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Author
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Topic: Tripod v2.0
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knockemdown
Our staff photo editing Guru, par excellence
Member # 3588
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posted August 04, 2017 03:29 AM
Thanks Grizz!
That Minox is really nice to shoot thru...
BTW, I re-sized the pics so that they won't blow your monitor out of whack. But, you'll have to clear the internet 'cookies' from your cache for the change to be realized. Sorry bout that!
Posts: 2202 | From: behind fascist lines | Registered: Mar 2010
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DAA
Utah/Promoted WESTERN REGIONAL Hunt Director
Member # 11
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posted August 14, 2017 11:52 AM
So I've got a craving for some thermal night vision stuff. Might not ever get there, pretty spendy. Be a good long while at least.
But, thinking I'll have to do your plate on the forearm mod to whichever rifle gets the thermal scope Fred. For complying with Utah laws regarding shooting from a vehicle, I'm a gonna have to get on the ground. So standing up is really the only way to go. Think your plate mod would just be too much more slick for that than the Triclawps.
Probably just idle talk though, lots of stuff needs paid for before I could seriously consider buying thermal. Have got to use it coyote hunting recently though and holy hell, talk about neat. Put me into heavy Me Want. Heck, I even killed coyote with an AR and liked it ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif) .
- DAA
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"Oh yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom, but they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em." -- George Hanson, Easy Rider, 1969.
Rocky Mountain Varmint Hunter
Posts: 2676 | From: Salt Lake City, UT | Registered: Jan 2003
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knockemdown
Our staff photo editing Guru, par excellence
Member # 3588
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posted August 15, 2017 04:01 AM
Been contemplating something thermal, myself. But, for as little as I called @ night last year + our terrain, my handheld LED torch seems to work OK. Still want a thermal, though! I installed a FLIR unit on the flybridge roof of the big boat, with 8" screen and joystick controls @ the helm....that FLIR IS BADAZZ! SO, yeah, I want one on a rifle... ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Would prefer a 'clip on' so can retain use of day scopes, but that means adding some type of forward rail to the stock. Then you have to get the height right, yadda yadda, and all that bullshit. By that time, it'd almost be easier to get a dedicated thermal scope and just leave it there...
If ya look back at the pic of my .17Predator, you'll see that I swapped out the Talley one pc. rings for a 0 MOA picatinny rail. Thinking ahead that if/when I do grab a thermal, the little .17P would be just perfect to night hunt with!
As for the plate install...DO IT! We cashed points in & drew 1st rifle elk tags this year in CO, so figgered I'd install a plate on my 6.5SAUM. Heck, I'll have my tripod along for spotting scope detail, so may as well be able to shoot off the dang thing, too!!!
Used a couple cheap bolts smeared with Johnson's Paste wax as a release agent to keep the threads clean while the MarineTex cures.
I will throw a couple pairs of these long shank T-nuts in the mail to ya, Dave...
I have a piloted Forstner bit that makes this project a snap. If you don't have one handy, just lemme know and I'll send that along, too!
P.S...
I know KJ had been messing around with some thermals/NV stuff. Maybe he could back away from the pancakes & Aunt Jemima for a spell and share his thoughts?
[ August 15, 2017, 04:05 AM: Message edited by: knockemdown ]
Posts: 2202 | From: behind fascist lines | Registered: Mar 2010
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DAA
Utah/Promoted WESTERN REGIONAL Hunt Director
Member # 11
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posted August 15, 2017 05:10 AM
That would be appreciated Fred! I do have a couple piloted Foresters, not sure what size is needed, but good chance I already have it.
Would LOVE to get KJ talking to us about how he rolls with thermal. My only just starting to form thoughts, are that I'd really need a separate scanner and rifle site. Would of course prefer thermal for both.
My only experience so far, buddy loaned me an OSS suppressed Rock River with IR Hunter III 60mm. Talk about slick... He was also using the same scope on his rifle.
In addition, he had an IR Patrol on a helmet mount and a handheld Gen 2 NV mono. He mostly used those for driving the Polaris without lights.
On stand, he has a platform on top of his Ranger with a pair of Idleback shooting chairs mounted. We'd use the rifle scopes to scan during the stand. Which, worked fine, being able to sit and swivel 360*, but a little hard on my fused neck.
That was on private ground, behind locked gates.
For me by myself, on public land, shooting off the rig, even a UTV like that, totally illegal and not worth the risk. I'll have to be completely detached from any vehicle and both feet on the ground to be legal.
So, thinking put the rifle with dedicated thermal site on my big tripod. But walking in a circle to scan ain't gonna be too cool. So I'd really want a separate scanning thermal for spotting and ID'ing incoming.
All just wishful thinking right now. And in the very early stages. Got a lot of learning up to do. And a lot of saving, lol!
That stuff was just so cool though, and the coyotes were so easy to spot, put the hook in me in a big way!
- DAA
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"Oh yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom, but they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em." -- George Hanson, Easy Rider, 1969.
Rocky Mountain Varmint Hunter
Posts: 2676 | From: Salt Lake City, UT | Registered: Jan 2003
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knockemdown
Our staff photo editing Guru, par excellence
Member # 3588
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posted August 15, 2017 06:23 AM
I'm in the same boat, regarding legality.
Can't even lean a loaded rifle up against a wheel barrow here, LOL. So, I'm stuck hunting from foot...
Figure even if I did get a dedicated thermal scope, I could still use the handheld torch to get 'eyes' confirmed. Once I know I've got a hot customer, it'd be simple enough to transition to the thermal scope & acquire heat signature, assuming field of view wasn't too tight?
Heck, I'm doing that transition already and have to keep my torch on the critter the whole time! It'd likely be easier to just get in in the thermal & forget about the red light, altogether...
Just thinking out loud. But then again, October 1st is just around the corner!
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knockemdown
Our staff photo editing Guru, par excellence
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posted August 15, 2017 06:38 AM
Wouldn't be nuthin' to have the rifle clamped in like this, and be standing next to it, scanning with a handheld flashlight...
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DAA
Utah/Promoted WESTERN REGIONAL Hunt Director
Member # 11
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posted August 15, 2017 09:02 AM
Fred, know that I don't know!
Just thinking out loud here myself. But from my one experience, seems to me the big advantage of thermal is in the spotting them.
I think if it came down to it, I'd have thermal for scanning and live with "whatever" for taking the shot - lamp and regular scope, or cheap NV scope, or whatever.
Using the thermal, with no lights at all, no illuminators, no nothing, I was seeing mice at a hundred yards. Jackrabbits at 400 yards. Deer and elk at I don't even know how far. Spotted coyotes out mousing at close to half a mile before even turning on the call. Didn't matter where the coyotes were looking or what direction they were going, they couldn't hide from that thermal! Even when it was just a face peering out of the sage brush, they glowed like jack o lanterns. Just seemed almost like cheating, how animals can't hide from it. To heck with trying to pick up eyes! LOL!
So, again, I have a lot to figure out and learn and none of this is happening soon. But if I was going to try and just make this work, and try to be kinda cheap about it - as if there were any such thing - I'd get a small thermal monocular to scan with and a plain NV scope on the rifle, maybe even a cheap digital NV scope if really trying to go low budget. Spot and ID them with the monocular, then switch to the NV scope on the rifle to seal the deal. Would of course, much rather have thermal on both!
- DAA
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"Oh yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom, but they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em." -- George Hanson, Easy Rider, 1969.
Rocky Mountain Varmint Hunter
Posts: 2676 | From: Salt Lake City, UT | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted August 15, 2017 12:41 PM
Never have figured out why so many people have no interest in night hunting? It's totally addictive.
Good hunting. El Bee
PS my NV is Russian, or more accurately, Belarusian.
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31465 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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WhiteMtnCur
Knows what it's all about
Member # 5
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posted August 15, 2017 04:04 PM
Hey DAA, I've been hunting using thermal and other NV gear, in an "unattached" manner for the last few years; It was a game changer for me doing spring work, but is just flat killer all year. Saying coyotes can't hide is right!
It's revolutionary enough from any platform; ground, rig or air that I'm not really wanting to dive into the details on a public forum. But shoot me an email if you'd like. I'm also curious if that .243 Ackley of your is still for sale? Since you posted pictures I've been toying with the idea of it as a night time rig candidate with a McCann Industries rail and clip-on.
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DAA
Utah/Promoted WESTERN REGIONAL Hunt Director
Member # 11
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posted August 16, 2017 03:10 AM
I'd appreciate that!
I'm at daveslc at Hotmail dot com.
- DAA
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"Oh yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom, but they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em." -- George Hanson, Easy Rider, 1969.
Rocky Mountain Varmint Hunter
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knockemdown
Our staff photo editing Guru, par excellence
Member # 3588
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posted August 16, 2017 07:44 AM
Dave, I could see how a small thermal monocular for scanning would work great, too.
Could keep use of day scope & hard mount the LED torch somewhere to the gun. Once the critter is close enough, just light 'em up and shoot...
Not sure if/how that flash of light might spook 'em though?
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DAA
Utah/Promoted WESTERN REGIONAL Hunt Director
Member # 11
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posted September 05, 2017 05:06 AM
Fred, the eagle has landed.
Thanks buddy!
- DAA
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"Oh yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom, but they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em." -- George Hanson, Easy Rider, 1969.
Rocky Mountain Varmint Hunter
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knockemdown
Our staff photo editing Guru, par excellence
Member # 3588
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posted September 05, 2017 07:03 AM
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted September 05, 2017 08:59 AM
That's it! Fred always has nice stuff!
Good hunting. El Bee
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
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BangPop
Knows what it's all about
Member # 3876
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posted December 24, 2017 08:58 AM
Fred, Digging up an aging thread here to ask you a question. Your green/white Gamescout stock has a comb elevator that I could see living on my suppressed rifle that has a McMillan HTG. Any ideas who made it and are they still available? Thanks
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