Vortex Nation Podcast

What’s the deal with rangefinders? We did an episode a long while back on some really important tips, tricks and how-to’s when it comes to understanding how they’re used in the field and maximizing their performance (See Ep. 65), but this time we figured it would be best to go even deeper into understanding HOW they actually work. What we all take for granted as an easy “Point and shoot” tool to g...

You’ve got the gun, you’ve got the rifle, now you need to get the best rings to hold them together… But what height? That’s the question we address here in this episode with Reuben Aleckson across the table from Jimmy and Mark. Full disclosure, if you’re looking for a definitive answer for your particular gun and scope combo, this isn’t going to be it, unfortunately. That said, we do go into all t...

Jimmy and Ryan Muckenhirn are joined by former special operations medic, James Davenport, and DJ Struntz of North American Rescue to talk all about James’ incredibly interesting life in the armed forces serving as a medic in some of the most hostile environments on the planet. We should note that if anyone out there gets lightheaded from listening to someone talk about traumatic injury and blood,...

A cartridge screaming out of the barrel so fast it only takes six Mils of adjustment to get to a grand? That can only mean one thing - we’re talking about the Nosler family of cartridges, and to be even more specific, the 28 Nosler! These cartridges are well known for achieving some impressive velocities and being very flat shooting, but with a guy like Ryan Muckenhirn at the table for the discuss...

In a cartridge-era dominated by data tables filled with racy exterior ballistics, is there any room for modesty anymore? The fellas take 10 to pay mind to a fantastic-classic not soon forgotten in hunting camp: The light-recoiling, soft-spoken, and absolutely adequate for North American medium-game .257 Roberts.

The “cutest” cartridge in our holiday series, the 6.5 Grendel, is not to be overlooked because of its size. As our in-house cartridge expert Ryan Muckenhirn discusses with Jimmy and Mark, this little guy is as sweet-shooting as they come with an incredibly efficient design, super light recoil and excellent packaging in an AR platform.

After nearly being threatened by one particular listener (You know who you are) for our lack of a 10 Minute Talk around the Weatherby cartridges, Jimmy, Mark and Ryan Muckenhirn finally discuss these unmistakable, round-shouldered magnums, with the 300 Weatherby being our specific focus. We also learn why Ryan calls his 300 Weatherby “Evil Roy”!

Jimmy and Mark chat with cartridge man Ryan Muckenhirn about a series of cartridges with one of the most iconic silhouettes - the sharp-shouldered Ackley Improved cartridges. In this case, we speak most specifically to the .280 AI, being one of P.O. Ackley’s earliest mainstream wildcats, and its long journey to becoming an increasingly popular SAAMI spec’d round.

By overwhelming demand, we bring you a 10 Minute Talk on the ol’ standby – the .270 Winchester… How have we not done this one yet?? Jimmy and Mark chat with Mr. Ryan Muckenhirn all about what is certainly one of America’s most classic deer cartridges. We address not only where it came from and what made it so special to begin with, but also what it’s future might be as the round seems to be gainin...

Why the hell would a person need to range 5000 yards or beyond anyway?...We’ll tell ya. Jimmy and Mark sit down with Paul Neess (AKA “The Neess”) and Ryan Muckenhirn to dissect this interesting question. In some ways the extreme ranging horsepower of  an optic like our Fury HD 5000 is akin to when we practice shooting at long range – the fact the unit can hit 5000 well, makes closer work like 2500...

Jimmy and Mark are joined by Ryan Muckenhirn to discuss staying warm in the dead of the late season winter hunts. We discuss everything from clothing to shelter, understanding of course that everyone has their own personal preference for how they like to stay warm, but it never hurts to get a few new ideas now and then. Mark obviously brings up the incredible merits of the puffy jacket (Which we a...

Incredibly, the crew has developed a load that not only functions but does so well enough to be worthy of taking on an antelope hunt in Wyoming. In true dirtbag fashion, Mark, Jimmy and our video man Cooper loaded up the Subaru for a turn and burn trip to a unit with limited public land in hopes to shoot at least one doe antelope each. As the title implies, the cartridge worked as intended, but to...

In our last episode, Ryan Muckenhirn walked us through the process of getting into wildcatting your own cartridge and also unveiled our concept for the 6.5 BC. This is all fine and dandy on paper, but when the powder starts pouring, how are we going to go about making sure we loading something that works, is remotely effective, and, perhaps most importantly, safe!? In typical Vortex Nation Podcast...

Remember that time after our first podventure when Jimmy and Mark said they’d never reload again? Well, technically we’re not reloading just yet… We’re wildcatting! Wildcatting is essentially the process of throwing caution to the wind, along with all other familiar territory and off-the-shelf parts for loading your own ammunition and attempting to develop your own cartridge. Of course, Mark and J...

You don’t need to be a cyclops to enjoy all the benefits a Monocular offers. We grab resident optics expert and coinsure Michael McDowell to break down these handy optics and all the great performance they offer. Light, fast, and mechanically simple, monoculars are easy to carry and always at the ready when you need them!

Jeremiah Doughty from @fromfieldtoplate joins Jimmy and Sawyer (Mark was out on a Blacktail hunt) to talk all things wild game cooking. Jeremiah himself is a self-proclaimed wild game chef and spends his time traveling the world hunting and preparing amazing meals with the meat he harvests. While we can all agree that pretty much anything wild game is going to taste great, you may be feeling stuck...

What’s in a name? We’ll, lots of things – and possibly even some misconceptions. Safari Club International (SCI) has been fighting for hunters, rights, traditions, culture, and essentially our way of life for years. They are all about domestic and international hunting, but make no mistake, it isn’t all lions and zebras. Tune in to this super interesting conversation with Ben Cassidy from SCI as w...

Reuben Aleckson joins Jimmy and Mark to talk about spotting scope eyepieces and when it might make sense to swap your included variable zoom eyepiece for a long eye relief, wide angle, and/or reticle eyepiece. The ability with certain spotting scopes to change the eyepiece allows for the opportunity to specialize your optic to specific applications, making it much more effective for searching, spo...

Map and compass: Archaic tools of hunters past or essential kit for anyone navigating the wilderness. We sit down with Greg McHale (Greg McHale’s Wild Yukon TV) to discuss traditional land navigation, all it’s advantages, and get lost in conversation. Bad pun intended. Tune in or get lost. Bad pun number two! Promise no more, but give this one a listen.   As always, we want to hear your feedback!...

Ryan Muckenhirn joins Jimmy and Mark to discuss a cartridge that came up in one of our many “Podcasts after the podcast” conversations, the 8mm-06. While the cartridge itself is intriguing, it’s the history behind why it was made and the people who requested its creation that is so awesome. We’d love to know if any of you out there are using or loading for the 8mm-06. If so – let us know in the co...

As the temperatures drop, there’s no mistaking the fact that we feel colder and time spent in the woods or on the mountain gets a bit more uncomfortable. Sure, the right gear and a healthy dose of mental toughness can simply get you through the cold temps, but how about your gear? What affects does the cold weather have on your optics, electronics, firearm, bullet, etc? Also, even if you “Feel” fi...

One of our long-time listeners and fellow gun enthusiast, William Elliot, joined us for an episode talking all about the 7.62x54R cartridge and the most famous gun in history to shoot the cartridge, The Mosin Nagant. He even brought some of his own for show and tell! Ryan Muckenhirn was also in attendance to drop his historical knowledge on the platforms and the cartridge. We discuss how Mosin’s w...

Do you suffer from sloppy pack syndrome? Maybe you don’t even know you have it? There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to properly packing your backpack for a hunt – on the way in with gear and on the way out when you’re hopefully loaded down heavy with meat! There’s an order of operations, spots weight carries best, tricks for utilizing straps and more. We sit down with Joey Pyburn, Outdoo...

Terminal ballistics, how your bullet performs once it hits a game animal. We talk a lot about velocity, BC’s, etc., but if your bullet doesn’t work how you want it to upon impact, well, F. Mark and Jim connect up with Jason Nash from Federal ammunition to get the rundown on this more than interesting topic. Bonded bullets, polymer tips, bullets that retain weight, bullets that “dump energy” - We c...

We sit down with Sam Soholt to chat through his super unique and impactful “Stamp it Forward” program and all the cool stuff 98% of every duck stamp purchase has done for wild things in wild places. The Federal Duck Stamp  -  It isn’t just another license. It’s a conservation win for the ages! And one thing is certain, it gets our “Stamp of Approval”.