Category: Accessories

What Exactly is AccuTrigger And Should I Be Using It?

Maybe you’ve heard of AccuTrigger, maybe you haven’t. Sure, it sounds cool, but what does it actually mean? Is it just another name for any old trigger in a rifle?

In this article, we will talk about what AccuTrigger really is, and some advantages and disadvantages to using it.

AccuTrigger – A Basic Adjustable Trigger

Simply put, AccuTrigger is a two-stage adjustable trigger. More specifically, AccuTrigger is a specific trigger that the firearms manufacturer Savage Arms uses. If you’re hearing the term AccuTrigger, it refers to Savage Arms’ triggers, but it is also commonly used to describe other, similar triggers.

There were a few terms used there that maybe not everyone will be familiar with. First, let’s talk about what a two-stage trigger is.

Most triggers that you are probably familiar with are single-stage triggers. In this kind of trigger, there is only one motion that is made in the internals of the trigger mechanism. You pull the trigger back, and at some point, it fires. They are very simple.

In opposition to this, a two-stage trigger has more than one internal motion. The first stage of the trigger pull is pulling out the “slack” in the trigger. Once you’ve reached the end of the first stage, you hit a positive wall. Once you pull the trigger any further than this positive wall, you will reach the second stage of the trigger, which fires the weapon.

The next factor of the AccuTrigger is the fact that it is adjustable. While it may seem simple, al that this means is that you can adjust the weight of the trigger pull. You can make it either easier or harder to pull the trigger, which allows you to customize it to your needs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxQZ1M7FXCM

What are the advantages of an AccuTrigger?

Due to the fact that it is a two-stage, adjustable trigger, you will find that it is much easier to shoot.

Ever shot a weapon that you weren’t exactly sure when it was going to fire? When this happens, you subconsciously are anticipating the weapon firing, which can cause you to flinch, and shoot less accurately.

With an AccuTrigger, this is completely eliminated. You know exactly when the weapon will fire due to the positive wall in the two-stage functioning. This will prevent you from flinching, so you will be able to shoot more accurately.

Similarly, this is the same with the adjustable trigger pull. You will be able to fine-tune the amount of pull it takes to fire the weapon so that it meets your needs very precisely. These two things put together will allow you to be a noticeably more accurate shot.

However, this isn’t just with an AccuTrigger. This is applicable with any adjustable, two-stage trigger. While the AccuTrigger was one of the first, similar triggers are used in Ruger and Marlin weapons.

Should I use an AccuTrigger?

What Scope Does The Military Use

If you have never shot a two-stage, adjustable trigger, you should definitely give it a shot (no pun intended). We think that it will significantly increase your shooting abilities.

However, to say that this is absolutely necessary would be false.

If you are doing any type of precision shooting, a high-quality trigger, such as AccuTrigger, is going to be extremely important to you.

But, if you are hunting, a high-quality trigger like this isn’t exactly necessary. It certainly won’t hurt, but you will be able to get by without it.

Conclusion

AccuTrigger, or any other adjustable, two-stage trigger is a great idea. However, if you aren’t a fan of Savage Arms (as many people aren’t), don’t feel that using an AccuTrigger is absolutely paramount.

It will improve your shooting, but there are other choices. For those who don’t like Savage Arms, these other options would be worth looking into.

Featured Image via SavageArms

How Many Magazines Should I Have?

How many magazines should I have? This is a common question among new firearm owners.

It is a fairly simple question, but it doesn’t really have a simple answer. The primary reason for this is because it depends entirely on what you’re using your weapon for.

In this article, we will talk more about this, and make some basic recommendations for you.

Weapon Uses – Hunting, Self Defense, Home Defense, Range Shooting

Before being able to answer this question, you must first identify what type of shooting you’re going to be doing with your new weapon.

Are you planning on hunting? If so, what type of hunting? Different types of hunting warrant having different numbers of magazines.

If you are using your weapon for self-defense, what is the magazine capacity of the weapon? Are you planning on carrying concealed or open?

In a home defense situation, the same question applies. What is the magazine capacity of the weapon?




Hunting

Shotgun Home Defense Ammo-What Should You Choose
Shotgun Home Defense Ammo-What Should You Choose

This really depends on what type of hunting you are doing. If you are doing nothing but deer hunting out of a stand, you really can get by with only having one or two magazines. In a traditional deer rifle, your magazine capacity is pretty low, but you also aren’t having to take many shots per day.

On the contrary, if you are doing any varmint hunting, coyote hunting, or hog hunting, there’s a good chance you’re using a semiautomatic weapon with a much larger magazine capacity.

With this kind of hunting, there’s also a good chance that you will be taking follow up shots in quick succession. As such, it’s probably going to be better for you to own four or so magazines, to be able to have plenty of ammo for the hunt.

Self Defense

Home Defense Tactics
Home Defense Tactics

If you are carrying a single stack 9mm pistol concealed, there’s a good chance that your magazine capacity is going to be in the neighborhood of 7+1. In this kind of situation, having more ammo could be the difference between life and death.

If you only have eight shots to engage the target… well, you better be a good shot. Having an extra two magazines certainly won’t hurt.

But, if you’re carrying a larger weapon with a larger magazine capacity, you probably can get away with only having one magazine and one spare.

Home Defense

Striker Fired vs Hammer Fired
Striker Fired vs Hammer Fired

This one is kind of broad because so many different weapons are used for this. However, my opinion on this is that you are going to be using the weapon in a stationary area. It’s not like hunting or carrying a weapon, where you have to carry the magazines and extra ammo on you at all times.

In a home defense situation, I would keep as many magazines loaded as you feel comfortable with. For any type of weapon, there’s really no reason that you can’t have six magazines loaded and ready to go, just in case. And you should keep your magazines in the best handgun safe for the money in your home, it will keep safe for your family.

Range Shooting

What Is A Match Grade Barrel Who Should Use It
What Is A Match Grade Barrel Who Should Use It

This one depends entirely on how often you want to reload magazines. You can get by with one magazine at the range and change after every shooting iteration, or you can bring six and change less frequently. The choice is yours.

Personally, I like to bring three magazines to the range. It’s less to keep track of, and I don’t have to spend time between every shot group to reload a magazine. It lets me develop a better shooting rhythm.

Conclusion

As you can see, this is a somewhat general question with a somewhat general answer. It really depends on what type of shooting you plan to be doing. Hopefully this article has pointed you in the right direction, or given you a general idea of how many magazines you should really own.

Vortex Optics Diamondback 4-12×40 Riflescope Review

In this article we will review this extremely popular riflescope from Vortex Optics.

Vortex is very popular in the industry, and for good reason. They produce some extremely high quality optics, and are available at a pretty reasonable cost.

We will fully review the optic in terms of pros and cons, and make some buying recommendations.

The Features of Vortex Diamondback 4-12×40

What Calibers Can You Build an AR-15

Vortex Optics Diamondback 4-12×40 Riflescope Review

This optic measures in at 12.8 inches long with a 40mm objective lens. The magnification range is from 4-12x, and the eye relief is 3.1 inches. Your field of view through the scope is 32.4-11.3 feet at 100 yards.

In terms of size, this scope is not that large, despite its magnification range.

It has some weight to it, but compared to other scopes with similar magnification, this one is definitely around the same size. 

The eye relief is somewhat short, but it definitely works for shooting this scope.



Highlights About Optics Diamondback 4-12×40

Vortex Optics Diamondback 4-12x40 Second Focal Plane Riflescopes

Vortex Optics Diamondback 4-12x40 Second Focal Plane Riflescopes

The scope offers some excellent optical features.

The internals of the scope are fully multi-coated. This allows for maximum light transmission, especially when paired with the large 40mm objective lens.

To put it simply, this light allows maximum light to go through, so you will be able to clearly see everything through the scope.

Another huge pro of this scope is that the reticle is on the second focal plane.

This means that while you change the magnification range, the scale of the reticle remains the exact same. Especially when you are using the bullet drop compensating reticle at longer distance, this is a huge pro for you.

Pros of this product

  • One other thing to consider with the optical features of the scope is how acute the adjustments are. Each click of the turrets allow for a ¼ MOA adjustment. This translates to ¼ inch at 100 yards. As you can see, this is very precise. The turrets also allow for an easy return to zero, once you are done shooting at long distance.

  • However, the best feature of this scope is the durability. It is waterproof, shockproof, and fogproof, and the internals are contained within an aluminum housing that is given a hard anodized finish. This makes for a very tough scope that can withstand the elements and any amount of recoil that you can imagine.





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Cons

In terms of the optics though, there are a couple cons that we found. For one, dependent on the range at which you zero the rifle, the parallax at close range makes the scope nearly unshootable.

However, this scope really isn’t meant for shooting at close range, as evidenced by the minimum 4x magnification.

Another cons that we identified is that the eye relief is pretty unforgiving.

While the scope can withstand the recoil, the eye relief is pretty difficult to manage, especially with larger caliber weapons.

When using a higher magnification, this eye relief becomes difficult to manage.

Lastly, it can have some glare in it at some times. We would recommend adding a sunshade to optimize this scope.

Comparison with another scope

We will compare this scope to some of its competition: the Leupold VX-R 4-12x40mm and Nikon P-308 4-12x40mm. This comparison will give you an idea about what to expect when purchasing the Vortex Optics Diamondback.

As is well known, Leupold makes some of the highest quality scopes on the market. When comparing the Vortex to the Leupold, the Leupold is clearly a better scope (in my opinion). The optics are way clearer, it is just as durable, and we found the reticle to be easier to use. However, Leupold scopes are notoriously expensive.

Comparing the Nikon and the Vortex is a much closer comparison. Nikon offers great optical features, but the scopes are extremely similar in the end. They are both very accurate and easy to shoot with. The reticles are comparable, and the scopes are nearly identical overall. We give a slight edge to the Vortex, but it is very close.

Recommendation

Upon first looking at this best scope for an AR-15, it’s clear to see that it’s obviously meant for long range hunting or hunting with a larger caliber weapon.

It is extremely durable, and it can withstand any recoil from the weapon. As such, it’s great for big game hunting or for use when shooting shotgun slugs.

However, that’s not to say that it’s impossible to use the scope for anything else.

Due to how precise the adjustments can be on this scope, you could use this for longer range target shooting.

After all, this scope does zoom out to 12x, and it does have ¼ MOA adjustments. For target shooting of this nature, the eye relief may not be as much of a concern either.





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Conclusion

Overall, this is a quality scope that offers some great optical features. It is very clear, and extremely durable.

While there are some shortcomings that are to be expected of a scope of this nature, it is a great product for multiple uses when it’s all said and done.

Regardless of your use for the scope, you will pleased with its performance overall.

The Best Red Dot Sight for the AR-15 Rifle

Red dot sights are by far the most popular choice for AR-15's and other AR-frame weapons. Likewise, there are hundreds of different options available on the market. Everyone has their personal favorites, but we can all agree that it is very difficult to decide which is the best red dot sight.

In this article, we will review six of the best red dot sight products available. 

These optics are all great choices, and will serve your weapon well.

We'll discuss all of them in terms of pros and cons, and then we'll provide some buying recommendations for the best red dot sight.

Top Our Pick For Best Red Dot Sight For Ar 15 In 2019

Product Name

Quality

Our Rating

1. Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot Sight Riflescope (Editor's Choice)

A+

2. Vortex Optics Strikefire II Red Dot Sights 

A

3. Burris Fastfire III With Picatinny Mount 3 MOA Sight 

A+

4. Holosun HS503C Parlor 133x54x72mm Circle Dot SightHolosun HS503C Paralow 133x54x72mm Circle Dot Sight

A

5. UTG 4.2" ITA Red/Green CQB Dot with QD Mount, Riser Adaptor

A

6. Sig Sauer SOR52001 Romeo5 1x20mm Compact 2 Moa Red Dot Sight, Black 

A

Review of 6 Best Red Dot For AR 15 On The Market

PRODUCT PRODUCT TITLE
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Editor's Choice

Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot Sight Riflescope

  • Extremely compact
  • Amber-Bright technology
  • Shockproof
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Vortex Optics Strikefire II Red Dot Sights

  • Extremely easy to use
  • Very durable
  • Waterproof
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Ohuhu Red Green Dot Gun Sight Scope Reflex Sight with 4 Reticles

  • Extremely small
  • Made with an Allen key
  • No eye relief and no parallax
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Holosun HS503C Paralow 133x54x72mm Circle Dot SightHolosun HS503C Paralow 133x54x72mm Circle Dot Sight

  • Durable and reliable
  • Ease of use
  • Solar power
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UTG 4.2" ITA Red/Green CQB Dot with QD Mount, Riser Adaptor

  • Waterproof
  • Fogproof
  • Shockproof
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Sig Sauer SOR52001 Romeo5 1x20mm Compact 2 Moa Red Dot Sight, Black

  • Extremely compact size
  • Very durable
  • Optical settings
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Continue reading for our full review of the best red dot sight for an AR-15.

1. Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot Sight Riflescope

Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot Sight Riflescope best red dot sight

Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot Sight Riflescope

This red dot sight from Bushnell is extremely compact. It measures only 2.4 inches long, and only weighs 3.6 ounces—you'll hardly notice that it’s attached to your rifle.

And even better, this scope has unlimited eye relief. You can shoot it with your head placed wherever you want, and with both eyes open. As long as your zero is accurate, your shots will be on target. Just like with the Vortex, this allows for incredibly fast target acquisition.

In terms of light transmission, this scope also performs as well as the Vortex. It has Bushnell’s Amber-Bright technology, and the internals are fully multi-coated. The front lens is amber in color, which improves vision down the sight. However, this scope isn’t quite as bright, because the objective lens is 5mm smaller and slightly limits the amount of light that can enter the optic.

Another similarity to the Vortex is that the scope offers a high level of durability. It's waterproof, shockproof, and fog proof—which is excellent for hunting.

On the other hand, this scope starts to lag a little behind the Vortex is in its accuracy. The reticle of this optic— which is a simple red dot— is 3 MOA in size. It's a pretty large reticle, and at longer distances, the target might completely be covered by the reticle. As you can imagine, that makes it difficult for precise shooting at longer ranges.

Overall, this is an excellent value for the product. It's a quality scope and will serve your AR-15 well. While some have experienced issues with the newer version of this scope, we did not have any problems with ours. It was bright and easy to see the field of view.





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2 .Vortex Optics Strikefire II Red Dot Sights

Vortex Optics Strikefire II Red Dot Sights best red dot sight

Vortex Optics Strikefire II Red Dot Sights

I’m sure you’ve heard of Vortex Optics—they are well-known and respected throughout the industry. They produce many different optical products, including rifle scopes and tactical-style red dot sights. The brand offers an excellent combination of quality and affordability.

The Strikefire II is an internal reflex sight that has very bright red or green reticle. It's super easy to use and offers relatively accurate shooting. The entire system is designed for AR-frame weapons, so it's naturally a great choice.

The optic measures 5.6 inches long and weighs 7.2 ounces. The objective lens is 30 millimeters, and the internals are fully multi-coated, which allows maximum light transmission: it makes the scope very bright and easy to see through.

When you’re looking down the optic, there is no parallax, and red dot provides unlimited eye relief, which allows for easy shooting with both eyes open. The reticle is a simple dot, but there are 10 brightness levels, and you can choose between red or green. The lowest settings are night vision compatible and it makes the sight acquire its targets quickly.

When you power the scope up with the rear-facing controls, it instantly reverts back to the previous brightness setting. If you accidentally leave the power on, it will automatically turn off after 12 hours—significantly increasing the battery life.

The scope itself is also very durable. It is waterproof, shockproof, and fog-proof. The optic is made from an aluminum alloy and has been given a hard anodized finish to match. This optic would be great for hunting or any other outdoor shooting, because of how durable it is. Another aspect of the durability of this scope is that it holds your zero for thousands of rounds.

It super easy to make adjustments with this scope and each click results in a ½ MOA movement; it makes your point of impact move by half of an inch at 100 yards. For an AR-15, this is an incredibly precise adjustment, which allows for very accurate shooting.

Overall, this sight is really easy to use, and it's packed with features. It offers the best bang for your buck. We discovered that it was simple and enjoyable to shoot, and we are able to shoot accurately with it.





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3. Burris Fastfire III With Picatinny Mount 3 MOA Sight

best red dot sight burris fastfire

Burris Fastfire III With Picatinny Mount 3 MOA Sight

The Burris Fastfire is great if you have multiple firearms you’d like to interchange it with. It works well on hunting rifles, shotguns, and handguns. Not only that, it’s equipped for increased target acquisition.

It’s easy to remove the mFounts, and the Fastfire’s recoil tolerance is top-notch. It can endure the recoil of a 0.45 semi-automatic handgun with ease.

Furthermore, this product lets you change the dot’s elevation without using any other equipment. You can set it on auto-bright or manually adjust the brightness yourself.

For the cost, the Burris Fastfire III is an awesome value. Plus it provides perfect alignment with the target and hits directly where the sight is pointed.

The only downer is that you won’t get a good mount from this sight if you want to put it on a revolver. You’d do better using another product that’s more specific to your needs.





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4. Holosun HS503C Paralow 133x54x72mm Circle Dot Sight

best red dot sight Holosun HS503C Paralow 133x54x72mm Circle Dot Sight

Holosun HS503C Paralow 133x54x72mm Circle Dot Sight

This sight from Holosun is a very basic red dot sight. However, don’t let that turn you off from how high quality it is. It's actually one of our favorite red dot sights, despite its simplicity.

The optic measures 5.24 inches long, and weighs in at a tiny 4.25 ounces. As you can see, it’s a really small optic. It’s an internal reflex style red dot, which means that it’s a small tube with two lenses and the actual reticle is inside the tube, between the lenses. The dot is red, and the scope has no magnification.

When most people hear the term “red dot sight,” they think about an external reflex sight. An internal reflex sight works pretty much the same, but the reticle and lights are all on the inside. In my opinion, they are more durable and reliable than external reflex sights, and I think they look a little better.

The pros of this optic are it's ease of use, solar power, and durability.

When we say the ease of use, we mean it in so many different ways. For starters, firing it is a breeze, and the reticle is simple. It’s a basic dot reticle or a circle/dot combination, which makes it super simple to acquire targets and shoot accurately.

The optic is also  adjusted, as most red dots are. All you have to do is open the turrets, and use the simple mechanism to move the reticle. You can clearly to hear and feel the clicks, and it gives you peace of mind in that zero.

Another component of its ease of use is how straightforward it is to install the optic. It has a crossbar style mount, meaning that you can mount it to either Picatinny or Weaver style rails.

The solar power also aids in the simplicity of the scope. Solar energy is something not commonly used in optics. For us, we really liked the feature. The reticle brightness adjusts to the light outside, and when it’s bright enough to power the solar panel, the optic stays on the entire time. As you can imagine, this makes it so simple to use.

This scope also has a battery backup, when it’s not bright enough out to use solar power. The battery life is fantastic, and the scope automatically turns off after a waiting period.

The con of this optic is that it's quite pricey, and it isn’t the most precise optic available. The cost is primarily due to the solar power, and similar optics without this feature are less expensive —based on my research. But in our opinion, it’s worth the extra money.





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5. UTG 4.2" ITA Red/Green CQB Dot with QD Mount, Riser Adaptor

best red dot sight UTG 4.2" ITA Red/Green CQB Dot with QD Mount, Riser Adaptor

UTG 4.2" ITA Red/Green CQB Dot with QD Mount, Riser Adaptor

The UTG 4.2-inch ITA scope is affordably priced, but it offers some decent features. While it isn’t the highest quality scope available, it definitely works for basic tactical uses and range shooting. You wouldn’t shoot in competitions with it, but it's doable.

It measures 4.17 inches long and weighs 9.8 ounces. Similar to the last optic, it’s a standard red dot with no magnification. However, it's different because it has a T-style reticle, which is either red or green.

The highlights of this product are its simplicity and durability. While the optics of the previous sight are better quality, this scope is average—for basic shooting, it works just fine.

The ease of this scope is similar to the Holosun— therefore, we won’t repeat the same features. However, this product has a quick detach base, allowing you to flip a lever to remove it from a Picatinny rail.

As with the Holosun, UTG is also a durable optic. It’s waterproof, fog-proof, and shockproof, and the internals are durable enough to withstand the recoil of multiple weapons. Plus, you can use it on shotguns and rifles with large calibers as well.

Unfortunately, the downside is that the reticle isn’t as simple to operate, isn’t bright enough, and it's not precise. I prefer the circle/dot combination reticle over the T-style—it makes the target acquisition slightly slower, and it's harder to get an accurate shot.

Speaking of the reticle, on bright days it can be challenging to see. The red dot works better than the green dot, but both are hard to view when it’s sunny outside.

Plus, the adjustments of this optic are low as well. If you’re shooting at longer distances, it’s challenging to be accurate with this scope. The reticle is large, and you can’t adjust it properly.





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6. Sig Sauer SOR52001 Romeo5 1x20mm Compact 2 Moa Red Dot Sight, Black

best red dot sight Sig Sauer SOR52001 Romeo5 1x20mm Compact 2 Moa Red Dot Sight, Black

Sig Sauer SOR52001 Romeo5 1x20mm Compact 2 Moa Red Dot Sight, Black

Last up, we’ve got an excellent optic from Sig Sauer. Similar to the previous two optics, this one is an internal reflex sight that is very compact in nature and has no magnification range.

It only measures 2.47 inches long and weighs only 5.1 ounces. As you can see, this is a tiny optic. It’s got a simple 2 MOA red dot style reticle, and really does have some great features. In regard to optical clarity, this may be my favorite on the list.

The biggest advantage of this weapon—other than it's compact size—is its durability, MOTAC, and optical settings. As with all of the other optics, this one is very durable. However, Sig takes it to another level by guaranteeing that the optic is IPX-7 rated.

The MOTAC is a Sig creation. Essentially, the optic is motion activated and will turn on when it senses motion, and turns off when it doesn’t— It’s that simple. It saves a lot of battery. I still prefer the solar power of the Holosun, but by a very slim margin.

Another advantage of this product is that it has two night vision settings to go along with its eight standard settings. It has a wider variety than the other optics mentioned.

Just like the other sights on the list, the red dot is large, and the adjustments aren’t that precise. It's difficult for longer range shooting, but it works for CQB style shooting, and casual range use.





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Buying Recommendations for the best red dot sight

Now that we’ve discussed the scopes, let's go over some buying recommendations.

Simply put, the Vortex is the best of the group.

If you are going to be shooting in low-light conditions or under night vision, the Vortex is the right choice. It will allow more light to pass through, and will be easier to see down.

For hunting, the Bushnell and the Vortex are both great options, because of  how durable they are.

The Advantages Of Using A Red Dot

The primary advantage of using a red dot sight over other optical scopes is that it’s more affordable. Not only that, but they’re a lot safer than sights that use holographic technology. Unfortunately, if a holographic sight breaks, your eye could potentially come into contact with the laser and cause damage.

Another great benefit of red dots is that it spots targets quickly. The scope accommodates a variety of firearm sizes, and it helps you precisely view your target with both eyes.

What To Look For When Buying The Best Red Dot Sight

Luckily, one red dot sight fits a variety of AR-15’s within the same class—which helps you save money on buying multiple equipment. With that said, you want to choose one that’s durable, has good performance, and is interchangeable.

You can find a cheap red dot for about fifty bucks, but we’d advise you to stay away from those. Primarily because  you’ll find yourself replacing it regularly—it’s best to invest in a quality dot and save yourself the headache.

In regards to the MOA  dot size to get, 4MOA will due for professional shooters. It usually does well on multiple types of guns, especially rifles. On the other hand, if you’re a private consumer range, 2MOA to 3.5MOA is the best fit.

Lastly, you have to make sure you get a size you’re comfortable with. A dot that’s too large makes it difficult to see the target clearly, and one that’s too little is distracting.

Final Thoughts On The Best Red Dot Sight

Hopefully, our review of the best red dot sight was useful to you. When considering some of the things that we mentioned, it should be easier for you to select an optic for your weapon.

Buying a the best red dot sight for your AR is an overwhelming experience. Choosing one of these, especially the Bushnell or the Vortex, will be a great choice for you.

For range shooting, either of these two options is a great choice. They are both good optics, but the Vortex may be slightly more accurate, especially at longer distance.

Should You Use a Sunshade for Your Scope?

The purpose of a sunshade is to shield the amount of light that enters the scope. Essentially, it does a lot to minimize the glare, which can help your eyes and improve your accuracy.

Sure, that sounds great, but is a sunshade really worth it? In this article, we will talk briefly about the pros and cons of a sunshade and whether or not you should use one.

For starters, we will talk about the basics of a sunshade.

Sunshades are extremely basic and simple to understand. It attaches to the scope on the objective lens side. For anyone confused, it attaches to the side that you don’t look down. It is literally just a hollow tube that will help to reduce glare in your scope.




Pros

The biggest pros of a sunshade are the reduced glare and ease of use. A quality sunshade will make a very significant difference in the amount of glare that you experience. Additionally, it will not change anything about the optic, and will not limit your field of view.

They are extremely easy to use in that they are very easy to install. That is literally all you have to do. It couldn’t be any easier.

Lastly, they are available at a very inexpensive price. If you are experiencing glare, a sunshade is a very cheap fix to improve your problem and help improve your accuracy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oECoAeVyG4Y

Cons

The only real cons associated with a sunshade are the increased length and bulk. It will increase the length of the scope, which may make it more difficult to fit on some rifles. However, they are available in different lengths, so odds are that you can make it work.

With the increased length comes some additional weight, and the fact that the sunshade is often not the most aesthetically pleasing thing you can add to a rifle.

Recommendations

If you are doing any type of shooting in sunlight, a sunshade is not going to hurt. If you are able to fit it on your rifle, it is an easy and inexpensive addition to your rifle that could be very helpful. Whether it is hunting or target shooting, if you are shooting in the direct sunlight, a sunshade could be useful for you.

However, if most of your shooting occurs indoors or out of the direct sunlight, a sunshade won’t do much for you. It is an extra, bulky piece that will serve almost no purpose.

If your scope is old and you looking for a scope, the best AR-10 scope article recommends the vortex scope, check it out.

Conclusion

As you can see, sunshades are extremely easy additions to weapons and could be very useful to you, dependent on the type of shooting you do.

What Scope Does the Military Use?

For decades, civilian firearms fans have bought up military-style weapons, accessories, and optics. You may wonder what scope does the military use?

It is a near guarantee that weapons based on the current military weapons will be extremely popular. The case in point is obviously the AR-15, which has achieved firearms celebrity status as a result of being closely related to the military M4.




What Scope Does the Military Use

However, what scope does the military use? What optics do they prefer? Are they commercially available?

This is a pretty broad question. The military uses quite a few different optics, and different units often use different optics. Special operations units can use separate optics than conventional forces. However, in this article, we will talk about a few of the optics used in the military, and whether or not you can buy them.

1. M68 Close Combat Optic (CCO)

First up is the M68 CCO, which is extremely commonly used in the Army. The Army has a contract with the manufacturer, and they have literally hundreds of thousands of M68s. However, the sight is used throughout most branches of the military.

On the civilian side, it is available as the Aimpoint CompM4. It is a durable and reliable sight that is extremely easy to use. They are accurate and enjoyable to shoot with.

However, not everyone in the military uses M68s. Many people prefer to shoot with other sights,

2. EOTech 553

One example is the EOTech Model 553. These EOTech sights are a very specific kind of red dot sight. They are actually a holographic sight. What this means is that the reticle is actually a hologram that is illuminated by a laser. This allows for the reticle to be smaller, which increases your accuracy.

In the civilian market, these are priced very similarly to the Aimpoint CompM4. It is another great sight, but the battery life isn’t as good. However, it is also worth mentioning that EOTech was involved in a lawsuit brought forth by the military that the sights were defective, so it may be worth checking out some of the others on our list.

3. Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG)

ACOG sights were originally mainly used by special operations units, but they are becoming more common in conventional units throughout the Army and Marine Corps. They are extremely popular and are my personal choice for weapons optics.

Fortunately for you, Trijicon ACOG sights are widely available on the civilian market! The military uses mostly a few 4×32 versions, the TA31RCO-A4CP, TA31RCO-M150CP, and TA31RC-M4CP. Another one that is used is the ACOG/RMR combo, which is an excellent sight.

However, there are quite a few different magnification options available, so be sure to check out all of them!

My favorite thing about Trijicon ACOG sights, other than the durability, is the fact that they use fiber optics for the red dot, so you never need a battery. I find them to be extremely accurate and easy to shoot, but they are very expensive.

4. Leupold Mark 4

Now, we are transitioning away from M4 sights and onto sniper sights. These are just 2 of the common ones, but it is generally dependent on the shooter. When you get into the most advanced shooters in the military, they often choose their own optics, and there isn’t necessarily much overlap from one sniper to the next.

But, the first common optics for snipers is the Leupold Mark 4, which is available on the civilian market as well.

It is available with a pretty wide variety of magnification ranges. Leupold has come to be synonymous with quality. The Mark 4 is absolutely no different. They are crystal clear and extremely accurate. However, a hefty price tag also comes with the Leupold name.

5. Schmidt & Bender PMII

Another one that is commonly used by military snipers is the Schmidt & Bender PMII. Just like the Leupold, there’s a huge variety of magnification ranges available. They are extremely high quality and are even more expensively priced than the Leupold.

These optics should be saved for the most advanced shooters out there. It is of the highest quality, but you will pay for it.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are quite a few different optics that the military uses. As a reminder, this list was just a beginning. There are a few different optics used on machine guns and grenade launchers, which would make this list even longer.

Another thing to consider is that the answer may be changing from day to day. Especially for special operations units, they often change optics frequently and are using the best and newest stuff available.

What Is A Match Grade Barrel? Who Should Use It?

The term “match grade barrel” is thrown around a lot in the firearms industry. If you are building or improving a firearm, I’m sure you’ve come across this. However, is this just a way for manufacturers and retailers to charge more for the same firearm, or is the barrel actually that much different?

In this article, we will talk about some of the features of a match grade barrel, and whether or not it is worth it for you.

What is Match Grade Barrel?

At its core, a match grade barrel is supposed to be a barrel that allows for match grade accuracy. Essentially, this kind of barrel should allow you to be accurate enough to shoot in competitions with it.

What this means, is that the manufacturer should have tighter tolerances for the barrel. The barrel should fit extremely tightly against the chamber, to increase accuracy. These barrels are generally a little bit thicker and heavier but are also sometimes made from different materials or treated differently.

Some Issues when using Grade Barrel

However, there are some issues with match grade barrels.

For example, keep in mind that there is no set tolerance for a specific barrel for most weapons. What this means to you is that a match grade barrel made by one manufacturer may not be as good as other manufacturers.

Basically, one manufacturer’s match grade barrel may be worse quality than another company’s normal barrel, dependent on what their normal tolerances are.

Another thing to keep in mind is that firearms manufacturers tend to use the words “match grade” pretty loosely. If you are buying a weapon that is manufactured on a large scale, odds are that the internals are large-scale manufactured as well. In this case, the match grade barrel from the factory may not actually be that high quality.

If you are going to buy a match grade barrel, make sure you do so from a well-known manufacturer that custom makes each barrel.




Should You Use One?

Honestly, if you aren’t exactly sure what a match grade barrel is, odds are you probably don’t need one.

A true match grade barrel is very important for competitive shooting, but that is about it. There’s nothing stopping you from getting one for other uses, but you are probably spending a lot more money than you need to on a barrel.

Conclusion

A true match grade barrel from a reputable manufacturer can greatly increase your weapon’s accuracy. However, make sure you actually need to spend this extra money before buying one.

If you are just doing some casual shooting or hunting, you are going to be fine with any barrel. However, if you are doing competitive shooting or extremely long-range hunting, a high-quality barrel is going to vastly improve your abilities.

What is a Free Float Handguard? Who Should Use It?

If you are upgrading or building an AR-platform weapon, I’m sure you’ve run into the term free float handguard. What is a free float handguard? If you're relatively new to firearms, it may be a little difficult to decipher what that actually means.

So, what is a free float handguard? What is a drop-in handguard? Which one should you use? In this article, we will go over some of the basics about handguards, and make some general recommendations about when each type is better.



What is Handguards

The handguard of an AR-platform weapon is the part that surrounds the barrel. It is what you hold onto if you’re shooting correctly. 

Related: you are using AR-15? Let's find the best scope for an AR-15, it will help you have better result in shooting. 

Having a handguard at all is necessary because the barrel heats up significantly, but choosing between a free float and a drop-in can be a little difficult.

Drop-In Handguard

We will start with the easier one. A drop-in handguard is essentially just a two-piece guard that is held in place by what is called the delta ring of the weapon.

The delta ring is spring-loaded, so it will hold the handguard in place. To change it, all you have to do is take the tension off the delta ring, and remove the old handguard.

Drop-in handguards are extremely easy to install. They are also relatively inexpensive, because it is a very simple system. These are often polymer, but there are also plenty of drop-in handguards that have a rail system to them.

What is Free Float Handguard

A free float handguard is mounted directly to the upper receiver of the rifle. It doesn’t even touch the barrel at all, and there is no delta ring on the weapon. The term “free float” comes from the fact that the handguard doesn’t touch the barrel.

Free float handguards offer much more in the way of customization. You can get multiple different rail systems, such as KeyMod or M-Lok, and you can get a handguard that is the full length of the barrel. However, most of these options come at a much greater cost. They are also more difficult to install.

Recommendations

If you are looking for an extremely sleek, tactical-style weapon, you are probably envisioning a free-floating handguard. Due to the wide variety of options available, you are able to customize the weapon to meet your exact look.

If you are doing any type of shooting that requires extreme accuracy, a free-floating handguard will be better for you.

When you use a drop-in handguard, it has a little wiggle to it, since it is only held in place by the delta ring. A free-floating handguard won’t move when you are shooting. The fact that it doesn’t touch the barrel also improves the accuracy.

If you’re looking to attach a bunch of accessories, the free-floating handguard can offer more real estate for you. However, you can get drop-in handguards that have four-sided rail systems, and will work just fine for attaching accessories.

If you are just a casual shooter, a drop-in handguard will work just fine. They are easy to install and use, so there is nothing to worry about.

If you are just looking for a simple home defense or survival rifle, a drop-in will also be fine for you.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are actually a few significant differences between the two types of handguards. While both will work great for you, there are certain circumstances that warrant the use of one type over the other.

What is a Prism Scope? Compare Red Dot and Prism Scope

I’m sure you’ve heard of prism scopes, but many people aren’t exactly familiar with them. Wondering what exactly a prism scope is? In this article, we will go over some of the basics of prism scopes, compare them to other scopes, and then make some recommendations.

Basics of a Prism Scope

Prism scopes are a newer scope technology. The easiest way to explain how a prism scope works is to compare it to a traditional lens scope.

A traditional rifle scope works similar to a telescope. It uses a series of lenses to focus light in a specific place. The lens of the scope that is closer to the barrel is called the objective lens. It is larger, which allows for increased light transmission. The lens closer to the eye is called the ocular lens.

Light passes through the objective lens and is focused on a specific point inside the scope. When you look through the ocular lens, the focus point is magnified.

A prism scope functions similarly, but it uses a prism to focus the light rather than lenses. As a result, it is a much more compact optic. Prism sights generally have an etched reticle and an illuminated reticle.



Prism Scopes vs Red Dot Sight

The term “red dot sight” isn’t a specific term. It is actually a more general term that can describe any type of sight that uses an illuminated red dot as an aiming point. One example of a red dot sight is actually a prism scope.

However, when you think of a red dot sight, you are probably thinking of a reflex sight. These come in many shapes and sizes, but are generally some form of lens pane that has a battery operated red or green dot sight.

A prism scope differs from a reflex-style red dot sight in that it is generally magnified and has an eye relief. Prism scopes don’t offer much magnification, but they do offer more than a traditional reflex sight.

For those that are unfamiliar, eye relief refers to how far your eye has to be from the ocular lens to look through the scope. A reflex style red dot sight has no eye relief, meaning that you can accurately shoot with it however you want. A prism sight will require that your eye be in the same spot to use it each time.

Another positive is that the prism scope has an etched reticle generally. This means that if your battery dies or your illumination fails for whatever reason, you will still be able to use the sight.

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Recommendations

Now, you are probably wondering when you should or should not use a prism scope.

If you are hoping to shoot at extremely long distances, you would be better suited for a traditional lens scope. These are available with a much greater magnification range.

For fast paced, tactical shooting, a reflex sight is probably better for you. The fact that you can shoot them with both eyes open and with no eye relief will be much easier and quicker for you.

However, a prism scope is also decent for tactical shooting. They are compact in size, and do acquire targets relatively fast.

If you are just doing casual range shooting, either a prism scope or a reflex sight will work just fine.

For a survival rifle, I would recommend a prism scope. The etched reticle will make the scope useful regardless of whether or not you have batteries.

If you are hunting, I would also recommend a prism scope, for similar reasons. 

If you are using one, the best scope for an AR-15 for hunting is good choice.

Conclusion

As you can see, prism scopes can be very useful. Their combination of compact size, magnification, etched reticle backups, and easy to use red dot aimpoints make them extremely useful scopes for a variety of different uses.

Which is Better Between a Vortex Strike Eagle vs Viper PST?

In this article, we will compare two rifle scopes made by Vortex. Those are Vortex Viper 1-4x24 vs Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6x24 AR BDC Reticle.

These rifles will be compared in terms of accuracy, durability, capabilities, and price. Finally, we will make some recommendations about when to use each scope.

Vortex Viper 1-4x24 Review


Vortex Viper PST 1-4x24 Riflescope with TMCQ MOA PST-14ST-A

Vortex Viper PST 1-4x24 Riflescope with TMCQ MOA PST-14ST-A Review

The Vortex Viper Precision Shooting Tactical (PST) is a variable zoom rifle scope with some excellent features. It is made of high quality materials, is very durable, and is an accurate scope. It has a 30mm tube, measures 9.7 inches long, and weighs 14.4 ounces. At 100 yards, the field of view is 98-27.5 feet, and each turret adjustment results in a ½ MOA change. The eye relief is 4 inches.



The pros of this scope are the accuracy, durability, and ease of use.

In terms of accuracy, this scope is very accurate for a few reasons.

First, the optics are multicoated, and the tube is 30mm in diameter. This allows for increased light transmission, which makes it easier to see down the scope.

The reticle is illuminated, etched in glass, and is on the second focal pane. This makes it always easy to see, and keeps the scale the same.

Pair these features with the small adjustment, and this makes for a very accurate scope.

The scope is also waterproof, fogproof, and shockproof. It has an ArmorTrek exterior finishing. All in all, this is a very durable and reliable rifle scope.

Another great feature of the scope is how easy it is to use. The capped turrets have a reset, so it is easy to zero after sighting in the scope. The internals of the turrets are extremely precise, which makes for reliable sight adjustments. The turrets and magnification setting also have fiber optics, to make it easier to see where it is set.

The reticle is what Vortex calls a Tactical Milling Close Quarter (TMCQ) reticle. It has some hashmarks for ranging, but isn’t as easy to use at range as some of the other reticles we have seen. The primary aiming point is relatively easy to pick up, but not as fast as some others.




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Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6x24 Review


Vortex Optics Strike Eagle 1-6 x 24 AR-BDC Reticle

Vortex Optics Strike Eagle 1-6 x 24 AR-BDC Reticle Review

The Strike Eagle from Vortex is similar to the Viper PST. It is also a variable zoom rifle scope with a 30mm tube, but offers more magnification. The scope measures 10.5 inches, weighs 17.6 ounces, and has a 3.5 inch eye relief. At 100 yards, the field of view is 116-19.2 feet.

This scope has almost the exact same features as the Viper PST. It has fully multicoated optics and a wide tube. The turret adjustments are still ½ MOA increments. The reticle is also illuminated and glass-etched on the second focal pane. It is just as accurate as the Viper PST.

The durability is nearly the same as the Viper PST. It is waterproof, fogproof, shockproof, and has a hard finish on its exterior.

Similarly, the turrets have a reset, just like on the Viper PST. However, the turrent adjustment mechanics aren’t as precise, although we didn’t experience any issues.




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What is different between Strike Eagle and the Viper PST

The primary differences between the Strike Eagle and the Viper PST is that the Strike Eagle can zoom further, offers a wider field of view, has a shorter eye relief, and has a slightly better reticle in our opinion. 

The shorter eye relief gives you the wider field of view, but will make it slightly more difficult to reacquire targets, depending on how much recoil your rifle has.

The reticle has wider posts, which make for easier target acquisition. The reticle is also a bullet drop compensator (BDC) style reticle, which makes it easier to shoot at longer ranges, if you know what you are doing.

So:

Vortex Viper PST 1-4x24 Riflescope with TMCQ MOA PST-14ST-A:-->  Check Price

Vortex Optics Strike Eagle 1-6 x 24 AR-BDC Reticle: Check Price

Recommendations

While both scopes are excellent choices, we have some basic recommendations for when we would use either scope. All 2 product is the best AR-15 scope, you should choose one. 

The Viper PST would be much better for close range uses. By that, we mean potential tactical and home defense shooting. However, as you increase in range, the Strike Eagle becomes a better choice.

While both scopes have ranging reticles, we found that the BDC reticle of the Strike Eagle was easier to use. Pair this with the greater magnification range and wider field of view, we found the Strike Eagle to be much easier to use at long range.

If you are doing any type of hunting, both scopes are very high quality and durable, so either one would work well. It really comes down to what range you are expecting to shoot at.


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