Vortex Nation Podcast

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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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941 episodes
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Episodes941

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May 26 · 23 min
#10MinuteTalk | The Smith & Wesson 1854 — Born from Lever Action Legacy
Lever-action rifles may be a new category for Smith & Wesson, but the company’s connection to lever guns goes back to the very origins of the platform itself. In this episode, Mark Boardman and Ryan Muckenhirn explore the history behind the legendary action and take a closer look at the classic styling and modern performance of the Smith & Wesson 1854.
May 25 · 1 hr 11 min
Ep. 447 | You Don't Have to Be Rich to Hunt International | Nick Hoffman
The international hunt of a lifetime may be way more within reach than you think. New Zealand to Scotland and much more, Nick Hoffman walks us through economical hunts around the globe. The flight might be long, but life is short. Book it!
May 19 · 20 min
#10MinuteTalk | Mark Boardman’s Long-Range Ruger 10/22 Squirrel Setup and Hunt Recap
Mark Boardman proved out his long-range Ruger 10/22 squirrel sniping setup. He and videographer Cole Booth talk through the rifle, suite of advanced kit used, and how it worked in the field.
May 18 · 1 hr 18 min
Ep. 446 | Slow Motion Terminal Performance Breakdown
Firing cup and core, bonded, and monolithic bullets into ordnance gel is cool. Documenting it with a high-speed camera to analyze terminal performance is cooler. Mark Boardman and Ryan Muckenhirn unpack their findings after getting a unique look in slow motion.
May 12 · 23 min
#10MinuteTalk | Three Words Could Save Your Life
The What3Words App may save your life. It helped do just that for Jared Leuzinger who suffered a freak broadhead-induced injury while hunting deer. Tune in to hear his story and learn what you may want to do to add an extra layer of safety to your outdoor adventures.
May 11 · 1 hr 27 min
Ep. 445 | Unknown Suppressors and Unknown Munitions — Get to Know Them
Unknown Suppressors is a fast-moving company making innovative suppressors. Unknown Munitions specialize in aftermarket Tikka components, custom Tikka rifles, ammunition and more. If you don’t know them, this podcast is your chance.
May 5 · 16 min
#10MinuteTalk | Sim-X Pistol Ammo — Low Weight, Ultra-High Velocity
Sim-X Pistol ammunition bucks convention with its low mass/high velocity offerings for both target and defensive applications. Mark Boardman shoots some Sim-X 9mm at the range, compares it to standard loads, and he and Ryan Muckenhirn chat through this interesting ammo.
May 4 · 1 hr 23 min
Ep. 444 | West Texas Aoudad Cull Hunt & .300 SUPER WSM Report
Vortex’s Travis Jones and Ryan Muckenhirn sit down with Mark Boardman to recount their one-of-a-kind west Texas aoudad hunt. A cull hunt moderated by biologists and orchestrated to put a dent in the burgeoning aoudad population, allowed the group to get a lifetime’s worth of reps and product testing in three days… including the inaugural fielding of Ryan’s .300 SUPER WSM.
April 30 · 34 min
Bearded Hen…Smash or Pass | Spaghetti Shootout Ep. 33
Shooting bearded hens, name your opponent’s outdoor brand, a meatball in a bottle, and more. Tune in for a full scoop of Spaghetti Shootout!
April 28 · 30 min
#10MinuteTalk | Subsonic Cartridges — Pleasant, Practical, Tactical
Subsonic cartridges are fun, pleasant to shoot, practical and tactical. Specialized military applications, personal defense, hunting, discrete pest control, and more, subsonic cartridges serve multiple roles. Damon Zito from Vortex’s product development team joins Mark Boardman and Ryan Muckenhirn for a fun discussion on subsonic cartridges, their versatility, and how they are using them.
April 27 · 1 hr 6 min
Ep. 443 | Q Rifles
Cody Osborn from Q sits down with Mark Boardman and Ryan Muckenhirn for an in-depth discussion about Q, their ethos, and some very cool products. Known for their engineering, bucking the status quo, and personality, Q is a unique company doing impressive things in the firearms space.
April 21 · 28 min
#10MinuteTalk | The 9.3x62 Mauser — Poor Man’s .375 H&H
Big medicine in a standard-length action pushing a heavy .366 diameter bullet, the 9.3x62 Mauser is legally accepted as a dangerous game option in parts of Africa with a .375 bullet diameter minimum. This cartridge has a storied history and reputation for getting the job done…Big jobs. Commonly referred to as the poor man’s .375 H&H, the 9.3x62 Mauser may just be the coolest cartridge you didn’t know about.
April 20 · 44 min
Ep. 442 | Veil™ 400 Thermal Monocular — Vortex’s Hottest New Product
All your thermal scanning needs are met with the high-performing, feature-rich, easy-to-use, intuitive, Veil™ 400 Thermal Monocular. Joe Heltemes and Ben Farrell from Vortex’s product development team join Mark Boardman and Ryan Muckenhirn to talk through its tech, features, and user-friendly functionality. Hog hunting, predator hunting, game recovery, and more, if you’ve been thinking about getting into the thermal game, the Veil 400™ is your ticket.
April 14 · 28 min
#10MinuteTalk | Virtual Reality Training — Does it Translate?
Vortex’s Reuben Aleckson talks through and demonstrates the ACE Virtual Shooting Simulator. This thing is cool, fun, and has legitimate training merit that will make you better.
April 13 · 1 hr 3 min
Ep. 441 | Winter Tick — Death Sentence for Maine’s Moose?
Maine Moose Biologist, Lee Kantar, joins Mark Boardman to discuss “Winter Tick” and its impact on the region’s moose population. Winter Tick is literally sucking the life out of Maine’s moose until they succumb. Lee talks through the biology of the ticks themselves, research he’s been involved with, and what the future holds.
April 7 · 23 min
#10MinuteTalk | Forced Reset Triggers and Super Safeties — Toys or Tactical
Mark Boardman and Ryan Muckenhirn talk forced reset triggers and super-safeties. Once installed, these things still require a single trigger pull per round sent downrange — but do it fast. With no firsthand experience, they chat through their functionality, merit, place in the shooting world and debate if they should give them a shot — more accurately, lots of shots.
April 6 · 1 hr 21 min
Ep. 440 | Copper Bullet Comparison — at 80,000 Frames Per Second
The video is a wrap, but the discussion isn’t over. Mark Boardman and Ryan Muckenhirn are back in the podcast studio breaking down their slow-motion copper bullet comparison. Listen as they deep-dive the results, provide opinions, and give final conclusions.
March 31 · 39 min
#10MinuteTalk | OnX Maps — The Digital Mapping Difference Maker
OnX Map’s Dylan Dowson navigates his way over to highlight new and useful features to make your hunt more successful start-to-finish. Pre-hunt scouting to in-field execution, OnX is an invaluable tool. Tune in for tips to amplify its capabilities.
March 30 · 1 hr 41 min
Ep. 439 | Harold Knight of Knight & Hale Game Calls
Hunting legend and Knight & Hale’s very own, Harold Knight, is in the studio. We get the incredible history of this iconic brand, some great stories, and an inside look from the man himself. One of the first content-marketers in the hunting space, his passion for calling critters and the outdoors is palpable.
March 24 · 21 min
#10MinuteTalk | Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership 2026 Update
Joel Webster from the TRCP is back on for a quick chat covering current conservation-related issues, what we should be keeping our eyes out for, and how you can make a difference.