This review is one that I feel strongly about and was so glad to have the opportunity to do! This Hawke scope has solved one of my poor man problems that I have struggled with for quite some time now. I have wanted to buy me a .223, .22-250, or .243 for varmint and coyote hunting for quite some time now but when the rifle alone will cost me $200+ and then I will have to buy a decent scope to put on it for another $150-$200... I have come to the realization that a separate rifle just to shoot varmints is not within my budget right now in my life.
Like many other hunters, I have a .22 caliber LR which I use for a number of different things but have never considered the possibility to use it varmint hunting at the distances that make varmint hunting fun. Even with a good scope, the drop for a .22 LR is so great at further distances that being accurate at multiple distances with a .22 is nearly impossible... UNTIL NOW!
Hawke Sport Optics has developed a scope that is specifically made to make your .22 LR into a rifle you can accurately use at short or long distances without making any adjustments. The Rimfire SR Reticle Scope is designed to be sighted in dead on at 50 yard and then drop compensation is already calibrated in and etched on the glass to allow you to be sighted in at 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, and 200 yards! The .22 LR has always been one of the funnest guns to shoot and now thanks to the Hawke Vantage IR Rimfire scope it is now also one of my most versatile guns!
The Hawke Sport HD IR 3-9X40 Rimfire scope on my Henry .22 LR lever action!
I won't waste my time sharing with you the dimensions and specifications of the scope I will just put the link to their website where you can find and read them yourself and check out their other awesome products: http://www.hawkeoptics.com/vantage-3-9x40-rimfire-22-high-velocity.html
What I will tell you about is my experience using the scope and my opinion on it:
First of all what I like about the scope is the price! Like I said I am not in the position right now to pay bunch of money for a varmint rifle and a scope to put on it. For $179.00 this scope is an awesome deal especially considering the versatility it gives you with a gun you already have!
Secondly, the scope was simple and easy to use! The adjustments were super simple and clearly labled so that I knew every click adjusted the shot 1/4th of an inch at 50 yards. The adjustments felt durable and were easy to use with my fingers. I used a shooting sled to help me hold still while sighting in the scope and with the these adjustments I was sighted in dead on at 50 yards within 5 shots (not bad considering I almost missed the cardboard box my target was taped on with my first shot). The scope has the aiming crosses etched into the glass along with the yardage so you don't have to memorize yardages, and the aiming crosses can also be illuminated by red or green to match your lighting while shooting! The eye relive can also be adjusted to make everything just right for how you want it!
Thirdly, this scope was accurate! I honestly didn't think I would be as accurate as I was just by sighting in at 50 yards. It is almost to good to be true! I thought I would sight in at 50 and then be somewhat close to my target at 100+ yards, but honestly I was able to hit Mt. Dew cans from 50 all the way out to 200 yards without any adjustments! This scope was awesome! When I have shot a varmint rifle, what makes it fun is being able to shoot such a small target at further distances and this is exactly how I felt shooting Mt. Dew cans at 200 yards! I will note that out at 200 yards, my bullet had enough force to puncture the can but it did not pass through it. This is just a general note so that someone doesn't think it is a good idea to try and shoot a coyote or something at those distances (you're all grown ups you can do what you want).
Lastly, the scope was fun! As much as I enjoy shooting guns I will admit that I don't get out my .22 as much as I used to because I was a little bored shooting it... I knew what it could do and I would get it out now and then just to mess around. Now the Hawke Vantage IR brings my little .22 into a whole new view! Finding .22 ammo may still be an issue for some, but when you are able to find it in bulk it is a good feeling to have 525 rounds in a box and know that you can fling a few rounds down range to 200 yards! This scope has helped me appreciate the sport of shooting just a little more than what I already do! This scope has taken such a traditional gun and innovated it into something new and exciting every shooter can enjoy!
I have a friend who competitively shoots at long distance competitions tell me that shooting a .22 LR at 200 yards is like shooting a .223 at 800 yards when you consider the drop compensation and how much wind is a factor... So even though it took me two shots to hit the Mt. Dew can at 200 yards I'm still pretty impressed.
I encourage you all to check out Hawke Optics and give them a shot! If you have a .22 LR you seriously need to give this scope a try. Hawke also has scopes for every rifle you own including your AR, deer rifle, varmint rifle, shot gun/slug gun, cross bow, and pistol! They also have a huge selection of spotting scopes and all of their products have amazing warranties and their prices are simple the best around for the quality you get!
To begin this post I want to express that out of all of my reviews and all of my posts, I feel this product is one that EVERY reader or visitor of my blog should check into. This product is one that I feel every person should own for safety and security.
I was first turned onto The GunBox when I was on Facebook scrolling through a few of my friend's posts. I saw one of my friends shared a video and tagged me in the comment telling me that she thought I would be interested in it. Here is the video I saw:
For years my wife has been asking me to make her a custom head board for our bed that has a "hidden compartment" where we can store a gun in. Right now we keep all of our guns locked in a gun cabinet in our storage closet on the other side of our house while the key to this gun cabinet is either on my key ring or inside another safe under our bed. My wife and I are the type of gun owners that this product was specifically designed for, who want to have an easier access to a fire arm yet haven't found a safe and convenient way to do so.
I went down to the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo in Salt Lake City to check out this product along with many others that I was interested in. At the show I was just as impressed with The GunBox as I was initially watching the short video about it. I knew that this wasn't just an answer to the dilemma my wife and I had about gun storage but this was also a product that any gun owner could use.
When I received The GunBox in the mail my first impression had nothing to do with the functionality of it at all. Instead I was actually impressed that this device weighed less than 5 pounds. As random and simple as this may sound, I was very glad that this gun safe was not a huge heavy contraption that would be a pain for my wife or I to have around. As the video points out, The GunBox is able to be unplugged from the wall and the battery life can last for several weeks. For me and my family, this meant that not only do I have the safety and convenience of The GunBox at home, but I am also able to safely and conveniently have a gun easily accessible while camping with my family. Camping is one of the situations where this safe is able to adapt to without sacrificing any safety or inconvenience. Before owning The GunBox, I constantly had to be aware of where my hand gun was and who was near it, which made camping less relaxing.
The GunBox allows you various ways to access your firearm through a RFID wristband, ring, or a sticker. Another option that you can use to access your firearm is by using the Biometric fingerprint scanner that is on the device. Because any single one of these options can open The GunBox if it is set up that way, it is important that you are aware of how convenient this may make it. I will attest that if you choose to keep one of the RFID devices next to your GunBox for convenience, then The GunBox is probably easier than a traditional safe for a young child to get into. This situation will only make The GunBox easier to open if you have it set to open with any one single RFID device. My daughter is only two and as I allowed her to play with The GunBox (with nothing placed inside for safety) she was able to accidentally open it by swiping the wristband over the sensor. Because of this I would strongly recommend that you use the technology offered by this device and either set it up to require a fingerprint or combination of RFID and fingerprint.
The RFID bracelet
I work for the Juvenile Probation Department in my home town and
honestly the kids I supervise are wonderful. Even as wonderful as they
are, my wife and I both recognize and have felt the risk of working with
this population. I don't know if anything would ever happen to my
family because of the work I do but I know that I feel a lot more
comfort knowing that with a quick swipe of my hand, I can access a
handgun within seconds to protect my family.
My daughter trying to open The GunBox
Trying her finger print after watching daddy
I could write on and on about how this safe is amazing and I could bore you with a long explanation of how the device opens, locks, etc... but instead, I just encourage you to visit The GunBox website and check out their line of GunBoxes to see which one fits you and your needs. The prices of The GunBox safes vary between $270 - $475 depending on what features you decide you want. The cost to safely and conveniently have quick access to a firearm is invaluable to me. My wife has expressed to me how much safer she feels now that we have The GunBox in our room. That reason alone is enough for me to know that The GunBox is a product that is not necessarily made just for gun owners, but also for families. This product was made specifically to meet the needs of everyone in the home... not just the owner of the gun! Please share this post with anyone you feel would benefit from knowing more about The GunBox and please visit their website and show them your appreciation and support.
If you have any questions about the durability or security of The GunBox that I did not include in my review please feel free to ask me. I would love to answer any of your questions. You can email or make a comment on this blog if you have any questions!
Here is another video of how much testing went into the durability of The GunBox!
AWESOME VIDEO!!!!
Disclaimer:
As with all reviews on Idaho Pursuit, the following review is my honest opinion. I am not a pro-staff member of, sponsored by, or associated with The GunBoxand
am not accepting any compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for
this review. My independent status may change in the future but, as of
the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has
been pursued or established.
As I was sitting there feeling my heart beat stronger and stronger I thought to myself how I had been waiting for an opportunity like this! The rush of adrenaline and nerves makes it hard for me to sit still and
be patient. My palms start sweating as my legs feel that they can't
support the weight of my body any more. For the last few years I have been working and preparing all year long waiting for this single moment and now it all boils down to right now... what happens next will be the determining factor.
My brother and I spending time in the outdoors!
If any of you are hunters, you have felt this way before while sitting in a tree stand or some other pursuit while hunting an animal. This is an experience that I have come to love while hunting, especially archery hunting. I can remember the first time I ever felt this way was when I was in my teens hunting with my dad and older brother chasing mule deer. I can't tell you how wobbly I was when I was trying to hold my rifle still enough to even see the mule deer doe in my scope let a lone pull the trigger! As the years went on I was able to control my emotions that came with "Buck Fever" enough to get a few trophies and memories. These experience not only helped me later in my hunting but they also helped me control my emotions in my situation last week!
Last week I was asked to interview for a school counseling job I have working toward for years now. As I was sitting waiting for my interview I felt myself experiencing "Buck Fever" even though I was sitting in an office surrounded by other people. I chuckled a little bit about the correlation I felt between the two experiences and realized that even though they were very different, they were also very similar in nature! I thought to myself that if I can control my emotions while hunting then why not try to do the same thing right now for this job interview.
This is my definition of studying at times :)
Long story short, I was able to do some of the same techniques I used while hunting such as visualization, controlling my breathing, etc. to calm my nerves before my interview... After the interview I reflected back on the experience and was extremely grateful that I was a hunter and was able to have experiences like this multiple times a year to help prepare me for this opportunity. Later that day I received a phone call which turned into a job offer for the career I have been pursuing for some time now. My person offering me the job talked to me about how confident and calm I came across in the interview which surprised me knowing how nervous I was for the interview. Without a doubt, I attribute my hunting experiences, and the lessons I have learned while hunting, just as much as I do my schooling for preparing me for this job interview. Never did I think that my hunting would eventually help me get a job but it did! The lessons you learn from the outdoors are endless and invaluable.
And this was a lesson of what happens when I'm impatient... just hair nothing else
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.JPG "The GunBox")
.JPG "The GunBox")
