Vortex Edge Podcast

In this episode, instructor Justin Lipska sheds some light on the actual importance of standard deviation, achieving sub-MOA accuracy, getting a proper muzzle velocity, and knowing the exact range of your target in terms of their real effect on long-range hit probability. Using ballistic software to play out various scenarios, we determined what variables are truly most important in getting you repeatable hits on target at distance. The results will surprise you!

Figuring out how to set up your helmet for night vision at first can be a tall task. Getting the night vision itself is confusing enough for a beginner, but integrating it seamlessly into your helmet for ease of use and proper fit to your head/face/eyes is its own challenge. In this episode, instructor Mike Griffin dives into all things related to the helmet when it comes to night vision. What type of helmet do you need and what sort of interfaces should it have? Why proper fit is paramount when considering mounting night vision. What sorts of accessories do you absolutely need in order to mount the night vision and make it work? Are counterweights necessary? How about some of the lights, patches, covers, battery packs, and other accessories you've probably seen others use in videos or photos? We've got all your answers here to getting the perfect setup!

If you listened to "Ballistics for Beginners" or already have a basic understanding of long-range ballistics, you know there's a lot of factors at play with every single shot, and even the smallest of inconsistencies can cause frustrating misses. Arguably the most difficult variable we deal with in long-range shooting and ballistic solutions is wind. In this episode, Instructor Justin Lipska talks about wind and some of the many effects it can have on your shot in both the left-right direction and even your elevation up-down. He also introduces a topic we teach in our Long-Range Pipeline which is the "Short Wind Formula" to make determining a wind correction on the fly much more easy and quick.

You may have seen the "Four Firearms Safety Rules" on a poster in a range somewhere, but have you ever really thought about how these apply in real-life situations from self-defensive scenarios to professional duty use, competition, and more? There's really never a time where these rules should be broken, nor is there a circumstance where following the four firearms safety rules would put you at a tactical or competitive disadvantage. In this episode, Instructor Pete Schreier breaks down each of the rules, times where they may be easy to accidentally break, and how you can ensure you're keeping yourself and others around you safe both on the range and off. He also goes into one classic rule which we word differently here at Vortex Edge - tune in to find out which one!

Shooting with your weak hand/side - is it a skill worth dedicating a lot of your training time toward? In this episode, Instructor Chris Urrutia talks about reasons why one might need to shoot with their non-dominant side, how to train for those instances, and how much time you should plan to dedicate toward this type of training for competition and/or tactical use.

There is no amount of data, equipment, load development, or anything else that can make up for a poor zero with your long-range rifle and scope combination. All else is meaningless if that foundational component isn't rock solid. In this episode, Instructor Justin Lipska talks about the process of sighting in a long-range rifle, and why a few simple steps can ensure that all the corrections you make at distance are done from a reliable zero, therefore eliminating a pesky potential variable from play.

It's hard to find good pistol drills that challenge shooters at every level and don't get old after a while. Pete Schreier joins Jimmy to talk about three drills that he and the other instructors at Vortex Edge continually go back to in order to assess their skill progression and potential areas of improvement. The best part about these drills is all of them are entirely scalable in terms of difficulty and challenge so you'll never outgrow them as you develop your skill.

The world of night vision is nothing short of incredibly cool... And complicated... The good news is we have people like Instructor Mike Griffin who have dedicated themselves to figuring it all out and presenting it in a way that makes sense to those who are just beginning to scratch the surface. In this episode of our "New to NODS" series, Mike talks about the differences between traditional analog or "i-squared" night vision and thermal. What are the key differences, pro's and con's of each system, and what would be best for you to go out and purchase as your first big investment in night vision and technological sighting devices?

We get it, you don't always have time, ammo, or access to go to the range and train with live fire. The good news is, you can still get some serious work done at home with no ammo at all and improve your skills tremendously with dry fire. In this episode, Instructor Brennan Brennecke, a huge proponent of dry fire, goes over some of his favorite dry fire drills and some best practices to ensure you're getting the most out of your training time. Just beware, once you listen to this episode, there's no more excuses for not getting any better with a pistol!

We believe any responsible citizen should exercise their right to own, use, and train with a firearm, but shooting classes take time and money - are you actually ready to make the most of that investment? Instructor Mike Griffin talks about his years of experience from both the student and instructor perspective, and the things you can do to make it count. Coming in with the right expectations, doing your homework before hand, ensuring your gear won't take you out of the action, best ways to take notes to learn from later on, and much more. If you're considering taking a shooting class at Vortex Edge or with any instructor, this episode is full of extremely valuable information to make the experience all the more useful and enjoyable.

Welcome to the Vortex Edge® Podcast!