Night Vision Thermal scanner

[brentwinkey]

Looking advise on a thermal scanner. It became very apparent after the first night hunting with the Thermion that I need a scanner. Had my eye on the pulsar units but I'm open to opinions. I mostly hunt fairly close wooded/swamps but some open fields for coyotes only but hopefully get somewheres south for a hog shoot. Thanks for any advice. Brent

 

[Mporche]

I use a pulsar rxq30.

 

[BamaSE]

I currently use the Pulsar Helion 2 XP50. Does all I want it to do in both woods and open areas and the battery life is great. Plus just easy to use and with the AutoNUC one can hand it to a newbie guest and let it do its thing without much instruction. I also had a Helion XP38 at one time and it is a ditto, just a little less magnification and more FOV.

Binoculars are also nice. I have had an Nvision Atlas. I really liked it but the 3.5 bas mag was a little much for my typical hunting areas. Could really only use it in the open. I have no experience with the Pulsar Accolades but they seem to get good reviews and the new version has a built in rangefinder. Base mag and battery are like the Helion XP50.

Some folks go with another scope as a scanner for dual use as a backup. The Bering Optics Hogster and Nvision Halo 25 seem to be popular choices. Nvision is about to release the Nox which will allow use as a scope, handheld scanner, and helmet scanner.

I think a scanner is a must for safety reasons, especially if there are multiple hunters....even more so if in a wooded environment where folks tend to get separated and spread out and there are not clearly designated scanning zones....plus scanning with the rifle is just plain tiring and cumbersome.

Good luck and safe hunting.

 

[BlackRifle]

I understand the difficulty in scanning for game through a scope for a long period of time. So could someone use a scope on a qd mount as a scanner and then attach it to the rifle if you see something instead of initially needing two units? And if not used often what might be an acceptable unit for a dual purpose?

 

[BamaSE]

I understand the difficulty in scanning for game through a scope for a long period of time. So could someone use a scope on a qd mount as a scanner and then attach it to the rifle if you see something instead of initially needing two units? And if not used often what might be an acceptable unit for a dual purpose?

Yes it is possible with a quality RTZ mount such as a Bobro or DLOC. I have used my Reap 35 in this manner and it returns to zero acceptable for hog hunting. I had a Nvision Halo 25 and it held zero as well. But my hog shots are seldom over 150 yards so longer ranges may make a difference.

Just be sure to put the scope back in the same position on the rail. A rubber rail guard as a back or forward stop helps in the dark if you cannot red light it when swapping over.

 

[kirsch]

A thermal scanner for night time coyote hunting is the biggest key to success.

As far as mounting a QD type thermal scope like a Bering Optics Hogster after scanning with it, the answer is yes it can be done. However, it depends on the usage. If for coyote hunting for instance, I would not want to use it as a scanner on a stand, and then with coyotes coming at me fast, attempt to mount it in total darkness. Scouting a field for hogs, and then mounting and stalking, yes it could be done. For coyote hunting, you will want a separate thermal scanner.

As for the Hogster if used mainly as a scanner, I would go with the 25 for a wider field of view. If it using it equally as much as a scope and a scanner, I would lean towards the 35mm.

I have owned several Pulsar Helion XP scanners. They are good scanners. However, I sold my 38 and 50 as soon as I tested the new Bering Optics Phenom 640 12 µm. The image is nothing short of unbelievable. The following video doesn't do it justice because Bering uses extremely high compression on their video recording. In my opinion for around $3K, there is nothing close. The Phenom is a scanner only where the Hogsters can be a scope and/or a scanner. This video was of my just driving around last night free-hand recoding some deer. Sorry for the shakiness. I had a Trijicon MKIII 60, Super Hogster and the Phenom with me. The MKIII had an advantage at long range PID as it should with the large objective and increased mag. Anything within hunting distances, the Phenom was right there for image quality. There are two white hot modes. One reminds me of the BAE-Trijicon white hot and one reminds me of the Pulsar White Hot. They look very different.

 

[BamaSE]

I should have quantified one important detail in my previous post. I wear glasses so that has to be taken into consideration. The eye relief on the Helion is barely functional. The only dedicated scanner where eye relief has been a total non-issue was the Trijicon Patrol I had once upon a time. But it has a base mag of 1-1.5x which was a little in the low end for me, I really like 2.5x, at least for stationary scanning and not walking or driving.

For eyeglass wearers it looks like the Nox will be a great alternative.....and from others comments online the Trijicon Skeet is as well. If one can be found. Then there is also the ChinaSkeet and with with the PVS 14 eyepiece it should have enough eye relief for eye glass wearers.

 

[kirsch]

I should have quantified one important detail in my previous post. I wear glasses so that has to be taken into consideration.

I would not recommend the Phenom if you didn't like using the Helion with glasses as it will be similar for eye relief. The Hogsters have better eye relief.

 

[Rerun7]

Take a look at the Quantum Lite xq30v. It’s under $2k and works great for the type of environment you mentioned. It fits in a small bino pack, and uses standard batteries. The resolution isn’t as good as my scope but I use this to detect and if I want more resolution I just put the scope on it.

Thermal Imaging Scopes | Quantum Lite Scope | Pulsar

Quantum Lite Thermal Imaging Scope is an excellent device for your hunting activity. Check our new products today and get your thermal imaging scopes now!

www.pulsar-nv.com

 

[softcock]

Take a look at the Quantum Lite xq30v. It’s under $2k and works great for the type of environment you mentioned. It fits in a small bino pack, and uses standard batteries. The resolution isn’t as good as my scope but I use this to detect and if I want more resolution I just put the scope on it.

Thermal Imaging Scopes | Quantum Lite Scope | Pulsar

Quantum Lite Thermal Imaging Scope is an excellent device for your hunting activity. Check our new products today and get your thermal imaging scopes now!

www.pulsar-nv.com

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I thought quit making these ? , I still use the old quantum ( Hand Scanner ) for several years, and will be a sad day if the unit finally goes down. it has base magnification of 1x and 2x power, with excellent FOV in 1x . No Way do I feel under gunned . 1X is SOooooo handy usefull .
I don't hunt the wide open Prairies, So I will take a Good FOV and low 1-2 X power over bigger Magnification any night.
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[brentwinkey]

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I thought quit making these ? , I still use the old quantum ( Hand Scanner ) for several years, and will be a sad day if the unit finally goes down. it has base magnification of 1x and 2x power, with excellent FOV in 1x . No Way do I feel under gunned . 1X is SOooooo handy usefull .
I don't hunt the wide open Prairies, So I will take a Good FOV and low 1-2 X power over bigger Magnification any night.
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Yeah they are discontinued

 

[BamaSE]

I would not recommend the Phenom if wearing glasses. The Hogsters have better eye relief.

The image of the Phenom in the video looks sweet! Maybe the V.2 will accommodate us 4 eyes. Enjoy your videos, safe hunting.

 

[kirsch]

The image of the Phenom in the video looks sweet! Maybe the V.2 will accommodate us 4 eyes. Enjoy your videos, safe hunting.

Well, I should clarify. It isn't that it can't be used with glasses. The eye relief is the same as most scanners such as the Helion line. Since you had said the Helion was barely functional is the reason I said you may want to look at the Hogsters lineup which more than doubles the eye relief.

 

[Rerun7]

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I thought quit making these ? , I still use the old quantum ( Hand Scanner ) for several years, and will be a sad day if the unit finally goes down. it has base magnification of 1x and 2x power, with excellent FOV in 1x . No Way do I feel under gunned . 1X is SOooooo handy usefull .
I don't hunt the wide open Prairies, So I will take a Good FOV and low 1-2 X power over bigger Magnification any night.
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they did but there are several vendors who still have some available. They are going for around $1800

 

[Night Vision Viking]

Pulsar XQ38 and LRF are great, probably the best option at the moment also looking at the price.

 

[BamaSE]

Yes it is possible with a quality RTZ mount such as a Bobro or DLOC. I have used my Reap 35 in this manner and it returns to zero acceptable for hog hunting. I had a Nvision Halo 25 and it held zero as well. But my hog shots are seldom over 150 yards so longer ranges may make a difference.

Just be sure to put the scope back in the same position on the rail. A rubber rail guard as a back or forward stop helps in the dark if you cannot red light it when swapping over.

So on my 6.8 I swap my Reap which has a Dloc with my Accupoint which has a Bobro......Accupoint riding around in the buggy by day and Reap at night. Since our nighttime hog season is at an end I broke down the rifle, gave it a thorough cleaning, and most importantly swapped suppressors from a Nomad 30 to a Thunder Chicken (Nomad went on the .308 for a little less length and weight for next hog season).
Anyways, went to the range yesterday to dial the Accupoint/Bobro combo back in and at 100 yards the windage zero had only moved 1” right. Elevation zero still spot on. This despite all the moving on and off the rifle the past couple months and the suppressor swap. Just a little more affirmation how well a quality RTZ mount works. I will need to check it again at some point to see how much, if any, movement there is without the suppressor swap in play, but at least I am confident it will stay “minute of hog” out a couple hundred yards.

 

[Night Vision Viking]

Pulsar just released this new one. Probably above the Axion XQ38s in price and specs.

-Helion 2 XQ38F with a magnification between 3-12 and the Helion 2 XQ50F with a magnification between 4.5-18.

New Thermal Scanners from Pulsar – Helion 2 XQ50F

Looking for a thermal scanner or didn't know that you needed one? There are many models on the market and if the Pulsar XM30S and Axion XQ38s feels too small and the Accolade 2 LRF XP50 Thermal Binoculars too big, there's soon a remedy in the form of an updated version of the Pulsar Helion 2 XQ...

www.thefirearmblog.com

"new fast aperture germanium lens (f1.0)"

 

[brentwinkey]

I'm thinking about just doing a small thermal scope that could play duel roles over just a scanner. Any suggestions?
Thanks Brent

 

[Night Vision Viking]

I'm thinking about just doing a small thermal scope that could play duel roles over just a scanner. Any suggestions?
Thanks Brent

Well, it gets quite heavy to "scan" with a rifle but it depends on your budget and how you hunt.
If you walk around a lot it's a no go.

One idea is a front-attachment like the Krypton, but I don't think it's coming to the US anytime soon.
I've been told that's not how you hunt.

 

[kirsch]

I'm thinking about just doing a small thermal scope that could play duel roles over just a scanner. Any suggestions?
Thanks Brent

You've just described the Bering Optics Hogster-r 25 or 35. It comes down to how much magnification and field of view you want.

If mainly a scanner and hunting cover or tighter areas, I would go with the 25. If hunting more open areas and want to use it as a scope a lot, I would lean towards the 35. If using it almost exclusively as a scope in open terrain, I would recommend the Super Hogster.

 

[brentwinkey]

. You've just described the Bering Optics Hogster-r 25 or 35. It comes down to how much magnification and field of view you want.

View attachment 7482323

If mainly a scanner and hunting cover or tighter areas, I would go with the 25. If hunting more open areas and want to use it as a scope a lot, I would lean towards the 35. If using it almost exclusively as a scope in open terrain, I would recommend the Super Hogster.

Damn those are light...didn't realize they were that light...is the fov in meters? All the hogsters battery pack compatible? Thanks Brent

 

[kirsch]

Damn those are light...didn't realize they were that light...is the fov in meters? All the hogsters battery pack compatible? Thanks Brent

FOV is in degrees. Yes, all Hogsters can run off CR123s, Rechargeable CR123s, and/or 5V battery packs.

 

[Frog05]

I'm thinking about just doing a small thermal scope that could play duel roles over just a scanner. Any suggestions?
Thanks Brent

Another option would be the Nvision Nox. Helmet mounted scanners are pretty dang nice when the temps drop off and your buddy’s fingers are frozen from running handhelds while your digits are warm and toasty in your pockets.

 

[Cat Spring]

Here is a short 30 second clip taken with a Super Hogster. Coyote is at 50 yards to start and 85 yards at finish. Reticle off.

 

[clinto]

I’m completely new to thermal, but can the hogsters be helmet mounted?

 

[DoubleHaul]

Almost anything can be helmet mounted, but without a 1x magnification I'm not sure you'd want to. I have also not seen an elegant solution to do so. Running a lanyard around your neck it would work great as a handheld spotter though.

 

[Cat Spring]

The Super Hogster has a picatinny mount on the bottom. I use the Hogster as a hand held scanner with lanyard and external battery and a Reap on my rifle.

 

[SNOW JW]

Do you guys feel you should almost spend more $ on the scanner vs the scope? I feel I spend more time on the scanner thinking of an xp38 or xp50 but willing to look outside pulsar

 

[Rerun7]

It’s been opposite for me. I spent less on the scanner because I use it primarily for detection. I then pull up the rifle to PID and shoot.

 

[kirsch]

Do you guys feel you should almost spend more $ on the scanner vs the scope? I feel I spend more time on the scanner thinking of an xp38 or xp50 but willing to look outside pulsar

I may be in the minority, but yes I agree to me I don't want to be squinting all night looking at fuzzy white blobs that I don't know if it is rabbit or a coyote. I get it that thermals are expensive, but I don't need to scrimp on a few dollars and get migraine headaches looking through a horrible image most of the night. This may depend on what it is used for. As a coyote calling scanner, yes it is used 98%+ of the time. Also, the 640 scanners tend to have a wider FOV, so I like that better as my scanner.

 

[Rerun7]

I may be in the minority, but yes I agree to me I don't want to be squinting all night looking at fuzzy white blobs that I don't know if it is rabbit or a coyote. I get it that thermals are expensive, but I don't need to scrimp on a few dollars and get migraine headaches looking through a horrible image most of the night. This may depend on what it is used for. As a coyote calling scanner, yes it is used 98%+ of the time. Also, the 640 scanners tend to have a wider FOV, so I like that better as my scanner.

ok, haha. Yes, if your scanner is so bad you can’t tell the difference in a rabbit or coyote then I would agree. But assuming you aren’t using a Leupold Tracker I can still PID deer, hog, coyote a couple hundred yards with the scanner. Raccoon or opossum at 100yds is trickier so I bring up the rifle.

 

[shoots100]

I use my thermal scanners way more than my thermal scopes and not just for coyote hunting.
Looking back, a lot more coyotes and other animals would've been killed if I had bought a decent thermal scanner from the get go.
I had a friend that wanted a good coyote setup on the cheap ( but still capable to get the job done ) and after some internet scrounging, I found him a new AGM micro TM384 scanner and a sightmark wraith scope combo, for under $1,800 dollars.
The scanner and scope have the ability to record too.
It's the Golden years for night hunters.
While the scanner has an internal battery, he's had no issues with it lasting all night and carries around a battery pack that he can use for the scanner or scope, if needed.
Now he's saving up for a 640 res scope after looking through my Thermion XP38.
I told him not to look through it !!!