New Integrix ELR Scopes
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Leapers is best known for the UTG brand of high-quality accessories and budget tier optics (my UTG Bugbuster is not awesome but for the price, one of my favorite scopes). Last year I was introduced to their Integrix brand made with German and Japanese glass and sporting premium features. They released their LPVO but delayed the launch of their PRS/ELR targeted scopes until now.

On Industry Range Day, I was surprised to stumble upon a small UTG booth at the end of the firing line. There I ran into our old friend Kiyo who set me up at the bench with an Accuracy International precision rifle chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum, the same rifle used by the Canadian sniper who scored the worlds farthest confirmed kill at 1.3 miles! Atop this rifle was Leapers new Integrix 4.5-27x56mm FFP scope.

Dealing with a 20-30mph crosswinds and intermittent rain and hail, I managed to get at least 1 solid hit on a gong over 900m downrange. The scope brought the target sharply in focus and the image was bright and clear from edge to edge. And I’m told all of Integrix scopes are tested to withstand the recoil of .338 Magnum rounds.

Theis new ELR scopes contain premium components and are expected to have a commensurate price with an MSRP over $1500. This year I hope Kiyo and Leapers comes through with a sample model that I can test and review at the range.

Howard Leight at SHOT Show 2023
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I’ve been longtime owner of Howard Leight Impact Sports electronic earmuffs. I’ve tested and reviewed many budget price headphones (around $50 or less) and Howard Leights have performed the best for ambient sound quality. I thought it would be a good to find out what was new with Impact Sports, at the Howard Leight booth at SHOT Show.

Erica at the booth showed me options for smaller head profiles and two new color options. They now offer a Bluetooth model which sorely needed as most new smartphones lack 3mm audio ports. Disappointingly, very little has changed with the Impact Sports line. But perhaps that shouldn’t be a surprise because the basic model works as well as it does and has few faults (other than needing a lower pivot point for a tighter ear seal).

As more shooters switch to earbud electronic hearing protection, we will probably see less innovation in the over-ear hearing protection. Still lacking IMHO, is a set of earmuffs that truly offers music performance like the cheapest consumer headset. For travel, working, or just momentary peace and quiet, the Sound Canceling Earphone market has been huge (just look at BOSE, Sony, and Beats). There’s a missed opportunity here for Howard Leight or Walker or 3M to create a cross-over product.

New Monstrum Banshee LPVO
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I stopped by the Monstrum Tactical booth at SHOT Show and was introduced to their new 1-10×24 Banshee LPVO. It is an upgrade in magnification power from the Specter but retains the same T1 reticle. I recently reviewed their Spectre 1-6×24 LPVO and was pleasantly surprised by a bump in optical quality over their offerings from just a few years ago. I hope to get one soon to compare it with the Spectre.

Southern California based Monstrum Tactical is one of the most underrated brands in firearms. Largely lumped together with budget brands like CVLife, Feyachi, and the plethora of random clone brands. I would agree that 8-10years ago, their red dots and rifle scopes were heavier knock-offs of name brand optics. But their new products look radically different.

In the last couple years they’ve quietly been improving the quality of their optics and glass. They still need to improve their turret quality and reticle options, but they’re putting out decent scopes for the price. And their mounts are some of the best for the price.

The Banshee is available through my Affiliate link: https://alnk.to/8PBuQFY
The Spectre is available through my Affiliate link: https://alnk.to/9xgwLWP

New Anderson Kiger 9C PRO
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Anderson Manufacturing is famous for making budget build AR receivers and parts and whole rifles. But at SHOT Show 2023 their showcase product was a pistol. They launched their Glock-compatible Kiger 9C pistol a few months ago. For SHOT they brought out the Kiger 9C PRO model which incorporates lightening windows in the slide, a fluted barrel, and and RMR cut slide. You essentially get a Custom Glock for the price of plain vanilla.

US Optics at SHOT Show 2023
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U.S. Optics got its start back in 1992 repairing and maintaining the US Marine Corp’s sniper rifles. Fast forward to 2023 and they’re in the rarified top tier of brands like Nightforce, Leupold, Schmidt & Bender, and Tract; producing +$3000 rifle scopes. Among this elite tier of scope makers, they are perhaps one of the least well known. But in terms of the Industrial Design of their turrets and tubes, they are one of the more progressive and stylish.

The Foundation 5-25×52 is available on Amazon through my Affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3IFNCAt

New Otis Cleaning Rod Kits
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Otis Technology is known for making full featured pull-through cleaning kits. Their kits are the standard AR cleaning kits issued to to grunts in the US Army which should attest to their ruggedness and dependability. At their booth at SHOT Show 2023, they showcased their first rigid rod systems. Caliber specific sectional rod kits and solid rods in brass and coated stainless stee.

I asked them why they didn’t also offer carbon fiber rods and their answer was for rigidity. If you have to tap out a slug or blockage, you don’t want the flexibility of carbon fiber; and if you want lightness of carbon fiber, you should just use their pull-through cables. Makes sense.

Their multi-caliber sectional rod kit is available through my Amazon Affiliates link: https://amzn.to/3FksDSW

New Hi-Lux PR5 5-25×56 FFP
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Hi-Lux is well known for their Leatherwood hunting scopes and Malcom vintage reproduction scopes. But they also make modern tactical and target scopes. At SHOT Show 2023 I got a chance to see the PR5 5-25x56mm FFP, their newest precision tactical scope that is ready to compete in both NRL22 and PRS competitions.

The PR5 has all the features you’d want in a long-range scope like HD glass, 32 Mil-Rads of internal adjustment and a modern FFP Christmas Tree reticle. In addition, the PR5 has a more modern digital controlled illuminator with auto shut-off, a feature found in most red dots but still lagging in even more expensive rifle scopes.

What sets this scope apart from bigger brand name PRS scopes, is that the PR5 has a minimum parallax focus distance of just 10yrds. That means it’s perfect for airgun competitions, NRL22, Precision Rimfire, and indoor ranges. While far from a budget scope, it still manages to come in at a street price bellow $900, which is remarkable for all these features.

At the booth I also got a walk-through of Hi-Lux’s vintage scope line. With the recent heightened interest in lever action Western guns, Hi-Lux is one of the few scope makers that offers vintage looking optics that utilize modern mounting standards and contain HD glass.

Hawkway Green Laser Bore Sighter
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I was sent a Hawkway green laser bore sight tool to test and evaluate. This battery powered laser it shaped like a .223/5.56mm cartridge and fits inside the chamber of your rifle projecting a visible laser dot through your bore that you can use to aim and calibrate your scope or optic reticle. The case and cartridge appeared to be identical to the Marmot laser bore sighter I reviewed last year, except this emits a green colored laser which is much more visible in daylight.

The unit is powered by a 3x of LR41 which are wrapped together into a convenient battery pack. The kit comes with 3 sets. Battery pack fits into a chamber in the back of the unit, who’s screw on cap is shaped like the rim of a bullet cartridge. There is no off button and the unit will stay on until you remove the battery pack. While I did not test overall battery life of each pack, I used my test unit for well over 45 minutes without completely draining a battery pack but your millage may vary. It’s always a good idea to cary spares of any button battery.

Unfortunately the laser, while brighter than the Marmot red laster, wasn’t bright enough to see in bright daylight. It was bright enough to see in shade or indoors at 10-15yrds which makes it quite usable in your garage, basement, or at an indoor gun range. The unit appeared to be aligned well enough to use as a reference point with which to achieve a rough zero with your optic that you could reasonably get on paper at 100yrds and refine your zero.

The green laser’s performance is still disappointing when compared to the highly visible green laser dot projected by stem type laser bore sighters that fit onto the muzzle of your barrel. The muzzle-type use a larger CR2 battery to power their lasers and are visible at 100yrds.

Where the Hawkway and similar bullet cartridge sized laser is unequaled is in safety. Because they fit into your gun’s chamber, there is absolutely no risk of accidental discharge when it use, as the laser takes the place of any bullet. In addition, its small size makes it easy to store and transport. The entire kit fits into a mag pouch, your pocket, or tossed into a range bag. It weighs next to nothing and you can take it with you anywhere.

The Hawkway is available through my Amazon Affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3EXIWVS

New Primary Arms SLx LPVO
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Texas based Primary Arms has grown into an online retailer offering everything from ammo, firearms components, and tactical accessories. They started as an optics company specializing in ARs and innovators in tactical reticles. Their innovation of the ACSS reticle was instrumental in the rise in popularity of LPVO’s in America’s sporting rifle. At SHOT Show 2023 we got a first look at their newest LPVO, the 1-6×24 SLx, which promises a “true daylight bright” reticle.

The SLx is available through my Amazon Affiliate link https://amzn.to/3J8EPJ7

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