Alpex 4K or Stick With Swarovski

[Lewisjd2812]

Agreed.
I have tried a lot of the day/night units out there and currently have stuck with the Zulus V2 5-20 but now only on a dedicated foxing rifle.
They just don`t give you the quality needed for day stalking in thick woodland and if I have to stay out for foxing leading up to lambing time it is so easy to just clip my Hik Thunder 3.0 on the front of my Z8i

Im starting to think it may be a case of either waiting to get a clip on like you and having a dedicated night rifle

Like the idea of a digital scope for the ease of having 1 rifle for multiple uses but glass seems to be the general consensus

 

[kenbro]

Pro’s and cons of good glass

1- battery don’t run out
2- the warranty is better
3- doesn’t encourage you to add another 10 minutes just pull the trigger later than you need to just to kill something!
4- images is better

To be brutally honest, I’m anti thermal and digital, all digital does is encouraging you to bend the rules because there are those who cannot abide by the rules of engagement!

I’ll take my Schmidt and bender over a digital or thermal any time!

Do you do much foxing, Sir?
KB.

 

[JockStalk]

Nothing lights up a target in the dark like thermal. But is that a buck or a doe?

Nothing gives you clear picture resolution for eg sexing a roe like good NV. But is there a good back stop?

Nothing gives you a better daylight image than your Z3, and it’ll hold its value as the above tank. But you can’t shoot in the dark? (Have you heard of a torch?)

 

[Tim.243]

Surprisingly im not a fan of the green soup option

Sticking the the hour before and after is easily done on my part as thats part of the process, this is to make the most out of that hour and also to continue on to vermin after dark or do I just stick with glass and a lamp or, to throw a real spanner in the works. Be a big boy and get a variation for dedicated NV but means taking 2 rifles

I have used my Drone 10 for the last 8 years on the .243 foxing, I gave up with the .270 and a z6 2.5-15x56 as just far too many deer getting a pass because of the last light. Last 2 years tore the arse out of the numbers with the .243 and if it was a deer blank then I just carried on for a fox as that is how I picked up my stalking from shooting foxes.
The .270 has a hik on top and I am getting the results I wanted from it.

 

[Lewisjd2812]

I actually sold my Alpex 4K LRF (which was superb at what it does) and bought a Swarovski Z5 3.5-18 x 44 BT with some of the proceeds - what a bargain. Use it with the Habrok HE25L binos, Alpha glass on the rifle and a set of 4K binos with thermal good enough for picking up deer and a built in LRF, more than happy.

This is very similar to my current set up HH35 Habroks and z3 3-12x50 glass

Just thinking of ways to stretch out until the last minute of the hour rule and also continue on into the night for vermin, currently have a torch clip on the scope and it works but could be alot better

 

[HonestJohn]

Shoot glass during daylight hours for deer. Shoot NV for foxes at night or glass with lamp. Use thermal for spotting if you must, It’s so simple

 

[Leec6.5]

Do you do much foxing, Sir?
KB.

I’m an ex keeper I’ve done more than my fair share!

I used the archer back in the day intensively gave me horrendous migraines, you don’t need to talk to me about killing foxes in that tone.

 

[Lewisjd2812]

Nothing lights up a target in the dark like thermal. But is that a buck or a doe?

Nothing gives you clear picture resolution for eg sexing a roe like good NV. But is there a good back stop?

Nothing gives you a better daylight image than your Z3, and it’ll hold its value as the above tank. But you can’t shoot in the dark? (Have you heard of a torch?)

All incredibly good points and pros and cons for them all

 

[Lewisjd2812]

Shoot glass during daylight hours for deer. Shoot NV for foxes at night or glass with lamp. Use thermal for spotting if you must, It’s so simple

It is simple but that is 2 seperate rifles or expensive QR mounts.

A torch, simple option but not as clear or as powerful or as easy to use when out solo in high seat

 

[Leec6.5]

It is simple but that is 2 seperate rifles or expensive QR mounts.

A torch, simple option but not as clear or as powerful or as easy to use when out solo in high seat

This tells me you have already made your mind up.

 

[kenbro]

I’m an ex keeper I’ve done more than my fair share!

I used the archer back in the day intensively gave me horrendous migraines, you don’t need to talk to me about killing foxes in that tone.

Hi,
No offence (Tone) intended, just a question because NV seems (To me) to be the most versatile tool for night time foxing, especially if your doing it seriously.
NV will do it all, day and night, admittedly a compromise at times but still better all rounder than glass?
KB.

 

[Donkey Basher]

Here’s the answer to your question.

I have an Alpex but tonight I was out with a rifle fitted with a Zeiss Diavari 6-24x56.

Had I had the rifle with the Alpex on this would very definitely have been shot, instead I walked away from it.

(P.S. ignore the time, for some reason the thermal doesn't keep very good time & I haven’t reset it - time was actually 1900 so still had 5 mins of legal light left.)

 

[Essexsussex]

It is simple but that is 2 seperate rifles or expensive QR mounts.

A torch, simple option but not as clear or as powerful or as easy to use when out solo in high seat

A nasty plastic savage 243 thing with a cheap nv on is what I do for my last light stuff. It’s been so completely game changing for fallow. Total cost of rig probably less than £500.
Glass and lovely rifle for when I’m chilling.

 

[Leec6.5]

Hi,
No offence (Tone) intended, just a question because NV seems (To me) to be the most versatile tool for night time foxing, especially if your doing it seriously.
NV will do it all, day and night, admittedly a compromise at times but still better all rounder than glass?
KB.

NV it’s all alright until the health problem start, I’ve got a good friend who uses thermal for foxing he suffers from migraines. I know several keepers who used archers like I did back in the day they suffer from migraines.

Will certainly be interesting to see how many actually admit they’re suffering from headaches after intensively using thermal and digital scopes

That’s why I don’t use it!

My head is more important

 

[kenbro]

NV it’s all alright until the health problem start, I’ve got a good friend who uses thermal for foxing he suffers from migraines. I know several keepers who used archers like I did back in the day they suffer from migraines.

Will certainly be interesting to see how many actually admit they’re suffering from headaches after intensively using thermal and digital scopes

That’s why I don’t use it!

My head is more important

I don’t do enough for those problems but I do get black eye with using a thermal spotter.
Completely ruins one’s night vision.
Good job most of us have two eyes.
KB.

 

[Lewisjd2812]

Here’s the answer to your question.

I have an Alpex but tonight I was out with a rifle fitted with a Zeiss Diavari 6-24x56.

Had I had the rifle with the Alpex on this would very definitely have been shot, instead I walked away from it.

(P.S. ignore the time, for some reason the thermal doesn't keep very good time & I haven’t reset it - time was actually 1900 so still had 5 mins of legal light left.)

View attachment 442476

This is exactly the kind of situation that is making me consider the Alpex, still legal light but fades quick after sun down as we are all aware especially this time if year

Dedicated NV on second rifle - ideal solution but could be too bulky to realistically carry round a second whilst stalking and then to high seat

Aplex - fantastic on paper but not as good clarity as high quality glass and seem to be people swapping back to glass

Good NV Add on - hadn't really thought of this option so could well be a choice that would work as i know safe shots from the seat for vermin

Thermal clip on - would be ideal solution but cost is prohibitive

 

[Pellet Pinger]

This is exactly the kind of situation that is making me consider the Alpex, still legal light but fades quick after sun down as we are all aware especially this time if year

Dedicated NV on second rifle - ideal solution but could be too bulky to realistically carry round a second whilst stalking and then to high seat

Aplex - fantastic on paper but not as good clarity as high quality glass and seem to be people swapping back to glass

Good NV Add on - hadn't really thought of this option so could well be a choice that would work as i know safe shots from the seat for vermin

Thermal clip on - would be ideal solution but cost is prohibitive

Last light the Alpex will kill your Swaro and more importantly will be safe because you can still see for hundreds of yards.
Most of my deer are shot in the last half hour of light, theres nothing that can touch the Alpex 4K for this and even in daytime its still a perfectly good sight picture to get the job done.

 

[Heym SR20]

In the good old days when I started stalking, night vision consisted of a spotlight that attached to a car battery, or if going mobile, a little motor bike sized battery. Such a set up wasnt cheap. Up in the highlands we shot any number of foxes out to as far as we could shoot them. Rabbits - we used to ho through best part of 500 rounds of 22rf in a night with two rifles and a lamp.

Nowadays you can get a small LED Lenser type light that will put a beam out that’s just as good as those old spotlights we used to use. In many ways so so much better, as with many you turn on red or green light. And such a light will cost £100 and small enough to clip on your rifle scope.

You can still use your thermal for scanning and then use the spotlight / rifle scope for taking the shot.

Every body knows what you are doing? Whilst I live in a city, I regularly stay out in the countryside and at I night I can certainly hear the keeper pottering around on his ATV, and a moderated rifle at 2am in the morning still makes on hell of a crack.

I reckon being out regularly with a lamp show all the local low lifes that you are actually out and about and keeps them away from doing mischief. And a blast of a high powered lamp is not very kind on the recipients eyes and night vision.

 

[Tim.243]

This is exactly the kind of situation that is making me consider the Alpex, still legal light but fades quick after sun down as we are all aware especially this time if year

Dedicated NV on second rifle - ideal solution but could be too bulky to realistically carry round a second whilst stalking and then to high seat

Aplex - fantastic on paper but not as good clarity as high quality glass and seem to be people swapping back to glass

Good NV Add on - hadn't really thought of this option so could well be a choice that would work as i know safe shots from the seat for vermin

Thermal clip on - would be ideal solution but cost is prohibitive

Both about the same distance 110 ish
with daylight

Way to dark for a glass scope also to much mag but getting used to it

 

[Mungo]

Hi all,

looking for everyone's opinions if they have used a Hik Micro Alpex 4k,

You see I have been toying with the idea of replacing my current Swarovski Z3I with one and am still on the fence, I use a set of Habroks as Thermal / Bino's and think they are fantastic but I am unsure whether to change the Traditional Glass for a Digital scope.

I've seen many people raving about them but equally a lot of people selling them too. I know at the end of the day it'll be a decision that only I can make but I'd like to get everyone else's opinions on usage for stalking

Many thanks

I have one rifle set up as a dedicated night shooting gun, with a thermal scope.

The rest have glass.

Every month or two I think I need to get an Alpex. All it takes is 2 minutes looking through one to cure me of this.

Most recently, I had a client lined up on a sika deer at about 150m. Just after first light. Clear skies, but wisps of mist in the air. Deer stood against rising ground with clearfell behind it. I could see the deer with my naked eye. He couldn’t find it in the Alpex. I eventually looked through the scope. With effort, I could roughly make it out, but not clearly enough to be confident with a shot. Could easily have shot it with glass, had to wait 10 minutes to shoot with the Alpex.

I really dislike the picture.

For a dedicated night rifle, fine. If you’re wanting to shoot in the day, absolutely horrible.