Poppin Storm Kettle Kit Review

Poppin Storm Kettle Kit Review

In my time on this earth I have seen and used loads of stoves powered by everything from wood, to pump up kerosene and unleaded gas, to alcohol, to propane, but I have to admit, the Storm Kettle is one of the most impressive kettle and stoves I have used. In a survival or outdoor situation, “simple” is good because I guarantee “complex” will fail you more times than it works. As far as gas stoves, my simple white gas/gasoline pump up single burner Coleman stove has never failed me, as a small grill my Weber Little Smoky works every time, but I was looking for a good option for a packable wood or scavenged fuel powered stove which would deliver simple boil and cook capability for camping, hiking, and preparedness.  Go figure that some Irishman back long ago wanting a hot, easy and fast cup of tea would come up with the simple answer that will even work during stormy Irish days.

The original historic water boiler design was made of copper and used on a number of trips by John Grindlay and eventually he decided to tune up and tweak the design back in his home of England the early 1970s.  Eventually he began manufacturing the original Storm Kettle brand under his Eydon Kettle company company. Like all great ideas the operation started small with his children and family handling production, but as the business grew, he established a full manufacturing facility.  Today Storm Kettles are popular in the English countryside and can also be found all over the world, after all who doesn’t need a storm proof, fuel frugal water boiler. The design itself has lead to other innovative accessories which allow use as a stove and grill. That I know of, I will probably be the first US writer to review the virtues of this elegantly simple and bulletproof water heater and camp stove.

FEATURES
The Storm Kettle is a simple solution to a complex problem. How do you boil water quickly, even in a storm, with a minimal amount of fuel. As you can see from the picture on how the Storm Kettle works, it provides a number of advantages.  The base fire cup allows the Storm Kettle to deliver zero impact heating, so damage to any fire proof base ground surface is prevented.  The fire cup also provides a readily available dry base to build the fire from regardless of conditions.  

Once the Storm Kettle is placed on the fire cup, the tall chimney-like interior and the two holes on the side of the fire cup form what we here in the US call a charcoal chimney starter.  Once the fire is started the entire setup becomes a high draft very high heat chimney starter which delivers intense heat quickly to the walls and water inside the Storm Kettle.  

The Poppin Storm Kettle Complete Kit I picked up, also includes a Storm Tripod to stabilize the fire cup base on uneven or rocky terrain, a cooking pan support, a cup, frying pan (which can be used as a cooking lid for the cup and as extra water coverage during really heavy downpours), two piece grill, pan and grate handle, and Jute Storm Carry bag.  This is a quite full featured cooking stove and kettle kit for $130 considering the very high quality.

The rounded Storm Kettle design itself shields the fire from winds and rain.  Top off the kettle with the cooking pan support and frying pan and even the chimney stack has a rain cover for making hot water even in a deluge.

Storm Kettles come in three sizes, The Original 1.5 liters (approx. 2.5 pints), The Popular one liter (approx. 2 pints) and The Poppin. .85 liter (approx. 1.5 pints). The Original and The Popular models are available in the upgraded durable and protective black finish (inside and out), however the black finish is standard on the Poppin kettle.

When I received the Storm Kettle, my first reaction was, wow this thing is huge, however keep in mind that when cool it is also hollow and in reality you can stuff the cavity full and you really do not loose much space at all.  The entire kit stores very compactly and only needs about a third of the space in the grocery bag sized jute carry bag.

The very high quality environmentally friendly carry bag is a little yuppie tree hugger environmentalist for me and makes a serious piece of expedition level equipment scream Food Network picnic.  I would have preferred a small canvas draw string bag to nest everything from the kit in so I don’t get soot all over the inside of my pack... perhaps the bag will get “recycled” into just that because I took home economics and know how a sewing machine works (I am man hear me roar).

FIT, FEEL, FINISH
In the past, I have on occasion been disappointed by the quality of some stoves and cookware, however the aluminum Storm Kettle is a very nice heirloom quality piece of kit which should last many lifetimes. The cooking pan support are chrome coated steel and add up to the majority of the weight of the full kit. Most likely I will not carry both grate halves and I will work on fabricating a lighter aluminum reproduction of the pan support. The unique high heat oven baked powder coating is applied inside and out to the Poppin Storm Kettle, to provide a subdued, durable, and non-reactive aluminum container for the water.  I suspect the black coated kettles will also look a bit better over time.  Excellent fit, feel and finish.

FUNCTION
The instructions outline one set of lighting procedures, however I have a simpler method. Drop some wadded up newspaper in the fire cup, place a filled Storm Kettle on the fire cup with the cork installed (so you don’t drop fuel in the water, but you MUST remove this before there is any sign of simmering) and load a handful of whatever relatively dry fuel you have into the top of the chimney such as twigs, light the paper through one of the holes in the fire cup base, and then pull the cork.  In around four minutes from match strike, you will have boiling water, in 5 minutes you will have volcanically explosive boiling water if you keep feeding it fuel.  In that same time you can also use the chimney heat to cook up or reheat your dinner.

The benefit to this design once a fire is started is that the intense heat burns nearly any potential tinder even if it is a little damp. Storm Kettle users have even been reported to use hard dried camel dung, from my understanding the wet dung is problematic for a variety of reasons. In my experience the kettle burns everything from pin cones, sticks and twigs, to bark and grass quickly and completely to an ash state with very little odor.  

This makes one heck of a tactical stove as the flame signature is completely contained with the exception of the two vent holes in the fire cup and because of the high burning heat, unless you feed it damp fuel, there is very little smoke signature.  If you so desired, you should be able use the Storm Kettle make char-cloth by using the cup and fry pan on top of the storm kettle.  Always assure you have water in the Storm Kettle or you risk burning out the aluminum.

Another interesting modification which I may attempt would be to tap the water chamber top with copper tubing and run it was the cork loosely attached for use as a water still to desalinate water.  Look for this modification in a future article. The black powder coat finish option would definitely help negate any salt reactivity in the water chamber.

This is an incredibly efficient stove design which has not required more than my Zippo, a strip of paper, and fist full of twigs yet to deliver boiling water in about 4 minutes.  The grill works well, albeit little messy, but the baked powder coating makes kettle clean up easy. I was expecting hot spots with the grill and aluminum cookware, however the heat coming out the chimney delivers pretty consistent temps to each edge of the pan.  One thing that is a learning curve while cooking is not using too much fuel too quickly as the high draft design can generate quite a food scorching inferno quickly.  Rice for instance only takes just a small amount of consistently fed small bits of fuel poked into the chimney under the cooking stand for a slow simmer.  As with any aluminum cookware, I would recommend seasoning the aluminum pan cooking surfaces by coating them with vegetable oil and then heating until the oil forms a black carbon coating.  This coating limits food reactivity with the aluminum and adds a significant non-stick coating similar to a well seasoned cast iron skillet.

Instead of being like the dog that has to figure out what to do with the car once he catches it, the Storm Kettle design makes it easy and convenient to accurately pour boiling hot water into the cups of friends patiently waiting for some hot brew.  Once the Kettle has boiled, use the handle and the chain from the cork to help you pour the water safely.  

FINAL THOUGHTS
This was a fun article to write, because quiet honestly the Storm Kettle was a surprisingly awesome product which I think few know about. Many will look at the Storm Kettles and think “what in the hell”.  I thought the same thing until I boiled my first kettle full of water, then you understand the simple brilliance of the design.  The Poppin Storm Kettle kit is the perfect size for 1-2 people and satisfies everything you need for a lightweight cook stove in a package durable enough for a lifetime of daily use.  Generally I feel the highest honor a piece of kit can receive is to be tagged for inclusion in my Bug Out Bag and this is definitely included... you know the bag, the one we have ready for total subsistence after the EMP hits.  Generally no matter where you travel, you can always find something to burn as fuel and this kit provides everything from the basic need for boiled drinking water for comfort or survival and can do it in a downpour.  The only down side is I have yet to find a dealer here in the US.

It provides a number of cooking options for everything from meats, to stews, to cooked grains and vegetables, and possibly even baking which I have yet to attempt.  It can provide a simple heat source for shelter with fire or just as a hot water radiator and most importantly can do so with minimal fuel without broadcasting your position on a hunt or in a survival or tactical situation.  In the land of $500 titanium camp stove kits, the Poppin does it for about $130 US shipped. From every perspective the Poppin Storm Kettle is an excellent and versatile stove kit which is worth every ounce of its weight.  Look for future articles and tweaks to the great stove and kettle.

SPECS

• Capacity:                      0.85 l (1.5 Pints or 3 cups)
• Diameter:                                14 cm
• Height - closed with base in:     28 cm
• Height - ready for use:     30.5 cm
• Weight - empty:               570 g  (1.25lbs)
• Total Kit Weight              2.9lbs (including bag)
• $69.99 + $17.00 shipping in British Pounds
• About $136 US Dollars including shipping

SOURCES
Storm Kettle - Eydon Kettle Company
http://www.eydonkettle.com/

Tactical Machining AR-15 Complete Lower

Tactical Machining AR-15 Complete Lower

Most likely I am like you, looking for the best deal on lower receivers as I fill my Liberty Safe and assemble an arsenal of ARs.  The truth is that there are only a handful of forging companies and component manufacturers that the AR public rarely if ever has contact with. They are typically pure manufacturers and leave the marketing and retailing to someone else and make either the forged blanks or in some cases completely milled and finished lower receivers complete with brand X’s logo. Even though nearly every forged receiver comes from one of those companies the finish work after the blanks are forged delivers a significant swing in quality. Devil is in the details.

Once we as consumers have identified a quality receiver available, the question of completing that receiver becomes a build or buy. A theoretical savings argument can be made by building your own, however I have yet to find that the case. Buy the time I get all the bits, pieces and upgrades I am at the same price or more as a complete lower.  For the guy who wants a quality and reliable lower receiver without going to the billet custom extreme, it will always be easier and usually less expensive to purchase a complete lower. 

Me being the adventurous type and always hoping to discover and write about the next new industry brand, I ran across Tactical Machining (TM).  Tactical Machining was started in 2008 to offer high quality AR parts and is continuing to develop an interesting mix of products.  Tactical Machining is one of the top providers of 80% AR receiver and 80% receiver kits.  For the home machinist, non-ATF 80% receivers provide a fun project to finish the milling and create their own ATF register-able receiver.  Other products include a 10/22 competition upper receiver, a long list of AR accessories, complete AR uppers, and of course complete lower receivers such as the one I am reviewing here.  To be honest, the AR market is very competitive but surprisingly the Tactical Machining complete lower edges out all the standard go-to names from a price and features perspective all while maintaining like or in some cases better quality.

FIT, FEEL, & FINISH
A receiver will work just fine as long as a receiver is in spec as it is kicked out of the forging, and after the internal areas have been milled.  Some manufacturers limit or omit the external surface milling to lower cost.  The result of that omission is some budget receivers look pretty rough. Believe me I have seen a few that I felt compelled to not to review. It is the picky-er manufactures of receivers such as Tactical Machining who take the time to fully mill all surfaces of the forged receivers.  This extra milling step cleans up all the forging flash marks and reduces forging swirls for a very high quality finely crafted lower receiver after anodizing. 

I am noting the quality, because as configured the Tactical Machining complete lower was $10-$50 less than the brands most of us know and was surprised by the quality. They have taken some care in assuring a top notch receiver and finish.  That attention to detail can be seen throughout the Type III Hard coat anodized lower with the fit of the final assembled parts kit.  I know it may be a small detail to some, but I think a sharply milled name, model, serial number and logo looks a whole lot better than just enough shallow milled or stamped info to get by.  The info and logo is nice an crisp on the receiver which just classes it up a bit with the cool looking logo... yeah little things, but they add up to a better looking and quality finished receiver in my opinion.  From a finish perspective, the anodizing is impeccable, deep and dark and as you can see in the above photo, it a higher quality and better finish that my DPMS upper. 

 
FEATURES & FUNCTIONS
The lower is forged from 7075-T6 aluminum, fully machined, and then Type III Hard coat anodized.  The standard complete lower includes a high quality Mil-Spec parts and trigger kit, Mil-Spec 6-position stock tube, M4 stock and grip, and standard buffer. A couple nice little extras on the base lower are that the grip in installed with a hex bolt versus a slot head bolt and a billet TM logo’ed aluminum extended trigger guard. Nice touches for a very competitively priced complete lower. For my lower I upgraded to a Magpul MOE stock and grip and added a H (Heavy) marked buffer. 

Once in hand, I immediately added the pictured Mission First Tactical One Point Sling Mount grabbed three mid-length uppers from Mega Arms Billet Monolithic upper  (Black Hole Weaponry .223 Wylde, Fail Zero Bolt), Spikes Tactical, Delton AR15 Uppers, and two carbine length uppers from DPMS and Smith & Wesson and headed to the range.  I ran at least three magazines through each upper during testing.  No surprises, fumbles, or stumbles and performed just as any quality upper should from mounting to various uppers, bolt hold open, and the magazines dropping free. Of note was a prefered nice and tight fit to the uppers which required use of my Leatherman MUT to punch the take down pins.

FINAL THOUGHTS
The Tactical Machining Complete Lower is very high quality, adds in some nice touches from a quality and feature perspective all while being priced below the usual suspects.  Looking over their site, it looks like they have  started offering complete $399.00 uppers as well, which when paired with this well equipped lower, would make for very nice complete rifle for a tad over $700.  Perhaps I might have to pick up one of their AR uppers and a 10/22 receiver for a future review.  I am really looking forward to seeing this company grow considering the quality and value in a product they could just as easily have skimped on.  If you are looking for a complete lower, I would certainly recommend Tactical Machining.

SPECS

• Forged + Fully Machined
• 7075-T6 Aluminum
• H Marked Buffer
• 6-Position Mil-Spec Buffer Tube
• Billet Extended Trigger Guard
• Type III Hard Anodized
• Magpul MOE Grip
• Magpul MOE Stock
• $309.00 as configured (Excluding Mission First Tactical Single One Point Sling Mount)
• $239.00 minus Magpul MOE Grip and Stock

SOURCES
Tactical Machining, LLC
1270 Biscayne Boulevard #4
Deland, FL 32724
Phone: (386)490-4464
Fax: (386)490-4890
Email: sales@tacticalmachining.com
http://tacticalmachining.com

JP Enterprises Modular Hand Guard Review

JP Enterprises Modular Hand Guard Review

In my recent AR15 build and review of the JP Enterprises Barrel Kit, I utilized JP’s own rifle length Hand Guard System.  3-Gun and competitive high speed AR shooting has influenced new development and innovation of the AR platform more than any other factor in the last 10 years even more than our engagements overseas.  The JP Modular Hand Guard is one of those products born from competitive needs and I wanted to write a separate review of this deceptively elegant forend.

FIT, FEEL, & FINISH

As noted in my JP Barrel Kit review, the JP quality and fit is exceptional and easily equal to custom level components.  The guard finish is a hard anodized textured finish which provides a secure grip even when wet without the cheese grater profile of a typical picatinny quad rail and the round 2” tube profile is thinner and easier to hold than typical 2.25” tubes. There is definitely a trend toward smaller diameter forends.  Smaller forend profiles provide a more solid controllable grip for high speed competitions like 3-Gun. As JP notes in the Modular Hand Guard product description, that ¼” reduction greatly increases comfort of the grip. My medium sized hands found the JP forend very comfortable.

FEATURES

The JP Enterprises notes safety, precision, versatility, integrity as the primary benefits of their Modular Hand Guard, but let me add my own observations.

From a safety perspective, JP is right on the money talking about potentially grabbing hot gas tubes and gas blocks. Rifle-length systems inherently give you more forend real estate and reduce the chances of grabbing a hot gas block than carbine or mid length forends. JP of course has a variety colors and hand guard lengths all the way from 15” down to standard carbine length, but this forend was a rifle-length. Sometimes though your hand chokes up around the receiver only to remind you there is also a red hot gas tube under there somewhere. JP’s outer nut design completely shields this area to prevent contact with the gas tube. The nut also adds strength to the receiver, barrel, and forend union while also completely covering the transitional area preventing the exposed tube from being crushed. For those running typical 1-4X optics on their AR’s now, there is also a significant reduction of the thermal optical distortion effect from

For AR’s, a free float tube is one of the most significant accuracy improvements you can make.  Some have noted groups reducing by quarter of their original size by simply converting from a delta ring retained barrel mounted hand guard to a free float tube.  At some point I will test this transformation improvement.  

The JP Modular Hand Guard provides the ability to attach JP’s picatinny rails and sling studs at not only the 6:00, 12:00, 3:00 and 9:00 o’clock positions, but also the in between ⅛ hour positions as well. Many tactical experts say a 1:30 position is much better for tactical lights than the 3 or 9 positions because it provides improved door clearance. If you only need one rail or sling stud, there is no sense degrading comfort with a yard of picatinny rails, place them exactly where you need them and move or remove them as needed with just two screws.

The JP Modular Hand Gaurd tube is secured to the outer nut with six hex screws which lock in the permanently clocked hand guard positioning which allows all types of sighing and lighting accessories to retain zero. Not only will the hand guard stay put, but the union to the receiver is strengthened by a dual-nut system with a 6061 T6 outer receiver extension nut combined with a carbon steel internal barrel retainer nut. This is typically the weak point on most hand guards that depend on shallow barrel nut pulling double duty securing the barrel and supporting the hand guard. After handling quite a few hand-guards, this more substantial guard mount seems like it could take a lot more punishment than some of the guards I have seen. 

 The extension on the JP version is first permanently Lock-Tite’ed in place to the receiver.The nut can then be secured with a standard M16 armorers wrench rather than strap wrench needed on one-piece tubes. This arrangement provides the forend and receiver with significantly more support from the cantilever forces of a free float hand guard and a solid wiggle free forend.

FUNCTION

The JP Modular Hand Guard is ventilated to reduce weight, increase heat dissipation, and improving shooter comfort.  The Modular Hand Guard allows for easy attachment of rail sections, so you can simply attache two short rails and bolt up your favorite iron sights for offset backups, vs needing to purchase rather expensive offset sights. All accessories can quickly be relocated at will, and you can use as many rail units of whatever length makes sense when and where you need them and can forget about rails positions you don't.  At some point I will add a few rails and update this article to show the various options for users.

One of my pet peeves on quad-rails is attaching swivel studs for use with bi-pods and slings and   generally requires some bulky adapter. On the JP Modular Hand Gaurd, the floating studs included allow complete flexibility for any attachment need from standard and tactical sling setups to bi-pod attachment and you can position them in any slot on the guard.

FINAL THOUGHTS

One of those old Ron Ronco info commercials comes to mind as I list through the features of the JP Modular Hand Guard. “it slices it dices...” but in this case the JP Modular Hand Guard is “Safe, durable, comfortable, flexible, and versatile all with good looks”.  For those pondering a new or updated hand guard or forend, the JP Enterprises Modular Hand Guard is a very versatile forend flexible and completely configurable for law enforcement, defense, 3-gun, or bench rest shooting.  All the way around this is a top notch hand guard for your AR.

SPECS

• JP/VTAC modular free float hand guard System
• Full length for AR-15/M16 type rifle
• 1.75" Inside diameter, 2.00" outside diameter, 12.500" Overall length
• Weight: 15 oz.
• Matte Black Hard Coat Anodized
• Includes 2 JP Quick-Detach Sling Studs with Backer Plate(JPHGS)
• $189.95

SOURCES

JP Enterprises

http://jprifles.com/

ONE SECOND AFTER BOOK REVIEW AUTHOR WILLIAM R. FORSTCHEN

ONE SECOND AFTER BOOK REVIEW
AUTHOR WILLIAM R. FORSTCHEN

There are few books I have read which are as intense as One Second After.  Part of that chill running up and down your spine is that the author was originally intending to publish all his gathered facts on the effects and aftermath of EMPs (electro magnetic pulse) as a study but then though he would be labeled as one of those crazy survival types... I know the type.

He instead delivered those EMP facts in a fictional storyline which combines a still horrible but best case situation and also the more chilling results when there is a void of leadership. Another scary fact is that military and government gaming strategist have said definitively it not a question of "if" the the US will be struck by an EMP, but "when".  The read makes you squirm because it feels more like you are reading prophecy than fiction.


So what is an EMP? An EMP is a Electro Magnetic Pulse which is a very high amp current surge which fries pretty much anything with a transistor, pc  board or chip as if it has been struck by lightening. If it runs on AC or DC current with or without power connected at the time of the blast it will be fried unless it is significantly "EMP hardened".  Because there is limited nuclear testing going on now, there are obviously limits to what EMP testing is going on.  This lack of substantial testing is of great debate on what sufficient hardening means however a generally accepted test is to place a cell phone in the hardened container and call it.  If it rings whatever is in the container will be fried during an EMP.  Unlike lightening it is believed that only an air tight sealed metal faraday container is sufficient.   Chicken wire is not going to do it.  Turns out dropping you stuff in a plastic bag inside a lidded paint can does not allow the cell phone to ring so in theory that would be sufficient hardening. I also performed the same test with the phone simply placed in my Liberty Fat Boy safe however it rang.  Any gaps or holes at all will leak in a signal and EMP which makes it tough to run wires in/out to harden things like US Power grids and automotive electrics. The problem is only a very small percentage of our government and military stuff has even attempted to be hardened and it is said most of our bunkers lack hardening. The budget was canned for hardening our US power grid so we can expect an EMP to have maximum effect.



We do know even a best case scenario will be devastating and the how devastating question has to do with how  big the nuclear explosion is and how far it explodes off the ground.

Generally a measurable EMP is caused by gamma rays a nuclear blast however a sun solar flare could do it also or anything with a very large energy release. For a ground level explosion, unless the nuclear explosion is very large, the earth will absorb the majority of the EMP effects.  So for instances if a ground level nuke went off in Chicago, it would be wasted, radiated, and EMP'ed with fallout carried over the Eastern US, but St Louis would be in relatively good condition and untouched.  Elevating that same explosion to atmospheric levels about 250 miles above the earth, radiation and fallout are not a problem at all and in fact you might not even see the explosion unless it was at night. Our own atmosphere will actually amplify and spread out the EMP effects to the point that that same big ass nuke we talked earlier would now theoretically fry about 80% of the electronics in the US or whatever was in line of sight of the nuke within the horizon line.  Technically it would only take one very large high altitude nuke to EMP the entire US and part of Canada and Mexico, however as the book alludes to three nukes would do a more thorough job.

The aftermath is what One Second After addresses in torrets syndrome inducing intensity.  My dog for some reason freaks out every time Mrs Pandemic or I swear, so he hated the book because about every page my wife or I read we let out thought provoking exclamations of "sh*t", "fuuuuuu*k".  Plus I keep telling my dog to fatten up because he is officially the other other white meat.

What if everything controlled by electronics in all the US stopped working? Everything... cars, the flight you wife was one, trains, water pumps, tractors that harvest food, all the stuff in hospitals, back up generators, medication manufacturing and distribution, your electronic red dot sight, or you digital lock on your Liberty safe.  It would be midevil back to the dark ages before steam power and before even the use of maggot treatments for open infectious wounds.


Sure we have the farm land, but we don't have the mules, oxen, or horses, and chances are they would be eaten anyway in the first couple months and most of our meat are confined and feed by trucked in grains. Best case the farmers just open up the pins. Sure we have seeds, but nearly 100% of our seeds are genetic hybrids which cannot be reseeded so we are screwed long term even if we hand work the fields.  We are now a national and global economy the depends completely on massive trucking and rail distribution with much of our food imported so even if one area had excess rotting in the fields we couldn't get  it to those in need.  Re-establishing distribution would take far too ling. Then of course you have potentially massive bands of roving war and pillaging parties.  Sure perhaps you and you neighbor are skilled Marine snipers but you don't stand a chance against the 90,000 people exiting a city pillaging as they go with your homes in the path. Got penicillin? As numbed and drugged Americans that take a pill every time we fart or sneeze, our immune systems are not designed to handle some of the old standards like cholera, typhoid, or even a the new bread of standard flus without medical intervention.  Through massive pesticides we have kept insect plagues at bay. That half a can of Cutter in your basement and last years left over Spectricide will not be able to keep your house and body pest free for long.  An EMP is pure and simple the event that even the well preparedness may not survive.

If you are serious about preparedness or survival you owe it to yourself to read One Second After.  It will change forever how you think about preparedness and extended survival.  It scared the hell out of me and definitely has spurred discussions and new articles in process.

SOURCES
One Second After book by William R Forstchen
http://www.onesecondafter.com/

Bushnell Banner Scope 1-4x Review

Bushnell Banner Scope 1-4x Review

There was a time when we all thought we “really” needed high power scopes to view the freckles on a gnat’s butt at 100 yards, however this strategy makes little sense in the practical and tactical worlds. For both hunting and tactical shooting we need a scope that can pick up moving targets without the optical appearance of looking through binoculars while on a carnival ride. This is where 1-4X scope have jumped in popularity. Add in the excitement and enthusiasm of folks building 1-4X optic topped 3-gun competition rifles and you have an exploding 1-4X scope market.

In my case adding a scope is an obvious choice for the Ruger 77/357 or other similar series rifles.  The 77/357 range, like most 3-Gun rifles are definitely tuned for higher percentage of shots under 150 yards and likely most shots will occur in the 50-75 yard range where open sight would be more than adequate.  A low power scope can definitely increase precision at those ranges for small game as well as shot placement beyond 100 yards.  I have used high end 1-4X scopes on a number of build and reviews and they are mighty handy, but most are a little up there in price for a $500 rifle or for those building a more budget minded competition AR rifle.  The challenge for the budget conscious just wanting this same functionality obviously becomes not spending $500+ on an optic, enter the Bushnell Banner 1-4X scope.

FIT, FINISH, & FEEL
Bushnell has always been a leader in providing fine optics and although the Banner series fit and finish is not that of Bushnell’s higher lines, it is more than fine enough to dress up a working man’s rifle.  I will be the first to tell you that you get what you pay for when it comes to optics however keeping frills to a minimum helps the manufacturers concentrate on quality.  Scope technology usually trickles down from one year to the next. Last years most brilliant top tier design becomes the next lower tier's update a year later. In this case Bushnell has packed a lot of value in this scope with good quality fit, feel, and finish on this $75 street priced scope.

FEATURES & FUNCTION
The Bushnell Banner 1-4 X32 scope was tested in a goofy way to check how it would hold zero.  I mounted the scope on my Ruger 77/357 pictured and then added a set of high Millet mounts mounting the scope upside down so that I could flip the scope and  mount it later for testing on my Delton AR15.  I then zero'ed the scope and shot around 300 rounds through the Ruger.  Leaving the Ruger rings in place and not re-zeroing, I mounted the scope to the AR and shot another 200 rounds through the Delton rifle.  This odd testing procedure allowed me to return the scope 77/357 to assure the original zero did not change, which retained the original zero perfectly.  Pretty good test for a $75 scope but without adjusting the scope, I had to use significant Kentucky windage with the Banner mounted to the AR.

This 1” scope provided all the magnification required for both fast moving shots and higher precision shots at closer smaller game or larger targets at longer distance.  The Circle-X reticle on the Bushnell Banner is unique and provides fast targeting via the circle and precision with the fine center cross-hairs inside the inner circle.  Glance through the optic quickly for fast shots and you see a large dot that can be easily placed on a target.  Take a little extra time and your can use the fine cross hairs to place a precision shot. Honestly I like the reticle more than many scope reticles.  The reticle is simple, fast and works.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Will the Bushnell Banner 1-4x32 deliver the performance of an expensive high performance optic? No, however it does provide above excellent optic performance for a $75 street priced scope and in many cases much better than scopes twice the price from other brands. It should be an automatic choice from most .22 rimfire shooters. The optics are clear, but not as crisp as you will find in Bushnell’s higher end lines. A variable 1-4X scope is actually more difficult to produce than a 3-9X scope and thus 1X usually is not a true 1X with a touch of magnification. Even the high dollar optics are challenged delivering true 1X magnification at tactical distances. Generally the higher end scopes will have less magnification and fish eye distortion at shorter 10-15 range distances. The Banner’s 1X magnification is really close, but has a little more fish eye at closer 10-15 yard tactical distances, but is unnoticeable beyond those ranges.This is a high value scope and a great all purpose scope for everything from a .22, to hunting rifle, to a start up 3-Gun competition AR build. This is a sleeper in the Bushnell line and for $75 is a steal for the price and performs extremely well for the price with a reticle that I think is tactically better than many in high end scopes.

BUSHNELL BANNER 1-4X32 SCOPE SPECS

Power / Obj Lens	1-4 x 32mm
Finish	Matte
Length (in / mm)	10.5 / 267
Reticle	Circle-X®
Field of View (ft@100 ft. / m@100 m)	78.5/26.1@1x 24.9/8.3@4x
Adj Range in@100yds/ m@100m	50 / 1.4
Weight (oz. / g)	12.2 / 345
Exit Pupil (mm)	16.9@1x / 8@4x
Eye Relief (in / mm)	4.3 / 108
Mounting Length (in / mm)	5.3 / 133
Model	711432
Click Value in@100 yds / mm@100m	.25 /7

SOURCES
Ruger - http://www.ruger.com/
Bushnell - http://www.bushnell.com/