It’s the New Year and a tradition in Japan is for the Shinto priests to cleanse the temples of the previous year’s paper slips and wooden plaques (ema) left by the shrine visitors. You should do the same with your phone TXT messages and start with a clean slate. Especially those negative messages and rants. Happy New Year!
Monthly Archives: December 2022
Happy Christmas
Happy Christmas
I wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas time and look forward to a better new year. This year was amazing with my new gadget channel Moondog R&D reaching over 1000 subscribers and launching my new travel channel Moondog Go. Moondog Industries has exploded doubling my subscribers by 100%. I hope this growth continues with my next visit to Shot Show 2023.
If you have any suggestions for booths or brands you’d like me to visit at Shot Show, leave a comment on my video on YouTube.
Boruit V1 Micro EDC
I recently reviewed the V3 light from Boruit which claimed to output 900 lumens but fell far short of those numbers in my estimation. So I was surprised when Boruit sent me their V1 to test. Unlike the V3, this box claims a more modest 400 lumens and I discovered it came far closer to keeping that promise.
The V1 has a USB thumb-drive form factor and this model has a glow-in-the dark translucent body. It comes in a similar box to the V3, with a USB-C charging cable, keychain ring, and instruction manual (though it was really more of a spec sheet). The flashlight is activated by 2 quick-presses and turned off with a long press. You can cycle between ECO-LOW-MED-HIGH brightness modes with a quick press and the unit also has a TURBO mode which is activated by a continuous press.
Like the V3, the unit also has side LEDs which can function as a signal light and table top lamp when head-standing it from it’s squared off metallic crown. Modes include: WHITE-BLINKING WHITE-UV-RED-BLINKING RED-RED/BLUE BLINK-WARM WHITE
After charging it over night, I conducted an endurance test at high brightness mode and it stayed on for about 82 minutes, slowly dimming as the battery ran down. Recharging it again I ran a lumen test. I was unable to confirm its 400 lumen TURBO mode due to my testing box must be completely sealed to get a more accurate reading.
Testing in HIGH mode, the unit briefly put out a maximum brightness of about 300 lumens after a 1-minute warm up. This was higher than the 220 lumen specs on the box. But the unit does not stay that brightness but instead drops steadily to about 80 lumens which is somewhere between HIGH and MEDIUM output as stated in the product specs.
Unfortunately inflated lumen numbers is par for the course in how budget EDC lights are marketed today. These brightness numbers are disappointing to anybody who bought this flashlight expecting 400 lumens but actually better than expected from a micro-EDC light no matter its price point.
The V1 easily passed my 6ft drop test and high-pressure water test. Its real world performance was good to above average, fully illuminating an interior hallway with a wide flood pattern. Outdoors this flood limited its throw to about 50ft-60ft. But for a thumb-sized flashlight that could do this for over an hour, this is pretty impressive. Even more so for a thumb-sized EDC that costs less than $17 as of this writing.
The Boruit V1 EDC is available on Amazon through this affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3BGIhX7
Premium vs Budget BCG
Does a premium brand BCG (Bolt Carrier Group) shoot better than a budget BCG? I thought I’d find out. I picked up a new black nitride Aero Precision BCG on sale. I wanted to compare this premium BCG to a budget Anderson BCG I own.
For the test I used my AR which I built using an Aero Precision ATLAS 20″ complete upper (chambered in 5.56mm NATO), mated to a budget build Anderson lower receiver with a Timney 2-stage 4lb competition trigger, and a HERA CQR (California neutered) stock. Up until now, I’ve been shooting it with an Anderson black phosphate BCG for the last 3 years and about a 800-1000 rounds.
Swapping between the Aero Precision BCG and Anderson BCG while firing on a target at 100yrds. I found no significant difference in groups between these two BCG. And there were no reliability difference between the two.
The only appreciable difference between the two BCG’s is the glossy black-nitride finish of the Aero is easier to clean than the matte black finish of the Anderson. Or maybe it’s not really easier to clean? Maybe it’s just that shiny surfaces look clean after cleaning, whilst the rough phosphate surface looks the same either way.
Anderson makes completely MISPEC components for their AR’s and are used by thousands of gun owners and have earned a reputation for being a “as-good-as” budget brand. I originally chose to use many Anderson components in my AR build specifically for components that were not important for accuracy or durability. The BCG is a critical part of the function of an AR but apart from reliable firing, ejecting, and cycling of a round, it plays no normal role in the accuracy of a bullets trajectory.
Based on my test results, I feel vindicated in choosing a cheaper Anderson BCG in my original AR build. But for superficial aesthetics, I will keep the Aero BCG in the Aero upper because it just looks shiny and pretty.
Anderson BCG on Optics Planet https://shrsl.com/3okir
Aero Precision BCG on Optics Planet https://shrsl.com/3okiu
Bafovy: The cheapest water flosser on Amazon
I test out the cheapest water flosser on Amazon for $9.99, from Bafovy, a brand I’ve never heard of. I previously tested the Waterpik Waterflosser which costs more than 3x as much. But in my testing, the Bafovy cleaned just as well, has a built-in rechargeable lithium battery, and collapses to less than half the size of the Waterpik.
The Bafovy has a compact travel design, similar to the Panasonic portable flosser. The clear plastic reservoir sits below the pump body and telescopes into the reservoir when packing for travel. The unit charges with a proprietary USB-A based charging cable.
The strength of the stream feels comparable to the Waterpik but the unit is operated via button rather than a slider/switch. The unit has 3 pump pump modes: soft, pulse, and DIY (strong). The unit remembers the last mode selected. In practice, the button operation is a little unpredictable sometimes switching the mode rather than turning the unit off when pressed. This was the product’s only negative quality during testing.
The only potential issue that could not be tested is battery longevity and motor durability, which remains to be seen. But for $10 I’m more than willing to give this product a try. It comes in 3 colors (well really 3 color accents on the button and rim). As I mentioned, it’s available on Amazon though my affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3B72dSG
AXE vs Samsung Micro-SD Card test
An AXE 128GB micro-SD card was on sale during Black Friday. I had never heard of AXE Memory. The only “AXE” brand I was aware of is a body spray. I did some Googling and learned that AXE was a Japanese company that made their memory in Japan and that was good enough for me to buy it. I ordered it along with a similarly priced 128GB Samsung Pro Plus card to compare.
My first impression of the AXE card was that its packaging looked a little “meh”, like the no-name electronics sold at Dollar Tree. This may be beyond superficial to many out there but my trained ‘graphic designer’ eye notices these things. One other feature was evident in the package, the micro-SD card was made in Taiwan, not Japan as I had previously believed.
This isn’t a slight on Taiwan, which produces half of the world’s DRAM chips. But this discovery served to remind me that just because a brand’s country of origin is no longer an indication of where its products are built. Case in point, the Samsun SD card wasn’t made in South Korea but the Philippines.
I tested the an AXE, Samsung, and a Sandisk micro-SD card using Black Magic Design’s Memory Speed Test App using both my M1 Macbook Pro’s built in card reader and an external UHS-II high speed reader. I included a Sandisk Extreme 128GB card because that’s the card I’ve been using prior to purchasing the AXE and Samsung.
The numbers I recorded were remarkably similar. The Samsun and Sandisk Write and Read speeds were nearly identical. The AXE posted a 4 MB/sec slower Write speed and a nearly identical Read speed. From a practical standpoint, AXE is as good. I would not hesitate to buy another AXE card if it were on sale below either a Samsung or a Sandisk.
This card is available on Amazon through my affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3Fthuju
Are Airgun Suppressers Useless?
Airguns are much quieter than airguns, barely topping 82db because they are powered by compressed air not exploding gunpowder. Most of the noise associated with firing an airgun comes from the piston slamming in receiver in the case of a pump or break barrel pellet gun, or the crack of the projectile breaking the sound barrier.
So why do commercial break barrel airguns in the US come with an integral baffled suppresser integrated into their barrel? Does it really reduce the sound it makes? Does the suppresser adversely effect the performance of an airgun?
With the help of my friends at the Coyote Point Rifle and Pistol Club, we set about testing a .22cal Benjamin Trail XL Magnum rifle using a PAC professional chronograph. I fired 5 shots of Benjamin Discovery 14.3gr lead pellets with the factory suppressor attached to the rifle. Then, I removed the suppresser barrel sheath and fired 5 shots with it off.
The sound of the rifle firing was noticeably louder with the suppressor removed. Using a phone App, we measured a 80-82db sound reading directly behind the rifle when firing with the suppresser. With the suppresser removed, the noise jumped up 10-15db (above OSHA requirement for hearing protection).
Measuring with the chrono I got an average velocity of 786.1 FPS with the suppresser attached and 785.8 FPS with it removed; a difference of only 0.3 FPS. Not only was the difference negligible but the velocity was higher with the suppresser attached. So all in all, we discovered that its better to have a suppresser on an airgun than not (at least for this rifle).
Available on Amazon through my affiliate link which helps support this publication
Benjamin Trail XL: https://amzn.to/3ByssCm
Benjamin Discovery Pellets: https://amzn.to/3BGUBrl
Waterpik Waterflosser
My wife bought a Waterpick Waterflosser on Amazon after getting a cavity in her rear molar. As the name implies, this handheld water pump sprays a high-pressure stream of water to flush out food particles stuck between your teeth and below your gum line. It functions like flossing with water.
We chose the Waterflosser to save space in our tiny bathroom. I once owned a full-sized Waterpik which has a larger water reservoir and plugs in. But it does take up room on a sink top which can be in a short supply when you add an electric toothbrush charger, electric razor, and all the other bathroom supplies.
The battery powered Waterflosser is less than a third of the size of the plug-in Waterpik. The package comes with three AA disposable batteires but it can work with rechargeable NiMH. Waterpik also makes more expensive version with an internal rechargeable lithium battery.
The Waterflosser’s only shortcoming is its smaller water reservoir. Yes, you can refill it. But I quickly learned to be more efficient when cleaning my teeth. I can clean both my upper and lower teeth before fully emptying the Waterflosser.
Despite its smaller size and being battery powered, its water jets feel just as strong as a plug-in Waterpik. While it won’t compete with a Super Soaker in my non-scientific testing, my unit was able to shoot a stream out to 23ft away. There aren’t many other bathroom hygiene gadgets that make that claim.
Support Moondog Industries buy purchasing this device on Amazon through this Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/3hOChoh
Don’t be afraid of the Monstrum Spectre 1-6×24
Chances are if there’s a scope on an AR at the range, that scope is going to be an LPVO (Low Power Variable Optic). LPVO’s are a cross between a traditional 6-10x magnified rifle scope and a red dot because LPVO’s have a low end of 1x, 1.2x, or similar. An LPVO allows you to use them with both eyes opened to quickly engage targets up close at 1x and crank up the magnification to engage targets at 200yrs or more (and especially helpful for older eyesight).
Monstrum is a Southern California based importer and designer of tactical accessories and red dots. I’ve helped install one of their scope rings on a friend’s rifle and was impressed that it had features like Torx screws and recoil lugs. I was aware of the Monstrum brand but didn’t know much about it so I was surprised when Monstrum reached out to me and offered to have me test and evaluate their newest LPVO, the Spectre 1-6x24mm.
The Spectre ships with some nice accessories like flip up lens caps, a kill-flash filter, and one of Monstrum’s excellent cantilever offset mounts. The scope has a 30mm tube, is made of 6061 aluminum, and is nitrogen purged. On initial inspection, the body and components appeared solidly constructed and well made, though I did find some nicks and rough edges on the magnification wheel which was disappointing.
The other big disappointment was that the elevation turret’s MOA markings didn’t line up with the the scope center indicator. This is common with budget scopes and has even been known to occur with better known scopes but it’s always disappointing when it happens. The windage was spot on to the zero so it’s not like Monstrum’s factory couldn’t make better built turrets.
The turrets are 1/2 MOA per click and the clicks were moderately audible and tactile positive though soft. There was a bit of slop in the elevation clicks but when pushed down, they did lock solidly. Both turrets are resettable with a coin.
The magnification dial turned smoothly but was difficult to turn. An LPVO’s central benefit is that it is the word “variable” so not being able to change you magnification easily is beyond frustrating. Thankfully it does have a large fin that helps assist in leveraging the dial but only time will tell how quickly it will loosen up?
The scope has an illumination knob opposite the windage. It is CR2032 powered with 5 brightness settings in red and green which illuminates the center octagon and dot of its MX1 Reticle. The reticle has thick outer T-style hunter crosshair lines a very thin and fine central crosshairs with MOA hashmarks. I found this central reticle structure too faint to use for action shooting without full illumination.
The scope itself performed quite well in my range tests. It has a decent 4″ eye-relief and the forgiving eye-box typical of lower power scopes. It returned to zero in my box test and probably passed my nipple-twister turret test but my results were not definitive.
In target testing at 25yrds it was able to hold its zero after being subjected to repeated hits from my polymer ammo can to simulate heavy recoil. In practical tests with rapid fire on steel plates, I was able to quickly and accurately place my shots (any misses were entirely shooter error). But as mentioned earlier, I found the reticle was too thin to use without illumination.
I came in with low expectations because I really didn’t know Monstrum’s optical products. In overall build and performance the Spectre lives up to the quality and value of Monstrum’s scope mounts and accessories. If you’re hesitant of trying a Monstrum because of their lack of reputation in optics, consider that the Spectre has a street price under $200 and a lifetime warranty from a US based company, and don’t be afraid of this monster value.
This scope is available on Amazon through my affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3EOPEN1
RESOLUTION (50yrds)
Element: 2 / Group: -2
OVERALL RATINGS (out 5)
Build: 4
Glass: 4
Reticle: 3
Holds Zero: 5
Box Test: 4
Turrets: 2
Eye Box: 4
Value: 3