Category Archives: Shooting Sports

Firearms and shooting sports

Maven CS.2A spotting scope

The CS.2A 26-66×85 is the most powerful optic in Maven’s C-line of spotting scopes and binoculars. It features Chinese ED glass and construction. But before you turn up your nose, know that there is a wide range of quality between various factories and cities in China. This scope looks every bit as well made as Maven’s Japanese built scopes, so much so that I honestly couldn’t tell the difference were it not for the MADE IN CHINA printing at the bottom of the tripod adapter foot.

The main difference between this scope and their more expensive Japanese spotters is that the C-line has ridges on its focus and power wheel, whilst the Japanese S-series spotters have a fine checkering. Otherwise, the C-line has the hallmarks of Maven’s scopes: Dark grey polymer armor on the body and smooth turning focus and power rings.

Optically the scope is sharp, bright, and with good color rendering. At maximum magnification, the image was slightly darkened but exhibited little if no chromatic aberration at long distance.

BUY IT

Maven affiliate link https://alnk.to/9bulVtW

Amazon affiliate link https://amzn.to/4gQjeno

RESOULTION

ELEMENT 1 / GROUP 1 @ 100yrds

SPECS

Magnification Range26x-66x
Obj. lens diameter85mm
Exit pupil3.3mm / 1.3mm
Field of View (FOV)2.2° / 1.1°
Apparent FOV (FOV x Power)56° / 70°
Field of view (ft/1000 yds)113ft /56ft
Brightness10.7 / 1.7
Twilight factor47 / 75
Eye relief16mm – 17mm
Near focus16ft
Dimension WxHxD15.0×4.0x6.0
Weight60.0 oz
Prisms typeSchmidt-Pechan
Coating typeFully multi-coated
Pressure tested to what pressure1m for 30min. (IPX7)
Storage temperature-40°~158°F
Frame materialMagnesium / Aluminum
Internal gas purgedNitrogen
Objective filter threadNo
Lens typeED

TMI Live 241106

My notes from today’s livestream

Aura Sponsorship: https://aura.com/moondog

FRESH VIDS

MOONDOG 2A

Discovery LHD https://youtu.be/Jn7LcnJBsbg

Aguila Super Extra https://youtu.be/az-Bo0axw9c

MOONDOG REVIEWS

Olight Arkfeld Ultra https://youtu.be/5Y8Wg2Fu4GE

MOONDOG GO

Independence Hall election shorts https://www.youtube.com/@moondoggo/shorts

Youth Range Safety video https://youtu.be/eolUJAlZa7c

THUMBNAIL THIS

• CVLife EagleTalon

•5.11 X.VI pants

VOCAB

Verisimilitude

RABBIT HOLE

A.I. Generated images and DeepFakes

The Death of Proof

Soviet Photoshop https://www.openculture.com/2017/08/long-before-photoshop-the-soviets-mastered-the-art-of-erasing-people-from-photographs-and-history-too.html

Deep Fake Keanu https://www.upworthy.com/keanu-reeves-ai-account-rp

DeepFake Jenny Ortega/Emma Myers https://www.youtube.com/@fake_ortega

LIVE CONTEST DRAWING

Discovery Optics ring spin: @SMichaelDeHart

20 MOA mount
https://amzn.to/3U2OFBi
10% Off code: Moondog1021

Discovery Optics
https://discoveryopt.com
10% Off code: Moondog

NOVEMBER CONTEST

Feyachi QD TM22 vest https://moondogindustries.com/november-2024-contest/

WINNERS

Huxworks cap: American Hillbilly

Condor Tactical saddlebag: Bullets4Bucks

MAVEN CS.24

The Maven CS.2A 26-66×85 has the highest magnification and largest objective diameter among Mavens spotting scopes. The scope appears to be made or at least assembled in China unlike the Japanese S-series scopes. But don’t let Sino-Snobbery bias you, the glass and build quality is a match to Maven’s other premium optics. This scope uses the same ED quality glass Mavens other C-series scopes. Color balance, sharpness, and brightness were on par with other quality scopes in the 1K-1.5K price tier.

Its only disappointment is it’s lack of field-grade lens caps or backpack ready carrying case or skin. While many premium scope brands also eschew accessories, Maven took the time to produce a custom branded front lens cap; yet somehow didn’t design it to have a simple lanyard loop to help keep an outdoorsman from losing it in the field.

Despite this nitpick, the CS.2A’s body design is armored and ruggedized for harsher outdoor conditions. At 60oz, the CS.2A is impressively light for an 85mm spotter. This scope has the power, features, and style that a well heeled back-country hunters or birders can appreciate.

BUY IT

Maven.com*: https://alnk.to/7BfCc5l

Amazon*: https://amzn.to/3YaYJt8

RESOLUTION

Element 6 / Group 0

SPECS

CS.2A

Magnification: 26x-66x

Obj. lens: 85mm

Exit pupil: 3.3mm / 1.3mm

Field of view (ft/1000 yds) : 113ft /56ft

Twilight factor: 47 / 75

Eye relief : 16mm – 17mm

Min focus: 16ft

Dimensions: W 15″ x H 4:  x D 6″

Weight : 60.0 oz

Prisms type:Schmidt-Pechan

Gas Purge: Nitrogen

Lens type: ED

Discovery LHD 8-32×56 FFP

The Discovery LHD 8-32×56 is a surprisingly low priced 32x scope. Unlike previous long-range scopes from Discovery, my sample model did not come with scope rings. This may be a new direction from Discovery, hoping to move away from the perception that they are a “budget brand” that come with plethora of accessories. Leupold, Athlon, Vortex, Burris; none of the big name scope brands come with rings or mounts for their long range scopes.

The LHD appears made for long range Benchrest style shooting at over 2lbs (35.6 oz). It has tall, non-locking turrets which provide loud and tactile positive clicks. The elevation turret has a cog-and-tooth style zero stop which is solid and repeatable. In my range testing, the turret tracked precisely to my MIL grid target at 100yrds.

The magnification ring was stiff but thankfully it comes with metal throw lever, which it needs. The LHD uses relatively sharp HD glass which exhibits typical amounts of chromatic aberration (CA). This CA reduces contrast and sharpness at its highest magnification, which takes away from what on paper should be an impressive 32x.

The LHD has a FFP Christmas Tree reticle that is mostly skeletonized and thin to optimize visibility at higher magnification and longer distance objects. The illumination lights up the center 1/4 of of the cross hairs and is low-light/twilight bright. Helpful for black bullseye targets or shooting in early dawn or dusk but not “daylight bright”.

A disappointment in this scope for me is its tight eyebox. Most high magnification factor scopes suffer from this. Even at it widest setting of 8x the scope has an unforgiving eyebox that only gets tighter that higher you crank the magnification. For a Benchrest or F/class shooter this isn’t as much of an issue but would be very frustrating to a hunter and competing in PRS/NRL matches.

Overall performance and build quality reminds me a lot of the Arken SH4. The LHD offers similar performance at higher magnification for just under $250. While this scope won’t compete with premium +30x scopes like the Athlon Ares or Vortex Golden Eagle, the LHD outperforms anything close to its price class.

BUY IT

Discovery Optics website 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

RESOLUTION

Element 6 / Group -1

SPECS

LHD SFIR

Magnification: 8-32x

Objective: 56mm

Tube: 34mm

FOV: 3.8 ft @ 100 yrds

Eye Relief: 3.5 in / 90mm

Min Focus: 25 yrds

Max Elev Adj: 36 MRAD

Max Wind Adj: 16 MRAD

Glass: HD

Coating: Fully Multi-Coated

Reticle Illumination: Yes

Battery: CR2032

Waterproof 

Length: 14.9″

Weight: 35.6 oz

TMI Live #241030

My notes from today’s livestream

Since 2004, the Fed Govt. declared October to be Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Aura Sponsorship: https://aura.com/moondog

FRESH VIDS

LIVE CONTEST: O-lloween #olight

MOONDOG 2A

Discovery Optics Rings and Mounts https://youtu.be/oojhvIJSdDs

MOONDOG GO
Election and Revolutionary History week https://www.youtube.com/@moondoggo/shorts

MOONDOG REVIEWS
OLight Arkfeld Ultra https://youtu.be/5Y8Wg2Fu4GE

Discovery Optics Costume Contest https://www.facebook.com/groups/1978152612658494/posts/2156755618131525/

THUMBNAIL THIS

• CCI Standard vs Aguila Super Extra

• Discovery LHD

• Primary Arm SLx

LIVE CONTEST: O-lloween #olight

VOCAB

Height vs Heighth
@PeanutEOD 
 I liked and subscribed for the simple fact that you pronounced the word height correctly. It drives me absolutely insane when people put the “th” at the end of height. And that word gets used a lot in firearms videos.

Pre-19th century pronunciation or probably a regional dialect. Benjamin Franklin and George Washington wrote the word as “heighth” sometimes https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/the-height-of-mispronunciation2014or-not

RABBIT HOLE

What did the Founding Father’s sound like?
Boston Accent or Tangier Island VA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIZgw09CG9E

Pirate Accent was invented in Disney’s Treasure Island: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7giyx13xcM0

Disney Leprechan’s : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ2EaF8n6iA

Sean Connery sings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So9yHpHOAiI

What movie Scared you?
Jaws
Phantasm
Invaders from Mars
Nightmare on Elm Street (story)

MOONDOG GO CHAT CONTEST: OLight flashlight name

NOVEMBER CONTEST

Feyachi QD TM22 vest https://moondogindustries.com/november-2024-contest/

LIVE CONTEST DRAWING ARKFLEX

#olight

Olight Arkfeld Ultra

The Arkfeld Ultra is an upgrade on the Arkfeld Pro, which I reviewed just a few month ago. The Ultra increases light output by 100lumens which isn’t a huge leap in output. The more notable changes are in the design of the body and a new aluminum alloy used in it’s construction, that Olight calls O-aluminum.

The Ultra has a slightly raised and beveled face on it’s body design, somewhat reminiscent of the Tesla Cybertruck. This serves a practical purpose, shielding the control ring and button from wear and tear. For extra credit, I tested the Ultra’s claimed extra strong design by running it over with my KIA SUV. It survived, though I did bend the belt clip noticeably and scratched up the lower body (though not as badly as I would have expected).

The Ultra also features a finely checkered pattern on the sides of the box-shaped flashlight, which provides more grip friction than the Arkfeld Pro’s ribbed pattern. In performance, the Arkfeld Ultra is nearly identical to the Pro. My testing did confirm a light output near its claimed 1400 lumens. The Ultra is rechargeable and uses the same magnetic recharging cable as the Pro and other Olight flashlights.

The Ultra costs about $20 more than the Pro but the latter offers a wider array of color selection in its body. At the moment the Ultra only comes in a olive-gold like color thats somewhat infused into the metal. In addition, Olight inlcudes a limited edition Olight challenge coin in the Ultra box.

BUY

Olight affliate: https://shrsl.com/4ploz

Amazon affiliate https://amzn.to/3U31JGQ

SPECS

ARKFELD ULTRA

OUTPUT: 1400 lumen

UV OUTPUT: 900mW

LASER: Green Class 3R

BODY: O-Aluminum alloy

WATERPROOF: IPX-7

BATTERY: Internal LiPo

MAX THROW: 103 meters (Turbo)

RUNTIME: 125 minutes (Turbo), 11 days (Moon)

LENGTH 4.72 in / 120 mm

WIDTH 1.06 in / 27 mm

THICKNESS 0.63 in / 16 mm

WEIGHT 4.19 oz / 119 g

6061 vs 7075 Scope Rings

If you own a pair of scope rings or really any firearms accessory that’s made of metal, chances are that metal is aluminum. And if you look at the marketing description it may describe it as “Aircraft grade” aluminum or “Aluminum Aloy” which means that chances are that type of aluminum is 6061.

But there is also 7075 aluminum which was secretly invented in Japan before WWII and used in the famous Mitsubishi A6m “Zero” fighter. This aluminum is technically lighter and harder than 6061. But also harder to mill and work with, which makes it more expensive than 6061.

Discovery optics new line of scope rings and mounts are surprisingly well designed and constructed, with features like lightening cuts and recoil lugs. Moreover they all feature clearly printed informative labels with useful information like the height and diameter or the rings, the amount of torque to apply to the star Torq screws, and the sequence to tighten them down.

The 6061 “lightweight” cantilever offset mount features an index pin to more precisely align the top and bottom halves of the rings together and provide reinforcement against recoil sheering sheering forces on the screws. As the name implies their 20MOA Heavy Duty mount has a 20MOA cant built into the base for Extreme Long Range shooters and features “Pre-Lapped” rings that are polished down to the bare metal providing the mirror smooth contact surface with your scope tube. It also offers 6 screws per scope ring which offers more clamping power if you’re mounting a heavy scope on a big bore (ie. 50BMG) or magnum cartridge rifle.

If you don’t need the 20MOA for pushing out to Extreme Long Rang shooting, you probably don’t want it because that also means you’ll need to compensate by adjusting your scope 20MOA to counteract that ballistic drop of the mount for “normal” range setups.

Both the 6061 and the 7075 rings also feature this pre-lapped treatment. In fact, I’m a bit hard pressed to find a use case for the 6061 rings over the 7075 rings. Certainly the 6061 rings are lighter and 40% cheaper than the 7075 rings but both are under $100 and therefore so affordable as to make the difference in price negligible.

In general you should choose scope rings for the most versatility in scope setups on bolt action and semi-automatic rifles. Discovery Scope mounts will only fit on Picatinny 1913 rails due to their triple recoil lug bases. But if you’re mounting a scope on an AR or a rifle with limited rail space, you may need a mount to provide enough forward offset to push your scope eyepiece far enough forward to provide you with sufficient eye relief to use the scope safely and effectively.

No matter which you choose: scope rings or an offset scope mount, Discovery’s offers exceptional value and by all appearance, exceptional engineering and construction. In all but the most extreme conditions, either 7075 or 6061 should provide you with a strong enough mounting system for your scope.

BUY IT

Discovery Optics: https://discoveryopt.com 
10% Off code: Moondog

20 MOA mount https://amzn.to/3U2OFBi
10% Off code: Moondog1021

Lightweight Mount https://amzn.to/4h4WkZG

7075 Rings https://amzn.to/4eDpP3d

6061 Rings https://amzn.to/401S7jm

WIN IT

Enter to win

Klarus E5

The Klarus E5 looks like a flashlight Apple would design: a cross between a highly functional EDC and an overpriced minimalist fashion accessory. But the E5 is anything but overpriced. Flat EDC lights are a mini-trend in flashlights. The Olight Arkfeld is probably the best-known example. Klarus has staked out its position by offering the lightest, flattest EDC.

The 1.4 oz E5 weighs less than a pair of Apple AirPods (with charging case). It’s about the size of 3″ bladed EDC knife and shares about the same pocket space. It has a magnetic tip that allows the E5 to tail-stand as a work light or be attached to the roof of a car as a warning signal. The EP5 comes in 6 different colors, with matching colored belt clips.

The EP5 has two light emitters. In function, it’s intended to be primarily a clip-on lapel light. Its main LED emitter is its larger round light on its side. Its auxiliary light forms the top end opposite its magnet. Both lights are activated and controlled by a single side button the light. Tapping on the button after the light unit is activated switches the main light from low-medium-high-flash/signal modes. Keeping the button pressed after activation switches between the Main and Aux light emitters. Double tapping the button activates the Aux light in strobe mode. Triple tapping the button activates the Main light in Turbo mode, outputting a maximum of 600 lumens

The EP5 trades off ergonomics in controls and function for minimalist aesthetics. The EP5 is stylish and lightweight, making it appealing, but it lacks features like mode memory, which are required in a real EDC work light. But its low price, lightweight, and packability make it a great every-day-carry light, just not an every-day-use light.

BUY IT

Amazon affiliate https://amzn.to/4gtwE8L

SPECS

• Maximum Brightness:600 lumens
• Weight: 37g
• Thickness: 8mm
• Battery Capacity:450m
• Charging port: USB-C
• Max runtime: 12hrs
• Waterproof: IPX4

TMI Live 241023

My notes from today’s livestream

Aura Sponsorship: https://aura.com/moondog

Contest: #maven Sticker Package

FRESH VIDS

Evike Timelapse https://youtu.be/344UnhfX2Sc

Klarus E5 https://youtu.be/hIjoNwFPLdg

Feyachi QD PC https://youtu.be/w3Py5uilP1s
Contest early access: https://moondogindustries.com/november-2024-contest/

Maven RS4 https://youtu.be/zaA9dQsN3Qc

Contest: Discovery Optics scope rings and mounts https://youtu.be/BDYjHoSEadE

Discovery Optics: https://discoveryopt.com 
10% Off code: Moondog

20 MOA mount https://amzn.to/3U2OFBi
10% Off code: Moondog1021

THUMBNAIL THIS

• Maven CS2A

• Primary Arm SLx

LIVE CONTEST

• #maven

VOCAB

Cheering Guide – When a KPop or JPop group puts out a video when they release a new title track, and it’s so the fans (if they want) know when and what to cheer at specific times.

Vocaloid – A singing voice synthesizer software product. Its signal processing part was developed through a joint research project between Yamaha Corporation and the Music Technology Group in Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona.

RABBIT HOLE

F5ve https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opMa_L52z0I

Rock Horror Picture Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T3wrbOr68w&t=95s

Professor of Rock: Hall and Oats https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=N_h5UhQp4xQ

Comet A3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulBTMI9dP0I

OctoSquigglez Vocaloid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zey7jzfQcJc

Hatsune Miko

Leek Song (Finnish!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrgO_9ey53M

LIVE CONTEST

• #march

Maven RS.4 5-30×56 FFP

Maven has some of the sexiest looking scopes on the market in terms of build quality, materials, and styling. But don’t let a hot body fool you. Like an exotic sports car the Maven RS.4 has serious engineering under the hood.

The RS.4 is Maven’s scope for PRS competition or long range Western hunting. It offers many features optimized for long range enthusiasts. Maven offers it in MIL or MOA with a variety of Christmas tree and specialty reticles. I got the CFR-MIL reticle which is similar to the PR2 reticle on the Leupold Mk5.

The turrets are oversized and large diameter to provide quick turns to adjust dope and fine adjustments. The turret have a hidden tool-less locking top to allow the user to reset them. Under the elevation turret you’ll find a black metal ring that can be dropped to engage a pin on the turret base to engage a precise zero-stop.

All the nobs and rings turn smoothly. The turrets offer precise tacticle clicks that are audible. The reticle illumination is powered by a CR2032 coin battery and is split between red and green settings with an off in-between brightness settings. The illumination dial layout is a little unusual with the highest settings in both red and green are on the same side of the dial. Unfortunately it’s illumination is only so-so. Only the very central cruciform of the reticle is illuminated with a faint glow on the Christmas tree. The RS.4’s brightest isn’t noon-day daylight which a liability for certain lighting conditions.

The RS.4 has ED glass which gives it excellent sharpness, clarity, and color balance. Chromatic aberration was greatly minimized in all but the highest contrast conditions. Even in those extreme cases, I noted an orange fringe rather than a purple or green one. The eyebox was a bit unforgiving, even with the magnification dialed down to 10x. At 30x it’s very tight, so it’s imperative the shooter have a firm and comfortable cheek weld on their rifle.

The RS.4 is a beautifully designed scope with long range shooters in mind. Especially the kind of shooter who step out of their custom Cybertruck wearing their ironed T.A.D. outfits and matching Canadian Goose parka.

BUY IT

Maven affiliate: https://alnk.to/7X4TGjC
Maven Custom builder (use code: moondog): https://alnk.to/3J6z2Dh
Amazon affiliate: https://amzn.to/3MByMgU

SPECS

Focal plane1st
Magnification range5x – 30x
Obj. Lens diameter56mm
Tube diameter34mm
Objective outer diameter65mm
Eyepiece outer diameter43.6mm
Overall length325mm / 12.79in
Weight (without battery)35.4oz / 1004g
Max Elevation35.5 MIL
Max Windage14.6 MIL
Click value0.1 MIL
Adjustment per turret revolution10 MIL
Parallax adjustment15y-Infinity
Exit pupil diameter@30x: 1.9mm
Eye relief@30x: 86-92mm
Field of view @ 100y@30x: 3.9ft
Effective objective lens diameter@30x: 56mm
Field of view@30x: 0.74°
Field of view, apparent@30x: 22°
Light transmission91.84%
Twilight factor@30x: 40.98
Submersion tightness / waterproof rating3m depth
Gas purgedNitrogen
Reticle constructionEtched Glass
Reticle optionsMOA/MIL
IlluminationRed/Green
OriginMade in Japan