I’m a predator hunter looking for my first thermal scope. 80-125 yards or so is where my shots are taken, I can hardly find a place to shoot past 200 yards around here.

Educate me… 640 vs 384, objective lens sizes, microns, millikelvins…

Some guys say stick to a tube style scope like an Adder since I shoot a bolt action, is that true? Or would a compact like a Super Yoter work too??

With a ~$3000 budget, what optic would you be looking at?

The yoter is a good thermal

Super hogster a bit cheaper I believe

For under 200 yards you could get by with a hogster too for a lesser price


I run on a bolt and AR platform.


Bit tricky determine range at night but just site it at 200 yards

Use a trip with rifle mounted to Tri pod. Makes easier for minutes scanning

I am actually sitting in a stand in Texas as I write this hog hunting. I just bought an AGM VARMINT. You probably don't need a range finder so a rattler would.probably work. I have the 35×384 I believe. Nice clear scope. I haven't shot anything with it yet. It has a 5 year warranty.

I just got a Sightmark Wraith mini thermal and am happy with my brokedick choice....

There is a good thread on the optics forum about thermals: https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...e-thermals-and-night-vision#Post19107692

Is your $3k all in or do you already have a magnified optic and want to add thermal?

I prefer clip on thermals with a scope, usually an LPVO. If you plan to do that I’d recommend an Armasight Jockey 640, which if not out already will be on the market in the next couple of weeks. I have a pre-production sample and it is better than the $5k IRay MH25 I have.

High res screens matter in this application. Lower ones, 640x480ish show lots of pixelation when you zoom above 4x or so. The Jockey is good to the 10x where I’ve used it.

A clip on is nice as you don’t have to rezero for day use, or when using on eye NV if you get into that sort of thing. You also get the advantage of reliable tracking and zero on a proven optic.

If I went back to a dedicated thermal scope it’d probably be a Pulsar product as those have a good track record.

Man… I never thought about a clip on, damn! I’m going to read that entire other thread

I have a super hogster and like it a lot. 250 yards is not an issue. Have killed to 320 before on coyotes.

Had ATN first won't go there ever again.

Have been looking to upgrade so if your in the market for a used I may have your fix lol

The adder will work for what you want it to do.

The price is not that bad either.

Also my buddy just bought a pulsar talion and I was actually pretty surprised at the image quality for the price. May be worth a look.

A 384 will probably work just as well for you as a 640 unless you're hunting where you might get a shot at longer range. One of the most important things to learn when using thermal is to identify your target, and higher resolution is a definite aid. What I'm doing with mine is hog hunting and shot opportunities over 200 yards are not common. I used a 384 for quite a while, and it was not that difficult to recognize hogs at ranges longer than I'd shoot at them, but a part of that was simply because of their behavior and the number of different sizes of animals you see in a group. Once you learn hogs, they're pretty unmistakable. But still, now that I'm using a 640 I like it and would not want to go back to 384 if I don't have to. So, your intended use might be a consideration.


I've had the AGM TS35-384 and it's a good scope. Now I use a Pulsar with the 640 sensor and it is great. If I was made of cubic money I'd have one of those $16,000 Irays (or whatever they cost).

Is there model out there around $1000 that’s worth buying

AGM has a 256 model. But everyone told me to go 384 min......

Do yourself a favor and buy a minimum of a 384 sensor unit.

ya!

GWB

I have the agm 35-640 rattler, mounted on an AR. Was just outside with it to check whatever the neighbors dog was barking at, and saw deer feeding around the hillside at a little over 100yds plain as day. Awesome thermal, but make sure you buy an external battery supply, batteries dont last very long in cold weather.

The tube-style is definitely more user friendly in mounting, at least IMO.

With a 3k budget, the Adder, IRay Bolt & Pulsar Thermion 2 XQ35 PRO 2.5-10x are all great choices.

For your 80-125 yard purpose, the decision (for me) would be based around getting the lowest base magnification.

Recently purchased a used Super Hogster here on the 'Fire. Has been used to drill 4-5 coyotes to-date. I love it. Grandson loves it. One caveat. Get a rechargeable battery.

Just mounted that same Pulsar on a rifle for my brother a few weeks ago.

It's more akin to a traditional scope setup as far as the mounting and handling, etc. It sighted in fine, and works, but I wouldn't trade my Super Hogster for it.

Some very good advice here, so far. From my limited experience, the ordered qualifiers are:

Budget
Brand/quality/reputation
Housing style (tube vs traditional)
Resolution (384 minimum)
Base magnification (fit it closely to your needs)
Battery style

After that, you’ll have options narrowed it down a good bit and then can dig into other items like audio, button layout, pixel pitch, NETD, weight, included mounts, etc.

I know zero about thermals, but looked thru a friend's Leica Calonox monocular... and was blown away by the imaging.

Newest super hogster takes 4aa batteries, lithiums are supposed to last up to 6 hrs, also has magnetic lead for external power supply. Sightmark has external power battery with correct voltage output.

I would run an external battery. It makes a few hours of operation into a few nights of operation. I can hunt 3 or 4 nights on one charge of the battery, then just plug it in and recharge it, and you are set again.

I actually invented a mount system for adding an external battery to any type pic rail anywhere on a rifle. Was going into production after the patent was filed, and got hit by shutdown and high prices during Covid, so I didn't go into full production as it wasn't cost effective for me.

There's external battery systems out there that run most thermals or Digital NV... I wouldn't be afield without one.

It looks to me like AGM is on the ball with the use of 18650 rechargeables in several units. Using generic rechargeables sure seems like a good idea. I like the fact that my IR light, NV scope, and green light can all run on the same batteries.

Whatever gets everyone away from those crappy CR123 batteries has got be an improvement!

Anything with a cr123 is a no go for me

Lots of thermals use them.

Just go to an external battery, and you don't even have to put the cr123's in.

I'm opposite. I like the 123's. Use them in all my flashlights and headlamps anyway, so always have a bunch around. Not having to worry if you have a charged batt if ya have to grab and go is good for me. I got the external one for mine if I know I'm going to be out awhile, anyway.....

Had some lights that used them well.

I started out with my Super Hogster using them while working on my external battery, and sometimes, even with fresh Panasonic cr123's I'd be getting a low battery indicator after just an hour or so...

At the cost of them, just decided not to play that game.

I put my external batteries in a bag on the stock.

No brainr to use external power source and rechargeable batteries

Should have clarified. Yes EXTERNAL rechargeable battery. Thermal eats the CR123's in very short order.