I like to hunt with my airguns and gadgets. I’ve used night vision, thermal scopes and scanners, spotlights, rifle mounted torches, tripods, bipods, backpacks designed for hunting and combat, and a variety of PCPs. I have hunted open pastures, hardwood stands, creeks and creek beds, thickets, new growth after woodlands have been clear cut, dammed creeks, in light snow and ice, in light rain and mist, in high humidity and heat, and all sorts of other terrain and conditions.
In the process of traversing varied terrain I’ve lost parts of accessories, airguns, and broken or damaged items. Using my gear afield actually lets me know what a thing is worth. Chances are, that’s why I bought it. So I was thinking if items that I use or have used that failed, didn’t work as well as I’d have liked, or just have nuisance parts and thought to detail them in a thread. If you’ve experienced a similar thing, let’s talk about it.
-Vector Optics flip-open ocular lens cover. This thing did not fit from the factory. I have several Vector Veyron scopes and this cover consistently comes off with light abrasion. If you’ve seen photos of this scope on any of my guns you may notice a piece of paper sticking out from beneath the cover. This was used as a shim to make for a tighter fit.
-Vortex Diamondback Binocular rubber objective lens covers. Over time the rubber looses elasticity as it breaks down and the rings that hold the covers on can slip off easier. I lost one of these covers in a thicket on a hog hunt I think.
-EDgun R5M magazine holder/magazines
This is actually a handy little feature of the gun if you’re going to the range, plinking around the house, pesting at a farm, or something. Afield I think it’s best to keep loaded mags in your pocket or secured in some sort of pack on your person. I’ve lost one pursuing a coyote in tall grass and I ran into a fence I needed to get over one night. I never found that mag.
-Sling mounts that connect to standard swivel studs. Check these before leaving the house and periodically in the field. They work themselves loose as the rifle swings. I’ve had a loaded rifle drop off of my shoulder and land on the butpad while afield in the night. Dangerous situation in my opinion. Thankfully the rifle fell on grass and brush.
-Primos Trigger Stick Bipod
I love this bipod. What I’ve learned is that these need to be cleaned periodically or the legs won’t always deploy simultaneously each time you press the trigger. This sucks when your trying to take a shot and find that your shooting rest is crooked because one leg didn’t fully deploy. I’m sure some field target guys know how to take these apart to clean them.
I’m sure there or more things that will come to mind later.
In the process of traversing varied terrain I’ve lost parts of accessories, airguns, and broken or damaged items. Using my gear afield actually lets me know what a thing is worth. Chances are, that’s why I bought it. So I was thinking if items that I use or have used that failed, didn’t work as well as I’d have liked, or just have nuisance parts and thought to detail them in a thread. If you’ve experienced a similar thing, let’s talk about it.
-Vector Optics flip-open ocular lens cover. This thing did not fit from the factory. I have several Vector Veyron scopes and this cover consistently comes off with light abrasion. If you’ve seen photos of this scope on any of my guns you may notice a piece of paper sticking out from beneath the cover. This was used as a shim to make for a tighter fit.
-Vortex Diamondback Binocular rubber objective lens covers. Over time the rubber looses elasticity as it breaks down and the rings that hold the covers on can slip off easier. I lost one of these covers in a thicket on a hog hunt I think.
-EDgun R5M magazine holder/magazines
This is actually a handy little feature of the gun if you’re going to the range, plinking around the house, pesting at a farm, or something. Afield I think it’s best to keep loaded mags in your pocket or secured in some sort of pack on your person. I’ve lost one pursuing a coyote in tall grass and I ran into a fence I needed to get over one night. I never found that mag.
-Sling mounts that connect to standard swivel studs. Check these before leaving the house and periodically in the field. They work themselves loose as the rifle swings. I’ve had a loaded rifle drop off of my shoulder and land on the butpad while afield in the night. Dangerous situation in my opinion. Thankfully the rifle fell on grass and brush.
-Primos Trigger Stick Bipod
I love this bipod. What I’ve learned is that these need to be cleaned periodically or the legs won’t always deploy simultaneously each time you press the trigger. This sucks when your trying to take a shot and find that your shooting rest is crooked because one leg didn’t fully deploy. I’m sure some field target guys know how to take these apart to clean them.
I’m sure there or more things that will come to mind later.
