Sighting in a thermal scope

[Scottso]

Curious, just purchased a thermal scope for upcoming hog hunts, how does one sight it in? Paper target I dont think will work, seen where hand warmers are used, gonna be at indoor range, 25 yds how accurate is that method? Any other tricks/ options
Thanks

 

[Rockin90]

Take electrical tap and make a cross against a white background. It will absorb more heat. Or take a small hand warmer.

 

[Mrvmax]

If you're in a warm area, freeze a bottle of water.

 

[hankle]

Hand warmers are the easy button. Just tape or staple to cardboard

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[CReuter]

Curious, just purchased a thermal scope for upcoming hog hunts, how does one sight it in? Paper target I dont think will work, seen where hand warmers are used, gonna be at indoor range, 25 yds how accurate is that method? Any other tricks/ options
Thanks

Foil tape(duct tape) is your friend. Hand warmers will bloom pretty bad and transfer heat to your target

 

[Mike6158]

Foil tape(duct tape) is your friend. Hand warmers will bloom pretty bad and transfer heat to your target

THIS ^^^^ I tried all of that other stuff and this worked perfectly. I used regular old Reynolds Wrap. I folded about a 4" square, taped it to the target, and there it was. Easy peasy

 

[IllinoisBurt]

Not sure what range you plan to be set up on your hog hunts. Most are somewhat shorter range affairs like under 150 yards so your 25 yard zero may be okay. Hopefully you get a chance to find tune at longer range before a hunt.

More importantly though, which thermal did you get and what gun you planning to use?

 

[Zen Archery]

25 yards, just fine.
Push distance out to 100-150 can be problematic depending on quality of thermal and day time temperatures outdoors. In doors 100 yards you'll be fine.

 

[Scottso]

Not sure what range you plan to be set up on your hog hunts. Most are somewhat shorter range affairs like under 150 yards so your 25 yard zero may be okay. Hopefully you get a chance to find tune at longer range before a hunt.

More importantly though, which thermal did you get and what gun you planning to use?

Thanks, foil is the trick eh, appreciate it! Going to be on 100 acres mixed land, so nothing really over 100yds for now, and yes will confirm when I get to Florida as always check gear after traveling. Just want it to be on paper @ 25yds , will be mounted on either my GAP Rock , but most likely on my Sage EBR, yeah not typical but neither am I
Picked up a Halo LR off a member here last month, super clean unit

 

[kfreeze]

You can use alum foil or foil tape, just angle it slighrly up toward the sky seems to make it a little better. Hamd warmers work good. I've also used an ice cube in a ziploc bag. All of the above worked great. As for 25 yard sight in, sight it in at 100 yds or more and be done with it and know where you will hit. I used to see all of that crap on thermal groups on fb. "I sighted in at 50 (or 25) and I miss at 100 or 150 yds, what's wrong...." I guess 25 yds is fine if you want to walk up and shoot pigs in the head from 10-30 yds away, which is fun.

 

[Lee7588]

I use an AR-15 when I hunt pigs. All I do is out the thermal in front of my scope. The reticle illuminates is my scope so there is no rezeroing when going from one gun to another. But when I've put the thermal on a bolt gun I use hand warmers.

 

[rem.xp100]

I use an AR-15 when I hunt pigs. All I do is out the thermal in front of my scope. The reticle illuminates is my scope so there is no rezeroing when going from one gun to another. But when I've put the thermal on a bolt gun I use hand warmers.

Lee7588, what thermal are you using with that method? It looks a lot like a FLIR. Do you just ignore the thermal reticle and use the regular scope since that is already sighted in?

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I had a 2'x3' piece of foam insulation that had foil on one side. I made a cross in the middle with 2" wide black tape. It was easy to see the cross in the center of the board at 100yds.

 

[Lee7588]

Yes it is a flir. I use the white hot with the blue reticle, so the reticle isn't seen very easy. The scope that stays on the ar is a vortex and has a red reticle that is easy to see on the white hot. It makes it easy to change between guns. I have the thermal sighted in for my bolt 308, and just change the reticle color to stand out when I use it on that gun, and just pop it off change reticle color to blue put it on the ar and clear some piggies