This is topic Kelly made me do it! in forum Optics forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.
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Posted by knockemdown (Member # 3588) on December 19, 2017, 05:42 AM:
Well, lemme start off with some background. In NY, we actually have some decent night hunting regs. I've been using various forms of illumination & doing OK, relatively speaking. But still, there've been times when I had coyotes howling waaaaaay close, but not get into the 'open' darkness. Had to be that the red LED light was spooking them?
Only way to find out would be to try some form of night vision/thermal optic that negated the need for artificial light. I know KJ has been killin' the shit outta pigs (and predators) with a thermal scope, so when I went down to OK for a deer hunt, I asked if I could check out his thermal scope?
DANG IT! Lookiing thru that Pulsar unit sealed the deal to get one. I'd been familiar with installing/operating a joystick controlled FLIR thermal camera on our big boat, and that thing works GREAT, even in daylight! Well, KJ's scope was no different, and the clarity was incredible....
Took advantage of black friday coupon, and grabbed up a Pulsar Trail XQ50. Although its a step down in processor size from KJ's, but the <200yd shooting I'll be doing, hoped that it'd be plenty good...
Got it mounted up on my .17Predator bolt gun. This clunk of technology looks stupid as shit on top, but I don't care. Used a handwarmer taped to a target and got zeroed in.
Here's a pic from 200yd target, good enough for me! Those little 30Golds sure crater that steel
First stand with thermal, killed a pretty grey fox.
Second stand, killed another fox!
Third stand, finally had a coyote in ear shot & it came in...
Pic from 'in scope' video:
That coyote was plenty calm under cover of darkness, casually strolling toward the call to investigate. Looked plenty good in the scope, so I dropped it @ 120yds...
That tripod extends to standing height, and I 'scan' behind it while standing. Kind of a PITA, but workable for now! Even though its a small sample size, I can tell by how the critters acted that NOT having artificial light on stand is going to be advantageous. I know I won't mind keeping the current batting average!!!
KJ warned me that thermal is a "game changer". That moniker gets thrown around alot these days, but KJ ain't no bullshitter! This technology is incredible...
Happy hunting!
[ December 19, 2017, 05:47 AM: Message edited by: knockemdown ]
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on December 19, 2017, 09:29 AM:
Very nice Fred, very nice!
Don't know if I'll ever be able to work it into my budget. Probably not, honestly. But it sure is some fun stuff to play with!
- DAA
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on December 20, 2017, 11:52 AM:
That is a little surprising; the 17 caliber dent in that plate.
Gee, maybe it is a 500 yard gun? ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by knockemdown (Member # 3588) on December 22, 2017, 05:39 AM:
Maybe not lethal @ 500, but you'd be surprised how well it shoots that far!
Don't get a thermal scope, guys! I'm already scheming how to fund another one...its that contagious!!!
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on December 22, 2017, 07:00 AM:
Well, a fella does need a scanner and a shooter, after all.
It's all bench racing for me. But my thoughts are, thermal monocular to scan with and use much less expensive NV on the rifle. But thermal for both would be way more better!
- DAA
Posted by knockemdown (Member # 3588) on December 22, 2017, 07:14 AM:
That's what I'm sayin', Dave!
Figure if imma drop the coin on a decent scanner, I'd want to have it be a rifle capable scope, too.
Then I can be out with a buddy & we can both shoot. Or, I can just scan and have them on the gun. And have a 'backup' scope, if something shits the bed. These units allow for rifle zero profiles to be saved internally. So, theoretically, one should be able to remove thermal, use as scanner, and slap it back on rifle with minimal zero shift. I'll believe that when I see it, but its posta be good enough for stayin' on a coyote...
What's that saying? Two is one, and one is none??? Shit, time to sell a rifle, I guess!
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on December 22, 2017, 09:53 AM:
Yup.
A buddy recently picked up a "spare" IR Hunter MkIII. He wants to get it zeroed on one of my rifles for when we go out. I think they hold five "zeroes" in memory. So he can have it setup for one or more of his own rifles, and mine too.
Only problem, I don't own a pic rail. And am not enthused about putting one on any of my existing calling rigs. And can't afford to build a new rig. Though, I do have a Nesika K that isn't really being used. It's part of a complete colony varmint rig that just never gets used anymore. If I had the cash, I'd build a new .22-243 or some such around it and put a pic rail on it to do day/night double duty. Maybe someday?
For now, I figured if I was ever going to get one, they'll likely never be a better time, so I ordered a RRA a couple weeks ago. Might be another six weeks before I see it. So it might not get any thermal action this year. We'll see. Ought to be fun all around though. Have a VX5 2-10 fire dot in a Bobro QD mount waiting to go on it for regular daytime use. Going to be a hella fun bunny blaster and family plinker if nothing else. Be running it suppressed, of course. Looking forward to just playing with it a lot when it gets here. Hope to shoot the piss out of it this summer.
- DAA
Posted by knockemdown (Member # 3588) on December 22, 2017, 10:36 AM:
Ergos of an AR do make it easy to slap a thermal on. I've resurrected my lil 6x45 shorty for just that...
Still, going with an EGW 0 MOA pic rail on the Seven .17Predator was an easy swap, and cheap enough. You could do that and just switch the rings of your leupy to picatinny, and be none the worse for wear?
It ain't like you need a machine gun to mag dump on pigs in your AO. The .17 is a riot after dark! The trajectory & absence of recoil can't be beat, but you know that...
Oh, if we could only run a can here!!!
[ December 22, 2017, 10:36 AM: Message edited by: knockemdown ]
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on December 22, 2017, 11:30 AM:
Fred, I'm loathe to add any weight or bulk to that rig. It's a trim little machine and I like it like that. Might be able to maintain the same sight height, but I absolutely don't want to raise it and am not sure I wouldn't have to.
In the end, just don't want to mess with success, you know?
The AR will be simple to go tripod with, if I ever want to. And again, don't want to add anything to the stock on the .17, so it would be Tri-clawps, which is alright. But if I ever do put that bolt rig together, it will have your stock mod done to it.
- DAA
Posted by knockemdown (Member # 3588) on December 23, 2017, 02:04 PM:
Roger that.
The sight height does get ya up off the comb on a bolt gun. But, being a parallax free screen for aiming, its not the worst thing in the world...
I swapped a Seekins SP3R forend onto the 6x45 and got an MLOK/ARCA adaptor from RRS to mount underneath...
Don't get no easier to clamp to a tripod, than that!
P.S.
After I told him of my success with the Trail, one of my 'goombas' is hot & heavy for an IR Hunter MK III. They're out of stock, everywhere. I'll be puttin' it on his .22-243AI when his order is filled...
Merry Christmas, everyone!!!
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on December 23, 2017, 07:16 PM:
Oh man... If I could just snap my fingers and make a rig appear. 22-243AI with a MKIII would be it!
Merry Christmas to you all too!
- DAA
Posted by knockemdown (Member # 3588) on February 16, 2018, 08:04 AM:
OK tried uploading an un-edited raw video of coyote kill.
Can you guys watch this from the link below???
THERMAL COYOTE VIDEO LINKY
Posted by JP (Member # 4095) on February 16, 2018, 09:24 AM:
Kinda fuzzy but not a problem.
UBB.classicTM
6.3.0