Thermal Scope ?

I have been wanting a thermal scope for several years, but can not justify spending $2000, $3000, or $4000 for a scope! For those of you that have one, what argument did you use on yourself to justify getting one? If you had to make the same decision again today knowing what you know now, would you purchase one again?

No thermal for me .......... yet. Last year I invested in an ATN X Sight 4K Pro ( uses infra red light) for hunting at nite. Used it some. It's ok but hard on your eye. So I made a hand held scanner from a rifle scope, IR LIght and small monitor. Works great. Now I can scan for critters and then get my gun ready. I am looking at thermals in all price ranges. Even some clip ons for my regular scope. Kinda wanna try one out before I buy, so I'll tag along with some one who has a thermal. I would like a thermal hand held scanner before I would get the scope. But the night vision scope and scanner is working good for now.

I finally pulled the trigger on one this past summer. I justified it as a ADC expense. I opted for the cheap version at $1,000 and will be getting a higher end one in the future. The cheap one works well to about 150 yards, but gets fuzzy to non existent image past that range. ATN is the brand I went with as they have a warranty and a gentleman that uses heck out of his equipment suggested them. If I had it to do all over again I would have gotten a higher end model to start, but as it is I will keep the cheaper one on a 22 for close work and get another for the long gun.

following.........i sure want one

This is one of those get before I retire items, lol. Definitely following.

following

Man I love thermal thermal hunting! I have a Flir PTS Pro233 thermal rifle scope. Right at $2k. Its hands down the coolest thing I own. We have a small farm and I pull the rifle/thermal out almost weekly to shoot some kinda critter. I picked up a handheld thermal to scan with also so I'm not having to have the gun shouldered all the time too. The handheld is a AGM TM160 micro. Picked it up for just under $500.
I use the crap out of them all year. And night hunting song dogs is an absolute blast.
Take a look at Night Vision Universe for purchases. I used him for both my thermals. Beats everyone's prices that I've seen.

And yeah I'd definitely buy a thermal again!

Experience with Pulsar hand held thermal...excellent quality with great customer service. Prior experience with Flir, would not recommend. Cant speak for the rest, but I dont think you could go wrong with a Trijicon if you can stomach the capital outlay.

I thought the Thor4 would be a good one, 2000-4000$.
I was thinking the 2,000$ one, one guy said people have had a lot of issues with them

I cant pull the trigger on one. maybe if coyote price goes up.

i see there is a calling contest in harrisonville mo if anyone is interested. saturday december 19. registration friday at 5 pm. 1500 south jefferson parkway. jackpot is 750. one day contest

jesse 816-738-6401 or harley 816-507-9313

I borrowed a buddy's last winter, ordered on this fall. I am kicking myself in the butt for not doing it sooner.

I don't "justify" anything but if I had to it's because it allows 12 more hours of the day for me to hunt and in those twelve hours, I'm pretty much the only one out there.

I've had one now for three years and love it. Me and my buddy killed 85 coyotes last year. It was a blast. Its hard to believe that it's legal in the state of ILLINOIS.
My Pulsar records sound and video. I have my own YouTube channel with all the video action.

I bit the bullet and ordered one from ATN earlier this week. I got the Thor LT 4-8 X. I am chomping at the bit and can't wait to try it out. Review to follow after I use it awhile.

I got the ATN Thor 4 about a month ago. It was $3800, I honestly haven’t got time to play with it yet. Soon I hope!

ttt

Check out ed from outdoor adventures has lots of video on thermals

Never have one.

One of two things I would love to have and the other is live scope fish finder.Both to much for me right now.

Used a thermal hand held monocular in the Coast Guard back in the 80s. I am sure they have improved. I remember the images were all a luminous green. If the scope was pointed at a light, it took several minutes for it to work again.

The scope we had was not on a gun, but for observation. It’s case was as large as a suitcase. Probably cost a years wage back then.

What does the image look like in a modern night scope? Still green?

I had issues with the ATN Thor I had ($2,800 at the time) and customer service was terrible. When I did get it back it really was not that great. I could comfortably kill a coyote out to about 100-125 yds.

I hunt hogs at a buddy's ranch near Hico TX off and on. He owns a Flir mono we use for scouting. I like the Flir very well. He has a Pulsar on a AR. The Pulsar also works nice but I like a larger caliber myself so I dont use that much. Bang Flop with a 300 wsm or 7mm Mag for me.