Night Vision which one
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Get the ReapIR, NOT the Hunter.
The XQ50 is considerably cheaper than the Trijicon units. Personally, I’m a USA/Trijicon fan, but we hear generally good reports from Pulsar owners.
Also consider the Nvision Halo, another US company and they have active support right here in this very forum. @Max_R
ETA: Neither Pulsar nor Trijicon have any active support footprint here (or in any forum, that I’m aware of). Any posts here or on ARF regarding Nvision product are typically responded to very quickly.
The XQ50 is considerably cheaper than the Trijicon units. Personally, I’m a USA/Trijicon fan, but we hear generally good reports from Pulsar owners.
Also consider the Nvision Halo, another US company and they have active support right here in this very forum. @Max_R
ETA: Neither Pulsar nor Trijicon have any active support footprint here (or in any forum, that I’m aware of). Any posts here or on ARF regarding Nvision product are typically responded to very quickly.
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I’m with Horta, the Halo is better than both of those 2 mentioned in my opinion.
Jay
Jay
i have about a 6000 budget maybe a little more does that help i know nothing about thermal i currently run a pvs 30 and pvs 14 for hunting as this is what its for coyote and maybe a hog hunt in the future
just for you and your huge budget I mean you modest budget lol you could send us video's and post how nice it is to see all that detail .
so maybe its a little over your stated budget at 30k but at 6k per year you could have one in 5 years and by then the price should have come down quite a bit . lol good luck what ever you get and please post pics they are neat to see .
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If it’s for a weapon, I think you’d be better served by a longer unit — like a Halo-LR — since you already have solid NV. For spotter/handheld monocular, wide is generally better. For a weapon, I like to get as close to the target as possible so I know what I’m shooting at.
The Halo-LR can be had for $7K (maybe less). The Reap 35 can be had in the mid $6K range. The 60mm for mid $7K range. These are new prices I’ve seen.
Honestly if you have a PVS30 and PVS14, you might be better off with a set of thermal bino's or handheld scanner. The recommendation is going to change slightly depending on how you hunt too.
I have a 35mm Mk2 that I originally got because it was going to be my do it all thermal. It is fantastic for that role because it can do all the things, but you're always gonna be better off with a suite than just one do it all thing.
I mention a suite because you've already got a 30 (shoot far thing), a pvs14 (head wearing thing). Sounds to me like you're missing a handheld detecto thing.
The mk2 35mm is a great handheld scanner - it's just a little heavy. Personally, I'm getting rid of it to get a suite of thermals that will have enough overlap to do what the 35mm currently does for me.
I have a 35mm Mk2 that I originally got because it was going to be my do it all thermal. It is fantastic for that role because it can do all the things, but you're always gonna be better off with a suite than just one do it all thing.
I mention a suite because you've already got a 30 (shoot far thing), a pvs14 (head wearing thing). Sounds to me like you're missing a handheld detecto thing.
The mk2 35mm is a great handheld scanner - it's just a little heavy. Personally, I'm getting rid of it to get a suite of thermals that will have enough overlap to do what the 35mm currently does for me.
im thinking the mk2 35 would be good i think its a step up over the pulsar, the halo that was recommended i havent checked prices on or even thought about where are they to be found for a good price. and are they a step above a trijcon . as i have said i know nothing about thermal i looked through a flir hand held one time thats the only exp i have had.
I would recommend a different route. If you call coyotes, which I do, you really should have a thermal scanner and a thermal weapon's sight. Is it possible to do it with one, yes. However, you are way more effective if you can have 2 separate devices. This allows you to scan 360, without have to look through your scope the entire stand, and swing your gun in front of things you don't want to shoot. One of the absolute best options in the thermal game right now is the Bering Optics Hogster. You could get a Bering Optics Hogster 35 for the rifle, and a 640 scanner called the Bering Optics Phenom and still be under $6000. The Hogster can be a gun and/or a scanner, so some people go with the Hogster 35 for the gun and 25 as a scanner (or backup gun) and you can get into both combined for under $5K. All these Bering Optics thermals come with a 4 year warranty. I can tell you the Nvision or Trijicon will have a better image. To me, the difference doesn't justify the increase in price. To others, it totally does. In my opinion, you will kill more coyotes with a good thermal scanner and a good separate thermal weapons' sight, than having one great weapons sight.
The other question that is extremely important is the terrain you are hunting in and what type of range do you wish to shoot. This is just as important, if not more so, than what the budget is. I live and breathe thermal coyote hunting. I sent you a PM with my phone number and call anytime if you want to chat about how to use thermal to become more successful at coyote hunting.
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I think that dual bering thermal set up would do him great unless he's trying to get out far. That being said, he does have a pvs27, but then he might as well invest into a nicer scanner.
The halo is great too. In terms of image quality, it's about the same, relative to the different magnification ranges. I've heard both sides of the Halo vs trijicon/IRD argument and I personally think it's a wash... the mk2/mk3 has knobs instead of buttons if you don't like buttons or wear heavy gloves. The Reap-IR has a picatinny rail on top. The Halo has better reticles.
What’s your typical hunting environment? If open area with a few hundred yards of visibility then the Halo LR or Trijicon Hunter 60 may be your best option. If wooded and smaller fields then consider something with lower base magnification such as the Reap or Hunter 35.
I scan with either a Nvision Atlas 50 (3.5 base mag) or Pulsar Helion 2 50mm (2.5x base mag) then shoot with a Reap 35 (2.5x)or Hunter 60 (4.5x). Atlas is great for the fields but not so good in the woods. Helion is just barely ok in the woods but struggles at distance. My preference is scanning with lower base mag and shooting with higher base mag.
I scan with either a Nvision Atlas 50 (3.5 base mag) or Pulsar Helion 2 50mm (2.5x base mag) then shoot with a Reap 35 (2.5x)or Hunter 60 (4.5x). Atlas is great for the fields but not so good in the woods. Helion is just barely ok in the woods but struggles at distance. My preference is scanning with lower base mag and shooting with higher base mag.
The mk2 35mm was my first trijicon. And yes there is the mk3 and and the REAPv1 and the REAPv2 ... but the mk2 35mm is still a great choice.
The pro of the mk2/mk3 (turret housing units) over the patrol/reap is those turrets. The turrets are MUCH easier to manipulate with gloved hands. Of course if you live in Florida, it might not get cold enough for gloved hands !!
Also, the mk2/mk3 are easier to zero because the turrets give much more positive clicks when dialing your zero.
And the mk2/mk3 have sac (germanium) lens, so less likely to break the main lens if there is an issue. That might only matter if this would be a non-warranty repair.
The XQ50 is a 384 ... and is a decent unit. I've had a pile of pulsars from the XD50a through a thermion XP50. I've recommended them as "best bang for the buck" for several years. BUT, about 2 years ago, their quality really fell off. At first we thought it was "a one off" ... but the number of "one offs" has risen dramatically in the past 2 years ... to the point now where it seems like literally a 50/50 crap shoot that one will have an issue. I can no longer recommend Pulsar
Now if permitted to recommend something else ... If I were buying a dedicated thermal today, it would definitely be a halo.
Why ?
01 - Max
02 - Mil-hash holding reticle
Max, from N-Vision, regularly visits with us here on this forum. He asked for our input. We said "give us a mil-hash holding reticle" ... and OMG ... a few months later, we had one !! Did trijicon every even THINK about visiting with their customers ? Much less listening to their customers ? Or acting on their input ?? N-vision did.
The n-vision units are technically very similar to the trijicons. Same BAE core, same PVS-14 rear end. Different housing. And better quality front lens.
The trijicons all have "hunting" reticles. Good for PBR shots, but not beyond. With the mil-hash holding reticles in the n-vision scopes, you can shoot yotes out to 500yds. If you want to do that, best to get the HALO-LR for more magnification and easier to use reticle. If shooting critters inside 300yds then or mostly inside 200yds ... or mostly inside 100yds .. then the 25mm Halo will be a better and better choice, the further in you are usually shooting because it has more FOV.
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So, the Trijicon mk2/mk3 have the turrets which work better with gloves and are easier to zero. The mk3 has a two latch mount.
The pulsars have quality control issues, I would skip them.
The N-Vision are the class act right now. A leader who visits the front lines and acts ... and a unit with a holding reticle that pushes out how far we can shoot.
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There are a lot of cheap units out there right now. We've seen reports of some of those having QC issues as well. ATN, IRAY, AGM, in my personal experience. So tread carefully if you head to the bargin basement !!
The pro of the mk2/mk3 (turret housing units) over the patrol/reap is those turrets. The turrets are MUCH easier to manipulate with gloved hands. Of course if you live in Florida, it might not get cold enough for gloved hands !!
Also, the mk2/mk3 are easier to zero because the turrets give much more positive clicks when dialing your zero.
And the mk2/mk3 have sac (germanium) lens, so less likely to break the main lens if there is an issue. That might only matter if this would be a non-warranty repair.
The XQ50 is a 384 ... and is a decent unit. I've had a pile of pulsars from the XD50a through a thermion XP50. I've recommended them as "best bang for the buck" for several years. BUT, about 2 years ago, their quality really fell off. At first we thought it was "a one off" ... but the number of "one offs" has risen dramatically in the past 2 years ... to the point now where it seems like literally a 50/50 crap shoot that one will have an issue. I can no longer recommend Pulsar
Now if permitted to recommend something else ... If I were buying a dedicated thermal today, it would definitely be a halo.
Why ?
01 - Max
02 - Mil-hash holding reticle
Max, from N-Vision, regularly visits with us here on this forum. He asked for our input. We said "give us a mil-hash holding reticle" ... and OMG ... a few months later, we had one !! Did trijicon every even THINK about visiting with their customers ? Much less listening to their customers ? Or acting on their input ?? N-vision did.
The n-vision units are technically very similar to the trijicons. Same BAE core, same PVS-14 rear end. Different housing. And better quality front lens.
The trijicons all have "hunting" reticles. Good for PBR shots, but not beyond. With the mil-hash holding reticles in the n-vision scopes, you can shoot yotes out to 500yds. If you want to do that, best to get the HALO-LR for more magnification and easier to use reticle. If shooting critters inside 300yds then or mostly inside 200yds ... or mostly inside 100yds .. then the 25mm Halo will be a better and better choice, the further in you are usually shooting because it has more FOV.
==
So, the Trijicon mk2/mk3 have the turrets which work better with gloves and are easier to zero. The mk3 has a two latch mount.
The pulsars have quality control issues, I would skip them.
The N-Vision are the class act right now. A leader who visits the front lines and acts ... and a unit with a holding reticle that pushes out how far we can shoot.
==
There are a lot of cheap units out there right now. We've seen reports of some of those having QC issues as well. ATN, IRAY, AGM, in my personal experience. So tread carefully if you head to the bargin basement !!
thanks for the input guys broke down and ordered a halo lr maybe the next one will be a thermal scanner.
Excellent choice. I’m sad to say, you have put your financial welfare at risk just being here.
May I suggest your next acquisition be a CoronaSkeet?
Well, the HALO-LR can cover the full yote engagement space out to 500yds ... so if you want to operate in that space, then something that you have consistent ammo for and know your DOPE ... out to 500yds would be indicated. If on unfamiliar ground, you'll also need a range finder you can use at night. If on familiar ground you can build a range card and even set out range markers to mark the distances.
wig i have lots of bolt guns that could fill the bill the better question is caliber 223, 22-250, 6mm-243, i have 6 dasher i would really like to use but its a single shot or a semi. really thinking of changing the dasher into a repeater.
In general, any range finder in the 905-ish nm laser frequency space can be used at night. You just use your 14 to position the ranging laser on the target and your unaided eye to read the range off the range finder.
I've used a $350 bushy arc elite at night for years, it soldiers on. You don't need anything fancy.
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I got a double one night with a single shot.
The flatter your round flies, the more the trajectory will compensate for ranging errors ... but any of those can work. Though the 223 will have less energy out further. I've probably killed half my yotes with 223 ... and this last season, the 556(18) got quit a few farther out. But those 6mms will fly plenty flat and get the job done.
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As to a rifle mounted range finder, the Radius is probably the easiest to get. After that, RAPTAR ES. The Radii are going for as high as $1100 street price these days, though you can sometimes find them for less. The RAPTAR ES are holding at around $3,000. A RAPTAR ES just sold on the hide last week.
I've used a $350 bushy arc elite at night for years, it soldiers on. You don't need anything fancy.
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I got a double one night with a single shot.
The flatter your round flies, the more the trajectory will compensate for ranging errors ... but any of those can work. Though the 223 will have less energy out further. I've probably killed half my yotes with 223 ... and this last season, the 556(18) got quit a few farther out. But those 6mms will fly plenty flat and get the job done.
==
As to a rifle mounted range finder, the Radius is probably the easiest to get. After that, RAPTAR ES. The Radii are going for as high as $1100 street price these days, though you can sometimes find them for less. The RAPTAR ES are holding at around $3,000. A RAPTAR ES just sold on the hide last week.
You can get a gun mounted radius for 8-1200$
Or a gun mounted raptor for $4000
Or if you have NV, a cheaper rangefinder and hold it up to one eye and the Nv with your other eye. I don’t think NV licks up the vectronix beam
thanks for the info as always i will try the pvs 14 recommendation for now will give it a shot. would my pvs 30 on my lupy spotter work also if i buy a bracket and place them on a tripod rail. would really like to have a rapter maybe down the road i almost bought one when you had the group by wig
The terrapin x is a 905nm so it would work ... the older terrapin ... and most mil vectronix are 1550nm and would not work, though some of those have a switch to down frequency to 905nm
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Yes but, it needs to be a "fancy bracket" so you can get the range finder lined up with the spotter.
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Yes but, it needs to be a "fancy bracket" so you can get the range finder lined up with the spotter.
The Radius and RAPTAR have internal adjustments for elevation and windage which enable them to be rifle mounted or mounted with a MK4 12-60x (M151) Spotter and have the ranging laser lined up with the center of the reticle. Your basic hand held range finder has no such adjustments. Hence you need that "fancy bracket" I was referring to. A bracket which itself allows windage and elevation adjustments. Else your range finder will be pointed "out in space somewhere" ... which may or may not even be visible to the spotter.
Yes, the Sig Kilo has a 905nm ranging laser which is visible to the 14
www.eurooptic.com
Yes, the Sig Kilo has a 905nm ranging laser which is visible to the 14
Sig Sauer KILO2400ABS Applied Ballistics LRF 7x25mm SOK24701
Sig Sauer KILO2400ABS Applied Ballistics LRF SOK24701 | Only at EuroOptic.com!
im going to try the 14 with the kilo tonight i have a helmet and mount for the 14 i suppose just use the rangefinder with the other eye will work. thanks for the info.
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