121 results
A Beginner and an Airgun - Daisy 853, Part 1
The Daisy 853 is a .177" (4.5mm) caliber air rifle. It's designed for the 10m matches, and is considered to be quite precise in its price and weight class. This series of articles will explore the Daisy 853 and air rifles in general. This particular article will look into the rifle itself.
Focus - Eyepiece and Parallax
Sometimes, you will need to be able to focus your scope. In a scope, there are two types of focus - the eyepiece diopter and the parallax adjustment.
History of the Picatinny Rail
Picatinny. The Pic Rail. MIL-STD 1913. Known by a few names and used on more than a few weapons platforms, the ubiquitous Picatinny Rail has made itself quite comfortable across an ever-expanding list of firearms and accessories. How did such a thing come to be?
The Long Life of the M40
The M40. A revered name with few variations throughout history - the M40, M40A1, M40A3, M40A5. In the fifty years since its inception, the Marines’ update to the Remington 700 system has stood the test of time with its durability, simplicity, and hard-hitting rounds.
Rubber Recoil Pads for Sore Shouldered Shooters
Our story picks up in 1874 with the Silvers Company of England, and ends around 1930 with a name I’m sure many of you are familiar with: Pachmayr. A bit of a spoiler alert: These bruised-shoulder shooters solved the serious concerns of considerable kick, even way back then.
The Leatherwood M1200-XLR A.R.T. Scope Full Overview, Setup, and Walkthrough
When we set up an A.R.T. Scope at the range, we tend to follow the same pattern each time. First the mounting, which has its own steps, setting the CAM, then the close zero and actual zero, the confirmation and adjustment, and finally tuning the CAM and taking the scope out to distance. If you're unfamiliar with the ART scope line, this may seem like an odd series of steps. We thought it might be helpful to film our full setup while talking through what to look for (see the video embedded abo...
A Riffle with a Tellescope to It
It wasn’t until the first day of 1776 that a sometimes-inventor named Charles Willson Peale would make the leap from ‘looking at something far away’ to ‘sending something that way.’ Working alongside David Rittenhouse, a prominent astronomer, Peale set out to point telescopes at less heavenly targets...
Mounting the Malcolm 6X Long Rifle Telescope
Want to mount a period correct long tube telescopic sight on your buffalo rifle?
Follow along with us as we mount the Malcolm 6X Long 30" Rifle Telescope on our Uberti Winchester 1885 High Wall in 45-70.
Wm. Malcolm 6X Long Rifle Telescope - Rear Mount Installation
In this video, we will be installing the Rear Mount for the Malcolm 6X Long Rifle Telescope on a Uberti 1885 High Wall with a 30” Octagon Barrel.
Using a Ballistic Calculator to Determine the Initial ART Scope Cam Setting
Today we’re going to take a look at how to use a ballistics calculator to determine your initial cam setting for the M1000 PRO and the M1200 XLR ART scopes. We’re using JBM ballistics - a free ballistic calculator online.
Hi-Lux Optics "Wm. Malcolm" 1850's Long Scope Ideal For Building A Civil War Era Sharpshooters Rifle
The most feared soldier of the Civil War was the Sharpshooter. Today, we simply call them snipers. Thanks to advances in rifle...bullet...and optical sight technology during the 1840's and 1850's, the dreaded Sharpshooter's rifle could reach out and precisely hit targets much farther than ever before possible.
Thanks To Hi-Lux TB-ML Scope, Iowa Muzzleloading Hunter Makes 242-Yard Shot On A Whitetail Buck!
Iowa resident Mike Ross, hunting the late muzzleloader season this past January, pulled off a great 242-yard off-hand shot with his Knight .50 caliber Long Range Hunter, taking a nice buck with a single bullet centered through the chest cavity. He attributed the success of that shot to spending a lot of time on the range with the rifle and the Hi-Lux Optics multi-reticle TB-ML scope - and to the precise placement of those reticles in the scope.
Hi-Lux Optics Recreates Vietnam Era USMC Sniper Scope
Hi-Lux Optics is now recreating this 1960's era scope for all of those "old school" sharpshooters among us, those who take the time to know the trajectory of the loads they shoot. However, Hi-Lux Optics has made some major internal improvements.
The finishing touches are now being made to this recreation of a vintage scope from the past, and should be on display at the SHOT Show.
The Hi-Lux Optics 2-7x LER - A Special Scope For Special Needs
Recently, the Davide Pedersoli arms making firm of Brescia, Italy shipped me one of the coolest looking modern in-line ignition muzzleloading rifles I've ever seen for test shooting. What makes this rifle so different from other No. 209 primer ignition in-line rifles on the market is that it is actually built to look like something that "could have" existed back in the 1860's. This .50 caliber modern muzzle-loaded big game rifle is being built on a modified variation of the old Remington Ro...
A Collection of Strange and Exciting Stories
Every so often, I’ll come across an old article that seems far too interesting to just leave behind. I’ve gathered up a few segments here that never made it into an article, though they may at some point in the future.
I hope you enjoy this rather unusual collection of stories, mostly from the 1800s.
Reaching out to 1000 Yards
You might imagine that finding a range in the city is hard enough. That’s certainly true. Even out past the edge of the city, most ranges taper off around 600 or 650 yards. Chris had been getting too comfortable with those distances, so we needed to find a stretch of land to give him a bit of a challenge. Fortunately, Southern California has a pretty good patch of desert that calls it home.
Newsletter - February 2025
February saw a number of new releases among our scope lineup: the new Sporter 3-12 and M40 Mk2 are hitting the shelves. We've put up some videos about the scopes after taking them out for a nice range day in the desert, which also yielded some fun photo opportunities.
6X Long Scope Reticles
The 6X Long Scope Gen ii has a small and sometimes overlooked upgrade : the ability to swap out reticles.
How Do I Swap a Reticle?
If you're looking to swap from the plain crosshairs to another style, here's everything you need to know.
Angular Measurements - MOA, MIL, and More!
Adjustments made to your aim and your scope are often discussed in angular measurements such as MOA (and MIL, which we’ll talk about in a bit). Angular measurements are used for a very important reason
Turrets - How do they work?
If you’ve ever asked, “Am I moving my point of view when I dial? What does impact L or U mean? What is being adjusted in there?,” then it’s time to learn about turrets.
The Barrel
The barrel is the place where the bullet builds up speed, starts to spin, and gets going on the right path. Once the primer is struck, the powder burns and heats, the reaction speeding up as more powder heats up yet more powder and sets it off too. This expanding mass of hot air and burning propellant shoves the bullet down the barrel, burning more as it goes.
Scope Selector
Having trouble deciding on a scope? Use this handy online tool to narrow down our scopes by whatever factors you consider important!
The Briefly-Lived Mann Accuracy Device
For most of the shots you take with a rifle, you, the ‘squishy human component,’ are responsible for much of the lost accuracy. Now imagine that we’ve removed the human from the equation.
Shooting Two Miles in 1879
Imagine, if you will, two miles of sandy beach. At one end is you, with a selection of rifles featuring prototype cartridges and heavyweight bullets. At the far end is your target, up to 3200 yards away. The target is made of wood, layered in one-inch thick sections. The goal is to test bullet penetration at great distance, which now means you have to hit the darn thing. Repeatedly. Without a scope. This was the job for Mr. R. T. Hare of Springfield Armory.
An Early History of Rifle Scopes, 1776-1930
Peale proved precision optics were possible, but painful. Chapman and James championed cold-drawn chassis. Malcolm made masterful glass coatings and commercially successful scopes. Warner and Swasey’s scopes went to war, but wrestled with mechanical issues. Winchester’s scopes went to war too, but better because of better blocks. Bausch & Lomb made good glass for a while, then great glass with Zeiss’ knowledge. Stevens stuck with domestic glass and bought Winchester tooling, but was bough...
From Telescopes to Rifle Scopes - An Early History
As ubiquitous and varied as rifle scopes are today, there was a time when a “Riffle with a Tellescope to it” was quite a sight indeed. Don’t worry folks, we’ve got more puns in store for you. We’ll take a look into the very early history of rifle scopes.
Boresighting for Faster Zeroing
The quickest way to get on paper - 1. Unload your rifle, 2. Remove the bolt, 3. Look down the barrel, line up with target, 4. Dial scope to line up with target, 5. Replace bolt and fire.
Welcome to Hi-Lux Leatherwood Optics
For over 50 years, we’ve focused on one thing - hitting stuff really far away. Since the inception of the Leatherwood CAMputer, we’ve done more than just expand its capabilities. We’ve brought Jim’s vision to bear on a wide lineup of optics.
Leatherwood ART X-BOW Crossbow Scope
The ART X-BOW features an extremely accurate cam that can be calibrated to point of aim - point of impact for modern crossbows.
Using holdovers obscures the sight picture and degrades the optical clarity when looking through the scope.With the Frame Aim Shoot Technique (FAST), the ART X-BOW will compensate for your bolt's trajectory out to the target.
Checking Mounting Screws on Lyman-style 8X USMC Scope
The Malcolm 8X USMC scope comes with Lyman style micrometer rear mount and front ring. In this video, we’ll be going over what you need to periodically check to ensure that the mounts work properly.
Wm. Malcolm 6X Long Rifle Telescope - Fine Elevation Adjustment Set Installation
If you expect to frequently adjust elevation on your Malcolm 6X Long Rifle Telescope, you may opt to use the Fine Elevation Adjustment Set.
The FEASET is a bolt on upgrade to the rear scope mount. It allows you to adjust the elevation on the Malcolm 6X Long Scope without having to manually loosen and raise the scope block.
Wm. Malcolm 6X Long Rifle Telescope - Higher Front Ring Installation
To install the front ring on to the scope tube, slide the front ring on to the objective end sunshade, with the flat spring facing the back of the scope.
The front ring will slide into the front dovetail by the muzzle.
FFP / SFP Explained
Once again we’re in the shop, and today we’re talking about optics. It's time to look at the differences between FFP and SFP (First Focal Plane and Second Focal Plane) scopes.
Scope Mounting - Practical Methods
Today I want to talk about mounting an optic you finally purchased. I’m sure you shopped around, got the style you like. There’s a lot of options you had to decide before you bought that piece of glass. Now let’s talk about how you’re going to mount it to the rifle, the proper way - to keep it from losing zero and from scratching the tube up when you’re adjusting it, trying to get it just how you want it.
Best Scope Options for Shooters with Poor Vision or Old Eyes
Being an expert marksman is hard enough, but poor vision adds another challenging element to the equation. It’s particularly difficult when your vision deteriorates from aging, because then you need to learn to adjust. Targets that you could previously see with ease are suddenly blurry, and you find yourself squinting for clarity.
Hi-Lux CMR 1-4X Scope Review
One of the reasons 1-4X scope have been taking the AR industry by storm is that at 1X magnification, the scope can take the place of a both eyes open red-dot sight and with higher magnification setting it provides the power for reliable hits at longer distances.
Put Together A Dual Sight System for Your Modern In-Line Muzzleloading Big Game Rifle!
This rifle is now definitely set for the season, with a Dual Sight System that will allow me to make those longer shots out to 250 yards, using the multi-reticle TB-ML muzzleloader hunting scope...and to be able to pull that scope off and replace it with the zero magnification TAC-DOT sight for those times when I have to head into thick cover to get game to move.
Choosing the Right AR-15 Optic
The 1-4X optic power range has become a very hot area as 3 Gun shooters start to move around while shooting or shoot standing unsupported. Big magnification will just lead to frustration and slow shots. This low power optic concept is based on the military Designated Marksman optic requirements were moving and shooting is the norm at distances from 0-600 yards...
The Science Behind Ballistics: How Bullets Work
The science of ballistics is a multidisciplinary field that combines physics, engineering, and metallurgy to understand the behavior of bullets and their interactions with external phenomena.
(Almost) Olympic Pistol Dueling
Yes - believe it or not, there was a time when two competitors would do their best to shoot each other as quickly as possible to win a medal. Let’s find out more.
A History of Shooting Sports in the US
For many Americans, shooting isn’t just about competition—it’s about focus, patience, and pushing yourself to be better. Whether it’s breaking clays on a trap range, shooting steel at a local match, or training for the Olympics, shooting sports have become part of the fabric of American life.
The New M40 Gen ii is shipping out!
Howdy all! The time has arrived for a new and updated release to the classic M40 scope - 'the green one.'
A Beginner and an Airgun - Part 3 - Shooting the Daisy 853
On the menu for the day was a pretty straightforward 3-part test. First and foremost - make sure this air rifle can shoot.
What is a Red Dot Sight?
With modern glass and the growth of LED capabilities, more advanced sights than irons have come into the fold. Reflex sights, also known as red dots, work on reflection of light.
How Do I Pick a Reticle?
The reticle is the set of lines (sometimes known as crosshairs) within your scope. They will either be made of wire, a design etched onto glass, or (in older scopes) human hair or spider silk.
What is a Stock?
The stock provides a home for all the other parts of a rifle. In general terms, a stock is usually shaped like a narrow fin at the end of a long arm. Whether made of metal, plastic, or wood, the stock is an integral part of a rifle not unlike a skeleton.