Tactical Store Blog Links

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Bushnell Trophy 8x42 Binoculars

People have known for a long time what a performer the Bushnell Trophy binoculars are, but in the August issue of "Outdoor Life" they have been recognized as one of the greatest buys in binoculars. The 8x42 pictured at the top of this blog (in black) retails at Tactical-Store.com for only $114.94, and that is with free shipping. They are 100% waterproof/fogproof, and the premium BaK4 roof prisms allow for crisp, bright viewing from edge to edge. They are fully multicoated and withstand a lot of abuse, like any good binocular should. The are perfect for surveillance as well as non-duty use, and lots of hunters also appreciate the size as well as light transmission and the very reasonable price. Again, the Bushnell Trophy 8x42 binoculars are rated as a "best buy" by a panel at "Outdoor Life". They aren't new at this. Take heed. In stock now, and camo as well for a couple bucks more.

Posted by Steve L at 1:15 PM Read Article 0 comments

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Fobus Roto Holsters

Fobus Roto holsters are perfect for many applications. With the belt version you may easily use it as a cross draw holster while driving, something not always easily found. The holsters are called Roto because they rotate a full 360 degrees for use at any angle you may want. The holster is easily adjusted by loosening a single phillips screw on the back of it, then retightening. The paddle version is not as versatile because of the paddle itself. For a driving holster the paddle prevents you from sitting with any degree of comfort. But the belt version is great for that purpose. The paddle Roto holster is convenient because you don't need to remove your belt to install it. Both versions may be used as a strong side or middle of back holster. They are not affected by moisture and weigh almost nothing. Great products and quite inexpensive.

Posted by Steve L at 4:14 PM Read Article 0 comments

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Bushnell Night Vision Monocular

There's a great way to get into a night vision viewer without breaking the bank. It's a Bushnell night vision monocular called the Guardian. The Guardian #264202 has a 2x lens that is 42mm in diameter. The unit uses 2 AAA batteries and comes with a simple fanny pack. If you've never experienced night vision before, this is a good way to find what it can do. The controls are simple. Insert batteries, turn it on with the top mounted switch. The light for the infrared light is next to it for use in total darkness. The whole monocular is about 11 ounces with the batteries installed, and it's about the size of a pop can. Carrying is easy. The unit will allow you to see objects in total darkness. The picture will be green and black like you see on TV, and it will have pronounced grain in the picture. This is normal for all first generation units. First generation intensifier tubes are Russian or Eastern European and are interchangeable. The deciding factor on a purchase is bases mainly on size and features. The Bushnell company certainly stands behind their products, and there is no worry about warranty repair from such a reputable company if something breaks. The warranty is two years. Enjoy an inexpensive way to view wildlife or provide security for your home or business.

Posted by Steve L at 4:10 PM Read Article 0 comments

Monday, July 23, 2007

Leupold VX-L Rifle Scopes

The Leupold VX-L rifle scopes are already gaining an enviable reputation for brightness in an innovative package that allows maximum light transmission without high mounting. The reason these large 50mm and 56mm objective lens riflescopes can be mounted with low rings is that the objective lens is not circular, but rather has a cutout so the scope can be mounted much lower without barrel interference. Your field of view is still circular, and the generous Leupold eye relief is not affected. Some higher powered VX-Ls have the popular and convenient side parallax adjustment. A pet peeve of mine is for scopes to be mounted too high for a proper cheek weld, mainly for guns that have to be shouldered and shot quickly. This is not an issue with a VX-L. They are a bit heavier, but the exit pupil can be ridiculously large for a high powered scope and still be mounted in a position for an average eye to center without trying. For tactical rifles, the VX-Ls are great choices without compromise.

Posted by Steve L at 4:31 PM Read Article 0 comments

Friday, July 20, 2007

Leupold Rifle Scopes for Tactical Flattops

Swat teams and other elite law enforcement agencys are using Leupold rifle scopes for tactical flattops. Not just the superb Mark 4 scopes proven worldwide and being used by our military, but the standard civilian VX-III scopes mostly associated with hunters and target shooters. These scopes are made in the USA with precise engineering and quality control only dreamed of by other manufacturers. These riflescopes are mostly found on top of guns used for hunting in harsh conditions and enduring a steady stream of abuse. They are required to perform in little available light during dusk and dawn. What is different in any tactical scenario? A lot of departments don't have the disposable income for the very best optics available. A lot of people don't have money for the best automobiles. Does that mean they do without? No. They get the best available car they can for the money and it serves them fine. Chevys work fine, as do Mercedes'. Just fit the product to the application. A VX-III 1.5-5x20 with a Duplex reticle is hard to beat on a black gun with proper mounts. At low power the field of view is generous, and five power is all the magnification that is needed for long range within the capabilities of the 5.56 or 6.8 cartridge.

Posted by Steve L at 12:06 PM Read Article 0 comments

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

B-Square Flattop Scope Mount

The B-Square flattop scope mount #15150 is one of the best buys available to mount a rifle scope with a one inch tube. The mount is sturdy aluminum and is one piece with integral rings. The rings have an appropriate height for use on a flattop AR-15 or M4 type rifle. They connect securely to the Picatinny rail with two easily manipulated thumbscrews, and after removal will return to zero pretty closely. The approximately 1.5" height raises the scope to a level that gives a comfortable cheekweld and closely resembles the standard height on a carry handle rear sight. The finish is smooth and compliments most black guns nicely. Some mounts of this type cost many times more, but won't necessarily do anything better except maybe in the most extreme conditions. Lots of our soldiers are using these mounts overseas and are very pleased with the B-Square performance and price.

Posted by Steve L at 2:47 PM Read Article 0 comments

Lasermax Lasers for Pistols

Lasermax lasers have been around for quite some time. They have been installed on thousands of guns of all kinds and for all reasons. They are a proven, reliable pulsing red dot laser sight that can increase hit probability in all conditions. Mine in a Glock 22 has travelled thousands of miles with me, and I rarely take it out. The gun functions like a Glock is supposed to, which is always, under any conditions. Mine has even been submerged by accident. Lasermax sights replace the factory guide rod and spring, and you don't need a gunsmith to do it for you. If you are capable of learning to shoot a gun safely you can probably install a Lasermax. Some models require the replacement of more than one part, but all parts come with the laser in the same box. Nothing else is required. The instructions are simple, and again, just about anyone can install a Lasermax.

Posted by Steve L at 2:03 PM Read Article 0 comments

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Flattop Red Dot Sights

I brought in a Colt flattop to experiment with some optics, and found a real gem. It's a new Tasco Propoint red dot sight #PDTS132. The profile is reminiscent of an Aimpoint Comp M2, and connects with one ring in the same fashion. It is a 1x32 5MOA battery powered sight with 11 brightness settings. Parallax correction is at 50 yards. The single ring that comes with the sight is fine, but the mounting height is too low to get your face into, and the dot hits the front sight post if you have one. Instead, I installed a Burris XTR ring in extra high that positions your head comfortably while putting your dot about 1/4" above the front sight post. In addition, a flip-up rear like the GG&G MAD sight allows perfect co-witness in the lower 1/3 of the sight picture. The Propoint and Burris ring together are about $125.00, and they're a perfect inexpensive and proven durable option for those of us that can't drop hundreds on an Aimpoint or an EOTech.

Posted by Steve L at 4:38 PM Read Article 0 comments

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

AK-47 Accessories

The ubiquitous AK-47 from Mikhail Kalashnikov is 60 years old this week. Some estimates put the various versions built from 1947 until now at over 100 million. There are obvious reasons for this: they work and are cheap to produce. Our M-16 family of rifles by Eugene Stoner are much more accurate in general, but not as reliable. The gas system is susceptible to fouling, and the tight fit of the parts do not take to sand very well. The AK won't shoot quite as well on paper, but they were never designed to be target guns. They work. They always work. And work well. Some shoot quite well on paper, too. My Egyptian Maadi shoots about two inch groups with ammo that it likes. And it will shoot all the cheap crap ammo I can pick up and stuff in it. Always. Great guns. People like Mark Krebs are building AK type guns with great precision and are well thought out with modern AK accessories such as Surefire fore ends and other picatinny rail attachments. Inexpensive scope mounts are readily available, too. Some people don't have much use for guns like this, but they are tons of fun to shoot, with little recoil in any caliber. Everyone needs one. Most of the world already has one.

Posted by Steve L at 2:11 PM Read Article 0 comments

Monday, July 09, 2007

ATN Night Vision for U.S. Military

A lot of our soldiers are not issued all the gear they could truly use, and night vision products are some of these. ATN takes the war on terror seriously, and they look forward to helping our military with their quality offerings from night vision rifle scopes to night vision goggles. Many soldiers purchase ATN night vision items with their own money. Sometimes parents and others foot the bill. The ATN PVS 7 night vision goggle has been a perennial favorite. Headgear and accessories are included. The new PS-22 night vision riflescope accessory has also been used with great success. These new units connect to the front of a daytime scope and are easily connected and removed for night time use. The PS-22 scope has an integral Weaver mount for quick and easy mounting to a variety of weapons platforms. Stateside law enforcement agencys have been quick to add these to their inventory. No re-zeroing is required because the daytime riflescope does not get moved. This is the easiest way to go from daytime optics to a night vision riflescope.

Posted by Steve L at 2:29 PM Read Article 0 comments

Friday, July 06, 2007

Pelican Gun Case Travel Vault

The Pelican 1750 gun case is the standard by which other travel vaults are measured. Some U.S. Marshal friends of mine throw them out of helicopters into the water loaded with equipment and use them to buoy themselves as they swim to shore. These gun cases are brutally tough and water tight. The latches are overbuilt, as are the smooth rolling wheels. Mine has travelled many thousands of miles in some pretty awful places and is none the worse for it. I actually bought an electric fillet knife just for the purpose of cutting the foam cleanly. I easily fit a scoped rifle, shotgun, and a couple of handguns in mine with room to spare for other necessities. New foam is readily available to cut into different configurations. When fully loaded they weigh a ton, so watch your back. Color choices are available also. These Pelican gun cases are ready for any hunting trip or LE or military scenario imaginable.

Posted by Steve L at 2:33 PM Read Article 0 comments

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Bushnell Holosight for Handguns

The Original Bushnell Holosights 510021 can and will stand up to the recoil and g forces that large caliber handguns generate. The sight is made by EOTech for Bushnell, and differs from EOTech's own sights slightly in battery life, watertight integrity, and armor. The Holosights have been proven performers on revolvers up to .454 Casull caliber, and the one MOA red dot with the 65 MOA circle around it enables the shooter with quick target acquisition and an unobstructed field of view. The "N" battery is available at any camera store, and will last up to 40 hours at the startup setting. The reticle has 20 levels of brightness. The integral mount fits any Weaver mount or Picatinny rail, and red dot sights without magnification have no specific eye relief requirements, so you can put it on any firearm from a pistol or revolver to a shotgun or rifle. Many police departments rely on the holographic weapon sights for some of their SWAT guns.

Posted by Steve L at 11:28 AM Read Article 0 comments

Monday, July 02, 2007

Insight Technology M2 UTL for USP

The superb H&K USP pistol has a lot going for it as a combat gun and defensive arm. One thing it does not have is the ability to accept aftermarket lights and lasers. The USP pistols have a unique size of groove built in to the dustcover. It is not the same as Glock, etcetera, and it isn't 1913 Picatinny. H&K wanted you to buy only their light, and when it first arrived it was ridiculously expensive. Insight Technology makes the M2 UTL tactical light which does not have an H&K logo on it, but it is the same. The M2 UTL light fits perfectly on the bottom of the USP in all sizes from the USP Compact to the Expert. It is easily removed and installed, and is fairly compact compared to other lights of its kind. It offers 90 lumens of light and a remote switch is available. Rather than purchase a clumsy adapter from GG&G, an operator can do without this extra part, and install his light on the gun as it is.

Posted by Steve L at 4:10 PM Read Article 0 comments