Vortex Nation Podcast

Nick Laufenberg joins Jimmy and Mark to discuss “custom turrets” for your riflescope – What are custom turrets, how do they work, what are their limitations, and should you get some for your riflescope? If not those, what are some other ways to get quick ballistics solutions in the field? All these questions and more get answered right here!

Remi Warren! Ryan Lampers! Early Season Archery Mule Deer! Pretty sure that’s all the description you need to click on this and get to learning. Mark connects with this dream team of Mule Deer hunting and Mule Deer knowledge to pick their brains clean of their lifetime of knowledge on this super cool topic! Mature Mule deer bucks don’t like to make mistakes – but these two gentlemen are masters at exploiting any edge they can get. Where do these deer live? What are they doing? Where are they going once they strip their velvet? All questions that get answered. We cover giving yourself enough time, being patient, wind considerations, stalking tactics, gear details, making your move at the right time, anticipating their next move to make the right move, when to back out, picking your hunt area based on terrain, targeting areas with low deer density, targeting areas with high deer density, finding water what to do if you blow a stalk and more!As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any

We see a lot of misinformation/confusion on the interwebs about co-witnessing red dots and holographic sights with the iron sights on AR’s or pistols. Are you supposed to line up your red dot with your irons? Can you use your irons to sight in your red dot? What’s the point of co-witnessing in the first place and how important is it really? Rob Morell joins Jimmy and Mark in this episode to debunk some myths we’ve seen about this topic!

It’s about time we talk about survival rifles. What’s the deal with these things? They come in all shapes, sizes and even calibers, but yet never really seem to catch fire. In this episode, Ryan Muckenhirn joins Jimmy and Mark to discuss a bit of the history of survival rifles, many of the different kinds, what cartridge is the best for survival situations, what optic works best on a survival rifle, what the heck are we even preparing to survive in the first place, and much more! As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on Instagram @vortexnationpodcast

Quick-handling repeating guns firing big, heavy, slow-moving (comparatively) bullets have garnered a reputation for being “Brush Busters” for as long as we can remember. But why? Do the bullets these cartridges fire really bust through brush accurately, delivering their heavy payload on target no matter what lay before them. Are bucks in heavy cover with a screen of brush covering their vitals truly unsafe from these magic bullets? Is this concept fact or fiction? Should we do some experimenting ourselves? Let us know in the comments!

Arizona may not be the first state you think of when it comes to fall black bear hunting, but it may be one you want to get on your radar. Mark sits down with Arizona resident and expert hunter Josh Kirchner, to talk about this super cool hunt and all it offers. A beautiful and unique region, over the counter tags, the flexibility to choose your weapon, a season that runs concurrently with several others, and the chance you may come home with some delicious meat – what’s not to like. Josh covers tips, tactics, bear behavior, food sources, and more in this ultra-interesting discussion. And you can start in August - a time when a lot of big game hunters don’t have anything on the docket. Give this one listen and you may just find yourself bearing the heat chasing bears in AZ this fall. Bio:Josh Kirchner is an outdoor writer, photographer, and the voice behind the blog Dialed in Hunter. His blog not only documents his own journey, but provides gear reviews, tips/tactics for western hunting, and encourages other

Remi Warren joins Mark and Jimmy once again to discuss solo filming hunts. After we talked with Wyatt and Erik about outdoor photography, we got a number of requests suggesting going into detail around filming hunts - and who better to talk to about this topic than a man who has been filming his own hunts for years professionally. Not only has Remi put out some incredible videos shot entirely on his own with multiple cameras he’s hiked back into the wilderness, but he also feels it’s made him a better hunter along the way. He even seems to miss the camera when he goes on hunts without it. Remi goes into what to expect when trying to film your hunt, what gear he always packs, how he’s able to think ahead of where to put a camera and what to focus it on, as well as many frustrating times an entire setup went bust thanks to dead batteries, technical difficulties, or uncooperative wild game!As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcas

We can’t believe it’s been two years of podcasting already! After all this time, it seemed like a good idea to do an episode for you all to get to know our hosts, Jimmy and Mark, a little bit better. This breaks the normal trend of our mostly instructional episodes and focuses solely on having a little fun. Don’t worry – we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled episodes right after this. Here’s to another 2+ years of podcasting!

If you like heart-pounding,  edge-of-your seat, ground-based  whitetail action like we do –  listen to this podcast  -  then go check out the DVD’s Jared Scheffler/Whitetail Adrenaline has been putting out since 07. Yes I said DVDs’, yes they are still making them and yes you should pick one up and have an old fashioned DVD party with your hunting homeys - complete with snacks and a cold one, or two, or……. we’re not your Mom, do what you want. In this episode, we sit down with Jared to talk about how he left the trees to pursue these cagey for-legged ungulates on his own two feet, the tactics he’s developed over the years, the advantages, stories of the ones that got away, ones that didn’t and a whole lot more.As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on Instagram @vortexnationpodcast

Don’t blame yourself, it could be your equipment. Jimmy, Mark and well, pretty much just our beloved Ryan Muckenhirn, talk you through the things you should check on your rifle and in what order to rule out inconsistencies in accuracy. We also cover how and why issues may manifest so you can spot them easier. We’ve all experienced accuracy ghosts – those things that seem unexplainable. You tear your hair out and burn ammo trying to ferret out the culprit and remedy the problem for days and possibly weeks. Maybe even never. You’re not alone. Listen in to this enlightening podcast and you may just regain some sanity and learn how to get that rifle-rig shooting straight.

The title says it all – Does putting a suppressor on the end of your rifle make it inherently less accurate? More accurate? No different at all? Reuben and Adam, our in house “Can Bois” for all things NFA, discuss the many variables and details that go into not only how suppressors work in terms of making your shot quieter, but also how they influence the performance of your rifle. Notice we didn’t say “Hurt” the performance of your rifle – You’ll have to listen to figure out that part!As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on Instagram @vortexnationpodcast

Taping the muzzle of your rifle – common practice for some, extreme uncertainty for others. I mean how could sealing the business--end of your rifle not effect accuracy? It has to right? Or does it? Jimmy, Mark and our beloved Ryan “Mucky” Muckenhirn sit down to discuss this very topic. Listen up, it may just save your hunt!

I’ve you’ve been shooting for really any amount of time, chances are you’ve found yourself in the incredibly frustrating situation where you just can’t seem to hit a target no matter what you do. We’ve certainly been there, too! It really doesn’t matter whether it’s at 1,000+ yards or 100 yards, there are so many variables that go into every single shot, it can happen on any rifle or at any distance. Scott Parks and Reuben Aleckson join Jimmy and Mark to discuss, from some pro shooter’s perspectives, all the many reasons you may be having those frustrating misses. Spoiler alert – a great deal of it has nothing to do with the equipment, and everything to do with the shooter. Don’t worry, though – if this is your case, it doesn’t make you a bad shooter – it happens to all of us. Just learn from those situations for the future!As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on Instagram @vortexnationpodcast

If you hunt, shoot or compete with an optics-equipped firearm, this could be the most important information you hear or that you can give to your friends to create the most reliable, accurate and repeatable setup possible. “Over-Torqued Rings” is a phrase we’ve mentioned in the past on the podcast and one you may have heard about on the internet from time to time. There’s all kinds of different rings/mounts/specs/ideas/theories out there that can make actually getting the right information on how to properly tighten the rings around your scope tube difficult. While it’s nearly impossible for us to go through every single ring/mount ever created, Jimmy and Mark give a breakdown on the most common ring/mount types we see and not only how to set them up properly, but also why it’s so important that you do. We also talk about scope position in the rings, why the use of thread locker is unnecessary for your ring screws, and a bunch more… *Please note* - When Jimmy discussed the torque sequence for vertically split

What do you do when the tide of a war has changed and suddenly your complicated, pole-vault-pole-length, bolt action rifles are no longer a viable solution to close quarters combat or outfitting a massive fighting force? Get out your sheet metal, some random parts from the hardware store, a few car mufflers and as many hands as you can get to build stuff and start cranking out some submachine guns. Few other categories of firearms come in so many unique shapes, sizes, and chamberings with such incredible stories behind each of their developments. Ryan Muckenhirn joins Jimmy and Mark to discuss everything from the classic Tommy Gun and some other obscure old SMG’s to the more modern designs made famous by James Bond’s and Call of Duty’s on the big screens. If you’re a firearm enthusiast, this one has your name written all over it!As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on Instagram @vortexnationpodcast

Much to Mark’s delight, Ryan Muckenhirn joins him and Jimmy to discuss the 300 WSM. (Sorry, Texans – there’s a lot of different pronunciations we throw around of “WSM” in this one). All of Jimmy’s joking to poke fun at Mark aside, the 300 WSM is one impressive cartridge and to quote Ryan himself, could be looked at as “The modern day gentleman’s 30-06”. That’s a big claim to make, but could it be true? We talk all about design, performance, comparisons and limitations (Just to bug Mark) in this quick podcast!

The 4-legged critters we chase are often adorned with impressive headgear…..Not like those back-in-the day tooth-straightening torture devises. We’re talking regal, powerful, impressive, elegant headgear made of bone or hair. Some fall off annually to grow back bigger and can be picked up like Easter-egg-like forest treasures. Some have annuli, grow bigger every year and stay with the animal until the day it dies. And the case of the North-American Pronghorn – commonly called just antelope –  kind of do both of those things, falling somewhere in the middle. Jimmy, Mark and Ryan M. sit down with a stack of euro mounts to chat through the unique characteristics of horns and antlers. No matter which camp they fall in, one thing is certain, they are just plant cool!

Get the lead out,  keep it in….or a little bit of both. Lead in ammunition is a hot topic these days. Seems we can all agree we want to maintain the health and integrity of the environment. And we certainly don’t want to compromise our personal health, our family’s health or anybody who consumes wild game we bring to the table using ammunition containing lead. But what are the real risks? What does the research show us, so we can make the most informed and practical decisions. What would be the economic ramifications if non-lead became the requirement for all ammunition. What would be the performance limitations of certain firearms? These are the questions we ask Nephi Cole from the National shooting Sports foundation. He cites several studies as we chat through what can be a complex and at times controversial topic. So many things need to be taken into consideration. The good news is, products exist so we can all make a personal choice as it relates to the matter. So we have that going for us – which is nice

If you’re familiar with all four official NATO cartridges, you had to know this one was coming as the grand finale to our NATO cartridges series. The incredible 50 BMG – perhaps sometimes looked at as though made of unicorn horns and leprechaun dust – Ryan Muckenhirn explains the origins of this old beast, what its reasonable capabilities actually are, its many applications, and why you should have a half inch gun in your own safe for when SHTF. You simply can’t miss the one about the biggest of them all.

In this installment of the Vortex Nation Podcast, we sit down with Robbie Kroger and Braxton McCoy to talk about Braxton’s story and the powerful film Robby put together to help tell it. Serving our country, Braxton suffered extreme injuries and was told he may never walk again. He’s battled demons, worked his ass off to overcome challenges difficult to comprehend and put himself in a place most would think impossible. From breaking horses to guiding hunters, the healing process and the book he wrote “The Glass Factory,” tune in for this inciteful, inspirational, and informational conversation. To watch Robbie’s film, head over to the Vortex YouTube channel. As Robbie says, “Everybody has a story to tell.” This is not only a good story, but an important story. Thank you to Braxton and all our Military Personnel for your service and sacrifice.As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on Instagram @vortexnationpodca