Vortex Nation Podcast

Vortex Optics

Welcome to the Vortex Nation Podcast. Brought to you by lovers of hunting, shooting, public lands, the Second Amendment and dang good food.

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942 episodes
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Episodes942

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Jan 26, 2024 · 33 min
The Animal We Should Open a Season For | Spaghetti Shootout Ep. 16
It’s open season on Mark and Ryan as Jim peppers them with questions. What is the animal we should open a season for? Is there a definitive answer when it comes to the best shotgun for bunny busting? As per usual, there’s a bunch of in-between antics and exchanges you won’t want to miss. Can Mark eke out a win or will Jim gun down his hopes of a victory with the push of a button? Tune in to find out.
Jan 23, 2024 · 49 min
#10MinuteTalk - 5 Shooting Podcasts You Should Listen To
Welcome to a #10MinuteTalk about 5 shooting-themed 10-minute talks you should listen to — or listen to again. Pistol lights with Pete to how to shoot a pistol with Jerry Miculek, these podcasts are packed with good tips to make you a better shooter. Oh, and it’s approximately 1 hr. — pretty standard for a #10MinuteTalk.
Jan 22, 2024 · 48 min
Ep. 323 | .223 vs .300 AAC Blackout — Enough Knockdown for Deer?
Varmints, to home defense and military applications, the .223 Remington and .300 AAC Blackout aren’t your typical deer cartridges. But in the right scenario, are they the perfect solution? And if so, which is better? Mark Boardman and Ryan Muckenhirn took a couple blasters to the range and shot gel to find out. Here’s the rest of the story.
Jan 16, 2024 · 36 min
#10MinuteTalk - Comb Height — Why Does it Matter?
Rifle stock combs come in an array of heights. Why? Because a rifle’s comb height can be helping or hurting your shooting. Tune in as Mark Boardman, Jim Hamilton, and Ryan Muckenhirn talk through different comb height styles. Is your rifle set up, right? Tune in to find out.
Jan 15, 2024 · 1 hr 30 min
Ep. 322 | 2023 Gear in Review
Gear is fun to research and use! With 2023 in the books, a few usual suspects at Vortex® get together to chat about new-for-them gear they ran, liked, and recommend. Tune in and plan on being a few dollars lighter after.
Jan 9, 2024 · 29 min
#10MinuteTalk - Venom® vs Strike Eagle® — What’s the Diff?
Vortex® Venom® and Strike Eagle® series riflescopes are incredibly capable “tactical” optics. But what’s the difference and where do they shine? We’ll tell you, but you’re going to have to listen to find out!
Jan 8, 2024 · 56 min
Ep. 321 | The Holy Trinity of AR-15 Accessories
Fact: You can trick out an AR-15 with more accessories than any other rifle platform. But if you had to pick three, what would they be? Liam Ward and Chris Urrutia from Vortex® join Mark Boardman and Jimmy Hamilton to boil down the bare necessities of AR accessories. Did they get it right? What would you pick?
Jan 2, 2024 · 41 min
#10MinuteTalk - Texas Coyote Hunting — Put Up Big Numbers!
Putting up huge numbers of coyotes pique your interest? Wade Chandler from Ally Outdoors and the Texas Predator Hunting Podcast joins Mark Boardman to chat about, you guessed it, Texas predator hunting. If you like hunting predators and haven’t hunted Texas, this podcast might have you planning a destination hunt to this predator paradise.
Jan 1, 2024 · 58 min
Ep. 320 | The Beretta M9 — Go-to or Bygone?
Longstanding military service to Bruce Willis in the movie “Die Hard” (ok, technically a Beretta 92 for Bruce), the Beretta M9 has a storied history. This iconic pistol is as unique as it is effective. A full-size fighting handgun and classic by today’s standards, it is still incredibly practical and capable. Used and loved by many, there are some critiques. Tune in as we chat all about the Beretta M9, and what makes it one of the greats!
Dec 31, 2023 · 43 min
#10MinuteTalk - The .357 Maximum: Bring it Back!
1983 was a good year for a lot of things. Mobile phones, the first iteration of the internet, and most importantly, the .357 Maximum. This cartridge isn’t popular, but it needs to be. Is it better than newly introduced cartridges seeing wide-range acceptance? Is it 6 cartridges in one? Do we need to launch a campaign to bring it back? Tune in to find out.
Dec 30, 2023 · 28 min
#10MinuteTalk - The .300 Win Mag: King of the Do-All Magnums?
The .300 Win Mag is versatile as the day is long – maybe more. Whitetails to brown bears and even professional work in the Mil/LE space, the .300 Win Mag has been there and done that. And it has done it well. Is its 60’s era belt out of fashion? Ask its resume of incredible performance. You’ll get your answer. Mark Boardman, Jimmy Hamilton, and Ryan Muckenhirn dive into the .300 Win Mag. Finally!
Dec 29, 2023 · 26 min
#10MinuteTalk - The 7mm Rem Mag: Oldie but Goodie?
The 7mm rem mag fires slippery bullets around the magical 3000 fps mark. Sound like everything folks are prioritizing in today’s modern cartridges? Have we had the 7mm solution all this time? What are its merits and detractors? Why doesn’t Ryan like this long-standing, loved-by-many cartridge? Listen to find out.
Dec 28, 2023 · 35 min
#10MinuteTalk - The .470 Nitro Express: 500 Grains of Fury
Synonymous with Africa’s dangerous game, double rifles, and more than 100 years old, the .470 Nitro Express is still a viable factory-loaded option. This thing doles out a licking and keeps on ticking. PH’s still bet their life on the effectiveness of the .470 Nitro. Tune in as we chat about this big-bore brute and what makes it so great!
Dec 27, 2023 · 26 min
#10MinuteTalk - The .350 Rem Mag: Wha, Wha, Whaaaa
Why did the .350 Rem Mag (our first short magnum) fall flat – more than once? Was it the rifle? Was it the cartridge itself? Was the world not ready? Mark Boardman, Jimmy Hamilton, and Ryan Muckenhirn examine the .350 Remington and why it assuredly receives lead-balloon status.
Dec 26, 2023 · 19 min
#10MinuteTalk - The 9x25mm Dillon: Major Power Factor
The bottlenecked 9x25mm Dillon pistol cartridge is incredibly interesting and has a cool backstory. Innovative, effective, yet relegated to the obscure by a simple rule change, this pistol round is worth knowing about. This one’s for you Carl Volt!
Dec 25, 2023 · 2 hr 1 min
Ep. 319 | You Asked for It — Listener Question Sesh
We asked for your questions, you answered with your questions, and we answered the questions you asked. Mark Boardman, Jim Hamilton, and Ryan Muckenhirn cover all manner of topics in this podcast dedicated to listeners and what you guys wanted to know. Satirical to technical, this was a fun one we apparently didn’t want to end because it went way too long.
Dec 22, 2023 · 27 min
Santa’s Go-to Gat | Spaghetti Shootout Ep. 15
Spaghetti Shootout ugly-Christmas-sweater edition (sweater vest for Mark of course) ensues. Jim gives Mark “pity points” for Christmas, gets a couple gifts himself, and the guys verbally battle important topics like, Santa’s go-to gat. Can mark pull out a win or will he be crying in his hot cocoa? Tune in to find out.
Dec 19, 2023 · 15 min
#10MinuteTalk - No Dog Rabbit Tactics
Fast, fun, and fantastic on the table, a brace of rabbits might be exactly what you need to spice up your hunting life — or get started on your hunting path. And you don’t need a dog to do it. Accomplished with minimal gear and best done with a few good buddies, it’s tough to beat a day of beating the brush for bunnies. Mark Boardman and Ryan Muckenhirn talk through some tips to get you started.
Dec 18, 2023 · 40 min
Ep. 318 | 300 Win Mag vs 6.5 Creedmoor — Huh?
Mark Boardman and Ryan Muckenhirn take their 300 Win Mag vs 6.5 Creedmoor discussion to the next level in this more than odd-couple cartridge comparison. These cartridges are common, but not commonly compared. So why did we do it and how did they perform? What questions did we answer? Did we dispel any myths? Tune in to watch some bullet-pulling gel-block surgery and find out.
Dec 12, 2023 · 37 min
#10MinuteTalk - The Ruger Mini-14 — One Mighty Cool Rifle
If you ever watched the hit 80’s TV Show, “The A-Team”, you most certainly saw the Ruger Mini 14 in action. The rifle’s prevalence was so significant, you can order a model today with nomenclature reference to the cut-way-too-short series. But there’s more to this radical rifle than its use in Hollywood. So much that Jim got one just so we could do this podcast. It took zero arm twisting by the way. Tune in to hear all about the Ruger Mini-14.