esskay

I received my TAC30, haven't taken it out to run it yet, so no feedback on that part yet but I do like the reticle. As others, I find the circle pretty overly heavy but I suppose it provides a good backup for quick hosing if your illumination is out. I will say that I despise the switch for illumination. If you look inside, there is basically a rubber cover with a raised part (acting as the button) which pushes down on the CR2032 battery itself, which in turn actuates a metal leaf spring type of switch underneath. Also the way it works -- push once to turn on (remembers last setting), each time you push briefly it cycles up one at a time, then it starts going down (i.e. 7,8,9,10,9,8). If you wanted the highest setting and went too far, in order to change directions, you have to hold the button down (but not too long because then it will turn off). I think it's a miserable user design... of course, I've been spoiled by the Meopta K-Dot, with its old fashioned knob and off positions between each illumination setting! Seems pretty clear this was a spot where they achieved some cost savings! But to be fair, this is a $300 price point, and it's a great value, and for the money, I think better that they put their limited budget toward the glass!

I have an R&R Racing on my Meopta, and it works perfectly. Though honestly, I like the MGM Switchview & the 3gunstuff cat tails better now because they are lower profile. I have an MGM on another optic.

Perfect!! Thanks GunCat, that's exactly what I was looking for. Looks like it could be melted even a little bit lower, which might work for me. @Trail3, believe these are the Williams sights you are referring to: Thanks for the suggestion, however, my shotgun mounts naturally for me pretty low it points well for me that way. As it mounts for me, I'm sighting straight down the vent rib, so I don't really want something attached on top of the vent rib. When Melhorn worked on my gun years ago he installed a HiViz front sight which is also low on the rib like the OEM sight, and this works well for me on steel and clays. So with the majority of shots in this game not being slugs I want an unobstructed vent rib as the default. @Charles, thanks for the feedback. What you described and the photo GunCat posted show the sight mounted exactly where I imagined it would go. Looks like it can be dovetailed even lower than pictured, so that might work for me. As shown, when folded you would still possibly have some part of the sight and definitely the screw heads in your view, which I would like to avoid. I run Ranger reduced recoil slugs. I recently removed my barrel clamp and found my slugs to hit at a higher POI than before. I had read before that a clamp can affect POI, and it appeared to be the case for my gun. I removed the clamp both because I wanted to be able to swap out my mag tube depending on the match without affecting POI (e.g. for SMM3G where I can run a longer mag tube) and so I could service the gun and reassemble it without wondering if my slug dope would change. Of course, I just read a thread where Andy Horner and someone else cautioned against shooting off a hard rest, saying it would affect the POI. I was shooting off a bag (not a hard rest but not off-hand), so maybe all my dope is wrong!!

Howdy, Wondering if anyone has pics of their Benelli vent rib with a 10/22 rear sight dovetailed into it? Searched all over the forums and there are plenty of people talking about having done it, but I couldn't find any photos of them. Also a couple questions: 1) when folded does it interfere with sighting down the vent rib? (i.e. can you mount it low enough so that it is not visible at all when folded down) 2) when flipped up, does the notch of the rear sight end up being higher than the vent rib? i.e. I read a couple folks saying that they couldn't get their rear sight low enough and had to install taller front sights. My M2 already puts my slugs a couple inches high out to about 75yds when sighting flat down the rib, so if the 10/22 rear sight notch is any higher than the rib it'll put my POI even higher. Thanks in advance!

Not sure but when I asked MGM they said to get the CQT version.

I love my Arcteryx knee pads. They are very light and about as comfortable as you could imagine for knee pads (you can comfortably wear them all day long), and will stay in place. They are on the thin side (so don't know whether this is appropriate for your condition) but afford good protection and don't slide around as much as hard caps might. http://leaf.arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?EN/Mens/Accessories/Military-Knee-Caps#Protection

I use a thumb over grip, so not personally. FYI, LaRue has a similar type of accessory:

Cool, thanks for the info! Look forward to checking it out.

Damn, missed this at SHOT. Anyone have any pics of the handguard? Any specs - total weight with barrel nut/collar/etc, and price?

I didn't even think to look at Weaver during SHOT show! ... I just read this on Scott @ Liberty Optic's blog. Can't find a readable photo of the CIRT reticle. Did anyone check out this scope at SHOT? Any other feedback on it, or any pics of the reticle? This is all I could find: http://www.weaveroptics.com/optics/tactical/ LibertyOpticsBlog

The AR Gold trigger has one of the shortest resets I've felt on an AR.

Just returned from SHOT where I played with the new Keltec shotgun too, and I noticed the exact same thing! The trigger would not reset!! You had to be completely off the trigger when cycling the action. Wow, I really do hope they iron that out before production. Another concern with the weapon is that we all know how important loading is to running a shotgun. The mag tubes are buried way up high in a chasm in the rear receiver. You'd have to be a veteran proctologist to load this thing quickly. Shoot 14, then discard and transition... Must say it was a big hit, lots of traffic in the Keltec booth.

Just returned from SHOT. Some notes on the updated Meopta K-Dot from examining it and speaking with a sales guy: * same glass * shortened front shade * same kind of capped turrets * new erector * dials have new design, rather than the small rectangular protrusion it's a triangular thing that is a little easier to turn * knobs are not resettable and no zero stop * new reticle, similar to previous except instead of vertical post underneath there are three upside down V's that get progressively smaller. Fella didn't know subtensions but said designed to zero 2MOA center dot at 200 with chevrons for 300, 400, 500. BDC based on 55gr @2950 (note he wasn't too confident of this info) * new illumination, darker on low end and (even!) brighter on the high end than previous version. Those who have the current K-Dot version know that the low end of illumination is way too bright for nighttime use, so this is welcome. The Meopta was already super bright, so even more is great but not really necessary IMO. It didn't seem that much brighter to me but I could not properly assess this in the convention center, and without the old one to compare. * sales guy was unsure of battery life, but said he thought it was 300+ hours. This is significantly more than Meopta's specs for the last one, so take this with a grain of salt. * supposed to hit stores in a couple months

Cool new unannounced feature of the ContourGPS. http://ces.cnet.com/8301-32254_1-20027437-283.html CES: App unlocks Bluetooth viewfinder on ContourGPS LAS VEGAS--When Contour announced its ContourGPS location-aware HD sports camera last year, it held back a bit of information: there's a Bluetooth chip inside the device that has been sitting unused. However, a pair of new smartphone apps for Android and iPhone devices aims to put that wireless connection to good use. After downloading a software patch (not yet available) and updating the ContourGPS' firmware to unlock the Bluetooth connection, users will be able to grab the Contour Mobile app from the Android Market or the iTunes App Store, and connect their smartphone to the camera. Users will then be able to use their handset's screen as a viewfinder for aiming and monitoring, which is a godsend for anyone who has ever wasted a day of shooting due to a misaligned shot. The app can also be used to play back recorded video stored on the camera, great for double-checking captured footage. A previously unnoticed Bluetooth chip allows the ContourGPS to wirelessly connect to an upcoming smartphone app. The unlocked Bluetooth connection also enables users to change camera settings through the app--a process that currently involves uploading preferences via USB--and may eventually allow for the wireless connection of proprietary and third-party accessories, such as external microphones or remote controls. The ContourGPS currently retails for $349, and the Contour Mobile app should be free, when the Android version becomes available this spring. The iOS version of the app, currently pending Apple's approval, requires the use of a Contour ConnectView Bluetooth encryption card that costs $29.99. Along with the new Bluetooth functionality and mobile app, Contour also announced a trio of mounting options for its line of sports cameras, including a roll bar mount for motor sports applications, a headband mount for hands-free recording without a helmet, and a Picatinny adapter that enables Contour cameras to be attached to tactical firearms, paintball rails, and any MIL-STD-1913 rail.

You can download the user manual here: http://www.benelliusa.com/assets/manuals/Benelli_Legacy_manual.pdf Strange, it doesn't seem to have the referenced illustrations, but there are written instructions.

Those cameras that George posted up are nice, the GoPro is cool but as you noted its form factor is not as well suited as the others for our applications. Tested one with a pic rail mount and got some cool video from it but wouldn't want to shoot a match with it on there! I briefly flirted with the eyeglass cameras, picked up a cheapy model out of Hong Kong to play with -- and I quickly realized that the video functionality wasn't worth giving up my ANSI-rated Oakleys!!! Confidence in protecting my eyes was more important to me! I'm leaning toward a ContourHD. Some buddies have found they mount nicely on their ear pro (with an over the head band).

Me too, I use PMC for 3-gun short range hoser stages

Duely noted. Thanks for the input. In regards to the M1A safety, I guess it's a function of conditioning. It seems that most of these rifles perform comparably, so maybe whatever you like? Keep your zombie killing rifle preferences coming! Have you guys tried using your weapon hand thumb to release the safety on the M14? I like this method -- you get good leverage with your thumb this way vs. pushing forward with your trigger finger, and it also feels safer to me. question - when you say "weapon hand" you mean your firing hand, i.e. the hand which you also use to pull the trigger? Not sure how that would work, sounds like I'd have to take my hand completely off the stock to reach my thumb in through the right side of the trigger guard and push forward on the safety with the pad of my thumb. for me, that would be very cumbersome and require significant re-training from the manual of arms i'm used to (and i;ve got enough challenge being proficient with only one way of doing things...) pls correct me if i've misunderstood the technique you're describing. Oops, sorry for the delay. Yep, you got it right. I saw Jason Falla demonstrating this technique, and I really do like it. Yes, your firing hand comes off fire control, but the safety system on the M14 is pretty suboptimal to begin with... so it doesn't feel overly cumbersome to me. This way, I get really good leverage pushing with the pad of my thumb, versus using the outside of my trigger finger which never really worked that great for me in the first place. And certainly it is safer (e.g. imagine the difference if you're wearing winter gloves). I didn't have a ton of rounds downrange on the M14 using the previous method so it wasn't that difficult to switch over for me. Devote some time trying it out and thinking about it. If you like it and buy into the practical benefits (I think it's worth it), spend a day of training with the technique or just a bunch of reps of dry manipulations and I'm sure it'll feel natural pretty quick!

Nice builds! I was wondering who is behind Salient Arms? Did I hear someone say it was Beven Grams?

Unfortunately I haven't taken any pics of it, but I used an old stroller frame. It's a "Snap n Go" frame which is designed for infant car seats to strap into. The advantage is that it folds down really flat and compact. The disadvantage is that it doesn't have nice large diameter wheels like the jogging strollers, though I'd say they are medium sized wheels. The jogging strollers don't fold up as small. I usually drive a sedan so compactness was more important to me (plus the terrain around here is manageable). The frame looks like this, and I clamped ATV gun holders to it. The basket is very roomy, and no actual kid's seat to get in the way.

Duely noted. Thanks for the input. In regards to the M1A safety, I guess it's a function of conditioning. It seems that most of these rifles perform comparably, so maybe whatever you like? Keep your zombie killing rifle preferences coming! Have you guys tried using your weapon hand thumb to release the safety on the M14? I like this method -- you get good leverage with your thumb this way vs. pushing forward with your trigger finger, and it also feels safer to me.

Re: Ears... like another poster above, I have MSA Sordin electronic ear pro. Depending on which model, they are either rated as "water resistant" or completely water proof. I have the water resistant kind and have worn them in rain without a second thought. Awesome ears, with a price tag to match... Shop online and you can find better pricing on them. Re: Gun... We don't get a lot of rain where I am, but when it's in the forecast, I leave the STI at home and run a Glock!! Then you don't have to worry!

I would just add something on this particular point that you made... for odd positions and angles, for me I find that BRIGHT daylight visible illumination is crucial to pick up the reticle quickly. This may not be the case for all, but certainly is for me when in unconventional positions, shooting from my support side, etc. I'm sure for support side my eye dominance also plays into this too.

LOL, I load them up while watching TV, good mindless activity while watching mindless programming...

When I talked to Meopta a month ago they said the new model wasn't coming for a little while, maybe even out to Jan 2011 -- so I presume he doesn't have the new reticle.