The 2020 Thermal & Night Vision Thread

[Outdoor Legacy]

What everyone’s trying to say these are scopes true but need to be looked for what they truely are: Electronics

And we all know electronics improve in leaps and bounds instead of over a long period of time.


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Russ always says what I’m thinking but he does it in 3-4 sentences. I use paragraphs.LOL!

[Russ81]

Russ always says what I’m thinking but he does it in 3-4 sentences. I use paragraphs.LOL!

Some people like novels, others cliff notes. Just covering the bases!!![emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]


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[TX03RUBI]

Where would you look? Even on here there aren't many used thermals for sale.

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Facebook has several dedicated hog and thermal pages that seem to be pretty good for moving thermals. Sure you’ve got to deal with some BS, but if you’re strictly looking to buy or sell they do pretty well. Just look for someone semi local so you can lay hands on the item before shelling out the cash.

Personally I run in a few groups that change toys as often as they change underwear. We can usually have something sold or bought before ever hitting any of the pages. If you’re looking for something specifically I can keep an eye out for you. I’ll say that there aren’t any 384 optics running through us though if that’s what you’re looking for. The benefit to this way is I usually know the guy personally.

[gingib]

Armasight was bought by FLIR in 2016. FLIR ran it into the ground but had a great line of their own newer scopes, the ThermoSights built off the Armasight optics design. Without warning in January, FLIR shut down their entire thermal hunting scope division. Closed the doors and fired everyone at 5pm on a Friday. So you're buying a scope with 6-7+ year old technology from a company that was bought out by another company 4+ years ago, who is now since shut down operations. If the scope is less than 3 years old with an original receipt, FLIR will likely honor the warranty. They are honoring the warranty without any issues on FLIR branded scopes but it's getting sketchy on the Armasight stuff at this point since 99% of them in use today are waaaay past the warranty period.



Pulsar's start at $1,899, so you don't have spend $5,000. A $2,295 Bering Optics Hogster 25mm will blow most of the old Predator's out of the water.



He's just trying to steer you clear of a trap that many guys get into of buying old technology for as much or more than what newer better technology would cost.



So with that all said, the scope does have some value because it's a working thermal and like you said, you've already killed pigs with it and know it what it will do. Give us the exact model and I'll offer up my 2 cents on what it might be worth. We need the model, magnification, condition, age (original receipt available if its under 3 years) etc.



Jason

Hit the nail on the head! Stear clear of FLIR and Armasight. Buy once cry once

[Jethro]

Been killing a few coyotes lately. Weather and calling conditions have been great, and coyotes have been coming in good too. Getting my night calling system worked out, fixing kinks.

Originally I started by calling out of racks in the back of the truck. But it seems like up here unless it is a really dark night they can see the truck and don't like coming close unless you can hide it in cover. So I changed up. Basically calling just like I do in daytime. Hide the truck and walk away 100 yards or so, use a tripod and set up with some cover. Play the wind and terrain. About the only real difference is I want more open ground at night so I can see better while scanning. It has been working great, coyotes not hanging up.

Took a few short video clips for you guys.

https://youtu.be/scj_smWmqzA

https://youtu.be/rf67-hi_iQs

https://youtu.be/78C0Si1ylp8

Calling is going to be sketchy for me the the next 6-8 weeks though. In mid-August my wife got diagnosed with rectal cancer. We have been making lots of trips back and forth to Dallas seeing doctors, having tests run, and getting set up to start treatments.
Yesterday she got a chemo pump that will run 24/7 for the next 6-8 weeks. Mapping for radiation has been done and we are waiting on a call to see when radiation treatments will start. Once they start those will be 5 days a week for 6 weeks. There is a decent chance just the treatments will get rid of the tumor. But even if it doesn't, they should shrink it enough that the remaining part will be much easier to get via surgery.

One good thing about thermal is I can kind of go whenever as I have a chance. I don't have any time during daylight right now for any kind of hunting but I can slip out at night occasionally for a couple quick stands and some stress relief. Thankful that I have access to so much land here close. Probably 10,000 acres within 20 miles or so from my house. Also very thankful I have such a great support system with family, church, and community.

[Jethro]

I decided to post this up because I thought a few of y'all might be interested. This post is about using one of the reticles in the Thermion for ranging pigs and coyotes. I know ranging with a reticle has some issues, but it is pretty fast and can help quite a bit if you just don't have any other options. It does help quite a bit for shoot/no shoot scenarios.

Starting off I hunt in open country and really wanted a thermal with LRF. That didn't happen because my original LRF wouldn't hold zero, so I ended up with a Thermion. It holds zero great, but all of you guys know how hard it is learning to judge distance through a thermal. I do LR shooting and know how to range with a reticle so I started my search to try find something that would work.

First off, on the Thermion there are 3 "scalable" reticles that are for all practical purposes the same as a FFP reticle. Meaning that the size scales up and down with changes in power, making them stay the same size in relation to the target image at all magnifications, which is critical. Two of those reticles are MIL based reticles, so if you are used to doing that, just use one of them.

The other one though is similar in looks to a BDC reticle, but has sub-tensions based on ranging. That reticle is the X51FI-300. Of course with Pulsar being a European country those sub-tensions are based on the game over there, which is fox, roe deer, and boar. The Pulsar website gives all the data on the measurements they use and how to use it here, page 13:

https://issuu.com/yukon2/docs/thermion_reticle_catalogue?fr=sZmMzMjI5ODQ5

Converting cm to inches I found that for all practical purposes the number they use for roe deer is very close to what a guy needs for the body depth on coyotes. I have always used 8"-9" for the body depth on a coyote in my part of the world. I know that will vary with various parts of the country and young vs mature animals. Any time you are ranging with a reticle there is give and take, and numbers are not absolute. It should give you a pretty good idea though.

I have been using this reticle and ranging with it like this for a couple months now. It appears to me that the numbers are pretty close. Here is a hand drawn version of the reticle from my notes, and the calculations I made, along with distances. The only thing that was not a direct calculation, but instead a derived number is the "C" distance for the coyote. At the end I will also post up a video of a coyote I shot at a laser ranged 135 yards and y'all can look at that and compare to the "C" distance of 132 yards.

If you guys look all this over and think there are problems/issues with my math or any of my premises, by all means let me know. I would love for some of you guys to try and either verify or debunk me. I want things that work and if there are problems with the method I would like to know. I would also like to know if it helps anyone as well.

Video:

https://youtu.be/78C0Si1ylp8

[Pushbutton2]

Finally shot a pig using my Thermal. Saw something under feeder from? Huntstand says 348. Crossed a barn wire fence in and was 300 yds out. Checked under feeder, still there and moving. It was closer to ground and fat. Highly likelihood it's a pig. Keep meandering that way. See a deer below the tank dam. Watch her for a few minutes. Hoping she'll leave. She don't. I walk to the tank dam. She leaves. ID the something as a pig. Close by to 80 yds. He turns and looks at me. Bam i give him one. He stumbles and race in 6 direction but fading of to my left. Bam him again. Face plant butt comes up over his head and he falls to the ground. Tried to get up but can't. He's trashing and squealing. Bam, hit him again maybe. He trashing and I tried to finish it. He ain't moving. I collect my spent casings and walk over to him. I need approach for the rear and his head comes up and he's growling at me. Bam hit him again. Heads hits the dirt and it's over.
He was long haired and muddy.

Wanted to cut the back straps but didn't eat to deal with the mud he was covered in.
First pig here by the house in long long time

[Fordnandez]

Hit the nail on the head! Stear clear of FLIR and Armasight. Buy once cry once

I wouldnt say steer clear however the deal must be right. There are a lot of older scopes out there that make thermal affordable for some guys that otherwise would never be able to buy one. BUT at the end of the day it is an electronic that you are buying used so there is risk associated with that which is why I say the deal must be right.

[TX03RUBI]

The image isn’t the greatest due to my holding up the XG50 and taking a pic through it with my phone. The clarity is definitely a nice upgrade from the XP50 I had. This buck was roughly at 140 yds last night.

[Pushbutton2]

Sitting in bow blind have a Doe w/yearling under feeder. Brought my pig gun with the thermal. RXQ30V it has the green screen.
I like the white hot better. What do yo guys like?

[texasforever]

So I’ve got a AGM Secutor 50 and can’t quite decide the best settings for day and night hunting. Almost settled on the red base for night hunting but does anyone have better opinions?


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[gingib]

I wouldnt say steer clear however the deal must be right. There are a lot of older scopes out there that make thermal affordable for some guys that otherwise would never be able to buy one. BUT at the end of the day it is an electronic that you are buying used so there is risk associated with that which is why I say the deal must be right.

Problem is, I see it all the time.

People wanna get into the thermal market. They spend $2500-3000 then are not happy. Then save up to buy what they should bought the first time and spend $4-5k.

Buy once cry once. they end up spending more in the long run. I tell everyone do not spend under 3500-4000 when you can spend $4400-4700 and buy the best of the best without hitting the magic area of $6-6500 and buying a Reap, Nvision, or Pulsar XG

[Outdoor Legacy]

Hey guys I know a lot of people have been asking about the Hogster 35mm review on the podcast, so here it is.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcmKWQrz-bs"]Ep. 126 | Bering Optics Hogster R 35mm *REVIEW* - YouTube[/ame]

[duckmanep]

comparison of the stock IR light & SHL Coyote Cannon using a Wraith 2-16. 1st 25 seconds are stock IR light. steel targets are hanging @ 400, 500 & 600 yds.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSXP6Tjexa8"]Sightmark Wraith stock IR vs Sniper Hog Lights Coyote Cannon - YouTube[/ame]

[cehorn]

Just got my 4k max today. I'm super pumped. I don't have any details right now as I put it straight on the charger. I'm going to let it charge and then tinker with it and mount it tonight.