Shooting Sports

OSight XR

The XR is the newest micro reflex red dot from OSight. It features an enclosed emitter body and significant performance upgrades. It adds two options for the size of its dot (2 MOA and 6 MOA) and adds additional charge capacity to its cover (5x instead of 4x), for a jaw-dropping +30 years of runtime.

This RMR footprint optic has a clear window at the rear to protect the rear of the lens from weather, moisture, and debris that could render traditional reflex sights useless. The unit has a relatively low deck, though not low enough for me to co-witness my Glock’s factory sights. The unit has a set of spring-loaded pop-up rear sights built into the rear deck, which can be utilized with some practice.

OLight flashlights surprised the firearms community when they launched the OSight two years ago. Their flagship product was the first magnetic recharging micro reflex sight red dot. This pistol red dot charges using a unique protective cover that also functions as a wired USB-C charger or detached as a mobile power bank for the OSight. The OSign XR has clever LED indicators to inform the user about the internal battery level and the battery level of the cover, so there should be no surprises at the range or on the job.

SHOP

Amazon https://amzn.to/3ZjYAo1

SPECS

OSIGHT XR
Reticle: 2/6 MOA Dot, 32 MOA circle
Reticle Color: Red
Magnification: 1x
Window: 23x18mm
Click: 1 MOA
Total Windage: ± 45 MOA
Battery Life: ~54,000 H (2 MOA Dot)
Battery Life Cover: 324,000 H
Brightness: 8 V + 3 NV
Housing: 7075 T6
Dimensions 1.91 x 1.18 x 1.16 in
Weight 1.69 oz / 48g

Shooting Sports

Sunwayfoto HT4030CMI Inverted Leg Tripod

The HT4030CMI is Sunwayfoto’s tallest heavy-duty, large-diameter inverted-leg tripod. Unlike most tripods, the locking rings of the legs are located at the top of the leg near the tripod hinges. This position allows the shooter to easily reach the locking rings from a shooting position without having to break position to reach half-way down the leg as in traditional designs, while retaining the same extended length. This tripod is not only extra strong due to its 40mm diameter legs but also tall at over 6ft from foot to the tripod’s baseplate.

SHOP

Sunwayfoto https://sunwayfoto.com/products/sunwayfoto-ht4030cmi-inverted-leg-carbon-fiber-69-tall-load-66lb-30kg?ref=lhtgjsbr

5% Off with code THOMASMOONDOGDE

SPECS

Main Material: Carbon fiber and Aluminum 
Leg Sections: 3
Leg Diameter: 40mm
Max Height: 68.5 in./ 174cm
Min Height: 3.9 in./ 9.8cm
Length with legs folded: 31 in./78.5cm
Net Weight: 4.9 lb./2.2kg
Load Capacity: 66.1 lb./30kg 
Screw Thread: 3/8″
Leg Angles: 20°、55°、85° 
Top Plate Diameter: 2.68 in./6.8cm 

Shooting Sports

Strike Eagle vs. Arken EP5

You won’t find more vociferous groups of fanboys and haters than Vortex and Arken owners. Online, each is convinced their scope is the best. Today we are going to compare their 5-25×56 FFP long-range scope offerings and see who is right: the Strike Eagle (street price $700-$800) and the EP5 GenII 5-25×56 (street price $335-$535).

The Strike Eagle ships with both a throw lever and sun shade. The EP5 ships only ships with a sun shade but in the past, Arken has offered a bundled promotional “Accuracy Pack”: a throw lever, scope rings, and bubble level. The EP5 tested is one such scope.

Physically, the EP5 appears more stoutly constructed. The EP5 has the better-quality turrets. Its clicks are loud, crisp, and precise. The Strike Eagle feels mushy by comparison. The EP5’s turrets are also quite tall and oversized turrets which provides more physical space for larger and easier-to-read numbering.

Optically both scopes are surprisingly similar. The Strike Eagle also offers a more forgiving eye box. The Strike Eagle has a brighter and higher contrast image but with slightly more chromatic aberration at high power. Both scopes performed identically in resolving detail in my US Air Force reference chart.

In the end, both scopes’ optical performances were so similar that it’s pointless to claim one is “better” than the other. The Strike Eagle had a slightly brighter image but with more chromatic aberration. The Arken Long-range shooters will be well served with either scope for their similar optical performance. But for conscious shooters, the Discovery Optics ED-PRS is the clear winner.

BUY

Arken EP5 on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4h7Vnio

Vortex Strike Eagle on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4gA4Ejq

RESOLUTION

ED-PRS: Group -1 / Element 6

Strike Eagle: Group -1 / Element 6

SPECS

STRIKE EAGLEEP5
Magnification 5-25x
Objective Lens: 56 mm
Tube Diameter: 34 mm
Focal Plane: First
Reticle: EBR-7C (MOA)
Illumination: red
Eye Relief: 3.7″
FOV @ 100 Yards: 24.0-5.2
Parallax: 15 yrds-Infinity
Elevation Adj: 110 MOA
Windage Adj: 78 MOA
Per Click: 1/4 MOA
Per Rotation: 25 MOA
Length: 14.6 in
Weight: 30.4 oz		Magnification 5-25x
Objective Lens: 56 mm
Tube Diameter: 34 mm
Focal Plane: First
Reticle: EBR-7C (MOA)
Illumination: red
Eye Relief: 3.7″
FOV @ 100 Yards: 24.0-5.2
Parallax: 15 yrds-Infinity
Elevation Adj: 110 MOA
Windage Adj: 78 MOA
Per Click: 1/4 MOA
Per Rotation: 25 MOA
Length: 14.6 in
Weight: 30.4 oz

Shooting Sports, Travel

SHOT Meet at Vector Optics

I’ve been invited to be a Booth Influencer by Vector Optics at SHOT Show 2026. I’ll be filming Shorts of Vector’s scopes, making announcements, giving out swag and an optic or two. If you are attending SHOT, come to the Vector Optics booth and say, hi.

LOCATION

Venetian Expo Floor 1
Booth #41560

SCHEDULE

Tuesday, August 20
10:00am-12:00pm

Friday, August 23
8:00am-12:00pm

Shooting Sports

TMI 260114 Future Perfect Machine

Will Chat GBT Large Language Models take your job? Maybe. But there’s a new A.I. paradigm coming which could take over. Lets learn about it from Paul Dravis of Future Pefect Machine. This video is sponsored by Aura. Stop leaving yourself vulnerable to data breaches. Go to my link https://aura.com/moondog to get a 14-day free trial and see if any of your data has been exposed.

This episode is sponsored by Matt Hat beef jerky. Use code: MOONDOG to get 15%
Order a free sample using my link https://matthatjerky.com/products/sample-pack?ref=moondog

EARLYBIRD Clue:

THIS WEEK

Moondog2A

Moondog Reviews

Moondog Go

BRAND CONTEST CLUE

This US gaming company owns Maxis Software, the creator of The Sims and Sim City. Games that popularized simulated models of cities, life, and the universe. It’s in the name.

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

A.I. (Artificial Intelligence)

Large Language Models (LLMs) are powerful AI systems, built on deep learning (like Transformers) and trained on massive text datasets, that understand, generate, summarize, and translate human language, essentially predicting the next most probable word in a sequence to perform complex tasks like answering questions, writing code, and powering chatbots, with examples including ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok.

GUEST

Paul Dravis is a former Managing Director of Bank of America, a former VP at JPMorganChase, and the founder of Future Perfect Machine, a technology analysis and consulting company focused on emerging technologies.
That’s how I become friends with Paul as he was an early adopter of VR technology.
https://www.futureperfectmachine.com/

CONTESTS

This month, there are two contests you can enter and win a prize. Enter both.

CONTEST 1

CONTEST: JAN AcuVista LPVO
ENTER THE CONTEST 1

CONTEST 2

CONTEST: JAN OSight C
ENTER THE CONTEST 2

CONTEST CLUE

Electronic Arts is among the world’s largest publishers of gaming software. Founded in 1982 by Tripp Hawkins and HQ’d in Redwood City, CA. It publishes such francises as Army of Two, Battlefield, Command & Conquer, Dragon Age, Dead Space, Mass Effect, Medal of Honor, Need for Speed, Plants vs. Zombies, The Sims, Skate, SSX

YARD SALE

Fundraiser for St. Anne Middle School 8th grade class trip to Washington D.C.
https://moondogindustries.com/yardsale/

This week, you can get a Monstrum 2000 lumen weaponlight for half off.

Yard Sale School Fundraiser
Shooting Sports

BCA BC10 Bolt Action AR10

Whether to improve accuracy or to comply with your state’s unfair restrictions on semi-automatic AR rifles, bolt-action AR’s are now a thing. Bear Creek Arsenal (BCA) debuted its BC10 and BC15 bolt-action AR uppers at SHOT Show earlier this year. BCA is known for producing some of the most affordable ARs on the market, and this complete AR10 pattern rifle is indeed budget-friendly. The BC10 is available in several calibers, including 6.5 Creedmoor, .277 Fury, and .308, which they sent me to test.

The BC10 I received definitely looked budget. The handguard felt a little sharp and unfinished. The action felt rough. I mounted a Discovery Optics LHT 3-12×42 lightweight crossover tactical scope. For the 100-yard tests, I shot Winchester white box 147gr FMJ.

Recoil was exceptionally noticeable. Because it’s a bolt-action, the recoil buffer in the AR10 isn’t utilized. Moreover, the AR10’s MilSpec, flat-faced plastic stock made the recoil unpleasant to say the least. Fortunately, I added a Missouri Tactical M27/HK416 recoil buttstock pad to the end of the stock, which was a tangible improvement in the shooting experience.

Loading single cartridges directly into the chamber, I discovered that the AR10’s bolt catch would lock the bolt open on the empty magazine and prevent me from closing the bolt until I depressed the paddle. Out of the box, the BC10 shot an unremarkable 4-inch group at 100 yards. While the ammo wasn’t special, I can only hope the groups improve after the barrel is broken in.

To say that my BC10 has a rough action would be a gross understatement. It was the most difficult bolt-action I’ve ever operated, sticking after every shot and going into battery with occasional difficulties. Often, its lugs would fail to rotate and release after a shot or require a hard slam to work them. Undoubtedly, it would run better after a break-in period, but for now, it is frustrating. BCA has a poor reputation for QC, and this rifle certainly hasn’t helped that. What the BC10 does have going for it is its ridiculously affordable price and a MilSpec design that allows for upgrades.

SHOP

Discovery Optics LHT 3-12×42
Official Website: https://discoveryopt.com/ (10% Discount Code: Moondog)
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4ofFcnH (10% Discount Code: MOONDOG2A)  

Bear Creek Arsenal BC10 https://alnk.to/3J9e37v

Missouri Tactical recoil pad https://amzn.to/3LCnsUx

SPECS

BC15 Bolt Action Upper

Barrel Length 20

Profile Heavy Barrel

Twist 1:8

Barrel Finish Black Nitride

Material 4150 Chrome Moly Vanadium

Thread Pitch 5/8 x 24

Caliber 6.5 Grendel Type II

Feed Ramp M4

Platform AR-15

Bolt Material E9310

Receiver Material Billet

Weight 6.3 lbs

Shooting Sports

SHOT 2025 Novice Shoots the Outlier AR9

At SHOT 2025 Arken Optics won the award for most innovative rifle with their Outlier Backdraft bolt-action rifle. Less well known was their new Atlas AR9 which they allowed guests to test at an indoor shooting range near their booth.

After I got a chance to shoot the integrally suppressed AR9, my wife and Audio Assistant (callsign “Vendetta”) wanted to try it. She is experienced at shooting revolvers, pistols, and our 10/22 but is a novice AR shooter. She was a bit cautious in handling the Atlas. To her credit, her inability to use the red dot was not her fault. The previous shooters in the booth had set the reflex to nearly its lowest brightness setting.

Anybody who mocks her skills should be cautious. What isn’t visible in the video is that her shots landed all in the X ring. And her callsign “Vendetta” is very descriptive.

Shooting Sports

TMI 260107 Prepping for SHOT 2026

Join me and members of my SHOT Show 2026 production crew as we discuss plans for this huge trade show at the end of the month. This video is sponsored by Aura. Stop leaving yourself vulnerable to data breaches. Go to my link https://aura.com/moondog to get a 14-day free trial and see if any of your data has been exposed.

This episode is sponsored by Matt Hat beef jerky. Use code: MOONDOG to get 15%
Order a free sample using my link https://matthatjerky.com/products/sample-pack?ref=moondog

EARLYBIRD Clue:

THIS WEEK

Moondog2A

Moondog Reviews

Moondog Go

BRAND CONTEST CLUE

This US oil-gas company is the only US petroleum company that currently operates in Venezuela. 

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

Shot Show 2026 with Ian Conolly

https://shotshow.org/exhibitors/

https://n2a.goexposoftware.com/events/ss26/goExpo/floorPlan/viewFloorPlan.php?ai=5

CONTESTS

This month, there are two contests you can enter and win a prize. Enter both.

CONTEST 1

CONTEST: JAN AcuVista LPVO
ENTER THE CONTEST 1

CONTEST 2

CONTEST: JAN OSight C
ENTER THE CONTEST 2

CONTEST: December 2025 Hotligh EDC

CONTEST CLUE

This US oil-gas company was a direct descendant of Standard Oil and was founded in the 1870’s. This US petroleum company is only oil-gas company on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (since ExxonMobil was dropped in 2020). 

YARD SALE

Fundraiser for St. Anne Middle School 8th grade class trip to Washington D.C.
https://moondogindustries.com/yardsale/

This week, you can get a Monstrum 2000 lumen weaponlight for half off.

Yard Sale School Fundraiser
Shooting Sports

OSight XG

Earlier this year when I tested the original OSight X, I wondered when they would come out with a green reticle. Well they finally have. This new OSight XG is nearly identical to the original OSight X with very minor cosmetic changes to the placement of the logo on the frame. It retains the 3 changeable reticles and the wireless recharging cover and improves it’s maximum battery life by 20,000 hrs.

The human eye is more sensitive to the green end of the visible spectrum. Many shooters with astigmatism say green dots are clearer and sharper to their eyes. This new XG provides a desired option for many shooters.

SHOP

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4iO1UAK

SPECS

OSight X
Reticle Type: 3 MOA dot / 32 MOA circle
Reticle Color: Green
Adjustment: 1 MOA / Click
Max Adjust: ± 45 MOA
Window Size: 21.5mm x 24 mm
Length: 1.77 inch
Width: 1.18 inch
Height: 1.30 inch
Waterproof: IPX6
Weight: 1.62oz (46 g)
Footprint: RMR
Battery: 170mAh Rechargeable LiPo
Max. Runtime: 77,000 Hours

Gear Reviews, Education, and Adventure