Opinions or experience with Swarovski thermal clip-ons? (tM 35+ vs. tM 35.2)

[towserthemouser]

Does anyone have experience with either? The application would be to clip on to a Swaro scope for a night predator hunt, or to use as a hand-held thermal monocular to observe the night.......

They are definitely pricey..... I wonder if the value is there. Thoughts, anyone?

 

[Green Chile]

I used mine to great effect on my last trip to Africa. I have 3 adapters for it...24, 42 and 50mm. The little secret is you don't need a Swaro scope...just the right adapter for that scope's objective. I've used it on Swaros but my first shots with it were on a Nightforce on a 416. Since it's a clip on, it has NO effect on your sight in. It just shoots the same as your daytime settings. I used mine with an illuminated reticle turned down low for best results. It worked perfectly in the pitch black with no starlight visible.

EO was running a special at 50% off when I got mine.

 

[towserthemouser]

I used mine to great effect on my last trip to Africa. I have 3 adapters for it...24, 42 and 50mm. The little secret is you don't need a Swaro scope...just the right adapter for that scope's objective. I've used it on Swaros but my first shots with it were on a Nightforce on a 416. Since it's a clip on, it has NO effect on your sight in. It just shoots the same as your daytime settings. I used mine with an illuminated reticle turned down low for best results. It worked perfectly in the pitch black with no starlight visible.

EO was running a special at 50% off when I got mine.

View attachment 665476

Thanks @Green Chile that's good to know. Mighty fine bush pig there!

 

[towserthemouser]

I used mine to great effect on my last trip to Africa. I have 3 adapters for it...24, 42 and 50mm. The little secret is you don't need a Swaro scope...just the right adapter for that scope's objective. I've used it on Swaros but my first shots with it were on a Nightforce on a 416. Since it's a clip on, it has NO effect on your sight in. It just shoots the same as your daytime settings. I used mine with an illuminated reticle turned down low for best results. It worked perfectly in the pitch black with no starlight visible.

EO was running a special at 50% off when I got mine.

View attachment 665476

If I can ask, which model did you choose, and why? As far as I can tell it's basically a choice between 2x and 4x, with a field-of-view tradeoff.

 

[Red Leg]

I can't speak to the Swaro, but the Leica clip on is a brilliant piece of technology. Slide it on with the correct adapter and field of view, accuracy, and clarity are astounding. The scopes reticle is clearly visible without illumination and the scopes power control is what manages magnification. It is far superior to my Thor thermal both optically and as a practical thermal solution.

 

[Green Chile]

I have the TM35 that was 50 % off. Maybe they were making space for the next version? They also had a special on the adapters so I got 3 to cover my favorite scope objective sizes. I haven’t been able to compare it to other models. I know @Red Leg likes his version.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

I used mine to great effect on my last trip to Africa. I have 3 adapters for it...24, 42 and 50mm. The little secret is you don't need a Swaro scope...just the right adapter for that scope's objective. I've used it on Swaros but my first shots with it were on a Nightforce on a 416. Since it's a clip on, it has NO effect on your sight in. It just shoots the same as your daytime settings. I used mine with an illuminated reticle turned down low for best results. It worked perfectly in the pitch black with no starlight visible.

EO was running a special at 50% off when I got mine.

View attachment 665476

Does your clip on fit on the front or the rear of your scope? Thermal Clip-ons invariably have a parallax error. I would suggest anyone using a clip on thermal to confirm zero before heading out for their hunt after fitting the unit.
My nightvision clips straight on with no difference in POI. Thermal clip on needs adjustment.

 

[HUNTROMANIA]

Does your clip on fit on the front or the rear of your scope? Thermal Clip-ons invariably have a parallax error. I would suggest anyone using a clip on thermal to confirm zero before heading out for their hunt after fitting the unit.
My nightvision clips straight on with no difference in POI. Thermal clip on needs adjustment.

You are right. Up to 50 yards for a big target is good, but to kill a fox at 100 yards you need to adjust proper your clip on!
First you need a separate scope adapter, tight and steady on your scope. After that you connect your clip-on and adjust it accordingly. If you think that your clip-on will be accurate over 75 yards attaching direct to the scope every time you are wrong.
NV are something that you don’t need to adjust. Only thermo devices.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

You are right. Up to 50 yards for a big target is good, but to kill a fox at 100 yards you need to adjust proper your clip on!
First you need a separate scope adapter, tight and steady on your scope. After that you connect your clip-on and adjust it accordingly. If you think that your clip-on will be accurate over 75 yards attaching direct to the scope every time you are wrong.
NV are something that you don’t need to adjust. Only thermo devices.

Exactly our experience.

 

[Green Chile]

My night setups are close so parallax has not been an issue. We are shooting off bait or calling in close or stalking in close. The Swaro discussed here is clip on the front of the scope. I know some guys shoot further at night but I don't have those setups.

 

[HUNTROMANIA]

In my opinion Swarovski clip-on is not worthy. Quality is low comparing to other products.

 

[Daisy]

My night setups are close so parallax has not been an issue. We are shooting off bait or calling in close or stalking in close. The Swaro discussed here is clip on the front of the scope. I know some guys shoot further at night but I don't have those setups.

Front clipons have their place, but also their problems.

You lose the optical zoom of your scope. Yes you can zoom it, but you at zooming in on the screen of your thermal, not the object. So there is a big loss of resolution the more you zoom.

I prefer a QD mounted thermal scope. Def has better end result. I also actually find it’s just as easy to remove a QD scope and add a QD thermal (maybe a 10 second procedure) as to attach a clip on.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

In my opinion Swarovski clip-on is not worthy. Quality is low comparing to other products.

Marius, do you get the brand Hik Mikro in Romania, and if so, what is your opinion on their equipment?

 

[Manny R]

I just purchased the Swarovski TM35 at the SCI Show from Eurooptic. Taking it to Africa in March. When I ordered the Thermal I added an extra rechargeable battery. After several weeks I called Eurooptic and they informed me the battery is backordered and they had no idea when it would be back in stock. Got the same story from Swarovski when I called them.
I am awaiting Parkwest to finish up some cosmetic work on my Dakota .375 so I may hurry up and sight in and test fire using my Thermal to be sure all is good before heading to Zimbabwe.

 

[HUNTROMANIA]

Marius, do you get the brand Hik Mikro in Romania, and if so, what is your opinion on their equipment?

I just bought and set the Hikmicro stellar scope. And I love it!!!

 

[Red Leg]

Does your clip on fit on the front or the rear of your scope? Thermal Clip-ons invariably have a parallax error. I would suggest anyone using a clip on thermal to confirm zero before heading out for their hunt after fitting the unit.
My nightvision clips straight on with no difference in POI. Thermal clip on needs adjustment.

My Leica shoots to exactly the same POI as the scope does without it - at least with the two rifles with which I have used it (an AR and Winchester in .22 Hornet)

 

[Red Leg]

Front clipons have their place, but also their problems.

You lose the optical zoom of your scope. Yes you can zoom it, but you at zooming in on the screen of your thermal, not the object. So there is a big loss of resolution the more you zoom.

I prefer a QD mounted thermal scope. Def has better end result. I also actually find it’s just as easy to remove a QD scope and add a QD thermal (maybe a 10 second procedure) as to attach a clip on.

With the Leica, I can use up to four power with excellent clarity. I have only used thermals on our place and a 150 yard shot would be a long one. But I can easily make that with this set-up. I can stand on the back patio and scan the river line at three hundred and easily selectively identify racoon, opossum, or armadillo - much less deer or pigs.

But yes, a quick detachable thermal would also be useful. However, I have found quick detachables for an AR (currently using Warne for a thermal) are not nearly as precise as something like Tallyes on a standard rifle.

 

[HUNTROMANIA]

Marius, do you get the brand Hik Mikro in Romania, and if so, what is your opinion on their equipment?

The best Clip-on thermo so far is Termtech hunt 650. Best thermo scope, Hikmicro stellar 2 and 3.

 

[Green Chile]

My Leica shoots to exactly the same POI as the scope does without it - at least with the two rifles with which I have used it (an AR and Winchester in .22 Hornet)

My Blaser R8 in .416 shot exactly where I aimed at about 40 yards on that bushpig.

 

[Daisy]

With the Leica, I can use up to four power with excellent clarity. I have only used thermals on our place and a 150 yard shot would be a long one. But I can easily make that with this set-up. I can stand on the back patio and scan the river line at three hundred and easily selectively identify racoon, opossum, or armadillo - much less deer or pigs.

But yes, a quick detachable thermal would also be useful. However, I have found quick detachables for an AR (currently using Warne for a thermal) are not nearly as precise as something like Tallyes on a standard rifle.

I didn’t mean to bash what you have. Sounds awesome for your needs. Also awesome if you want to have one product to scan and shoot.

I night hunt 30 times a year so I went ahead and invested in dedicated scanner and rifle mount. I tried clip on and for occasional hog hunting it sounds perfect.

For an add on for a trip the clip on looks cool also. I did one night hunt in RSA and was awesome.