Vortex Nation Podcast

Sure, you can legally fly with your beloved firearm and its ammo, but how should you actually pack it? What combo of hard cases, bags, locks, etc do Adam and Reuben recommend? We also briefly chat about what to do if you get pulled over in another state with firearms you’re traveling with toward the end as a bonus. Disclaimer – we are not lawyers, nor are we always going to be perfect in our interpretation or verbiage behind every federal law, state law, or in this case, individual airline regulation. You should always do your own research about your own situation at the given time given the complexity and changing nature of these things. Vortex and the hosts/guests of this podcast are not responsible for the actions of our viewers and listeners.

So right off the bat, we should tell you this isn’t going to be a series of “If/then” statements about “If you do _____, then you should get _____ scope”. Truth is, the possibilities there are endless and it would get pretty boring pretty fast. What Jimmy, Mark and Ryan M really wanted to get at in this episode is how do you determine exactly what it is that you’re going to be doing with your rifle and scope, and then how do you determine exactly what features, level of optical quality, and price range, to name just a few of the variables, you really and truly need to accomplish that task. We see bad advice all over the internet about choosing optics – many times putting down new comers to hunting and/or shooting or making them feel like the sport/lifestyle simply can’t be done without a huge budget or gobs of time and an optical engineering degree. Perhaps a few times we got in “Rant” mode here because of it, but just know, it’s all in the name of helping everyone figure out what’s best for them and simply b

Maybe you had no idea you could actually even fly with your firearms checked on a flight, maybe you did but haven’t done it before, or maybe you have done it, but still feel a little uneasy about it and aren’t totally sure how best to handle it next time – Never fear! Reuben and Adam join Jimmy and Mark to discuss this very topic. These two guys work in our dealer sales and training department and do range days and competitions and hunts all over the country so they fly with firearms all the time. After all that experience, they’ve been able to boil down how you should approach the situation with no fear of getting taken to that scary dark room in the back. Disclaimer – we are not lawyers, nor are we always going to be perfect in our interpretation or verbiage behind every federal law, state law, or in this case, individual airline regulation. You should always do your own research about your own situation at the given time given the complexity and changing nature of these things. Vortex and the hosts/guests

Nothing preserves memories in the field better than a well-taken photo, so we sat down with Wyatt Cole and Erik Barber to talk about all-things “getting started in photography”. Listen in for great tips and tricks on getting the perfect shot. Whether you’re shooting on a fancy mirrorless camera with a lens that costs more than your truck payment, or snapping away on your phone, this episode covers everything you need to capture a wall hanger of a different variety.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

At one point or another, we all have to mount a scope to our rifle. Besides getting good gear and adhering to proper torque specs/sequences, leveling your riflescope is one of the most important things we do in order to set ourselves up for success at the range. The internet is full of differing opinions on how to properly do the job, but the fact remains, you can’t argue with physics, and that’s exactly what Nick Laufenberg used in this 10 minute conversation with Jimmy to explain how to properly level your long range riflescope. Spoiler alert – it may not be perfectly level to your rifle! This was Part 2 of a longer conversation between Jimmy and Nick. If you missed part 1, Nick started by explaining how rifle cant can affect your accuracy at long range and the importance of having your reticle level to the earth when you take your shot. Check it out.

Nick Laufenberg joins Jimmy to discuss the effect of rifle cant on accuracy at long range. If you’ve ever wondered why some people put bubble levels on their riflescope and whether or not it’s just to look cool with some extra range bling – here’s your answer. Spoiler alert – just a little bit of cant can absolutely cause you to miss! Nick brought charts and specific examples to show you exactly how important a level reticle (notice we didn’t say rifle) for your shot is. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this same conversation as it naturally transitioned into the question – “How should I actually go about leveling my riflescope when I mount it??”

The number one reason to wear camo: Conceal yourself from game. The number one reason to avoid wearing camo: Every non-hunter you encounter will hit you with the same unavoidable joke  - “Whoa, I didn’t see you there”  -  forcing you into the same polite laugh you’ve responded with Lord knows how many times. Regardless, there’s no doubt camouflage can have a positive impact on your hunt. In this podcast we cover the importance of camo, how it works, it’s evolution, hunt tactics you can use to enhance concealment, wearing solids, weapon and game-specific considerations 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

Ian Klemm joins Jimmy and Mark for 10 minutes to blow some minds. Does barrel break-in even matter?? Conventional wisdom says “Yes” and perhaps there’s some truth to that, but Ian would argue it’s not nearly as important as the internet wants you to believe and that you don’t need to waste a ton of time/ammo to get your barrel ready to shoot extremely accurately – Even with hand-made custom barrels! Tune in to hear why and let us know your thoughts on barrel break-in, too. This one was in response to a ton of feedback on our full-length Barrels podcast with Ian, so keep those suggestions, questions and ideas coming! Best spot to throw them out is on Instagram by messaging @vortexnationpodcast

Reuben and Scott Parks (Back from our Long Range series some time ago!) join Jimmy and Mark to discuss the topic of making your rifle fit you. This is a broad topic that can really go in a lot of different directions – proper stock/chassis choice and setup, proper optic setup, and probably most importantly – a good understanding of the fundamentals of marksmanship and plain good shooting. Scott also talks natural point of aim and the fact that shooting a heavier recoiling rifle can often times immediately point out any shooting fundamentals you’re doing wrong or have gotten a little lazy about.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

Just when you thought they were done, Jimmy and Mark carried on Westward to LA to meet up with Damyan Tuchenishki from Renner Racing Development, a highly specialized Subaru racing shop that helped Jimmy remotely along the way during the Forester build process. They talk even more about why Subaru’s are awesome, what goes into making their record-breaking time attack cars, the history of their shop, and a whole lot more. Stay tuned, too, because the crew at Renner is set to do a little more work on the Forester from here to make it even better for future Podventures!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

First off – we made it to Arizona AND hunted all four days we intended to hunt, so we can already say this is a marked improvement over the last podventure. Mark and Jimmy sit down in a hotel room on an oddly rainy southern Arizona evening around midnight or so to talk about one of the most challenging but immensely fun hunts they’ve ever done. They give the rundown on how the Subaru performed going cross-country and then offroading around the AZ desert, lessons learned bowhunting coues deer in some seriously brutal terrain, glassing tips, and how effectively stalking deer is a lot like mimicking tigers on National Geographic.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

Long rang isn’t limited to rifles. Today’s hunting bows are technologically advanced engineering marvels built to send projectiles to their intended target with astonishing precision. Mark and Jimmy sit down with Evan Williams of Hoyt, to chat through wringing out every last ounce of performance from your compound bow. This is pretty nerdy stuff - all geared toward maximizing your effective range and the capability of you and your setup. We cover everything from the anatomy of your bow, break in, tuning, paper tuning, getting optimal arrow flight/terminal performance to the color pink being cool 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

With the Subaru mostly finished, Jimmy and Mark head to Reno, NV to talk to Remi Warren about how to bow hunt coues deer in Arizona. People don’t call these things grey ghosts for nothing – they’re extremely difficult to spot, constantly on high alert for predators, and during the rut when we’re going in January, quite unpredictable. Remi has a boat load of experience and success spotting, stalking and killing coues deer, so picking his brain for every last bit of information, tips and tricks is incredibly interesting and helpful. As a bonus, the timing and location of this hunt lends itself to bow hunting another unique creature, the Javelina, so Remi also gives us the 4-1-1 on exactly what to do if we bump into them along the way and why it’s usually an incredibly fun and heart-pounding experience! Next up – How complicated could “Bow accuracy” and getting one’s self prepared for a potentially long shot on game really be? (Spoiler alert – Just as complicated as if not more than long range rifle shooting!)As

Mark, Jimmy, and Erik sit down to talk about purchasing and rebuilding a $1200 Subaru Forester they found on eBay for their cross-country road-tripping, overlanding, off-road Arizona coues deer bow hunting adventure. Jimmy gets the chance of a lifetime to talk about cars for an entire podcast and tries to get real with folks about what it’s really like for the average guy or gal to search for, purchase, inspect and rebuild their own hunting rig. We also chat about why an SUV most commonly seen as a mundane grocery getter like the Subaru Forester might currently be one of the best options in reliable, comfortable, spacious and off-road capable vehicles on the market that you can probably find for an absolute bargain. If you’re interested in learning about cars, like a challenge and have kicked around the idea of a relatively cheap vehicle you can beat on in the backcountry without worry for scratched paint or a dirty interior, you won’t want to miss this one. If you don’t give a rip about cars and never will –

Remi Warren sits down with Jimmy and Mark prior to their next big podventure to discuss Javelina hunting. Remi has extensive Javelina hunting experience in the southwest and passes on his knowledge of calling them, what to expect when they come running in, shot placement, stalking, behavior and one controversial topic – how do they taste and how should you cook ‘em?? Spoiler alert – Remi loves him some Javelina chops! Stay tuned – this is just a taste of the next podventure to release!

So you got a shotgun – good – you own one of, if not THE, most versatile firearms ever created. It’s pretty simple to operate, pretty simple to understand, but what about the ammo? Shotgun aisles at stores are jam-packed with hundreds of different options – are they all really that different? Does it matter what you actually choose? If so (Spoiler alert – it does matter), how do you go about choosing the right ammo for your shotgun, your application, and maybe ever your location? Reuben and Ryan M join Jimmy and Mark to talk about gauges, shot size, toxic vs non-tox, why some shells are super expensive and some are dirt cheap, shell length, how certain loads interact with your barrel and choke, and so much more. We also forget the topic for a hot second and talk all about getting your shotgun properly fitted to you for better accuracy and speed in the field, at the gun club or in competition. Don’t miss this one!As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered o

Adam Maxwell joins Jimmy and Mark for 10 minutes (Or close enough, right?) to talk about piston vs direct impingement (DI) gas systems in semi-automatic firearms. What’s are they, what do they do, why are they different and are there pro’s and con’s to each of them? You’ll have to tune in to learn those answers!

Jimmy and Mark are joined by Reuben Aleckson and Adam Maxwell to talk SBR’s (Short Barreled Rifles). Why are they so hot right now? Why do so many people assume they’re impossible to attain? With pistol brace “Technology” making pistol AR’s closer and closer to their rifle counterparts these days, is it still worth it to SBR your lower? Do people just do it to be cool or are there serious practical applications to a shorter barrel? And of course – WHAT ABOUT VELOCITY?!? Answers to these questions and so much more are ready to fill your ears in this episode! 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

Jimmy and Mark stand up for way more than 10 minutes with Ryan Muckenhirn to discuss the mighty little FN 5.7. This cartridge has been around for a long time but still seems new and exciting every time it finds its way into a new firearm brand’s handgun or rifle. Ryan breaks down its performance, both in some of the professional loads and guns FN originally designed it for, and in some of the civilian firearms we see on the market today with civilian ammo. Could it be used for hunting? Is it a viable self-defense cartridge? Is it the cartridge itself or the guns its chambered in that make this little devil so dang cool??

Jimmy and Mark got the unique opportunity to talk to two of the technicians from the Vortex binocular repair team, Scott and Cody, so they could answer many of the questions we’ve received about how to properly care for, maintain and generally be good owners of one’s optics. These guys spend every day working on binoculars, spotting scopes and other observation optics that have been used, abused, rode hard and put away wet. Many times they’re using professional optical equipment and years of know-how under their belt to fix a given product, but many times the problems could have been avoided or can be remedied with patience and some simple procedures you can do yourself at home or in the field.   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