Tryiing to decide on my first thermal sight. The thor is in my price range 3k-4k. Any likes or dislikes? Can it take 308 recoil?
Night Vision Opinions on ATN thor 384 4.5
- Thread starter chopit
- Start date
Many people (not all but many) would rate ATN at the bottom of the list as a company in the thermal space ... I've owned some ATN gear continuously since Feb 2013. PS-22 nv clipon ODIN 17mm 1x 320(30) and Thor HD 384 19mm 1.25x ... I still own the ODIN and use it all the time ... it works well for me.
But the Thor HD was unfinished IMHO. On black hot there was not even an image, just a solid white screen. It was fuzzy image and very fuzzy beyond 100yds. There were other issues as well (documented in my practicing thread). I called ATN twice ... .the first time they told me to download the latest firmware and try again. I did and the new firmwear did calibrate the digital compass like the instructions said, so one step forward. But the other issues were not solved. Second call to ATN they told me to return it, I did.
Those 2 interactions with ATN CS were the 2 good interactions I've had. The other three (on the PS-22 and ODIN) I would characterize as "hostile" ... on the part of the ATN CS people on the phone.
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So in summary, while a few people have had good results with ATN ... I think the majority (and then some) have not. CS is not good. And they tend to release unfinished gear. The "X-Sight mod 1" was another example of unfinished gear.
For $3k to $4k you are in Pulsar territory and that's where you will get the most bang for your buck.
The Trail XQ50 is comparible to the ATN model.
https://www.opticsplanet.com/pulsar-trail-thermal-imaging-sight.html
384 resolution
4.1 optical magnification
Rated for .375 H&H recoil.
But the Thor HD was unfinished IMHO. On black hot there was not even an image, just a solid white screen. It was fuzzy image and very fuzzy beyond 100yds. There were other issues as well (documented in my practicing thread). I called ATN twice ... .the first time they told me to download the latest firmware and try again. I did and the new firmwear did calibrate the digital compass like the instructions said, so one step forward. But the other issues were not solved. Second call to ATN they told me to return it, I did.
Those 2 interactions with ATN CS were the 2 good interactions I've had. The other three (on the PS-22 and ODIN) I would characterize as "hostile" ... on the part of the ATN CS people on the phone.
==
So in summary, while a few people have had good results with ATN ... I think the majority (and then some) have not. CS is not good. And they tend to release unfinished gear. The "X-Sight mod 1" was another example of unfinished gear.
For $3k to $4k you are in Pulsar territory and that's where you will get the most bang for your buck.
The Trail XQ50 is comparible to the ATN model.
https://www.opticsplanet.com/pulsar-trail-thermal-imaging-sight.html
384 resolution
4.1 optical magnification
Rated for .375 H&H recoil.
What would be a couple winners in that price range besides the pulsar? I would like to be able to identify and engage targets out to 300yds.
There are a number of pulsars in that price range, including the older Apex line and the newer Trail line. A couple even have integrated LRF.
There are some Armasights in that price range also and I've had five Armasight thermals in the past 4 years, and they definitely get the job done, but their merger with FLIR has put things more in flux for the former Armasight products (the entire CS Team seems to have been sacked for example) ... so I would stay clear of those for a while.
The Trijicon merger with IR Defense seems to be going better and the Trijicon CS is still running fine and their line is being left alone. The Trijicon IR Hunter Mk2 19mm 1.5x 640(60/30) is almost within reach of your budget. Used ones will be in the mid-$4000 range. The BAE Oasys cores found in the Trijicons are definitely a step up ... though in general the pulsars have better images than the older Armasights.
The new FLIR and Pulsar 19mm fixed focus scopes for around $2k ... I am avoiding ... as they are set at 50yds and beyond 100yds they get fuzzier.
So anything pulsar except the RXQ30L ... and the Trijicon mk2 19mm Hunter ... would be fine ... and if FLIR can work out what it is doing with the Armasight Thermal lines ... then at some point I'd be comfortable recommending them again.
There are some Armasights in that price range also and I've had five Armasight thermals in the past 4 years, and they definitely get the job done, but their merger with FLIR has put things more in flux for the former Armasight products (the entire CS Team seems to have been sacked for example) ... so I would stay clear of those for a while.
The Trijicon merger with IR Defense seems to be going better and the Trijicon CS is still running fine and their line is being left alone. The Trijicon IR Hunter Mk2 19mm 1.5x 640(60/30) is almost within reach of your budget. Used ones will be in the mid-$4000 range. The BAE Oasys cores found in the Trijicons are definitely a step up ... though in general the pulsars have better images than the older Armasights.
The new FLIR and Pulsar 19mm fixed focus scopes for around $2k ... I am avoiding ... as they are set at 50yds and beyond 100yds they get fuzzier.
So anything pulsar except the RXQ30L ... and the Trijicon mk2 19mm Hunter ... would be fine ... and if FLIR can work out what it is doing with the Armasight Thermal lines ... then at some point I'd be comfortable recommending them again.
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