Night Vision Least expensive thermal ??
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Trijicon OASYS UTC-Xii Universal Thermal Clip-On
Trijicon OASYS UTC-Xii 12 Universal Thermal Clip-On 12 Micron Mini Clip-ON is the ultimate in SWAP size weight and power in a thermal clip-on. The UTCXii has incredible range as well as the ability to integrate with the RAPTAR-S range-finding ballistic calculator laser pointer.
www.ultimatenightvision.com
TPL peep sights. A few hundred. But need big rats, since they r peeps. Maybe newer ones have dots
Lepton cores. I had three of them
Lepton cores. I had three of them
Micro Reflex Red Dot small....
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Torrey Pines Logic offers advanced technologies in optics, thermals, scopes, and ballistics.
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Trijicon OASYS UTC-Xii Universal Thermal Clip-On
Trijicon OASYS UTC-Xii 12 Universal Thermal Clip-On 12 Micron Mini Clip-ON is the ultimate in SWAP size weight and power in a thermal clip-on. The UTCXii has incredible range as well as the ability to integrate with the RAPTAR-S range-finding ballistic calculator laser pointer.
What a tease, Horta! I was going to buy that cheap junk but it was out of stock. Maybe they will re-stock when the China boat brings them over....
Get a Pulsar digital scope, you don't need thermal and anything south of $2500 will just disappoint.
If you are stuck on thermal, Hogster 25 will do the trick, and they have a Hide discount if you buy at NightGoggles.com.
If you are stuck on thermal, Hogster 25 will do the trick, and they have a Hide discount if you buy at NightGoggles.com.
Adjustable Tactical Night Vision Goggles | TJstore.co
Be Able to See in the Dark with these Night Vision Goggles! Going on a camp or hunting at night? It's going to be easy seeing in the dark with these cool night
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What kind of air gun? The spring / piston ones are hard AF on optics
Nothing fancy, Its one of those gammo break barrel piston. I have a red dot on it now and I also use one of those seek thermal devices that plug into a phone for spotting the little pests but by the time I hit the light and find them in the Ivy or bushes they have moved.
Thinking maybe mount a FLIR scout or Leupold LTO in front of the red dot.
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I second the Hogster 25. I realize this is more than you were looking to spend. You don't want to throw away money on junk. The Hogsters can be used as a scope and with the included QD mount, it can also be a scanner. It is super versatile. For the short ranges you are talking about, it would be perfect. As already mentioned, Night Goggles will provide a Hide Discount give Tom at Night Goggles a shout and he can help you out. Tom can be reached at 909-312-5424 X531
While I think a Hogster 25 might be a really good choice, I would suggest NOT going with thermal and go with a digital night vision setup. The Brits do lots of ratting at short distances like that with night vision, usually digital NV and do very well with it. You would save a LOT of money and still have a whole lot of fun.
I’m not trying to be a dick, but if they’re so easy to build, build me a semi load of the same quality thermal at half the money and I’ll pay cash!!
I've done a lot of rattin' with both NV and thermal. Interestingly I found the lasers with a little bit of bloom to them, like the laser-max ... and actually useful, because they act like mini-illuminators. With a 14 on my head and a laser-max on the 22 ... even if a rat was back a little in a wood pile, the laser would light up its eyes and I could shoot it. They'll sit there watching me to see what I'll do next ...so I got a lot of head shots ... since that's all I could see.
Adding a q-14 as a handheld spotter with lanyard around neck, certainly improved ability to detect the rats/mice but during this phase I was still shootin' em with the laser.
Finally I put the q-14 on the .22lr and used it as a TWS (thermal weapons sight) and then I never went back. Thermal on the .22 is the way I've done it ever since. More efficient.
Skeet in front of ACOG on .22LR.
==
So, how to get a TWS ??
If you have a job and can prioritize and save up your money, you can pretty much buy anything. It took me 18 months to save up enough to get a UTC-x thermal clipon and I don't regret it. I've also sold a lot of crap I realized I didn't need. I'm down to 4 active rifles, two bolt guns and two stoners. I regret that a little
"Least expensive thermal"
Well, the chinese are flooding the low end of the market these days ... and plenty of options if you wanna go chinese. I've tried several and haven't had much luck with them. The new ones have nice displays, but they haven't held up in the field. Details in my night shooting report.
Now that FLIR has left the market ... there are about three options in the USA made sphere.
01 - Used FLIR
02 - Used Armasight
03 - New AGM FLIR tau-2 cored
Any time I look (on the internet) I see options in the 01 and 02 space. I've even seen 640 Zeuses ( in the 02 category) going for like $3,500. Those were $5,000 - $6,000 back in their day. And that's probably the best one out there in this group (of 01, 02 and 03).
From what I hear, FLIR is still servicing the 01 and 02 units. Now they're FLIR, so be sure to lower your expectations on CS, but for the most part, the folks that are selling the chinese stuff, just have to replace the units, since they mostly can't be repaired in the USA. So at least FLIR is a step above that.
As to 03, the AGM FLIR Tau-2 cored units. I'm still trying to get my paws on one ... but AGM is basically some olde armasight people trying to resurrect the company. The units look like armasight units with a slightly modified housing. And have the same FLIR tau-2 cores the olde armasight units had.
Here's one that is essentially an olde Armasight Predator.
www.opticsplanet.com
25mm focal length lens ... tau-2 core ... and if you put it in your cart and call Optics Planet on the phone and say "I will buy today if you approve a 10% discount, they will do it. And that will put the price at $2,980 ... and it will be competitive with the chinese units on price.
So, at least there are some non-chinese options in the under $5,000 space, if you choose to go that route !!!
==
Example: Here's an Armasight Apollo 640(30) for $2,051 on eee bay. These critters were $6k back in their day. Would work find in front of a ACOG or even as a 1x stand alone scope. I used mine hog hunting as a 1x. It worked fine.
Adding a q-14 as a handheld spotter with lanyard around neck, certainly improved ability to detect the rats/mice but during this phase I was still shootin' em with the laser.
Finally I put the q-14 on the .22lr and used it as a TWS (thermal weapons sight) and then I never went back. Thermal on the .22 is the way I've done it ever since. More efficient.
Skeet in front of ACOG on .22LR.
==
So, how to get a TWS ??
If you have a job and can prioritize and save up your money, you can pretty much buy anything. It took me 18 months to save up enough to get a UTC-x thermal clipon and I don't regret it. I've also sold a lot of crap I realized I didn't need. I'm down to 4 active rifles, two bolt guns and two stoners. I regret that a little
"Least expensive thermal"
Well, the chinese are flooding the low end of the market these days ... and plenty of options if you wanna go chinese. I've tried several and haven't had much luck with them. The new ones have nice displays, but they haven't held up in the field. Details in my night shooting report.
Now that FLIR has left the market ... there are about three options in the USA made sphere.
01 - Used FLIR
02 - Used Armasight
03 - New AGM FLIR tau-2 cored
Any time I look (on the internet) I see options in the 01 and 02 space. I've even seen 640 Zeuses ( in the 02 category) going for like $3,500. Those were $5,000 - $6,000 back in their day. And that's probably the best one out there in this group (of 01, 02 and 03).
From what I hear, FLIR is still servicing the 01 and 02 units. Now they're FLIR, so be sure to lower your expectations on CS, but for the most part, the folks that are selling the chinese stuff, just have to replace the units, since they mostly can't be repaired in the USA. So at least FLIR is a step above that.
As to 03, the AGM FLIR Tau-2 cored units. I'm still trying to get my paws on one ... but AGM is basically some olde armasight people trying to resurrect the company. The units look like armasight units with a slightly modified housing. And have the same FLIR tau-2 cores the olde armasight units had.
Here's one that is essentially an olde Armasight Predator.
AGM Global Vision Python 1.2x25mm Thermal Imaging Rifle Scope 3093455004PY21
Shop AGM Global Vision Python 1.2x25mm Thermal Imaging Rifle Scope | Be The First To Review AGM Global Vision Python 1.2x25mm Thermal Imaging Rifle Scope + Free Shipping over $49.
www.opticsplanet.com
25mm focal length lens ... tau-2 core ... and if you put it in your cart and call Optics Planet on the phone and say "I will buy today if you approve a 10% discount, they will do it. And that will put the price at $2,980 ... and it will be competitive with the chinese units on price.
So, at least there are some non-chinese options in the under $5,000 space, if you choose to go that route !!!
==
Example: Here's an Armasight Apollo 640(30) for $2,051 on eee bay. These critters were $6k back in their day. Would work find in front of a ACOG or even as a 1x stand alone scope. I used mine hog hunting as a 1x. It worked fine.
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Then build one, post a cost sheet, a spec sheet, and a video of the quality, and get rich!
Lol what?
Never built one but you know they are cheap and easy to build?
The germanium lenses are super easy and cheap to make too right?
You could buy about 2.5 UTCxii thermals for what the IR camera at work cost. Good thermal is high dollar shit. Take it or leave it. I personally don’t have the means to acquire. As such I don’t say it’s a rip off or it can be done cheaper. It is not and cannot. Because I know from experience there is a 1000 fathom difference between high dollar and less dollar IR. It’s a whole different class.
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