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October 17th, 2009
Greatest Hits: Nightforce NXS vs. Nightforce BR ModelLINK: Nightforce NXS vs. Benchrest Model Compared 
October 6th, 2009
Vortex Releases New HD 5-20x50mm Tactical ScopeVortex Optics of Middleton, Wisconsin has introduced the impressive new Razor HD 5-20x50mm tactical scope. With HD objective glass, this new scope is very bright and very sharp. It also has a ton of vertical and horizontal adjustment. Advanced design and a fat, 35mm maintube give the Razor 5-20×50 a whopping 125 MOA (36 milrads) of total adjustment (combined above and below center) for both elevation and windage. 125 MOA of adjustment is huge. That’s enough vertical for ultra-long-range shooting with almost any modern cartridge.
Impressive APO and HD Glass on new 5-20×50 Razor
Vortex’s RZR (Rapid Zero Return) Zero Stop mechanism employs a rotational-blocking steel design. Vortex claims this patent-pending system is “mechanically more reliable and accurate than other systems that block the vertical movement of the turret”. The RZR Zero Stop delivers precise return to zero without the need to count clicks. The 5-20x50mm Razor features waterproof/dustproof/shockproof construction and boasts a full 3.9″ of eye relief through the entire 5-20X range of magnification. This impressive new tactical scope has an MSRP of $2499.00, while “street price” is about two grand. For $1999.95, SWFA.com offers the 5-20×50 HD with 0.1 milrad clicks and EBR-2 reticle (item RZR551), or with 1/4 MOA clicks and EBR-1 reticle (item RZR550).
Vortex Optics and Unconditional Lifetime Warranty
October 1st, 2009
Spotting Scope Stands for F-Class and ProneThe 2009 F-Class Nationals are underway right now at Camp Butner, NC. While riflescopes are allowed in both F-Open and F-TR classes, many competitors use a spotting scope as well. With a low-mounted spotting scope placed near the shooter, you can keep your riflescope trained on the target, then quickly check wind flags or mirage by looking through the spotter. Here’s a smart product from Ray-Vin.com that lets F-Class and prone shooters mount their spotting scopes in the ideal viewing position. Ray-Vin’s patented MKII F-Stand is solid and sturdy, and “floats” the scope close to the shooter’s head without interfering with the placement of a front pedestal rest or ultra-wide bipod. The base can sit off the shooter’s mat.
How much? The entire F-Stand package costs $310.00, including 8″ bottom for prone, two 24″ extensions, Ray-Vin 360 Head, and Take-Off Knob. But if you don’t need the extensions, you can purchase components separately.
You can see that the F-Stand places the spotting scope right where the shooter wants it, yet the legs do not interfere with the shooting position. A heavy-duty milled metal bracket clamps the base stud and scope rod securely. The F-stand will hold even heavy 80mm spotting scopes without flexing.
September 30th, 2009
Swarovski Sale at Cabelas.comNow through the end of October, 2009, Cabela’s is running a major Sale on Swarovski Optics. You’ll find significant savings on Swarovski products. Many Swaro spotting scope models are $200.00 off, and Swaro binoculars have been discounted by as much as $250.00.
To get Cabela’s best discounts on Swarovski products, click the sale icon below:
September 14th, 2009
Good Deal on Sightron SII 6.5-20x42mm ScopeHere’s a very good deal if you’re looking for a quality zoom optic for a varmint rifle. Natchez Shooters Supply currently has the Sightron SII 6.5-20X42mm zoom scope on sale for just $299.99. While not the “latest or the greatest”, this is a good optic that has reliable tracking and precise front parallax/focus control. For most daylight conditions, even at 20-power, the 42mm objective will give you a nice, bright picture, though the exit pupil will be smaller than on a scope with a 50mm or larger front objective.
The Sightron SII 6.5-20×42, Natchez product SH200198, weighs just 2.11 lbs, and comes with a standard duplex reticle. Click values are 1/8-MOA. We’d prefer 1/4-MOA clicks for a varmint scope, but this does give you extra-precise adjustments. The nitrogen-filled SII scope body is waterproof, fogproof, and shockproof. A screw-in sunshade is included, and the scope is covered by the Sightron Lifetime Warranty.
September 10th, 2009
New 5-25x56mm Tactical Scope from Premier ReticlesPremier Reticles has introduced a new 5-25x56mm “Premier Heritage” Tactical scope. This is a proper First Focal Plane (FFP) tactical scope, offering 1 cm/0.1 milrad turret click values matched with an illuminated reticle with cm/milrad hash marks. (27 milrad Double-Turn knobs are standard; 1/4-MOA clicks are optional.) Total elevation is a whopping 31 milrads (107 MOA). This is not a single-rev turret design, but one revolution covers 15 mils or about 51 MOA. For practical purposes, most shooters can get out to 1000 within one revolution if you have an angled scope base. The scope is 16.34″ overall with a beefy 34mm-diameter main tube. The 5-25x56mm Premier weighs 1.1 kg (39 ounces) and lists for $2899.00. Expect the “street price” to be about $2750.00.
CLICK HERE for full Specifications and more photos • First Focal Plane Illuminated Reticle Gen 2 XR CLICK HERE for Scope Option List
FFP Reticle Features Strong Demand for New Scope
*NOTE: On Premier’s spec sheet, elevation is listed as 30 milrad/103 MOA. That was for the prototype. Production models have more.
September 2nd, 2009
Phoenix Rear Sights Impress Match ShootersPhoenix Precision, based in Elk River, MN, crafts precision target sights for long range target shooters. Known for their outstanding reliability and repeatability, Phoenix rear sights are gaining popularity among competitors in prone, Palma, and High Power disciplines. Some of the top “sling and irons” shooters in the country have switched to Phoenix sights. Gary LaValley, owner of Phoenix Precision, crafts his rear sights using advanced CNC machinery. The sight housings are anodized, aircraft-grade aluminum. For precise repeatability, the sights feature stainless guide pins and lead screws, plus oil-impregnated bronze guide and thread bushings. The sights offer 70 MOA of elevation, 60 MOA of windage, with 1/4-MOA clicks. Knob rotations for elevation and windage are either NRA match rifle (Counter-CW) or service rifle (CW). Quarter-minute clicks are standard, but on request for the Palma shooters, 1/2-MOA windage detent plates are available at no extra charge. Phoenix sights accept both Anschutz and Gehmann accessories.
Phoenix Precision micrometer rear sights are offered in two basic models: top mount ($380.00), and side mount ($355.00). Both types are available in either right- or left-hand configuration (no extra charge for lefties). Top mount models are designed for use on rail-equipped AR flattops, tube guns, Tubb 2000s, and Gary Eliseo stocks. Side mount models are most commonly used on bolt action rifles, but they also work on Picatinny or Weaver-style rails with the use of an adaptor. So, if you have both an older-style Palma rifle and a new, rail-topped tube-gun, you can use the sight on both rigs. Many shooters do use the same Phoenix rear sight on multiple rifles, as shown in the video below. In the video, when real competitors talk about their Phoenix sights, you hear two things time and again: “quality” and “repeatability”. 
For more information about Phoenix Target Sights and Scope Rails, visit www.PhoenixPrec.com, or call Gary LaValley at (763) 263-3327.
August 30th, 2009
Recycle Optics and Firearms with SWFA Trade-In Program
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. (Wouldn’t it be nice to swap some old glass for a new Schmidt & Bender?) 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 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.
August 24th, 2009
Optics Bargains on SWFA Sample ListIf you’re a bargain hunter, check out the Sample List maintained by SWFA.com. Here you’ll find scores of optics items and accessories at below wholesale prices. Many of these products are new (never been sold) items, that were used in trade shows or as demos.
SWFA has recently revamped its website, making the Sample List easier to navigate. Now with one click you can find the Latest 25 Additions. Here are some of the recent bargain offerings: Leupold 8.5-25×50 Vari-X III, Stock #10767 Leupold 25×40 FX-3 Silhouette Scope (Fixed Power), Stock #10413 Leica 10×42 Geovid HD (LRF/Binocular), Stock #10611 Swarovski 8×30 Laser Guide Rangefinder, Stock #s 1368-1371 (multiple units) Zeiss 85mm Diascope T* Flourite Body, Stock #10425
August 20th, 2009
Nikon Unveils New EDG Spotting ScopesThere is an “arms race” going on now among the top optics-makers trying to grab market share at the high end of the spotting scope field. Prices have climbed into the stratosphere as companies provide ever-bigger objectives with ultra-premium glass. The latest 80+ mm “super-spotters” are running $3000 to $4000 with zoom eyepieces. Last year, Kowa released its superb flourite-lensed TSN-883/4 Prominar at $2905.00 (88mm body with 20-60 zoom eyepiece). Leica followed suit with its Televid 82 APO spotting scope priced at $3995 (82mm body with 20-50 Vario eyepiece, $3195.00 body only). Yep, that’s four grand for a spotting scope — we could buy a nice used truck for that.
New Nikon EDG 65mm and 85mm Spotting Scopes
Will the new Nikon EDGs run with the top-of-the-line Kowa, Leica, Swarovski, and Zeiss spotters? We’ll have to wait until comparison testing can be done. But we can say that the new Nikons EDGs are a big step up from past Nikon Fieldscopes. The EDG body is more compact and the unit is better balanced. We like the large focus ring, but would prefer a dual-focus system. The mounting bracket looks very solid, which should reduce wobbles when mounted on a tripod. Early reviewers say that the EDGs are very bright, with outstanding eyepieces. New, Improved ED Eyepieces
High Power and iron sights shooters will like the new 20X/25X LER (long eye relief) eyepiece. This provides enough power to see target spotters, while offering easy viewing (and a wide field of view), when you are in shooting position and want to take a quick look through the glass. This eyepiece features ED glass, and provides 20X magnification with the smaller 65mm Fieldscope and 25X magnification with its 85mm big brother. All the new EDG eyepieces feature fuully multi-coated lenses, and many offer twist-out eyecups, which are handy for eye-glass wearers. 
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Ranging is simplified with Vortex Optics’ proprietary new EBR-2 milrad reticle. Laser-etched and placed in the first focal plane, the reticle enlarges and shrinks with the target when zoomed so the scale remains constant at all magnifications. In addition, the subtensions on the EBR-2 milrad reticle match the 0.1 milrad turret clicks for simpler ranging and adjustments.
The F-Stand is shown with Ray-Vin’s $85.00 Scope Head. This head allows the shooter to adjust scope height, rotation (around the stand shaft), scope angular elevation, and eyepiece orientation, all with one control. Some other scope heads, though more expensive, require you to use multiple knobs or friction adjusters. Conveniently, most of the adjustments can be done easily with one hand, using the black adjusting handle. Smart engineering we’d say.
The new scope has some nice features. First, the new 5-25x56mm Premier has tons of elevation. Total elevation is 31 milrads (equivalent to 107 MOA). As noted there are 15 mils (51 MOA) per revolution. Second, using a patent-pending 
Big brother to the Premier Heritage 3-15x50mm introduced last year, the 5-25×56 offers excellent brightness, resolution, sharpness and contrast, along with superior color fidelity and light transmission (93% average across all wavelengths). The tactical windage and elevation adjustments on both Heritage scopes feature the patent-pending 
