Night Vision Thermal Options

[QuarterHorse]

Okay so I apologize ahead of this question. I've searched and searched and probably ran across the answer, but it was explained well over my pay grade so take it easy on me.

I'm getting into the LR game and am in the midst of tracking down an AI AT or waiting after SHOT and getting ahold of the guys at Mile High and seeing if they can hook me up on one. ANYWAY, topping this with a Vortex Razor G2 4.5x27 I think I want this rifle to sport a clip on thermal for some yearly hog hunts I go on down south as well as some coyote hunts I do around home.

My real question is I'm looking into something like the Apollo 320 or 640 and am reading things about the magnification on the unit. My question is that if I'm running this in front of a 4.5-27 why am I magnifying the thermal? Am I to run the day scope on low and use the remainder of the mag via the thermal?

I saw some issues on lining up the thermal mount/ring height wise with scopes as well. I can cross that bridge when I get there. Realistically I'll be a buyer late summer/fall after jumping into the new day optic, an AI, and now thermal with the rest of the accessories I'll be buying for the AI.

I appreciate any clarification fellas and thanks in advance.

 

[wigwamitus]

Apollo 336 supports 2x magnification on the day scope.
Apollo 640 supports 4x magnification on the day scope.
Exceed those magnification ranges and you will be getting pretty fuzzy. And that's saying a lot because I have more fuzzy tolerance than most

Also, the lower priced thermal clipons do not have risley prisms on the back and hence are not collimated, so you must get the center heights lined up. And the clipons have their center heights pre-determined, most being around 1.5. But depending on the exact clipon you get, you need to determine that clipons center height and match the rings you get for your day scope, to the center height on the thermal. Not planning ahead in this regard will mean you will have to get new rings for the day scope, once you get the clipon.

Now then we come to shooting hogs with a heavy bolt gun. That is just not optimal. A self - loading rifle, like a stoner type rifle is a better choice for hogs. If you are facing a field of multiple sounders and you engage, some of them might run in on you, especially if you shot suppressed. Not that they are charging you, they are running from the sounds of the bullets nearest them, which could be in any direction, including right towards you. you need some rate of fire and even more a larger magazine size, to engage fields of 40+ hogs.

And no thermal clipon with a list price of under $10k is going to match up with the system you are describing. To match up with a g2 4.5-27x you'd need a military type long distance thermal clipon and those have list prices of over $10k.

If you use a stoner type rifle, you can get a dedicated thermal scope and get the job done for WAY less. Pulsar thermal scopes run from $2,250 up to around $4,500. And Trijicon thermal scopes from around $5,500 to around $8,500.

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Stoner type rifles, 2 shooters, 21 rounds in about 15s, 16 hits on 4 hogs .. distances 40-200yds ... poor fire distribution

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Bolt gun with military type long distance thermal clipon ...

Those ^^ are fine for yotes, but not so much for hogs, though if you are with a team of 1-3 other shooters, and some of the others have stoners, then you can make a bolt gun work.

 

[QuarterHorse]

Thanks for the heads up and quick learnin' on what is what. I'm a tick disappointed in learning I'll be spending 10k for a thermal up to the task from the sounds of it.

I have a safe full of gas guns I could put a dedicated thermal scope on, which may be the way I end up now. Hmmmm things to think about.