SHOT Show Report - Day Two:
I'll never understand why I load up appointments the first day
Yesterday while walking between meetings I stopped by and set up a morning meeting for today with Vanguard Optics . I had met with them a few years ago and wasn't blown away with their offerings and never did anything. Lately there has been a bunch of threads about their spotting scopes being a nice quality and great value and I do know they have a nice tripod line so I decided to take another peek at what they've got.
They have some appealing offerings in riflescopes (nothing really unique) but the Spotting Scopes do seem nice and they are very competatively priced.
I arranged to meet with their sales rep next week back to the store to discuss opening up with them.
Anyone who has feedback on Vanguard please share it with me.
From here I walked over to Konus ; . We signed here at SHOT last year with Konus as we were looking for a decent quality inexpensive option to offer. Their Riflescopes start at under $50.00 for a 4x32 and they have excellent Spotting Scopes all under $350.00. No, their not Euro quality, however, their Konus Pro KonuSpot-70 20x-60x70 #7121B for about $200.00, which includes a Table Top Tripod, Camera Adapter, Carrying Case, Lens Cleaning Cloth and Smart Phone Adapter is an amazing range scope and it pretty freekin' clear. WAY better than I expected for the price.
I saw a couple of interesting optics....
KonusPro M-30 1-6X24:
1-6x24
Engraved reticle with dual illumination
Finger adjustable tactical turret
1/2 MOA adjustments
only $250.00
Sight-Pro PTS2 3x30:
3x magnification
1/3 MOA click adjustment Turrets
Integrated Tri-Rail System
Red/Blue illumination
$150.00
Again, not the best of the best but for sure the best of the lower priced offerings.
Going to the other end of the Optics Universe I headed over to Schmidt & Bender to finally meet Lisa after about a decade of speaking with her on the phone. Sometimes that's just the way it is. You build these great working relationships with folks strictly over the phone for years and then finally get to put a face with the voice. FWIW, Lisa has been the greatest point person. Helpful, knowledgeable and a workaholic which is perfect for me as she is always responsive to my endless e-mails. For those of you familiar with Schmidt & Bender you know that every scope is available in more flavors than Baskin and Robbins offers and getting it right takes a degree from S&B University, or at least that's how it seems.
The new for 2018 I saw are:
3-21x50 Competition Hunting Scope. Improved daytime illumination, 7 power zoom, 34mm tube, auto-off, ST, LT, ZS, CT, DT, MT
1-8x24 PM II Short Dot CC. 8 power zoom, 30mm tube, Illuminated, D, CC, MTC, LT ZS.
These scopes feature Multi-Functional Turrets for Windage and Elevation. MT II at elevation position and DT II at the windage position.
Lever allows switching between locking mode, MTC mode and non-MTC mode with window indicator. Different click values available (0.1 mil, 0.05 mil, 1/4 MOA or 1/10 MOA for both elevation as well as windage turret. Depending on model elevation up to 39.5 mrad or 78 MOA and windage +/- 6.5 mrad or +/- 13 MOA. Visible and tactile indicator for every rotation of the turret.
From here I was off to Flir which was another new brand for us in Mid-2017.
From their website, for those of you who have no idea who Flir is:
"FLIR Systems, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes technologies that enhance perception and awareness. We bring innovative sensing solutions into daily life through our thermal imaging systems, visible-light imaging systems, locator systems, measurement and diagnostic systems, and advanced threat detection systems. Our products improve the way people interact with the world around them, enhance public safety and well-being, increase energy efficiency, and enable healthy and entertained communities."
That certainly clears up who Flir is, right? lol
OH, how I love my job.
Here's a bit more off of their site:
"See the world in a whole new light with FLIR’s outdoor thermal imagers. Compact and light weight they’re easy to pack and easy to use, giving you a clear view of what’s around you regardless of how much light is out there. Spot wildlife, keep track of other hikers, and make sure you’re still on that overgrown trail – FLIR imagers make life in the outdoors even better."
"The missions may change, but one thing remains the same: your trust in your gear must be absolute. FLIR’s wide range of tactical optics are mission-tested and combat-proven to keep officers safer. Using cutting edge thermal imaging technology that makes images from differences in heat, not light, they give you a clear tactical advantage, day and night."
"Whatever you’re looking to do—track big game, stop predators from harming your livestock, or find a member of your hunting party in the woods—FLIR thermal vision will help you get it done. Packing the latest in thermal imaging tech that makes images from heat instead of light, you’ll be able to see more of your surroundings than ever."
Basically, if you want the worlds best in Thermal Imaging Optics look no farther than Flir.
I saw some wicked cool products:
Breach PTQ136: "Built for the rigors of law enforcement, the FLIR Breach PTQ136 spots the heat of suspects and objects in total darkness. Featuring the new FLIR Boson core and a compact design, the FLIR Breach offers unmatched tactical awareness. Weighing only 7.4 ounces (210 grams), the FLIR Breach can be concealed in a pocket or mounted to a helmet with its mini-rail feature, while adding minimal weight to officers’ heavy gear. Additional features include onboard recording and seven palettes for fast detection of suspects or evidence, day or night."
ThermoSight Pro PTS: "Invasive wildlife control specialists and tactical professionals understand the significant benefits of thermal imaging technology. Many have gone without this unique capability, however, because buying the best thermal imaging weapon sight is an expensive proposition.
The FLIR ThermoSight Pro Series weapon sights, a new level of performance, compact power and superior value to the sporting, law enforcement and tactical markets.
Powered by FLIR’s newest, compact, uncooled, high-performance 12-micron Boson™ thermal camera core, these next-generation thermal weapon sights set a new standard in thermal image quality, while offering a wealth of innovative and intuitive performance features. Best of all, the ThermoSight Pro models are available at a favorable retail prices below what consumers might expect to pay for other thermal targeting systems offering less performance and fewer features."
We work with a few distributors so that when the mfg has product on back order, or it is a brand you're looking for that we do not normally carry, we can still get it for you. Again, these are normally folks I build phone relationships with but never meet. I stopped by to actually see a couple of voices I knew and now can put a face with them. Makes working together that much better.
BTW, we can access Sig Optics, Nikon Riflescopes, Trijicon, Weaver, Burris, EOTech as well as a few other brands through these channels so even though it's not on our web site please feel free to call us and we can get you a great price, 516-217-1000.
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