What Does BDC Mean in a Rifle Scope

Most hunters and military personnel who own firearms have strong opinions on BDC scopes, often falling into two camps: love them or despise them. It has never been very popular with gun fans, but as the idea grows and new technologies come out, so does its popularity. The Bullet Drop Compensating Scopes (BDC) use a reticle design to estimate how much a bullet will drop at a specific range. A BDC reticle sight isn’t without flaws, but it has its uses nonetheless. Let’s discuss what a BDC scope is, how it functions, and the advantages it offers. Keep reading!

BDC Scope: What Is It?

BDC Scope: What Is It?

Using a particular reticle or customized turret pattern, bullet drop compensation (BDC) scopes show how much projectiles drop over a specified distance. The reticle, which is visible through a scope, has several aiming points stacked beneath the primary crosshair. Even more, the shooter might say that a BDC reticle looks like it has several reticles inside the main one.

The gravitational force starts acting on a bullet as soon as it leaves a rifle barrel, propelling it in the direction of the target. As the bullet moves away from the rifle barrel, this impact causes its height to decrease, with the amount of drop growing with distance. The reticle design forecasts the bullet drop at a specific range. If your rifle is zeroed at 50 yards, for example, the dots under the crosshair show where the bullet will hit at 100 yards, 150 yards, etc.

BDC Scope Benefits 

The BDC reticle may produce excellent results even though using it could seem ominous. The BDC reticle is an excellent tool for making an accurate shot. It uses a fast focus eyepiece that magnifies the high muzzle velocity of a bullet. If used and sighted properly, it can enable you to utilize the patterns that are located underneath the reticle’s middle point as nearly another complete set of reticles. To aim your weapon at a specific distance, choose an aiming point from the list. These hash marks frequently represent the expected bullet drop for a specific distance. As a result, you may alter your shot depending on how far away your target is while still knowing very precisely where it will land.

A single hash or aiming point is placed at standard distances. The 100-yard mark is indicated on each hash. To enable even more accurate adjustment, the elevation aiming point on some BDC scopes will be 50 yards apart. This is a great feature for hunters who shoot from far away to hide their presence from their prey.

The elevation is another advantage. The elevation turret modification on a common rifle sight must typically be changed depending on your range and resolution. Nevertheless, the targeting point will function as an elevation turret with a bullet drop compensating reticle. Essentially, you can merely select the proper aiming position, find your target, and fire instead of constantly having to turn a knob to adjust your scope. As a result, hunters and other shooters won’t need to spend as much time adjusting.

Another idea to talk about with a bullet drop compensator is a holdover. Holdover is the term for shooting above your target to ensure a successful shot. Some hunters see the BDC scope as the best scope because BDC reticles entirely remove holdovers. No optic can ever totally remove the need for a holdover, even though they do a lot to help with the situation. You may finish the holdover without having to manually do it by using BDC reticles, which will give you a fair sense of how to account for bullet drops. Just keep in mind that holdovers can happen with any kind of sight. There are circumstances where you could still need to holdover, regardless of the type of scope you are using—red dot, spotting scope, night vision, or even simply a regular rifle scope.

Drawbacks for the BDC Riflescope  

Just as anything has advantages, we must also discuss disadvantages. It takes a lot of time and effort to understand how to use a BDC reticle, even though it can offer incredibly precise shooting. It takes practice to become proficient with using this scope due to the obvious reticle configuration and calculations needed. Before attempting to hit a target with the scope, you must first grasp how it operates.

Additionally, BDC reticles often provide an estimation of the overall location of your bullet. Every gun enthusiast is aware that numerous factors can even slightly alter the direction in which the bullet will strike the target. Each bullet drop compensator requires a certain bullet to be fired out of a unique barrel to produce the greatest results and a precise shot. For that reticle to work well, the barrel must be a certain length to account for the drop.

How to Manage BDC Scope Limitations 

There are generally three options to overcome the basic issues with caliber-specific BDC rifle scopes:

  • Traditional Range Testing Based on Trial and Error 

Another technique for getting around BDC scope restrictions is to solve the issue the old-fashioned way by shooting on the range until you determine the hit points for each BDC holdover point at specific ranges and scope power ranges. The problem with this plan is that it will likely take a lot of time and ammunition to confirm the impact points. Some modern hunters greatly like to employ technology to their benefit, even though the majority of specialists regard this strategy as an intriguing technique to move forward.

  • BDC Turrets, Customized

If a hunter doesn’t want to take the time to learn how to use the factory BDC reticle or BDC turret, they could also spend money on a bespoke BDC turret that is made for the exact caliber, ammunition, bullet weight, and bullet speed of their rifle. If they (hunters) feel the need to learn, here is a recommendation: 

To find out the typical bullet speed of the specific ammunition they intend to use, take the time to fire a few groups of the rifle through a chronograph. The biggest mistake with this type of turret is relying on bullet speed estimates from the manufacturer of the ammo or weapon. The idea behind this strategy is rather straightforward: After getting all the information it needs from you (bullet speed, caliber, bullet weight, ammunition, sight-in distance, etc.), the custom turret creator makes a turret that mounts on their scopes and has BDC built-in for certain distance identification on the turret. This is a more specialized alternative than what you would see with a more standard caliber-based BDC setup, but it typically produces very accurate results. The BDC functionality is perfect if you supply the right data points and make proper settings like using a scope mount. The disadvantage of this strategy is that not every rifle sight manufacturer manufactures scopes that can accommodate a custom BDC turret dialing. Moreover, there are expenses related to the unique turrets.

  • Applications for BDC on Mobile Phones 

If your BDC reticle doesn’t work with how your rifle is set up, your only other choice is to use a mobile BDC app. This kind of program lets users enter all the necessary data for compensating for bullet drops. Then, depending on how far away the target is, the program uses your unique BDC reticle to do all the ballistic calculations. This kind of arrangement has been employed by modern hunters and military personnel to make a sort of dope card that is attached to the stock for quick reference. Although there are other manufacturers of this kind of ballistic application, iStrelok, an iPhone model, is some hunters’ preferred choice. They bought the upgraded version, which lets them change the app to work with a lot of different guns.

Use of a BDC Scope in the Physical World Imagine You are Out Hunting

You have your eye on a whitetail deer buck who is your objective. You may even bet your last money that deer can’t evaluate yards and won’t be precisely spaced out by 80 yards. Therefore, in this case, a little off the BDC scope can be helpful because of its second focal plane and illuminated reticle.

Hunters can calculate ranges on demand without making any alterations thanks to the various targeting points. The ability to point, target, and shoot with versatility makes a BDC appear even more alluring.

Gun experts can’t help but be drawn to the Bushnell Tactical SMRS II Pro Riflescope or the Nikon BDC rifle scope, especially if they want to buy excellent, high-quality equipment or plan on long range shooting in low light with an adjustable magnification range.

What are the Differences Between Mil Scopes and BDC?  

MRAD or Milliradian

Milliradian dot reticles and bullet drop compensation reticles are nearly identical. It’s difficult to distinguish between them at all by thinking about them if you don’t use them. Additionally, a red dot sight can be utilized with either of them. You possibly wouldn’t even recognize the differences unless you’re acquainted with all varieties of optics or have utilized one or both forms. The differences are quite minor once you realize that. Both appear comparable in terms of their reticle images and measurement methods.

It is simple to distinguish between the measurements themselves after using both systems, though. There are two different measurement systems: MIL dot reticle and BDC reticle. A MIL scope is harder to use and understand for people with less experience, while a BDC scope might be better for people with less experience.

Using the BDC scope, shooters can only predict how the bullet drop will affect their shot. Users won’t get any further details from this; it is only provided with the hashes that are located along the elevation axis. A user can get a lot more forecasts and information from a MIL scope on how it will affect your shot and how to adjust for it. A mil reticle, which uses a reticle that looks like the BDC, will tell you things like how fast the wind is blowing and how far away the target is.

How to Use the BCD’s Ballistic Charts 

For those who struggle with understanding ballistic match technology due to its mathematical nature, a ballistics chart or calculator is available. You can determine how much your bullet will drop with a certain weapon by using the appropriate ballistics table. When first learning to use BDC scopes, these tables help make quick calculations. There are a few different versions of these charts; select the one that is appropriate for the cartridge and firearm you intend to use. It’s a lot to take in at first glance, but it will prove to be an excellent resource for all hunters once you get out into the field. Once you know how to read them, you can use these charts to understand information like wind speed, optical height, wind angle, and shooting angle. All of these factors will determine the final resting place of your bullet. This is why the BDC reticle is so useful to those who master it. When hunting, it’s important to be able to quickly and accurately judge your target and change your plan accordingly.

Final Thoughts

There was some misunderstanding between BDC scopes and mil-dot scopes. The latter term describes a scope that includes a mil-dot reticle instead of the more common bullet drop compensator. When comparing these two sights, keep in mind that a BDC reticle scope normally only has BDC aiming points on the base of the vertical post. A mil-dot reticle is characterized by mil-dots along its vertical and horizontal posts. The greatest BDC rifles, however, are designed to follow a ballistic curve, the path a bullet takes as it falls to Earth under the force of gravity. In addition, most shooters don’t bother to test the BDC precision on the range, and even fewer take a moment to run through the complete setting process. The shooter can keep their eye on the target while adjusting the reticle for long range with the reticle system, but they have to take their eye off the glass to use the turret.

What Is The Best Thermal Scope For Coyote Hunting

During hunting adventure, thermal scope plays a crucial role in giving the shooter a premium target and a more transparent view of their prey. To consider the best thermal scope for hunting is based on individual preference and hunting skill. There are several types of thermal scope with different qualities available in today’s market; you can pick any of your preferred choices to give the best hunting experience.

Note that some are effective at aiming in your thermal scope selection process, while others are good at long range. If you are considering getting one soon, ensure to pick the perfect fit for hunting coyotes.

Below are some of the various types of thermal scope with their feature, you can easily consider which you want for your coyote hunting adventure;

How Does A Thermal Scope Work?

Using a thermal scope for hunting coyotes is not a herculean task. Although the thermal scope lens is similar to the magnification lens, its function and effectiveness are superior. A thermal scope lens is a removable lens consisting of both an aiming reticle and a thermographic camera mounted on any armor rifle.

It merely works with either light or heat energy. When a coyote is sighted, the animal’s heat can be observed through the lens even if the animal is not in the visible range. The Len collects the infrared light and sends it to the microprocessor, which returns an image message to the shooter’s eye.

Irrespective of fog, night, or other vision disturbance, you can successfully use your thermal scope, which uses only heat and light energy for a successful coyote hunting experience.

Types Of Thermal Scope Used For Hunting Coyote In 2021

Smart Monocular HD Scope

This is an American company product. They manufacture thermal image and night vision optics. The ar-15 model is effective and long-lasting; this is one of the numerous reasons they are the best producers of thermal scope for hunting coyotes. This equipment has an inbuilt rangefinder, which promotes a clear vision that aims its target sharply successfully. 

The range finder can calculate the distance between the shooter and his prey, speed of a bullet and help adjust the point of impact if you fail to aim your target at the first shot. This product is recommended for newbie shooters as it can also store videos giving you good memories of your hunting adventures.

Thermal Thermion Riflescope

This is a product manufactured by an American company specializing in manufacturing scope and other accessories. This thermal scope model is suitable for hunting coyotes and hogs. It can detect coyote or prey within the range of 2,500 yards and 320×240 pixel resolution, giving you a premium hunting experience. This product has thirteen variable electronic pixels and a one-shot zeroing reticle with a freeze function to choose the best view before aiming your coyote.

The Optic Guru Thor Thermal Scope LT

This thermal scope history is traced to ancient shooting exercises; this optic guru can see even if you are in complete darkness. It is a good fit for hunting coyotes because it is cheaper, lighter, has long-lasting battery capacity, and can see through heavy vegetation, fog, or thick smoke. There is a report that the advanced version has solar power, making it able to last more than 10 hours.

HD Thermal Rifle Scope

This product gives premium hunting memories and helps calculate the range you should shoot, adjust the point of impact, and minimize the missing target’s chances. It also helps newbie shooting improve their hunting skill, and it contains a high-quality sensor for a clearer image; the sensor not only works in the day but very useful at night (total darkness). With this tool, you can record video and magnify your coyote target without losing the aim.

Pulsar Thermion XP50 1.9-15×42 Riflescope

An essential feature of this product includes detecting heat in a 2,000-yard range, and this product uses heat to locate its target instead of light. It is efficient in hunting coyotes because it has a substantial battery and a video recorder and covers a more extended range.

Tips To Consider When Choosing The Best Thermal Scope For Coyote Hunting

  1. Ballistic calculator– It helps calculate the bullet’s trajectory in the rifle and ensure that the thermal scope you want to buy has a ballistic calculator aiming at a target with a lot of ease. Newbie shooters should get a thermal range that calculates all the possible routes a bullet can hit your coyote target.
  2. Zoom – In some instances, the coyote may be far from the shooter’s range, and it is advisable to get a thermal scope with a useful zoom function in its front lens. Zoom functions are different from one model to another, ensuring to pick the one with high magnification power.
  3. Range cover -The range cover of the weapon you want to buy should also be considered, and it is best to purchase a thermal scope, which covers more range. Some models can cover as far as 2,500 yards, while some can cover more than a thousand-yard.
  4. Battery Life span – The lifespan of an ar-15 thermal battery for hunting coyotes should be duly checked; some can’t last more than two hours, while others can function as long as 6 hours. The latest thermal scope has a solar panel, enabling them to charge quickly and last longer during operation.
  5. Rangefinder – Rangefinder helps ascertain the range of targeted coyotes and get a thermal scope with a rangefinder.

Conclusion

As mentioned above, there are different thermal scope models. Choosing your choice for hunting coyotes depends on your knowledge of hunting and practical managing a thermal scope.

Top Tips For Shoulder Holster Concealed Carry

Let us face it; shoulder holsters are not the most comfortable form of concealed carry. If Hollywood and TV cops did not popularize them, there probably would be fewer of them around. People believe that shoulder holsters are a different form of burden. Carrying a firearm is hard enough.

You shouldn’t have to get extra uncomfortable just because you want to conceal it. It’s no argument that wearing a shoulder holster is not easy enough. In fact, as a law enforcement official or a secret service agent, you are probably wondering why we wrote a whole article on wearing a shoulder holster. It is because people tend to wear holsters poorly, especially if they are discreet. This could likely cause other body pains due to having to hold on to heavy metal for that long. It makes them uncomfortable You should not have to be uncomfortable for long hours just because you are holstering a sidearm.

And honestly, you don’t have to. Most people who use shoulder holster concealed carry get uncomfortable while wearing it because there were some tips they did not follow. If you are reading this, it means you understand the amount of discomfort that people claim comes with shoulder holsters. This is why we provided the following tips for you to be discreet, comfortable, and even stylish a little while wearing a good shoulder holster concealed carry. If you want to wear shoulder holsters and not feel like someone is squeezing your life out of you, then you want to read this to the end.

Choice

To a large extent, being comfortable while wearing a concealed carry depends on the firearm you intend to holster. Handguns come in different sizes, and so do shoulder holsters. If you prefer having massive guns on you, then vertical shoulder holsters might be what you want. Contrary to public opinion, shoulder holsters, especially the vertical ones, can conceal a firearm as long as the 8″ Smith & Wesson.

Shoulder holsters can hold any gun of any size. It all depends on your choice. Do you prefer holstering a slim gun? Then you don’t need a bulky holster. The same thing goes the other way round. This is essentially the first thing you need to know before choosing your shoulder holster: It all depends on your firearm.

Adjustability

After buying those one size fits all shoulder holsters, most people take it out to get it tailored. It’s weird paying for a holster in the first place and then paying so you can wear it comfortably again. Although people wear tailored holsters, you can direct the money you intend to pay into something else and buy an adjustable shoulder holster. This means you will have to wear the holster repeatedly until you find that perfect setting that makes the holster comfortable for you to carry while also keeping it concealed.

Ditch the Tight Shirts

If you are going to wear a shoulder holster, you have to sacrifice the tight shirts. For you to perfectly conceal a shoulder holster, you have to wear mildly loose shirts. At this point, it is essential to note that people who want to disguise the fact that they are carrying a firearm do not tend to use a shoulder holster because the chances of inadequate concealment are very high.

If you want to wear shoulder holsters so that people around you won’t know that you are carrying a weapon, tight shirts are the last thing you want to wear. We recommend that you wear a loose jacket if you’re going to wear a shoulder holster. The coat does not have to be too loose, though, just enough so that the harness’s imprint on your back is not visible. If from the start, you are someone who prioritizes comfort above fashion, then you do not have a problem here. Wear a mildly loose suit while carrying your firearm, and people will not notice that you are armed.

Belt Hooks

Yes, for proper fitting of the holster and to avoid it from flapping around while you walk, it is advisable that you wear a set of belt hooks. When you wear belt hooks, you can easily attach the holster’s harness to the hooks, so it pulls the holster in a little tighter and makes you more comfortable and more discreet. The next time you want to wear a shoulder holster and conceal it appropriately, wear a belt hook. It’s a small tip, but it goes a long way in making your holster less visible and more comfortable.

More Belt Hooks

This sounds ridiculous in theory, but it is incredibly helpful. Adding a second set of belt hooks will anchor the holster and the magazine carrier more securely to the body. If you enjoy using heavy pistols, you need a second set of belt hooks to firmly secure the holster and prevent it from swaying while walking.

Finally, you must take note of your surroundings while wearing a shoulder holster concealed carry. You should also note how you walk and keep in mind that some movements may put your holster at risk of getting exposed. As said earlier, try to always have a suit on while wearing a shoulder holster. While this slightly decreases the concealment purposes, it significantly increases the ease of access in emergency cases.

Now that you know what you need to make sure of when choosing a shoulder holster concealed carry, you may now go ahead and put these tips to use. Just remember to always have your permit with you to avoid any form of embarrassment.

Always have your permit with you if you’re wearing either a shoulder holster or any other kind of concealed carry. It is also vital that you practice how to draw out your shoulder holster. Several gun websites online teach you how to perfectly disguise your shoulder holster when not needed and then draw it out in an emergency.

Night Vision Scope vs Thermal Scope – Which one Is Good for You

Night Vision and Thermal scope

In this topic, I kind of want to throw my two cents into a very common discussion and that is thermal versus night-vision.

Bottom line up front for those of you that don’t feel like watching the whole video thermal is really really good at detection, where night vision is going to do a little bit better at identification when compared to thermal.

A common stigma is that thermal is automatically better because of the higher price tag. It’s really not comparing apples to apples when you say thermal is better than night vision, and I’m going to kind of get into some examples show you some test footage that I acquired of the same animals in the same conditions with these two optics.

These optics are ATN’s latest and greatest on both sides of the coin, so it’s kind of a one-to-one comparison. aAlthough we’re not going to be talking about any other brands since that’s not the sample that I have in this post.

Although they look extremely similar, they’re actually quite different. Thermal optics use radiation to acquire the image.

Obviously animals and living things give off more heat than their ambient surroundings, that’s why it’s an excellent choice for hunting and when scanning a field, it’s a no-brainer. You will see the living things hands down they pop out at you.

Night vision uses ambient lighting to gather an image for the user.

We’re not really going to get into the debate of analog versus digital night vision, this is a digital night vision scope. Therefore this is more often than not going to be paired with an infrared illuminator to greatly extend the range that this can detect targets.

This is far more sensitive to light than any other standard optical rifle scope you may put on your rifle. However this thing really does need the infrared illuminator. Depending on your illuminator is going to kind of dictate the range that you’ll get out of this night vision device. The one that I currently have allows me to see targets easily three to four hundred yards away at night. And in my opinion, three to four hundred yards of range depending on the conditions out that hand is a lot more than what’s needed for nigh ttime, obviously you’d like to be able to detect things super far away and that’s kind of where thermal sights, but as far as actually engaging a target at nigh,t safety kind of comes into play. And this device will definitely do it for you.

However the downfall is you may not know that something’s there even with the infrared illuminator and you can see out to three or four hundred yards away, the images just don’t pop out at you like thermal does and that’s really again the biggest advantage.

We’ve talked about all these advantages of thermal, however there is one distinct disadvantage to thermal and that is being able to identify what you’re aiming at.

There’s so many situations that you may find yourself in with the thermal optic, that you see something as glowing, but you just don’t know what it is and that is especially true at range., you’ll see something’s there, but you’re gonna have to move in closer to the immediate area in order to identify what it is.

Where night vision you’re going to be able to be further away and still be able to identify, that just because the increased resolution that’s retained due to the technology at hand versus thermal, but you’re not going to know that something’s there nearly as easily as you would with thermal. So like I said in the beginning, bottom line up front thermal is definitely your go-to for detection where night vision is going to be much better at identification and it really comes down to you to determine what is more important to you.

In a perfect world, if you can have one of each that’s going to be honestly ideal and I don’t necessarily mean one of each riflescopes you could pair a night vision, monocular or a thermal monocular with a rifle scope of the opposite technology, and I know there are several companies that make products that kind of assist you with that for example ATN since we’re discussing.

ATN does have both thermal and night-vision binoculars which again would be a perfect pair with a rifle scope of the opposite technology to kind of give you the best of both worlds without having to carry around two rifle setups.

Of course if you go hunting with a partner, then you’re set and that’s actually my preferred setup typically. When I go out on a hog hunt, I will have a night-vision scope or a thermal scope and my partner will have the other and we kind of work together to detect things and then identify and make sure it’s safe to shoot out what we’re shooting at.

I really would like to talk about my personal experiences when comparing night vision versus thermal for real-world, real user applications. Night vision is definitely a lot more effected by ambient air conditions than thermal, because it’s actually using a visual spectrum of light more or less any humidity fog smoke dust or dirt blowing around in the air is gonna greatly limit your range. Because you really depend on the infrared illuminator in order to get you that range, that’s gonna illuminate, anything in the air. So humidity and fog all that will kind of reflect some of that light back and it’ll kind of make your optic look a lot more hazy on a clear night. It’s no problem you can see very very far but you are a little bit more susceptible to those weather conditions.

Thermal can see straight through those weather conditions, it’s no issue whatsoever.

In fact first responders are using thermal devices more and more to find people in burning buildings where you really don’t have the visibility to see through smoke thermal can do it for you no problem whatsoever, because it doesn’t care so much about the visible spectrum, it really just cares about the temperature fields across different objects and of course one of the biggest things is the cost.

So, thermal is typically about three times more than your average night-vision device, it can definitely go up a lot more than three times more, it can sometimes be less than three times.

Another advantage that I kind of like when using thermal is that I can pair it with something like a 45 degree red dot, so typically I have a 45 degree red dot on top of my rifle when I go hunting and that’s nice. Because I can actually leave a white light on top of my rifle, I don’t need an infrared illuminator whatsoever, I can just have one simple lighting system, I can have a red dot at 45 degrees and that will help me with close follow-up shots if hogs start running or they start running at me. We’re searching through a thermal object may not be your best bet for close range moving targets. If I wanted to have a 45 degree red dot with my night vision for my hunting and this is just my personal preference, just trying to give you some insight but moving forward, I would have to have a white light on top of this as well as the infrared illuminator. Because it’s really not going to do me very good if I can’t see the target. Because the infrared illuminator is only visible through your night-vision device and you would need the white light in order to see what you’re tracking through that 45 degree red dot. Typically when hogs come running towards you or running faster than you can track them through the night-vision device that’s just my personal preference to have some kind of backup optic like that and it’s just something to consider that when using night-vision. You’re going to have a little bit more that you got to deal with then with thermal.

Summary

Thermal definitely has some major advantages, here’s one more situation that I’d really like to point out and that is me waiting for hogs to come to the theater. You can see clearly in between the trees in the background that there are actually cattle to the left right and through the trees you would never have known. This with night vision due to the limited range thermal really has an extremely long range no matter the conditions.

However, here’s another downside to thermal as you can see. I saw something glowing and on the visual spectrum, it may be immediately obvious that these were in fact skunks. One wouldn’t really expect this as I was waiting for hogs in a high hog activity area and again when looking through the thermal scope, it’s not always immediately obvious what it is, but it is just the name of the game with thermal you see something glowing and you may not be able to tell what it is.

Here’s where that becomes extremely critical through thermal and at far range, this may have been perceived as a hog. When in fact it’s a baby cow and I really was only to identify, this with night vision due to the lighting outside and how far away this was. But thank goodness, I did have night vision on hand, thermal may have put you in a bad situation.

This is based off my personal experiences and I totally acknowledge that everyone’s experiences are definitely gonna vary when using something like night vision or thermal. I highly recommend you to visit Barrettrifles.com for all about rifles and optics incase you need to learn more.

How to Use Rangefinder Monocular

My first experience with a golf rangefinder monocular wasn’t pleasing. I had no choice but to resort to seeking help from friends who know. Of course, that will be a whole lot of distractions, and if you were the one, you’d not enjoy it. But what happened next was what led me to be an expert.

Well, before I could master it, I read lots of books. These books, I thought, would give me the insight that I needed, and I was glad it did. After taking my time to research the subject thoroughly, I was happy that I got the basics. After that, I built on what I’ve read and sharpened my skills, and eventually, I became an expert who is now going to teach you how to get this right. 

But remember that your situation isn’t the first, nor will it be the last. The guide below is a step by step approach. Therefore, at the end you would have obtained the fundamental concept. So what I demand from you now is to be calm and read in this comprehensive guide. Let’s kick start! 

How to Use Golf Rangefinder Monocular

Concisely, a monocular is referred to as a binocular that’s cut right into 2 pieces. The specially marked lines of the lens are capable of helping a golfer determine the hole from the ball. And with the right gauging of the distance, a golfer can select the most fitting and appropriate club to be used. 

When using RM (Rangefinder monocular), you should take cognizance of the views. There are two views. These are unobstructed and obstructed views. 

In dealing with any of these views, you would need to adopt lots of techniques. For instance, by the name, unobstructed views, this is a situation whereby nothing is standing in between the golf ball and the target. 

On the flip side, an obstructed view indicates a situation where several things stand in between the target and the player. But here’s a question:  How can a person go about these different views? Let’s further break it down for simplicity. Let’s begin with an unobstructed view

Unobstructed View

Unobstructed views offer a straightforward procedure. Take, for example, the initial process is to stand behind the golf ball. Then, by utilizing rangefinder scope, you can then locate what’s regarded as the flag post that’s using the “Green line” you will find on the scope. 

The moment you can figure that out, that is finding the flap stick by utilizing the Green line. You will then need to tilt the scope so you can align the green line to the bottom of the flag. This process demands complete precision and care. 

When you are tilting the scope, be sure to align the scope in a manner that the green line would adopt a perpendicular position. This is the only way to obtain accurate results. 

By adopting the scale, take note of the number you have in your scope that relates to the peak of the flag post. The related number stands for the distance, which can also be called the yardage from the ball down to the target. Isn’t that easy? Of course, it is! 

Let’s quickly analyze the steps for this type of view:

  • Stand very close to the ball and maintain a clear view of your hole, which is your target. 
  • To one eye, the rangefinder monocular should be held 
  • Then, match that line on the viewfinder that’s been marked green to the base of the flag post. 
  • Take(note) the numbers lined alongside the flag post tip
  • Then, select the relevant golf club in line with the distance that has been specified. 

Now, to obstructed view

Obstructed View

Obstructed Views have some difficulties for users who use them. If the bottom of the flag post isn’t showing, then you’d need to adopt a different process for verifying the distance. In a situation like this, it would be nice to assume that you are utilizing a stripped flag post. Then what can you do? 

The first step you will have to take is to stand at the back of the golf ball. After that, you can then use the green line to find out the flag post. Then, you will now match the same green line to the least visible strip of the flap stick. For you to successfully match the lowest strip to the green line, you must title the scope gently and calmly. 

Next, you should hold the scope in an angle allowing the green line to be perpendicular right to the flag post. If you wouldn’t be able to accomplish that, you will have inaccurate measurements. 

Then, notice the grid number that corresponds to the peak of the flag post. Also, note the one that surfaces on the scale of the viewfinder.

When you are done identifying the grid number, then multiply it by the number of identifiable strips you find on the flag post. Finally, divide the answer you got by 8. 

What you get after dividing by 8 is the number of yardage from the ball down to the target. 

Let’s take an example:

Let’s say, the peak of the flag on the viewfinder scale is equivalent to 500. Then on the flagstick, let’s say we have 5.

The distance will be (5×500)/8 = 312.5 yards. 

Let’s quickly analyze the steps for this type of view:

  • Start by lining up the last strip of the flag post that has the lowest line in the scope of the viewfinder. 
  • Locate the number that’s corresponding with the peak of the flag post
  • What’s next is to do the counting of the number of strips to the peak of the flag post. 
  • Multiply both the number of strips and the number that lines up together with the one on the peak of the flag’s post. 
  • Divide results 
  • The result for the step by step is the distance.

Only with these two steps will you know how to utilize the gold rangefinder. Sadly, there are many who aren’t on the know. 

Tips

When utilizing a rangefinder scope right on an unobstructed view, you will figure out that these steps are simple and easy. Notwithstanding, with the obstructed view, the flag can be stripped.

But what will a person do when his flag post is lacking an obstructed view? Well, this is a cunning situation. More so, it’s not possible to arrive at an accurate result in an obstructed view. 

One of the best practices in golf is for a golfer to keep its scope clean. Always clean it with a soaked clean cloth after each use. And you will need to blow off dust away from the lenses and scope

Conclusion 

You will have to learn this regularly; it’s not as simple as a brisk walk. The entire process broken down in this guide helps you perform better when you combine it with little practice.

How to Make a Kydex Holster

This article is a guideline on how to make a Kydex holster. The process of making a Kydex holster is not as complicated as it seems. In this article, we will be discussing how you can do so by combining backing leather with Kydex. By following our instructions, you should be able to create a Kydex holster for the pistol, or whatever fire arm you prefer to carry by your side.

Some people might be wondering why not Boltaron instead of Kydex? Well, the fact that boltaron is cheaper doesn’t mean it should be considered in place of Kydex. If you’re looking for a good finishing and perfect quality to go with your sidearm, I suggest you stick to Kydex. That said, let’s take a look at the tools/materials that will be required to get the job done.

Tools / Materials

Before beginning the process of making your Kydex holster, you might want to get these tools ready:

  • Knife
  • Foam (like that of a flat camping mattress)
  • Sanding drum
  • Pencil
  • Drill
  • Heat Gun
  • Oven (preferably an old toaster oven, it’s better than the standard kitchen oven)
  • Chicago screw
  • Gloves

What makes a Kydex Holster preferable?

Some of you might be wondering, why Kydex? a lot of gunners make use of Kydex holsters due to the advantages they have, which are as follows:

  • They are very light
  • Easy maintenance
  • Scratch-resistant
  • Waterproof
  • Unstretchable

Step 1

Begin by cutting the Plastic

The very first thing to do is to cut the plastic to the required size. Draw a layout of your pistol to find out the right amount of plastic that will be used to wrap it up. Make sure you have enough plastic, it’s better to have extra remaining than to run short of it as you progress. Cut the plastic with your knife, and then bend till it breaks.

Step 2

Spacer Gap

Look for a piece I used wood, or better still, an MDF will be just fine for you to use as a spacer when the molding of the holster begins. I’ll recommend an MDF a little bit thick, like about ½ inches thick; I think that should be most appropriate. Though using a spacer depends on what type of holster you want. If you don’t require an adjustable holster, you can do without the spacer. It’ll still be okay, though.

Step 3

Turn on your Oven

It is the step where you get to turn your oven on. Like I said earlier, I prefer to use a fairly used oven toaster instead, but you can use your oven. When I put the plastic in the oven toaster, I set it to 250° and leave for two minutes. Once the plastic has been in for two minutes, it usually curls around the edges, but if it doesn’t happen like that on most occasions.

Once the plastic is ready, you prepare for the molding process. It is advisable to use 3 to 4 layers of foam for both up and down. When it comes to molding the Kydex, a lot of people use various ways to execute the presses, but using your body weight and a 2 x 12 might be all you need to get the job done.

Step 4

The molding process

Carefully wrap the hot Kydex around the pistol, and then place it into the mold. When placing the gun, spacer and Kydex in the mold, you need to be exact and fast, even though it might take you a bit of time to do it appropriately. If you feel that the Kydex is not hot enough, or you didn’t get it right, feel free to reheat it.

Once this is done, carefully exert pressure on the mold for it to produce a proper form. Make sure you exert pressure on the mould for up to 10 minutes, it won’t be ideal if you remove the pressure too early, as this might cause the Kydex not to fit correctly with the pistol.

Once the 10 minutes is up, you can remove the pressure and behold; the Kydex holster should be in place. Due to some excess plastic that does form after this process, I’ll suggest that trim the holster for it to stand out.

Step 5

Making the Recess that will serve as a Belt Attachment

The next process is making a recess for the holster that will help it to attach to your belt. Let your spacers be up to 3 layers of Kydex scrap.

Use the heat gun to heat behind the holster till it is soft, then put in the spacer, after doing do, put everything back in the mould, and press by exerting pressure on it for some minutes. A suitable recess should be produced after this. Make sure you trim it properly so that you can easily draw out your pistol from the holster. In most cases, the Dremel’s sanding drum is applicable in this finishing process.

Step 6

Filling the Spacer gap with a Spacer

This step is applicable if you used a spacer. For those that used a spacer when molding the holster, you’ll also need another spacer to fill the spacer gaps in the already finished holster. Since you used a spacer of ½ inches thick in the earlier process of molding, then you’ll need something a tiny bit thicker for this spacer. A fuel hose that is a little bit thicker than ½ inches should be able to do the trick.

Make use of your Drill

Take a drill and drill a few holes into the holster, after doing that fit in the spacers and make use of a Chicago screw to hold them in place. You should have a Kydex Holster ready for use.

Conclusion

I hope this guideline has helped you pick up an understanding of how to make a Kydex holster. Making a Kydex holster might sound complicated, but like they always say “practice makes perfect”, it’s all a gradual process. So I suggest you use this guideline as a yardstick to kick-off the process.