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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941 episodes
Updated Yesterday

Episodes941

Newest first

Apr 7, 2025 · 1 hr 23 min
Ep. 387 | Bonded Bullets Versus Shoulder Blades — How Did They Perform?
Bonded bullets blend bone-crushing, deep-driving, and high-weight-retention performance with some of the raciest profiles going. We shot 6 of the most popular through deer shoulder blades. The results are in. Listen as Mark Boardman and Ryan Muckenhirn recap how each did and get their take on the projectiles tested.
Apr 1, 2025 · 16 min
#10MinuteTalk - NEW Muck-E AI Technology
Ryan Muckenhirn drops by the podcast studio to tell us how he’s dropped into your next riflescope. Vortex’s new Muck-E AI technology puts Ryan’s knowledge and expertise inside your optic. The future is now everybody. Buckle up.
Mar 31, 2025 · 1 hr 16 min
Ep. 386 | Barrel Finishes — What’s the Difference?
Barrel finish is a key feature on any rifle and one you should pay attention to. But what’s the difference between each type? Matt Pederson from Pederson Precision stops by to break it down for us. Tune in to find out which barrel finish is right for you.
Mar 25, 2025 · 22 min
#10MinuteTalk - Spring Bear Tips and Ticks with Remi Warren
No, that’s not a typo in the title. Spring Bear hunting out west can require specialized gear and considerations — one of those considerations being pesky, bloodsucking, disease-carrying, ticks. In this podcast, expert hunter, guide, and Live Wild podcast host, Remi Warren, stops by to give us nuanced spring bear hunting information you can take to the mountain.
Mar 24, 2025 · 1 hr 5 min
Ep. 385 | Seating Depth and Jump — Expert Reloaders Expound
Expert reloaders Ian Klemm and Scott Parks unite in this podcast all about bullet seating depth and jump. If you’re looking for insight and opinion on the finer points of these reloading variables from a couple guys who have been there and done that with credentialed success, look no further. Sit back and relax as they jump in, jam out, hit their groove, and land on some great information.
Mar 20, 2025 · 34 min
Best Hunting Super Power | Spaghetti Shootout Ep. 24
Once again, Mark is throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks, Jimmy is being Jimmy, and Ryan is dipping into his thesaurus-like encyclopedia of knowledge to rack up points with reckless abandon. Bringing back extinct animals to alien introductions, this episode is a saucy one…spaghetti sauce that is.
Mar 18, 2025 · 38 min
#10MinuteTalk - Lazzeroni Cartridges — Built for Speed, Speed, and Speed
John Lazzeroni blazed a trail for a new generation of “Magnum Mania” with his high stepping, hard hitting, and incredibly impressive cartridges. Catchy names like .782 Warbird, .721 Firehawk, and 6.57 Scramjet denote the single premise they were built on — velocity. The numbers his cartridges attain don’t lie. Tune in as Mark Boardman, Jimmy Hamilton and Ryan Muckenhirn talk all about the Lazzeroni family of cartridges and the undeniable performance they offer.
Mar 17, 2025 · 56 min
Ep. 384 | Silencer Central — Suppressor Intel and Ownership Made Easy
Silencer Central founder Brandon Maddox drops by for an in-depth discussion on the company, their model, tools they’ve developed to make getting a suppressor a headache-free process suppressor types, and more. If you’re interested in suppressors, don’t miss this podcast!
Mar 11, 2025 · 15 min
#10MinuteTalk - Shed Crazy Talks Crazy Shed Regulations
Ben Dettamanti, aka Shed Crazy, drops in to shed some light on his 50-state antler extravaganza and new regulations surrounding the ever-more popular practice of picking up antlers. Tine in for a fun conversation with the most shedicated guy we know.
Mar 10, 2025 · 59 min
Ep. 383 | Action Shotgun Olympics — The IPSC Shotgun World Shoot
5 days of shooting, approximately 30 stages, all while representing your country — the World Shotgun Shoot happens every 3 years and is the Olympics of action shotgun shooting. Vortex’s Reuben Aleckson and Adam Maxwell give a detailed rundown of the event and how you can qualify to represent the USA at the next one.
Mar 4, 2025 · 17 min
#10MinuteTalk - Tag Draw Tips with Huntin’ Fool
Big game application season is in full swing. Two months into the new year, several deadlines have already come and gone. Austin Atkinson from Huntin' Fool hits us with tag draw tips and strategies to get you in the game – literally.
Mar 3, 2025 · 56 min
Ep. 382 | The Ruger Model 44 — Bring it Back!
The Ruger Model 44 is a fast, handy, lightweight, carbine in 44 Mag. Perfect for brush busting, deer drives and even defensive work, what’s not to like? Nothing from 1961 to 1985. So, what changed? The gang is back together chatting all about this super cool rifle, a few of its cousins, and if it has a place in our modern world.
Feb 25, 2025 · 12 min
#10MinuteTalk - Use Gravity and a Flashlight to Level Your Scope – The Reverse Projection Method
Getting your scope level is a critical component of the mounting process. Mark Boardman and Ryan Muckenhirn demonstrate the reverse projection method to get perfect level. This process is illuminating and the gravity of the result it yields cannot be overstated.
Feb 24, 2025 · 40 min
Ep. 381 | .22 Mag vs .17 HMR — Magnum Rimfire Reconnaissance
After hitting the range and shooting the 17 HMR and 22 Mag into gel, all signs point to a clear winner. So why are the guys still perplexed as to which one they’d select? Tune in as they break down the results.
Feb 20, 2025 · 45 min
Ep. 380 | Sheep Hunting and Your Chance to Win the Slam
Sheep hunting, getting lucky enough to draw a tag, and having the financial means to book a hunt with an outfitter are all difficult. Mark Boardman grabs Huntin’ Fool’s Austin Atkinson to discuss all these things — including how you can get the chance to win the entire North American Sheep Slam.
Feb 18, 2025 · 32 min
#10MinuteTalk - The Viper Shotgun Dot — Redefining Shotgun Red Dot Sights
Vortex took a dedicated, intentional, and problem-solving shotgun approach to the Viper Shotgun Dot. And it worked. Sitting incredibly low for optimal cheek weld with a fully enclosed emitter, this optic is ready to take on all your shot-gunning needs. Tune in to hear about your next shotgun sight.
Feb 17, 2025 · 1 hr 19 min
Ep. 379 | Boom to Bust - Research and Recovery with the Wild Turkey Doc
Mike Chamberlain, aka “The Wild Turkey Doc,” is back talking about the plight of the wild turkey, fascinating research, and what people who care about these amazing birds can do to help. Mike is a top research biologist in his field and has been studying wild turkeys for more than 30 years. As a hunter, his passion for these birds is personal and professional. Tune in to get the most up to date information on population trends and more.
Feb 11, 2025 · 38 min
#10MinuteTalk - The .358 Winchester — Good or Nearly Gone for Good?
Offspring of the .308, like so many great cartridges, the .358 Win offers big bullet performance in a compact package. What’s not to like? Nothing if shooting distance is moderate — particularly on critters where a large hole and increased structural damage fall firmly in the plus category. So why does this cartridge gasp for air like a trout tossed to the bank? Tune in for our take on the good but nearly forgotten .358 Win.
Feb 10, 2025 · 1 hr 26 min
Ep. 378 | Hunting South Africa — Tips to Have a Great Trip
Vortex’s Paul Neess has hunted South Africa multiple times. He stops in to share his knowledge, experience, and perspective. Travel to taxidermy, we cover it all. Tune in for great tips so you can plan your South Africa Safari.
Feb 4, 2025 · 34 min
#10MinuteTalk - Ryan’s 6mm ARC — Hunt Proven
Ryan’s 6mm ARC made meat this year and did so with gusto. If you tuned into the podcast on his Howa Carbon Stalker or the 6mm ARC Terminal Test episode of Cartridge Talks, you’re familiar with the tools he was working with. If you didn’t, check them out. Now, listen as Mark Boardman and Ryan Muckenhirn recount how his rig performed on two successful hunts last fall.