thermal scope

[from H to 80]

I am in the market for a night vision rifle scope. I know that there are a lot of shooters on this site,any suggestions,i am considering a Burris V2 or v3 because of the online reviews.

[Sledgehammer]

Night vision or thermal?  

[Pete1468]

I wanted to get one for my son for Christmas until a buddy checked into one.  He said $2500 for a good one.  Claimed  the cheaper ones guys had bought but didn't seem like them so  they didn't use them.

[Sledgehammer]

Prices are all over. I know people who hunt a lot at night for varmints. Everyone I know uses thermal over night vision. They can be used during the day also if necessary. I have used both and prefer the thermal technology over night vision personally. Your wallet will know what happened after buying one 😊 I can put you in touch with a place that sells a lot of them and is good to deal with if you decide to do something. Send me message if you get serious. I am most familiar with the RIX brand.

[53ihgarand]

Like everybody said good ones are 2500 and up. I will ask my bro-in-law,  He made one cheap somehow, been a couple years. It wasn't the best, but it wasn't a mortgage payment either.

[jd560]

I have a Pulsar Thermion XP50.  I have it mounted on a 204 Ruger.  It will reach out there.  It was expensive, but I managed to work about 20% off the list price.  Yeah, I'd do it again.  The image is not as sharply defined at the higher magnifications, but Technology has probably improved a lot during the 5 years since I bought mine.  Very easy to tell the difference between a deer and a coyote at distances I can't hit.  I'm not as stable as I used to be, gotta use a rest to hold steady.

I've never looked through a night vision one, so can't compare.  I went thermal based on recommendations from others who had viewed both.

 

 

[td9inidaho]

I have thermal, and as others have said, you can use them during the day. Just "never" point the scope into the sun, you will ruin it in a half a second, that is if it's a really good one. Before you spend a dime, research different brands, and quality. What are your expectations?  Basically understand, they are a computer, receiving heat signatures, and playing back to you on a screen, look at the refresh rates, how clear it will be, and how quickly it will react to objects in motion. Like any toy, $2500 will get you started, if you are really serious, you will be disappointed in the cheaper models. but at what level are you wanting to be. Someone walks across the carpet, I can see their foot steps from the heat left behind, About $8000, you will have a really nice unit, you can spend even more than that if you have the means. Justification is all on you and your pocket book. I have an armasight zeus 640, 3-24. A few years old now. Be prepared to fill out paperwork and get a background check for clearance when you try to buy one. Technology like these , they take very seriously 

Mark

[from H to 80]

I am looking at the thermals,i should have been more clear,I don't want to spend my retirement fund on one because it will get beat and bounced around in my ATV, 400 yards is probably as far as i will shoot around here,just too much development around me. our biggest issue is the deer population,they have learned what a beam of light means,so i need to find a better method.

[OFFTHEFARM]

9 minutes ago, from H to 80 said:

I am looking at the thermals,i should have been more clear,I don't want to spend my retirement fund on one because it will get beat and bounced around in my ATV, 400 yards is probably as far as i will shoot around here,just too much development around me. our biggest issue is the deer population,they have learned what a beam of light means,so i need to find a better method.

All the guys I hunt with or know that have thermal tell me buy once cry once. Since I don't like crying I don't own one yet! They all tell me spend 2k minimum or don't bother buying one. Take that for what its worth. 

The videos I've seen from the Pulsar units are really impressive.

[Injpumped]

While I haven't gotten into the night hunting, yet, there is a very popular thermal dealer right outside our town of Walnut, Midwest Thermal I think is his company. I've known them for years, great people, very cool they have built up the business to what it is. He has a runway there, and customers fly in from all over lol! My SIL has gotten into hunting coyotes as his place is out in country with several wooded areas near his place. 

[jd560]

There are numerous options out there.  Do the research and if possible look through some.  Thermal is similar to regular scopes in that quality makes a difference.  You'll see the difference in quality if you can look through some.

And, as said before, DO NOT point it toward the sun.

[td9inidaho]

Options are a big thing to look into. The one I have , again is basically a computer, it has the ability to be mounted on 3 different guns and will, once sighted in on each, will hold that setting.  All you have to do is select gun 1, 2 or 3. It's that easy. For me, gun 1 is set for my 308, gun 2 is set for my sons 223. As for rambling around on or in a 4 wheeler, I catch my son doing that, gun 2 will get reset, if it's a good one, it should come in a very nice foam case, I have flown a few times with mine, and it didn't leave my sight. Sighting in was a bit unique, who would ever think you need "hot hands" hand warmers to see a target 😁

[sandhiller]

11 hours ago, jd560 said:

Do the research and if possible look through some

But do not look through anything you cannot afford

You will not be happy with what you can afford. 

I have an ATN Thor 4 which I consider entry level

13 hours ago, from H to 80 said:

I am looking at the thermals,i should have been more clear,I don't want to spend my retirement fund on one because it will get beat and bounced around in my ATV, 400 yards is probably as far as i will shoot around here,just too much development around me. our biggest issue is the deer population,they have learned what a beam of light means,so i need to find a better method.

For what they cost you do not want to be beating and bouncing them around in a SxS. 

IMHO 400 yards is a fair piece for an entry level thermal. 

My opinions should be taken with a grain of salt as I have not kept up on newer technology or companies that have entered the game. 

 

Thermals will open up a whole new world to you.

Good luck in your search

 

[Michigan No Till]

I have a 2x base magnification, 4k digital day/night vision.

Different than thermal. 

Mounted on 15-22.

Stock IR light mounted forward on the hand guard once you get the light aimed, target ID easy out to 200 plus yards.

Brush and weeds will white out and can't see the best, but in the open with a SHL IR see way out there. 

Less than 450 bucks for the 4K mini 

Only has a temp rating down to 32 degrees.

I've been giving it short outings below freezing, good so far.

Came with the external battery pack that clips to the pick rail.

[Michigan No Till]

Oh,,

Have you tried Red or Green lights rather than the bright white?

Say they won't scare off animals so much..

Think some guy's still hunt coyotes this way?

[Sledgehammer]

20 hours ago, td9inidaho said:

Options are a big thing to look into. The one I have , again is basically a computer, it has the ability to be mounted on 3 different guns and will, once sighted in on each, will hold that setting.  All you have to do is select gun 1, 2 or 3. It's that easy. For me, gun 1 is set for my 308, gun 2 is set for my sons 223. As for rambling around on or in a 4 wheeler, I catch my son doing that, gun 2 will get reset, if it's a good one, it should come in a very nice foam case, I have flown a few times with mine, and it didn't leave my sight. Sighting in was a bit unique, who would ever think you need "hot hands" hand warmers to see a target 😁

We use the silver duct tape.  Not Red Green's duck tape, the actual silver reflective stuff. Cut it into squares or circles and put on a different color backing. Shows up great and an $8 roll lasts a LONG time. 

[sandhiller]

1 hour ago, Michigan No Till said:

Oh,,

Have you tried Red or Green lights rather than the bright white?

Say they won't scare off animals so much..

Think some guy's still hunt coyotes this way?

I have both

Virgin coyote maybe a little better, curious, definately see em

Wyle ol dog, yeah, not falling for that😂

[sandhiller]

28 minutes ago, Sledgehammer said:

We use the silver duct tape.  Not Red Green's duck tape, the actual silver reflective stuff. Cut it into squares or circles and put on a different color backing. Shows up great and an $8 roll lasts a LONG time. 

Lots of things work cheap, black magic marker on a white feed sack

Thermal picks up on differnces in heat signals so black on white works well

[Michigan No Till]

21 minutes ago, sandhiller said:

I have both

Virgin coyote maybe a little better, curious, definately see em

Wyle ol dog, yeah, not falling for that😂

I'm thinking about the mounted red and green light setups? 

Also thinking about AGM, Rix thermals. 

Use my 4K mini on raccoons that are out of control. 

Don't have a  e-caller and never even taken a coyote yet..

If they kill fawns at the rate that is reported, here in southern Michigan, that's a good thing for row crops.

Deer are overpopulated just like raccoons.

220 conibear are more productive on groundhog and raccoon when there's only so much time in a day. 

Getting off topics, sorry guys.

[sandhiller]

26 minutes ago, Michigan No Till said:

I'm thinking about the mounted red and green light setups? 

Also thinking about AGM, Rix thermals. 

Use my 4K mini on raccoons that are out of control. 

Don't have a  e-caller and never even taken a coyote yet..

If they kill fawns at the rate that is reported, here in southern Michigan, that's a good thing for row crops.

Deer are overpopulated just like raccoons.

220 conibear are more productive on groundhog and raccoon when there's only so much time in a day. 

Getting off topics, sorry guys.

You talking IR?

Mine are just red and green flashlights to catch eyes

Red mounts on top of scope

But the green is so good I use it like a regular flashlight

Full derail averted back to talking thermals😄

[Michigan No Till]

Yes back to thermals. 

AGM has a 320 resolution

Checking prices.

[Sledgehammer]

I've been around a few from mild to wild. Any more a 384 resolution scope is about entry level. A 640 resolution scope is 2x the clarity basically. Then, you get into things like range finders (internal and external) and other options. 

[acem]

A long time ago I was told,

If you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it!

Also saw a sign in the original Mad Max movie.

Speed is just a question of money.  How fast do you want to go!

[from H to 80]

Well,right or wrong,i pulled the trigger..... so too speak, on a Pulsar 50 QR with the range finder, the reviews and a 3 year warranty drew me towards this one. Now i have to decide whether or not to put it on a gun i already have or look for something with a threaded barrel😜

[OFFTHEFARM]

4 hours ago, from H to 80 said:

Well,right or wrong,i pulled the trigger..... so too speak, on a Pulsar 50 QR with the range finder, the reviews and a 3 year warranty drew me towards this one. Now i have to decide whether or not to put it on a gun i already have or look for something with a threaded barrel😜

Let me know how you like it. I have been eyeballing that one myself.