Firearms and shooting sports
Aguila Super Extra HV vs. Federal Auto Match vs. CCI Mini-Mag. Guess which ammo came in first in our test? The test results were surprising to me because CCI’s have been the gold-standard for high-quality 22LR. I rotated between the different ammo brands during the test to isolate the effects of barrel heating affecting the group size (any heating would affect all brands equally).
The results below were calculated using the Range Buddy App for Android OS.
I wasn’t expecting much out of an airsoft replica Surefire. But was pleasantly surprised by how well it was built and it’s light output. It survived my 6ft drop tests into the dirt and my pressure washer, so there’s that. When the local ranges reopen (from COVID and wildfireds) I’ll see how it holds up to 9mm recoil.
CVLife sent me their 4-Reticle red/green dot to review. I was a bit dubious as there are soooooo many knock-offs of Sightmark’s Sure Shot reflex sight. It has become the most ubiquitous budget red dot design. I do like it’s very open, almost frameless design which offers almost no obstructions to your field of view. Perfect for action sports, birding, or a range gun. The trade-off is that this design is that the thin frame is vulnerable to rough handling and drops.
PRO: The CVLife looks a lot better up-close than other budget reflex sights. Nice detailing and no blemishes on the body. Clean sharp reticles with no blooming when the reticle moves off the center. The windage adjustment gave positive clicks and seemed accurate to 1/4″ MOA per click device specifications. Held zero after 25 shots mounted on a break-barrel .22cal
CON: Windage shifted once between shots while testing tracking. Elevation was mushy and often did not give a click on adjustment so was impossible to judge how accurate it was to 1/4″ MOA?
I’m working the video review after I get a chance to do more durability testing.
Available on Amazon for around $30 https://amzn.to/2E00btb
I’ve bee ordering so many things from various online stores, I honestly forgot I ordered these over a month ago. I purchased them from the “Professional Tactical Appliance Store” on AliExpress
Mount: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_dUrxQld
QD Offset Mount: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_dUubppp
I did a quick install and found that the 5-position mount worked as advertised, allowing you to select 5 different angles to configure your taclight on your Picatinny rail. But the mounting foot on the Pic-rail was small (only about 1/2″) so it doesn’t provide a secure enough clamp. The material is polymer and tightened down, there was still wiggle. Acceptable for general airsoft use but the recoil from real firearms will likely loosen this. And the polymer clamp is likely not strong enough for action shooting or real-world durability.
The mounting tube for the taclight itself was a bit wide, requiring a taclight with a minimum of a 2.75″ battery tube to clear it. Shorter tacklights may require you to completely extract the taclight from the mount to access your battery or a clicky tail.
The QR (Quick Removal?) mount on the otherhand felt more robust. When mounted, there was no flex or wiggle. The mount is secured by the tension of the tight tolerance of the molding along your, secured with a cross-bar which is retracted when you press a button near the base. The mount is also almost completely polymer, so repeated removal may wear down a tight groove and loosen it over time?
I also found my particular placement on the bottom rail of my handguard problematic because my palm would press the QR button when I held my rifle in a C-clamp. Mounting it on a different position may fix that problem but your setup may vary. Apart from the C-clamp issue, I found the mount to be robust enough for use on high-recoil firearms.
Aguila Super Extra HV has been my go-to 22LR for the last few years after I started picking it up on sale at Big-5 Sports and finding it to be more accurate than Federal Range and Remington Golden Bullet and cheaper than CCI Mini-Mags. Aguila seemed to have a reputation for “dirty ammo” on various social media threads and forums. I thought I’d test the rumor.
I upcycled my old ‘budget’ rifle scope into a spotting scope with these inexpensive camera accessories. Reduce, reduce, recycle, pewpew!
Magic Arm and Clamp https://amzn.to/2EuGmKs
Clamps https://amzn.to/2FMexhg
Mini Tripod https://amzn.to/3aV8Itw
Telescoping Tripod https://amzn.to/31nqjqT
Telescoping Extension Pole https://amzn.to/3j7VlsT
CVLife 6-24×50 rifle scope https://amzn.to/2Yvwpn0
The “Patriot Mag Release” for the Kel-Tec Sub2000 Gen 2 is a device designed to prevent access to the mag release button when the Sub2000 is in firing configuration. It gives you access to the mag-release when you fold the Sub2000, thereby making your Sub2000 CA compliant, without the need of a ‘featureless’ grip wrap.
I purchased this online from BulletButton.com:https://www.bulletbutton.com/product-p/kts2pmr.htm
The direct-blowback design of the Sub2000 combined with its light-weight (4lbs), plastic buffer block, and hard-angled buttplate means the felt recoil is a bit sharper than other carbines. Kel-Tec, MCarbo, and Tacticool offer products to dampen recoil. But I share two cheap and easy hacks to reduce felt recoil for under $20. Plus you can also use the grommets to upgrade your charging handle as a bonus.
Missouri Tactical Recoil Pad $17 https://amzn.to/2YsYbRl
Rubber Grommet Set $10 https://amzn.to/2Qqm1bK
How good is a $4 no-name taclight I bought from AliExpress? Not good.
CVlife offered me this bipod to review. An Amazon.com package came but inexplicably the plain brown box inside wasn’t labeled CVlife. A small product ID label said: MidTen Tactical? Turns out that CVlife isn’t affiliated with MidTen. I wonder if CVlife resells MidTen’s products under the CVlife name? The CVlife Rep I communicated with didn’t have any information on that but apologized for the mixup.
CVlife version: [url]https://www.cvlife.com/collections/bipod/products/m-lok-bipod-7-5-9-inches-hunting-shooting[/url]
MidTen version: [url]https://amzn.to/3jV8O7Q[/url]
I reviewed the bipod. The fit-and-finish is lacking. Rough milling marks and blemishes on the surfaces. But it felt solidly built. It was easier to deploy and stow than my similar UTG Recon Flex. There was a bit of play on the forward/rearward axis due to the teeth and pin locking system of the legs. This “wobbliness” may not be poor workmanship but a feature allowing for less stress from recoil like MagPull’s Bipod? Only time will tell.
I leaned on it with my full weight and it took it without give or creak. It should provide a stable enough platform for my 10/22 or my AR. I look forward to putting it through some use and abuse as soon as the rifle gun ranges reopen, after COVID and wildfire closures. I will update in the future with durability information.
