All posts by moondog

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

Spotty Scope: Barska Colorado 15-40×50

The Barska Colorado is a spotty scope instead of a spotting scope (feel free to use this Dad Joke). It is a compact spotting scope with a nice list of specs and a rugged exterior, that is in a word: disappointing. Well, there are many other words you can use to describe it, many comprising of four letters.

The old adage, “You get what you pay for” is certainly true here. The scope was less than $35 on Amazon and 3.9 stars out of 5 with almost half of its reviewers giving it 5 stars. These reviewers either have never seen through another spotting scope or are awaiting cataract surgery? There is one positive thing I have to say about this scope: I can still return it.

If your friend asks you about this scope, remember: friends don’t let friends buy Barska.

PRO
• Cheap

CON
• Blurry
• Milky
• Terrible optical performance

USAF51 RESOLUTION
Fail (no groups or elements could be resolved at 100 yrds)

PRODUCT LINKS

Barska Colorado https://amzn.to/3flcTlO

Celestron 20x binoculars: https://amzn.to/3rQWuuy

Vilux 12x binoculars: https://amzn.to/3A68Wcq

Shooting Sports

CCI Mini-Mag ammo test: Ruger 10/22 vs. Marlin 60

I’ve been shooting CCI Mini-Mags since the ’80s and it’s always been my gold standard for 22LR. But it’s been decades since I actually measured how it shot in my Marlin 60. I thought it was high time I re-checked my baseline assumptions.

In a previous ammo test with Aguila Super Extra HV, I found very little difference in performance when shot with a Ruger 10/22 and Marlin 60. The results in this test were even more surprising to me, with the Ruger 10/22 slightly edging out the Marlin 60; which I always thought was the more accurate rifle.

Of course, my rifle isn’t your rifle. Ammo and gun manufacturing technology change and improve. What this is a perfect example of is: it’s never a bad idea to periodically take new readings of your old standards.

Product Reviews, Shooting Sports

Riton X1 Primal 4-16×44

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Riton lent me one of their X1 Primal 4-16×44 rifle scopes to review. The X1 Primal is an intro level 1 scope in their product line. It is one of the least expensive 16x zooming premium scopes on the market; a good value in a hunting scope. Its unique RUT reticle features a semi-open central dot which I found well suited for long-range target shooting with a 22LR as it allows for clear visibility of small bullseyes.

If it does have a fault, it is the quality of the image at 16x magnification. The scope loses a lot of sharpness and contrast at full magnification. Worst yet, its eye box gets very small making it unsuitable for hunting at 16x, when targets of opportunity are mobile and require rapid change of aim. Still, it’s a quality scope at under $200, where its competition only boasts 9x or 12x power.

PRODUCT LINKS
Optics Planet https://shrsl.com/325oo
Amazon https://amzn.to/3iW4sQl

OVERALL RATINGS (out of 5)
Build: 5
Glass: 4
Reticle: 4
Holds Zero: 5
Box Test: 5
Turrets: 5
Eye Box: 3
Value: 4

Shooting Sports

Aguila Super Extra HV Good or Dirty? Redux

YouTube and Google are the bane of any shooting sports enthusiast. While both platforms are the most used services in the entire internet, they are some of the least 2A friendly. My original Aguila Super Extra HV video was recently reclassified by YouTube as no Ad Suitable, which means they reduce what little Ad revenue they share with me by 90%.

Ad suitability — Confirmed by review This video has been confirmed by manual review as not suitable for most advertisers. It remains fully playable and is eligible to earn subscription revenue from YouTube Premium.

I made a small change and re-uploaded it. We’ll see if this gets struck down to.

Product Reviews, Shooting Sports

Aguila SXHV: Marlin 60 vs Ruger 10/22

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Common Knowledge was that the Marlin 60 was one of the best shooting, factory semi-auto 22LR ever made. I always thought it was my most accurate shooting rimfire. Now, I’m not so sure. I tested Aguila Super Extra HV in my Marlin 60 and Ruger 10/22 takedown to see which rifle this ammo groups better in. I couldn’t quite believe the results, so ran the test again the following week. So much for “common knowledge”.

PRODUCT LINKS
Aguila Super Extra:
UTG Bugbuster scope: https://amzn.to/3yRGwmM
Bushnell Banner scope: https://amzn.to/3fZqLS3

Gadgets, Shooting Sports, Travel

Orbit 960 4K Dash Cam Review

I’ve been using a Veckle Mini 0906 dashcam for the last two years which I’ve been satisfied with but after using this Orbit 960, it’s blown my old cam away. The display had me a little worried because it didn’t look too sharp. But after I pulled the files onto my computer to review, the level of detail was amazing.

My only complaint is that the tail-gate and lane change warning features don’t seem to work. Or I couldn’t figure out how to make them work? One of its best features is probably the extra sticky suction cup.

Purchase this cam through Amazon through this link to help support us: https://amzn.to/3iSfTZx

Product Reviews, Shooting Sports

Prime Day Deal: Feyachi V30 Red Dot

Kicking off Prime Day with a deal from Feyachi. They sent me this red dot to review and it doesn’t disappoint. It comes with both a low-profile and a 0.83″ co-witnessing riser picatinny mount. It comes with a bunch of other accessories and holds zero even when abused by my ammo box.

Today on Amazon Prime Day 2021 this and other Feyachi products are 20%-50% Off.

PRODUCT LINK
V30 Red Dot: https://amzn.to/3vaE8Vl
Prime Day Deals: https://amzn.to/3xcE0WL