Burris is expanding its line of Eliminator range-finding Laserscopes. Burris is rolling out three new Laserscope models: 4-16x50mm Eliminator III, plus 4-12x42mm Eliminator II, and 3.5-10x40mm Eliminator. The innovative Eliminator technology, first introduced in the original 4-12x42mm model, combines a variable-power zoom optic with a built-in Laser RangeFinder. The range-finder calculates the distance to your target, and then displays a red dot range-corrected hold-over point. Just put the dot on your target and pull the trigger. You don’t have to spin your elevation knob.
New Eliminator III Ranges at All Powers
The new top-of-the-line 4-16x50mm Eliminator III is slimmer and less bulky than the original Eliminator. The Eliminator III features a new X96 reticle that will range at any magnification, and it offers a more sophisticated ballistics solver. With the Eliminator III you can now enter BOTH the bullet drop at 750 yards PLUS the ballistic coefficient (BC) for the specific bullet you are using.
The Eliminator III’s X96 reticle also incorporates a new windage compensation system of dots that show lateral hold-off points. By using the dots, you can compensate for wind-drift without dialing the windage knob. The digital readout displays a 10 MPH Wind Value as a “Dot Value” for the shooter’s specific cartridge at the indicated range. Suggested retail price for the new Eliminator III is $1,499.00.
Eliminator II Features Angle Compensation and Remote Activation Switch
The new 4-12x42mm Eliminator II laserscope features the X38 reticle. Burris claims the Eliminator II can range to 999 yards, but we suspect that’s optimistic. We are pleased that the new Eliminator II comes standard with angle compensation that helps hunters make uphill and downhill shots. The Eliminator II comes equipped with a remote activation switch that can be attached to the firearm’s forearm or the scope’s objective bell. Like the other Eliminators, you can program the ballistics solver for different guns/loads. Suggested retail price for the Eliminator II is $999.00.
The new Eliminator 3.5-10x40mm is similar in design to the original Eliminator. The 3.5-10x40mm ranges out to 800 yards, with a ballistics solver you can program for any gun/load. The 3.5-10X Eliminator must be set to 10x power when ranging targets or trophies. Suggested retail price is $799.00.
$100.00 Rebate on First Gen 4-12x42mm Eliminator Laserscope
The original Eliminator 4-12x42mm was the first affordable laser rangefinding riflescope, and now there is a $100 rebate on the first-generation 4-12x42mm Eliminator, making it even easier to fit within your budget. Visit www.BurrisOptics.com for more information.
Carl Zeiss Sports Optics has just announced its latest FIELD DAYS promotion. From August 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012, Zeiss is offering consumers significant savings on many of its most popular optics. With FIELD DAYS mail-in rebates you can save money on rifle scopes, spotting scopes, laser rangefinders, and rangefinding binoculars.
Here are the FIELD DAYS Rebate offers:
$500 rebate on the 65mm and 85mm VICTORY DiaScope. Customers who purchase a DiaScope will also receive a free, portable tripod.
$300 rebate on the award-winning VICTORY RF rangefinding binoculars
$50 rebate on the award-winning VICTORY 8×26 PRF laser rangefinding monocular
$100 rebate on the NEW Conquest HD 42mm binoculars
$100 rebate on the NEW Conquest 30mm Duralyt Riflescopes
$100 rebate on all riflescopes that have any Rapid-Z reticle
How to Get Your Discounts
All purchases must be made from a Carl Zeiss Authorized Dealer in the United States and rebate request forms must be completed and postmarked within 30 days of purchase. Payment will be made by a ZEISS Prepaid Reward Card by American Express. For promotion details, visit www.zeiss.com/sports and click the “Promotions” link on the left. Then click the Field Days Promotion Link. For more information, call 800-441-3005.
Swarovski has just announced a truly revolutionary spotting scope system. Imagine a “normal” spotting scope sliced in half, with separate objective (front) units and separate eyepiece (rear) units. This way you can have both straight and angled viewing options, and you can select from three (3) different objectives (65mm, 85mm, 95mm), depending on the light-gathering and max magnification you need for the job (and the weight you’re willing to carry).
The new Swarovski Optik ATX/STX Modular Spotting Scope combines a straight (#49902) or angled (#49901) rear eyepiece module with any one of three front objective sections, the largest of which is a whopping 95mm. All three available objectives have coated HD lenses for high contrast, low chromatic aberration, and optimal light transmission. These lenses are bright, with excellent color fidelity.
Both eyepiece modules have extended-eye-relief ocular lenses, with a “field-flattener” lens design that provides high contrast and correct geometry all the way out to the edge of the image. The eyepiece modules deliver either 25-60X or 30-70X power depending on front module. NOTE: The eyepieces are built into the rear modules — they are non-removable and you can’t swap in a third-party eyepiece. However, digiscoping adapter can also be fitted in the rear.
Watch Video to See Product Features and Lens Modules Changed in Field
With front and rear modules joined, the zooming and focusing rings are located right next to each other. This allows you to zoom quickly, and then easily fine-tune the focus without moving your hand. Centralizing both controls is smart because you don’t have to take your head away from the eyepiece to look for one control or the other. Your hand can stay in one position. We’ve always liked the large-diameter focus rings on Swarovski spotting scopes. Now, with the new modular Swarovski system, you get the advantage of a large-diameter, centralized zoom control as well.
Big Money for Complete System
As you might expect, the Swarovski ATX/STX system commands a premium price. Either angled or straight eyepiece module is $2179.00 at EuroOptic.com. The 65mm front objective module is $879.00, but you’ll pay $1599.00 for the 85mm objective module. The biggest 95mm objective module costs $1899.00. So, for an angled rear module plus the jumbo 95mm objective, you’re looking at $4078.00 total. If you want BOTH rear modules AND the 95mm objective, you’ll need to pony up $6257.00! That’s got to be some kind of record for consumer spotting scopes. The minimum you can spend (for one rear module and 65mm objective), will be $3058.00, which is still pretty pricey. There are some significant advantages to this modular system though. For example, transport and storage is simplified, and we like the ability to choose the objective size based on the “mission”. You don’t need a 95mm objective to see bullet holes at 100 yards. But at long range, a bigger objective can be very useful.
Hey Burris, Leupold, Sightron and Weaver — are you reading this? If you want to dominate the market for varmint scopes, give us a large elevation knob offering at least 20 MOA in a single revolution. IOR and U.S. Optics already offer this “one-rev” option on tactical scopes and it is clearly superior when moving back and forth between multiple yardages. Schmidt & Bender offers a single-turn option on some S&B PMII Tactical scopes, along with a color-coded, double-turn elevation turret option.
IOR’s big 9-36×56 scope offers 25 MOA of elevation in ONE ROTATION (and about 75 MOA overall). If you use the zero stop, that one rotation (25 MOA) will get most rifles to 850 yards with ease (and very few varmint shots are made beyond that). That means you should never loose track of your elevation setting. Right in front of your nose is a large visible number that corresponds to your actual come-up: “7” for 7 moa, “12” for 12 moa, and so on. Wow–this is so easy compared to other systems that require multiple revolutions and leave you staring at unlabeled hash marks wondering how many clicks you just dialed in or out.
When this Editor first tried a one-rotation elevation knob I had the same reaction I did years ago when I watched a ultra-high-grade flat screen TV for the first time. Then I thought… “wow, this flat screen is just better in every respect and, eventually, will change everything.” Scopes aren’t TV sets, but I think the large one-rotation knob IS a huge advancement — a breakthrough in scope design. When used with a come-up table showing the elevation needed for various yardages (50-1000 yards), the one-rev system makes it really hard to be “way off” in your elevation. With conventional elevation knobs it is very easy to lose track of clicks (and whole revolutions) as you move up and down to different yardages.
The IOR and U.S. Optics products offering 20+ MOA in one-revolution are large, heavy, expensive scopes. The big elevation knob on the IOR Ultra Long Range scope has about 125 MOA total elevation (25 MOA per turn) with 1/4-MOA clicks. The large flat EREK (Erector Repositioning Elevation Knob) on the U.S. Optics scopes offers 22.5 MOA per revolution, with a total of about 62 MOA in a 5-25 SN-3 model with 1/4-MOA clicks.
Scope-Makers Should Adapt Technology to Varmint Scopes
It’s time for the mainstream scope makers to bring this techology to the market. Adding a one-revolution elevation knob (with 25 moa of travel) to a $600.00 varmint scope would make a huge difference in practical functionality in the field. You could reliably click back and forth between yardages all day long and never lose track of your elevation setting. This is almost as easy as a yardage-calibrated elevation knob (but not limited to a single load.) So, you scope makers out there… How about giving us a one-revolution elevation knob on an affordable hunting scope?
Do you have a nice scope mounted to a “safe queen” rifle that never gets used? Or maybe you have a set of premium binoculars you bought for that Alaskan hunting trip you never got to take?
Now you can convert those valuable optics into cash with the SWFA Trade-In Program. You can either sell your gear outright to SWFA, or trade your items in on new products. Just fill out an online appraisal form, upload a photo, and SWFA will evaluate your submitted product. You can designate whether you want to sell your item outright, or trade it in on new gear.
Trade Your Pre-Owned Optics or Firearms
While SWFA specializes in optics, you can also trade-in firearms, or even barter hunting holidays. SWFA says: “We gladly accept trades on just about anything of value (firearms of any type, scopes, binoculars, spotting scopes, hunts). You never know unless you ask!”
Note, you must submit an Online Appraisal Form for all items submitted for trade-in. In addition, SWFA needs a digital JPEG photo of each item, 400 pixels wide and 300 pixels high.
Carl Zeiss Sports Optics has made its top-end spotting scopes much more affordable. From August 1, 2012 through the end of the year, Zeiss is offering a whopping $500 rebate on its 65mm and 85mm Victory DiaScope spotting scopes. Those who purchase a DiaScope during this time will also receive a free portable tripod to enhance their viewing pleasure. This rebate offer is part of the Carl Zeiss 2012 Field Days Promotion. Visit Zeiss.com on August 1st for full details of the DiaScope promotion and other Field Days special offers.
The current Zeiss DiaScope models were launched in 2010 and won Field & Stream’s Best of the Best award, Outdoor Life’s Editor’s Choice award, Petersen’s Hunting’s Editor’s Choice award and the prestigious international Red Dot Design Award. It has many impressive features, including one-piece construction, full armor, and an innovative Dual Speed Focus System (DSF). For those seeking extreme magnification, the DiaScope has an edge over other premium spotting scopes — MORE POWER. The DiaScope’s 20-75x eyepiece remains the most powerful on the market today.
AccurateShooter.com Field Tests: Zeiss vs. Other Premium Spotting Scopes
We have tested the latest Zeiss 85mm DiaScope against high-end scopes from Swarovski, Nikon, and Pentax. Viewed at equivalent 60 power, the Zeiss glass was sharper, brighter, and clearer than both the Nikon and Pentax (showing less chromatic aberration). Contrast and sharpness was very, very close to the Swarovski, with possibly a tiny edge to the Swaro in contrast. Some of our testers prefered the DiaScope’s Dual Speed Focus. It is definitely fast. Others preferred the simplicity of the big, full-diameter ring on the Swarovski. But when we wanted max magnification, the DiaScope offered significantly more power than the Swaro: 75X for the Zeiss vs. 60X for the Swaro. Advantage Zeiss.
How about price? A Swarovski ATM-80 HD (Angled) with 20-60X eyepiece currently costs about $3059.00. The Zeiss Victory DiaScope 85T FL (Angled) with 20-75x eyepiece retails for about $3150.00 before rebate. If you knock $500.00 off the Zeiss with the rebate, you can get the 85mm Zeiss DiaScope for $409.00 less than the 80mm Swarovski. That should secure more buyers for the Zeiss. But anyone looking at ultra-premium spotting scopes should also consider the 88mm Kowa TSN-883/884 Prominar with Fluorite Glass. The Kowa is superb — perhaps the new benchmark for 80+ mm class spotters. The 88mm Angled version is $2450.00 for body only. CLICK HERE for Kowa TSN-880 Series Gear Review.
If you use a balance-beam scale to weigh powder and reloading components, here’s a clever way to magnify the view of the beam tip. Of course you can use an old-fashioned magnifying glass, clamped in place, to upsize the view. But now there’s a parallax-free, electronic solution that works for anyone with an iPhone or Android OS smartphone.
Forum member Allan E. (aka “1066”) discovered that he could use the camera on his smartphone to display and magnify the image of a balance-beam tip. This works via a Magnifying Glass App you can download for free. Just turn on the smartphone, activate the Magnifying Glass App and zoom-in to suit your preference. Alan explains: “This saves those tired eyes. It’s much more accurate because there’s no parallax — the lens is directly in line with the pointer so we can see [the pointer] off the screen from any angle. It’s a much clearer view, and it costs nothing.”
You’ll need to fabricate some kind of stand or clamp for the phone. Allan created a smartphone mount with a bit of wire, rubber bands, and a bullet box. You can see the system working in the video below. (The video starts by showing a webcam + laptop balance-beam monitor system. The Smartphone system demo begins at the 1:30″ time-mark.)
Magnifying Glass Apps for iPhones and Android Phones
There are numerous ‘magnifying glass’ programs for Apple and Android smartphones that use the built-in camera. Most include a zoom function and auto-focus. You might try a couple different Apps and see which works best for you. Some perform better in low light, while others resolve better. All of the following have 4-star or better user ratings:
Leupold has launched a redesigned website with more intuitive navigation and many new features. Products are now organized into four main categories: Hunting and Shooting, Tactical, Observation, and Golf. Drop-down menus under each heading shorten the time for users to locate detailed info on specific products. An enhanced Leupold Scope Finder feature allows users to filter the entire catalog down through six categories:
Type of firearm
Price range
Maximum magnification range
Objective size range
Choice of Bullet Drop Compensation reticles
Illuminated or non-illuminated
With the new Scope Finder, a Comparison Tool lets users review scopes side-by-side. Key scope specs appear in adjacent columns for easy comparison shopping. Mike Slack, Leupold’s Sr. manager of advertising and communications notes: “The site’s new Scope Finder tool should help consumers quickly find the right product for their needs.”
New Leupold Site Works Well with Tablets and Smartphones
Leupold designed its new website to be fast to load and quick to navigate for users with smartphones and tablets. iPhone and Android phone users will note that the navigation is much simpler and most function screens can be utilized without excessive scrolling.
Story Tip by EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
Unlike benchrest shooters, hunters need to be able to make shots with significant up-angles or down-angles. That whitetail buck may be poised on a ridgetop above you, or in a valley below. When making an angled shot, the hunter faces a complex ballistic solution. This is because the angle of the shot alters the effective ballistic distance to the target. Whether you shoot up-angle or down-angle, you must adjust your elevation “clicks” as if you are shooting a shorter distance. See the diagram below. The drop of your bullet is a function of gravity, which remains constant. When you shoot at a steep angle, the actual bullet travel over the ground will be less than the sloped distance to your target.
But how do you determine the flat-line or “gravity-corrected distance”? There’s a simple tool that will do the job: the patented Angle Cosine Indicator (ACI®) invented by U.S. Army Veteran Ward Brien.
When you aim your rifle at an angle, the ACI shows the cosine value of your intended shot by means of a highly visible index mark. You simply multiply the true, sloped distance to your target by the cosine value (as a percentage), to get the corrected, flat line distance to target, i.e. the bottom leg of the triangle. Then set your scope’s elevation accordingly. For example, if you range the line of sight distance to your target at 400 yards, and the ACI shows a cosine value of 0.87 (for 30 degrees), then your flat-line “gravity-corrected distance” is 400 x 0.87 = 348 yards. Now Dial your elevation for 350 yards (from your come-up table).
This simple multiplication method works well for typical 100-300 yard hunting distances, but it’s not perfect. For longer-range shots, out to 1000 yards, some other factors come into play. The most accurate method for long ranges is to input the cosine number into ballistic software, such as Exbal Ballistic Targeting Software, that runs on a PDA or smart phone. The software takes into account the fact that, during an angled shot, the bullet must still travel the full distance to target, and will have a longer time of flight than when covering the flat line distance. At very long ranges there can be as much as eight (8) MOA difference between the simple multiplication method and the solution generated by the ballistic software. NOTE: ACI Inventor Ward Brien has posted a Comment to this article which explains in greater detail why inputting the ACI value into a ballistics program is the “preferred method”.
The Angle Cosine Indicator costs $145.95 from Sniper Tools. The ACI is made from aircraft grade aluminum, anodized flat black. Angles are laser-engraved onto the body in five (5) degree increments. The lens is water-resistant, shatter-proof, and shock-proof. Completely mechanical, there are no batteries or electronics to fail. For more info, visit SniperTools.com, or call (818) 359-0512.
SniperTools.com also offers an Angle Degree Indicator (ADI) for $114.95 (Civilian model). This shows the actual angle from horizontal. If you have a mobile ballistics solver, you can simply input the angle and the ranged yardage and the solver will provide the flatline “gravity-corrected Distance”. Some shooters find it easier to think in terms of the actual angle deflection from horizontal.
There are several ways to mount an ADI or ACI. We prefer a 90° slotted mount attached to a Picatinny rail. SniperTools.com sells a Badger Ordnance ACI/ADI Rail Mount for $60.00.
Those of us over-40 types can use some help when shooting iron sights. As one gets older, your eyes lose the ability to rapidly adjust to different points of focus. In practice, when shooting a rifle, this means the target image may be sharp but the sights are blurry, or vice-versa. Or you may be able to see the target and front sight reasonably well, but the rear sight is a complete blurr. (That is this Editor’s problem when shooting a rifle, such as a Swedish Mauser, with a notched blade rear sight.) Even if you are using a rear peep sight, you may see a blurry rear circle (or two circles if you have astigmatism). Placing a diopter on your shooting glasses can help many people see open sights better, when shooting both handguns and rifles.
Merit Corp. in Schenectady, NY, offers an adjustable metal diopter that attaches to shooting glasses with a rubber cup. Though primarily intended for pistol shooters, the Merit diopter can also be helpful when shooting rifles with open sights, such as military bolt actions. Priced at $65.00, the Merit device features a shutter-style adjustable aperture iris.
Merit explains: “The human eye, whether or not prescription glasses are required, cannot focus on both sights and the target at the same time. The eye will constantly shift focus from the sights to the target trying to ensure proper alignment. Unfortunately, as we age, the eye loses the flexibility which allows it to do this; thus, sights and target begin to grow fuzzy. There is a simple way to combat this by increasing your eyes’ depth of field (range of focus). If you look through an aperture or pinhole of the correct size, you will be able to see both sights clearly, and the target will be clearly defined as well.”
In addition to diopters for eyeglasses, Merit produces a variety of adjustable iris sight products for rifles, including the Variable Iris Aperature for AR15s. Visit MeritCorporation.com or call (518) 346-1420.
Cheaper Diopter from Lyman
If you can’t afford a Merit adjustable diopter, Lyman offers a similar all-plastic device for under $20.00. The Lyman Hawkeye Shooting Aid mounts directly to your eyeglass lens with a rubber suction cup. The diopter section is made of plastic, and aperture diameter is non-adjustable.
Though it is simple and inexpensive, the Lyman Hawkeye works for many shooters, if positioned properly. (Don’t think this is anything close to the Merit Diopter in quality though!) Currently, Cabelas.com has the Lyman Hawkeye on sale for just $12.88, item # IK-229094. MidwayUSA sells the Lyman Hawkeye for $18.99, item # 936878. One MidwayUSA customer reports:
“This thing really works! I have it on my shooting glasses, and it has made a significant improvement in my ability to keep the front sight and target in focus at the same time. If you are older and find that you are having a hard time keeping the target in focus over ‘iron sights’, then this may be the answer to your problem. Mine works equally well for both pistol and rifle, although I do have to change the device’s position on my shooting glasses when changing weapon types.”
Burris is expanding its line of Eliminator range-finding Laserscopes. Burris is rolling out three new Laserscope models: 4-16x50mm Eliminator III, plus 4-12x42mm Eliminator II, and 3.5-10x40mm Eliminator. The innovative Eliminator technology, first introduced in the original 4-12x42mm model, combines a variable-power zoom optic with a built-in Laser RangeFinder. The range-finder calculates the distance to your target, and then displays a red dot range-corrected hold-over point. Just put the dot on your target and pull the trigger. You don’t have to spin your elevation knob.
Carl Zeiss Sports Optics has just announced its latest 
With front and rear modules joined, the zooming and focusing rings are located right next to each other. This allows you to zoom quickly, and then easily fine-tune the focus without moving your hand. Centralizing both controls is smart because you don’t have to take your head away from the eyepiece to look for one control or the other. Your hand can stay in one position. We’ve always liked the large-diameter focus rings on Swarovski spotting scopes. Now, with the new modular Swarovski system, you get the advantage of a large-diameter, centralized zoom control as well.
Big Money for Complete System
The IOR and U.S. Optics products offering 20+ MOA in one-revolution are large, heavy, expensive scopes. The big elevation knob on the IOR Ultra Long Range scope has about 125 MOA total elevation (25 MOA per turn) with 1/4-MOA clicks. The large flat EREK (Erector Repositioning Elevation Knob) on the U.S. Optics scopes offers 22.5 MOA per revolution, with a total of about 62 MOA in a 5-25 SN-3 model with 1/4-MOA clicks.
The current Zeiss DiaScope models were launched in 2010 and won Field & Stream’s Best of the Best award, Outdoor Life’s Editor’s Choice award, Petersen’s Hunting’s Editor’s Choice award and the prestigious international Red Dot Design Award. It has many impressive features, including one-piece construction, full armor, and an innovative Dual Speed Focus System (DSF). For those seeking extreme magnification, the DiaScope has an edge over other premium spotting scopes — MORE POWER. The DiaScope’s 20-75x eyepiece remains the most powerful on the market today.
Magnifying Glass Apps for iPhones and Android Phones
When you aim your rifle at an angle, the ACI shows the cosine value of your intended shot by means of a highly visible index mark. You simply multiply the true, sloped distance to your target by the cosine value (as a percentage), to get the corrected, flat line distance to target, i.e. the bottom leg of the triangle. Then set your scope’s elevation accordingly. For example, if you range the line of sight distance to your target at 400 yards, and the ACI shows a cosine value of 0.87 (for 30 degrees), then your flat-line “gravity-corrected distance” is 400 x 0.87 = 348 yards. Now Dial your elevation for 350 yards (from your come-up table).
SniperTools.com also offers an Angle Degree Indicator (ADI) for $114.95 (Civilian model). This shows the actual angle from horizontal. If you have a mobile ballistics solver, you can simply input the angle and the ranged yardage and the solver will provide the flatline “gravity-corrected Distance”. Some shooters find it easier to think in terms of the actual angle deflection from horizontal.
Merit Corp. in Schenectady, NY, offers an 
Merit explains: “The human eye, whether or not prescription glasses are required, cannot focus on both sights and the target at the same time. The eye will constantly shift focus from the sights to the target trying to ensure proper alignment. Unfortunately, as we age, the eye loses the flexibility which allows it to do this; thus, sights and target begin to grow fuzzy. There is a simple way to combat this by increasing your eyes’ depth of field (range of focus). If you look through an aperture or pinhole of the correct size, you will be able to see both sights clearly, and the target will be clearly defined as well.”
