Night Vision Spotting and Shooting Using ATN X-Sight II and Thermal?

[Buck Wilde]

I'm new, and I'm in Florida. A few years back, I got an ATN X-Sight II 5-20x, but I never used it at night. Now I am interested in night hunting. I would like to shoot a few coons and coyotes on my farm and then consider moving up to a thermal and shooting pigs elsewhere.

Right now, I'm trying to get the X-Sight to work. I haven't been able to see anything but green with or without the IR light. I just updated the firmware, and I'm going to try again tonight. I live where there are no city lights, but when I'm working with the scope in my yard, I do get a little light from my windows.

I'm trying to figure night shooting out. It seems like night vision is okay for shooting, but it seems like a weak choice for finding game, because it doesn't light animals up. Is that how it works? I was considering getting a good thermal monocular for spotting game. The plan was to locate animals with thermal and then shoot with the ATN. Is this an intelligent strategy? Seems like it would be tough to find anything using night vision alone.

 

[isofahunter]

Are you using the ATN IRI? I found it to be dog shit, plus it broke after a trip or two. If you upgrade the IRI you can get the Scope to work out to a max of 150y in ideal conditions at night in my experience. I had an early version and did some testing for ATN, but they really dropped the ball on the X sight. There was potential there but IMO they were selling sizzle and not steak.

 

[Buck Wilde]

I am using the illuminator that came with the scope.

It looks like the green screen problem went away when I updated the firmware.

Now I can't get the app to connect. Is the app a total waste of time? It's asking me for a nonexistent PIN and password.

 

[isofahunter]

Yes it is. Default action when scope hangs up: power off, remove battery cap, re tighten start again. You might find it eats battery, mine did. Keep dead batteries on-board but buy a small external battery pack (cheap small is ok) and use the mini USB port to power scope. Saves a ton of $$$

 

[Buck Wilde]

I found the ridiculously long and apparently unchangeable password atn_obsidian, and it worked for wifi. Now I can see photos, but I can't save or share them, so I am not sure what the purpose is. I still can't get bluetooth to pair. Am I supposed to remove the card every time I want to save video or photos?

I am looking around for ways to change or remove the password.

I have a couple of battery packs. I actually tried 4 AA batteries at first, but I learned that was pointless. I was a bit disturbed when I learned that the $100 ATN battery accessory cost $30 on Amazon for people who bought the parts separately.

 

[One1Bravo]

I have the Pro 4K with a Coyote Cannon and have no problems seeing pretty far out. Never ranged but at least 300 yards, probably further. I don't have any experience with the early X-Sight but I would suggest upgrading your IR illuminator first.

 

[Buck Wilde]

Thanks for the info. Looks like that's a $265 light. I don't know if I want to blow that much on a scope I may want to upgrade in the near future.

I am not expecting to go over 150 yards with this scope. Maybe there is a cheaper option.

 

[One1Bravo]

The IR thats worth a damn ain't cheap. Look at the TNVC Torch Pro, 66LRX, and Coyote Reaper XXL. Won't get you the range of the Cannon but are a little cheaper and solid illuminators.

 

[hafejd30]

My Xsight II I had would light up the side of my neighbors house at 550 yards with a sniper hog 66 lrx. Was a adjustable beam and when spread out it lit up everything in scope for several hundred yards. Without an IR illuminator it was totally useless tho. I had issues with the app as well

 

[CBDR]

Warning Buck Wilde night shooting is addictive. It can be done on a manageable budget. I will leave that for you to ponder on what kind of coin you want to drop. But the primary reason I am responding is one of your initial questions. Scan with thermal & shoot with NV is what works best for me. I have used just thermal and it is more than capable. Another point to consider, I am also in Florida and as you know our humidity is sometimes a little high. Recommend you dive deep into this forum. Like all optics they have their limitation's.

R/
CBDR

 

[Buck Wilde]

What's a good thermal spotting scope? I see FLIR has a fancy one for $2500 and cheaper ones for more like $600.

 

[CBDR]

I'm not a subject matter expert. I have a middle of the road level of knowledge. I use a Armasight Zues for scanning & shoot with a pvs 30. Two names come to mind for subject matter experts. Have a look at the Night Shooting Report that go by the names (Wig) & (Killswitch engage).

R/
CBDR

 

[Buck Wilde]

I got me a Coyote Reaper XXL. It's not small.

For some reason, ATN put the rail on the X-Sight on the side, so when you attach the illuminator, you end up with a pretty big weight pulling down on the left side of the rifle. Not sure what to do about that. I was going to use it with a T/C Venture with a typical hunting stock, so it's not like my gun is bristling with rails.

If I give in and put it on my AR-15, of course, I'll lose the zero for the scope that's on it now. I guess the AR would be more practical, due to the added capacity. The Venture comes with a 3-round magazine, and Thompson Center can't be bothered to make a bigger one you can buy later. They seem pretty jerky about selling parts.

 

[TheHorta]

You might be interested in the ongoing thread about the Andres Industries TigIR-6M/6Z+.

A fantastic little thermal clip-on that pops right in front of your day scope. You can detect coons and 'yotes at 1,000-meters easily, and don't need any supplemental illumination. Beats the stuffin' outta anything NV related.