 binoculars, which bring the laser rangefinder and binoculars onto the same line.

The binos made a good companion to my Desert Tech MDRX with its US Optics TS8X and YHM Turbo suppressor

THE SIG SAUER KILO 3000 BDX

Built on a 10x42mm body, the Kilo 3000 BDX offers an integrated laser rangefinder that claims up to a 5,000-yard range. Using Sig Sauer’s BDX tech, the Kilo communicates with other smartphones and tablets via Bluetooth. BDX pulls data from weather stations like the Kestrel Weather Meter to offer accurate ballistic solutions. The system also uses the Applied Ballistics solver to give shooters the best prediction for a hit. The BDX system can be used in conjunction with Sig Sauer’s BDX equipped riflescopes to show holdover and wind holds in live time with illuminative points on the reticle.

The Kilo uses a single CR2 lithium battery for powers and, according to Sig, grants approximately 4,000 chances to measure the distance to your targets before the battery needs a change. The Kilo weighs in at 31-ounces, which is almost the exact same weight as is nearest competitor.

ON THE RANGE

The vast expanse of the Rocky Mountains is the perfect place to put a rangefinder/bino combo to the test. I spend a couple of days each week shooting in these beautiful landscapes; so, I headed up to one of my favorite trails to test the Kilo. Before I left, I suited up with the chest harness that ships with the Kilo so I could hike hands-free.

The Kilo rides securely in a case around the wearer’s neck for easy access. 

Having used quite a few different binocular chest-carry outfits, I think comfort is subjective. This one, for me, wasn’t too bad. Both the case itself and the binoculars are suspended from the shoulder straps individually. The bino straps are easily snapped free should you need to disconnect them to lend a fellow hiker. Overall, I liked how quick it was to bring the binos out of the case.

Hiking into the mountains

After a good sweat from the hot August sun, I found myself looking out across a steep canyon that worked its way back into the rocky and cavernous mountain range. It was a place I frequent fairly often so I already knew a lot of the distances available to me. I sat down and began to scan with the Kilo. My very first impression of the image quality was positive.

Check out my review of the Sig Sauer Kilo 10k binos when you are done with this one.

After using many LRF binos over the years, I would put the optical quality of the Sig Kilo right near the top of its price point class. It is similar to models from Vortex, Nikon, and Leupold in the same price range. Perhaps a little better than some, but not quite as nice as the top-quality optics we are accustomed to seeing from European manufacturers like Swarovski or Leica.

One thing I did find more convenient was the focus. Using other binos, I find I must frequently adjust the focus between my eyes to get a uniform image. With the Kilo, though, I only adjusted once and never touched it again. A small issue for some, but for me it’s almost reason enough to sell my other bino models and stick with the Sig Kilo. Like most modern binoculars, the Kilo 3000 features adjustable eyecups. Like the entire exterior of the binoculars, these are rubberized for easy gripping and the control surfaces of the binoculars have an added texture as well for better manipulation.

Ranging in the wild touched to 3,000-yards, though Sig boasts a range up to 5,000-yards.

Rangefinder Performance

A good rangefinder is only as good as its ability to precisely confirm distance, so I was eager to investigate the Kilo’s laser dispersion. Laser dispersion becomes important when ranging a target with obstructions. Such as a tree branch or ridge between you and the target. Keeping the Kilo firmly fixed to a tripod, I measured the distance to several targets with surrounding obstructions.

Most targets inside the reticle of the Kilo registered the actual distance. But even something as insignificant as a leaf 380-yards away obstructing the view of a 950-yard target was picked up by the laser. All things considered, the Kilo’s laser gives a very accurate and predictable measurement. I used the Kilo both in its range-only setting as well as the incline output setting.

Shop Sig Sauer Optics at EuroOptic for a complete lineup
Sportsman’s Warehouse also has the full lineup of Sig Sauer Optics

The rangefinding capabilities of the Kilo were more than adequate for my purposes. I’ve found most rangefinders are rated for distances at the extreme envelope of their capabilities. Sig claims the Kilo can hit 5,000-yards. But I couldn’t find a target reflective enough to read that far during my testing. The Kilo did work great inside of 2,000-yards giving quick and repeatable readings for trees and even rocks in shadowed or sunny positions. I aimed it in town from my 6,000-foot perch and found that cars and buildings were ranged out to 3,000-yards.

CONCLUSION

The Sig Sauer Kilo 3000 rounds out any gear list this hunting season. 

The Kilo 3000 is yet another awesome product from the electro-optic branch of Sig Sauer. Outdoorsmen and women looking for a good pair of hunting binos would do very well with the Kilo 3000 in-hand. Having used many of its closest peers, I’d pick the Kilo.

-CBM

Vortex Optics Fury 10×42 Range-finding Binoculars

Optics, Product review, , ,

Introduction

I’ve said it before, I am a huge geek for optics and everything that goes with them. Something about quality and the edge that good optics give you gets me giddy.

Anybody who shoots at any significant distance should be familiar with laser rangefinders, otherwise, I take their claims as what they are; hopeful aspirations.

Who needs a rangefinder?

It didn’t take me long to realize the need for a rangefinder in my shooting, and I didn’t want a substandard one. I bought my first rangefinder many years ago, it was a Leica. Over the years I have come to appreciate a good rangefinder, that Leica taught me a lot. It is absolutely necessary to make good shots at distance, and I’ve been lucky to have hands on quite a few of them. One of the first things I noticed when playing with LRF’s was that many of them were at best 80% of what they are rated for. And many of them lower than that. Ive come to find that a good LRF will actually go beyond its rated limits, in good conditions. With optics and rangefinders especially, you do get what you pay for.
With so many new and exciting things hitting the market recently, I was excited to get the chance to try out a new prodcuct from Vortex Optics
The brand new Fury Binocular from Vortex incorporates a 1600 yard laser rangefinder into a 10X42 armored binocular.

I’ve never had a rangefinding bino before, I’d mostly used just a plain rangefinder. I never felt much like carrying multiple optics into the field, nor could I afford it, but with the technological advancements we enjoy today there is no reason to. The Fury gives you high a quality ten power binocular, with clear and bright images. And ontop of that, it also serves as a 1600 yard rangefinder. For a hunter, I think it is the best of both worlds. Especially since you dont want to be carrying anything extra with you, unforgiving mountains are not the place to carry extra weight.

The Vortex Fury Binoculars

 

The Fury, like most modern rangefinders, allows you to select yards or meters. It also has a slope indicator that allows users to select line of sight distance (LOS) or use a corrected angular compensated distance (HCD).

The display on the Fury has a circle reticle for aiming at your target. Up and to the right of that, is the angle display, shown in degrees. The distance is shown below the reticle, and just off to the left there is a battery level indicator.

I have taken the Fury out many times now, used it in many different settings and places. One of the first times I tried it right out of the box, I managed to hit 1780yds with it. That was a building, and I didnt expect it to hit a deer at that distance. But its good to know that it can reach those kind of distances, even though in the real world of my shooting habits, it wont need to go that far. For me, I think being able to range the animals I hunt in the conditions and places where they live is the overall determining factor for performance. And in those places and conditions, the Fury seems to shine. Like this:

Hitting trees and rocks at thirteen, fourteen or fifteen hundred yards proved to be pretty easy. In the bright daylight of the sun, or in the angled afternoon light of the evening.

Hitting an animal at that distance would be hard, not necessarily because of the rangefinder, but because you cant hold still enough without a tripod. I find myself aiming for the nearest tree or rock in those scenarios anyways.

The beam divergence on the Fury, or the size of the laser beam for lack of a better explanation, is 1.6X.07MRAD. That isn’t bad considering the price-point of the Fury, there are a few better, but surely there are worse. Again I look back to the purpose of the Fury, at least in my case. It wont be often when I am looking at a deer, elk, or any other target that is standing on the horizon some thousand or more yards away, with nothing near it that I cant sink that laser into. So while a tighter beam dispersion might be better in some situations, I think this one will do just fine for my purposes. And I think it will do for most other’s as well, I assume I am not the only person who lases the target multiple times when targeting. Particularly when distances are extended, and critical to making the shot.
At 31 oz the Fury is very comparable to its competitors, it doesn’t feel heavy to me, which oddly enough seems like a bad thing. I know I’m crazy, but for some reason I like to feel the weight that usually accompanies quality. But I certainly wont hold that against the Fury.

The Fury comes with a nice shoulder strapped carrying case, it has a double shoulder harness, and it is secured with a a small hook and elastic strap to close it. I liked it, but honestly the Fury might be a little big/heavy for the case design. It also comes with your standard lens covers, as seen in the above picture. I feel for optics companies when it comes to lens covers, it can be a difficult subject. You can either go with cheap and easy option, knowing that users will likely upgrade to something more to their liking. Or you can invest in some very nice covers for them, and then risk people not liking them and wanting something else anyways. I found that the soft rubber options provided with the Fury are perfectly serviceable, and they are easily removed if not to your liking.

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Both barrels of the Fury have a focus ring, the right barrel adjustment is to focus the display, and the left barrel adjustment is for equalizing the focus between the users eyes. I may have gotten a a mismatched set at the factory. Eyes that is, it has always been a challenge for me to get any pair of binoculars to stay in focus for me, probably due to the difference in my eyes. I noticed this problem slightly when using the Fury, but I am quite sure it is my eyes relaxing between uses.
The Fury has adjustable eye cups, with four different depth settings. The cups were easily adjusted to fit my eyes, with or without glasses. It also made it easy to adjust to fit the relief on my phone, so that I could get all these spectacular images 😜
The battery compartment on the Fury is located on the bottom, nice and out of the way. From this angle you can also see the two adjustment rings for focusing the unit.

Final thoughts

For many years I have been using some great rangefinders, Leica as I mentioned, Swarovski, andSig Sauer Electro-Optics, among others. While the price of good rangefinders has come down, my budget for shooting accessories has mantained its place on the leger. But I felt the Fury was well worth the splurge, and my money was well spent with Vortex, as it usually is. I still have never had to use their famous no BS warranty, but it’s always nice to know it is there. Look for the Fury in upcoming stories and pictures, I dont see it going away anytime soon.

-CBM


Sig Sauer Electro Optics Oscar 3

Optics, Product review, , , ,

I am a sucker for optical doodads, and usually anything that is heavy and comes in a small package. That said, I’ve never been a huge proponent of large or bulky spotting equipment. Sure, there are advantages to them, but for the kind of shooting I usually do and am involved in, they are a bit more than necessary. Most times, another rifle scope of similar magnification and quality will do, especially if it is mounted to someone else’s rifle, who can tell what I’m doing wrong.
I do have a small field spotter, it works very well for what I need, and it has a handy reticle for making corrective calls a “breeze”. Other than that, the scope on my rifle, and a good rangefinder, I have never felt much of a need for more. Once again I was forced to challenge my own prejudice regarding equipment, when a friend handed me a small package with the instructions to “try it out”.

As I opened up the box which I had been told contained a spotting scope from Sig Sauer Electro-Optics,I thought for sure that I had the wrong package. But further investigation revealed it was indeed a spotter, just a more compact one than I had expected. It was the new Oscar 3, which is a handheld 10-20X image stabilizing scope.
Perhaps some of you are thinking the same as I did, “what good is a handheld spotter at 20X?” but having been surprised by Sig Sauer on more than one occasion, I decided to save my judgement until after a good field testing. I took it straight to the roof, and began scanning the neighborhood for hostile looking deviants. Like many other quality optics, the view and resolution through the Oscar were very clean, and bright. The warm sunshine that bathed the neighborhood made for crystal clear recognition of tiny minutia on a wide variety of prospective targets. There was of course, one pending issue. The problem that I had first imagined the second I heard “20X handheld spotter” and that of course was the inability for a wobbly twerp like me to hold still long enough to do any good while spotting. Even with my best efforts, it was difficult to hold still enough to read license plates at the end of the street, I could see the characters, and almost tell what they were. But the shaking caused by the slightest breeze, or perhaps even the beating of my heart, made it just barely beyond the grasp of my eyes.

The time had come to test the core function of this handy little scope, I reached with my index finger across the top of the Oscar, and engaged the stabilization function. I was amazed as the auto induced jitters quickly disappeared, and the picture I had struggled to see just a second earlier, suddenly became a floating image. A clear image, centered between my eye and the object that reflected it. No longer did I have to concentrate on holding still, instead I could focus my attention on interpreting the images. The license plates that I couldn’t read, were now steady and clean, not only could I read the plate numbers, but the state identified on it.

I had quickly become less skeptical about this little scope, and couldn’t wait to get it into a real field shooting position to see what it can really do. Easily operated, the Oscar has an adjustable zoom from 10-20X on the ocular end, and the focus is done by turning the objective end of the scope. The switch on top of the unit turns on the stabilization.
Fast forward a few days, and I found myself surrounded by hundreds of miles of Utah’s west desert. Myself and a few friends had made our way up the steep edge of a rocky ridge, overlooking a seemingly unending sage brush flat. Our quarry that day was any number of jackrabbits who called the sagebrush home. We had already spotted several, and knew they were out there, hiding among the brush. Their color matching almost perfectly the plants and ground that they inhabited. So many times one would spot a rabbit, and until it moved, you could never be sure what exactly it was.

It was time to put the Oscar to work, laying down in tumbleweeds and rocks to look through my rifle scope was just too cumbersome, at least to spot the rabbits. My rangefinder was handy, but with only 8X, it made target investigation a little tedious. The Oscar’s ability to zoom in to as much as 20X, and its image stabilization would be perfect for picking out the slightest movement. The quick nature of engaging rabbits made for some challenging transitions from a spotting to a shooting position. But one after another, we found the jackrabbits, sneaking about through the brush. Some of them were quite close, others were as far as three or four hundred yards away. The fate of the former was quite “dispersed” no thanks to my SRS, who has grown quite a taste for large rodents.
As the rabbit population either “aired out”, or burrowed furiously out of sight, and I sat there picking the rocks and tumbleweed stickers from my elbows, I continued to test the Oscar. Taking pictures of a nearby cattle herd through it, as well as scanning the surrounding area. The only gripe if any I might have about this little scope, is that when engaged, if you look really hard at some things, you can almost see a “boiling” impression. An effect I assume must come from whatever tech Sig uses to stabilize the image, I didn’t find it to be a detrimental factor, nor did it impede my ability to spot my targets.

I’ve taken the Oscar from the hot dry desert, and its mirage laden plains, to the snow covered tops of the rocky mountain’s peaks. The Oscar 3 from Sig Sauer has certainly proven itself to be very valuable in my opinion. I think I would even trade a good set of binoculars for it. As a hunter, I think it would be a very valuable tool to inspect potential targets. And also as a hunter, I can greatly appreciate the compact size and weight it comes in. Giving me an on the go kind of spotter, quick to deploy and keep tabs on a moving target. All while providing an outstanding image with which to judge by.
I wonder if, even with the image stabilization, would it be worth it to add a coarse reticle to the Oscar. To provide corrective calls and range/size estimations. I suppose that would be a question for the engineers at Sig.
As for me, I plan on keeping this little handful of help as close as possible, for as long as I can. It has already proved to be a valuable tool to keep in my pack, and I intend on using it thoroughly as this season comes in.
-CBM

Rangefinder Shootout

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Rangefinder Shootout

rangefinders
One of the most important tools a marksman can have in his bag, is a good rangefinder. When I first started shooting, I didn’t have the money to buy one, neither did I have the sense to. Interesting how something seemingly insignificant would soon become indispensable. I figured a lot of these things out the hard way, the stupid way you could even say. Despite my hardheaded approach to distance shooting, I got pretty good at estimating range. A skill that was later confirmed by the rangefinder that had done without far too long.
By the time I finally purchased a laser rangefinder, I had at least gained enough smarts to recognize what I needed.
My first purchase was a Leica 1200, a good piece of equipment that served me very well. I quickly learned as I played with other rangefinders that good ones usually reach beyond their limits. While lower end units, wouldn’t even reach advertised distances.
As my skills matured, and distances became longer, I out grew that old Leica, and it’s since been replaced by a newer CRF model. I also stepped up to a Swarovski Laserguide, as with my Leica, the Swarovski reached well beyond its advertised envelope, reaching to 1800+ yards in the right conditions.
These tools have sharpened this shooters abilities, through day to day use, and confirming estimations.
Well, I was recently handed one of the new Sig Sauer Kilo 2000 rangefinders. I have heard many good things about this new line of optics from Sig. And this Kilo seemed like a big winner.
With an advertised range of 3400yds (reflective) I was very optimistic. In my opinion, it fell into that price range where rangefinders always underperformed. But even so I thought, if it reaches half what they advertise, it’d be worth the money.
I quickly made my way to my Rocky Mountain haunt, to put the Kilo against my Leica CRF1200, and my Swarovski Laserguide.
I’m a simple guy, I don’t care much for bells and whistles. So though the Kilo features an angle adjusted range, I switched it to simple range only. I can do field math, I like whole numbers, and percentages. I don’t need my optics to do it for me. Plus I like to know exactly what I’m getting into.
A quick run through the various rock piles in my cold and snowy canyon would tell me how well the Kilo measured up. 12790832_1704415849801909_8589088304493706408_n
At the quarter mile mark, all three rangefinders barely broke a sweat. My first impression of the Kilo was how fast it returned with a reading. Faster than my Leica, and twice the speed of the Swarovski. “This will triple the speed at which I miss my targets.” I thought to myself, “better slow down”.
I soon noticed a slight difference in color while looking through the Kilo, a bluish hue that was quite apparent (see pics). This is certainly not a big deal, at least to me. It was certainly lighter as well, easily placed in a pocket to be carried. The optical field of view looking through the Kilo was almost exactly the same as my CRF1200, the quality was comparable as well. Both of them were narrow compared to the Laserguide, which also had a better image I might add. But for twice the price of the others, it ought to.
I pushed all three RF’s one after another out to 1050yds, all three of them working flawlessly. And returning ranges to within +/-1 or 2 yards. Perfectly acceptable for a guy who’s targets are +/-2 or 3 yards wide right?
Up to this point I had to say I was pretty happy about the results. Simply because For most people I know, a good rangefinder that will reliably hit 1,000yds plus and cost under 500$ is a pretty good deal.12321320_1704415956468565_4349457969971441508_n
Well I had to push them further. The sunlight was fading somewhat as it hid behind the evening clouds to the west. I thought surely I could push the Kilo further, but to my surprise I couldn’t get it to read on anything further out.
I thought that perhaps maybe this Kilo couldn’t hang with my “higher end” RF’s. So I pulled out my Leica, and the Top hat it came with, and tried to hit the same rock. To my surprise, it wouldn’t read either. I suppose the light and conditions weren’t good enough for either RF to read. But before I put shame upon the two smaller units, I figured I’d check to see how the Swarovski would fair.
Sure enough, as usual, the Laserguide came through. Showing 1300yds. My suspicions about light angles and conditions were confirmed, as my Swarovski would reach no further in the cold quiet canyon. Leaving me scratching my head.
Further testing is warranted, and no doubt I will get more info. I’d like to see how far this Kilo will really go, I am skeptical that it will actually reach advertised distances due to my experiences, as well as those of others. None the less, I am very impressed that Sig has produced this RF for less than 500$ and that easily hits to 1000 yards and beyond. If I could go back to the beginning of my shooting career and sell myself this Kilo, it may have been one of the best purchases made.
I won’t be replacing my Swarovski anytime soon, but if I was in the market for a new rangefinder, for hunting, or practical shooting, the Kilo 2000 would be top contender.