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RPN · Sunday at 3:25 AM

I had a bunch of 2-12 Athlons, but gradually they have been replaced by S&B 3-12 Klassiks. The Athlon is better at bad breath distance, and has a much better dialability.
The glass in the S&B is just better, and unfortunately a 20% improvement costs 300% more.
So be it.
What I'd like to see is the 2-12 made in Japan. They'd rule the world.

Hennig · Sunday at 3:17 AM

mercracing said:
How many bolts does it hold? Willing to print one to sell?

Each unit holds 5 bolts. I’ll try and find the model and send it to you if you know someone with a printer.

Barneybdb · Sunday at 3:08 AM

Barneybdb · Sunday at 3:02 AM

Mr.BR · Sunday at 2:31 AM

A drone strike on the Taliban in Pakistan , kicked off fighting between Pakistan and the Taliban

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Barneybdb · Sunday at 2:27 AM

BigJimFish · Sunday at 2:22 AM

Update 10-12-2025

The review of the Leupold Mark 4HD 4.5-18x52mm is now up. This review also effectively includes the Mark 4HD 6-24x52mm as well as my buddy purchased one of those at the same time and I did all the mechanical and optical testing on both models. As you can probably guess, I really liked the Mark 4HD scopes. I am a big fan of the Mark 5HD 5-24x56mm that I reviewed a few years back and these are lighter, less expensive, and have a few nice feature updates such as the 25yd close focus distance.

Of course, there will also be a video summary of this review on YouTube when I get to filming and editing it.

2025 9 11 mark 4 heavy tripod p2 350L.jpg

The Leupold Mark 4HD 4.5-18x52 on the Pure Precision SKLTN 350L shooting off a Field Optics Research Pro39 tripod

I expect you will probably see the Field Optics Research tripods review as the next article. I have been using these now for two years and have a lot of time using both for a wide variety of applications such as spotting, shooting, and even recording YouTube videos. I think it’s time to write it all up.

Mr.BR · Sunday at 2:22 AM

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Barneybdb · Sunday at 2:11 AM

Barneybdb · Sunday at 2:02 AM

wooferocau · Sunday at 1:39 AM

Casing012 said:
The ZCO is gbest for superior glass quality and more precise tracking

Really !!!

lockedandloaded · Sunday at 1:14 AM

patriotM24 said:
Why does you scope objective end have a spot for the brand logo? Mine is smooth all the way around.

There are 3 variations of the M144 I've seen. The original was supplied by Decilog Inc. using the Bausch & Lomb Elite Armored series optic 15x45x60mm. This version has the cutout area for the B&L emblem on the front rubber armor. Internal threading inside of the front objective ring accepts their Decilog attachable Laser Eye Protection Filter (LFU -Laser Filter Unit), and was part of the US Army Soldier Enhancement program under NSN 1240-01-386-2771 with 3,000 units produced.

The later 2 variations were sold from either Litton Industries, or L3 EOS (4,000 units 3/10/2009). Those have the smooth rubber armor all the way around like yours. But they still use the ground pattern B&L Elite scope.

Decilog also manufacfured 3,000 LFU for the M24 SWS M3A 10X scope.

CA48 · Sunday at 1:06 AM

TheJeanyus said:
I wanted to "expand my horizons" a bit by playing with my first wildcat cartridge, and I landed on the 7mm Sherman Short. I've been hand loading for 30 years or so, but I've never messed with anything without published load data before.

I have some some fresh brass, Berger 180 Hybrids, and H1000 to start with. I want to shoot a milder fire-forming load through 50 cases to get started. Is 54 gr of H1000 with the 180 a reasonable place to start, or is that too low? The load data on the Sherman site shows a 180 ELDM with 60.1 gr of H1000 and a 180 VLD with 65 gr. I generally like starting 10% under and working my way up slowly, hence where I came up with 54 gr.

Anyone with experience with this cartridge mind sharing their starting load and work-up experiences? The only threads I could find on it were older and only discussed loads closer to max...and a lot was with the unobtainable RL26 to boot.

Try 54gr of h1000 for one shot and see where the velocity is then work up until you get to the 2650fps range for a FF load in a 22”

I ran 180berger vld-h’s at 2900fps in a 24” with a stout load of rl26 in the 7SS I loaded for. I also fire formed brass first with h1000 but I didn’t write down what charge I used for some reason.

BCP · Sunday at 1:02 AM

SilentStalkr said:
How good is really well?

The stuff I had shot like Hornady match. I’ve got some more of it in 75gr haven’t tried it though.

PinesAndProjectiles · Sunday at 12:59 AM

Check out the Stock Yards in Fort Worth. They still do a cattle drive down Main Street.

The grass knoll is another place that’s worth seeing.

PinesAndProjectiles · Sunday at 12:53 AM

AllenOne1 said:
Well we're into the 10th day of gov shutdown. I have yet to see/feel any impact on my life, everything running just like it always does. People get up, go to work, come home and watch fake news.

Other than maintain a military, what does the federal government do that has an actual meaningful impact on your life?

They operate TSA and when you travel every week, it could be a mess. Three flights in thus far and no issues. But the folks working for TSA don’t exactly portray to be type that have anything more than a few days of savings….

wooferocau · Sunday at 12:47 AM

Replaced the repro mount with a Genuine...
And those that ask..
10 shot group at 110yds...
Bloody hard !!!!

Emerson0311 · Sunday at 12:46 AM

thedude824 said:
I’m involved in a very contentious divorce. My wife and I have no children, no substantial assets, and we both make good money although she has gone out of her way to make as little as possible for the 2.5 YEARS that this has been going on. I’m prior LE with 10 years experience. I’m also well versed in law. Her scumbag attorney has gone out of his way to weaponize the system as they have no case to support unequal distribution.
So they are attacking the one thing I love. My guns. There has never been any accusations of domestic violence/threats etc. My wife moved out 2 years ago but continues to break in to steal money and firearms. They send over an “appraiser” to my home literally 26 months into this. In researching him, he has no appraiser qualifications of any kind. No FFL, no appraiser certifications, no 6-20 All lines adjuster license(which I hold). Literally nothing. Then it occurs to me that there will be no independent witness in my house with us while he wants full access to all of my firearms and related items. At this time I turn him away and contact my attorney and inform him. I contact 3 local FFLs and all of them can do an appraisal in a day. 2 days later I take my firearms to the FFL and have them appraised at my cost. I then provide this to my attorney and hers. He says he can’t get an appraisal done before court which is 45 days away?! So he complains to the judge and wants sanctions. My attorney sucks (second one). At the end of the hearing the judge orders me to relinquish all of my firearms and all related items to include presses, dies, bullets, everything in 24 hours.
I explain that this violates the 2nd and 4th amendment. He doesn’t care. I was previously ordered to disclose where my guns and assets were held and my wife subsequently stole $8000 and a firearm. Nothing was done. I spoke to command staff at 3 local law enforcement agencies and each one said that the order was illegal. So now I’m filing a complaint with the Judicial Qualifications Commission and Im going to try to beg an attorney I know to represent me. Trial is the 20th and 21st. Am I alone in thinking that this is absolutely preposterous?! The total value was like $8000… less than the value of my wife’s jewelry. In total she will owe me $166,000 and half of her pension yet all this over $8000 in firearms?! A civil rights violation?!

People don’t think divorce be like it do. Logic and accountability are the first to go, especially if she leaves without abuse.

secondofangle2 · Sunday at 12:45 AM

Yeah H1k FTW

Modoc · Sunday at 12:42 AM

LeftyJason said:
There is a sort of a class for that. Mfet 1210, machining principles. Sometimes makes them think they know more than they do. Required for Manufacturing engineers and mechanical engineers. I took mine spring of 2006 along with alot more machining classes. Attached current class requirement list for Manufacturing engineering production operations and controls emphasis (my major) and Mechanical engineering.

I are a machinist working towards manufacturing engineering while working full time. Been a grinder for the last 8 years, lathe for many years before that. Working as a machinist since 2006 except for 5 years, 2 of which was as a full time missionary. Taking 10 hrs a semester I should finish my degree 2030ish.

There have been many times I have seen new engineers and told them take your design to the old machinists and ask them what they think. Then shut your trap and listen.

I remember those classes, but they were back in the early ‘90’s. What helped me was working in the Campus Farm Shop and later as a Machinist Lab Assistant. The other big help was becoming the engineering department for a manufacture and working closely with the machinist making the tooling we used. HDPE extruders and tubing dies were interesting to work on.

Now I’ve been doing road construction projects. The Ag Engineering background has helped here too.

Emerson0311 · Sunday at 12:42 AM

steve123 said:
Sorry for the delay.

It's a cloudy evening, the sun is behind the mountain, and it's barely past the red sunset colors, so I'm checking the scopes right now. With the illume on both are usable at 4x but of course it's easier to see the DMR reticle. I could make any reasonable long range shot on a deer with either scope.

Without the illumination on if I were shooting a blackbear , nope I couldn't see the 4-20's reticle well enough but probably could shoot a deer. I can still see the DMR reticle on my black plate though whereas the 4-20 mil reticle is getting tough to see. Such a huge difference in reticle thickness.

As far as brightness the 4-20 is a hair better in low light on 4x but if I don't have the illumination on, thus not seeing the reticle well, it's for not.

Don't get me wrong I like my HG2 4-20 but it wouldn't be my first pick for low light.

The DMR reticle has to be down to 2x for the reticles to be close to the same size, well it's still easier to see the DMR reticle on 2x if comparing.

I'd spend the extra money and go for the Ares BTR G3 2.5-15x50 if I was to decide between that and the 4-20. One wouldn't think .1 mil thicker would make a difference but it does and the illuminated cross in the BTR G3 seems faster to put on target more intuitively. I keep on saying it but this BTR is a killer scope and the IQ is nicer.

The DMR is the way to go for hunting IMHO. Gotta see the reticle at 4x without illum on this can't be beat and with illume on its even better.

The lesson here for me is one has to make out the reticle and Illumination on made the biggest difference by far.

Really too bad we don't have a higher end scope like the DMR!!!

Thanks for the the update. I almost ordered a 2-12 the other day but some local-ish folks were saying it didn’t give them much joy in low light. All I really wanted was something that sees as well or better than my Fury 5000 binos. I jumped on a deal today. Apex put their 3-15 Hunter ffp illuminated Center dot on for 25% off and free shipping for 3 days. $1350 instead of $1800. I will see how it works for me.

trob · Sunday at 12:41 AM

Kickin45 said:
You’ll be fine, but step up to a 185 and have your peace of mind.

Yea geez, I’d switch to a heavier bullet before I bought a quick-order new barrel.

I shoot the 200gr terminal ascent in a 1:10 300wm

Maggot · Sunday at 12:35 AM

NoDopes said:
Would that be a European drone or a South African drone?

I'll show myself to the door.

Israeli.

lockedandloaded · Sunday at 12:33 AM

telephone79 said:
Thank you!!!! That’s what I need. Now finding one or the proper tripod mount or complete tripod will probably be impossible ….. but I will try!

This is the tripod that is used with the M144, but does not include the M144 quick-detach base mount.

memilanuk · Sunday at 12:27 AM

I've got a couple hundred rounds loaded on it so far... just under 200 for my main 308 FTR gun, and about 70 or so for one of my 223 bolt guns.

Overall, I like it quite a bit. I do however have some... not sure if I'd say 'concerns', maybe more... 'reservations'... about the toggle link setup they used on this thing.

The instructions say to run the ram all the way down, past cam-over, and adjust the head height so the ram just touches the top of the die (without a round in it).

My beef with that method is that the act of cam-over pretty much wrecks any sense of feel you might be looking for when seating bullets. And who the hell needs the increased mechanical force of cam-over to freakin' seat bullets for precision rifle?

After the first box of FTR ammo, I'd had enough. I lowered the head an additional 1/8", just enough to get almost full stroke but before the cam-over "feature" engages. *MUCH* better... or at least more what I was expecting from an arbor press.

Additionally, I ended up having to dust off my Wilson 223 neck-only die the other night (don't ask) and used it with the new press as well. I thought maybe the cam-over would work better for this application, as sometimes cases and/or primers can be a little sticky coming out of the die/case. If anything it felt like the linkage didn't make enough force at the spots where it needed to. With the head adjusted so the ram just touched the top of the die on the case end, the ram is 3/8" from the cam-over range when the die is flipped over and the stem is pushing the case out of the die, and then still ~3/16" from the power band when decapping is *done*. Never comes anywhere near the cam-over range.

I realize very few people use neck-only hand dies any more. Most people only use an arbor press for seating these days, and I think just lowering the head an additional 1/8" past what the directions call for will make using it a much more pleasant experience.

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