Sandpoint serial entrepreneur Jason Giddings is targeting the tactical shooting market with a product that turns a smartphone into an electronic gun sight.

The Inteliscope, which went into production over the summer, involves a mounting system that attaches an iPhone device to certain firearms, paintball guns, and Airsoft rifles. Inteliscope LLC's software application sets it apart from conventional sighting by providing the shooter on-screen targeting and other data.

"I've always had in the back of my mind that it would be neat to use a digital display instead of the old-fashioned glass scope," Giddings says. "The iPhone has the platform with a processor and camera; it just needs an app."

Inteliscope's composite rifle adapter attaches to standard tactical-rifle mounting hardware known as a Picatinny rail to hold an iPhone securely in place.

The system's app displays crosshairs and other functions in the iPhone screen. The display has a five-power digital zoom and also shows wind speed and direction, compass direction, and GPS location. The system also has the ability to sight in and record performance.

"Turn on the app, and it's ready to shoot," Giddings says. "It brings a lot of intelligence to the tactical shooter."

The adapter's housing fits iPhone models 4, 4S, and 5, and the iPod Touch.

"We're working on a universal mount and an Android app," he says. That would cover the two most popular smartphone platforms.

Inteliscope is based at 805 Schweitzer Plaza Drive, in Ponderay, north of Sandpoint.

The startup hired three employees last week to bring its total staff to six, Giddings says.

The main composite polymer component for the adapter is molded in China, and the parts are assembled, and packaged in Ponderay, where the company also fulfills orders, he says.

"Sales are just picking up steam," Giddings says. "We've been in production since July and have sold about 1,000."

Starting out, most sales were conducted online to individual consumers.

Giddings says he's in the process of sending product information to federally licensed firearms dealers, and about 150 dealers have signed up so far.

"Now we're seeing dealers put them in actual storefronts," he says.

As more dealers stock and sell Inteliscope products, Giddings is projecting sales of "conservatively 2,000 units a month" with peak sales during Christmas-shopping months that could more than double that.

The retail price is $99 for the adapter, including the software application. Dealers get a wholesale discount.

Although Giddings claims there's some excitement in Europe for pairing the system with paintball and Airsoft guns, "The device is really meant for real firearms," he says. "The U.S. market is solidly tactical rifles."

Tactical rifles include the AR-15, which is one of the most popular semiautomatic rifles for private gun owners as well as law enforcement agencies, though it's often vilified as an "assault" rifle.

Giddings says he and wife own several firearms, including the AR-15 and the SR-25, a semiautomatic sniper rifle, which they use for close- to mid-range target shooting.

He says target shooting is an exhilarating experience that requires skill and practice.

Inteliscope potentially makes target shooting more social, Giddings says.

"You can record a video of the shooting experience, and you can upload the video to show people," he says. "It brings more competition and excitement about specific firearms, and it's a way for people to collaborate on what they use and what their experience was."

Giddings says he's seeing some law-enforcement interest in Inteliscope for use as a police training aid.

"It allows you to train, then watch the video and learn how to do things quicker," he says.

Recording a special weapons and tactics team exercise from the point of view of individual team members provides information about where firearms are pointed at all times and helps identify where actions and timing could be improved when engaging targets, Giddings says.

The app also can take advantage of the iPhone's front-facing camera to record the user, a function that helps identify and correct bad shooting habits, such as flinching or blinking before firing, he says.

"There's all kinds of things you can learn trainingwise," he says.

One key feature of Inteliscope's tactical abilities is its video sight system, which virtually allows a user to sight in on a target from behind cover, Giddings says.

"You don't have to be lined up like you do for an optical sight," he says. "You can look at it like a TV from an angle, with zero head exposure to the target."

The Inteliscope system isn't appropriate for hunting, he says.

"It's not specifically designed for hunting, because many states prohibit the use of electronic devices and range finders for hunting game," he says. "I'm sure this falls into that category."

Giddings is no stranger to developing high-tech products.

He founded Sandpoint-based TransluSense LLC, which made a big splash with its futuristic glass keyboard early this year at the big International Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas, winning the coveted Last Gadget Standing award.

While he still has high hopes for the TransluSense, he says production plans have stalled because its main backer has had cash-flow problems. He's currently negotiating with the backer to release its shares in the company, he asserts, adding that he has new investors waiting in the wings to infuse cash into the project.

"We've lost some momentum with TransluSense because of legal stuff," Giddings says. "There's still tremendous excitement. I hear from people every day who want to buy it."

He says TransluSense is getting strong interest from the medical industry, and he's also hearing from gamers and other people who see potential uses for the customizable light-driven keyboard.

Meantime, Giddings is funding Inteliscope on his own to maintain full control of its development.

"My experience with TransluSense made me rethink the way of funding my ideas," he says. "I decided to try to do it all on my own."

David Rogers, who also works closely with Giddings in TransluSense, is the marketing executive for Inteliscope.

"He's pushing sales and business development," Giddings says.

Giddings says PlayXpert LLC of Sandpoint did the "desk work" to bring his concept for the Inteliscope app to fruition.

"PlayXpert will receive a portion of the revenue and is responsible for continuously updating the app," he says.

While the new venture is operating on a smaller scale than is envisioned for TransluSense, Inteliscope is on the verge of turning a profit, Giddings asserts.

"I expect that within two months we'll be manufacturing with zero debt and 100 percent in the black," he says.

Giddings, a Spokane native, is a former Army helicopter pilot who earned a degree in aerospace engineering after leaving the military.

He worked for an aircraft manufacturer in Eagle, Idaho, and then as an engineering team leader for an Oregon tool company before setting out in product development. He moved to Sandpoint with his wife and daughter last year to set up a manufacturing facility for TransluSense.

Giddings says he's working on more ideas for new products.

While declining to go into detail, he says his next idea will target the medical-product market, and another will involve 3-D printing technology.

Also, he says, "If TransluSense gets re-funded, we're going to do a lot of technology that has to do with touch-sensitive glass."