Impact Seal Ground Bouncing Reactive Targets: Test / Review

Click the video to watch it on YouTube, much bigger player. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Tasco Red Dot Sight Review

You know, I've never really wanted to buy any of these "tacticool" attachments for my guns. I figured they didn't have much a point... The Tasco Red Dot always seemed to fall in that category, but who knows? Maybe they can change my mind! I was over at The Sports Authority, which is my normal place for department store shopping when I'm looking for things air gun or firearm related. I normally kill two birds with one bullet when I'm there. The Sports Authority was running a sale on the Red Dot at only $24.99, when it was normally around $40.00. I'd definitely heard of it, and really wanted it. The problem was, I didn't have enough money on me. I was already buying a bunch of other things which couldn't wait! A guy I know there held it for me behind the ammo in the back! I came back the next week and decided to buy some pellets and of course the Tasco Red Dot. When I got home, I was eager to open this baby up and I was happy with what I got. Now, what does it include and how does it perform?

The Tasco Red Dot is advertised as being 5 MOA and has a fantastic adjustable red dot. Aside from that, you would zero it just like you would a normal scope using the windage and elevation knobs. It is not a "scope", it is a simple red dot sight. It does not zoom. It also includes a lens cloth for cleaning, and of course, the Tasco Red Dot also comes with lens caps to prevent damage. It uses button cell batteries to power the red dot.  It is very simple to mount. Just unscrew it, place it on your 11mm dovetail mount, adjust it so it is a comfortable distance from your eye, tighten and your done! What makes this convenient is the fact that you can do all of this without any tools. However, you will need some sort of tool to zero it in. I'd prefer a dime, since the slots to turn the knobs are pretty small.

A picture of the Tasco Red Dot sight.

Performance (Accuracy) - So, how does the Tasco Red Dot perform? Very well. The Red Dot is shown as being 5 MOA, so for what it is, you'd expect it to be accurate-and it is! My Marlin 795 along with the Tasco Red Dot shoots way better than I can, but overall, I've seen some really nice groups come out of this thing... At the end of the day, that's what we want out of a tacticool product. Props to Tasco. I'd like post groups here, but thats more up to the gun. Another thing to point out would be that the Tasco Red Dot is more centered towards rimfire and air rifles, but I have heard of people putting these on much larger caliber rifles such as .308, .30-06, and even 12 gauges I don't know how it will stand up to such immense stress, but of course it's up to you if you want to try it. Just a friendly warning that it may not end well for this optic, at all! Something like an AR-15 is more likely to be okay though, I suspect.

Build Quality - The Tasco Red Dot feels nice and sturdy, I dont expect it to break on me anytime soon. I've bumped it into a few things over the months that I've owned it and haven't seen a loss in accuracy, nor have I had to re-zero it. And most importantly of all, It hasn't fallen apart :) Still, It's not something I would go dropping anytime soon. I have it secured nice and tight and it hasn't failed me so far. I should also add that the red dot hasn't lost functionality either, despite taking abuse. The Tasco Red Dot has definitely proved durable in my book, but again, take care before using on anything of higher caliber and high recoil

Sight Clarity - Not really a key point, considering this optic doesn't have any zoom, but just to point this out, I figured I'd add it. I mentioned earlier in the review that you could adjust the dot. For me, I found that an adjustment of 4-6 works the best without being disorienting. I guess for close range, a higher setting might look cooler, but it would serve no real purpose besides wasting battery life. You will save battery life by keeping the dot at low intensity. I haven't used the sight for hours upon hours, but even still, having the sight for 4 months (as of writing this), the battery hasn't run dry yet.

Final Thoughts and Summary - The Tasco Red Dot's looks and quality go hand in hand. It may seem like just another cheap piece of tacticool gear, however it is much more than that. This optic will give you superior accuracy over accessories of the same price. Are there better? Of course, but expect to pay much more of your money. Although the Tasco Red Dot is designed primarily for air guns and/or minimum recoil rifles (generally rimfire), it is known to be used on weapons such as 12 gauge shotguns. I cant say that I would recommend this, but even still, that doesn't mean it cant be done as some people have had success in such experiments. The quality of the Tasco Red Dot is very good and despite being bumped into things for months now, still operates perfectly without a hitch. Still, don't go and drop it! Clarity in this sight is great. Greater still, you can adjust the intensity of the dot however you see fit. Use what works best for you! I would have liked to have a few other features such as changing the shape or color of the dot, but I guess I can let it slide and keep that stuff to those over the top airsoft and paintball sights. The Tasco Red Dot has proved an outstanding accessory in my arsenal and I would recommend it any day of the week to someone looking for something fresh. It works wonders for tricking your gun out as well as quick target acquisition, since you can shoot at the dot no matter which angle you head is at. It will stay on target. I think that anyone can enjoy the Tasco Red Dot, so go and pick one up at your local sporting goods store today! If you'd like to pick this sight up online, here's a link to the 1x30 Red Dot on Amazon. Also, you can find the 1x42mm version of the sight at this link, also on Amazon.com.

Smith And Wesson: Extreme Ops - Knife Review (CK111S)

So I decided to buy my first pocket knife in a long time. It was just meant to be a general purpose tool. Not necessarily for defense, but something I could use every day. The model I purchased was the CK111(S) - for serrated. This knife costs just $15 here at Amazon. So how does this budget pocket knife perform?

Specs:

• Overall length:7.3"(18.5cm)
• Handle Length:4.2"(10.7cm)



Smith and Wesson Extreme Ops CK111S "serrated" variation.

• Blade length:3.1"(7.8cm)

Quality - The Smith and Wesson Extreme Ops is more than you would expect from a knife in the $15-$20 price range. It has a nice metal handle and stainless steel blade with a Teflon coating. The material of the blade isn't 440C Stainless, but it is an OK steel for a simple folding knife. The CK111S fit my taste perfectly with the blue handle! I might also add that although this series of knives are under the Smith and Wesson name, they are manufactured by Taylor Brands LLC. Don't expect legendary Smith and Wesson quality from a $15 pocket knife! If you have a problem with yours, don't blame S&W!

Durability and Performance - My family has actually been in the process of moving for a few months now. Yeah, we're kind of junk collectors, not necessarily hoarders, but we have a lot of useless stuff in our house. Over that time, I have had to cut a lot of rope, boxes and much, much more. I even "sawed" through a plastic pen. Don't ask me why I was doing that because it was stupid. Even though it took quite a while to saw through the plastic, the knife seemed unaffected. Better yet, I didn't cut myself! The knife seemed to stand up to everyday uses, which is what you would expect from a knife in this price range.

Durability (Continued) - I had one problem with this knife. The pivot screw came loose after cutting rope for a couple of days. I needed a Torx screwdriver to tighten it back up. I dont know the exact size, but I have a Husky Torx Screwdriver. It has various sizes and they fold out. Odd I cant find a link for you guys. Anyway, it probably wasn't a "problem", but here's the thing. If the screw is too tight, the blade is hard to "flip open" with the studs on the side. Too loose and the blade seems to "shift" it's position around in the handle. This is noticeable when the knife is closed. Is this a problem? I don't know. Even still, it's a cheap knife and I didn't want it to fall apart. If you can, spend $10 in The Home Depot for a Torx set. A lot of knives use them, so it's a purchase you wont need to make in the future.

Edge Retention - When I received the knife in the mail, it had a devastatingly sharp edge! As I've mentioned above, it cut everything that I needed it to cut and very efficiently. Even now, owning the knife for 4 months when writing this article, the knife still has a decent edge. In fact, I have never needed to sharpen it yet. Maybe I don't see the purpose of a perfectly sharp edge, but the knife still cuts great and I think that's what counts. 

Uses - Defense and everyday use. Despite what some might say, this knife is fine for defense, although something of higher quality is preferred, there is no reason why someone on a budget couldn't use this knife. As I have mentioned above, the knife excels in everyday use. Although I have used it "heavily", remember that it is just a cheap pocket knife.

Final Verdict and Summary - For a $15 pocket knife, the Smith and Wesson Extreme Ops really shines. It exceeds the expectations one would have for such a cheap knife. It has stood up to heavy use and it's only drawback is the fact that the pivot screw is loosened easily. This can be easily fixed with a torx screwdriver of the appropriate size. The Smith and Wesson Extreme Ops also has an excellent edge retention and so far, has retained an edge for 4 months despite moderate to heavy use. It is truly a great budget pocket knife and I highly recommend it if your on a low budget like me! As I have mentioned at the top of the article, the knife can be purchased here at Amazon.com. I have bought multiple items from them and they seem to be a good choice for knife shopping. They also sell more "novelty" items like throwing knives, shurikens etc. If you want the normal-edged "CK111", click here. Also, if you are interested in other variations in the Extreme Ops line, click here! In fact, there were so many variations, it was hard for me to choose. That link is over at Knife Depot, and they're a little more expensive than others, but they have a better selection for knives than any site I can think of, so it's worth a look! Anyway guys, thanks for reading! Be safe!

Here is the video review that goes with this written review, or I guess you can just watch that if you're too lazy to read this article :)

Beeman Sportsman RS2 Review - A Dual-Caliber Air Rifle!?

This article features a Beeman Sportsman RS2 review, based on my own shooting with several hundred pellets through the rifle. Enjoy! 

So I decided it was time to opt for a .22 air rifle. A couple of weeks back, I was in Walmart looking around the sporting goods section. I actually had wanted to buy some .22lr ammo however, I was actually quite surprised that they didn't carry any, as my local Walmart had an abundant supply of every common ammunition in a few brands each. I looked at a Red Ryder, which I was interested in,  as well as a couple of knives, nothing special. Then, I spotted the Beeman Sportsman RS2 Dual Caliber Air Rifle, which came with a .177 barrel, a .22 barrel and a scope! It seemed interesting, and at just under 100 bucks, what a deal! I remembered a few days later that I had some gift cards that I never used. I wound up getting the rifle for just $16! Without further ado, here is the actual review.




First, the specs (from Pyramid Air):

• Loudness: 3-Medium
• Weight: 6.90 lbs
• Overall Length: 45.50"
• Capacity: 1 round(s)
• Cocking Effort:31 lbs
• Barrel: Rifled
• Front Sight: Fiber Optic
• Rear Sight: Fiber Optic
• Scopeable: 11mm dovetail
• Trigger adj.: Two-stage non-adjustable
• Apprx. Trigger Pull: 3.50 lbs
• Buttpad: Rubber
• Suggested for: Small game hunting/plinking
• Action: Break barrel
• Powerplant: Spring-piston
• Safety: Automatic
• Repeater: Single-shot
• Body: Rifle

Looks and Impressions - I must say, the Beeman RS2 is a very nice looking rifle. It wears a beautiful stock which looks and feels as if it should be on a much more expensive gun. The sights "look" nice with Truglo sights. I put that in quotations for a reason. I'll explain it in a bit. When the scope is put on and the entire package comes together, the Beeman RS2 looks like a very stylish, classy rifle.

Accuracy - I suppose accuracy leaves something to be desired. In the previous segment, I mentioned that the sights only "looked good". They didn't perform well. I shot and shot and found the proper hold, adjusted the sights and shot some more, but I just couldn't get any sort of grouping. I just couldn't get the sights on target. It's really unfortunate. Maybe my sights are defective, who knows? The thing is, they didn't appear to move no matter how much I adjusted them. I cant just say that all of the sights on these guns are defective, but mine sure seemed to be. Buyer Beware!! 

Accuracy (continued) And problems - After I got the scope set up, accuracy wasn't bad. I was getting approximately a .75-1 inch group at about 20 yards (after a lot of fine tuning). A lot is an understatement, I was trying to get the thing zeroed for 30 mins! I guess that not so bad for what the gun is. After a few shooting sessions, I had a problem. The rings seemed to have come loose. The scope started slipping back. But then, I noticed something strange, I could now see the sights through the scope, which is something I've never experienced before. I finally tried to fix the scope, but shortly after doing so, I continued to have the same problem and let me tell you, I tightened those rings more than I should have to try and fix it. I haven't shot the rifle in a while now, but I seem to need new rings and a new scope. Have you guys had problems like these? I never had this problem on the Crosman Phantom, however this gun seems to recoil more. This leads me to believe that more strain is put on the scope and these rings and scope just aren't good enough for this rifle. Leave input in the comments if you've had this experience. Definitely helps.

Power - The Sportsman Series RS2 is no pushover when it comes to power. I haven't tried hunting with this rifle as of yet, however, it absolutely rips through cans and bottles. Using .22 caliber pellets, this rifle is quite powerful for a 1000fps spring rifle. It seems to perform better than other rifles that claim to be "1000fps". Now I haven't done extensive pellet testing with this rifle as it was already accurate enough for me  when using Crosman Premier pellets. Yeah, for cheap pellets, they shoot really well. Beeman claims to get 1000fps with .177 pellets and 800fps with .22 pellets. I honestly think that with the 14.3 grain Premiers pellets, you might be getting 700-750fps. That's quite good as companies normally use ultra-lightweight pellets when testing velocities. When those .22 pellets make contact with a filled 2 liter bottle, the RS2's power is clear. I guess .177 is good too, but I would only use them if .22 was really too much. For me, no such occasion has occurred.

Weight and Durability - This rifle is pretty heavy if you plan on shooting it all day. Weighing in at a whopping 6.90 pounds, it's probably not something you'll be shooting for many hours. Your arm will probably kill you, but if you're able to, more power to you! The rifle seems to be pretty durable, but I wouldn't go into the woods with it. There's just something about it that seems unstable. I believe it is the piston shaking inside and I cant say I like that. I definitely wouldn't want to drop this gun. Not to mention the wood stock would get ruined.

Uses - Plain and simple, this is an all-purpose gun. It's a great backyard rifle and an OK hunting rifle too. It will be great for pest control especially given the fact that it's so cheap. I wouldn't reccomend this as a child's first air rifle. The recoil and perfection needed to use it effectively (finding the right hold, etc) will just be too overwhelming for a young kid. Not to mention the effort to actually cock the rifle. If you are looking for a great starter gun, look at the Daisy Powerline 901. Check out my review of it here. It may be a little powerful as a starter with up to 750fps and even though it's a better investment when they'll want something more powerful, you could play it safe and start off with Daisy's 703 Grizzly (also formerly known as the 804 / 840) which is a single pump rifle. You could also try Daisy's legendary Red Ryder. Both rifles can be purchased without reaching the $100 mark. I own the Grizzly and it is a great starting rifle. I couldn't recommend the Red Ryder as I have no experience with it. If you are interested in any of those guns, click those link! I'm no sellout, but Pyramid Air is a great company with prices that are generally lower than any other site.

The Final Verdict - The Beeman Sportsman Series RS2 is a great deal at just under $100 at Walmart. It looks great and     it shoots pretty well, but accuracy is far from stellar. I can't say anything good about the sights on the gun, but once you get the scope adjusted properly, it's pretty accurate. It's only hitch in accuracy is the low quality scope and scope mounts. Power is great and will pretty much take any small game and would work even better for pests such as rats. I'm not exactly sure about the larger game like raccoon, but I would confidently go for squirrel, rabbit, rats, etc with this rifle. It's a heavy rifle and not something you'll want to shoot all day, but it shouldnt be too much of a problem for a teen or adult with average strength. If you're looking for a cheap, high quality gun (remember that you get what you pay for), the Beeman Sportsman Series RS2 should be a great air rifle for you. Thanks for reading. Remember to be safe and have fun!

Daisy Powerline 901 Review – An Awesome Pellet/BB Rifle!

This article features a Daisy Powerline 901 review. I think you'll find it to be an awesome air rifle. Enjoy!

Hey there air rifle enthusiasts! Today I’ll be giving a quick overview and review of the Daisy Powerline 901 Pneumatic Air Rifle. First of all let me just say it ISNT the most stylish gun you’ll ever see. But with 750 FPS, small game hunting wont be a huge problem. Here are all of the guns “stats.”

WEIGHT:	3.70 lbs
ACTION:	Multi-pump pneumatic
SIGHTS:	Fiber-optic front, adjustable rear
SAFETY:	Crossbolt trigger block
MAX. MUZZLE VELOCITY:	750 fps. (BB)
OVERALL LENGTH:	37.5 inches
CALIBER:	.177 (4.5 mm) BB or Pellet
STOCK/FOREARM/GRIP:	Advanced composite
BARREL:	Rifled steel
MAX. SHOOTING DISTANCE:	286 yards (262 meters)
CAPACITY:	50 shot BB, single shot pellet
RECEIVER:	Advanced composite with dovetail mounts for optics
PRICE:	$ 99.99 (Daisy.com!?) Buy it HERE at Pyramid Air for MUCH cheaper! $62.55 for the rifle or $79.99 with scope/target combo.

Get it here. Pyramid Air is a great company with honest prices. I've bought a few things from them, they're great! Actually, I dont know why Daisy charges $99.99 for it... Damn thieves... I love Daisy, but still, what the hell?!

Now, let me give my opinion about the gun. First off, let me tell you, it isn’t some pushover air rifle. It’ll take down your squirrels, raccoon, pheasant and for pest control, it’ll easily take down rats, and etc. Of course like any pellet rifle (and bb of course) you’ll need a headshot for a clean kill. The scope that comes with the rifle is sufficient for a kill from… say a good 50 feet. The powerline 901 is a good gun and is definitely worth that small $62.55 or $79.99  for such a good quality air rifle!