Category Archives: Shooting Sports

Firearms and shooting sports

The best $500 you can spend in airsoft: a Gunpower SMT Review

SMT Gunpower
This $500 electronic target game and training system (Smart Monitor Target) from Korea and available exclusively in the US at Evike. This is a stand-alone electronic game/training device is an impact sensitive 24” LCD screen that can accurately record BB hits to score and time the shooter.


PRODUCT LINK
http://bit.ly/2JcfxgO

Features

  • Vertical standing monitor
  • Adjustable stand, can be made as tall or as short as the shooter would prefer
  • Avoid going outside for target practice, practice within the safety of your own home
  • Easy to set up and get started
  • Various targets to choose from, with up to 6 unique targets
  • Test yourself and practice shooting with an individualized scoring system
  • BBs resistant screen and sensors ensures reusability

Recommended Airsoft Weapon Specs

  • FPS Under 400 (measured with 0.25g BBs)
  • BB weight under .30g
  • Minimum Distance 6ft
  • Semi-Only


The level of complexity to assemble the unit wasn’t quite IKEA level in terms of difficulty. But setting it up the first time was a bit of work. With practice, you can get down to about 3-5 minutes. It includes an Allen wrench but I found the screws on the stand to be waaaay tight. Other reviewers have reported similar problems out of the box. I recommend a good ratchet to get them loose. I used a rubber mallet.

The stand pieces are very heavy-duty and robust.

It boots up automatically when plugged in and turned on. The screen is protected by a special flexible, replaceable, plexiglass screen which also slows down BB’s and eliminates all but a few rare ricochets. But you should still, always wear eye-protection when using this with any airsoft weapon. 

You control it using the button master-control pad which is connected to the unit with a supplied 10m USB cable. You can also shoot at the screen and control it like a giant touch screen but lightly tapping or pressing on the screen doesn’t work. It only responds to hard, fast impacts, like BB hits. 

The unit has 11 target games or modes. I understand there are future games in development and the unit is software upgradable though I don’t have any information as to how that’s going to be implemented or when it will roll out. 9 options are game or competition based some of whom are 2-player. The unit also has 2 unscored and untimed targets for zeroing optics and general accuracy training. 

TARGET MODES

Aiming: A time based accuracy game. In a grid of 12 circle targets a random target will glow briefly and you must hit that target before the stops glowing. You’ll be presented with a total of 20 targets. Your score is based on your time plus penalty time for misses. 

Command 1: Is a long and challenging arcade style shooting drill using numbers and shapes. At the start of each stage you’re given a set of 3 numbers and shapes to shoot among 5 tarets. You have 5 shots per stage. Fail to hit all 3 of your targets or hit the wrong one and you lose a life. You have 3 lives to complete all 25 stages.  

Criminal: Law-enforcement style “bad guy” target with a limit of 10 shots on the target and scored hit zone. This mode is best used with a user created challenges such as forced a mag changes or the shooter change cover locations to fire on the SMT. 

Flip Flop: A 2-player game where you claim hex spaces on the game board with a correctly placed shot on a highlighted target. You’re given 3 shots per turn. You’re goal is to turn the entire board to your color. Miss and you could turn your hex over to your opponents color. This game is very competitive but is best played with 2-players. 

Hostage: Similar to “Criminal” target but with a “no-shoot” hostage with a total of 10 shots scored on hit zones on the ‘bad guy’. If you hit the hostage, you get points deducted. 

Shot Time: IPSC style target surrounded by smaller target ‘steels’ with various number values. You have a total of 10 shots per round and you’re scored by accuracy and split times. Like the Criminal and Hostage targets, this game improves when you user imposes shooting challenges like manditory mag relods. 

Target: Is a simple target bullseye and hunting animal silhouettes. You have 10 shots per round with no time limit, and your scored on shot placement on the central bullseye target. 

Training 1: Is one of 2 games that allows you to network together additional SMT screens and presenting the the target on different screens. You’re presented a series of IPSC paper targets, a no-shoot, and steel poppers.Your score is based on your time. 

Training 2: Also has a multi-screen option. In this game you have a series of steel reactive targets and challenge trees. Your score is based on your time to complete. 

Zeroing: Paper target design 1 for zeroing optics 

Zeroing1: Paper target similar to Zeroing but with a 5 shot limit per round. The target measures the size of your 5-shot group. This info is helpful in measuring the effects of changing weapon peramiters such as BB weight or brand used. Or changings to your hop-up or barrel. 

INSIGHTS AND ISSUES

Before we get started, do me a favor and hit the LIKE button and if this is the first time watching Moondog Industries, please hit the SUBSCRIBE button, it encourages me to make more videos like this. And if you liked something or disliked something in the video, let me know in the COMMENTS. 

Ok, so I’ve been playing with this thing for a couple of days and I found somethings I really like and some room for improvement. Thanks again to I want to thak Evike.com for sending this unit  for me to review. They wanted my unbiased feedback on how to improve it so I’m going to tell you what I told them. 

Screws in the stand are way too tight out of the box. I think the factory painted them after they put the screws in place. It was a pain to loosen them to assemble the stand. 

Also the assmebly instructions. The set screw mentioned in Step #6 really needs to be installed in Step #2 or else you’re going to have to unscrew other connector you just got finished installing to align it properly. It’s needless extra work. 

Next the BB catch tray install isn’t adequately explained and illustrated in the instructions. I eventually figured out you have pull out the arms insert them into small slots on the sides of the screen. And then attach the rubber side panels which have magnets on them. This helps catch ricochets. I was shooting form about 10ft away with a 350fps AEG with 0.25g BBs and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how well the plexi screen slowed down the BB’s and it seemed like over 90% of my BB’s landed in the catch tray instead the floor. 

I had fun with just 1 unit and while it would be nice to have more than one, I gotta wonder why they designed them to network with ethernet cables and a wired hub. This isn’t the 1990’s, why didn’t they build in wifi or bluetooth into them?

One thing people may balk at is the price of $500. But when you consider that’s the price of a high-end customized AEG or two average AEGS, well that’s not outrageous. If you already have a bunch of airsoft guns already, I’d consider this a better use of funds than buying yet another rifle. In fact it’s the most fun I’ve had shooting an airsoft gun, without actually skirmishing with other people. Especially for folks in parts of the country where you can’t play airsoft during the winter months. It really is a great training tool. 

And if your a family man and need another excuse, yes it even works with Nerf guns. So you could claim you’re buying it for the kids. You’re welcome.

So is it worth it? That’s ultimately up to you. I hope this video helped you decide. If you want to pick one up yourself, please use the evike link in my video description. My channel gets a little commission if you do. If you don’t that’s cool too. Just do me a favor and share this video with somebody who you think might be interested. 

Again, that’s for watching. Play safe. 

Moondog Out.
 

December 2020 MoTac Giveaway

I’ll be giving away two prize packages from Missouri Tactical. I ended up with two extra sets of rail covers after completing my review video of MoTac’s rail covers and I wanted to give them away to my viewers as a thank you for watching my YouTube reviews.

There are 8 options for you to enter for a chance to win:
https://gleam.io/17DU8/december-2020-motac-giveaway



PRIZE PACKAGE Alpha
• A signed Missouri Tactical ARecoil Pad modified by me for my Sub2K Recoil Hacks video
• Missouri Tactical Picatinny Rail covers

PRIZE PACKAGE Bravo
• A signed Missouri Tactical Sub2000 Recoil Pad
• Missouri Tactical M-Lok Rail covers

Missouri Tactical Grip and Rail Cover Review

A review of Missouri Tacticals grip covers, picatinny rail covers, and M-lok rail covers for the Kel-Tec Sub2000. Thanks to Missouri Tactical for supplying these samples for this review and the discount code for my viewers. 

The grip cover is similar to the Hogue grips on a pistol. It takes a fair bit of strength to muscle the cover over a grip but with my Tyvek hack, it makes it a bit easier. The grip feature a palm-swell to tightly fit in your hand. The Picatinny rail and M-Lok covers help provide a firm grip on your rifle along with protection for your handguard.

PROMO 

5% Discount Code: 05moondog

Picatinny Rail Cover (black): https://motacpro.com/shop/ols/products/super-low-profile-rail-guard-set-of-3-for-picatinny

M-Lok Cover (black): https://motacpro.com/shop/ols/products/m-lok-slot-cover

Grip Cover (black): https://motacpro.com/shop/ols/products/a2-pistol-grip-sleeve

Grip Cover (FDE): https://motacpro.com/shop/ols/products/a2-pistol-grip-sleeve-fde-color

Recoil Pad (black): https://amzn.to/3xjprWB Recoil Pad (FDE tan): https://amzn.to/4aFAFTG

Lumintop TOOL AA 2.0 Review

For the price and features, the Lumintop TOOL AA 2.0 is the best AA EDC flashlight currently available. I put it through some performance and abuse tests to see if it lives up to that opinion.

It has 4 modes: low, medium, high, strobe, and a 650 lumen turbo mode if equipped with a 14500 LiON battery. This can use a normal AA alkaline cell to provide an output of 400 lumens.

AMAZON AFFILIATE LINKS

White/Silver: https://amzn.to/3lLKBSN
Black: https://amzn.to/3pJK8mj
Black with Lithium Battery Package: https://amzn.to/38Zo5C4

CVLife 4-Reticle Reflex Sight Review

How well does a $30 Reflex Sight perform? Will it hold zero?

CVLife makes some of the best budget shooting accessories and optics and they sent me this model to review. Like other reflex clones, this suffers from the benefits and shortcomings of the open Reflex design: Maximum visibility but minimum protection from the environment. The original design for this generic sight was created by the Japanese company Ultradot: https://youtu.be/n6rFaTjRZjo

AMAZON Links:
CV Life Reflex Sight https://amzn.to/3ffOhcU
Optics Protector https://amzn.to/2UIz2Qj

Pre-Black Friday Deals

Some great discounts I found for you on gadgets, tactical and survival gear on sale before Black Friday. All of which I’ve reviewed or bought myself so I’m endorsing these products and vendors.

PRE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS
Use these links and codes to help support this channel

Klarus 20% Off GL1
Review: https://youtu.be/NuV_n8azn-w
Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3kNkQkf
Coupon Code: KLARUSGL1

AR500 20% Off
Review: https://youtu.be/pt_zVN0_O7A
Offer LInk: https://alnk.to/7M1YMLI
Coupon code: RESIST

Jackery 15% Off
November 16-18
Review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUVlCecoy0Y
Site Link: https://bit.ly/3303F8z

Marmot Red Dot 18% Off
Review: https://youtu.be/lweFiJqHJcU
Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3mh3g8P
Coupon Code: H4HMJ5SJ

Missouri Tactical 20% Off + Free Ship
Review: https://youtu.be/_dXMA5pGasU
Site Link: https://motacpro.com/
Coupon Code: Moondog

MPOW HP102A Bluetooth Hearing Protector Review

MPOW HP102A

• NRR 29dB 

• AUX 3.5mm audio port

• Bluetooth

• Phone compatible with built-in mic

Inside this box you’ll find the earmuffs, a micro-USB cable, and 3.5mm stereo audio jack, instruction manual, and a marketing promo card, and a warranty card, it has a 2-year manufacturers warranty. 

Now I purchased these with the hopes that they might be a replacement for my Howard Leights. I recently did a video comparing them to Walker’s Razors. I was looking for electronic ear-muffs that had blue-tooth connectivity so that I could hear any phone calls coming through at while at the range and be able to take a call without having to take off my ear pro. 

And these are bluetooth enabled ear muffs and you can sync to a phone and make and receive calls. But sadly they don’t offer the electronic ambient sound enhancement technology of Howard Leights or Razor’s. They feature what I thought might be external microphone ports but sadly they aren’t. 

I tested them using this 120 decibel vaccuum cleaner. They did indeed reduce the external sound by about 29 decibels. An NRR of 29 is better than Leights or Razors 23 decibels but far short of the NRR of 34 or 39 of some non-electronic passive protective earmuffs. But they are on par with 3M work-ears and other industrial grade hearing protection that also function as audio headphones. 

But as audio headphones they fall short. They aren’t as loud as my audio or gaming headphones. 

AMAZON LINKS

Twod Gun Socks green https://amzn.to/2Gj8q4R

Twod Gun Socks grey https://amzn.to/3mHYjG7

Twod Gun Sock Review

Maybe it’s a family heirloom, a WW1 or WW2 battle rifle or it’s that fancy over-and-under you saved up for. 

Whatever, chances are you’ve accidentally knocked it over at least once while reaching into the back of your safe for that odd box of ammo. This is why you need to store your rifles in a sock it adds enough cushion of protection that keeps it from getting scratched when two rifles knocking into each other or the side of your safe.

Containing silicone oil, these socks protect your gun from moisture as well as scratches. Available on Amazon

AMAZON LINKS

Twod Gun Socks green https://amzn.to/2Gj8q4R

Twod Gun Socks grey https://amzn.to/3mHYjG7