Optics

This is a review of the Schmidt & Bender 3-20×50 PM II Ultra Short riflescope, as a part of my mission to review all of the PM II models. I am very fond of the Schmidt & Bender 5-20×50 PM II Ultra Short, which is a perfect fit if you want to make your quality AR platform perform better. I own one, and I kind of wanted (at least) one more. Enter the Schmidt & Bender 3-20×50 PM II Ultra Short, which attracted me with its larger magnification range.

The PLxC 1-8×24 from Primary Arms is one of the top dogs in the current Low Power Variable Optic (LPVO) arms race. Another reticle option is coming soon to further broaden its appeal. Let’s check out this new NOVA reticle model. 

Schmidt & Bender has released a limited edition of their new 6-36×56 PM II riflescope. The color will be RAL 7005. Now RAL 7005 may not mean much to most people, but it’s a European color code where the classic colors have a 4-digit number in combination with the letters ‘RAL’ (for example RAL 7005). The first digit is a code number with ”7” representing grey. Number 8 is brown, and RAL 8000 should be known to most German gun aficionados. The remaining 3 digits are chosen sequentially.

We all know Vortex Optics for having a wide breadth of glass for us to choose from regardless of our use case. This includes micro red dots which Vortex has been revamping in recent years with the unveiling of their Defender series. Now, Vortex Optics has announced the next optic in the continuation of their Defender series of micro red dots with the unveiling of the Defender-XL.

ZeroTech Optics has a new high-end, high-magnification scope in its lineup. The new Trace Advanced 5-30x56ED scope is made in Japan and features ED glass. Keep reading to find out what other features it brings to the table.

Designed in 1898 by John Moses Browning and later modernized and revived in 2014, the Browning A5 shotgun doesn’t just have a solid reputation for being a great waterfowl and upload game hunting gun, but also a rich history as a sport shooting and combat weapon during its early days. I recently had the chance to review a new-production Browning A5 shotgun that had been fitted with XS Sights’ aftermarket photoluminescent vent rib sights. In stark opposition to XS Sights’ tritium-powered night sights, their photoluminescent sights provide end-users with a more cost-effective low-light option that still provides a boost to sight visibility, without the unnecessary ultra low-light capabilities (I don’t think anyone is waterfowl hunting in the dark). Today we’ll talk a bit about the Browning A5 shotgun, how it’s evolved over the years, and also see what the XS Sights Universal Standard Dot Shotgun Vent Rib does to improve the legendary Browning A5 semi-automatic shotgun.

Whether it’s trying to spot targets for hunting purposes or just checking out your latest groups at the range, having a high-quality set of binoculars can do a lot to ease eye strain, and help you keep your eyes on the target. Vortex is excited to introduce its latest sets of high-end binoculars with two new additions to the Razor line: the Razor UHD 8×32 & 10×32 binoculars. Vortex says these two new premium options feature superior low-light performance and unmatched clarity. Constructed from a lightweight yet durable magnesium chassis, the Razor UHD line offers the user one of the most compact options for hunters, shooters, and enjoyers of nature.

Viridian Weapon Technologies continues to expand its lineup of aftermarket optics with new sighting solutions for Taurus pistols as well as the Rossi Brawler.

Luke C is back for day 3 of the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits to talk with Shield Arms about some of their latest products and services. Today Seth shares Shield Arms’ new ROC (Revolver Optics Conversion) mount – a no-mill option that easily attaches to your J-Frame revolvers (like the S&W 442) giving you an instant optics solution for iron-sighted revolvers. Shield Arms is also showcasing their new Split Rig – an easy on-and-off chest rig perfect for shooting prone, and finally their Grip Chop service for the Glock 48 and 43X. This service shaves off just enough of the grip to fit the new Shield Arms 10-round flush fit mag made specifically for their Grip Chop – Did they just invent the Glock 43X/48 SF?

Olight is known for its line of flashlights, but it is getting into the optics game. The new Osight is a miniature red dot sight with a few unique features. Let’s see what the new sight has to offer.

Today Luke C is at the High End Defense booth at NRAAM 2024 checking out their brand new magnetically attached red dot mount. This new mount takes your standard iron-sight-only pistol and quickly converts it to accept the High End Defense “Fox” mount and red dot. This allows you to quickly swap your optic from pistol to pistol, or quickly remove it for maintenance or replacement – all with magnets.

As red dot sights and optics-ready slides continue to take over the mainstream, we have seen more and more job-specific red dot optics at increasingly competitive prices. The C&H Precision COMP enters the fold as an affordable large windowed competition-geared optic. Looks and prices are all good and fine but how does she do at the range? Let’s dive into the review!

Today I’ve brought on Eric and Jordan from Meprolight to talk a little bit about their company’s history not just here in the US, but where they started back in Israel. Like the US, Israel has a lot of domestically produced firearms, optics, and ordnance which they sometimes export to other countries. Meprolight along with IWI are just some of these companies and they’ve both recently put a lot more effort into producing products for regular consumers instead of just for military outfits. Today we’ll get a bit of that story in the form of a short history lesson from Eric and Jordan. Please give them both a warm welcome to the show!

A while back, Leapers reached out to the crew at The Firearm Blog and asked if anybody would be interested in reviewing one of their new 1-8 LPVOs. I was particularly intrigued by this, as I was not aware that Leapers/Integrix was creating military spec optics, and I thought that they only made scopes for airsoft guns or pellet rifles. I have already done a first impressions piece on the INTEGRIX IX8 1-8X28 LPVO that you can read here. I will be briefly going over the specs here so if you want more of that information, check out the first impressions piece.

Lead & Steel is a relative newcomer in the world of firearm optics. Their first outing, the Promethean LP-1, is a rugged red dot sight for long gun use. It features a “donut of death” reticle with up to a 150,000-hour battery life. Lead & Steel sent one out to me to test, and I’m excited to write up my thoughts after the better part of a year using it on various review guns.

Photo Of The Day and today we’re taking a look at the brand new Spuhr RDF-20225K Aimpoint T-2 Magnifier Mount in action. A little over a year ago, I reviewed the Aimpoint Duty RDS with 3X-C Magnifier – 39mm FlipMount & TwistMount base. The Spuhr mount is a little different, and offers a one-piece solution to mount a laser (or what other devices you may think of) and a magnifier around an Aimpoint Micro H2 or T2.

C&H Precision has a new series of scope tube mounts for micro red dot optics. They are available in a range of tube diameters and footprints. Let’s take a closer look at the feature set.

You’re watching and reading TFB’s Photo Of The Day, and yet another of Ohio Ordnance Works‘ creations appears. The M240 is presently the US military’s general-purpose machine gun and features a belt-fed mechanism. It is air-cooled, just like old Porsche 911s.

Mounting and moving optics around is a very common thing for a gun writer. I am always on the lookout for new scopes and mounts to use in reviews. When the opportunity to review the Anubis Defense “The One” scope mount came around, I jumped at the chance. 

James Reeves is at IWA 2024 talking to Mike about the Israeli-made LAWS-M reflex sight, which may be the most durable optic in the world, according to its creator. Designed with urban combat in mind, the LAWS-M has no plastic parts and can hold zero on a .50 caliber machine gun. It includes a BDC reticle and has a long battery life. See the video and judge for yourself.

Primary Arms has been steadily improving and expanding its range of optics. The lineup of prism scopes has grown and undergone revisions, and the MicroPrism family is the current flagship. This review will cover the SLx 3x model, which sits between the 1x and 5x versions.

At IWA 2024, James Reeves explores the Aimpoint Acro S-2, a sight that stands out for its remarkable battery life, shotgun rib compatibility, and ultra-low mount design. This compact, waterproof sight offers a 9 MOA dot and ten intensity settings, making it versatile for various lighting conditions. Delve into the details of the Acro S-2’s design and functionality in our video and follow our IWA/Enforce Tac 2024 playlist for more updates on the latest in optics.

One of the most interesting product launches at the recent IWA exhibition in Germany was Vectronix Shooting Solutions as a new business unit of Safran Vectronix, and their new VECTOR X rangefinding binoculars in 8×42, 10×42 and 12×42. I think that regardless if you use it for hunting, extreme long-range shooting or long-range shooting competitions its features are going to be appreciated, like MRAD reticles, D-Pad control, heads-up Applied Ballistics Elite calculations on an active-matrix OLED display and a laser that shoots longer than almost any caliber. There are also new RADICAL X binoculars with MRAD reticles.

This is a review of the Sightmark Citadel 1-10×24 HDR. This is an affordable riflescope for short- to mid-range shooting and hunting. It comes either with a CR1 reticle (for close- to mid-range shooting and quick target acquisition) or an HDR reticle, great for close- to mid-range hunting. Both reticles are in the second focal plane.

Want to add an optic to your shotgun, but it’s set up for bird- or clay-busting, with a vent rib? Good news: Warne has a new rib-mounted scope base that allows you to attach a red dot optic to your shotgun’s barrel, for improved wing shooting or even stationary targets.

Premium optic mount and accessory manufacturer, Unity Tactical, is introducing their own magnifier and swing mount combo in 2024! While Unity Tactical is known for making top-tier mounts, this is their first foray into the optic magnifier game, so it should be exciting. And while we don’t have firm pricing and availability, Unity Tactical assures us that this magnifier/mount combo is going to be reasonably priced and available this year. See this vid for more details.

This is a review of the Infiray Outdoor Tube TS60 which was introduced just now at the IWA OutdoorClassics 2024 exhibition in Germany. TFB got an exclusive opportunity to try it out about two months before its official release, and here’s the story in words and images.

Spuhr is always on the cutting edge with optics mounting and this new setup manufactured for a Dutch government contract is no exception. A brilliant, robust, but lightweight integration of the Aimpoint Micro, plus the Aimpoint magnifier in a QD/swing mount combo, plus a functional backup iron sight and extended, raised Picatinny rail for night vision sighting systems is clever and accessible, as it is also available for pre-order to the civilian market. Another solution from Spuhr that looks as good as it is functional.

This is a review of the Schmidt & Bender 5-45×56 PMII High Power Riflescope. I’ve reviewed almost all of S&B’s PMII riflescopes, and as the “top bird”, the 5-45x holds a special place. It was (and still is) my Holy Grail of riflescopes. The 9-power magnification range makes this optic quite extreme, as you can go from 5 power up to 45 power. Most of the time I use it around 20-30 power, but I love to have the ability to spot, observe – and engage – targets up to 45 power. I’m sure there are some disadvantages, as always within the laws of optics, but I wouldn’t say that stopped me from liking the overall performance.

Swampfox Optics have announced a new edition to their range, the Tomahawk II LPVO. The Tomahawk II is a second focal plane low power variable optic which is available in 1-4×24 and 1-6×24. The Tomahawk II weighs in at just over 20 oz and is available in two illuminated SFP reticles: Guerrilla Dot Bullet Drop Compensation (BDC) and the new Bright Fiber Optic (BFO).