So I received the July/August Natchez Shooters Supplies mini-catalog in the mail a couple weeks back. I’m looking through it for deals, and I see an advert for a set of Bushnell Powerview Roof Prism 10×42 Binoculars. I had heard some good reviews of these particular items from the guys at the range so when I saw the $39.95, knowing that others had paid close to $75, I quick-like-a-rabbit sent an order out for them.
My main reason for doing this is that I’ve gotten tired of hauling my spotting scope w/tripod out and around when I’m only shooting at 100yds. I figured that 10x will be just fine for seeing .30cal holes in paper at 100yds and losing almost 10lbs of stuff to carry around will be very nice.
After waiting for what seemed like forever (actually 13 days), I got them on my doorstep. I opened up the box o’ stuff I ordered along with the binocs (new rear rifle bag and a new scope and rings for the 10-22) and got to looking at everything.
I set the other stuff aside and took a good long look at the Bushnells. They were somewhat smaller than I had thought they’d be, but also lighter, which is good. They had the same amber colored coating on the front glass as the Burris Black Diamond 8-32×50 rifle scope that is on Barak the Boomershoot rifle and the fit and finish looked quite good, so I took them outside.
Wow, this isn’t the Bushnell I remembered; clear, with precise knob movement and no perceivable distortion anywhere in the glass. I knew these would be going to work with me that night.
The lot where my employer built its operations center is close to twenty acres in size and there are few streetlights, and none in the back portion of the property. After midnight, while I was taking a break, I took the Bushnells out for a looksee. The amber colored coating on the Burris 8-32 does a good job of gathering light so I figured the binocs would have the same capabilities.
Duh, almost twice the lens area equals almost twice the light gathering. I was 100 yards away from the back corner, watching the feral yard cats hunt. Them cats are some fast mofo’s, let me tell you. These are the closest things to actual night vision I’ve seen and I highly recommend them.
Now, having always favored the ‘night life’ and having been ‘nocturnal’ for close to five years now, I’ve got some decent natural night vision built up, so your milage may vary, but I doubt by much.
Next up in optics for the Kid, this bad boy from IOR Valdada to replace my semi-El Cheapo spotting scope to better suit me at next years Boomershoot. Then I’ll probably invest in some actual night vision equipment.
I was going to post a pic of the new equipment on the 10-22, but not now with this dial-up connection. Look for it as soon as Comcast fixes me up.
Very nice! Good binocs are a real pleasure.
I haven’t allowed myself to even think about what spotting scope I need for next year’s Boomershoot, figuring I’d put off the sticker shock as long as possible. The IOR Valdada’s about the price range I was afraid of. What made you pick it? Did you see one at Boomershoot or elsewhere? Get a recommendation? Or just do your homework?
To be perfectly honest, I screwed up with the link; that isn’t really the one I want, Dave, but they don’t have the one I DO want on their website yet, but it is quite similar to that one.
IOR is making a different one with a different name that is about $75 – $100 cheaper, but it has the same features an includes wind measurement and I think distance lines etched into the glass.
As soon as I see it featured there, I’ll post on it.
Went there, bought those. Also bought some Chip McCormick maggys for the 1911/Camp 45, which duo I had at the range today.
Shot some postal flies with the 1911, actually hit about 25% of the flies I was aiming at BUT COULDN’T SEE the damn flies WITH MY TIRED EYES/OLD EYEGLASS R/X.
Shot the flies with the Hi-Standard target .22, got about the same results. Tried out a 20 shot group with the Hi-S, puttem all in 4 inches at 50 feet with a 4″ barrel (aiming at an orange center which I COULD see), then went back to the 1911 and tried the same thing, first in the retro-manly hand-on-hip stance used 100 years ago, and got a 25-inch group, then in the Weaver-Isossoles stance, and tightened up the group to 6 ” or less.
What a difference 100 years makes! The recent filing on the 1911 was a perfect job, if I may say so (as the plumber who did it). Never had any failures in 70 rds fired.
Can’t say the same for the Camp .45. Took it out, fired a 3 shot group at 50 feet of around 2 1/2″, and the new front sight departed the rifle on the third round. Loc-Tite didn’t do a thing for the mounting screws. I’m going for some epoxy now…