Night Vision The Official: Steiner C35 Thermal Clip-on Review and User Thread!

I just submitted one. Will see what they say. Wouldn’t think they would with it being a low price wise as it was, but if so that’s a bonus
That’s what I figured but as soon as I couldn’t select the UPC that matched the rebate I figured I was hosed. Even though it matches the 9522 SKU mentioned on the rebate.
 
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Anyone know if there is a quick release mount that will fit this, it would be a lot easier and might clear the bolt. I didn’t see one on the website or google?
This is the mount that they sell on Euro models. It's finally stateside as an accessory. Should at least get the screw in front of the bolt handle. It looks like this.


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Took the 10.5 inch 300BO out today with the C35. Impacts were low, but nothing I’d be concerned with in my short range shooting with it. I did play with the picture location page and pushed the pic location WAY left, which obviously led to me being off target. Brought the trims back to 0/0 and it was g2g. Granted I was only shooting 60 yards. Waiting on my new Tubb Speedwire buffer spring for the SPRish before I go see how it changes that zero.
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Chased a cat around the field last night as well. First caught my attention at about 150 yards. Watched him walk laterally for about 75 yards and then straigh towards me until he go to about 60 ish yards.
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I received mine today and got to look through it but not shoot it yet. I can only speak to the image at this point. I am simply dumbfounded by how good the image is, before even taking into account the price tag. I've owned a shit load of thermals, the nicest of which was the AN/PAS-13G LWTS. That was a hell of a scope but I sold it after moving out of FL where I could hunt hogs. While I don't still have that one to compare this to side by side, I must say that this is at least its equal as far as image quality goes... if not better. If this thing zeroes nicely, holds onto that zero, and doesn't have crazy firmware or recoil issues, it is going to be a big winner for me. The bang to buck ratio here is off the charts as far as thermals go so far.
I don't have a PVS-24 of any flavor, but I've owned twenty plus I^2 clip-ons over the years including my current gorgeous PVS-27 that I've had since early 2020. The image quality of a high-end NV clip-on w/ a solid tube is mesmerizing. That said, the image quality of the C35 I received last week is absolutely incredible. They are different tools for different applications, with significant overlap. Now, if I had to pick I one of them to keep (not going to happen, I want both), the PVS-27 would be getting sold. That is saying a lot since, prior to last week, the 27 was my most cherrished optic. I have absolutely no need for a second one, but am considering it simply because of how incredible the value is. YMMV.
Still have my PVS-27 have a C35 coming 9/26 but my 27 will never leave maybe my 22 but not the 27😁
 
Mounted the S35 on my tikka with a extended rear base from mountain tactical. And my bolt was hitting the nut, couldn’t cycle it reward so I had to take it off and put a standard no5 0.5 nut on to get it to clear. Still hits the bolt slightly when running it fast but works fine. If the nuts were on the left side or I had it mounted farther forward with a standard rail it wouldn’t have it issues. Anyone know if there is a quick release mount that will fit this, it would be a lot easier and might clear the bolt. I didn’t see one on the website or google?

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Have you tried removing the mount turning it 180 degrees so the nuts would be on the other side of the action?
 
Anyone care to hazard a guess as to whether or not the hot spot tracking function will track a bullet flying downrange? I should be able to test it out with some subsonic 22 LR and 300 Blackout this weekend. My PAS-13G was able to easily see subsonic projectiles zipping downrange, but it didn't have any sort of hot spot tracking to try. I'm going to try it out tonight to see whether or not it can keep track of bats that are maneuvering like crazy.
 
Anyone care to hazard a guess as to whether or not the hot spot tracking function will track a bullet flying downrange? I should be able to test it out with some subsonic 22 LR and 300 Blackout this weekend. My PAS-13G was able to easily see subsonic projectiles zipping downrange, but it didn't have any sort of hot spot tracking to try. I'm going to try it out tonight to see whether or not it can keep track of bats that are maneuvering like crazy.
I'll hazard a guess that the frame rate (50hz) wouldn't be fast enough to track a projectile
 
I'll hazard a guess that the frame rate (50hz) wouldn't be fast enough to track a projectile
That was my first thought, but I'm pretty sure the PAS-13G had a slower frame rate than 50hz and even the video footage easily captured subs in flight. 45 ACP looked like tennis balls, it was pretty cool to watch. My thinking is that the projectile will be visible but the hot spot tracking function will not be fast enough to keep up with it. Either way, will be a fun experiment.
 
Anyone care to hazard a guess as to whether or not the hot spot tracking function will track a bullet flying downrange? I should be able to test it out with some subsonic 22 LR and 300 Blackout this weekend. My PAS-13G was able to easily see subsonic projectiles zipping downrange, but it didn't have any sort of hot spot tracking to try. I'm going to try it out tonight to see whether or not it can keep track of bats that are maneuvering like crazy.
I watched 77g 223 explode on the backstop yesterday. You could see the bigger fragments splatter out. Wasn’t taking a video so not sure how it would have showed up though
 
Have you tried removing the mount turning it 180 degrees so the nuts would be on the other side of the action?
Yes, you can’t the way the mount is designed. I pulled the mount off and have been using the thermal as a handheld and put my nightvision back on the rifle. Much easier than swinging the rifle around constantly scanning.
 
Yes, you can’t the way the mount is designed. I pulled the mount off and have been using the thermal as a handheld and put my nightvision back on the rifle. Much easier than swinging the rifle around constantly scanning.
Be carefully when you put it back on. I did the same thing and when I put it back together, my windage was way off. Took a few tries to get it back to center.
Now I just leave the mount on to prevent the headache.
 
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Be carefully when you put it back on. I did the same thing and when I put it back together, my windage was way off. Took a few tries to get it back to center.
Now I just leave the mount on to prevent the headache.
You can adjust the picture location in the settings. It will change the POI if it is off. I had moved mine way left playing with it and couldn’t hit a target at 60 yards. Moved it back to “0”,”0” and it was centered again, just low
 
Well now that units will be sold out for the foreseeable future, expert voice was selling them for $2k non blems.

These come directly from Steiner, so now they’re not even listed because the inventory was all bought out.

Smart business move by DRT, but I’m throwing you under the bus and letting the cat out of the bag on your profit margin.
I picked one up from EV and was able to get the 250 steiner rebate on top.
 
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So, the actual picture from the Steiner is nice. The ability to stream video from the optic to your phone is absolutely awesome. I did notice it got a little choppy when I was streaming music while trying to stream the video (but it still worked). The aluminum foil worked great for setting the zero in 100F heat yesterday at the range.

The image compression by either my phone or the program makes this not as nice as what I see looking through the optic.
 

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So, the actual picture from the Steiner is nice. The ability to stream video from the optic to your phone is absolutely awesome. I did notice it got a little choppy when I was streaming music while trying to stream the video (but it still worked). The aluminum foil worked great for setting the zero in 100F heat yesterday at the range.

The image compression by either my phone or the program makes this not as nice as what I see looking through the optic.
I have the same issue. I am still using my hotspot on the phone to download through the app, which is more than likely my major problem with quality.

I went out the other day and shot on paper at 60 yards. I could see the target shape without using any aluminum foil that close. It was a nice bright day and the sun had warmed everything up.
 
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Got mine last week from @DownRangeThermal. Great experience, BTW.
I haven’t mounted it on a rifle yet, but I’ve been able to play with it a bit.
For those who have zeroed theirs, approximately how much does one push of the button move POI at 100 yards?
 
Got my C35 today played with it a little. Hope to get out later this week. From what I am seeing it’s going to take me a while t get my settings where I need them. This thing is awesome fr the price.
 
Got mine last week from @DownRangeThermal. Great experience, BTW.
I haven’t mounted it on a rifle yet, but I’ve been able to play with it a bit.
For those who have zeroed theirs, approximately how much does one push of the button move POI at 100 yards?
Got mine last week from @DownRangeThermal. Great experience, BTW.
I haven’t mounted it on a rifle yet, but I’ve been able to play with it a bit.
For those who have zeroed theirs, approximately how much does one push of the button move POI at 100 yards?
Think I seen somewhere that it’s 1moa.
 
Got mine last week from @DownRangeThermal. Great experience, BTW.
I haven’t mounted it on a rifle yet, but I’ve been able to play with it a bit.
For those who have zeroed theirs, approximately how much does one push of the button move POI at 100 yards?

The manual says ~1 MOA increments, but my experience zeroing it on several platforms says slightly more than that. That said, I created a more refined foil target that allows me to get a slightly more precise zero that tested great this past weekend. I should be able to do more experimentation next weekend.
 
Got mine last week from @DownRangeThermal. Great experience, BTW.
I haven’t mounted it on a rifle yet, but I’ve been able to play with it a bit.
For those who have zeroed theirs, approximately how much does one push of the button move POI at 100 yards?
It took a few. When I first received my C35 I found the screws that held the base on to be a little loose. After tightening I finally went and zeroed it. Probably about/around 9 or 10 right and 10 down to get it zeroed.
 
Got my C35 today played with it a little. Hope to get out later this week. From what I am seeing it’s going to take me a while t get my settings where I need them. This thing is awesome fr the price.
My mount was on backwards easy fix. Have never owned a thermal with anything but BH or WH the color pallets are great. I am color blind blue green so lots of times there is no definition to me. This is the first thrermal I have really liked.anyone else have settings that work for you. TIA
 
My mount was on backwards easy fix. Have never owned a thermal with anything but BH or WH the color pallets are great. I am color blind blue green so lots of times there is no definition to me. This is the first thrermal I have really liked.anyone else have settings that work for you. TIA
Black hot seems to give me the best detail
 
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After reading this thread about 87 times, I ordered a C35 tonight. I really don't need it, as I have a Super Hogster right now, but 640 core at that price point is too tempting. Thanks everyone for sharing all the intel here. DRT, can you make sure it gets to me before my wife gets home from her business trip??? Thank would save me a ton of grief.