The Best Quick Detach AR-15 Scope Mounts
Custom AR-15: Hog Guns and .300 Blackout
/* custom css */.td_uid_2_5f37651539eb2_rand.td-a-rec-img { text-align: left; } .td_uid_2_5f37651539eb2_rand.td-a-rec-img img { margin: 0 auto 0 0; } By equipping your custom AR-15 .300 Blackout with night vision, you can shop for all the pork you could possibly want. What you need in a hog-hunting AR-15: Hogs are tough characters. Use the largest caliber AR you can still shoot quickly. Nighttime is hog time, and night vision optics are more accessible and affordable than ever. If pork is on your grocery list, consider a weapons light and suppressor for your custom AR-15. This is a FLIR thermal optic on a .300 Blackout carbine. It offers an affordable thermal sight, with a cost under three grand, and ruggedness enough to last through a lot of nighttime hog-whacking. The world is being over-run. On the seas, the water is filling with jellyfish. On land, hogs. Or so it seems, at times. Hogs are productive (at least when it comes to making more hogs), adaptable and smart. They are also quite destructive, at least from the perspective of farmers and ranchers. A squadron of hogs can pretty much reduce a plot of crops to a muddy mess in the course of a weekend. Shooting them is not considered hunting in most locales, especially the ones that suffer from their presence. No, it is pest eradication. The process is not sniping or whacking a single hog, the big, trophy hog. No, the idea is to get as many of them as possible at each opportunity. The ATN Night Arrow is an integrated night vision and optic with a built-in reticle. You only need it, not an optic and an NVG. Complicating this is the cleverness of the hogs. They are smart enough to know what is going on, and ornery enough to not like it. If you hunt hogs, they will adapt. Quickly. Ambush a new fleet of them on a nice sunny day, and they will move to dawn and dusk. Go after them then, and they will hole up in the light hours and come out only at night. This doesn’t take long if the ones you are hunting having been briefed by others, and they are already starting at night. So, you’ll be using specialty optics. Before we get to that, there is the matter of caliber. I’ve been told that the .223/5.56 is marginal, that the .300 Blackout is enough or marginal, and that everything up to a tactical nuke is “marginal.” Yes, they are tough, but they are not all the size of Buicks. You can use whatever you want, like, have or are recommended. My suggestion on caliber is this: consider the biggest one with the stoutest load that you can shoot quickly and accurately. A .300 blackout that you can hit with at the rate of 3-4 shots per second is probably better than a .458 Socom that you can hit with at the rate of 3-4 shots in ten seconds. A removable night vision scope is great for nighttime pest control. You can move it from one rifle to another and not change zero, since the zero is in the optic that this sits in front of. Use the biggest caliber that you can hit fast with. Then scope it up. Related GunDigest Articles The Quintessential 22 Pistol: The Colt Woodsman AK-74: Soviet Blaster for the 5.45x39mm Cartridge Does This Mossberg 590 Tactical Shotgun Blow The Rest Away? Since the hogs will be out at night, you will want to use night vision gear. Also known by the acronym NVG, or NODs, these are photomultipliers that let you see in dim light. Starlight, in fact. Even a hint of moon helps, but it helps the hogs, too. Overcast makes NVG useless, as it hasn’t anything to magnify. NVG Night vision comes in two types, add-ons and weaponsights. The add-ons are just night vision multipliers. They take in the ambient light, crank it up thousands of times, and pump it out as a video picture in a small TV screen on the back of the unit. This is the ubiquitous “green screen” image we see in movies and TV shows. The image is not nearly as hi-res as your smartphone, in part because the expense of making it such would be hideous, and in part because the volume of production can’t support that cost. Each pixel you see in the image on your NVG is a “pipe” of the multiplier. If you wanted to double the resolution, you would have to double the number of microscopic pipes that are used by the photomultiplier to produce that image. The ATN in front of the magnifying optic. You mount the NVG on your rifle with your regular aiming optic already mounted behind it. You look through your scope, at the image of the NVG, and as long as your scope was properly zeroed, you get hits. The big advantage here is that you can install the scope, zero it, and know it is on. Then put the NVG on when you need it, and take it off when you don’t, and not change your zero . The disadvantage is that you have two scopes, with their combined weight, on the rifle at night. When night shooting was sniping and single shots, this wasn’t a problem. When trying to whack a whole herd of hogs before they can flee, extra weight is a problem. The setup is exemplified by my ATN NVG. This is a day/night system, where you mount it for night and take it off for the day. This is not to be confused with a Day-Night scope, which can be used at both times of day. Behind it, use the scope of your choice. I generally don’t use anything with more magnification than 10X. The reason is simple: you are not magnifying 10X on the NVG as you would be in the day. The daytime “resolution” of the world is beyond the parameters of the 2K, 4K, 8K digital methodology. When you zoom up in your scope, you see 10X closer of an object that can be viewed microscopically if you had the gear. Yes, it is not uncommon for there to be a bit of misalignment between the magnifying optic and the NVG. This can be corrected with a set of rings to adjust the optic to the axis of the NVG. A small problem in the scheme of things, and a slight mismatch isn’t an impediment to good shooting. When you zoom up to 10X on an NVG display, you are zooming up on a screen that is 640×480 in resolution. If you go X enough, you simply see pixels you can’t turn into an image. So, use as much as you want, but realize that you run into the law of diminishing returns really quickly.
{ TOP 10 } Best Air Guns July 2020 Updated Reviews
An air gun is a rifled gun that propels a projectile by means of compressed air. The basic principle of air gun is compressed air is stored in the gun until the time of firing. After firing, gas is released behind the projectiles which propels it down the barrel. This principal remains the same between earlier version of air rifle and the Best Air Guns of modern time. But earlier time rifle differs markedly with recent time air rifle. The major difference is how and where compressed air was stored. For example, some of the early rifles had a reservoir ( in some cases in the rear section of the stock) to store compressed air. Also earlier version of rifles utilized projectiles of .30, .35, or even larger caliber. However, significant change has been taken place in modern air files. These are most powerful than their previous counterpart. For instance, Best Air Guns could be .177 cal (4.5mm) that has a muzzle energy of about 20ft/lbs. Muzzle energy can go up to about 25 ft/lb (34 Joules) for a .22, or 38 ft/lb (51 Joules) for .25. Air guns have been used for centuries. In ancient time, it was used primarily for hunting. But now air guns are used for pests control, cheap practice, fun plinking, accurate target shooting, small game hunting performance. Use of air guns is very much popular now because they are less lethal than firearms. But With the great number of models and powerplants plus the serious price hike in the industry today, picking Best Air Guns is a challenge. What You Will Get Here How Do We Pick The Best Air Guns? Best Air Guns Comparison Chart (Updated 2020) Gamo Silent Cat air rifle Gamo 6110017154 Varmint Air Rifle Daisy Powerline 340 BB Repeater Pistol Gamo Swarm Maxxim Air Rifle Daisy outdoor products model 1938 red ryder bb gun Smith & Wesson M&P Airgun Daisy 880 Powerline Air Rifle Kit, Crosman Vigilante 357 Co2 Air Pistol Kit Crosman P1377 Pellet Air Pistol Crosman P1322 Caliber Pellet Air Pistol Final Verdict How Do We Pick The Best Air Guns? Air rifle market is surprisingly large. Air guns have many variations in terms of features, prices. So picking the Best Air Guns is not an easy task. In order to pick the best air guns you need to answer a few questions. Answers of these questions would determine the The Best Air Guns you are looking for. What do you want this gun for? For example, if your purpose is pest control (squirrels, rats) a .177 cal (4.5 mm) with muzzle energy of up to about 20 ft/lbs (27 Joules) is a good choice for you. If your purpose is target, training and a wide variety pests control then Rifles in .22 cal (5.5mm) and .25 cal (6.3mm) that are usually classed as magnums in the US will work greatly for f you. Do you want a repeater? If so than the Best Air Guns for you would be repeating rifles. These rifles are scarce but they are starting to take over the market. How much quality do you want? This is a powerful question where air guns are concerned. If you are looking for features like caliber interchangeability, recoilless operation, magnum power than this gun would be more powerful and accurate than a handmade Whiscombe recoilless spring air rifle. Best "Air Guns Comparison" Chart (Updated 2020) Product Name Read Review Price 1st Gamo Silent Cat air rifle Read Full Review "Read Full Review" Check Price 2nd "Gamo 6110017154 Varmint" Air Rifle Read Full Review Read Full Review Check Price 3rd Daisy Powerline 340 BB Repeater Pistol Read Full Review Read Full Review Check Price 4th "Gamo Swarm Maxxim" Air Rifle Read Full Review Read Full Review Check Price 5th Daisy outdoor products model 1938 red ryder bb gun Read Full Review Review Read Full Check Price 6th Smith & Wesson M&P Airgun "Review Read Full" Review Read Full Check Price 7th Daisy 880 Powerline Air Rifle Kit, Review Read Full Review Read Full Check Price 8th Crosman Vigilante 357 Co2 Air Pistol Kit Review Read Full Review Read Full Check Price 9th "Crosman P1377 Pellet" Air Pistol Review Read Full Review Read Full Check Price 10th Crosman "P1322 Caliber Pellet" Air Pistol Star Check Price "Star Check Price" Check Price 1 Gamo Silent Cat air rifle Editor Rating : 4.1 out of 5 star Check Price on Amazon! This rifle is light weight and easy to cock back and load. Gamo brand pellets fit snug and shoot in tight groups. The Crossman pellets are slightly loose when placed in the barrel. The mat black coating, the pistol grip, the "silencer" on the end of the barrel makes it super cool. It even has a bit of recoil. This rifle is quiet enough to deal with pests in the neighborhood. The gun itself shoots very smoothly. But it is louder up close. However, the sound dissipates rapidly as you move away from the shooting place. It is really a fun air gun for target practice. Your neighbor will not bother during your shooting practice. Specifications Product Dimensions 48.8 x 6 x 2.5 inches Weight 7 pounds item model number 6110072154 Warranty One-Year Limited Pros Nice power with very little recoil Easy loading Lightweight Considerably quieter than another equally powered air gun Very accurate Our Remarks The rifle is lightweight and suitable for anybody to shoot. The trigger is adjustable and smooth. If you want a competition rile this rifle will probably not meet your demand. But it is deadly accurate for killing cans and paper targets. Buy on Amazon 2 Gamo 6110017154 Varmint Air Rifle Editor Rating : 4.2 out of 5 star Check Price on Amazon! This is one of the best air guns in the world. It shoots a .177 PBA platinum alloy pellet at 1250 fps making it an ideal pellet gun for hunting small game, pest control, and target practice. Its 4x32mm scope allows you to pick-off small, hard-to-see targets. Coupled with its performance and features, it comes with an all weather molded synthetic stock with non-slip texturing on the pistol grip and forearm. A monte carlo cheek pad aligns your eye with the scope sight and a rubber recoil pad keeps the butt stock firmly planted on the shoulder. This Varmint Air Rifle functions with a break barrel, spring-powered cocking system, and has an automatic manual safety Specifications Product Dimensions 43 x 5.8 x 2.2 inches Weight 5.47 Pounds item model number 6110017154 Warranty 1 Year Trigger Pull 3.53 Lbs. Pros Tough All Weather Ambidextrous Stock Lightweight design. Perfect for recreational shooting Automatic cocking safety system Manual trigger safety Standard trigger with adjustable second stage Our Remarks It is very light weight and easy to hold. Using crosman hollow points, it is tight fit, which is good for accuracy. It is good choice for anyone who is looking to end a small animal life or just plink around. This is an incredible rile for the price. Buy on Amazon 3 Daisy Powerline 340 BB Repeater Pistol Editor Rating : 3.3 out of 5 star Check Price on Amazon! Daisy powerline 340 BB repeater pistol is a single-shot BB spring-air pistol with a 200-shot BB reservoir and a 13-shot Speedload clip. Located in the grip is the removable Speedload clip. Once you load the reservoir with 200 BBsYou; just pull the Speedload clip tab all the way out, shake the pistol, and push the tab back in to reload the Speedload Clip without removing the magazine. This pistol is great for hours of fun on the range and basic training for pistol shooters. This pistol is appropriate for adults. But for the age group of 16 using this pistol requires adult supervision. Specifications Product Dimensions 8.9 x 1.4 x 5.7 inches Item model number 980340-442 Overall Length 8.5 Inch Shooting Distance 100 Yards Pros Low cost Moderate power (240 fps) Extremely Lightweight (made mostly out of plastic) Good sights Accurate Easy to use magazine Our Remarks It is not a high-powered hunting game. Rather it is fun pistol to shoot. It will surely poke holes in soda cans and paper targets. Buy on Amazon 4 Gamo Swarm Maxxim Air Rifle Editor Rating : 4.2 out of 5 star Check Price on Amazon! This airguns provides the perfect shooting platform for small game hunting and recreational shooting. It features 10 X quick-shot patent pending technology that utilizes a 10-round rotary-style magazine, providing faster loading for repetitive shooting. The barrel of swarm Maxxim Air Rifle has integrated whisper Maxxim sound suppression technology, keeping shooting noise to the minimum. The Inert Gas Technology provides steady and consistent power, increasing accuracy and durability with less vibration. The Swarm Maxxim incorporates GAMO’s patent pending CAT (Custom Action Trigger), a two-stage adjustable trigger that provides a crisp, clean and smooth trigger pull for improved accuracy. GAMO designed the Swarm Maxxim with their Recoil Reducing Rail that maximizes the scope lifespan because of its 99.9% recoil compensation designed for high-power air rifles. The tough, all-weather molded synthetic stock has Shock Wave Absorber and their color-coded gasket proshot ID System to help better align shooting needs with the performance attributes of each model from hunting to pest control and recreation to target and competition. Specifications Weight 5-6.4lb Item model number 611007654-P Warranty 3 Year Length Of Pull 14.4 In Pros Very powerful Well-constructed Easy to adjust scope and sight Great for the back yard Great design for auto loading pellets into the barrel Our Remarks This is special gun for the price. The scope is not great but it is not horrible either. The magazines and loading system are superb. Automatic loader worked perfectly. Buy on Amazon 5 Daisy outdoor products model 1938 red ryder bb gun Editor Rating : 4.4 out of 5 star Check Price on Amazon! The Daisy red ryder bb gun is all time classic classic airguns. The solid wood stock with forearm and well-built lariat and a leather thong make it the most popular BB gun in the world. Its shot capacity is 650-shot with maximum velocity 350 fps. It has stained solid wood stock and forearm with blade and ramp front and adjustable rear sight. The wood construction is great as the metal is solid. The lever action is smooth and the sights are accurate. Specifications Product Dimensions 1 x 1 x 1 inches Item model number 991938-833 capacity 650 shot Pros Incredibly accurate Amazing starter for young kids Fits perfectly into a child’s hand (but ensure adult supervision) Good little squirrel deterrent. Great piece of nostalgia Our Remarks One drawback is thta it is hard to cock before shooting. But after sometime, you would get used to it. This BB gun will evoke childhood memory of many people. Because many of us use this gun to shoot first during our early years. Buy on Amazon 6 Smith & Wesson M&P Airgun Editor Rating : 4.5 out of 5 star Check Price on Amazon! This replica airguns are made based on the S & W military and police firearm. The M&P air pistol is a BB repeater powered by one 12g CO2 cylinder that hides in the grip of the BB pistol. An integrated accessory rail underneath the muzzle is a great place to add a tactical flashlight or an airgun laser. An element of realism is added with a 19-shot drop out BB magazine. The Smith & Wesson M&P CO2 pistol has a manual safety feature. Its double action trigger tis amazingly close to the actual handgun, and fixed front and rear fiber optic sights. This BB replica is not only a great BB gun for some fun plinking, but also makes a great target shooting and training pistol for S&W M&P firearm owners. Specifications Product Dimensions 9.5 x 3 x 9.2 inches Weight 2.2 pounds size Medium Item model number 2255050 Overall Length 5-Inch Pros Feels substantial enough in hand Easy to load Gentle killing of meat rabbits Shoots pretty far with great accuracy The co2 lasts a long time Our Remarks This pistol is inexpensive yet it has great fps and velocity. It is solid and reasonably powerful. It never jam or misfire. It is accurate, lightweight and powerful. Buy on Amazon 7 Daisy 880 Powerline Air Rifle Kit, Editor Rating : 4 out of 5 star Check Price on Amazon! The daisy 880 Powerline Air Rifle features a wood grained, molded Monte Carlo stock and forearm. This have also single load option with your choice of any .177 caliber pellets. You can pump the gun for three times for indoor practice or do it more to gain higher velocity for pest control and outdoor shooting. For windage and elevation. It features a cross-hair reticle and fog proof, shockproof and color corrected. Specifications Product Dimensions 38.7 x 2.3 x 5.5 inches size 37.6 Inch Color Dark Brown/Black, Item model number 995880-623 Pros This air rifle is made very robust. Feels very good in the hand Scope is simple to adjust Easy to use and quick to learn Nice pump action Our Remarks This rifle is packaged nicely and included everything. It is really powerful and scope is extremely accurate once calibrated. This product is perfect for anyone who is looking for a quality product with a reasonable price. Buy on Amazon 8 Crosman Vigilante 357 Co2 Air Pistol Kit Editor Rating : 4.3 out of 5 star Check Price on Amazon! The Crosman Vigilante 357 Co2 Air Pistol is a semi-automatic 10-shot air pistol with a unique revolver styling finger-molded grip design. This is perfect for action shooting. It is powered by CO2. This Crosman Vigilante is a decently made. For a CO2 pistol is has pretty good muzzle velocity and target penetration at 8 meters. This pistol kit included a nylon holster along with three extra 10-round pellet clips, in addition to the stock one that comes with it. There is also one 6-round BB clip included. The two-piece black plastic handle grip is easily removable for replacing the CO2 cartridge. Specifications model 357 Caliber 177 Velocity 435 Fps Pros Adjustable rear sight Smooth trigger Entire gun is very strong The barrel is rifled makes shooting with pellets very accurate Good for plinking Our Remarks This pistol has enough weight to keep your hands steady. It is great for target shooting. This is simple to use and awesome to look at. Buy on Amazon 9 Crosman P1377 Pellet Air Pistol Editor Rating : 4.4 out of 5 star Check Price on Amazon! This Crosman P1377 Pellet Air Pistol is a classic pump pistol. The new sleek design makes this .177 caliber pneumatic air pistol a good choice with a single-action bolt design for easier cocking and loading. It has a rifled steel barrel for accuracy and an easy-pump forearm for variable pump power. It also features fully adjustable rear peep or open sights and a fixed blade front. The variable pump power let you control the velocity for whatever shooting you are doing. you can make improvements easily to this gun. For example, lessen the trigger tension by collapsing the tension spring (force closed) and reinsert, explore the amazing difference in trigger pull. Specifications Product Dimensions 2.2 x 14.2 x 6 inches color Black item model number P1377 Material Synthetic Pros Very powerful Outstanding accuracy Easy loading Very inexpensive Nice build quality Our Remarks This is a classic pump up pellet pistol. New design of pump arm protects fingers. It is easy to upgrade with steel breech kit and better rear sight. You can shoot almost any shape pellet. It is great value for the money. Buy on Amazon 10 Crosman P1322 Caliber Pellet Air Pistol Editor Rating : 4.4 out of 5 star Check Price on Amazon! This airguns shop favorite classic American pump pistol has new sleek and modern design. The .22 caliber pneumatic air pistol features a single-action bolt design for easier cocking and loading. It has a rifled steel barrel for accuracy and an easy-pump forearm for variable pump power. The p1322 features fully adjustable rear peep or open sights and a fixed blade front. The variable pump power let you control the velocity for whatever shooting you are doing. Specifications Product Dimensions 2.2 x 14.2 x 6 inches Weight 2.2 Pounds color Black Item model number P1322 Pros Easy cocking and loading Easy-pump forearm Adjustable rear peep Sleek and compact model Velocity control Our Remarks This is a good little air gun for adult people. It is precisely accurate and incredibly powerful for it size. Fun for shooting cans with 2 pumps. You could kill stuff with 10 pumps. 3 or 4 pumps are good for scaring away stray animals. So this can be use for a wide range of purposes. It is hard to find any good pump air rifles anymore in this price. Buy on Amazon Final Verdict It is time to consider yourself knowledgeable about all those different air guns explained above. Confident enough, huh? This was what we intended to achieve. We have tried to present you practical reviews of the Best Air Gunson the market. But, we still have some insights to offer. Quality is the surely a dominant factor for many people. Are you one of them? Then, Daisy outdoor products model 1938 red ryder bb gun and Crosman P1377 Pellet Air Pistol are excellent picks. If the price is the only thing that concerns you, two fine choices await you, such as Daisy Powerline 340 BB Repeater Pistol and Daisy 880 Powerline Air Rifle Kit , For people with distinct elegance in their tastes, Crosman P1322 Caliber Pellet Air Pistol and Crosman Vigilante 357 Co2 Air Pistol Kit should be the winners. If you want a minimalistic airgun that does the job yet costs a little, we recommend Gamo Swarm Maxxim Air Rifle The choice is still all yours to make. Happy buying! share share share share share
Rifle Shooting Basics: The Long-Forgotten Loop Sling
/* custom css */.td_uid_2_5f379d8ee6038_rand.td-a-rec-img { text-align: left; } .td_uid_2_5f379d8ee6038_rand.td-a-rec-img img { margin: 0 auto 0 0; } In sitting position with support forearm wrapped around sling and hand between sling and stock and wedged against front swivel. One of the most useful rifle shooting aids is also one of the most neglected. That is the use of the loop sling. The support and steadiness it provides, when properly used, is enormous. The hasty sling in offhand. Note rear strap across chest. Contrary to what you may have read before, the loop sling does not “tie the rifle to your shoulder,” or to your arm for that matter. What it does is to replace your support arm bicep muscle in holding up the weight of the rifle, not only taking one more trembling muscle out of the picture, but also preventing the support arm elbow joint angle from opening up and lowering the rifle, and even helping support the weight of the upper body in certain positions. While proper use of the shooting loop sling was long a staple of military training and was well known amongst hunters, the military started getting away from teaching it in the years after the Korean War. As a result, the knowledge of how to use this handy technique has all but disappeared from both the military and civilian worlds of riflery. This is a shame, as a properly set-up sling is a major aid to gaining a steady position. Col. Cooper’s observations, if I recall correctly, were that the shooting loop sling is useful in perhaps 60% of rifle hunting situations, and increases your steadiness by about 30%. I personally think he was being conservative. Related GunDigest Articles Video: Action Rifle Shooting with Jerry Miculek Video: Practical Rifle Shooting Positions in the Field Video: Mastering the Basics of Precision Shooting The best use of the shooting loop sling requires the support arm elbow (left elbow if you shoot righty) to be rested on a support. This can be a log, car hood (if legal for hunting in your state – it’s not in mine!), the ground (in prone), or your own leg (kneeling, squatting, or sitting). Sliding the loop all the way up your support upper arm can be done quickly with practice so when you get into position your rifle is steadied. When your elbow is hanging in the air you still have to use your support-side shoulder (front deltoid) muscle to hold everything up, so much of the steadiness a loop sling affords is wasted, since the only muscle it replaces is the bicep. If your elbow is not supported you can’t truly relax your support arm from shoulder to fingertips. If the situation calls for – and allows – the taking of any position or rest where the support arm elbow is planted on something solid, the shooting sling is the quickest, simplest, and least cumbersome steadiness aid there is. Got a bipod? Fine. How much weight does it add to your rifle, and how long does it take to deploy it and adjust its length properly? Carrying shooting sticks? Okay, how do you like carrying them all day? How much movement do you make setting them up properly?
Ranking The 10 Best Travel Backpacks of 2020
Traveling light is the ideal way for the digital nomads and adventurers of today to see the world. The right travel backpack gives you a place to safely store all your essentials without having to carry multiple cumbersome bags. An ideal travel backpack keeps all your gear in one easy-to-carry container. Our list of the Best Travel Backpacks includes selections that are specifically designed to be the only bag you’ll need for your travels. After check out our top ten, be sure to read through our comprehensive Buyer’s Guide to learn the most important factors to consider when choosing a new travel backpack. 1. Nomatic Travel Pack Click here for the lowest price on Amazon Ideal for the lightweight business traveler, the Nomatic is a carry-on sized pack with an internal, zippered laptop sleeve to keep your computer safe. The exterior of the pack is made with lightweight and durable Kodra tarpaulin that’s also water-resistant. The pack’s Kiss-lock zippers also function to keep water out and your belongings safe. This pack boasts an internal mesh divider that allows you to keep your everyday-carry items separate from electronics. The pack’s capacity can expand to 30 liters in total and it weighs just 4 pounds when empty. Perhaps best of all, the internal laptop pocket in this pack is TSA-approved ( 1 ), which means you can simply lay the pack flat and pass through TSA checkpoints quickly and efficiently. 2. Teton Sports Scout 3400 Click here for the lowest price on Amazon This internal frame backpack is ideal for travelers taking extended vacations to far-flung regions of the world. It gives you a total of 3400 cubic inches of internal space for clothes, electronics, everyday carry items, and a few fun belongings you’ll want on the road. It’s also one of the most budget-friendly travel packs on our list. The Teton "Sports Scout 3400" offers adaptability to your body type for comfortable carrying over longer distances. It features multi-position torso adjustment, a durable open-cell foam lumbar pad, and molded channels for increased airflow and comfort. Finally, this travel backpack helps you stay organized with a designated sleeping bag compartment, compression straps, and a number of exterior pockets for those items you’ll need at a moment’s notice. 3. Osprey Farpoint 40 Click here for the lowest price on Amazon The Osprey Farpoint 40 is ideal for the U.S.-based business traveler or the international jet setter. Its sleek design means it’s fashionable enough to take right into your meetings with you and its functionality makes it the only travel backpack you’ll need, whether you plan to use it in urban or wilderness environments. This travel backpack offers 40 liters of internal storage and boasts total dimensions of 22” H x 14” W x 9” D. The pack comes with two internal compression straps to help secure your belongings and handle loads up to 40 pounds with ease. In addition, the Farpoint features a stowaway back panel that allows you to zip the hipbelt and harness systems away for a slimmer profile when traveling. 4. WITZMAN Canvas Rucksack Click here for the lowest price on Amazon This vintage-style travel backpack is ideal for the traveler that likes to turn a few heads as they walk through the airport. The pack’s exterior is made of premium-quality cotton canvas and polyurethane and the pack offers total dimensions of 13” L x 21” H x 7.5” W. The WITZMAN Canvas Rucksack is a 2-in-1 travel backpack and a duffel bag. It comes with an additional duffel shoulder strap that can be detached and stowed away when not in use. It also boasts two front zipper pockets, a side pocket, and the main pocket with a laptop window that fits 12 to 16-inch computers. Lastly, this backpack’s padded mesh shoulder straps are safely tucked away in a zippered pocket until you need them. 5. Timbuk2 Command Click here for the lowest price on Amazon Designed for the daily commuter in urban environments, the Timbuk2 Command travel backpack meets the needs of the on-the-go business traveler. The pack offers a number of features that makes airport travel easier, accessing vital everyday items more convenient, and keeping all of your belongings organized a breeze. This travel backpack is made of 400-denier nylon faille ( 2 ) with a tricot-lined floating pocket to protect sunglasses or a smartphone. The pack’s internal laptop compartment, which fits laptops up to 15 inches, is fully padded and lined with quilted tricot fabric. Additionally, this travel backpack features a padded front pocket for iPad mini storage, compression straps for storing jackets or yoga mats, and five smaller exterior pockets for organizing items to which you need quick and easy access. 6. Hynes Eagle 40 Click here for the lowest price on Amazon The Hynes Eagle 40 will provide just as much value to the daily commuter as it will to the international business traveler. This backpack has been designed to be durable, versatile, and stylish, as well as to carry the exciting potential to enhance any travel experience by making it easier to carry all your essentials in one organized place. This travel backpack is made of water repellent polyester. It offers a capacity of 40 liters in total and comes with dimensions of 20.1” H x 13.4” W x 9.8” D so that it will fit in the overhead compartment or under the seat in front of you during air travel. The pack also boasts multiple exterior compression buckle straps to secure your load. Finally, suppressible shoulder straps make this pack convertible from backpack to duffel bag in seconds. 7. Osprey Porter 46 Click here for the lowest price on Amazon The Osprey Porter 46 provides travelers with the perfect fit between undersized duffel and an oversized backpacking bag. The pack boasts a total capacity of 46 liters and has dimensions of 23” H x 15” W x 13” D. It is made of nylon construction and does offer D-ring attachments for adding a separate shoulder strap if you desire. This travel backpack features Straightjacket compression with padded wings and a lower panel that works in harmony to secure and protect clothing and gear. It also boasts a protected laptop sleeve in a rear panel that locks for security and easy access when traveling. Finally, this pack’s shoulder harness and hip belt can be stowed away for safe travel through airports, in taxis, and wherever else your travels take you. 8. Kelty Redwing 44 Click here for the lowest price on Amazon This travel backpack has the features to make traveling simpler or to provide excellent value on your next overnight camping trip. For the traveler that values versatility over all else, the Kelty Redwing 44 is an excellent choice. The pack’s combination of versatility and convenience make it the perfect companion for quick getaways. This travel backpack boasts a unique hybrid-loading U-zipper design that makes it both a top loader and a panel loader all at once. It comes with an exterior stash pocket on the front of the pack that’s great for tucking away your passport, maps, and other essential items you need to access quickly. Also, this travel backpack features a hydration sleeve that doubles as a safe storage area for your laptop or tablet. 9. WANDRD PRVKE Click here for the lowest price on Amazon This backpack is meant for the lifestyle or outdoor photographer that needs to handle rugged conditions and keep their gear safe along the way. It offers three friendly points of access to internal contents: side quick camera access, lay-flat clamshell opening, and the adjustable roll-top closure. The best part of the roll top in this pack is that it can be expanded to create an extra five liters of total storage capacity. The WANDRD PRVKE travel backpack contains a laptop sleeve that fits computers up to 15 inches and makes getting through airport security simple. It also comes with a removable, modular camera cube that offers customizable storage for a complete camera kit, including a DLSR and up to 8 lenses. By removing the cube, the pack converts to a fully functional daypack. 10. Patagonia Black Hole Click here for the lowest price on Amazon The "Patagonia Black Hole" backpack is designed for the traveler that wants a rugged pack that will stand up to being thrown around a bit. This pack is made of 450-denier ripstop polyester that withstands scuffs, scrapes, and miles of rough handling while keeping the internal contents safe and secure. It’s a weather-resistant pack that features a total capacity of 30 liters and a weight of just 2 pounds, 2.7 ounces when empty. This travel backpack’s main zippered compartment comes with a padded sleeve that can hold a hydration reservoir of laptops and tablets up to 15 inches. The pack’s exterior is coated with a TPU laminate for added weatherproofing. Internal features include a mesh pocket with a key keeper and an organizer panel to keep easy track of phone, wallet, and other small everyday items. Buyer’s Guide Gerry Outdoors was the first company to invent a backpack with a zipper way back in 1938. ( 3 ) Before that, school children were largely using bags with straps and backpacks used by hikers and recreationists used other means of securing their contents. Since the 1930s, the size, shape, and functionality of backpacks have exploded exponentially. We’ve put this Buyer’s Guide together to help you learn more about what separates one pack from another. In doing so, we’ve focused on a number of factors about backpack construction that you must consider in the selection of your new travel backpack. Fabrics Denier count is the most widely used term for describing the strength of the fabric used in today’s backpacks. However, the type of fabric utilized in backpack construction is just as important, if not more so, than the thickness of that fabric. In this section, we’ll describe a few of the common fabric types you’ll find in common travel backpacks. Ripstop nylon contains a special, square weave that sets it apart from standard nylon. This weave prevents additional ripping or tearing from occurring after a puncture. It has a very high strength-to-weight ratio and gets that strength from the additional fibers that are sewn into the weave. This type of fabric was first developed as stronger alternative to silk parachutes in World War II. ( 4 ) Cordura® nylon is a popular one that you’ll see in a lot of backpacks today. In fact, Cordura® isn’t its own type of nylon at all. Rather, it is a brand that offers many different types of fabrics. In essence, the Cordura® brand inspects materials from a variety of different mills, picks the ones that are up to their standard, and then puts their ‘Cordura®’ tag on it. They do, however, tend to put that tag on only the highest quality fabrics out there. The other brand name you’ll see attached to nylon is ‘Kodra’, which is essentially the same thing as Cordura®, but it is made in Korea. Polyester is another fabric often used in backpack design. It is made from plastic fibers that tend not to be the best choice for a travel pack. When it comes to travel packs, you’ll often see ‘ripstop polyester’ which, like ripstop nylon, is made with a special weave that makes it much stronger and more durable than standard polyester. While packs that use polyester can be more budget-friendly, they won’t stand up to the heavy abuse that can come with traveling. Canvas can be viewed as one of the original backpack materials, along with leather. Aside from burlap, canvas was the go-to material for all of the early backpacks and cargo bags. Canvas is very thick and sturdy. Historically, canvas was stitched together using cotton, linen, or hemp before being coated in wax for waterproofing. Today’s canvas options are more typically made with nylon and polyester and canvas is much less common than it used to be. That decrease in popularity can be attributed to the fact that canvas is heavier, more easily damaged by abrasion, and less water-resistant than other modern materials. Straps Shoulder straps will be largely responsible for the comfort of your travel backpack. The type of straps that work for you will depend on your unique body type. Even when your pack isn’t completely full, it can be uncomfortable to carry if the straps don’t match your body. For some people thinner straps may be more comfortable than their bulkier counterparts, but typically this is only the case if those straps are also highly padded. There are some packs that offer swivel straps for increased adjustability across varying shoulder widths. This type of strap also makes it much easier to turn the pack around to access its contents when needed. Curved straps (as opposed to straight straps) also tend to work better for women or men with larger chests. Finally, if weight is your primary concern, make sure to look for a pack with load lifters. These are adjusters that are located at the top of the straps where they attach to the body of the backpack. These adjusters give you the ability to change how the pack’s weight sits on your back. In doing so, they make a pack much more adjustable to a wide variety of body types. Zippers Zippers are the most common weak point in packs that claim to be weatherproof or water-resistant. The best type of zipper on the market today is a YKK zipper. They are very strong and come in different weights according to the specific area on the pack where they’ll be applied. ( 5 ) YKK manufactures their zippers in-house, including smelting their own brass and forging their own zipper teeth. Choosing a pack with YKK zippers will help you ensure that you won’t suffer broken zippers while traveling. Top-Loading vs. Panel-Loading Top-loading packs are those that offer one opening (at the top!) for loading and unloading gear. Panel-loading packs offer a larger zippered pocket that allows you to lay the pack flat and have greater access to its contents, almost like a regular suitcase. While top-loading packs are still the preferred variety for long, multi-day treks and other outdoor activities, traveling is so much simpler with a panel-loading pack. It allows you to worry less about the specific order in which you pack your belongings and gives you easy access to that swimsuit buried in your pack when you receive a last-minute invitation to go surfing! Compression Because we’re talking about travel backpacks, versatility is the name of the game. A quality travel backpack can handle a variety of environments and travel experiences while adapting to your needs in each scenario. Compression is one of the ways in which travel backpacks showcase their versatility. Proper compression allows you to hunker the weight of your pack down even when it’s not completely full. This means that things won’t feel like they’re rattling around back there when you’re walking or running to catch a train. Another benefits of compression straps is that they also allow you to secure additional items to the pack’s exterior if it’s already full. Security Features Security is crucial when traveling, especially if you’re constantly exploring new and unfamiliar environments. You should feel comfortable knowing that your belongings are safe and sound when you leave them behind at the hostel for a grocery run, for example. Having a travel backpack with lockable zippers is a great way to ensure your belongings are always safe and secure. RFID blockers are another interesting feature growing in popularity for international travel. These will keep unsavory characters from scanning your passport or other sensitive documents as you pass them by. Some backpack designers have begun incorporating stronger materials to reduce this possibility and to make it harder for thieves to ‘slash-and-grab’ items from your pack. The former is probably the more common occurrence, so if you have to pick one over the other, look for a pack that uses stronger fabrics, such as Cordura®, before you start worrying too much about the world of RFID technology. Frequently Asked Questions There are always a number of logistics to align when traveling, whether it’s for business or personal reasons. In this list of "Frequently Asked Questions" , we’ll answer some of the most common concerns about travel backpacks so that you can turn your attention to the rest of the logistics for your trip. What is the maximum backpack size for carry-on luggage? While we wish there was one standard answer to this question, it’s important to remember that every airline has slightly different rules concerning carry-on size limits ( 6 ). Speaking very generally, the maximum backpack size for carry-on luggage is about 45 liters. The good news about backpacks, when compared with other luggage types, is that the sides are compressible to make squeezing them down to the prescribed dimensions a bit easier. Why travel with a backpack? Backpacks make it so much easier to navigate new environments. Suitcases are much more difficult to store in buses, under seats, and so on and so forth. Suitcases with wheels don’t roll very well on dirt or cobblestone roads, and carrying them over a distance is uncomfortable and tiresome. For today’s adventure and business travelers, a quality backpacks beats all other options. Are any of these backpacks 100% waterproof? While many of these packs are water-resistant or have been thoroughly weatherproofed, you’d be hard pressed to find a travel backpack that is truly 100% waterproof. Many will hold up just fine in a 20-minute tropical downpour (and keep your belongings dry throughout), getting your pack to be 100% waterproof requires buying an external rain cover and putting it on before heading out. What is bluesign® approved fabric? You may see some brands advertise the bluesign® approval. This is a standard that is largely considered to be the strictest in regards to environmental protection, workplace safety, and consumer protection. Seeing a product with this label means that all the materials used in that product have gone through a rigorous testing process and met the criteria and limits of the BSSL restricted substances list ( 7 ). Summary There’s really no limit to how far you can travel with the right pack on your back. The benefits of having just one travel backpack to worry about are numerous, and travelers will surely enjoy the ability to get around easily with all that they need securely on their backs. We hope you’ve enjoyed this collection of the top ten travel backpacks and we wish you the best of luck selecting the right pack for your next adventure.
How to Paint Your AR-15: [Skip the Camo Krylon!]
Trending: Best Places to Buy Ammo Online and [Buyer's Guide] 7 Best AR-15s Sick of your rifle looking exactly like everyone else’s? Then it’s time to paint that bad boy! A couple of our rattle canned ARs Don’t worry, painting your rifle isn’t hard or scary. The best thing you can do to prep yourself for this is to lower your expectations and accept the fact that nothing is perfect and the paint will wear off to some degree. Unless, of course, your rifle just lives in the safe… If reading isn’t your thing or you want to see our mad painting skillz in action check out our video: If that helped, please subscribe to our YouTube channel since we’re adding new videos every week! Now onto the written tutorial… Best Paint Several brands offer great options for painting your rifle, but for this project we used Model Master Enamel paint for their extended choice of colors. We’ve also used Rust-Oleum Specialty Camouflage , Brownells’ Aluma-Hyde , and Krylon Camouflage with great results. Model Masters paint In order of appearance in the video: Light Earth SAC Bomber Tan Dark Tan Olive Drab Africa Mustard As for wear pattern, it’s pretty close to Krylon…meaning it will wear after a couple trips to the range. Which for us is exactly what we want. Before You Paint There are only really two things that we strongly recommend you adhere to before painting your rifle: cleaning it and blocking off sensitive areas. Blast it with brake cleaner to remove all the oil, grease, and dirt Give the outside of your rifle a good cleaning, wipe it down, get the dirt and grime off, then follow that up with a good spray down with brake cleaner to strip any grease and oil that might still be on the rifle. We recommend going with chlorine free versions in case of polymer furniture. Getting rid of this is critical to giving the paint a chance to stick. But if you’re really into the taste and feel of paint chips, you can skip cleaning the rifle. Use masking or painter’s tape to block off the ejection port, magazine well, and muzzle. Getting paint in any of these areas isn’t the end of the world, but can induce malfunctions until the paint is worn off or cleaned off. Don’t forget to tape your ejection port, magwell, and muzzle! Better to just not get paint there in the first place. How to Paint Your AR-15 (or really any rifle) Base Layer Starting with the darkest color you’re going to be working with will help set the tone of the rifle and give a great background for the other colors to do their thing. Dark Base Coat For us, that meant Dark Tan . Apply the color using sweeping strokes, careful not to hold in any place or to apply to much paint too quickly or you’ll leave globs of paint. Best AR Spray Paint "Model Master Enamel" Spray Paint 10 at Amazon Prices accurate at time of writing View Details 10 at Amazon Prices accurate at time of writing If you don’t get the desired amount of paint applied in the first pass, let it dry slightly before making another. This can be done until you’re satisfied and will prevent the paint from pooling or dripping. More Colors Once you have a good base ready, it’s time to change things up. We like strips using our lightest color to give the rifle sharp contrasts. Light Strips For camouflaging properties, contrasts are what you want to avoid. But giving it these sharp lines now makes it easier to slowly blend in as more coats and colors are used. Use the same quick sweeping motion you used before when painting the strips, too little is always better than too much! Stencils, Foliage, Laundry bags More passes with more colors will help to deaden the contrast and make your rifle blend into your surroundings more cleanly, but there is more to do than just color after color! Fade It In Using local foliage (leaves, stems, etc) or patterned objects as stencils will produce varied patterns on the rifle that will further break up the sharp contrasts and lines. We used part of a mesh laundry bag to produce an ersatz snakeskin look to the rifle. Cheaper than a proper stencil and just as good! Mesh Bag for that awesome look Mesh Laundry Bag 7 at Amazon Prices accurate at time of writing View Details 7 at Amazon Prices accurate at time of writing It might not look it, but that mesh bag is great for more than just dirty gym socks! The aforementioned Snakeskin look Parting Shots Repeat the steps above until you have the rifle you’re looking for. Remember – you’re only limited by your imagination! If you’re worried about messing it up, maybe try painting a Nerf gun or water gun first so you can try your hand at keeping the paint from dripping, running, or globbing up. Have you painted an AR or something else lately? How did it come out? Let us know in the comments! And if you want more awesome ways to customize your AR-15 take a look at the Best AR-15 Upgrades ! PSA 5.56 & .223 Wylde