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Gowutar A17 Micro red dot

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  If you are in the market for an inexpensive red dot, Gowutar is something to take a look at. I had never heard of Gowutar before they contacted me. They sell Chinese manufactured red dots on Amazon. Since a lot of the well known red dots are manufactured in China, that part didn’t bother me. So I headed over to take a look at them before I decided to review one. I then decided that the A17 micro dot might fit the bill. The A17 uses an RMSc footprint and is right at home on smaller pistols.

  The Gowutar A17 has all the same features as the top name red dot’s. Most notably is its Motion Activated Illumination. This functions just like one would expect. After 4 minutes of no movement, the A17 turns off. Just slightly move the A17 and the red dot turns on. This helps give the CR2032 battery a 30,000 hour lifespan. It does use a bottom mount battery, so to change it you will need to take the optic off. There is a built-in seal to help keep moisture out of the battery, but no seal plate. The A17 also comes with a low picatinny rail mount and a bunch of screws for mounting it to different firearms. The various screws were a nice touch.

  Gowutar is using a 2 MOA dot size in the A17. I like the smaller dot size. Being 2 MOA it is easy enough for me to see, but still gives pretty good accuracy at a distance. The red dot inside the A17 is really clear. It also has 10 brightness settings, 2 of which are night vision compatible, so you can adjust it to your liking. To adjust the brightness, on the left side is the “up” button, and on the right side is the “down” button. Zeroing the A17 is easy enough, but the adjustments are just friction and not clicks. The window size on the A17 is 17 mm high by 21 mm wide. I’m guessing that’s where the A17 name comes from. The window size is also on par with other red dots in this class. The A17 is also one of the sight types that has a built in rear iron sight. I like this feature and surprisingly it lined up pretty well with my front iron sight. I was able to get decent hits at 10yds using the rear iron sight on the A17. 

  Construction and durability are always a question of mine, at least for these inexpensive red dots. The Gowutar A17 has an outer shell made from 7075 aluminum, so it’s quality stuff. Gowutar states the A17 is shockproof to 1800G’s. But is it? The first A17 I had started having problems after about 3 months and about 400 rounds of 9mm. It started going off after a shot was fired. Then you had to smack it pretty hard to get it to turn back on. I contacted Gowutar and they immediately sent out another one. The new one has been good so far, with close to the same round count. Since I now had an extra A17 that kind of worked, I proceeded to take it outside and drop it on the concrete from about 8 feet. I did this 7 or 8 times and the glass didn’t break. Now it wasn’t on a firearm, but it still says something about the durability. It even turned on after the drops. Because of this, I wouldn’t recommend it for a “Duty” use application, and Gowutar doesn't sell it as that. But for something you use at the range, it should be a good fit. 

  For an inexpensive micro red dot, the Gowutar A17 is better than I expected. Yes, it had problems, but Gowutar’s customer service was great. The A17 has all the features you want in a red dot, like Motion Activated Illumination and a standard mounting footprint. Plus, it can usually be had for just over $100. I was impressed with its value and features for a range ready micro red dot. If you are in the market for something like this, check out what Gowutar has to offer.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Inexpensive Micro red dot

Target Market:

Those wanting a RMSc red dot for the range

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 2 MOA dot

  • RMSc footprint

  • Motion activated illumination

  • Built in rear sight

  • Lens Height: 17 Millimeters

  • 7075 aircraft grade Aluminum

  • Fully Multi-Coated Ruby Red lens

  • Windage/Elevation Movement Range: ±45 MOA

  • 10 Illumination Settings: 8 Daytime/2 NV

  • Shockproof: 1800Gs

  • Waterproof: IPX8

  • Battery Type: CR2032

  • Battery Life: 160h-30000h

  • Net weight: 25g/0.88oz

  • Length: 37mm/1.44in

  • Width: 24mm/0.94in

  • Height: 26mm/1.02in

  • 3 year warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Green dot   

What others are saying?:

3 out of 5 stars on Amazon  

Decent

I will say if you want a red dot and it’s what you can afford it’s pretty good. My problem is the battery mounts on the bottom and you can see the edge of the battery. To me it’s a little bit too exposed so I decided it would be fine on a gun I am only going to use at the range. Also you could use it on a gun that has a plate like a Canik that seats really well and covers the battery to protect it a little better.

Link to other reviews:

Yellow Belly Tactical

Price point:

MSRP = $118.99

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Motion activated illumination

  • Standard footprint (RMSc)

  • Uses standard 2032 battery

  • Battery Life

  • Durability - passed drop test 

Cons:

  • Stopped working after 3 months (sent replacement with no problems)

  • Bottom mount battery

Score: 6.50 Okay

Favorite Link:  Magne-Tech Rigel II

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Hawke Vantage 30 1-8x24 Fiber Dot

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 It seems like everyone is making quality Low Power Variable Optics (LPVO) nowadays. The Hawke Vantage 30 1-8x24 Fiber Dot falls into this category nicely. This particular LPVO uses a new Fiber Dot, second focal plane reticle. The L4A illuminated Fiber Dot reticle is what makes this optic shine above most others in its class.

  As one can guess, the Hawke Vantage Fiber Dot comes with a bunch of features. It uses a 30mm tube to help you get a decent field of view at 8x. Of course it also has all those normal features like multi-coated optics, fast focus eyepiece, capped turrets, and a zero reset on the turrets. The adjustment ring also comes with a removable throw lever, which I actually like because it’s not super tall. The Hawke Fiber Dot also weighs in a little lighter than some of its competition with a weight of 16.5 ounces. To go along with that, it also comes in at an overall length of 10.5 inches, which is right where most of these LPVO’s fall. Lastly the Hawke Vantage Fiber Dot has a respectable eye relief of 3.8 inches. I found the eye relief to be somewhat forgiving at 8x, which surprised me a bit. At 1x I didn’t even notice it.

1x at around 5 yds

200yd steel at 8x

  Now that the standard specs are out of the way, let’s talk about the Fiber Dot reticle of the Hawke Vantage 1-8x24. With the Fiber Dot reticle, Hawke took their standard L4A dot reticle and gave it fiber optics. Yes, it still uses a battery for illumination and has 11 brightness settings. But, by adding in fiber optics, the center red dot of the reticle is now bright enough to be seen on the brightest of sunny days. This gives the shooter the ability to use the Vantage Fiber Dot as you would a standard red dot. Just turn the scope down to 1x and that center fiber dot just glows bright, just like a red dot. It glows bright at 8x too, but I’m using it at 1x for fast, close up, shots. Okay, maybe not exactly like a red dot, since the reticle still has crosshairs in it and it is etched into the glass. Being etched allows it to not “starburst” out, like a normal red dot would do for those of us with an astigmatism. Those crosshairs will also help draw your eye to the center dot and improve shot to shot time. The crosshair is also a 30/30 type reticle, at least when the magnification is adjusted to 4x. This means the thin stadia lines are 30 inches from the center dot out to the thicker outer post. This gives you a way to measure distance. 4x seems to be a weird place to make the reticle measure correctly, as most manufacturers do it at full magnification for a second focal plane optic. It works, and I doubt most people are using a 30/30 LPVO to range with. But it is there if you need it. I will also mention that the optic is super clear to look through, even at 8x. 

  The Hawke Vantage 1-8 Fiber Dot works very well. I didn’t have any problems with the LPVO whatsoever. I really like that Hawke is using this fiber optic technology to make reticles brighter. The center illuminated dot is great. That center dot is not as bright as a true red dot, or some of its competition, but it is very usable in bright sunlight. Being able to crank that thing up to 8x is really useful for hitting farther away targets, or for target identification. Plus, I was really impressed with the clarity at 8x. The center dot is also fine enough that it is easy to make those precise shots when needed. I did like the fact that the Vantage is a little bit lighter than other manufacturers 1-6 and 1-8’s. The magnification ring is also super smooth and doesn’t take a bunch of force to turn, making it much easier and quicker to adjust. I was also very pleased that the turrets had decent clicks to them when making adjustments. They are also capped, so you won’t knock off your zero when trekking through the woods. 

  I’ve been very pleased with the Hawke Vantage 30 1-8x24 with the L4A Fiber Dot reticle. As mentioned, it has super clear glass. But, even better is the ability to have a bright red dot type reticle that can be seen in bright sunlight. The smooth adjustment ring and forgiving eye box make it really nice to use. If you are looking at an LPVO, where the illuminated reticle can actually be seen in sunlight, go take a look through the Hawke Vantage Fiber Dot and see if it’s what you like.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Daylight bright center red dot reticle in a LPVO

Target Market:

Those wanting a daylight bright reticle in a SFP LPVO

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Magnification: 1 - 8x

  • 30mm Scope Tube

  • 11 Levels - Red illumination

  • Field of View: 115ft @ 1x -14.4ft @8x both at 100yds

  • Eye Relief: 3.8in

  • Capped Turrets

  • ½ MOA windage and elevation adjustment clicks

  • 210 MOA adjustment range

  • Fast Focus eyepiece

  • Power Selector: Knurled Posi-Grip with Removable Zoom Lever

  • Fully Multi-Coated - 11 Layers

  • SFP (Second Focal Plane)

  • Length: 10.5″

  • Weight: 16.5oz

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Different Reticles

What others are saying?:

Nothing found as of publishing

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found as of publishing

Price point:

MSRP = $559.00

Retail = $499.99 at OpticsPlanet  

I need it now! Availability:

Hawke Optics or OpticsPlanet

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Simple SFP reticle

  • Bright center dot

  • Smooth adjustment ring

  • Lightweight

  • Clear glass

Cons:

  • Reticle accurate at 4x

  • Price compared to others in this market

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link:  Endurance Red Dot review

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Strike Modular Chassis (SMC)

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  After using the Strike Industries Strike Modular Chassis for the Sig P320, I am finally letting you know my thoughts. The Strike Modular Chassis - Alpha series, or SMC for short, is made to drop in your Sig P320 fire control unit and slide. This gives you a more controllable platform with a bunch of different accessory options. 

  In the box with the Alpha series Strike Modular Chassis are a bunch of other accessories. You may or may not choose to use them, but they are there. Of course there is the Alpha series SMC. But along with the SMC is an optics platform, a side charger adapter, a set of gray grip panels, and an angled front grip that also will hold an extra magazine. Various screws and allen wrenches are also included to install all that stuff. There are also some added bonuses. Like a mini figure SMC for those brick toys, a SMC patch, and a SMC pin. Those little add-ins are pretty cool.

  I’ll try to explain the SMC to you, but the pictures may explain it better. It is machined from 6061-T6 aluminum, so it’s not your Grandma's plastic grip. As it sits, it looks like a pistol frame with an extension running off of the back. The extension has some QD’s on it, along with a vertical picatinny rail for attaching stuff, like a pistol brace, when they become legal again. Along this extension is also where the raised optic platform mounts. Up front is a standard picatinny rail section for attaching lights or the supplied angled foregrip/extra magazine holder. Oddly enough, there is also a hole through the front pic rail which is used to mount compensators, more on that later. 

  At first, I dropped my P320 FCU and a full length 4.7” slide into the Strike Modular Chassis. The FCU slid in pretty easily, but still fit snug. This slide had an optic already mounted to it, so I left it for the time being. I also installed the charging handle on the rear of the slide. One basically swaps out the backplate and then screws the charging handle on, on whatever side you want to use it on. Strike Industries also sent me their Dual Folding adapter, or folding brace. So I installed this on the rear pic rail. This was before using a brace was a problem. I also installed the foregrip. I shot it a while in this configuration. I might mention that where the rear pic rail is on the SMC, it has a “U” shaped cut-out, so you can see your iron sights or slide mounted red dot easier. While using this config, I did notice that the changing handle rubbed a little bit on the side of my optic. The charging handle moves with the slide, so it doesn't rub along the optic, it just rested up against it, causing the vibration of the firearm to rub a little wear mark in the side of the optic. The charging handle really did make it easy to cycle the slide, I can see why Strike Industries now offers it as a stand alone product. Other than the rub mark,  I was pleased with how the SMC was working.

  After a bit, Strike Industries sent out some more accessories to attach to the SMC. They sent the Magwell, Blast Shield, and 2 compensators. I immediately installed the Magwell as it makes reloads easier. I also installed the Blast Shield. The blast shield mounts up on the front pic rail. It gives the slide some “shields” to keep muzzle blast at bay. It also protects your hands when using one of the compensators. The Blast Shield has a lower pic rail also, so rail attachments can still be used, they just sit slightly lower on the firearms frame. I couldn’t immediately install the comps, because I needed a carry length slide with the 3.9” barrel. Zaffiri Precision was kind enough to help me out with one so that I could use the compensators.

  The compensators come in two sizes, a Small and Large. The Large one has more mass and more ports, but it also is longer so it sticks out past the blast shield or dust cover. The Small comp is flush with the blast shield and barely sticks out past the pistols dust cover. Both of these comps are for non-threaded barrels only. This makes the comps 50 state legal. The comps come with a screw to mount them. They mount through the SMC’s dust cover in that previously mentioned hole. Just slide the comp into the SMC and tighten the screw. These comps will only work with the SMC and a 3.9” slide/barrel. I tried out both the comps and really liked them. The Large version seemed to reduce recoil and muzzle rise better than the Small one. But don’t get me wrong, the Small comp still did an excellent job, the Large one just worked a bit better. I would choose the Zaffiri compact slide and Small comp combo when the SMC is configured as just a stand alone pistol. 

  The Strike Industries SMC doesn’t come without problems. Since the SMC is a modular style chassis, it screws together in places. Mainly where the backstrap slides in. At the top, there are 2 tiny screws to hold it in place. These 2 screws loosen up and can strip the frame holes out. Strike industries now says to use “red” loctite 272 on these. They still loosened up on me and one of the screw holes completely stripped out. Luckily it was on the side where a longer screw can go. So I put a screw with a nut on it and it works fine now. Once I figure out which backstrap I want to permanently use, I will be doing something semi-permanent. So if you get one of the SMC’s, use a red threadlocker on these screws and check the tightness of them after every use. The backstrap, where the web of your hand meets it, is flat. This flat makes the pistol rub your hand a bit. If Strike Industries were to round this out, the SMC would be way more comfortable in your hand, especially after a day of hard use.

  When I switched to the compact slide and compensator, I also started using the raised optics mount. The raised optic mount has mounting holes for just about any mini or micro pistol red dot, like an RMR, Shield, etc. The red dot mounting seems pretty high when you look at it, but when you are using it, it works well and doesn’t seem too tall. I really like how it has the ability to mount just about any optic.

  The Strike Modular Chassis is a unique addition to your Sig P320. It gives you abilities that the stock P320’s don't. The fixed, non reciprocating optic mount works well. The compensator options are great. Having an angled front grip that houses an extra magazine is very useful, especially since you can put a 30 rounder in it. The screws that strip out are a big downer for me. But as a whole, the Strike Modular Chassis is a fun and useful addition to a Sig P320.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Chassis system for Sig P320 handguns

Target Market:

Those wanting to convert their Sig P320 into a pistol caliber carbine or SMG style pistol

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

SMC ALPHA BASE:

  • Over 20+ configurations

  • Included Ambidextrous Side Charging Handle with Slide Cover Mount

  • SMC Rear Module Backstrap 

  • SMC Multi-Optic Mount (Footprints: C-More, DeltaPoint Pro, Docter/Noblex, RMR, Shield and all SIG SAUER Open Reflex Sights)

  • Ambidextrous QD sockets located on SMC Rear Module Backstrap

  • Picatinny rail located at front bottom of chassis and on Rear Module Backstrap for accessories

  • Spare Magazine Holder for SIG SAUER P320 with SI Modular Magazine Release is included

  • Uses SIG SAUER P320 OEM fitment takedown lever and P320 magazine release, SI Modular Magazine Release is pre-assembled and included

  • Machined from 6061-T6 aluminum

SMC COMPS: For use with 3.9” slide and non-threaded barrel

  • Small and Large sizes

  • Mount into SMC, not on slide

  • QPQ coated

  • Recoil reduction

  • 50 state legal

MAGWELL:

  • Flared magwell for easier magazine insertion

  • Improved grip support

  • Lightweight

  • High-strength impact resistant custom blended SI Polymer

BLAST SHIELD:

  • Shield thumb from muzzle blast and heat

  • Redirects muzzle blast forward and upward

  • Add additional Picatinny rail length to for attaching accessories

  • Quickly dissipates heat due to aluminum’s good thermal conductivity

  • Fits 1913 Picatinny rails

  • Machined from 6061-T6 aluminum

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Lot’s of add on features

What others are saying?:

Nothing really found except full reviews

Link to other reviews:

The Firearm Blog  

Price point:

MSRP = $549.95

Comps = $59.95 - $69.95

Blast Shield = $39.95

Magwell = $19.95

Retail = $539.95 at Primary Arms  

I need it now! Availability:

Strike Industries or Primary Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Includes various mounting screws to mount optics

  • Foregrip with extra magazine

  • Picatinny Rail for mounting stocks or braces

  • Built in QD points

  • Raised optic platform

Cons:

  • Screws strip out or loosen up, even with red thread locker

  • Pistol grip could be more rounded up by the web of your hand

  • Charging handle can rub on slide mounted optic

  • Price

Score: 6.50 Okay 

If the 2 rear screws didn’t loosen up or strip out, the score would be much higher

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Case Trapper: Jigged Buffalo Horn S35VN

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THE ORIGINAL MULTI TOOL

WHAT’S IN YOUR POCKET?

So for this review I have gone a little old school and traveled back in time. I went back to a place and time in my past when times were simpler, we ate bologna sandwiches because we had to, where fried potatoes were considered a food group, you drank out of a water hose when you were thirsty, and most of all you had that one special knife that could do it all. My grandfather had one, my dad had one, all my uncles had one, and I had one too. What am I talking about? The good Ole’ Case Trapper. 

  The Case Trapper 65090 Jigged Buffalo Horn S35V, this is not the same trapper I carried as a kid, but it is an updated version of it. It has a great textured Buffalo Horn material that is gripping enough to hang onto when your hands are wet and covered in whatever animal you are processing. Yet it is stylish enough to ride in the front pocket of your slacks, overalls, bibs, or in a Case leather sheath. The blade steel is a version of stainless S35VN which is about 20% stronger than S30, has better corrosion resistance than 440 stainless, has better edge retention and chipping than D2. If you click on the link you can geek out on all the properties that are in the steel. All I know is that it came from the factory with a stone washed finish and was razor sharp. I was really surprised at how sharp it was. I usually hit all my new blades lightly on a fine stone to see the grind marks from the factory. This one had some but they were really close together and not that deep. 

I got this knife during trapping season because I was wanting to go back to the old ways of skinning and trapping animals around the farm. I was using an older Case Trapper I had, but it was one of the smaller ones, and I wanted one a little larger to use while wearing gloves. 

This particular Case Trapper came with two blades, a Clip point and a Spey blade. The clip point 3.25” is for your everyday tasks like piercing, cutting and gives better control when cutting shaped patterns. The Spey point 3.27” blade is well better known in the country, on ranches and farms as a castration blade. The blade is mainly round on top with just a little point at the crown of it. A lot of hunters and trappers love this blade because you can skin an animal, field dress one without hitting the stomach or vital organs. The blade also helps not to pierce the skin when skinning an animal. The overall length is 4.13” closed. The knife weighs in at 4 ounces and one thing to remember is that these knives are slip joint non locking blades. You really need to be careful when using one and be aware of the pressure applied to the blade when cutting. 

I used this knife to skin about 6 raccoons and 2 deer this year. I couldn't tell you how many bales of hay I cut open with it and the numerous packages. After cleaning the knife and putting it back in my pocket or sheath I used it for other tasks like cutting potatoes, processing cuts of game meat and general tasks. The blades have only been sharpened a few times and then they were just touched up with a fine diamond stone and then a strop. The knife has not failed me at all. I really feel that if you like classic knives, maybe ones that bring back some memories, or something that you can pass down to a child, or one that is a general do all, non tactical, original multi tool knife, than this is the one for you. 

The price of this particular knife is a little high, coming in at $149.99 on the Case website. I did find this knife a little cheaper at Knife Works for $125.99. Yes I bought this knife with my own money because I know it is an investment and I can pass it down to my son or to one of my grandsons when the time is right. Case does have countless variations of trappers from $40 and up and in different blade materials, collections, from Ford, Harley Davidson, John Deere to Boy Scouts of America. So if this price is too high they will have something in your budget line. The best part is they are made in America. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

American made

Classic Style

Sharp

Corrosion Resistance

Rugged look

Been around since 1889

Target Market:

Dedicated knife people

Hunters

EDC

Those who like quality

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Blade thickness 0.120 (almost ⅛”)

  • Weight: 4 ounces

  • Blade material: S35VN

  • Buffalo Jigged handles

  • Brass bolsters in handle

  • Belt sheath sold separate $10.99

  • Lock Type: Non-Locking (Slip Joint)

  • Closed Length: 4.13 in

  • Blade Length(s): 3.25 in, 3.27 in

  • Blade Type: Clip, Spey

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Tons

What others are saying?:

Nothing found as of this review

Link to other reviews:

Same as above

Price point:

MSRP = $149.99

Retail = $125.99

I need it now! Availability:

Case, Amazon, or Knife Works

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • American made 

  • Sharp 

  • Great construction 

  • Good quality for the money.

Cons:

  • Slip joint, could fold up on your fingers

Score: 8.00 Great

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An Elegant and Lightweight EDC Choice: Civivi Elementum Button Lock Carbon Fiber

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Written by Lance Wallace

  The Civivi Elementum Damascus with a carbon fiber handle and a stunning 3.47-inch Damascus blade is a true testament to the craftsmanship, quality and attention to detail that Civivi brings to the table. As an everyday carry enthusiast, I had the pleasure of using this knife for a couple months, and I loved it.

  First and foremost, the knife's appearance is simply gorgeous. The Damascus blade, with its intricate patterns, exudes a sense of uniqueness I often don't find in other knives. The carbon fiber handle complements the blade perfectly, providing a modern and sleek aesthetic. I found myself proudly showing off this knife whenever the opportunity arose.

  One of the standout features of the Civivi Elementum is its lightweight carbon fiber handle. The knife feels incredibly nimble and light in hand, making it excellent to use for quick cuts or extended jobs. The handle's non-textured surface offers a secure and comfortable grip, enhancing overall control and maneuverability. Whether I was performing intricate tasks or simply using it for everyday cutting needs, the lightweight handle allowed for precise and effortless handling.

  While the Elementum impresses with its appearance and handle, I do have one minor complaint. After a month of daily use, I noticed a loss of sharpness in the blade. Admittedly, this is not uncommon for EDC knives. However, it would have been preferable if the blade retained its sharpness for a bit longer before requiring maintenance. Nonetheless, this issue can be easily remedied with routine sharpening.

  Overall, the Civivi Elementum Button Lock Knife with its Damascus blade and carbon fiber handle is a top-notch EDC option. The lightweight carbon fiber handle ensures a comfortable experience, making it a pleasure to use in various scenarios. While the blade's sharpness may require occasional maintenance, this minor drawback doesn't overshadow the knife's exceptional qualities. For those seeking a reliable and stylish EDC companion, the Civivi Elementum is undoubtedly worth considering.

  Overall, the Civivi Elementum is a stylish pick for anyone looking for a new EDC knife. With a price point of only $126, the Elementum is an excellent purchase and a testament to Civivi's quality.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Button lock, damascus blade, carbon fiber handles, folding knife

Target Market:

Those wanting a nice looking quality knife for a reasonable price

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Blade Length: 3.47" (88.1 mm)

  • Closed Length: 4.53" (115.0 mm)

  • Overall Length: 8.00" (213.1 mm)

  • Blade Material: Damascus

  • Blade Thickness: 0.118" (3.0 mm)

  • Blade Hardness: 58-60HRC

  • Blade Style: Drop Point

  • Blade Grind: Hollow

  • Blade Finish: Black Hand Rubbed

  • Handle Material: Marble Carbon Fiber

  • Handle Thickness: 0.43" (11.0 mm)

  • Liner Material: Stainless Steel

  • Locking Mechanism: Button Lock

  • Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Bearings

  • Pocket Clip: Deep Carry Stainless Steel (Tip-Up, Right/Left Carry)

  • Weight: 3.19 oz. (90.5 g)

  • Carbon Fiber Backspacer with Hidden Lanyard Post

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Tons

What others are saying?:

Ed @ Knifecenter.com  

fun flipper.

Was looking for carbon fiber handled knives, DCA on youtube convinced me to give this a try. Looks sweet, and the smooth flipping action was more fidget friendly than I expected. Blade shape is good for most cutting tasks. This knife convinced me that I need more Civivi Knives. The Elementum is a proven design, the pushbutton flipping action is slick, and the marbled carbon and damascus look really nice together. I appreciate the extra length over the original elementum flipper. Slickness of the carbon surface takes some getting used to, but as a result it is pants friendly.

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found on this particular model, plenty of regular Elementum reviews are out there.

Price point:

MSRP = $126.00

Retail = $107.00

I need it now! Availability:

Civivi, Knife Center, or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Lightweight Design

  • The knife is gorgeous

  • The button lock is extremely secure and I had no problems with it sticking

  • Extremely sharp out of the box

Cons:

  • The Elementum lost its edge quickly

  • This is more on me but I found the 3.5” blade to be a tad too long for my preference in an EDC knife but Civivi does offer a 3” model.

  • Another small gripe is the hinge got noticeably dirtier with lint than a lot of my other knives and I had to remove lint quite often.

Score: 8.50 Great

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Zaffiri Precision P320 Compact Slide and Barrel

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  Zaffiri Precision is well known for making aftermarket slides. Starting out with Glock parts and slides, they have moved into doing Sig accessories as well. This includes their Sig P320 Compact slide and barrels. 

  As mentioned, the Zaffiri slide I received was for the Sig P320 compact. This slide would also be great for anyone building a P320 compact off of the Sig P320 FCU. Zaffiri also sent along one of their threaded and non-threaded barrels, more later on the barrels. I was looking for a compact slide so that I could run it on the Strike Industries modular 320 chassis with some accessories that needed a compact slide. I also installed it on a standard P320 compact grip module to see how it performed as a standalone slide.

  The Zaffiri ZPS.2 P320c slide is very nice. You’ll notice that the slide is lightened with, what I like to call, the Zaffiri slide cuts. These slide cuts consist of some small rectangle windows on the side and some angled smaller cuts on the top. It makes for a nice look. Then, as per any slide, there are some rear cocking serrations. A big feature about these slides is that they are cut for an RMR footprint. The slide has bosses to rest the optic on, as opposed to just screw holes. Zaffiri also supplies screws that they say to use for optic mounting. A cover plate comes installed on the slide, in case you don’t want to mount an optic.

  Zaffiri Precision has 4 standard color options for the ZPS.2 P320c slides. They are: FDE, OD green, Sniper grey, and Armor black, which is the one that was sent to me. In the custom line of P320 slides you have a vast selection of colors and patterns. Camo colors only add around an extra $90, total, over the standard 4 colors. The Armor Black is beautiful, probably a testament to the applicators. It’s smooth and didn’t even chip or wear off when installing the iron sights. The top notch machining used to produce these slides, also aids in the fact that the coatings look so good.

  Now let us discuss the Zaffiri Precision P320 compact 9mm barrels. Zaffiri actually sent me both a threaded and non-threaded (Flush and Crowned) barrel. The flush fit was needed for the Strike Modular Chassis, and the threaded is for future add-ons. Both came in a black nitride coating. SS, TiN, and Spectrum are also available. All the Zaffiri barrels have a swirl pattern on the outside. The threaded barrel comes with a thread protector and is threaded ½-28. Both barrels have conventional rifling and a polished chamber and bore. One can definitely tell that the bore and rifling is polished when looking through the barrels. From shooting both of these, they appear to be very accurate. Or at least better than my shooting ability.

  This Zaffiri slide and both barrels performed flawlessly. Both in the Strike Chassis and in a standard grip module. The P320 slide has way more time in the Strike chassis with the standard flush fit barrel. But this doesn’t take away that it works nicely in a grip module. In the Strike chassis, I used it without a slide mounted red dot. When in the 320 grip frame, I mounted up a Swampfox Liberty green dot. The slide functioned great with or without the optic. Lock up with the barrel is super tight. Slide to frame fit is not sloppy. Essentially, in both applications, the performance was good. Plus, the slide and barrel look good, which we all know that looking good is key. 

  If you are in the market for some aftermarket Sig P320 stuff, Zaffiri Precision has what you need. The ZPS.2 P320c slide and barrels are really well machined and just beautiful to look at. But that’s not all, they perform well too. So if you are building out a P320 compact, or just upgrading the one you have, I would recommend that you check out the stuff from Zaffiri Precision.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Compact Sig P320 slide with RMR footprint optic cut

Target Market:

Anyone building or upgrading their P320

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

Slide:

  • 17-4 Stainless Steel

  • Black anodized cover plate

  • Supplied optic mounting screws

  • RMR optic footprint cut

  • Tighter tolerances

  • Made in USA

Barrels:

  • Fit: SigSauer® P320 Compact compatible – Drop in fit – 9mm

  • Twist: 1:10

  • 416R Stainless Steel

  • Stress relieved and heat treated to RC 40-42

  • Target crown and oversized lock up area.

  • Fully supported chamber (SAMMI spec) and improved feed ramp design

  • Conventional rifling with a polished chamber and bore to perform well with lead, plated and jacketed bullets

  • Finish Options: Stainless Steel, Black, Titanium Nitride TiN (Gold)

  • Large “ZP” Logo machined on the Port Side of the lockup.

  • Made in USA

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

FDE, OD Green, Sniper Grey. Custom cerakote colors are also available

What others are saying?:

Nothing found as of publishing

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found as of publishing

Price point:

MSRP:

Slide = $349.99

Barrel = $169.00 - $179.00

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

Zaffiri Precision

Our Rating:

Pros:

Slide:

  • Tighter tolerances

  • Excellent machining

  • Custom options

  • RMR footprint cut

  • Made in USA

Barrel:

  • Polished chamber and bore

  • Coating options

  • Threaded barrel has thread protector

  • Made in USA

Cons:

  • Slide fit could be slightly tighter

  • Cover plate machining doesn’t match slide machining

Score: 9.00 Amazing

Favorite Link:  VIRIDIAN RFX 35 REVIEW  

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Primary Arms SLx 1-6x24 ACSS NOVA

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  Primary Arms has come out with a new Low Power Variable Optic in their SLx line, it’s the 1-6x24mm SFP Gen IV with the Illuminated ACSS Nova Fiber Wire Reticle. The difference between this new 1-6x24 LPVO, and others, is its new fiber wire reticle. The fiber wire produces an actual daylight bright center red dot. The SLx 1-6x24 Nova reticle also has a bunch of other upgraded features when compared to the SLx gen 3's. Let’s go check it out. 

  This new SLx 1-6x24 comes packed with features. Of course it has 1 power magnification so you can use it like a red dot. Or you can crank it up to 6 power to identify and engage targets at longer distances. To change the magnification, Primary Arms has upgraded the throw lever to their new dovetail style. This new throw lever can be taken out and swapped for different heights, including a fold down style. The magnification ring moves about 180 degrees between 1x and 6 x, which is nice. The SLx 1-6 is still a second focal plane optic, but now has different reticle options, including the Nova Fiber Wire reticle. To zero in the reticle, the SLx 1-6 uses capped turrets that adjust in 0.1 MIL increments. The turrets have a good audible clicks to them. There are also 3 tiny set screws to loosen and set those turrets to a known zero position. The scope weighs in at 17.9 ounces and is 10.4 inches long, which is a good balance for this style of optic.

  It’s time to talk about the SLx 1-6’s Nova fiber wire reticle. This Nova reticle is one of the reasons the Gen 4 SLx shines. Using a fiber optic wire allows the Nova reticle to have a center illuminated red dot. I used to complain when companies would say “daylight bright”, not anymore. The red dot inside the SLx 1-6 is BRIGHT. Not only can you see it in direct bright sunlight, but I'm pretty sure it can be seen while aiming it at the sun, but I wouldn’t recommend trying that. The dot is bright enough that it also doesn’t wash out when using a weapon light, a big plus in my book. Because the SLx is an etched reticle, the red dot does not starburst out for those of us that have an astigmatism, something I can’t say for normal red dots. The illuminated dot size measures 0.6 MOA at 1x and 3.6 MOA at 6x. Brightness for the center dot is adjusted on the left side of the scope. It has 11 levels of brightness with only one off position. It is not night vision compatible, the dot is just too bright at level 1 for that. Also included in the reticle are MIL hash marks. The vertical crosshair’s marks are at 1 MIL intervals. There are narrower 0.5 MIL subtension marks between the large 1 MIL ones. These 1 MIL marks decrease in width as you move down the crosshair. This is to estimate a 18” target’s width to help determine what range the target is at. Being a SFP optic, these stadia marks only are accurate at 6x. The horizontal crosshair has marks for wind or travel speed. These are 3,6, and 9 MPH as you move out away from the center dot. The Nova reticle is a great multi-purpose reticle that can range targets or be used as a red dot.

  Since the Primary Arms SLx 1-6x24 is now on the fourth generation of upgrades, this means the user gets upgraded glass. This upgraded glass gives the SLx fantastic clarity. To my eye, it compares to the clarity of my GLx 1-6, which is the next higher level of optics in the Primary Arms optics line. Eye relief on the SLx is stated at 4 inches, but it is very forgiving. The eye box is also pretty good for a scope in this class range. These two specs actually make it very easy to find the optic when shouldering the rifle.  

  I mounted up the SLx 1-6x24 Nova fiber wire on my purple AR15. For this particular rifle, the SLx is great. It is super clear and easy to pick up the reticle. That fiber wire makes the center dot so bright that I can actually use the scope like a red dot at 1x, in bright sunlight. The dot is so bright that I had to turn the brightness way down to get a good picture of the reticle, if that tells you anything. The turret adjustments give me good clicks, so when I turn them, I can tell when they moved. My only complaint about the SLx is the throw lever. It is too stiff for my liking. Even though it’s stiff, the throw lever’s movement is super smooth.

   If you are even remotely looking into getting a LPVO, the Primary Arms SLx 1-6x24 Nova reticle needs a look. The glass clarity is great. The reticle is top notch for a “one optic” rifle. Plus that red center dot has got to be one of the brightest of any LPVO in this price range. I would encourage you to go take a look at the SLx 1-6 Nova from Primary Arms. It might be one of the best LPVO’s in its price range

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Low power variable optic with a super bright red dot

Target Market:

Those wanting a LPVO that is actually daylight bright 

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Integrated Magnification Throw Lever

  • ACSS NOVA Fiber Wire Reticle

  • Battery Life: Up to 500 hours

  • Magnification: 1x – 6x

  • Second Focal Plane (SFP) 

  • Objective Lens Diameter: 24mm

  • Exit Pupil: 10.6mm – 3.8mm

  • Eye Relief: 4 in.

  • Total Windage/Elevation Adjustment: 120 MOA

  • Field Of View @100 Yards: 120 ft. – 20 ft. (Low – High)

  • Illumination: Red, 11 Illumination Settings

  • Click Value: 0.1 MIL

  • Length w/o Lens Covers: 10.4 in.

  • Weight w/ Included Battery w/o Lens Covers: 17.9 oz.

  • Lifetime Warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Different Reticles

What others are saying?:

5/5 Stars at PrimaryArms.com

THE NEW STANDARD FOR BUDGET LPVO'S

Absolutely lives up to the hype, punches well above its price point. Yeah, it's going to get compared a lot to the PST Gen 2, and I can honestly say the overall glass quality and image/FOV/Reticle, and illumination are frankly better than the Vortex. Still doesn't quite match the Vortex in build quality or external controls, and the eyebox is a tad less forgiving, but this Nova scope is hands down the best LPVO on the market under $500.

Link to other reviews:

Lynx Defense

Price point:

MSRP = $339.99

Retail = Same, but Primary Arms runs sales often

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms

Our Rating: 

Pros:

  • Super brightly lit dot in center of reticle

  • Removable and changeable throw lever

  •  Lightweight 

  • Mil style reticle

Cons:

  • Second focal plane

  • Stiff throw lever

Score: 8.50 Great

Favorite Link:  Timber Creek Enforcer Review

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Magne-Tech Rigel II

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  When one thinks of flashlights or weaponlights, you usually don’t think about different ways to mount them. Magne-Tech has done just that. They have come out with a tactical flashlight, called the Rigel II, that uses high power magnets to keep it in place. This leads to a unique mounting system that works better than I ever expected. Plus, the light itself is very functional too.

  The mounting system of the Rigel II is really what makes the light stand out. I received the kit with an M-Lok magnetic mount. That was so I could mount it to an M-Lok rail, just like one would with any M-lok light mount. The Rigel II flashlight also is magnetic, that’s how the mount and light work together. The mount and Rigel each have two high power neodymium magnets built into them. When you put the two close together, the light literally snaps to the mount. The advantage to this setup is that one can take the light off of the mount, and use it as a handheld light. Now, I bet you are thinking “that will never work”. But it does! The mounts and light are made in such a way that you can not move them forward or backward when they are together. This keeps the light from coming off during recoil, or if you hit it on anything. To remove the Rigel light from the mount, just roll it off sideways and kind of twist. It does take a little bit of force to remove the light. Now you ask, “Won’t it fall off if you hit the light from the side?” I tried to knock the light off its mount, by hitting it against a 4x4, while on the gun. All it ended up doing was rotating the light off its mount, sort of. The Rigel still held on to the side of the light mount. When I moved past the post, the light just snapped back on the mount. I was pretty impressed as I figured that would be how to get the Rigel to fall off the mount. 

  It’s time to tell you about the Rigel II. The Rigel II is a handheld light that can be easily attached to a bunch of different mounting platforms, the M-Lok is just one of them. Magne-Tech has picatinny, helmet, and some other mounts too, but back to the light. Specifications on the Rigel II are pretty standard. It’s rated at 1100 lumens on high, has a max candela rating of 14,000, and a 237 meter throw distance. To my eyes, the Rigel II’s output was really comparable to the Streamlight 2.0 that I reviewed. It does have a color temperature of 5000k, so it’s a more yellow light. The lower color temperature helps it go through photonic barriers better, like fog or smoke. If you have ever used a light with a really bright white beam, you get light that bounces back off of those photonic barriers, instead of penetrating through them. Magne-Tech uses 7075 aluminum in the Rigel II’s construction. This makes it strong and lightweight. It weighs 6.9 ounces with the supplied 18650 rechargeable battery. I was pleased that it used a standard battery. It will also work with two CR123 batteries. I tried it to make sure. 

RIGEL II

Vehicle High Beams

50, 100, & 200 yd target stands

  There is more to the Rigel II than just its specifications. As with most lights, it uses a push button on the tail cap. Push it slightly for momentary on, or click it for full on. This button also has raised protection around it, or at least around most of it. There is a curved recess, in the raised portion, to make it easier to use your thumb on the button. It’s a nice addition, but probably isn’t needed, at least for me. If you want a pressure switch option, you are out of luck. I hear it’s on the radar, which is a good thing.

  One nice attribute of the Rigel II is its programmability. It uses a “tap” system to set it into one of the various different programs. It has 12 different ones to choose from, see chart. I personally like the 100% only mode, at least when I’m using it as a weaponlight. This tap system seems to take about 20 “taps” to get it into the programming mode. Once there you can choose if you want a memory to the RIgel, or not. The memory mode sets the Rigel to turn on at the beginning of what mode it’s programmed to, or where the light was turned off at, depending on if you have selected the memory to be on or off. If not choosing the “memory” mode, you enter the programming group mode, which is where you select one of those 12 programs. The programming takes some getting used to. I have to look at the chart every time I change the programming. The 15+ taps it takes to enter into the programming mode is nice because you won’t have to ever worry about the button getting hit enough times to change it accidentally. 

  The Rigel II has some other attributes that you may not think about. Since the Rigel II has magnets built into its body, it will stick to anything magnetic. This can be a plus, or a minus. If you want to stick it on a car, so you can see to do something, it’s great. If you are using it in your hand, and come near something magnetic, like a steel door, it wants to pull your hand toward the door slightly. Or, if you're not careful, it can actually snap the light onto that door. Another advantage to the Rigel II being easily removed from its mount, is that if you need to transition from a weaponlight to a handheld, you can do it quickly. I can think of a thousand ways where a magnetic light might come in handy.

  I think the Magne-Tech Rigel II is a good multi-purpose light. It’s bright enough for a good everyday weaponlight. It’s not a long throw light, but it gives plenty of range for most uses. The magnetic mount gives you plenty of options and it’s super strong. The advantages of the magnetic mount outweigh the cons for sure. If you want to check the Rigel II out, head over to Magne-Tech and give it a look.


Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Magnetic Tactical Flashlight

Target Market:

Those wanting a light that can easily be moved from one mounting system to another

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 1100 lumens

  • 14,026 candela  

  • 237 m throw distance

  • LED: Luminous SST-40

  • 5000K color temperature with  a CRI of 70

  • Built in Thermal Protection

  • Programmable outputs

  • Weight: 6.9 oz (w/ battery)

  • Run Time: 1.5 hours (100%); 150 hours (1%)

  • Battery: 18650 rechargeable with micro USB port (Included)

  • Length: 5.5 in

  • IP67 waterproof

  • 7075-T6 Aluminum Alloy construction

  • No hassle lifetime warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Picatinny, Stand alone, or Powersports helmets   

What others are saying?:

Nothing found, but light is fairly new as of this publication date

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found

Price point:

MSRP = $174.99

Retail = $154.99 - $184.99

I need it now! Availability:

Magne-Tech

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Plenty of useable light

  • Magnetic clamp system works great

  • Decent throw for 1100 lumen light

  • Small physical size

  • Programmable

  • Uses common 18650 batteries

Cons:

  • No pressure switch available

  • Semi hard to program

  • Clamps on to any metal

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link:  Blackout Defense

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Primary Arms SLx MD-25 gen 2 red dot

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  Primary Arms has updated their SLx MD-25 red dot optic to a Gen 2. The Gen 2 gives you all the great stuff as the first generation, but it now includes Primary Arms’ AutoLIve. With the added AutoLive function, this makes a great red dot for either a rifle or carbine. There are two versions available, one with just a red dot, or one with an ACSS reticle. I received the ACSS version, so everything here will be on the MD-25 Gen 2 with the ACSS CQB reticle. Most of the specifications, except the reticle, apply to the dot only version of the MD-25 Gen 2 also.

  Let’s start this out with an AutoLive explanation. The AutoLive function, of the MD-25 Gen 2, automatically turns the red dot “On” when you pick up or move the optic. It also turns the optic into a sleep, or “Off” mode, after a few minutes of no movement. A big advantage to an auto-on reticle/dot is that it is ready when you need it to be. The AutoLive also extends the battery life, since your optic isn’t “on” all the time. Whatever setting the brightness dial is set to, is the brightness that it turns on at. No readjusting necessary. I absolutely love the AutoLive function. Speaking of brightness, the MD-25 Gen 2 has 11 adjustments on a dial. From night vision compatible all the way up to super bright. The 2032 battery is also housed in the brightness dial. Primary Arms specs the battery life at 12000 hours on the medium setting, so 5 or 6 on the dial. Battery life might seem a little low to some people, but there is more information in the ACSS reticle. For comparison, the MD-25 Gen 2 dot only version has a 50000 hour battery life.

  This particular MD-25 Gen 2 has the ACSS CQB reticle. If you don’t know anything about the Primary Arms ACSS reticles, they are usually a horseshoe line around some sort of chevron (think triangle). The horseshoe on the Gen 2 measures 65 MOA. The chevron triangle sits inside the horseshoe and is used as your main aiming spot. For close up work, just cover the target with the chevron. For more precise work, use the top point of the chevron. The ACSS CQB then has three dots below the chevron. These dot’s are for ranging, as is the bottom of the chevron. The reticle can work with a few different common caliber options as seen in the photo. I like the ACSS CQB reticle, but it is pretty small, so it can be difficult to make out the aiming points for different ranges. The MD-25 Gen 2 is still a red dot style optic. So this means that the image is projected onto the viewing surface. It is not an etched reticle like a scope. This really only affects you if you have an astigmatism, which I do. So for me, the chevron “starbursts” out and looks more like a dot. This is just something to take into consideration. If you have decent vision, the reticle will be very clear. For my use, the MD-25 Gen 2 is not a long range optic, so this doesn’t bother me at all. When shooting real close targets, an advantage to the ACSS CQB reticle is that you can figure out how far above a target you need to aim, to compensate for mechanical offset. Those dots below the chevron, as well as the 65 MOA horseshoe, also help for aiming at those close targets. You don’t have this option with a standard dot only reticle, which is why I feel the ACSS CQB is a better reticle option for an AR rifle.

  The Gen 2 MD-25 is not one of those super tiny red dot optics. I’d say it is medium size. Not so small that it’s hard to see through, and not so large that it’s a tank sitting on your picatinny rail. It only measures 3” long, so almost half the length of those expensive “red dots”. The MD-25 uses 25 mm lenses, but the field of view is really good. Primary Arms says it rivals 30 mm red dots, and I believe it after looking through the MD-25. Even though the MD-25 isn’t a small red dot, it still only tips the scales at 6.5 ounces. It also comes with different mounting height options. So no matter what you put it on, you can get the sight right up to your eye level. If for some reason you don’t like the supplied mount, the MD-25 can be mounted on standard T1 And T2 micro mounts. 

  I’ve been really impressed with the MD-25 Gen 2. It is built super strong. I’m not sure I could break it if I tried. Even if I was to, it’s covered by Primary Arms’ lifetime warranty. The little capped turrets even have raised nubs to keep them protected. These protection nubs will also keep stuff from snagging on the turrets, or at least help. The little turret caps also are aggressively textured with an adjustment built into them for making sight adjustments. The mount is also super strong. Once clamped down, the MD-25 isn’t going anywhere. I wouldn’t hesitate to put this on a rifle that gets beat around some.

  If you are looking for a rugged red dot, that’s not a dot, look into the Primary Arms MD-25 Gen 2 ACSS. This thing is a great size for almost any rifle. It has a ranging type ACSS reticle that even works with a .22 lr. The AutoLive gives you plenty of battery life, over a years worth, and it makes the optic “always ready”. Go check out the SLx MD-25 Gen 2 over at Primary Arms, It’s a good red dot style sight with a unique reticle. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Larger window red dot 

Target Market:

Those wanting an auto on/off red dot with a ranging reticle

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • AutoLive functionality

  • Wide field of view

  • ACSS CQB reticle

  • Up to 12,000 hour battery life at medium setting

  • Uses one CR2032 battery (included)

  • Next generation ruggedized mounting system

  • Includes risers and spacers for mounting to 0.96”, 1.41”, 1.54”, or 1.64” central height

  • Compatible with standard micro mounts

  • Fully multi-coated anti-reflective lenses

  • 12 Illumination settings, night vision compatible

  • 3" long

  • Weight - 6.5 Oz.

  • Fog resistant

  • 0.5 MOA adjustments

  • Lifetime Warranty 

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Dot Only version

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars on Primaryarms.com

This is my 5th or 6th scope purchase from PA. I've never been disappointed yet, so when this one was announced I quickly put it on pre-order to replace a Vortex SPARC that I've never been happy with. I bought this to go on a home defense bullpup shotgun. It is fantastic for this purpose. The big outer circle, with the small aiming dot in the middle, is perfect for fast sight acquisition, and the shake-awake feature gives you one less thing to think about in a crisis situation. The included height adjustment plates let you tailor the height of the sight to your own weapon and preferences. Just another area where PA beats the competition in quality, value, and price. With eleven brightness settings on this reticle, you see it outside in the brightest sun, all the way down to night vision compatibility. I usually prefer green illumination over red, but this sight is extremely clear and my old eyes have no problems with it. - Highly recommended.

Link to other reviews:

Lynx Defense   

Price point:

MSRP = $199.99

Retail = Same, but Primary Arms runs sales quite often

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Clear

  • Bright, well lit, reticle

  • Autolive

  • Mounting options

  • Field of view due to larger physical size

  • 65 MOA circle of ACSS reticle

Cons:

  • Hard to see bullet drop compensation marks

  • Battery life compared to Red Dot version

Score:  8.00 Great

Favorite Link:  Walker Defense

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Mantis Blackbeard X

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  When it comes to firearms training, dryfire systems are key. These systems let you practice at home safely and less expensively. Mantis has enhanced their awesome Blackbeard AR15 dry fire system and upgraded it to the Blackbeard X. The Blackbeard X incorporates both the Mantis Blackbeard and their X line of products. This gives the user a fantastic AR training system.

  The Blackbeard X system needs some back info to really explain it. The original Blackbeard system had a self resetting trigger, a laser, a battery pack, and an app. The Blackbeard X also has these, but it incorporates the movement part of the Mantis X series of products. You can read our previous reviews of the Mantis X10 and the Mantis Blackbeard. One might ask what the laser is for? The laser allows the user to physically see where your shots are going, or it can be used with various apps that read where the laser hits. Mantis has their own system for this called the Mantis Laser Academy. I haven’t used the Mantis version, but I tried a few others and the Blackbeard X laser worked with them. 

  Having the ability to measure movement is where the Blackbeard X really shines. It has an accelerometer and gyroscope built into the battery pack. This allows it to read movement. In the app, when the Blackbeard X system is turned on, it opens up movement categories. Under the BBX heading in the app are BBX Dynamics, Transitions, and Plate. Under those are various movement drills. The Dynamics basically analyze your shooting and tell you what's wrong. The transition drills are self explanatory, they analyze your shooting plus movement. This applies to the Plate category also, but it is set up for steel challenge type drills. In all of these, Mantis rates you on your Efficiency, Transition, Over Travel, and a Delay time. These ratings are in a “score” factor up to 100. Some parts of the app also give you a total time reading. The nice thing about time, is that the app gives you graphs and live movement recordings to look at. In these are things like shot delay, split times, and transition times. Since I shoot Steel Challenge style matches a lot, I found the Plate section of the app to be very useful. Plus they are all pretty fun to do.

  Besides all the new movement features of the Blackbeard X, it still retains all the old features of the original Blackbeard. So, you get that self resetting trigger system on your AR. I say “your” because the Blackbeard X still slides into your AR. Therefore your trigger system, rifle weight, optic, etc are still in use, unlike those other systems. This is one of the biggest advantages to the Blackbeard systems. 

  To fit the X system into the Blackbeard system, Mantis gave you a standard capacity magazine. Okay, it’s not a real magazine, instead it is the battery pack. But included in the battery pack, is the X system. It has a little flap, at the bottom of the magazine, to turn it on. When this happens, a blue light blinks until the app has paired to it. Then it turns a solid blue. The original Blackbeard had a shorter battery pack. The Blackbeard X’s is longer because it houses the X parts that let it read movement.

  Having used the Blackbeard extensively, moving to the Blackbeard X was easy. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it read movement from target to target. I really liked that it told me if I had over passed the target and had to move back. You don’t really notice it until you see it on the graph. It even will play your movements for the particular drill. So you can see what you are doing along the timeframe that it took you to shoot the drill. My only complaint about the Mantis systems is that there is zero felt recoil. Maybe the next upgrade will have some sort of perceived recoil. Other than that, the Blackbeard X has a lot of good training options in it. 

  The Blackbeard X system is a really nice AR dry fire training aid. It gives the added feature of movement tracking. If you want one of the best dry fire training systems, you can’t go wrong with the Mantis Blackbeard X. Pair it with the Mantis Laser Academy and you get even more data. Plus it’s fun and you can compete with your friends. If you want an AR dry fire system, look into the Mantis Blackbeard X. It is a very useful tool to have.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

AR dry fire training system with built in analytics

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a dry fire training system for their AR15

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Trigger reset system

  • Battery pack - size of 30 round magazine

  • Includes Mantis X system in battery pack

  • Laser for use with training apps

  • App includes diagnostic tools and training aids

  • Motion based analysis of weapon movement

  • With or without Laser

  • Uses everything on your AR - sight, trigger, etc

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

No laser, IR laser, or Red laser 

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars from Harrison B. at Mantisx.com   

Excellent training tool. The resetting trigger lets you practice follow up shots and the built in Mantis allows you to track your split times. It isn’t inexpensive, but it’s cheaper than 1,000 rounds of ammo at current market value, and it allows for significantly more practice than that.

Link to other reviews:

American Gun Facts   

Price point:

MSRP = $299.00 - $349.00

$349 as tested with green laser

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

Mantis

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Drop in system that uses your rifle

  • Movement tracking

  • Battery is same size as 30 round magazine

  • Training options in app

  • Laser can be used with other training systems

Cons:

  • Pricey

  • No recoil

  • Battery life isn’t as good as original Blackbeard

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link:  Rough Cut Holsters   

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Kaiser X-7 Blackbird receiver set

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  When you think about lightweight AR’s, you usually don’t think of composite hybrids. Kaiser US is here to change that, and in a big way. Kaiser has plenty of experience in the hybrid AR market with great product success. Recently they introduced a new Titanium-Graphite composite AR15 receiver set called the X-7 Blackbird. The name pays tribute to the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane, a composite plane that was way ahead of it’s time, thus similar to the X-7 Blackbird receiver set. After having Mike, from Kaiser, on the podcast, he offered to send me one of these hot new Blackbird receiver sets for review.

  Let’s talk a little about this Ti-Graphite composite. There are a lot of misnomers about composite, or plastic, receivers. Even though some of these are true, they do not apply to the Kaiser X-7 Blackbird, or any of Kaiser’s other receivers. This is because Kaiser engineered the composite receiver, so it is not just your everyday “polymer” like the others. It has more material in certain places to help with strength. But Kaiser doesn’t stop there. They wanted it to be stronger than the standard aluminum AR15 receivers. So they put titanium and anodized aluminum inserts into the places needing strength. For instance, some of these places are the threads for the buffer tube and the barrel nut threads. The Blackbird’s Ti-Graphite composite also adds in some more strength, simply because the titanium and graphite are molded into the composite. Another huge advantage to the Ti-Graphite composite is its lubricity and wear resistance. Essentially, it is so smooth that very little to no lubrication is needed. I still put some oil on the BCG, but it cycled smoothly without it. So what does this Ti-Graphite composite get you? It yields a super strong upper/lower receiver set that weighs in at 9 ounces stripped. For comparison, a standard stripped, forged AR15 lower receiver, without an upper, weighs 8.8 ounces.

   Besides the Blackbird being a super lightweight receiver set, it also has some other enhancements. Up first is its textured magwell. Not only is it textured on the side, but the front as well. This texture consists of raised rectangles. For those of us that grab the magwell with your support hand, this gives you a good, no slip, grip on the Blackbird. The magwell is also beveled to help get those magazines changed quickly. Next is the fit between the upper and lower receiver. It’s tight! I have never had a matched receiver set fit like this before, in a good way. I can push the receiver pins out, hold the upper, and shake it vigorously before the two halves come apart. If you are using the Blackbird for a precision style rifle build, this fitment would be perfect and would definitely help in the accuracy department.

  With the X-7 Blackbird being engineered differently, it has a few slight differences. All of them are good, just different. First, since the lower receiver is slightly wider than a standard aluminum one, at least in some spots, it can’t use standard anti-walk pins to hold the trigger in place. Standard trigger pins will work, but there is no reason to use them. Kaiser gives you their proprietary V2 anti-walk trigger pins, as well as the allen wrenches to install them. These V2 pins work for any trigger you wish to install into the Blackbird lower. It pretty much accepts any mil-spec or drop in AR trigger. The X-7 Blackbird also uses a proprietary port door on the upper receiver. As with the trigger pins, the lightweight port door assembly is also included. Most standard and ambi safeties will work with the Blackbird. I installed a Timber Creek ambi safety and it works well. Because the Blackbird is about weight, Kaiser also includes a skeletonized titanium grip screw for mounting your favorite grip. I went with the old A2 style grip, because it is one of the lighter weight grips around. The Blackbird upper receiver also does not have a forward assist. My guess is to save weight, since the forward assist isn’t always needed. The last two differences have to do with assembling the lower and upper. Instead of being able to put the rear takedown pin spring in normal, it now goes under the pistol grip, similar to the safety detent. I have zero problems with this, it's just different enough to mention. When installing a barrel and handguard onto the Blackbird, Kaiser recommends the use of a “reaction rod”. This prevents the upper receiver from being over torqued and damaged. They also only recommend 30 ft lbs of torque on the barrel nut as to not cause any unseen damage to the receiver.

  A little bit about the build with the X-7 Blackbird receiver set, is in order. I wanted to try and make this build pretty light, since the Blackbird is so light to begin with. I basically took an assembled AR pistol and took it apart, that way I could use the lightweight parts on the Blackbird. These consisted of a Faxon Lightweight 10.5” pencil barrel, a Walker Defense Titanium BCG, a Dark Hour Defense Magnesium handguard, and some other miscellaneous parts. What this gave me was an AR pistol that weighed 4.2 lbs without an optic. That is with parts that one can buy everyday, no custom special parts here. If you were to put a small lightweight red dot on it, it wouldn’t weigh much more. I did install a larger red dot, a finger stop, and a light. This only brought the weight up to 5.2 pounds, which is respectable with a light. It is possible to get the Blackbird to below 4 lbs without sights, I just haven’t tried to do it yet. One could put a shorter handguard and some titanium small parts to help reduce the weight even more. I am happy with how this build turned out. When you pick it up next to my decked out 11.5” SBR, it feels like it weighs nothing.

  How does it shoot? “Fantastic” would be the first word to come out of my mouth. The Ti-Graphite composite makes it so smooth. There really is barely any recoil, partly due to the Ti BCG and adjustable gas block. But It’s smoother feeling than when the same parts were in a standard aluminum receiver set. Double taps are super easy and quick to make. Essentially, this lightweight Blackbird receiver set makes an awesome place to start your lightweight AR build. I’m sure full Blackbird rifles will be available soon if building isn’t your thing.

  In the end, if you are looking at a lightweight AR15 receiver set, the Kaiser Blackbird can help you out. This Ti-Graphite matched upper/lower receiver set is one of the strongest and lightest ones around. The Blackbird is way lighter than its nearest, more expensive competitor. Don’t be scared by those who say “plastic” will break, they haven’t used the Blackbird and they probably haven’t ever heard of Kaiser US either. So, if you want one of the lightest AR’s around, start with the Kaiser X-7 Blackbird receiver set and don’t look back. You’ll be getting a quality product that will perform above your expectations.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Ultra lightweight AR15 receiver set

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a lightweight receiver set

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Titanium Graphite Composite Material

  • Titanium & anodized aluminum inserts at all critical wear points

  • Beveled mag well

  • Compatible with any Mil-Spec drop-in trigger

  • Compatible with all Mil-Spec and most aftermarket grips

  • X-7 Weight - 9 oz, for the complete receiver set

  • Non-Slip texture

  • Skeletonized Titanium Grip Screw included

  • Ejection Port Cover (EPC): Proprietary for X-7 EPC /Spring /Rods (Included)

  • V2 System: Anti-Walk Trigger Pins (included), Proprietary for X-7

  • Trigger Pin Screws and Allen wrenches included

  • No Forward Assist

  • Zero Corrosion

  • Impact Resistant

  • Maintenance: No Oil or Lubrication Necessary

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Midnight Grey

What others are saying?:

Could only find stuff on the Monarch series

Link to other reviews:

Only found Monarch series reviews    

Price point:

MSRP = $375.00

Retail = $356.00 at Rainier Arms

I need it now! Availability:

Kaiser US

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Super lightweight

  • Smooth operation

  • Tight upper/lower fit

  • Unique look

  • Includes anti-walk pins, port cover, and titanium grip screw

Cons:

  • Price, but lightweight always costs money

  • Slightly wider, in some places,  than standard AR lower receivers 

Score: 9.00 Amazing

Favorite Link:  Blackout Defense 

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Primary Arms Classic series 1-6x24

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  Primary Arms’ Classic series of optics is their budget or entry level line. But don’t stop reading just yet, this Classic series 1-6x24 still has a bunch of decent things going for it. The Classic series has good visual clarity as well as an illuminated dot in the center of the reticle. So let’s dive deeper into what the Classic 1-6x24 has to offer.

  Since the Primary Arms Classic 1-6 is an entry level scope, it uses a second focal plane reticle. For anyone that doesn’t know, this means that the reticle stays the same size throughout the 1-6 power magnification range. Since the Classic 1-6 uses a duplex dot style reticle, this doesn’t really affect much. You probably won’t be trying to range target distances with it. Something that amazed me on the Classic 1-6 was the optic clarity. For an entry level scope, everything was real clear, even at 6 power. I’ve seen entry level stuff that isn’t near this clear.

  The little Classic 1-6 has some other notable features. For one, it uses a 30mm tube that helps let light through the optic, plus it’s pretty much the industry standard for low power variable optics. The adjustment turrets are capped. This helps to keep your adjustments from getting changed. These caps are decently knurled to make them easy to take on and off. However, the windage and elevation adjustment turrets don’t have any marks to line up the turret with the body of the scope. So if you want to go 4 clicks, there’s no indication that you went there. Primary Arms does put a moveable “zero” piece on top of the turret, but without a mark on the scope body, it’s useless. I’d put a tiny dot of paint on it for location purposes. Even though there’s no visual reference on zero, the actual clicks on this Classic series are great. So it’s easy to count how many clicks you moved the turret. Each click is 0.5 MOA, so approximately ½” at 100 yds. There’s also a full 120 MOA of adjustment in the scope. Last on this feature list is the nice throw lever. It sticks up high enough to easily adjust the magnification, but it’s not super tall either. If you don’t like throw levers, it is simple to remove and then you are left with a standard style adjustment ring.

  One of my favorite aspects of the Classic 1-6 is its reticle. The reticle is a duplex dot style (see picture). The 3 heavy duplex lines draw your eye to the center of the reticle. Then in the center are some fine lines that point to a center dot. The center dot measures 2 MOA. This center dot has red illumination, if you want it to. The illumination has 10 settings. These pretty much go from barely visible to pretty bright. I say pretty bright, because in bright sunlight the dot illumination isn’t visible. But it’s a $200 scope and 90% of the time, you will be able to see the illumination of the center dot. This reticle works great on something like a standard AR, where the cartridge shoots pretty flat out to 300 yds. Plus, being a 1-6 power, at 1x it’s almost like using a red dot. The reticle really impressed me.

  I mounted the Classic 1-6x24 on a standard 16” AR in 5.56. I will say it works well for close targets. Even at 3-5 yds it performed respectfully. Moving out to 200 yds and jumping the magnification up to 6x, the Classic 1-6 still worked well. Targets were clear, but getting in the right eyebox window was a little challenging. With this Classic 1-6, you really need to have your eye in that sweet spot of the eye relief. This was the scopes biggest downfall for me. I also had to remind myself that it is an entry level LPVO. Especially since the glass was so much better than I expected. So much so, that it was easy for me to hit, and see, 4” plates at 200 yds, while using the Classic 1-6.

  If you are looking into trying out a LPVO, or just want a budget one, the Primary Arms Classic 1-6x24 is a great place to start. Its reticle is simple to use and it has great optic clarity for something in this price range. I'd say, for the price, you'd be hard pressed to find something as good. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Budget friendly 1-6 power optic

Target Market:

Those wanting a quality budget scope

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 1-6x Magnification range

  • Illuminated Duplex Dot reticle, Dot is 2 MOA

  • Second focal plane design

  • Fast focus eyepiece

  • Fogproof, dustproof, and IP67 rated waterproof

  • 6063 Aluminum body with matte black anodized finish

  • Integrated magnification lever

  • Uses 1 - CR2032 battery (included)

  • Includes lens covers

  • Click Value - 1/2 MOA

  • Eye ReliefLow: 3.5in. / High: 3.9in.

  • Field of View at 100yds - 1X: 113 ft. / 6X: 18.8 ft.

  • 120 MOA windage and elevation adjustments

  • Weight - 17.21 oz.

  • 30mm tube diameter

  • Lifetime Warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars at PrimaryArms

GREAT VALUE

Don't expect top-tier performance (the highest illumination is not daylight bright, bare-bones reticle, eye box can be tight) but a budget LPVO can't really get much better than this - Clear glass and features every functional feature (capped turrets, audible adjustments, illuminated reticle center). 100% recommended if you're in the market for a high-value optic.

Link to other reviews:

Lynx Defense   

Price point:

MSRP = $199.99

Retail = Same, but Primary Arms has sales quite often

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Simple reticle with red center dot

  • 2 MOA center dot

  • Lifetime warranty

  • Clear

  • Price

Cons:

  • Narrow eye box

  • No marks for turret adjustments

Score: 7.50 Good

Favorite Link:  Timber Creek

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Streamlight ProTac 2.0 Weaponlight

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  When it comes to weapon lights, there are plenty on the market. The new Streamlight ProTac 2.0 Weaponlight is one of them. This Streamlight 2.0 falls somewhere between those cheap Amazon lights and the super expensive “pro” lights. Don’t underestimate the ProTac 2.0, it has some really nice features. As of right now, it is only available in a kit with a pressure switch.

ProTac 2.0 light output on “HI”

Vehicle “Hi Beams”

  If you are in the market for a weaponlight, there are a few things to take into consideration. The first is probably lumens. Everyone has a lumen rating for their light and it’s usually advertised highly. But remember that lumens don’t tell the whole story about lighting, there is also candela. In simple terms, lumens measure total brightness and candela measures how that brightness is applied. The Streamlight Protac 2.0 has a max brightness of 2000 lumens and a candela rating of 17,700. In the case of the ProTac 2.0 you get a bright output but a wider beam pattern. The higher the candela rating, the more focused the beam is, or how much farther the light will project. Streamlight rated the beam distance at 266 meters for the 2.0. In comparison, Streamlight’s HL-X has half the lumens of the ProTac 2.0, but a candela of 27k for a beam distance of 332 meters. A higher candela rating will also help the light push through photonic barriers, like smoke or fog, better. The ProTac 2.0’s beam is really good for buildings and rooms where there isn’t a need for target identification at 200 yds. It would make a good light for your home defense rifle or shotgun.

Target backers at 50 & 100 yds, barely visible are 200 yd backers

  The ProTac 2.0 Weaponlight has some other impressive attributes. It’s not incredibly long at 6.3 inches, or heavy at just over 9 ounces. It comes standard with a picatinny mount. If you don’t like the picatinny mount, the Protac 2.0 uses a standard “scout” mounting platform. This makes MLok mounts and the like fairly easy to come by. I installed a 45 degree MLok mount on it since I didn’t like how far off the rail the picatinny mount mounted the light. The ProTac 2.0 also comes with a pressure pad. This is only a pressure pad with no switch on it. New for Streamlight is the way the pressure switch attaches to the light. There is a dual end cap. The end cap has a switch, but also has an outlet to plug in the pressure pad. This way one can use the switch and the pressure pad. Before, you were limited to one or the other. I must say, this dual end cap setup is pretty nice. If not using the port, an attached plug can be used to keep it protected.

Charging port slid open

  The Streamlight ProTac 2.0 is rechargeable. There is no option to use off the shelf batteries if needed. The battery used is also proprietary. Extra batteries run around $30. There are, however, some different ways to charge the battery. On the body of the light, there is a sliding cover over the battery's charging port. Just slide it down from the lights head and plug in your charging cord. The cover slides over an o-ring to protect it from water and dirt. The cover never opened up by itself, so that's a plus. The other way is to take the battery out and plug the charging cord into it directly. This new battery gives the ProTac 2.0 a 2.5 hour runtime on high or 11 hours on low.

  Streamlight is known for their ability to program the lights function. The ProTac 2.0 is no different. It still uses their “Ten-Tap” programming. Press the button 10 times fast, holding it down on the 10th “tap”. Once the light goes out, release the button. Now you are in the next mode. Do this until the mode you want is selected. The ProTac 2.0 has 3 programming options. They are: High/Strobe, High only, and Low/High. I have it set to high only, but choose what works best for you. Low output is 250 lumens. Strobe and high are 2000 lumens.

  I really enjoyed how the ProTac 2.0 functioned. The pressure pad, along with the included mounting hardware, worked great. Since the pad doesn’t have an on/off switch, I use my thumb on the tailcap switch. That way if I need it to be always on, I just push the button. Having that ability, with the new dual tailcap, is really nice. The light output is bright enough to light up my entire living room or bedroom. I can’t identify targets very well at over 100yds, but they can still be seen just fine. I just can’t see if they have a weapon or not. I immediately changed out the picatinny mount because it put the light too far away from the rail, so it was awkward to reach the tailcap button. Having the standard “scout” mounting platform made that an easy fix.

  The Streamlight ProTac 2.0 Weaponlight kit is a good all around light. Especially if you don’t mind proprietary batteries. If it’s your first weaponlight, then those batteries won’t matter as much. The light is programmable and bright. The new tailcap makes the light more useful too. At a price of around $170, the Protac 2.0 is something to look at. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

2000 Lumen weapon mounted light kit

Target Market:

Those needing or wanting a weapon mounted light

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Uses one (1) Streamlight SL-B50® protected Li-Ion USB-rechargeable battery pack (included)

  • Features TEN-TAP® programming - Choice of three user selectable programs:

  • 1) high/strobe  2) high only  3) low/high

  • High: 2,000 lumens; 266 m beam; runs 2.5 hours

  • Low: 250 lumens; 93 m beam; runs 11 hours

  • Strobe for signaling or disorienting: runs 4.5 hours

  • IP67-rated; dust-tight and waterproof to 1 meter for 30 minutes (IPX4-rated when remote switch is plugged in)

  • 2-meter impact resistance tested

  • 6000 series machined aircraft aluminum with Type II MIL-Spec anodized finish

  • Mounts directly to guns with MIL-STD-1913 (Picatinny) rails

  • Includes remote pressure switch

  • 6.30 in (16.0 cm)

  • 9.06 oz (257 g) with one (1) SL-B50® battery pack

  • Limited Lifetime Warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Handheld version

Price point:

MSRP =  $245.00

Retail = $169.99 at Primary Arms

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Hi Lumens for lots of light spill

  • Dual connection battery cap

  • On weapon charging

  • Decent pressure switch

Cons:

  • Proprietary battery

  • Low Candela 

  • Only comes with 1 battery

  • Picatinny mount

Score: 7.00 Good

Favorite Link:  Atibal Optics

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Strike Industries Dual Folding Adapter

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  Strike Industries recently brought out their Dual Folding Adapter. It is a unique folding stock, or brace, for mounting on a picatinny rail, hence the “adapter” part of the name. From pistols to rifles, the Dual Folding Adapter (DFA) has a variety of uses. 

  The Dual Folding Adapter comes with everything needed for multiple mounting options. It comes in the box set up to be used as a pistol brace. Also in the box is a buttplate. The buttplate is to use the DFA on a rifle or registered Short Barrel Rifle (SBR). Do not put the buttplate on the DFA while it’s on a pistol. The buttplate also has a rubber buttpad attached to it. To mount the DFA to anything, you need a firearm with a rear vertical picatinny rail. Then you just slide it on the pic rail, insert the screws, and tighten it down. The stabilizer has a QD socket at the top rear, for use with a single point sling. This lets you put pressure against the sling, to help stabilize the pistol. The buttplate is pretty explanatory for a rifle. The buttplate also has 2 QD’s, one on either side, for mounting a sling. To switch between the buttplate and the stabilizer, there is a torx head screw that goes through the end of either one of them, and screws into the strut.

  Now for the best part. The Strike Industries Dual Folding Adapter folds both ways! There are 2 buttons on the top, by the picatinny rail mount. These buttons unlock the DFA so it can fold. If looking at it like you hold a pistol or rifle, push the left button down, into its recess, and the DFA  can then be folded to the right. Or, push the right button and it can be folded to the left. The DFA has a slight 3 degree downward angle, when folded. This is to help clear ejection ports, so that a rifle can still be fired with the DFA folded. To unfold the DFA, you have to push up slightly and then pivot the DFA out to lock it in the unfolded position. If you push up by the stabilizer or buttplate, nothing happens. You have to push up closer to the hinged portion, or the DFA won’t unfold. I like how this worked because you aren’t accidentally unfolding the DFA. It is also really easy and quick to unfold the DFA. Just push up a little with your thumb and you are in business. There is a small price to pay for the ability to fold both directions. That comes in the way of the picatinny rail mount and folding mechanism. The folding mechanism is 2” wide, so it is the widest part on the whole DFA. One typically mounts the DFA up by the firearms receiver, so it’s not as bad as it sounds. 

  Other than the folding point, the Dual Folding Adapter is quite slim. The strut on the DFA extends rearward from the folding mechanism, it has some lightening cuts and is only about ½” wide. The whole DFA weighs under 10 ounces, so it’s not heavy at all. Total length on the DFA is about 9.25”. In the folded position it adds, a tiny bit over, an inch to your firearm. If, for some reason, you want to take the DFA off, you can push both the buttons and slide it off of the picatinny mount. Why, I am not sure, because it folds. Strike Industries also sent me out their Cheek Riser. This is for using the DFA as a rifle stock. The cheek riser clamps on through 2 holes in the strut. It has 3 height positions. The cheek riser makes the strut much more comfortable to lay your cheek against. Plus those height adjustments let you get your eye in the right spot for your optics. I was impressed with how comfortable and useful this little piece of polymer was.

  The Dual Folding Adapter was used mainly on a Strike Modular Chassis. So it was used in the pistol stabilizer configuration. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the DFA stabilizer brace worked for me. It rested nicely against my arm and really did help stabilize the pistol. There is a tiny bit of up down movement in the whole system, but it’s less than some M4 stocks, so no complaints about stability. Speaking of stability, Strike Industries has little rubber bumpers that go inside the DFA to help with lockup and cushion the impact of that lockup. I ended up using the thickest ones provided, as they gave the best feel and tightness. I probably have opened and closed the DFA more than I should have. It’s kind of a fidget spinner for firearms. 

  If you happen to be in the market for a folding stock or brace, why not let it fold both ways. The Strike Industries Dual Folding Adapter does just that. It makes an excellent stock, as it is sturdy, and it really shines as a foldable brace. Strike Industries has really stepped up their accessory game in the last few years, The Dual Folding Adapter is definitely one to check out.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Dual Folding stock or brace

Target Market:

Those wanting a folding stock

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Pre Assembled as stabilizer and includes a separate stock rear piece for rifle or registered Short-Barrel Rifle (SBR)

  • Patented Picatinny dual folding adapter with intuitive unfolding system

  • Folds left or right anytime without flipping or reconfiguring hinge

  • Adds [Stabilizer] 9.24" (234.64mm) or [Stock] 9.18” (233.14mm) to overall weapon length

  • Adds 1.02” (26.00mm) to overall weapon length in folded position

  • Positive lock in the folded position, included rubber pads for folding adapter indentation to adjust desired locking tension when fully deployed

  • Pull up on bar near hinge and back for quick deployment when folded

  • 3-degree down tilt to help prevent interference with ejection port when folded to right side

  • Mounts directly to 1913 Picatinny interface with 2 built-in locking lugs

  • Single rear QD [Stabilizer] and ambidextrous QD sling mounting points [Stock]

  • Rubber anti-slip buttpad [Stock]

  • Steel hinge with 6061-T6 Aluminum base, adapter & strut

  • Lightweight at under 10 ounces

  • Modular system with interchangeable parts sold separately

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

Nothing found

Link to other reviews:

The Firearm Blog  

Price point:

MSRP = $219.95

Cheek Riser = $31.95

Retail = $199.95 at Brownells   

I need it now! Availability:

Strike Industries or Brownells

Our Rating: 

Pros:

  • Folds both ways

  • Switchable between rifle and pistol options

  • Easily deployed

  • QD points

  • Lightweight

Cons:

  • Wide picatinny rail folding mount

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link:  JSD Supply

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XS Sights DIY sight pusher

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 I have always needed a sight pusher to install handgun iron sights. The old brass punch and hammer system was getting old. When XS Sights told me they were coming out with some sight pushers, I was all in. XS came out with two different styles, both for Glock style pistol slides. They are the “DIY” and the “Gunsmith” version. The DIY sight pusher is what I received. It’s a no frills sight pusher, but gets the job done with ease.

  XS DIY sight pusher is a convenient way to install Glock sights. It also works to remove the old ones. The DIY sight pusher isn’t very large at all, it fit’s on a workbench or table top with ease. It’s under 6” long and 2” wide. The size makes it super convenient for throwing in your range bag. That way if you need to adjust your sight at the range, it’s really easy to do so. The pusher tool has a screw on the end which is used to push on a brass piece using the provided allen wrench. This brass piece is what pushes the sight in. Then there is an open channel where your pistol slide fits. Also included is a plastic wedge to hold the slide up tight against the tool. A Glock style front sight tool is also included. 

  A cool thing about these XS sight pushers is that you can also get them in a kit. The XS kit includes the sight pusher and a set of XS R3D night sights. This is actually the kit they sent out. The R3D’s are not a tall sight, so they are not for use with red dots or suppressors. So I rounded up a normal slide and went to work installing them. The R3D front sight has an orange ring around a tritium insert. The rear is blacked out with just 2 tritium dots on both sides of the notch. This gives you a 3 dot sight picture in low light and a very fast regular sight picture under normal conditions. I can’t say enough good things about the XS tritium sights.

  I was really impressed with how the DIY sight pusher worked. I took my slide, set it up against the pusher surface. Lining up the sight with the center of the brass pusher piece. I slid in the plastic wedge until it was snug. Then took the allen wrench and started turning the screw. Put some oil on the screw threads before each use so it won’t bind up. The old sight pushed out with ease. So I backed the screw back out and removed the slide. I then took the new R3D rear sight, pushed it into the dovetail, by hand, as far as it would go. Then re-installed the slide in the pusher as before. Turned the screw and watched the new sight push in with ease. Once the sight was visually centered, I stopped. To tell if the sight is in the center of the slide, just turn the slide around in the tool and look at the reference marks. They are on the brass pusher, as well as the frame of the pusher itself. Once the same marks line up, with the slide in the tool on both sides, you know the sight is centered. The DIY pusher also works with an optic mounted on your slide. The only difference is that you have to use the edge of the brass pusher instead of the center. 

  The XS DIY sight pusher has really good instructions. They are included as a hard copy, but are also available online. I like the hard copy because I can reference it, if needed, on my workbench, without having to pick up my phone. Being that the DIY sight pusher is an open top design, it also makes it much easier to see what is actually going on with the sight install. On a side note. Even though it is for Glock style sights and slides, I did find it to work on my Sig P320 rear sight. So it may or may not work on other handgun manufacturer slides.

  XS Sights did a pretty good job with the DIY sight pusher. I don’t think I will probably wear it out in my lifetime. If you change a lot of sights, it’s worth the money. If you change even more sights, look into the Gunsmith version for only a few bucks more. The DIY sight pusher made easy quick work out of changing sights. Go take a look at the DIY pusher over at XS Sights.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Do It Yourself sight pusher for Glock style slides

Target Market:

Those who frequently change sights

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Tool Life Span: 50 – 100 Installations

  • Kit includes semi-professional sight pusher and steel Glock front sight tool

  • Fits all Glock OEM and Aftermarket slides

  • Glock MOS Compatible – Install sights with optic mounted on pistol

  • Non-marring brass bit prevents scratching sights or slides

  • Built-in Centering Scale – 1/16” scale

  • Bolt Thread Pitch: 1/16” – 1.5 Bolt rotations equals 1/16” of travel

  • Weight: 1.4 lbs.

  • Sight Tool Dimensions (LxWxH): 5.5" x 1.75" x 1.5"

  • Designed and Manufactured in Fort Worth, TX

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Gunsmith version

What others are saying?:

Nothing found

Link to other reviews:

Shoot On 

Price point:

MSRP = $150.00 

     Bundle with XS sights = $254.99

Retail = $150.00

I need it now! Availability:

XS Sights

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Super easy to use

  • Can get as a kit with sights

  • Size makes it useful anywhere

Cons:

  • Price if only doing one or two installs

  • Only for use on Glock style slides

Score: 7.50 Good

Favorite Link:  Kaiser US 

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Primary Arms SLx 4-16x44 FFP

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  Recently Primary Arms updated the SLx 4-16x44. This update gave the feature rich, SLx 4-16 some new reticles. One of those is the ARC-2 MOA, a simple, yet effective, illuminated reticle. I was excited to put this optic through its paces and it did not disappoint. Primary Arms’ SLx line is what I like to call performance packed optics at a price everyone can afford.

  To put it simply, the SLx 4-16x44 FFP has magnification of 4x to 16x. It has a 44mm objective lens and a 30mm tube to help gather as much light as possible. Magnification is adjusted with a ring back by the eyepiece. The ring has a raised “fin” that can be removed if you don’t like it. It has a side parallax adjustment that goes from 20 yds to infinity. On the end, of said parallax adjustment, is the illumination ring. It has 11 values to illuminate the ARC-2 reticle. The lowest 2 settings are night vision compatible. The highest setting is “daylight” bright. I can actually see a little bit of red illumination in bright sunlight, something I can’t always say when things are “daylight bright”. The adjustment turrets on the SLx are of the tactical style. They are not capped, nor can they be. They have a pretty good tactile feel for the 1/4 MOA clicks, but are not very audible, if at all. These turrets are resettable to zero with the supplied allen wrench. No zero stop, but I can’t knock a $300 scope for that.

  Now that you have a general rundown of the optic, it’s time for more. I’ll start with the glass. For this being in the SLx line, the glass clarity is great, even at full 16x magnification. I could make out a wire fence at around 500 yds, see picture. The fast focus eyepiece gets the reticle super clear and the parallax adjustment gets the image spot on at all different ranges. I really am amazed at how clear the glass is for a $300 scope. The only real downfall of looking through the optic is its eye relief. Primary Arms specs the eye relief at 3.6 - 3.9”. So you really have to be in that 0.3” range to get a good eye box picture. Especially at those higher magnifications. I’m not using this on fast moving targets, so it doesn’t bother me much.

  The Primary Arms 4-16x44 FFP has a few different reticle options. Some are their ACSS style, but I’ll be focusing on the ARC-2 reticle of this particular scope. I chose the ARC-2 MOA reticle because it is not cluttered up with stuff, like so many “christmas tree reticles” are. First off, the reticle is in minutes of angle, which is what I prefer. Second, it’s a first focal plane (FFP) reticle. So all the subdivisions, or hash marks, stay the same size throughout the magnification range. The reticle grows as you increase the magnification. This is so those marks in the reticle stay the same, and are usable for windage and elevation holdovers, at any magnification. On that note, Primary Arms did a nice job with this reticle. Almost all of the MOA marks are visible when at 16x. I’ve seen FFP optics that, a big portion of, the reticle disappears when at full magnification. The reticle itself is essentially just a crosshair with little marks spaced every 2 MOA apart. Every 10 MOA, there is a larger mark and a number, at least on the elevation portion of the reticle. Windage is a little different, with 2 MOA marks for the first 10 MOA, and then marks every 5 MOA past that. See the reticle picture for values. This reticle is very clean. It’s kind of old school mil-dot meets new school technology. Did I mention that the grid portion of the reticle is illuminated? Well it is, in red, with 11 brightness settings. I really like the style of simple and useful reticles like the ARC-2.

  The ARC-2 is such a great reticle, but adjusting your scope is still very important. That brings us to the target style turrets on the 4-16x44. If you are into dialing your scope for windage and elevation adjustments, you want good target turrets. I found these to be repeatable, at least in my testing. If I dialed up 15 MOA, and then back down 15 MOA, it shot where I expected it to. I didn’t do a tracking test, But this isn’t a $1000+ scope, so I didn’t see any need for me to do that. The clicks on the turrets feel really good but you can’t really hear them. I prefer feel over hearing them anyway. They also have a little resistance to them, which is nice, so they don’t move if you bump them in the field. Each turret adjusts in 0.25 MOA/click and 15 MOA per 1 revolution of the turret. It has over 85 MOA of total adjustment, or about 6 full turns of the turret. L/R and UP are marked next to or under the turret, depending on which one it is. There is also a little mark to use for setting zero. The SLx 4-16 has the ability to set the turret dials to zero, after you have sighted it in. There’s 3 tiny set screws at the turret's top, loosen them and rotate the knob to zero. Tighten them back up and your zero is now set. 

  I have the Primary Arms SLx 4-16x44 mounted on a “varmint style” AR. The scope weighs in at 25 ounces. But in this case, it is the perfect scope for this particular rifle. The SLx has performed super well for me. It’s super clear for a scope in this price range. It’s easily adjusted, if needed. It has an illuminated reticle for low light use. A parallax adjustment that goes super low, so if I wanted to use it on something like a .22lr, I could. I wouldn’t hesitate to take this hunting in the brush. I think it would make an excellent hunting scope as the ARC-2 reticle doesn’t take up a lot of room in the scope. The magnification range is also great for this AR’s use case.

  If you're in the market for a feature rich FFP optic, the Primary Arms SLx 4-16x44 ARC-2 might be it. I just can’t get over all the options you get in this optic, and at an incredible price. It performed better than my expectations for sure. The updated SLx scopes from Primary Arms are definitely worth checking out.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Quality low priced FFP optic

Target Market:

Those wanting excellent quality in a mid range optic, but at a reasonable price

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • First Focal Plane ARC-2 MOA reticle

  • Partial Red Reticle Illumination, Visible in Sunlight

  • 11 brightness adjustments, including 2 that are Night Vision compatible 

  • Side Parallax adjustment

  • Click Value: 0.25 MOA

  • FOV @ 4x / 100 yd : 26.6 ft

  • FOV @ 16x / 100 yd : 6.5 ft

  • Total Windage and Elevation Adjustment: > 85 MOA

  • Zero resettable turrets  

  • Weight (with Battery, without Lens Covers): 25.4 oz

  • Tube Diameter: 30 mm

  • Eye Relief: 3.6 – 3.9 in

  • Fast Focus Eyepiece

  • Fog Resistant

  • Fully Nitrogen Purged, IP67 Waterproof Standard and Dust Proof

  • 6063 Aluminum with Anodized Matte Black

  • Flip-up Lens Covers Included

  • Uses one CR2032 Battery (Included)

  • Lifetime Warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Tons in the SLx line    

What others are saying?:

Nothing found as of this review

Link to other reviews:

Same - nothing found

Price point:

MSRP = $299.99

Retail = Same, but Primary Arms always has sales going on

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Price

  • First Focal Plane reticle

  • Reticle options

  • Good Illumination

  • Clear field of view

Cons:

  • Non-forgiving eye box

Score: 8.50 Great

Favorite Link:  SLx 1x Prism

Primary Arms is an advertiser on the Gun & Gear Review podcast. This does not give them a better review than any other company. 

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Unique ARs Handguard

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  When you think of AR handguards, you typically don’t think about exotic designs. Unique ARs is here to change your mind about that. They make AR handguards with intricate designs in, and on, them. Unique ARs will also do custom designs. What makes the Unique ARs designs even better, is that they are also very functional.

  Unique ARs sent me one of their stock design handguards. The name of this particular one is the “Filigree.” A Filigree’s definition is: “An intricate, delicate, or fanciful ornamentation”. This handguard is exactly that. I like to think of it as an old school scroll pattern. It is pretty cool looking, especially when color is added to it.

  This particular handguard is 15” long and free floats the barrel. Unique ARs does make shorter versions, but I do like longer handguards. It is a tube style handguard, with the Filigree pattern milled in. There are no rails or anything else on this “original” series handguard. However, on the top and bottom, there are threaded holes to mount Unique ARs picatinny rail sections, in case you need a section of rail. Unique ARs also offers a “slim” style of handguard, it has a full length top rail, if that’s what you are looking for.

  Installation of the handguard is pretty normal. So I won’t go into it too much. One will need the normal AR tools to do it. Plus you will need a low profile gas block to fit inside the tube. The inside diameter of the handguard is 1.75” and the outside is 2”’. This particular handguard weighs in at 15.9 ounces complete with the barrel nut and mounting hardware. So it’s not heavy, but not super light either.

  When you order a standard option handguard from Unique ARs, you can also order some add ons. The add ons include semi-custom cerakote in almost any color. Either one or two different color options. The Filigree handguard was sent with a single cerakote option. So the outside of the handguard is black, and inside the scroll work is lime green, or as I like to say, zombie green. It looks really good! I actually mounted it on my Spikes Zombie Lower rifle. The cerakote work, in the Filigree, really shows off the expert ability of the cerakoter’s over at Unique ARs. There is some pretty fine detail work that goes into it.

  Now for how it actually performed. I was really surprised at how grippy the handguard was. I can get a fantastic grip on it because of all the machine work. I thought it would be smooth, but no, it’s not. Because of the texture, this handguard works really well when moving from target to target. It is almost like having built in grip panels. The little bit of extra weight seemed to make the rifle feel more stable than it was when it had a carbon fiber one on it. This handguard makes the rifle look awesome.

  If you are in the market for something different, the Unique ARs handguard is it. With all the special designs and cerakote options, you will definitely have a “unique” AR. If you want something you designed, or just something not in their catalog, you can have it made by them. If you are building that true custom rifle, their handguard will make it “one of a kind”. As an added bonus, it actually will make the rifle perform better. Go check out Unique ARs, but I’ll warn you, it’ll probably end up costing you a few bucks.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Custom AR handguards

Target Market:

Those wanting a unique look to their AR

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Filigree Scroll pattern

  • 15” Free-float handguard

  • Made from 6061 T6 Aluminum

  • Inside diameter 1.75″

  • Exterior diameter 2″

  • Compatible with any mil spec AR-15 upper receiver or (DPMS Gen 1 Style) AR-10 upper

  • Mount accessories with Unique-ARs proprietary picatinny rail only

  • Weighs 15.9 ounces complete with barrel nut and hardware

  • Available in 9″, 12″, and 15″ lengths.

  • Custom cerakote available

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Too many to list

What others are saying?:

When I decided to build my first AR, I decided that it had to be different and not a typical build that I could just go grab off the shelf. I came across the Unique-ARs Freedom handguard and thought, “I have to have that on my build!”

When it came time to order I discovered that I could choose colors! But not just one color, two colors! After a bit of time sorting through the hundreds of colors, I found a color that would match my build perfectly. I placed the order and it arrived a week earlier than expected. It is the perfect finishing piece and definitely an eye catcher! Thanks a ton!

Joshua M. at Unique AR’s

Link to other reviews:

Gear-Report  

Price point:

MSRP = $285.00

Start at $185.00

Retail = $285 plus cerakote

I need it now! Availability:

Unique ARs

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Awesome designs

  • Fully Custom handguards available

  • Cut out patterns give a very good grip

  • Custom Cerakote colors

Cons:

  • Must use Unique’s picatinny rails if wanting a mounting platform

  • A little heavier than some other handguards

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link:  Walker Defense Research 

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Viridian RFX 35

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  Viridian Weapon Tech recently came out with a few pistol mounted green dots. Keeping in Viridian fashion, they only do green, hence the green dot and not a red. All of their green dots have the same features, they just are different sizes with different mounting footprints. They sent out the RFX 35 for me to try out, It uses the RMR footprint and has a huge viewing window.

  In the current pistol mounted dot sight market, there are a bunch of important features the sights should have. The RFX 35 has most of these. First, it has an industry standard footprint, a RMR in the 35’s case. Next, I feel it should have some auto on feature. Viridian’s RFX 35 checks this box as it has their “instant-on” technology. What this does for you is turn the green dot on, when any slight movement is detected. The RFX 35 turns off and into this mode after approximately 2 minutes of being stationary. The last option I think these small dot sights should have, is night vision compatibility. I don’t use this feature, but I feel it is worth having. The RFX’s lowest 2 settings are NV compatible. 

  One of my favorite things about the RFX 35 green dot is its window size. The viewing window is quite large, measuring in at 22x26 mm. This is essentially a 1 mm shorter, and 1 mm wider than its commonly known competitor, the SRO. The window is also very rounded in shape, with a flat spot near the bottom. This means that no matter what you are doing, the green dot in the RFX is super easy to pick up. It also makes transitioning from target to target faster since the target comes into the viewing window sooner. I found it extremely fast to use on my Sig P320.  

  As previously mentioned, the RFX 35 uses a green dot. Viridian uses a 3 MOA dot size for the RFX. I thought the dot size was very useful. Not too large to cover up close targets, but small enough to be used, when accuracy is needed, on those 50 yard targets. Most people tend to see the green dot better than a red one. For me, I get less of that “bloom” effect with green, that is due to my astigmatism. The RFX 35 uses a “+” and “-” to adjust brightness. The “+” is on the left side, and the “-” is on the right side. I like this layout as you don’t accidentally push the wrong button. There are 10 total brightness adjustments, 8 are daylight and the other 2 are NV. The green dot is easily visible in bright sunlight on the highest setting. To adjust the green dot for windage and elevation, there is a supplied allen wrench. It adjusts in 1 MOA “clicks”, except it doesn’t have clicks, just the turn screws. This doesn’t hurt the functionality, I just prefer clicks to make adjustments easier for me. 

  Another advantage to the RFX 35 is its extremely low profile. This little green dot sits lower than any of the other RMR footprints sights I own. Part of the reason it sits so low in the slide, is that it has a bottom mount battery. No side or top load battery here. I prefer to not have a bottom load battery, as I don’t like to remove things to change batteries. Is this a deal breaker? No, it’s just a slight inconvenience every couple of years when it needs to be changed. With a 30,000 hr battery life, it’s not like you have to change it all the time. 

  In the end, I am really liking the Viridian RFX 35. The green dot is crystal clear and is easily picked up with my eye. The window's viewing size is fantastic. Plus, it has that industry standard mounting footprint. The RFX 35 has been a really good sight for me. If you are looking at a large window reflex sight to mount on a handgun slide, or possibly a rifle, the Viridian RFX 35 may just be the ticket. Check it out, along with the other RFX series sights, at Veridian’s website.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Large window green dot sight for RMR footprint pistols

Target Market:

Carry, Competition, Training, and anything else

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 3 MOA Green Dot

  • 22x26 mm viewing window

  • RMR Mounting Footprint

  • Picatinny mount included

  • Auto shut off and INSTANT- ON technology

  • 30,000 + hours battery life at brightness level 5

  • 6061-T6 aluminum body

  • Designed from the ground up to ensure clarity, solid function, and rapid target acquisition

  • Designed to fit full size handguns, shotguns, and rifles

  • 8 Visible & 2 Night Vision Brightness Settings

  • WEIGHT: 1.0 oz

  • WARRANTY: 7 years

  • AUTO OFF: 2 minutes

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Other RFX series

What others are saying?:

4/5 stars on Amazon

Pretty nice if you get it on sale

500 rounds through my pistol with this dot and it went from being a safe toy to my EDC. I got the 35 and it turned my pistol into an entire new machine. Easier to sight in than my holosun, and over $100 less. Will be getting the 15 for my smaller pistol and ditching the holosun 507k I have on it. The green dot is super easy to see. Honestly surprised how much better I like it over my holosun.

Was honestly surprised by the dot. I expected it to be crap after seeing the glass fell out of both the reviews I watched. Ended up being a great purchase. My only gripes are the fact it has to be removed to replace the battery and that it's kind of difficult to remove the wrench used to adjust. Would be so much better if they used the same style screws as pretty much every other big-name dot to adjust. I never have an allen wrench on me, but I always have some kind of small device that can be used as a flat head.

Link to other reviews:

Terribly Tactical Youtube 

Shooting Sports USA  

Price point:

MSRP = $289.00

Retail = $202.95 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Viridian or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Large window size

  • RMR pattern footprint

  • Clear dot

  • 3 MOA dot size

Cons:

  • Bottom load battery

  • No click adjustments

Score: 8.50 Great

Favorite Link:  Midwest Firearm Solutions

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