Fundamentals of LPVOs: Cheap vs Expensive (Ad-free)
Added 2024-04-07 12:00:03 +0000 UTCAt SHOT Show this year I took some time to speak with Mike Branson of Gideon Optics (formerly of Primary Arms and Swampfox). Mike's a friend and a true optics nerd, and I figured he could help give folks an understanding of some of the fundamentals of modern firearms optics. Today, we are talking about Low-Power Variable Optics - LPVOs. In particular, what are the differences between cheap and expensive ones? What can you improve by spending more money, and what is basically limited by physics?
Comments
What a great and honest opinion from Mike throughout. I'd love to see more content about optics with him, this was very informative and the back and forth between you two worked super well.
Christian Forgione
2024-04-08 03:10:15 +0000 UTCGreat interview _ I may have to move beyond my Leupold 2.75 from 1974!
Martin Morehouse
2024-04-07 22:57:25 +0000 UTCHe's 100% right on the PA 1-8x PLx. I, along with Mike and many others, was part of the development of it and it's a unique animal. As I said in my review - I truly think it's the best LPVO on the market regardless of price.
Mrgunsngear
2024-04-07 22:13:21 +0000 UTCOn an LPVO, why is the objective lens limited to a 28mm (on every LPVO I've looked at) whether tube size is 30 or 34mm?
Steve Colletti
2024-04-07 21:40:20 +0000 UTCAs someone who has been in the music "business" for 30 years and owned/operated a guitar store for over a decade...there is a HUGE analogy between the two. Who cares how "good" your THD and frequency response are when your ears are 54 years old?
WayneWiiki
2024-04-07 18:08:50 +0000 UTCjust checked their homepage. too bad I didn't know them like 2years ago. I question if I'd have a PA LVPO now. that 1-10 looks awesome.
Guido Schriewer
2024-04-07 15:32:57 +0000 UTCplus one of that stop being poor point. couldn't agree more. go get an oooold sw model 10 with some hks i.e. and a maverick 88. a ruger american or so (man boltguns became SO cheap...) and learn them. nothing wrong with budget guns and gear.
Guido Schriewer
2024-04-07 15:23:40 +0000 UTCI like budget rifle analogy! When I was still playing racquet sports, people would often ask me if they should buy a better racquet. I would hand them one of my multi-hundred dollar racquets, play a game, and then ask them what they thought. If the response was "wow!", they were ready to step up to a better racquet. If they said "ugh", then I told them not to spend their money. The same thing applies to many things in life, rifles included.
Larry Schwartz
2024-04-07 15:08:49 +0000 UTCThe old rule of thumb is" "You get what you pay for". Unfortunately, *just* because you paid more, doesn't mean you *got* more. I love these videos with Mike as they really remove the "snob appeal" and help me to understand the difference between budget and high end optics.
Larry Schwartz
2024-04-07 15:04:09 +0000 UTCI switched from a leupold AR 1,5-4x to a PA 1-6x cause of the recticle. MUCH easier than mildots. keep thinking about options but basicle I want ONE system. weight is a factor, price is otherwise a spectre either 1 or 4 sounds like a good idea. don't trust cheap copycats of that.
Guido Schriewer
2024-04-07 14:51:58 +0000 UTCGod I love this guy, could listen him for hours and hours!
Paul Johnston
2024-04-07 13:52:54 +0000 UTCYup, me too. I've known him for several years, and I really appreciate his willingness to share a very real perspective on optics manufacturing.
Forgotten Weapons
2024-04-07 12:35:27 +0000 UTCI really like Mike, he is so down to earth and honest
Shawn McIver
2024-04-07 12:32:16 +0000 UTC
