Thermal scope recommendations

[Pdyson]

The image quality of hogster and super yoter is awesome and the Iray is similar with a one year better warranty. However, both are Chinese internals. Please buy American, don't help advance the night vision capabilities of our enemies. IMO the best American made midrange priced thermal is the Pulsar Thermion series and the trail 2. Both are available with an integral laser rangefinder option now.

 

[Sid Post]

Seems that thermal scope technology, like many other technologies, is getting better yearly and some prices are coming down as competition increases.
Me? i"ll spend maybe $3,000. but no more and I'll have to see the scopes in action first.

They are a bit like Laptops and cellphones. During the COVID season though, things have been pretty static in terms of pricing and technology advancements.

Sales volumes also pale in comparison to most electronics so, other than adding things like Bluetooth, WIFi, and on-board recording, most features don't change that much year to year. What really drives up the cost of the current Thermals, assuming you stay with the same or similar sensor performance, is the cost of the lens. Those lens are super expensive so, when you get past ~35mm, costs climb exponentially.

 

[Sid Post]

... Please buy American, don't help advance the night vision capabilities of our enemies. IMO the best American made midrange priced thermal is the Pulsar Thermion series and the trail 2. Both are available with an integral laser rangefinder option now.

I get buying American but, with out-sourcing that really isn't possible in a practical sense. With their 'surveillance society' mentality, don't kid yourself into thinking the relatively small number of thermals sold in the USA are a significant effect on their NV technology. I dare say Walmart is a bigger threat in that sense than us purchasing Bering Optics products. USA consumers at large are enabling a big part of the Chinese evil-empire technology with the consumer-military fusion factories producing the vast majority of stuff people buy every day in terms of general consumer goods. Apple? Intel? Disney? ...

I have personal experience with some of their surveillance cameras and the AI-based technology in them is impressive and SCARY! When I can get a ~$200 4K/8MP camera that will record COLOR at night without artificial light, there is a lot to be concerned about IMHO regarding abuse. Telling me I moved a box or that a box hasn't been picked up ... That's the tip of the AI iceberg.

On a more related note:
After trying the consumer side of FLIR, I'll take Bering Optics any day of the week! For the price, I haven't been impressed with Pulsar. YMMV

I would be all for a domestic US company making an equivalent sensor and thermal to Bering Optics at a similar price point. The Bering Optics sensors seem to work better in high humidity than most of the competing sensors which is a big discriminator for me.

 

[packgoatguy]

Packgoat- How do you like the super hogster? I'm also in Rigby and have been looking for a reasonable thermal option.

It's been a fun little toy so far. I've picked up coyotes behind our place, positive ID out to a couple hundred yards. I can see the hot spots from my neighbors cows over a mile away. Its a learning curve to see what kinds of conditions it works best under. Some nights it seems like everything is glowing warm... rocks, bushes, etc. other nights only Critters show hot. Most nights it in between.

 

[Sid Post]

With Texas heat right now, the temperature gradient between hot landscape (trees, bushed, etc.) and animals is pretty small.

Once things start to cool off at night, performance is much better.

 

[cgbills]

I would agree rent some or see if you know anyone who will let you check them out. It helps you decide if spending that couple extra $1000 is worth it. With that said the Bering Optics thermals are a solid choice

 

[Pdyson]

Check out Hans' Review of the new IRayUSA Alpha 640. 5 year warranty

 

[Litehiker]

It's illegal here in Nevada to use thermal scopes while hunting for LICENSED game. We have no wild hogs here so thermal scopes would only be useful for coyotes. That has me looking for one to mount ahead of my 3.5 - 21 x 50 Bushnell ERS scope on my competition rifle, a 6.5CM RUGER Precision Rifle. I can do that B/C my Gen. 1 RPR has a Pic rail the full length of the of the forearm.

Problems may come trying to "shim" the mount of a thermal scope or find a mount that is the right height and can be attached to the bottom of the thermal scope. JB Weld epoxy is a possibility...

 

[Sid Post]

Clip-ons aren't cheap and generally don't work as well as a dedicated thermal if we are talking about reasonable consumer purchases. If you in the market for a military based thermal, then all bets are off for costs and performance. You can get some really awesome stuff for the price of a modern car these days.