Here is a brief review.

A multi-reticle system with NV overlay where you can use it day or night. Very nice. Count me as very impressed with the design and features, and a bit disappointed in the price point of $1176.46.

I confess that I know little to nothing about the difference between thermal and night vision scopes. If some enterprising reader would like to give me a rundown of the advantages/disadvantages of each with the basics of operation, that would be welcome.

Also, in all of my [without a doubt several dozen] readers, surely someone has purchased and used an Arken Optics scope.

What do you think of them? Rex seems to like them, especially for the price point. I’m asking for a friend.

If Arken wants to send me one for review for my next deer and hog hunting trip, I’ll be happy to oblige.

Alloutdoor.com.

High End Defense has brought out an interesting new pistol optics mounting system at the 2024 NRA Annual Meeting. This new magnetic red dot mount allows users to add on a pistol dot onto a non-optic ready pistol easily utilizing the rear sight and magnets. So you no longer need to have any milling on the slide done, and no mounting plates or tools are needed for a pistol red dot. Instead, it locks into place using two components. The High End Defense rear sight first needs to be installed into place in the rear sight dovetail. Then the magnetic mount keys into place on the slide and the rear sight to lock into place.

Images at the link.

I wondered how long it would be before someone broke into this market. It made sense to me years ago. Slide a mount into the dove tail and you’re off to the races.

Apparently, the magnet doesn’t lose zero. It seems to me the only thing you lose without milling a slide is height over bore (if what you want is a sleek profile and low height).

They intend to do 1911s.

F&S.

Trijicon makes both of these sights at around the same price point for different shooters. RMRs are more rugged, there is a batteryless option, and it can be co-witnessed with irons. This all points to a good concealed carry optic or an optic for someone who needs it to work because their life depends on it.

The SRO is more for competitive shooters looking for speed. SROs are easier to shoot fast and easier for shooters with less experience with red dots to run. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good carry or hunting optic.

Frankly I’d take either one as a gift. They aren’t cheap.

Readers who have used either or both of these are invited to weigh in on the merits of each.

I don’t know why, but initially I had thought that this optic was going to come out with an MSRP around $1000. Clearly I was wrong – it looks like $1600.

That’s a bit more pricey and I suspect will drive some folks out of the market.

But I can see utility in this optic for hog hunting and for home defense. It might be better to see in the dark than light the room up with a SureFire torch.

It’s a shame that Holosun seems to be the only company innovating.  Everything made in America just keeps rising in price, driving the common man out of the market entirely.

A reader sends this from the SHOT show regarding my wondering which optics are made in the USA.

I followed through at SHOT Show like I said I would.

I spent about 25 minutes speaking with Joshua who told me, obliquely, that all the high end stuff was CNC’d in Colorado. Everything else came from Philippines or Germany though their Steiner division but was made on machines they had designed and built.

It looks to me like interesting optics, including one or a couple that have reflex red dot optics mounted on LPVOs.

It would still be nice to know which models are built in the US.

This is the Burris factory. It’s a cool video that shows some of the details, perspectives and machinery used in the manufacturing of their scopes. They’re good folks.

It’s nice to see scopes made in America. I wish there was more of this.

It was made clear, however, that not all Burris scopes are made in America, only their high end scopes. I would like to see a list of the scopes made in America versus overseas. I guess at the moment, the business model doesn’t support making lower end scopes in America.

If some enterprising reader wants to give us a list of the Burris scopes made in America, that would be much appreciated.

Or it may as well be.  $3899.

I don’t care one whit about the ability to have two dots programmed into the sight.  I also don’t care one whit about the other features.

For $3800 you can buy a Night Force scope and have enough money to buy a rifle to use with it.

I just can’t fathom why Sig would spend the effort to put out a RDS for $3899.

And in all of that discussion, you know what’s missing in its compare and contrast with EOTech?  It’s not holographic like the EOTech.

Why on earth would anyone spend $3899 on this?

I get ads all the time, most are worthy of ignoring.  Some interest me, like this one.  This particular model comes in the RMR footprint which is important to me.

I’ve heard that the green dot is easier on the eyes and easier to pick up.

For those of you who have actually used Veridian sights for pistols or shotguns, what are your opinions?

Related, this is a good rundown on the best pistol lights.  Since I have used Streamlight, it’s easy to ignore the fact that SureFire also has some nice models.

One pistol, the other shotgun.

The Defender CCW is made from 7075 aluminum. “We did a lot of different material selection tests to find the optimal material. We found 7075 has some better impact characteristics than 6061,” Morell says …

I immediately proceeded to bash the front of the optic against the bench a dozen times. I loaded the gun and rechecked zero—it held. At 500 rounds, I once again bashed the front of the optic a dozen times and checked zero. At 1,000 rounds, I went back to hitting the front of the optic, but I didn’t go straight to checking zero this time.

I dropped the unloaded M&P 2.0 All Metal, weighing 30 ounces, optic down onto a concrete paver from chest height. I picked up the gun, checked for damage, and then checked zero at 15 yards. Not only did the CCW have no damage, it also held zero.

[ … ]

“I bet we have over 100,000 rounds of effective recoil testing on these. So, in addition to the drop durability, we have a lot of confidence in the entire electronics and mechanical design. We have some folks that we’ve given these out to for extended testing, and they have north of 40,000 rounds on them and they’re still running strong,” Morell says.

It appears to be rugged and it’s aesthetically relatively pleasing.

Here’s the catch.

The Defender CCW is made in China. Whether it’s American manufacturing pride, improved quality control, or avoiding supply chain issues, there are advantages to making a product on home soil. Of course, that would also come with a significant price increase.

It sells for $250.

Here’s an interesting idea for a shotgun optic if your gun isn’t designed for an optics attachment (most aren’t, although that’s changing).

If you’ve ever wanted to mount a red dot on your vent-ribbed shotgun but didn’t want to take the time to get it milled for a red dot, Burris has a new DIY solution for you. The new Burris SpeedBead Vent Rib Mount is an affordable solution for adapting your favorite shotgun for use with the Burris FastFire series of red dot sights without the need to permanently modify your shotgun.

It just attaches right to the rib.  The attachment device sells for $60 (no, not the Buris optic itself).  At Optics Planet that optic pictures sells for $380.