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Thermal Vision Scope
Snigley
Member Posts: 134 ✭✭
My daughter wants to buy her husband a thermal vision scope to hunt hogs with on our ranch. She doesn't want to spend more than $2500. Since we don't have a lot of knowledge in this area, we'd appreciate some recommendations on what is the best bang for the buck in this price range.
Comments
Here is a link to where I ask about night vision scope awhile back.
I have not purchased one yet.
Instead of thermal imaging which is only good at night, maybe, I was thinking of a scope that could be used in daytime for regular hunting and at night for hogs and mainly short range at night in vicinity of 100 years and less. Seems the thermal type is best for long range hog/varmit hunting at night only.
I seen and heard about lots of bad reviews for ATN scopes
I started looking at Pulsar.
Outdoor Legacy seems to be a good place to shop/buy and they have good references about Customer Service questions.
The link below will give you an idea of what to avoid plus within this link is a link to other info
https://forums.gunbroker.com/discussion/1904707/day-night-scope-use-for-hog-hunting#latest
I blew $500 on a SightMark 'nightvision' scope and was not satisfied at all. According to reports/reviews, the externally illuminated night vision is better for shorter ranges and target identification. What I found is the unit is totally unusable if there's ANYTHING in front of the scope and/or illuminator. I tried to use this for vermin removal in an area with scattered vegetation, trees, and such. All I got was glare from the vegetation reflecting the IR light. I couldn't even begin to see an animal @ 40-50 yards. Son took the unit to a wide open pasture and it worked OK out to 75-100 yards.
The other issue is simply getting the stupid thing adjusted and focused at varied distances. Unless the user is a weightlifter dude, a support of some sort is required since the non-firing hand is constantly occupied with fiddling with buttons.
As far as using the scope for daylight hunting, the field of view is narrow and difficult to align even for a very experienced scope user.
For thermal you almost have to go another 500.00 to start getting into the decent stuff. I went with the sightmark mini 4K and for my hunting application have been very satisfied with it other then the rate it eats battries
Thanks for your comments! On our ranch the hogs seem to be smart enough to only come out at night, so he is determined to get night vision, and for some reason a thermal.
The bearing optics hogster comes in right at 2500.00 if your range isn't to far it is not a bad unit
For $2500 in a thermal regardless of brand you will be able to identify your target around 75-100. After that it will look like either a red or white splotch depending on settings. If that satisfactory go ahead and grab an AtN or pulsar. I don't have any experience with the Sightmark mentioned but do with the two I mentioned.
Find someone with one and check it out.
Don’t waste your money on atn. Spend a little more (low 3k’s) and get yourself a Pulsar entry level unit and be done with it. My 2 friends with atn’s * every single time we go out that they cheaped out and should have spent the extra.
Thanks much for your comments.
Agree with above very good people to talk with most of the time you will get Jason on the phone the owner of the company.
AGM Rattler 384x35 is a good one. They run about $2500. Hogster is comparable. But rattler can video and still shot,
I have a sightmark photon night vision scope. I missed two hogs last weekend because of it not holding zero after changing batteries. I am going to get a pulsar thermal scope and be done with it. If anybody wants to try a night vision scope they are welcome to try my sightmark. I’ll send it to you to try. You just have to re sight in after changing the AA batteries every time.
I see that Burris has a couple out now. Anyone have any experience with those?
With the quality of their regular scopes I would think these may be good, but unsure who is making the components and software in them.
Only thing that I noticed is that several of the night vision dedicated suppliers don't carry them just like you don't see them carry the ATN line. Might be a licensing issue or like the ATN they don't want to deal with the returns
Probably the same people that's making 90 percent of everything else that's made in the world today.