All posts by moondog

Tom "Moondog" DelMundo is a former NYC Creative Director.
Shooting Sports

CVLife Eagle Blaze 5-25×56 FFP

Before I knew anything about high power scopes, I purchased a CVLife 6-24×50 AOR scope for my AR15 and happily used it at 100 yard targets. It was basic, out-dated, but cheap, and surprisingly reliable. “Walmart” quality is where I’d position their scopes, but recently they’ve attempted to bring themselves up to the level of “Target” or “Sheels”.

The Eagle Blaze is CVLife’s most ambitious attempt to date to put out a true long-range optic. The scope has 5-25x magnification range, a usable first focal plane (FFP) Christmas tree reticle, a zero stop, and using Japanese ED glass. On paper this looks like a legitimate PRS-style scope with an eyebrow raising $299 street price.

To achieve this low price, there must be compromises. The turrets are user resetable with a coin, come with a zero-stop ring lock, and have audible and tactile positive clicks. But they have a flaw. Unless the turret top is insanely cinched down, the turret will turn lose after locking down losing, rendering its push-to-lock feature useless.

In my testing I found that twisting free a “locked” turret does not move the reticle. It essentially makes the turret free floating. You are better off leaving the turret in the up-position at all times, otherwise your numbers will not sync to your zero.

Optically, the ED glass did reduce chromatic aberration. But in low light (in a shaded target cove), the scope lost a lot of detail and contrast. While this is a liability to hunters who need the ability to take game after sunset, the Eagle Blaze is a surprisingly good scope in broad daylight.

CVLife continues to improve the quality and features of their long-range optics line. This scope fumbled the execution but the play was solid. I look forward to a correction and improvement soon.

BUY

EagleBlaze 5-25×56 FFP Rifle Scope: https://bit.ly/3EHVhQG

15% discount code: UNBWS5AV

Amazon https://amzn.to/4kxDxHX

RESOLUTION

Group -1 / Element 3

SPECS

EAGLE BLAZE FFP

Magnification: 5x-25x

Objective: 56mm

Tube: 34mm

FOV: 26.2′-5.24’@100 yds

Eye Relief: 3.6”

Wind Adj: 160 MOA

Elev Adj: 160 MOA

Click Value: 1/4 MOA

Parallax: 30 yrds – Infinity

Length: 14.6″

Weight :32 oz

Gadgets, Product Reviews

Fenix SW05R Clip-On EDC

The Fenix SW05R is a compact wearable flashlight with a flat form factor It has a lightweight polymer body, with a magnetic tail, a broad belt clip, and a rotating emitter head. The head can turn over 180º to aim the beams giving the user flexibility in aiming the beams depending on where the flashlight is attached.

The unit is recharged via a USB-C cable and activated by pressing either the grey main button on the back or the red side-button. This flashlight comes in two versions, a red light and UV flashlight. To activate the flashlight, the button must be pressed for over a second, which prevents accidental activation.

The belt clip is a split design. The wider outer section is nearly the width of the flashlight (over 1″) and the thinner center clip is small enough to fit into a pen loop. The flashlight can be clipped onto a hat brim, backpack strap, or pocket.

The maximum beam output is only 150 lumens but its beam has a surprisingly long throw of over 120 ft. While wearing the SW05R, the 150 lumens is ideal for illuminating most objects being manipulated within arm’s reach. The flashlight has a secondary red LED light which is useful for preserving natural night vision, desired by astronomers, naturalists, and night hikers.

BUY

Get 10% off use code: AF-MOONDOG

Fenix https://alnk.to/eDSFSD5

Amazon https://amzn.to/4bcm4Ri

SPECS

SW05R / UV

Max Lumens: 150

Max  Throw: 128 feet (39m)

Max Runtime: 49 hours

Modes: Low, med, high, red, red flash

Lens Material: Polycarbonate

Color Temperature: ~6500K

Size: Length: 2.72” (69mm) 

Width: 1.14” (29mm) 

Height: 0.63” (16mm)

Weight: 1.90 oz. (24g)

Battery: 700mAh battery

Power Input: USB-C

Warranty: Limited Lifetime

Shooting Sports

RPR Ammo Test: Fiocchi Range Dynamics vs CCI Standard

https://youtu.be/PYx6Z7e28iQ

Founded in 1876 in Lecco, Italy, Fiocchi is one of the oldest ammo brands in the world. Range Dynamics (RD) is their everyday ammo line intended for training and target practice. Their 22LR cartridge is loaded at the Fiocchi USA plant in Ozark, Missouri.

Testing both in my factory Ruger Precision Rimfire Rifle (RPR), Range Dynamics zero’d out quite easily. RD grouped quite well, but not as tightly as CCI Standard.

BUY

Discovery Optics LHD

Discovery Optics website use 10% Off code Moondog: https://www.discoveryopt.com/DISCOVERYOPT-LHD-8-32X56SFIR-FFP-Z-optics-Scopes.html

Amazon 10% discount code: Moondog832 https://amzn.to/3Ck6nu2

RESULTS

CCI Standard Velocity V
Avg. Group Size: 1.52″
Average: 1.45 MOA
Mean Radius: .49″ / 0.46 MOA

Fiocchi Range Dynamics
Avg. Group Size: 2.07″
Average: 1.97 MOA
Mean Radius: .76″ /.73 MOA

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THIS WEEK

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Moondog Reviews

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NAME THE BRAND CLUE

This major US food company was founded in 1877 in Ravenna, OH. In August 2001, this brand was acquired by PepsiCo for $14 billion.

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WORD OF THE WEEK: LENT

The English word Lent is a shortened form of the Old English word lencten, meaning “spring season“. Lent is the most solemn Christian religious observance in the liturgical year in preparation for Easter.

It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, before beginning his public ministry.

Lent is observed by Roman Catholics by fasting (tradional), abstenence of eating meat on Fridays during this 40 day period. In addition, Catholics choose to a Lenten sacrafice “Give up something for lent”. Examples include, sweets, snacks, entertainment, social-media, and technology.

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

Intermitant Fasting research NIH https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2019/12/fast-or-not-fast
In some animals, certain fasting diets seem to protect against diabetes, heart disease, and cognitive decline.
Study results

“In mice, we’ve seen that one of the effects of fasting is to kill damaged cells, and then turn on stem cells,” explains Longo. Damaged cells can speed up aging and lead to cancer if they’re not destroyed. When stem cells are turned on, new healthy cells can replace the damaged cells.

Baylor College Dawn to Dusk Fasting https://www.bcm.edu/news/dawn-to-dusk-dry-fasting-leads-to-health-benefits-in-the-study-of-immune-cells

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have found more evidence that dry fasting (fasting without food or liquid intake) from dawn to dusk can play an important role in overall health. In a new study published in Metabolism Open, researchers found that fasting from dawn to dusk for four weeks has an anti-atherosclerotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumorigenic effect on the proteins in a type of immune cell called a peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC).

Dry Fasting for 7 days Dark Horse Podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPMYUyPCTxI

A study found that Holocaust survivors had a 6.5 month longer life expectancy than those who left Poland before the war. 
One study found that Holocaust survivors in Israel lived an average of seven years longer than their non-Holocaust peers. 

CONTESTS

NAME THE BRAND CLUE:

Despite its logo illustration this company has never had any ties with the Religious Society of Friends. The illustration was the trademark brand image to be registered in US in 1877.

HASHTAG DRAWING #Quaker

Multixel Travel Charger Contest

Next Livestream Wed March 9 (Ev Brady)

Shooting Sports

SHOT 2025 Monstrum Tactical

Monstrum Tactical makes some of the most underrated budget scopes available. Many cost less than $300. But they are one of the most innovative optics companies in the industrial design of their scopes.

At last year’s SHOT Show they showcased their Archangel concept LPVO which looked like a prop out of Mass Effect or HALO. Due to positive interest and comments to my booth visit video, Monstrum pushed forward with changes to create an affordable producible Archangel 1-6x and 1-10x LPVO for this year’s show.

This year, the concept LPVO was the Terminator, with a crazy large sun shade that makes it look like a prop out of Star Trek. Like the Archangel, if there is enough popular support of this design, Monstrum will create a production model for next year’s show.

BUY

Monstrum Tactical https://monstrumtactical.com/archangel-1-6×24-first-focal-plane-lpvo-series/

Shooting Sports

CVLife WolfCovert X M01

Micro-reflex sights with reticles that can be changed between dots and circles are rare. Rarer still are compact red dots that fit on a compact pistol. CVLIfe’s WolfCover X M01 has that rare compact MRD with a changeable reticle that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

The M01 compact MRD has built-in fiber optic rear sights that are a bit too high to use with factory sights but can be used with raised front sights. The box comes with an MOS adapter plate and a Picatinny adapter. The CVLife was a bit small for my slide, so I opted to test it with the Glock EOM RMSc adapter plate.

I ran 50 rounds through my pistol and the M01 held zero. The 32MOA circle looked just a tad smaller than the 32MOA circle on my OSight and I found myself wanting a bit more visual separation between the 2MOA dot and the sunburst circle. I hope CVLife offers a 40MOA or 60MOA circle option in the future.

One other minor nitpick was that the white paint they used to fill in the logo and lettering was a bit sloppy and smeared in places. This is not unusual for a budget product as compromises have to be made and corners have to be cut to lower production costs. If it’s just the paint job, I can live with that.

BUY

Amazon https://amzn.to/438fZmM

40% Discount Code: 3MISAEYJ  

SPECS

Objective Window: 22mm x 16mm

Reticle: 2 MOA dot / 32 MOA circle

Footprint Type: ‎RMSc

Length: 1.81″

Width: 1.06″

Height: 1.02″

Weight: 0.77 oz

Click: 1 MOA

Waterproof: IPX-7

Battery: CR1632

Battery Life: 50,000 hrs

Warranty: ‎3 years

Gadgets

OLight OStation X

OLight has been branching out beyond EDC lights with products like gun red dot sights, lighting strips, tools, and pens. At SHOT Show 2025 they debuted something completely different: an automated AA battery charger.

The OStation X is a colored translucent box that reminds me of a Tangerine iMac knock-off PC from the 2000’s. This unit holds up to 32 drained AA batteries. Simply drop in your batteries—no need to check (+)/(-) polarity. It auto-detects battery type and offers both a standard 3.8-hour and fast 2.5-hour charging mode. It will automatically test them ancharge 4 of them at a time and drop the charged battery into a dispenser tray at the bottom. Any defective batteries will be kicked out and held in a reject tray for disposal.

The unit will only charge AA NiMH batteries. A different model changes AAA batteries. It should prove invaluable for working environments where AA batteries are often used for work comms, devices, and tools. They may also appeal to young families with kids and their many toys. But this should have come out 15 years ago before everything became USB-C rechargeable.

BUY

OStation X on Olight website: https://shrsl.com/4ulj0

Travel

SF Twin Peaks Panorama

https://youtu.be/-F_GWQ_6V1M

Twin Peaks is a hill above downtown San Francisco that offers a panoramic view of San Francisco Bay, Downtown San Francisco, and the Golden Gate Bridge. This is a popular spot with locals and tourists. But if you are a visitor, be warned that car thieves are known to frequent the area, so don’t leave anything valuable in your car.

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EARLYBIRD Clue: logo

THIS WEEK

Moondog2A

Moondog Reviews

Moondog Go

NAME THE BRAND CLUE

This TV network traces its origin to a Radio Network of the same name which was founded in Chicago in 1927. It is one of the “Big 3” TV networks.

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DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

CONTESTS

NAME THE BRAND CLUE:

This TV network name is an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System

HASHTAG DRAWING #CBS

Multixel Travel Charger Contest

SHOT2025 Logo Contest

Next Livestream Wed March 2 (Ash Wednesday)

Shooting Sports

Telson Toxin 3-18×50

Telson is a new optics company out of Texas that I’d never heard of prior to making this video. A fellow Pewtuber asked if I’d be interested in reviewing a premium, mid-range scope with Japanse ED glass. A few days later, I got a box sent to me from @GunTotinMinnosotan

The plain white sample box is not the retail version and I can’t confirm what sort of accessories a consumer will receive such as lens caps, throw levers, etc. My sample was the actual production version, albeit with scope rings attached (which may not be present in the retail version either).

Physically the scope reminded me of a Leupold Mk5 or a US Optics. It had a unique diamond-weave design motif in the contact surfaces of the turrets and rings. It came with a removable throw lever with a diamond-shaped design. The rings turned smoothly and the turrets were crisp, audible, and tactile positive.

The elevation turret has a zero-stop which is engaged by lowering the turret onto an internal pin. The turret has a pop-up indicator when the turret is turned past its second revolution. This indicator is actuated by the zero-stop pin under the turret and does not function when the zero-stop is deactivated. Neither the windage or the elevation are locking.

The image through the glass is impressive owing to its quality ED glass. Bright, clear, and color-accurate with minimal chromatic aberration. I liked its thin clean Christmas tree reticle with a small floating central dot. The only disappointing aspect I found was its tight eyebox.

I had one other disappointment: I had to return the Toxin. I handed this scope back to Telson at SHOT Show so that they could display it at their booth. But they did give me something back in return: a coupon code to share with my readers to get 6% off buying one for yourself.

BUY

Telson use code: moondog6 for a discount https://telsonoptics.com/shop/toxin-3-18×50-ir-ffp/?ref=sfojkzqu

RESOLUTION

Group -1 / Element 3

SPECS

Magnification: 3-18
Objective Lens Diameter: 50mm Apochromatic lens
Tube Size: 30 mm
Reticle Type: Glass Etched PH2
Illumination: 6 w/ On-Off
Glass Type: Extra Low Dispersion
Light Trans: 99.8% Per Surface
Turret Style: 2-Turn W/ Indicator and zero stop
Turret Rotation: CCW
Adjustment Graduation: 1/10MIL / 1/4MOA
Parallax Setting: 15Yrds – Infinity
Max Elevation Adjustment: 39MIL / 125MOA
Max Windage Adjustment: 39MIL / 125MOA
Travel Per Rotation: 10MIL / 25MOA
Available Turret Elevation 19.5mil / 49MOA
Field of View at 100 Yards: 35ft-6.2ft
Eye Relief: 87mm / 3.4”
Exit Pupil: 7.5mm – 2.9mm
Length:13 11/16”
Weight:30.4 oz.
Battery: CR2032