Best thermal vision scopes for hunting

[GhostZero]

What are the top 5 thermal scopes for hunting?

 

[Luger00]

I own a an N-Vision Halo 50 and couldn't be more pleased I was so happy with it I went our and purchased N-Visions Atlas 50 thermal binos. Take a look at them, you won't be disappointed.

 

[HankBuck]

What are the top 5 thermal scopes for hunting?

@GhostZero - Welcome to AH, since you’re New…tell us a bit about yourself; hunting; et…. Hope you enjoy the Forum - lots of good info is shared here

 

[Pasme]

Pulsar has a well-earned reputation for high quality thermals. I've had two of them with no complaints.

Thay are certainly worth considering.

 

[Jaybuck99]

I’ve had 3 Pulsars. Started with the Apex back in the day and just “upgraded” my way up the line. I’ve got the Trail 2 xq50 at the moment and love it. Pulsar is probably your best bang for the buck. I’ve ran ATN. Rix. NVision. ATN are junk imo. Rix had a great picture but the video feature had some bugs and lost some great footage because it. The 60mm Rix was really nice just not all the bells and whistles the pulsar had

 

[MacJenkins]

I like the Pulsars.

 

[Red Leg]

I have an AR with a dedicated thermal (ATN), but have discovered and absolutely love my Leica Calonox clip on thermal. With the correct adapter it simply slides onto the end of a scope already mounted on a rifle turning it into a night hunting option. It is incredibly bright and unlighted crosshairs are easy to see and use. I have found no meaningful change in bullet impact.

 

[RLL]

Pulsar and Iray have some of the best products out there. Liemke is good. Sig makes a great product. All have really good customer service and warranties. If you can, don’t compromise sensor resolution for price and performance. You’ll be pleased with any of the forementioned thermals that have 640 sensors. This resolution will be the standard going forward in the coming years.

 

[GhostZero]

@GhostZero - Welcome to AH, since you’re New…tell us a bit about yourself; hunting; et…. Hope you enjoy the Forum - lots of good info is shared here

What are the top 5 thermal scopes for hunting?

I'm originally from South Africa, now in Austin, TX.
I owned a retail store in South Africa that sold a lot of hunting optics and outdoor products, including thermal vision.

I'm currently working on building a website dedicated to thermal vision.
I want to talk to hunters about what thermal vision they have and how it performs. The goal is a database where you can find real-world, comparable performance data about any thermal vision device - making thermal vision shopping easy and simple.

If you have experience with thermal vision, I would love to talk to you!

 

[GhostZero]

Pulsar and Iray have some of the best products out there. Liemke is good. Sig makes a great product. All have really good customer service and warranties. If you can, don’t compromise sensor resolution for price and performance. You’ll be pleased with any of the forementioned thermals that have 640 sensors. This resolution will be the standard going forward in the coming years.

I'm familiar with Pulsar. How do the others compare on image quality, robustness?

 

[GhostZero]

I have an AR with a dedicated thermal (ATN), but have discovered and absolutely love my Leica Calonox clip on thermal. With the correct adapter it simply slides onto the end of a scope already mounted on a rifle turning it into a night hunting option. It is incredibly bright and unlighted crosshairs are easy to see and use. I have found no meaningful change in bullet impact.

How would you compare the performance of the clip-on to the dedicated ATN unit?
If you were new to thermal and had to choose one, which one would you go for?

 

[wesheltonj]

I agree with @Red Leg about the Leica. That said, HIKMICRO is extremely popular in Europe. I have not seen the thermal & Night vision products in the USA.

 

[Wyfox]

I-Ray and Pulsar are the two most used quality thermals in the US.

 

[HankBuck]

I'm originally from South Africa, now in Austin, TX.
I owned a retail store in South Africa that sold a lot of hunting optics and outdoor products, including thermal vision.

I'm currently working on building a website dedicated to thermal vision.
I want to talk to hunters about what thermal vision they have and how it performs. The goal is a database where you can find real-world, comparable performance data about any thermal vision device - making thermal vision shopping easy and simple.

If you have experience with thermal vision, I would love to talk to you!

@GhostZero - you’ve already got some good competition right in Texas - RIX is a new company and off to a fast start selling quality Thermals at slightly lower prices then most. They seem to make much of their products in the U.S. and their Customer Service is above average - call them and you talk to a “live person” with knowledge of the product. As for the quality of their products vs their competitors - others will need to provide specific details but I’m pleased with the 2 items I’ve purchased. However, I have no prior history using Thermals therefore my opinion doesn’t matter. I will say that Night Hunting with Thermals is at least Twice as effective as Night Hunting with Red Lights, scope mounted lights etc.. Target acquisition is much faster, animals spooking off from the “light” is completely eliminated resulting in many more shot opportunities. The main drawback is sighting in is a pain - it’s more complex then just setting up a target and making scope “click adjustments” (the Target must generate some “Heat” to be clearly seen).
Also, while you can use thermal optics during daylight - they are suboptimal and any $40 Tasco scope is Far Better for daytime shooting the Thermal scopes.

 

[mdwest]

I think "Top 5" could be really different based on the hunters needs..

For example.. I own both a higher end pulsar hand held, and a couple of lower end AGM Rattler optics... occasionally use the pulsar for finding downed game (deer, etc).. but use all of the thermals for hog hunting at night..

For where I hunt, the pulsar is nice to have, but is really unnecessary, and extremely expensive for what I need to accomplish.. the longest possible shot I have at any of my blinds is about 200 yards.. most shots are between 50-100 yards.. its thick, dense, deep woods (east texas).. so if I shoot a pig and it runs into the woods, Im not going to be able to see more than 30-50 yards... as a result, frankly a 256 grade optic is way more than enough (hand held, or scope).. while my 640 pulsar, which allows me to see every hair on a hogs head at 200+ yards.. but, whats really the point? the 256 allows me to easily identify heat at distances greater than I can see, and properly target identify at the distances I can shoot..

For the guys out west where longer shots might be available, or that might be doing something with their thermals other than hog hunting, something with more capability might be better for them...

 

[samson7x]

I agree that "top 5" is too vague. I've looked through quite a few units but I own and like Trijicon and pulsar.

 

[Red Leg]

How would you compare the performance of the clip-on to the dedicated ATN unit?
If you were new to thermal and had to choose one, which one would you go for?

Depends on the quality of the dedicated unit. The Leica clip on is a 640 unit which provides incredible clarity and definition. As @mdwest notes, for real life hunting such clarity isn't really necessary. My dedicated ATN Thor 384 on the AR runs half the cost of the Leica but can still tell the difference between a deer and a hog at 300 yards and is as accurate as necessary out to two hundred. Moreover, 90% of shots at pigs or coyotes at night are within 100 yards.

That said, I love the clarity of the Leica, and with it, I can turn my R8 into a midnight pig whacker in about six seconds.

 

[RLL]

I'm familiar with Pulsar. How do the others compare on image quality, robustness?

If they all have 640 cores then image quality is about the same. Internal screen displays will have some FOV and size differences but most are OLED and similar resolution these days. I like the Liemke internal display FOV, edge to edge display is the best vs all other mentioned options here. Robustness, I’ve not had a problem with Pulsar, Iray, or Sig. Rix was mentioned but their 640 is the same price as the pulsar xg50 and pulsar has better image processing, color palettes, connectivity and warranty in my opinion. Image processing is also one of the missed topics on thermals and the ability to adjust to background heat variations in the display as you move from one field of fire to another quickly, is very important. The higher end brands typically have a better handle on this and results in less eye fatigue and quicker target acquisition with identification.

Use vs quality came into discussion based on price point. I’d prefer minimum 640 on everything thermal because I can go from 1000 yards on a field to 100acres of the thickest mesquite across the fence line, on the same hunt here in Coleman and Brown county. By the time summer is in full swing, everything is hot and has a thermal signature, distances tend to shrink and I’m always able to sneak up within 25-75 yards in the bush with a sig echo 3, the 240x320 core works great on the AR. For the price, it works decently out to 200 but it excels within 100 yards. It still limits those long coyote shots though. There also aren’t many 1x base mag 640’s on the market, an iray and the Leimke Luchs 1 are the ones Im aware of, but I don’t really NEED that for my summer culling…at the moment i carry 2 rifles, one set up for short range the other long.

Which brings me to my last point on external ballistics. Judging distance at night with thermals is difficult, even when you know your ground really well. Im an advocate for setting up loads that have a MPBR or 350-400 yards on a hog sized target. It simplifies part of the equation hunting at night and engagement distances cannot be modified and have to be taken as they are…

 

[skydiver386]

I have an AR with a dedicated thermal (ATN), but have discovered and absolutely love my Leica Calonox clip on thermal. With the correct adapter it simply slides onto the end of a scope already mounted on a rifle turning it into a night hunting option. It is incredibly bright and unlighted crosshairs are easy to see and use. I have found no meaningful change in bullet impact.

What power scope are you using with your Leica?

I looked at one in the Leica booth at SCI, but I'm still on the fence between the Leica clip on, the Swaro clip on, or a dedicated thermal like the Pulsar.

Most of my thermal hunting would be hogs and coyote at night on my property in Florida at close ranges, 75 yards or less with lower powered scopes.

 

[Red Leg]

What power scope are you using with your Leica?

I looked at one in the Leica booth at SCI, but I'm still on the fence between the Leica clip on, the Swaro clip on, or a dedicated thermal like the Pulsar.

Most of my thermal hunting would be hogs and coyote at night on my property in Florida at close ranges, 75 yards or less with lower powered scopes.

On Leica ERI 2.5x10's