Rocky Mountain Adventure

Altra Lone Peak 9+ GTX Review

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 01:59:00 +0000

A couple weeks ago Altra sent me a pair of their new Lone Peak 9+ GTX shoes to test out and review. They are on Expert Voice and the test program was through EV. I live in the Foothills of Colorado and do a mix of treadmill, road and trail running. This time of year trail running can be tough. I will run in the cold, but I'm hesitant to run on overly icy or wet trails. There is nothing worse than soaked feet with the temperatures are below freezing.

The Lone Peak 9+ GTX is the Vibram sole version of their Lone Peak waterproof series. It has Gore Tex to keep your feet dry, Vibram soles for grip, Altra EGO midsole foam, GaiterTrap tabs to attach a gaiter and Altra Foot Shape, which provides a roomy toe box.

Check out Altra Lone Peak at Scheels

Ironically, the two weeks I had to test the shoes was mostly dry and snow free, unusual for Colorado this time of year. I tried a couple National Forest trails that are usually full of snow in December, but unfortunately just found a couple really small patches. Although I wasn't able to test the shoes out in wet conditions, I still logged about 35 miles in them over the two weeks.

First off, I noticed that the Vibram soles gave excellent traction. From gravel, to dirt, singletrack, rocks, technical terrain and pavement, I never had an issue with traction. My foot stuck every time I put it down. I also noticed that the Gore Tex kept my feet a little more warm in 40 F weather, without causing extra sweating in the 60 + degree weather that we also had. I will definitely hang on to these shoes and continue to use them in the winter and spring when getting wet feet could cause an issue in lower temps.

Something new for me was wearing a shoe with zero drop and a little less padded. This shoe is designed that way, so it isn't necessarily a negative, but something that should be considered if you don't have experience with zero drop. I noticed that my calves tended to burn a little more on some of the steeper climbs that I did, I'm assuming in part to the angle of my foot on the incline without that built in drop. I also noticed that the lower level of cushion led to a little more foot discomfort on longer runs. I also noticed that the first couple times on the pavement that I ran to get to gravel was a little jarring without the extra padding.

Neither of those are a deal breaker and for some athletes it may be what they are looking for. I will continue to use these shoes on runs in cold, wet or muddy conditions. I may switch to a more padded shoes for long trail runs, but for my average run length, these work well.

I received this product for free in exchange for my honest review.

Vortex Pro Rifle Clamp Tripod Mount

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Fri, 30 May 2025 19:39:00 +0000

Vortex recently released their new Vortex Pro Rifle Clamp. This is machined out of magnesium to allow it to be rigid, but still relatively light weight. It mounts to an Arca-Swiss style tripod head and allows the shooter to attach nearly any rifle to a tripod without additional accessories or mounting options. Let's take a look at some of the features and my thoughts after running it for a while.

First thing I noticed is that this feels solid in the hands. I have not been a fan of some of the plastic mounts on the market that feel flimsy or flexible, especially with the weight of a firearm mounted. At just under 1 pound, this is not heavy, but feels very secure. The inside of the jaws have a rubber padding to prevent scratches and to help secure the gun. It uses a dual jaw clamp that means that both of the sides of the jaws move at the same time, so the clamp tightens and releases evenly from both sides. The turning knob is large and easy to manipulate. It can also be pulled out and rotated without engaging. This allows for moving to a position with better leverage, or out of the way.

Buy from Midway USA Here

When mounting to my aluminum tripod and clamping down on a variety of rifles from a small .22lr bolt action to a heavy long range competition style gun I found it easy to get it secure and stable. I has a small issue with flex that I figure out came from the ball-head mount, not the Vortex mount. So you may see some limitations based on how stable your tripod is, but you shouldn't see much of a difference in the mount itself between light and heavy guns. It could be mounted directly to the top of a tripod, using the mounting screw instead of the Arca rail. You would loose adjustability, but would have a little more stability.

Check out the clamp on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/4mEm1mp

The main advantage of this mount is the fact that you don't need a specific mount for each rifle. Over the years I have added Arca rails to several guns and bought multiple stocks with Arca built in. You can still mount those rifles in the rifle clamp, but also pretty much any other rifle or shotgun that you own as well.

Overall, I'm impressed with the mount. It is much sturdier than then plastic options on the market and less expensive than some of the other metal mounts out there. I will definitely be bringing this to the range whenever I'm shooting rifles and will also bring it along for hunts where I'm using a tripod.

Katadyn BeFree 1.0L Water Filtration System

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Tue, 13 May 2025 02:15:00 +0000

Over the year of hiking, hunting and backpacking I have tried a number of methods to filter water. From boiling, to treatment tablets, to pump filters, to squeeze filters or gravity filters I have tried a little bit of everything. The main filter I have been using recently is the Katadyn BeFree gravity feed filter with a 3L bag. When I got the chance to test out their 1.0 Liter BeFree option I was more than happy to test it out. For longer trips the gravity filter is nice, but for hiking trips or trail runs that might require a little extra water the small form factor of the BeFree 1.0L filter is very convenient. When the pouch is empty the filter folds down not much larger than the actual filter element. When it's full it is the size of a 1L water bottle.

The EZ-Clean Membrane Filter Cartridge that it comes with has a flow rate that is as good or better than any other squeeze filter on the market. As with any filter it will slow down over time. In the two or so weeks that I have been testing this model I haven't noticed a significant change in flow. Additionally, I appreciate that the Katadyn BeFree series is designed to be cleaned by shaking it vigorously. It doesn't require extra equipment in the field and is easy to do regularly to help prevent the flow from slowing down.

Check it out on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3Sy1fHj

The system is very simple to use. Out of the box you can install the included carbon filter to help with water taste, then take the filter out, fill up the pouch and attach the lid. You can then drink directly from the filter, or use it to fill up other containers. I found the charcoal filter helped to make the water taste more consistent from source to source. I have noticed that the BeFree water filters have a better flow rate when the filter is already wet. If you are just taking it out of the box, or haven't used it in awhile it is helpful to fill up the water pouch and let the filter soak for about half an hour. If you are hiking or backpacking and using the filter a few times throughout the trip it will stay wet and you shouldn't see much of a change in the flow rate.

Overall, the BeFree 1.0L water filter is lightweight, compact when empty and very easy to use. I will see how it holds up as I continue to use it. For now, I will be throwing it in my backpack on most hikes and long runs, even if I'm not sure if I will need to filter water. It's lightweight insurance when you need clean water in the backcountry.

Katadyn Group gave me this free product to try.

Gregory Kiro 24 Short Review

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 16:00:00 +0000

I've been testing out this Gregory Kiro 24 pack for the last few weeks. It's a new day pack designed for up to 20 lbs. I like the mesh back and elastic waist belt that helps to keep the pack in place and remove some of the weight from your shoulders while still breathing.

Gregory Kiro 24 at Scheels

It has two side pockets, one with a zipper and the other has elastic, which is a great spot for a water filter that may be wet. The zippered pocket can provide for more secure storage, or I really liked putting my snacks in the pocket, so it was easy to get to when I stopped.

There is a good amount of room in the main compartment with a hydration pack sleeve. It is roomy for a day pack, without being so large that you will bring way too much with you. It was a good balance for spring Colorado hikes, fitting a couple layers, snacks, med kit, etc. There is also a front zipper pouch that provides a key attachment point and room for smaller, quick access items.

Gregory Kiro 24 at Scheels

The from has a stretch mesh pocket which worked well for storing a jacket, especially when wet. It worked well for even a puffy jacket as I warmed up while hiking. Overall, this is a great day pack for lighter to moderate loads. If you were carrying more than 20lbs for awhile it might be nice to have a frame and a little more support, but for shorter hikes, or light loads it works great.

Sawyer Squeeze Filter with New TPU Bladder

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Sun, 13 Apr 2025 23:48:00 +0000

I had an opportunity to test out the Sawyer Squeeze filter with the new 750 ml squeeze pouch. The squeeze filter is the same quality filter that Sawyer has previously made available, the new pouch is a soft, durable TPU pouch that is much more pliable and soft that the previous style pouches.

Through several different hikes I was able to test the water flow through the filter and was happy with the speed that I could drain the pouch with just a little pressure. The included cap is convenient if you want to leave the pouch full and drink directly from it as you are hiking, or to prevent any remaining water from dripping out once it's back in your pack.

The Sawyer filters benefit from back flushing to keep the flow going, but so far I haven't noticed the flow slowing down in about a dozen uses. Fortunately, I've been able to locate clear streams, the filter may clog quicker if the water isn't as clean from the source.

Check it out at Midway USA here: https://alnk.to/esYcxVB

Sawyer Products gave me this free product to try.

NFA Wait Time Update March 2024

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 16:00:00 +0000

If you have purchased NFA items before, you have likely experienced a wide variety of frustrating wait times as your suppressor or SBR sits in "jail." I have had approvals range from a 29 day Form 1 SBR to several Form 4 Suppressors in the 13 month range. As frustrating as that has been, the ATF has recently announced that they are working to address the long wait times. While we heard that when the e-file system came out, what has been going on for the last couple months? Are wait times really coming down Let's take a look at what the ATF says is changing, then let's look at some examples of recent wait times:

Faster Approvals

The ATF hosted a town hall meeting during which they claimed that approval times are coming down. They referred to the dropping wait times and quick approvals as "the new normal." Stating that the faster wait times are a direct result of a deliberate move towards more efficient approvals. They are continuing to implement improvements aimed at reducing both individual and trust applications.

Trust Bundling

On of the new changes in the name of efficiency is in the use of "trust bundling" for batch approval for items submitted under the same trust. This is aimed at trusts that have one responsible party and have two or more pending applications. They said they have already started this process with applications submitted as individuals and it has started bringing down wait times.

Standardized Trust Approval

Another process aimed at speeding up approvals is the use of software to recognize "standardized trusts." For some of the popular trusts out there that can be purchased, such as those through Silencer Shop, this could allow a reduction in review time related to the wording of the trust and therefore faster processing.

On a similar note, ATF noted that some of the third party processors have helped to reduce the processing time by having someone reviewing applications before they are sent to ATF, reducing forms that are kicked back due to clerical errors.

Results?

So, that sounds great, but what are we actually seeing for real approval times? This info is sometimes hard to come by, but several sites such as the ATF, Silencer Shop and National Gun Trusts can give us some idea.

Social Media

Over the last few months I have been taking screen shots of some of the approvals that Silencer Shop has posted on social media, some of those times have been impressively fast. The first approvals are back in January, but the second set is from January through March, check out the difference in times:

ATF Website

As of March 29th, the ATF website is stating the following for wait times:

Form 1- Paper- 57 days Eform- 32 days

Form 4- Trust Paper- 283 days Eform- 196 days

Form 4- Individual Paper- 280 days Eform- 89 days

These stats show better Form 1 and somewhat better numbers for the Form 4- Individual applications. But those are averages, so they can include forms with issues that may have delayed processing.

Silencer Shop

Silencer Shop processes an enormous volume of NFA items and has a pretty good idea of current trends. If you watch their social media they will often post trends in approval times, but most of the time they seem to be highlighting the fasts approvals. While those are great, they may not always be an indication of average wait times. They do have a page on their website dedicated to wait times. The wait range isn't always helpful, but take a look at the median wait to get an idea of what you could expect:

National Gun Trusts

On National Gun Trusts, they are showing Form 1 wait times from 31 days to 281 days. With eForm applications being significantly faster. Form 4 applications are more consistent between eForm and paper, but with higher wait times between 168 days and 241 days.

Hopefully the trends that we are seeing with recent approvals are in fact here to stay, but it seems like each time the application times go down we see them climb again fairly quickly. Either way, if you are interested in a suppressor or SBR, you might as well submit the form now. Whether the wait times are days or months, you'll never get your NFA items if you don't get started.

Check out some of my other NFA posts below:

Eform Wait Times - June 2023

90 Day Form 4 E-File

My Medic TFAK Overview

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Sun, 21 Jan 2024 23:55:00 +0000

If you are like me, you spend a lot of time in the woods, at the range and in locations where medical attention may be slow to arrive. It is important to have a safety plan in place when you are in a situation that could result in injury and a lack of support.

I have a couple different first aid kits. I have a small lightweight, basic kit that I take backpacking. I have a MyMedic MyFAK Large for the car. But, I also wanted a kit that was in between those sizes and was ideal for potential GSW injuries or serious lacerations, but wasn't as big as the MyFAK Large. After talking to the folks at MyMedic I decided on the TFAK, or Trauma First Aid Kit.

For bleeding, the TFAK includes a RATS tourniquet in a easily detached pouch, compressed gauze, an emergency pressure bandage and quick clot. For dealing with airway trauma it includes two chest seals, a CPR shield, rubber gloves and a nasal pharyngeal airway kit. It also includes a pack of their ZZIPS, EMT shears, a sharpie and a tool kit with a penlight, tweezers and a whistle. See the contents spread out in the photo to the right.

Another nice perk of purchasing from MyMedic is the video training course that they include with the kit. While I would suggest that everyone get some basic first aid and CPR training, MyMedic offers videos that teach you how to use the equipment in their kits.

I picked this kit as a small trauma focused kit to use for the range and other activities with a higher risk for puncture or laceration wounds. You can see in the video above that I picked the bright "inferno" color to make sure the kit is easily visible at the range or if I'm digging in the back of a car or in a pack for it.

If you want to purchase a TFAK or any other kit off of MyMedic, use code "adventure20" for 20% of your order.

If you need a first aid kit with more to offer, check out my video below for the MyFAK Large. I carry this kit in my car for range trips, backpacking, hunting, hiking, etc. It doesn't always go with me in a backpack, but makes a great kit for a wide variety of potential uses.

For more on first aid, check out the post below:

September Is Preparedness Month

What do you use for your first aid kit? Did you build your own, or buy a ready made kit? Let me know in the comment section below:

Setting Up A Remage Barrel for PRS

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:28:00 +0000

This is an old post from the black rifle blog. As I get closer to shooting out the 260 Remington barrel I installed for my first PRS match I figured I would repost this here:

For several years now I have been thinking about competing in long range practical rifle competitions. I read a lot about the matches and the equipment involved and would tell myself that I needed a better rifle, scope, stock, etc. I would talk myself out of trying the competitions, constantly doubting that the equipment or skills that I possessed would be adequate. Earlier this year I decided to just go for it. I already had a 308 rifle with a decent scope, I just needed to go out and do it!

Cheyenne Precision Rifle Match

I started earlier this year by attending some local matches. These matches involved shooting at distances from about 200 yards to 800 yards from a variety of different positions. I did a previous match report from the Cheyenne Mountain Precision Rifle Match. You can click on the picture to the right to see that match report.

Although I really enjoyed the local match format, I was really hoping to compete in some of the larger matches that involved movement between multiple stages, higher round counts and more challenging conditions. There are a number of these matches around the country and when looking into this type of match, the Precision Rifle Series clearly stands out.

The Precision Rifle Series has evolved in the last few years to incorporate a number of the long range matches that were occurring throughout the country and put a national ranking system in place. Similar to an IPSC or IDPA type competition series. These matches occur throughout the year and are located all over the country. I've been watching the event list for a while now and after watching the registration open for the Battle of Breakneck in Nebraska, I decided to give it a go.

I signed up for the match intending to use my 308 rifle (pictured above) and just go and experience what it was like. As the match got a little closer I started to really feel like shooting 308 would put me at a strong disadvantage. I ultimately decided to switch to a 6.5mm caliber. There are several 6.5mm cartridges that use the same bolt face as the 308 and are popular in long range competition. I narrowed my choices down to the 260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor and the 6.5x47 Lapua.

With time counting down to the Battle of Breakneck I had to figure out how to get my rifle chambered in the new caliber, buy reloading components and have time to work up a load before the match. After a lot of back and forth, I decided using a gunsmith to rebarrel my rifle was not going to fit with my budget or time table. I would try out a "Remage" conversion that uses a barrel nut, similar to Savage factory rifles. While many people don't feel like this option is on par with a quality gunsmith installed barrel, checking various sources online I found that there have been many people reporting good groups from the Remage conversions. I decided for the time being I would do the Remage conversion. Once I shoot the barrel out, or decide to move up to a custom action, I will have to rethink Remage vs. gunsmith cut barrel.

Next came the hard part, deciding what caliber to use. I won't get into every little detail about the choices I mentioned above, but suffice it to say that each of the calibers has advantages and disadvantages. Overall, they have very similar performance. While I was looking at components, I noticed that the brass and bullets for each were in and out of stock at most of the major online retailers and the local stores. I was consistently checking Ammoseek a couple times a day. Ultimately my decision would be heavily influenced by the availability of components and an in-stock barrel.

In the end I decided on a 260 Remington. This offers slightly higher velocity than the other two options I mentioned, has excellent Lapua brass and I was able to find all of the components in stock with time to work up a load. Mile High Shooting had plenty of the brass in stock and I was able to drive by the store and pick it up in person. Northland Shooter Supply had a 260 Match barrel and all of the tools in stock, ready to ship.

Rifle with new Criterion Remage barrel installed.

I ordered the barrel and tools to install it on my Remington receiver. The factory barrel was a pain to remove, but once it came off, it was easy to install the new barrel. I took my time with the Go and No-Go gages to make sure that the headspace was set just right. I also had to do some inletting to the Bell and Carlson stock that I am using. The Remage barrel nut is larger in diameter and the varmint profile from Criterion Barrels was a little larger than the factory varmint contour of the 308 barrel.

With everything installed I hit the range four weekends in a row, shooting an OCW workup load for powder charge, another for seating depth and then two separate trips to longer ranges to get the DOPE dialed in out to 1000 yards. I am not the greatest group shooter, so I hesitate giving specific group info, but overall I would say that the factory 308 averaged just over 1" 5-shot groups. I had some as small as .4," but then I would have days where I had a hard time shooting less that 1.5" groups. Although I haven't spent a lot of time shooting groups with the new barrel, I would say that it is shooting closer to .75" on average. I will have to see if that improves with some more time and some different bullets and powders.

Confirming the long range drops was somewhat difficult. The first weekend I went out to a range with multiple different steel targets at 400 to 1000 yards in 100 yard increments. It seemed like a great range to confirm drop. Unfortunately the wind and mirage were heavy that day and due to the long grasses at the range, it was nearly impossible to spot misses. I was able to leave fairly confident of my drops out to about 700 yards, but couldn't spot hits or misses any further than that. It might have worked a little better if I had someone else with me to help spot, but working on my own, it was a frustrating trip.

The next weekend I went to another range that had a wide variety of targets at 600 yards or closer, and then just a couple at 1000. This left a hole at the distances between, but there was not nearly as much mirage or wind and thanks to shorter grass and a lot of dirt, my misses were much easier to spot. Those conditions combined helped me to get better feedback about my shots and I left the range confident in my drops out to 1000 yards.

Although the Density Altitude at the range I shot at was close to 9000 feet, the Battle of Breakneck is located at less than 4000 feet of elevation. I used JBM Ballistics and the actual DOPE I used out to 1000 yards to make data cards out to about 1200 yards. Using the Density Altitude info that JBM Ballistics provides, I copied and pasted the info into an excel and tweaked to get the look I wanted for the drop cards. I then printed out cards for 1000 to 10,000 feet of DA in 1000 foot increments. I laminated the cards and punched a hole in the top so that the correct card could be put on my scope as needed.

With the new barrel installed, sighted in and trued ballistic cards printed, I figured I was as prepared as I could be for the match. The forecast didn't look promising, with 20-30 MPH wind gusts, rain, snow and cold temperatures. I loaded up the camper and my wife and I headed to Nebraska.

Using Density Altitude for Long Range Shooting

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 18:00:00 +0000

I decided to bring this post over from my old blog. Let's take a look at using Density Altitude for calculating ballistic drop when shooting long range targets. If you've read some of my previous posts about long range shooting, you'll notice that I generate drop charts based on 1000 foot Density Altitude intervals and use those for my shooting adjustments. I don't actually calculate the drops for each individual shot or shooting station with an app. So let's start here:

What is Density Altitude?

Checking DOPE at the NRA Whittington Center
Notice the Kestrel for checking Density Altitude

So what exactly is Density Altitude? First off, here is the definition according to Wikipedia:

Density altitude is the altitude relative to the standard atmosphere conditions (ISA) at which the air density would be equal to the indicated air density at the place of observation. In other words, density altitude is air density given as a height above mean sea level.

So what does that mean in basic terms? There are several factors that affect how dense the air around you is. The two biggest factors are your altitude above sea level and the temperature. The higher in altitude and the higher the temperature, the lower the pressure.

When you fire a bullet, the ballistic coefficient of that bullet is a representation of how much drag the bullet has as it pushes through the air. The more dense the air, the more drag there will be. Conversely, if the air is less dense, there will be less resistance. So a bullet fired at 1000 yards at sea level on a cold day will need more scope adjustment to hit the target than one fired at 10,000 feet of elevation and 90 degree temperatures.

What Density Altitude does is simplify those numbers down to one equivalent reading. It takes into account the temperature, altitude (based on barometric pressure), humidity, etc, and gives you a number that takes all of it into account. It was originally (and currently) used by pilots to be able to calculate the lift that they would generate for a certain airport altitude and weather conditions.

How do I calculate Density Altitude?

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/epz/?n=wxcalc_densityaltitude

There is an easy and a long way to calculate Density Altitude. Obviously you can use the formula to calculate Density Altitude as long as you know each of the required inputs for the formula. The official NOAA Density altitude calculator can be found at the NOAA site, link under the picture to the right:

In order to use the calculator, you will need to input your temperature, station pressure (not corrected for altitude), and dew point. It will then calculate the station pressure for you in feet or meters. I have used this method a number of times to calculate the Density Altitude after shooting, based on my log. I have also used it in locations were I have cellular service. Unfortunately, unless you have a weather meter, you may not have correct information. Most of the time the weather updates that you get to your phone may not be exactly accurate to your location, depending on how far the weather station is from your shooting position.

Some shooting log books have a simple chart that gives you a graph of altitudes and temperatures and lets you look up an approximate DA for your altitude at a given temperature. While these may not be quite as accurate, they will still get you very close to the right number and may be adequate for short to medium ranges.

The easier method is to use a weather meter, such as the Kestrel, that calculates Density Altitude directly. After asking other shooters for the DA for months, I finally broke down and ordered a Kestrel from Amazon. I didn't order the fancy ballistic model, but ordered the newer 5000 model with Bluetooth link.

The Kestrel 5000 is currently the lowest end model that they offer that still provides you with Density Altitude. You can still obtain readings for wind speed, temperature, dew point, barometer, station pressure, etc, but you can also output a DA number specifically. This made it much easier in the match I shot at the NRA Whittington Center. I simply checked the DA at the beginning of the day and a couple times throughout the day and I was able to make sure that I was shooting the correct DA card throughout the match. This helped me to stay on target, even though I was shooting a match at an elevation several thousand feet lower than where I initially checked the DOPE on my rifle.

Why use Density Altitude?

So why would you want to use Density Altitude when shooting? The answer is simplicity. While there a lot of great ballistic programs and phone apps, it is not always convenient or appropriate to rely on an electronic device to generate your shooting drop. When I first developed a load for my 260 Remington, I trued the drop information out to 1000 yards and printed up cards for DA in 1000 foot increments. I used those cards in April at the Battle of Breakneck when it was cold and snowing, took the same cards to the NRA Whittington Center during the summer heat and have shot several of the local Cheyenne Mountain Precision Rifle matches using those same cards. As long as I can get the Density Altitude reading from my Kestrel, or earlier on by asking another shooter, I have been accurate in 30 degree to 90 degree weather and at various elevations.

While I am certainly not discounting the convenience of being able to pull up ballistic drop to the exact conditions you are shooting, or being able to true the data throughout a day of shooting, using a phone before every stage at a match may not be practical. During the Battle of Breakneck, the constant rain, wind and snow made it difficult for the guys that wanted to use their phones. A few were using waterproof cases, but I also saw guys with their phones in Ziploc bags or trying to use their body to shield the phone from the weather.

This can also be very beneficial for hunters. While I wouldn't shoot as far at an animal as I do at a steel target, the Density Altitude of where I hunt can vary several thousand feet during a day. Where I live and hunt in Colorado, it is possible to change 2,000-3,000 feet of elevation during the course of a day. The morning may also be 10-15 degrees, but warm up to 50-60 degrees during the afternoon. By printing out a DA chart for the distances you are willing to take an ethical shot on an animal, you can laminate it or attach it to your stock and know at a glance what your drop will be for the current conditions.

So do you use Density Altitude measurements for shooting, or do you calculate all of your drops using a ballistic app or program? I am interested in hearing your thoughts below:

This post features Affiliate Links, by clicking on the links and purchasing products through Amazon you get the same price and help support this blog.

Vortex Optics Sunslayer Hoodie Review

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 20:48:00 +0000

Getting deep into the summer and with plenty of the US in a heat wave, I was pretty excited when ExpertVoice was running a campaign for "experts" to test out the new Sun Slayer Hoodie from Vortex Optics. Expert Voice is a company that sets up pro deals for workers in the retail industry, first responders and military veterans. Once you are approved for the site, you have access to discounts on a variety of different companies. Vortex Optics is one of those companies and I have used that relationship to not only test out some products free of charge, but I have also purchased several scopes and some range finding binoculars using the discounts.

The Sun Slayer Hoodie review just happened to come shortly after a multi day backpacking trip along a couple segments of the Colorado Trail. I was using another, slightly heavier long sleeve shirt to limit my exposure to the sun, wishing I had a shirt designed for lightweight sun protection. Vortex Optics sent me the Sun Slayer Hoodie for free to test out and review, but did not set any limitations or guidance on what I could or should say about it.

Opening up the box, I noticed that the shirt was soft and felt comfortable, although the fabric was a little heavier than I expected. The fabric provides a UPF 50 sun protection and Vortex states that it is not only wicking, but is an antimicrobial fabric that pulls moisture of your body while inhibiting bacteria growth. This should help reduce the odors from repeated use. Overall, the fabric feels comfortable and has a decent amount of stretch.

A couple other additions that I liked included the addition of thumb holes in the sleeves to maximize the coverage of your arms and hands when out in the sun. There is also a chamois material sewn into the inside hem of the lower right portion of the shirt. This is an interesting touch that gives you a proper cloth to wipe off sunglasses without just using the shirt itself. I haven't owned a shirt with that and I like the idea of it for a lot of summer activities, especially fishing, where you want to make sure your polarizing sunglass are clean.

Check out the Vortex Sunslayer at Sportsman's Warehouse to pick up one for yourself.

Overall, in the handful of times I've worn the shirt, I only have a couple potential concerns. One, is that the fabric may be a little warmer than some of the other sun shirts out there. So far it hasn't been overly noticeable, but I do wonder about how it will compare on really hot days. The other thing I will be watching is the overall durability. I have another long sleeve from Vortex that I got several years ago and it has had some issues with the fabric pulling pretty easily when I catch it on something rough.

Overall, like most of the products from Vortex Optics this shirt seems to be a good value for the money. I will definitely continue to put it through the paces over the next few summers to see how it holds up and to protect myself from the sun.

Let me know in the comments below if you have used this shirt and what you think of it.

Check out my review on the Vortex Crossfire HD rangefinder here: http://www.rmadventure.com/2022/05/vortex-crossfire-hd-rangefinder.html

Or check out some of my other Vortex video reviews:

Eform Wait Times Update

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 22:54:00 +0000

When the Eform process was updated to include Form 4 transfers we were told by the ATF that we could expect wait times around 90 days. I bought a suppressor at the end of 2021 that was submitted under the expanded Eform process at the beginning of 2022 and experienced a wait time of 99 days. While that seemed like a promising beginning, those wait times have only gone up from there.

In the video below we take a look at the current status of the wait times in June of 2023:

You can check out the original video on the 99 day wait here:

Is it worth submitting an Eform for an SBR:

Fifth Circuit Injunction Against ATF Pistol Brace Rule

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Sat, 27 May 2023 23:41:00 +0000

On May 26th, 2023 the Firearms Policy Coalition posted that the Fifth Circuit clarified an Injunction Pending Appeal in the case against the ATF regarding pistol braces, Mock V. Garland. They stated that the injunction applies to FPC members, Maxim Defense customers and the individual plaintiff's resident family members.

The FPC has been working to fight the ATF ruling that most firearms using what was previously designated a pistol brace is actually a short barreled rifle. That ruling would potentially make felons out of millions of owners of firearms that have been legal for years. Since I don't typically give legal advice or opinion on this blog, I encourage readers to check out the FPC website for more information and to get involved, you can check out the article here: https://www.firearmspolicy.org/fifth-circuit-clarifies

Take Off Brace Sale

I actually saw this story in an e-mail from Rainier Arms before anything from FPC. With the injunction in place, they are currently selling off a lot of the braces that were pulled off of pistols in their inventory.

See the photo and link at right as an example, they are selling a take off SBA3 brace for $79.92 as of the date of this post. Especially if you submitted Form 1 paperwork for your pistol it could be a good price on a slightly used pistol brace.

I also recommend checking out the FPC and supporting businesses like Rainier Arms that are staying on top of gun rights and fighting to keep them. Without those groups and the citizens that are writing their congressmen and staying active in the fight for the second amendment we would see the lose of even more of our rights. Colorado recently buried an assault weapon ban due to massive public backlash, check out that article here: http://www.rmadventure.com/2023/04/2023-colorado-assault-weapon-ban.html

And if you missed it, here is my previous post on the ATF ruling: http://www.rmadventure.com/2023/01/atf-ruling-on-braces-2023.html

2023 Colorado Assault Weapon Ban Defeated

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 19:51:00 +0000

On April 20th, 2023, Colorado gun owners were able to count a win in the gun rights arena. A proposed assault weapon ban that had been gaining tracking was defeated during a session that went into the evening. Thanks to messages and e-mails sent to local representatives and over 500 people showing up to the capitol to support gun rights, the assault weapons ban died in place.

https://www.nraila.org/articles/20230420/colorado-assault-weapon-ban-defeated

With anti-gun legislation showing up across the country, it's important for gun owners to get involved in contacting their state and federal legislators. This is another example of the power that the peaceful gun owning community can have on proposed legislation that is based on fear rather than real data. In the article linked above, the " NRA encourages lawmakers to tackle the real issue of crime, instead of focusing on law-abiding gun owners."

Supporting the Fight Against the ATF Rule on Pistol Braces

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Sat, 18 Feb 2023 15:00:00 +0000

FRAC Files Federal Suit on pistol braces

Since posting a couple weeks ago about the ATF's pistol brace ruling, several organizations have started fighting back through legal action against the ATF. See the photo to the left for one example from the Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition.

I received an e-mail from Palmetto State Armory a few days ago that was sent out to each of their prior customers. They have come out with a stripped AR-15 lower with a brace etched into the design. They have stated that they will donate $10 to the FRAC for each of these lowers that sold. As of February 17th, the lowers were in stock and $60, which isn't a bad price for a stripped lower, especially if it will help protect our 2nd Amendment rights. You can pick up the lower here: Palmetto Brace-15 Lower

I would definitely consider finding a way to help support our rights. Whether you use a pistol brace or not, every time we lose access to a firearm component it is a step down a slippery slope that could end in confiscation.

Palmetto Brace-15 Lower

ATF Ruling on Braces 2023

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 00:41:00 +0000

On January 13, 2023 the DOJ submitted a final ruling on pistol braces providing a reversal on previous decision defining pistols with braces as still a pistol. The new ruling will cause millions of pistols to be considered Short Barreled Rifles unless the firearm is modified with a longer barrel, the brace removed, or registered as a Short Barrel Rifle (SBR).

While the average gun owner has 120 days to make the modifications, or register the firearm as an SBR, there have been significant concerns that this is potential first step towards a national firearms registry.

While this blog has generally steered away from the politics of the anti second amendment agenda, it is important that gun owners are aware of this new rule change and how it may affect the firearms that in your safe. While I do own two SBRs, it knowingly registered those to build a specific firearm. In stark contrast, millions of gun owners have purchased firearms with pistol braces with the understanding that the ATF has recognized those guns as pistols.

I highly suggest you stay up to date on this topic if you own braces, or even if you are just concerned with the precedent that this change will set. Check out SilencerShop and the link below to follow their discussion of the rule change and the potential SBR registration if you choose to follow that route.

https://www.silencershop.com/blog/post/atf-ruling-pistol-braces-2023

You can also take action through the Firearms Policy Coalition. They have set up a contact page that will let you contact your local senators and representatives. You can find their contact form here: https://oneclickpolitics.global.ssl.fastly.net/messages/edit?promo_id=18427

Let me know what you think of the ruling the comment section below:

SwampFox Slide Assembly

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Sun, 28 Aug 2022 23:54:00 +0000

Welcome to the third post in this series. It's time to assemble the slide and put this gun together. Previously we finished the Lone Wolf Lower, installed the parts kit and now we will take a SwampFox slide and put it together with a Brownells Glock completion kit. If you want to see the other posts in the series, check them out below:

Lone Wolf Freedom Wolf 80% Lower Build
Lone Wolf Freedom Wolf Lower Parts Kit Installation
Assembling the slide parts kit.
Test firing and overall review.

This will not be a super detailed assembly post. If you need to know the entire process, I suggest looking up a complete build as this is my first attempt at building a Glock clone. I chose a Swampfox Wolverine slide for a couple different reasons. I have been running a Glock 17 MOS with an RMR for several years now and wanted to stay with a red dot option. I also wanted to try running the red dot with the iron sights in front of the optic. The Wolverine slide was a decent price, had the sights in front of the dot and came with a set of fiber optic suppressor height sights. And with a discount through ExpertVoice it was a really competitive price.

With Brownells Glock parts kit laid out, I started the process of putting the slide together. Take a look at the photo below. It shows the firing pin, spring and extractor spring pieces lined up for assembly.

Below is the installation of the firing pin safety and spring. The spring should be facing the top of the slide, which in this photo is down on the table.

Next, while holding the firing pin safety down, the extractor can be installed and should be held in place with the firing pin safety.

Next install the parts for the extractor spring and firing pin. See the photo previously that showed the order of the parts, also below is the black plastic spacer pictured below.

With everything aligned and installed as shown above, insert the slide plate as picture below. You will have to press the springs in as you move the plate, but it is a pretty easy process.

Once you have those pieces installed you just have to install the sights and put in the barrel and recoil spring just like a normal field strip and re-assembly. I forgot to take photos of the sight assembly. Ideally you would use a sight pusher to install the rear sight properly. The Swampfox and some other sights come with an aluminum tool that allows you to gently tap the sight into place. In this build I used a SilencerCO threaded barrel from Brownells and replaced the plastic recoil spring that came with the parts kit for a Lone Wolf Stainless Guide Rod. For magazines I bought a handful of the Glock GL9 Glock magazines. Finally, the pistol is topped with a Holosun 507c X2 to take advantage of the RMR footprint, but at a little lower price point.

Now that the pistol is all set up, the next post in this series will talk about shooting and running the gun. And as a spoiler, there were some issues that came up...

ETS C.A.M. Universal Loader for Rifles Review

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 16:00:00 +0000

Last year I picked up an MP5k clone made by PTR Industries. I have really been enjoying the gun, I even registered it as a Short Barreled Rifle and put a stock on it a few months after owning it. One day I was walking through a local Murdoch's and noticed an ETS Universal Loader for rifles. I noticed that they said it could be used for pistol caliber magazines in addition to rifle calibers. They claimed it would work with 9mm, .223, 300 blk, 5.45x39, 7.62x39 and 308. I figured that loading my MP5 magazines and potentially Colt SMG magazines easier would be worth the price, so I bought it to try out.

MSRP for the C.A.M loader is $30, which is pretty close to the price of a MagLULA loader, which is around $25. I already had a MagLULA for the Colt SMG magazines and another for pistol magazines. It works great, but you load one bullet at a time and for the Colt SMG or MP5 magazines you need a specific loader for each magazine type. The C.A.M. loader doesn't lock onto the magazine, but it does give you the option to use one loader for most double stack rifle magazines.

First off, I typically throw all of my reloaded pistol ammo in bulk boxes, so I had to find some factory ammo sitting around to be able to strip the rounds properly. You can single feed the rounds from a bulk box onto the loader, but you lose some of the speed of using a speed loader. With a factory 9mm box you can run the loader length-wise and pick up 10 rounds at a time. Once the rounds are on the loader, you use the handle to push them down into the magazine. If you hold the magazine into the speed loader as you pick up rounds and have the handle ready to use, you can load a 30 round magazine in a matter of seconds.

First Impressions

When I first tried this with the MP5 magazines I was expecting it to work OK, but potentially have some issues with getting the last few rounds in. With MP5 magazines from HK and ETS I found all 30 rounds went smoothly and quickly into the magazine without an issue. After one range session I was sold on the speed loader and picked up some plastic 9mm boxes to be able to store my reloads.

Since this was a "universal loader" I wanted to try as many other options as possible to see what worked and what didn't. Sticking with the 9mm theme, I also loaded some Colt SMG magazines and tried out some borrowed CZ Scorpion magazines. I then tried loading 223 into Magpul and USGI style magazines and finally loaded some 6.5 Creedmoor ammo into 308 pattern Magpul magazines. Overall, the loader worked well with everything I tried. I'll mention a couple quirks with the Scorpion down below and unfortunately I didn't have any 7.62x39 or 5.45x39 options to test out.

It's been over a year since I bought the loader and I am very happy with it. It primarily gets used for the MP5 magazines and the occasional Colt SMG magazine. With a handful of magazines, several boxes of ammo set out and just a couple minutes I can have hundreds of rounds loaded.

Complaints

I have had a couple issues. The narrow MP5 magazines work really well, but the fatter Scorpion magazines, primarily those from Magpul can be a pain. You have to have the Magpul Scorpion magazine lined up just right for the rounds to feed smoothly. This isn't a major issues, especially after you try it a few times and get used to where to line up the magazine.

The second issue I have had is with 308 sized ammo. There are two grooves that pick up ammo, a small and a large. The small grove works for 9mm, 223, etc and is deeper in the loader. The larger groove is towards the outside edge and is for 308 and large case heads. When I first bought the loader I could run 308 or 6.5 Creedmoor rounds into a Magpul AR-10 magazine with ease. Since I don't normally use those magazines, I didn't try it again until making the YouTube video above. When I tried it for the video, I noticed that the larger channel barely allowed the rounds to move and I couldn't get them all the way down to the magazine. I'm not sure what caused the issue, but it looks like the bottom portion that holds the magazine in place is bent in, creating a gap too narrow to feed larger rounds.

Conclusion

Overall, I've have been very happy with this loader for what I bought it for. It has worked great for 9mm and 223 magazines. If you are wanting to load 308 case sized ammo, I'm not sure if this will work as well for you.

Have you used this loader, or do you prefer a different one? Let me know in the comments below.

90 Day Form 4 E-File

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 20:02:00 +0000

Tired of waiting a year to get your suppressor? In December of 2021 the ATF opened up the e-file system for Form 4 transfers by individuals and trusts. Claiming 90 day transfers, what does the system really look like? Take a look at this review and the video below to hear my experience with the e-file Form 4 and my 99 day approval.

Over the past several years I have purchased several suppressors and had to wait anywhere from 4 months to just over 13 months to get the paper Form 4 approved by the ATF. As a comparison, you have been able to build a suppressor with the Form 1 e-file process for a few years. In fact, I have created 2 SBRs with the Form 1 process and both were within a couple days of a 30 day approval. That's a huge difference compared to the current wait of nearly a year for paper Form 4s. See an older video towards the bottom of this post that talks about the Form 1 process.

Around the Black Friday shopping season last year (2021) I decided to take advantage of the SilencerCO buy one get one sale to buy a second Omega 300 suppressor. Not only would this allow me to avoid swapping a hot suppressor at the range, but I would get a free SilencerCO Octane. I bought the suppressor through Silencer Shop and was contacted about e-file. The ATF was claiming that the e-file system for Form 4s would be available in December of 2021.

Silencer Shop asked if I was interested in waiting for the e-file system to come online to submit my Form 4, or if I would rather just submit the paper form and get it started. I looked up the trends on paper Form 4 and noticed that they were running about a year from submission to approval. The ATF was expecting and Silencer Shop was pushing a 90 day approval time frame. I figured there may be some difficulties and a mass submission as they started, but decided that I would probably still come out ahead compared to the year long wait.

As expected there were some issues with the ATF getting the site up and then being able to keep it up and running as thousands of people submitted tax stamps. Added on to that, there was some learning curve for Silencer Shop and my local dealer to figure out the proper way to submit the form online and have me as the customer certify it from my end. Ultimately, it wasn't until January 27th that the dealer completed the Form 4 and it was officially in the hands of the ATF.

As I've been through the Form 4 process a few times before, the next item of business was to sit back and wait. Finally, on May 6th I received an e-mail from the ATF that my Form 4 was approved and a PDF of the tax stamp was attached. About an hour later I received an e-mail from the dealer that they received confirmation that it was approved and I could come pick up my suppressor.

All together it took 99 days for the stamp itself to be approved, or about 5 months total if you count the wait before the actual submission of the paperwork. When I checked the trends for paper Form 4 approvals at the beginning of May, it looked like they were taking around 10+ months for approval. So even with the two month wait, I still received approval in about half the time as I would have with a paper submission.

Overall, I was pleased with how much faster the approval took. A couple weeks after I picked up my Omega 300 I was notified that the BOGO Octane from SilencerCO was at my dealer. We submitted that second e-file about a week ago and I am curious how long it will take for this second suppressor to be approved.

Have you used the e-file process yet? Are you more interested in purchasing a suppressor with the reduced wait time? Let me know in the comment section below.

Lone Wolf Freedom Wolf Lower Parts Kit Installation

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Tue, 31 May 2022 16:00:00 +0000

In this post we are going to install a Lone Wolf lower parts kit into a Freedom Wolf 80% frame. The last post covered completing the frame and getting it ready to install the parts. You can check view the series here:

Lone Wolf Freedom Wolf 80% Lower Build
Lone Wolf Freedom Wolf Lower Parts Kit Installation
Assembling the slide parts kit.
Test firing and overall review.

As I mentioned in the previous post, I'm not going to make this a complete how to. There are others out there if you need details for every step, but this will go through the general installation. The Freedom Wolf takes mostly Gen 3 lower parts, but some, like the magazine release is a Gen 4 part. Also, a lot of the lower parts kits out there don't come with the locking block that you need. You can piece together what you need, but I decided to use the kit that comes from Lone Wolf as it comes with all of the right parts. You can get it from Lone Wolf here: LWD Frame Completion Kits for Timberwolf. I ended up buying mine through Rainier Arms for about $10 less than from Lone Wolf: LWD Frame Completion Kits for Timberwolf. Rainier doesn't have it in stock as often, but they offer it a little cheaper.

I started off by installing the small spring for the slide takedown lever.

Make sure the spring is pressed all the way down, then hold it down as you slide the takedown level into place:

Next I installed the magazine release, first by installing the spring into the magazine well and holding it out of place while I inserted the release. It's difficult to get a great picture, but here is an idea of it:

The Lone Wolf parts kit has an adjustable trigger stop, which has to be installed before the fire control assembly is installed:

Since this isn't designed to be a complete guide, you may have to look up the detailed assembly steps, but it should look like this before it goes in the gun:

With it assembled, install it in the gun and pin it in place:

I installed the locking block and pinned it in place with the trigger:

For the next step I didn't get a good picture, but you install the slide stop and spring and pin that in place.

With all of the lower assembly parts installed, it's time to install your upper assembly of choice. In the next post in this series I will be assembling a Swamp Fox slide to complete this build. Then we will take it out for test firing.

Take a look at the links at the top of this post to see each of the posts in this series. Have you used the Lone Wolf lower parts kit, or Freedom Wolf 80% lower? Let me know in the comments below.

RTS Tactical Advanced Sleek 2.0 Plate Carrier Review

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Fri, 20 May 2022 16:39:00 +0000

Looking at buying a plate carrier, but you want something lower profile than the typical flak jacket looking vest? RTS Tactical just released their Advanced Sleek 2.0 Plate Carrier that provides a lower profile option, more along the lines of concealable body armor. But this carrier still accepts level III+ and level IV ballistic plates for protection against rifle threats. Let's take a look at this new carrier and what it offers.

To get started, RTS Tactical sent me this plate carrier to review. They didn't provide any other compensation or requirements, just asked for a review.

So, taking a look at this carrier, a few things stood out immediately. The plate carrier appears to be very well made and it looks comfortable to wear. The carrier holds smaller trauma plates and has a breathable cordura mesh on the inside of the vest that allows the plates to stand off your body for airflow.

The carrier has a sleek exterior, unlike many other carriers that have MOLLE attachments for pouches and accessories. The Advanced Sleek 2.0 carrier only has velcro on the exterior. Patches at the top and bottom are for the strap system. Both the front and back have patches of velcro for identification or morale patches depending on your need.

The waist straps are wide and have plastic covered ends that make for donning and doffing of the vest extremely easy. The straps also have very clever pouches sewn in that can hold two AR-15 magazines per side, or two pistol magazines and a rifle magazine per side. You could also use the pouches to hold other accessories such as a tourniquet.

The straps to sit a little high, so it will help with concealing magazines under a jacket, but could cause some reach issues for users with limited shoulder mobility. It is also somewhat difficult to get magazines back into the slots, especially pistol magazines that have elastic loops within the larger magazine slot. This isn't much of an issue to me, as with a concealable plate carrier you probably will not need to stow magazines once they are deployed.

The slots for installing the armor plates use a large flap with rubber loops on the corners. This allows for easy opening of the velcro flap, but the large patch of velcro gives a very secure hold for even the heaviest plates. In dozens of open and close cycles as I test out the carrier, I did not notice any deterioration of the velcro surface.

Another feature that I really like is the cordura mesh on the back of the plate carrier. The mesh has a spongy yet firm feeling that allows it to hold the armor away from your skin, allowing more airflow through it than a typical carrier that only uses a thin layer of fabric between the plate and your body. Anybody that has worn armor for a shift or deployment knows that it typically gets hot and sticky very quickly. Although I haven't worn this carrier for a shift, the testing I have done with it so far shows that the mesh helps to keep the temperature more tolerable and your shirt drier.

As for plates, I tested the carrier with some ceramic plates that I had on hand. A 7"x9" front plate and a 8"X10" back plate. There was a little extra room in the carrier, but not a lot. Ceramic tends to be lighter than steel, but I found the carrier was very comfortable with the plates in it. Armor steel plates would be heavier, but I'm confident they would also be comfortable.

RTS Tactical makes several other plate carriers that offer MOLLE attachments, larger plate areas and even side plate options. The Advanced Sleek 2.0 carrier certainly isn't a replacement for those larger carriers when you can afford the bulk and weight of a complete carrier. It does, however, give you the option of rifle rated level III+ or IV plates in a compact package that can be worn under a light jacket or thrown over concealable body armor.

If the concealability and low profile fit your mission, I think this carrier is worth considering. At $129.99 on the RTS Tactical website it is a high quality carrier for the money. If you need a complete package, RTS Tactical also has kits that include the carrier and armor.

What do you use for armor? Let me know in the comment section below:

Vortex Crossfire HD Rangefinder

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Mon, 02 May 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Last week Vortex Optics released several new rangefinders with HD glass. I had the opportunity to test out the Crossfire HD rangefinder when it was released. The Crossfire HD is the entry level to HD glass in Vortex Optics. The glass quality is definitely on par with higher end optics, but overall the price is still affordable to a lot of users. Let's take a look at the features of the Crossfire HD rangefinder.

Vortex announced this rangefinder with an MSRP of $269.99, but as is typical with a lot of the Vortex products, the actual street price is about $199.99 at places such as EuroOptic. This is a competitive price for a rangefinder that is rated for 1400 yards on reflective targets and uses HD glass. I can tell you my old rangefinders before I switched to the Vortex Fury HD rangefinding binoculars had glass that left a lot to be desired.

Before we take a look at the specs, check out my video on the Crossfire HD here:

Now, let's take a look at some of specs:

Max Reflective Range- 1400 yards

Tree Range- 950 yards

Deer Range- 750 yards

Minimum usable range- 5 yards

Weight- 4.8 ozs

Dimensions- 4"L x 1.3"W x 2.9"H

Field of View- 367 ft @1000 yards

You can see more info about the actual distances that I was measuring in the video above, but overall their projected numbers are pretty accurate. I couldn't quite get to 1400 yards on a building, but I was getting at least 950 yards on trees and open field areas. The more expensive rangefinders in the Vortex lineup will offer longer effective distances, but for most hunters and shooters the near 1000 yard tree ranging distance should be plenty.

The display is a red LED display that is adjustable for brightness. The default brightness in the middle might be a little dim for some eyes, especially if there was a lot of snow on the ground. Fortunately, I found that the brighter settings were plenty bright enough for pretty much anything you will need.

There are two ranging modes available, a Horizontal Component Distance (HCD) and Line of Sight (LOS). The HCD mode uses the distance and angle to give you an equivalent total distance. This is a yardage that your bullet or arrow "thinks" that it is flying. It allows reasonably accurate shots out to around 800 yards without having to calculate the angle of the shot.

If you want to be more precise, the LOS mode gives you a reading of the straight line distance and angle up or down towards the ranged target. This allows you to add your own specific angle compensation.

There is also a first and last mode. If there is grass, branches or other objects around what you are trying to range, you can use these modes to get a more accurate measurement. If the animal or target that you are trying to range is in front of grass or trees, use the first mode to get a range to the target and ignore what is behind it. If you are trying to range an elk through the trees, use the last mode to get a distance to the furthest object.

Even though I prefer rangefinding binoculars, I really like what the Crossfire HD rangefinder offers in such a small light package. This is a great option for an archer, or shooter that doesn't need the range or ballistic software of some of the more expensive options out there. If you want to check out the Crossfire HD at EuroOptic use this link to take a look at support this site. It doesn't cost you anything and helps me to fund other reviews that aren't provided by the manufacturers.

If you're interested in rangefinding binoculars, check out my video on the Vortex Fury HD here:

Lone Wolf Freedom Wolf 80% Lower Build

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 15:00:00 +0000

80% pistol lowers have been around for a few years now and have a following for a variety of reasons. Some like them because the frame is not serialized and does not require a transfer through a dealer. Others simply like the changed geometry and grip angle compared to a stock Glock pistol. And finally, if you are going to customize your handgun, starting with an 80% frame lets you customize every single part that goes into the gun.

I have considered 80% builds for several years, but when I have looked into the cost and the time involved, I put off the project time and time again. Most 80% builds are not going to be cheaper than just buying a stock Glock off the shelf. You might be able to get close if you source the absolute cheapest parts that you can find. But those cheap parts are more likely to cause reliability problems and take away some of the joy of making a custom gun. I also worried about making a mistake with the drilling and filing, or just having issues with reliability due to the variety of parts that were installed.

Last Black Friday I received an e-mail from Rainier Arms advertising the Lone Wolf Freedom Wolf 80% lower for $50. The listed MSRP is $150 and currently you can find the lower on the Rainier site for $100 here: Freedom Wolf 80% Lower For $50 I decided it was a worthy winter project to try out.

This post is going to talk about the completion of the lower drilling, filing and gluing. I've decided not to make a step-by-step guide as there are already several posts and videos about it. Instead I'll show a few photos from the build and some thoughts about the process. In following posts I will discuss:

Lone Wolf Freedom Wolf 80% Lower Build
Lone Wolf Freedom Wolf Lower Parts Kit Installation
Assembling the slide parts kit.
Test firing and overall review.

The Freedom Wolf completion process is different from a Polymer 80, which is probably the most common and popular 80% Glock style lower out there. I haven't built a Polymer 80, but in watching videos and reviews for both, the process has some significant differences. Most notably there is less plastic to remove, but instead of oversized slide rails to pin in, the Lone Wolf design relies on smaller rails that are glued into place and end up looking more similar to the Glock Design.

The first steps are to remove some of the plastic that is blocking the area of the locking block and two areas along the guide rod. Here is the initial image before clean up with the areas that need to be removed.

I was able to remove most of the plastic with a pair of needle nose pliers. The plastic tabs broke off fairly clean, with some mass along the frame and on the bottom that needed to be cleaned up. Some files and a dremmel are handy for the final touch up. Make sure you go slow here and don't remove too much material. Here is a photo with the tabs removed via pliers. You can see there is still some material, primarily towards the bottom that needs cleaned up.

With the internal tabs removed and cleaned up, it's time to drill. The frame comes with a jig and two drill bits. 3mm and 4mm. According to the instructions, you have to make sure that the jig is fully installed and they recommend using a drill press and a vise to hold everything in place. The vise was definitely helpful, just make sure you don't tighten it too much and cause the frame or jig to deflect. I saw several complaints in the reviews that the jig didn't seem to be secure and users were concerned that the frame could move around. I drilled out two frames, one for me and one that my brother bought at the same time. Both of the jigs locked into place on the openings for gluing in the slide rails and seemed very secure.

I did not clamp the vise down and as you can see below I quadruple checked the alignment of the drill bit with the hole before powering on the drill press. Once I was completely confident that the bit was aligned, the drill was turned on and I drilled half way through.

After drilling out the two frames, I would not recommend trying this with a hand drill. The instructions recommend drilling halfway through the frame from each side and not drilling all the way through from one side. When drilling the hole through the rear of the grip frame, the jig doesn't contact the frame where the hole will go. This means that as you pass through the jig, there is a decent amount of space that could cause a hand drill to bite into the plastic at an angle. With the drill press this isn't as much of a concern.

With all of the holes drilled, it is time to install the rails. There are four rails, one for each side, front and back. The shape is pretty obvious for front and back and there is no left or right for the rails. You will have to pay attention to the left and right of the pieces of plastic that are installed over the rails in the back, as they are specific. Here is the back space.

There is an included epoxy that helps to have a small paintbrush to install. They claim the glue is quick drying and that absolutely appears to be the case as the brush would start to harden in between rails that I installed. You start by spreading the epoxy into the space for the rail and then pressing the rail into place. Make sure that you install the rails facing out! This is important to ensure that they actually hold the slide. Below you can see the installed front slide rail. You can see that the shape of the bottom helps to hold it in place. There are also lego style holes that allow some additional lock up between the frame and the piece of plastic that is installed over the metal.

Now that the metal piece is glued in, you add more epoxy and install the plastic piece over it. I have seen some complaints that people don't like the way the plastic pieces are still visible once they are glued into place. You do see the outline of the installed piece. On mine the front pieces fit flush and the back have a very small area that is raised and you can feel if you run your finger over it.

With the pieces glued in and left to cure, the basic completion of the lower is complete. We will take a look at installing the lower parts in the next post. I was very happy with how easily the parts installed and how well the holes were lined up.

The following post will discuss the installation of the slide parts kit and then next will be a post about the reliability and function of this build.

If you have any questions about the process let me know in the comment section below. This is my first attempt at an 80% lower build, so if you have any helpful tips for others completing their own builds, add those to the comments as well.

Christensen Arms MPR Hunting Rifle

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 18:52:00 +0000

A couple years ago I bought a new rifle to serve as a mix between a hunting rifle and a match rifle. After getting used to AR-15 rifle ergonomics and bolt action rifles with chassis, I wanted something similar for a hunting rifle. At the same time, it was important for me to be able to shoot with a suppressor while hunting or at the range. In order to keep the weight down in a precision rifle that can support a suppressor, I knew that a carbon fiber barrel would be the best option. After a lot of research on different rifles that were available or options for building my own, I decided to give the Christensen Arms Modern Precision Rifle, or MPR a chance. This is a chassis style rifle with Christensen Arm's proprietary carbon fiber barrel, their own Remington 700 clone action and a Christensen Arms chassis made with aluminum and carbon fiber. Check out the full review below:

In the above review I had some issues with extraction and talk about Christensen Arms sending me a replacement extractor and spring. I have replaced both and continued to use it, even taking an Antelope with the rifle in really dusty, dirty conditions. So far I haven't had any more issues with extraction or ejection. Check out the video on that below:

I bought my Christensen Arms MPR from Sportsman's Warehouse. Use this link to check the rifle out: https://bit.ly/2Hz281x I liked the rifle enough that I bought a second one in 6.5 PRC last year, which I’ve already used to take a cow elk and a mule deer buck. I have the pair set up with the same model scope so they feel very similar, but the 6.5 Creedmoor vs 6.5 PRC gives me a couple options for different, but similar ballistics.

This site does use affiliate links. They don't cost anything for you, but if you click on the links it helps fund these gun projects and allows me to create more videos and written content.

Future Content and the Direction of this Blog

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 17:50:00 +0000

When I first started this blog I wrote a mixture of posts on outdoor activities from hiking, fishing, photography and geocaching to shooting, hunting and gunsmithing posts. I noticed that there was very different engagement from the readers that came for some of the hiking posts, to those that would read the firearms or hunting related posts. I decided to split this blog, leaving the generic outdoor topics here and migrating the firearms and hunting related posts to http://theblackrifle.blogspot.com/

The second blog did okay, but hasn't received as much traffic as this blog seems to. Over the last couple years I have found that I don't have a lot of time to write and post content, so I am torn as to which site I will post content to. My interests lay in the middle, with a variety of outdoor pursuits that don't just focus on firearms or hiking/backpacking. Those subjects can attract very different crowds, which are not always very positive towards each other.

I don't consider myself a survivalist or prepper, but I would say that the totality of my interests and hobbies probably align more with that community or group that any other specific personality. For example, I started to get into Ham radio as a way to have a communication option when I am backpack hunting elk in wilderness areas that have zero cell phone reception and very few other people around. Those pursuits have encouraged me to get more into bicycling as a way to improve cardiovascular fitness, try Summits On the Air (SOTA), as a way to mix hiking and Ham radio and pursuing long range precision rifle competitions to increase the range I am comfortable taking a shot in a hunting scenario.

I have also noticed over the last couple years that many of the visits to this site and the sign-ups to my e-mail list are more spam related than actual individual readers that engage in the content. I'm still interested in writing at least occasional content, but have decided that I want to merge this site and http://theblackrifle.blogspot.com/ back together to more accurately reflect my own personal interests and to make it easier to find the time to write without splitting interest between different sites.

If you are reading this and/or receiving this through the e-mail notifications and don't want to stick around, no hard feelings. If you are interested in staying subscribed and continuing to read the articles that I write, please let me know what you want to see more of. I have thought of a variety of topics, from hiking, backpacking, fishing, hunting, shooting, long range precision competition, radio communications and more that I have dabbled in over the last few years.

I have several ideas of posts that I will write over the next few weeks and months, but I will also start bringing some of the posts from the Black Rifle blog over here so that more of the content is together in one place. I will also look at the formatting of the site and will try to start updating it and maybe even move away from the basic Blogger formats that are so consistently used throughout the internet.

Let me know what you want to see and I will try to start generating more content that matches the interest of the readers of this site.

Introduction to Summits On The Air (SOTA)

noreply@blogger.com (RMadventure) — Sat, 12 Mar 2022 20:14:00 +0000

As an avid outdoorsman, a large part of my initial interest in Ham radio was in having a means of communication available in areas that were remote and lacked cell phone coverage. As I studied for my exam and learned more about the uses of Amateur Radio, I discovered a portion of the hobby called Summits on the Air or SOTA. Summits in the Air is an awards scheme that rewards "activators" who climb mountains to make radio contacts and "chasers" that talk to the activators from any location, to include other mountains, while mobile or even at their home shack. This gives everyone the opportunity to participate, no matter their physical ability or skills in the wilderness. Let's take a look at the SOTA website and see how to activate or chase a summit.

First off, if you want to officially participate as an activator or chaser, you will need to create a free account at the SOTA website, https://www.sota.org.uk/ I would highly suggest checking out the website to take a look at the official rules. From there you can sign up for an account, log your activation or chase logs, check out the various peaks, etc.

How to Activate a Summit

Since there are mountains throughout the world, SOTA summits are broken down first by an "association" then further refined into regions and summit numbers. Let's take a look at a local mountain for me, Mt. Bailey. The association for Colorado is W0C, the peak is in the front range region (FR) and based on the total height, Mt. Bailey is the 62nd highest peak in the region. The designator for the peak is therefore listed as W0C/FR-062. You can view the specific page for Mt. Bailey here: https://summits.sota.org.uk/summit/W0C/FR-062

That page will show you the summit identifier, altitude, number of points for an activation, the latitude and QTH locator, give you options to view the peak on Google Maps, aprs.fi and other mapping sites. It also shows the total number of activation and displays the call signs of the latest 5 activators. It also allows other users to write notes or link to other websites that can help explain where to park, what route to take to the summit and other notes.

Just how many peaks are included in the SOTA database? Colorado alone has 1,797 summits that can be activated for points.

Let's take a look now at the points and how to activate a summit. Each summit is given a point value from 1 point to 10 points. These vary based on the elevation of the peak and relative difficulty to climb the peak. Not surprisingly, all of the Colorado 14ers (peaks 14,000 feet or higher in elevation) are worth 10 points, whereas a lower elevation peak like Mt. Bailey is worth 4 points. In order to activate the summit the activator has to be within a contour line of 25 meters or about 82 feet of elevation of the summit. You can't be next to or attached to a vehicle and you have to make at least 4 contacts via a simplex connection. Any band or method you are licensed to use is fair game. It is common to see VHF, UHF and HF contacts and those may be voice, CW, Single Side Band or even data modes. The activator simply calls CQ for as long as they want to stay on the summit and working through any of the frequencies they want to work.

Most of my SOTA attempts have been using VHF and I simply check to see that a calling frequency isn't being used and call CQ. I typically use 146.52 FM and have contacted a number of hams that are listening to the calling frequency and aren't specifically familiar with SOTA. For each summit that I log the required 4 contacts during an activation I receive points. Each summit can be activated once per year and there are bonus points for activating during the winter.

In order to increase your chances of reaching your required 4 QSOs, you can go to

https://sotawatch.sota.org.uk/ and post an "alert" as depicted in the picture below. An alert lists the approximate time, your call sign, the peak you will be activating and the frequencies and modes that you plan on attempting to use. This allows chasers to know when you will be activating so they can be listening. You can also add notes that warn that your time window is approximate, or that they can watch you on APRS to see you approach the summit. I have activated APRS on my Anytone 878 so chasers can see where I am at on aprs.fi as I hike towards the summit.

Check out my summit report from activating Mt. Bailey here: http://www.rmadventure.com/2020/04/mt-bailey-my-first-sota-activation.html

How to Chase a Summit

The other side of SOTA is the chaser. There can't be an activator if there isn't a chaser on the other end. Any ham can be a chaser, they don't even have to know about SOTA to count. They just have to make a contact with an activator and preferably share a signal report in both directions. I have made contacts with several local hams while on Mt. Bailey and most of them have not officially logged the contacts on the SOTA website.

If you are interested in trying to chase, a great resource is to check out the SOTA Watch site at https://sotawatch.sota.org.uk/. In the photo below you can see the default view for "spots." These are chasers that had a conversation with an activator and are logging the call sign of the activator, the peak, time and frequency used to allow other chasers to have an idea of what frequencies to use to make their own contact. In the example below you can see a variety of contacts using VHF, HF and not only FM voice conversations, but several CW and SSB contacts as well.

By checking the spots and adding one of your own, you can see who is currently active and be more likely to tune to the right frequency at the right time to talk to an activator. As a chaser you get points for each activator that you talk to. You can only get points for a particular summit once per day, but unlike the activators, chasers can get points from the same summit multiple times per year.

What to do with the points?

So what do you get with the points? Nothing really, just bragging rights. You can use the SOTA website to see who the top activators and chasers are for a certain region. There are some digital rewards for certain milestones, such as receiving 1,000 points as an activator or chaser. There are also recognitions for activating or chasing a certain number of regions. As a fundraiser there are awards that you can order from the website to display your accomplishments in your own ham shack. But in the end, SOTA is really more about getting out into the wilderness and connecting with others through amateur radio.

If you are interested in activating or chasing, check out the links above to get more familiar with the rules and procedures for logging your contacts.

Whether you activate or chase, I look forward to making a SOTA contact with you soon!