Front clip on thermals

[Keith Edmunds]

Spot on. I believe repeatability was an issue with early mounts but current "modular" offerings such as the Rusan adapters and mounts are significantly better. I leave the female portion of the adapter permanently mounted onto the scopes (I have 3 - one fitted to each CF rifle I use the clip-on with) - this does mean that my nice (expensive) Swaro obj covers are removed but as I carry muzzle down, this isn't an issue. The male portion of the Rusan adapter is mechanically tightened against the clip-on's thread (only one adapter needed) and is bombproof, hence when marrying up the 2 and rotating the locking lever, it cams the thermal always into the same position. Having set up the Reference Line in each of the 3 profiles to allow for issues between the different scope adapter sections, each profile matches that particular adapter and mount. I did check the Reference Line after every mounting when I first got the clip-on, but no longer do this every time as its simply not necessary. Hope that helps?

I've only been using the ThermTec Huntpro 650 a couple of weeks, so still early days but......regarding alignment, this is quite easily checked by aligning the glass scopes cross-hair with icons within the thermal screen. Initially, I was simply using a dot on the objective bell and a dot on the SmartClip - and that works well enough but this can be double-checked with icons on the thermal screen.

I do like the idea of Peter's Rusan adapter though - takes out any guesswork.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

They are the only legal way here in Germany as T scopes are forbidden so the hunters have to live with the zeroing issues.

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Here's a little video from the weekend, no shot, but filmed a hare while in the high seat.

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Thought I would just add this 'watch-out' regarding adapter clips. While mine slid over the objective bell easily and I didn't notice until cleaning yesterday - the external of the clip is 'just' touching the barrel. It doesn't seem to be affecting zero but it isn't ideal. Just take your current scope height over the barrel into account when ordering a mounting clip.

 

[2-dead-in-the-air]

If you have a Zeiss day scope go with the Zeiss thermal clip on.
To set up, download the Zeiss app on your phone and adjustment done by Bluetooth, so easy.
The adaptor stays on the scope and you clip on the thermal, holds zero.
If I'm out stalking till darkness, clip on the thermal when you see a fox, I carry mine in a tactical pouch attached to my left thigh.
It will work on other scope too, just get the correct size adapter.

 

[Davestuart]

I use iray ch50 add on ,it is great and wasn’t hard to zero ,not let me down but I do only use it on 1 scope

 

[Keith Edmunds]

If you have a Zeiss day scope go with the Zeiss thermal clip on.
To set up, download the Zeiss app on your phone and adjustment done by Bluetooth, so easy.
The adaptor stays on the scope and you clip on the thermal, holds zero.
If I'm out stalking till darkness, clip on the thermal when you see a fox, I carry mine in a tactical pouch attached to my left thigh.
It will work on other scope too, just get the correct size adapter.

The Zeiss clip sounds similar to the Rusan - I really like the idea of male/female staying on scope/clip-on. That said, I now rely more upon using icons on the screen to line up with the cross-hairs than marks on the scope/Smartclip.

 

[new forest]

I use a infiray CH50 V2 and swap it between three rifles all 56mm Zeiss’s have never had a problem with it shooting out to 300m once it was set up

 

[Keith Edmunds]

I use a infiray CH50 V2 and swap it between three rifles all 56mm Zeiss’s have never had a problem with it shooting out to 300m once it was set up

What type of adaptor clip are you using?

 

[new forest]

What type of adaptor clip are you using?

Smart clip

 

[Eniramrar]

Spot on. I believe repeatability was an issue with early mounts but current "modular" offerings such as the Rusan adapters and mounts are significantly better. I leave the female portion of the adapter permanently mounted onto the scopes (I have 3 - one fitted to each CF rifle I use the clip-on with) - this does mean that my nice (expensive) Swaro obj covers are removed but as I carry muzzle down, this isn't an issue. The male portion of the Rusan adapter is mechanically tightened against the clip-on's thread (only one adapter needed) and is bombproof, hence when marrying up the 2 and rotating the locking lever, it cams the thermal always into the same position. Having set up the Reference Line in each of the 3 profiles to allow for issues between the different scope adapter sections, each profile matches that particular adapter and mount. I did check the Reference Line after every mounting when I first got the clip-on, but no longer do this every time as its simply not necessary. Hope that helps?

I've got a Krypton 2 FGX50 and have had terrible 'zero' problems. I'm using the Krypton adaptor and I'm sure that's part of the problem. I find it really hard to get it back on my Swaro Z6i in exactly the same place; I don't want to leave it on permanently because I like using glass in daytime and the adaptor diameter is so small. Do you prefer the Rusan to Smartclip? They both appear to be superior to the Pulsar adaptor.
Also, 2 probably stupid questions about the 'zeroing ' process:
1. if the scope is zeroed at 100m do I need to do the 'thermal zeroing' at 100m also, or if it's just aligning the scope reticle with the 'picture' can it be done at say 30 or 40m? It says each 'click' moves the reticle 21mm @ 100m, so about 6-7mm @ 30m?
2. starting the process by 'freezing' the picture after the shot do you centre the reticle on the POA or POI?

 

[wytonpjs]

I've got a Krypton 2 FGX50 and have had terrible 'zero' problems. I'm using the Krypton adaptor and I'm sure that's part of the problem. I find it really hard to get it back on my Swaro Z6i in exactly the same place; I don't want to leave it on permanently because I like using glass in daytime and the adaptor diameter is so small. Do you prefer the Rusan to Smartclip? They both appear to be superior to the Pulsar adaptor.
Also, 2 probably stupid questions about the 'zeroing ' process:
1. if the scope is zeroed at 100m do I need to do the 'thermal zeroing' at 100m also, or if it's just aligning the scope reticle with the 'picture' can it be done at say 30 or 40m? It says each 'click' moves the reticle 21mm @ 100m, so about 6-7mm @ 30m?
2. starting the process by 'freezing' the picture after the shot do you centre the reticle on the POA or POI?

I only have experience of Rusan adaptor but I think those are great. If you are leaving them on, get the ones with the Allen screw and not levers.

So, I had a long discussion over this with the late Mealiejimmy, the upshot of which for my shooting which when using the thermal is less than 200m, was merely to set-up the reference line so the scope was aligned. I do not use the crosshairs in the thermal and they are turned off. I use the scopes normal night IR dot as the target indicator and for me, it does what I need. I could if I wanted use the clip-on's reticules but that would need more zeroing and I couldn't see the point given I've got illiminated crosshairs in the scope. The clip-on just gives me a thermal picture to look at. To date, I've been very happy with the shot placement at distances up to 180m - that's good enough for me.

 

[Eniramrar]

I only have experience of Rusan adaptor but I think those are great. If you are leaving them on, get the ones with the Allen screw and not levers.

So, I had a long discussion over this with the late Mealiejimmy, the upshot of which for my shooting which when using the thermal is less than 200m, was merely to set-up the reference line so the scope was aligned. I do not use the crosshairs in the thermal and they are turned off. I use the scopes normal night IR dot as the target indicator and for me, it does what I need. I could if I wanted use the clip-on's reticules but that would need more zeroing and I couldn't see the point given I've got illiminated crosshairs in the scope. The clip-on just gives me a thermal picture to look at. To date, I've been very happy with the shot placement at distances up to 180m - that's good enough for me.

Thank you. I would not be using it at more than 100m in woodland. My experience is that although the Krypton (green cross in the thermal's menu) is aligned with the scope reticle I've missed sitters at a distance of 40m even though the scope alone is perfectly zeroed.

 

[BLUEROLL]

I also use and can vouch for the Rusan modular adaptor and once you calibrate the thermal add on to your day scope reticle the adaptor is reliable for return to zero.

 

[Eniramrar]

I also use and can vouch for the Rusan modular adaptor and once you calibrate the thermal add on to your day scope reticle the adaptor is reliable for return to zero.

Thank you. Do you leave the adapter fixed on the scope when just using glass?

 

[Dan Newcombe]

The military ones you see seem to be mounted in front of the scope on a mount rather than attached to the scope. Does anyone use something like that?

 

[Dari]

Thank you. I would not be using it at more than 100m in woodland. My experience is that although the Krypton (green cross in the thermal's menu) is aligned with the scope reticle I've missed sitters at a distance of 40m even though the scope alone is perfectly zeroed.

Green cross in Krypton menu is there only to help with initial physical alignment of add on with your scope. Pulsar PSP-B adapter has two screws, which allows you to move add on and align its green cross with your scope cross hairs.

BUT this doesn’t mean, that Krypton is now properly calibrated and most likely, POI with Krypton instaled will differ from scopes POI.
You MUST take a test shot, and then use menu zeroing X, Y correction to align add on.
After you have done that and you SAVED new X, Y values, you should be OK.

In fact, after I zeroed add on, I deliberately miss aligned it using PSP-B adapter. Green zero cross was far away from mine scope cross hairs, but POI did not change.
This is the picture I took with PARD007 during the experiment.

 

[Eniramrar]

Thank you. When you zeroed the add-on did you put the scope crosshairs on the POA and move them to POI or the other way round? Did the range to your target matter? I presume scope zeroed to 100m.

 

[Dari]

Thank you. When you zeroed the add-on did you put the scope crosshairs on the POA and move them to POI or the other way round? Did the range to your target matter? I presume scope zeroed to 100m.

When zeroing thermal scopes or add ons, I don't use one shot/freeze function.
Simply because it is dificult to see the point of impact on the screen. There are some small thermal patches that you can use, to stick over the POI and then use them as refference point for moving the cross hair. But I just never went this way.

I prefer using standard method by measuring distance between POA and POI.
Than I change X and Y value accordingly. Of course, sometimes I change X,Y too much or not enough, but after some tries, I always mamage to alaign POI with and without add on.

If you will use freeze function and so called one shot function, you need to do as follows:
Select new profile and name it.
Enter correct zeroing distance.
Take a test shot.
Put your crosshairs at POA, freeze the picture, use up and down buttons to put crosshairs at POI. Than save the setting and take a test shot.

Setting correct distance to target, during both ways of zerroing process is esential. Add on system needs to know at what distance you are zeroing it, to adyust POI correctly.
Once the add on is alligned correctly or in other words calibrated, you don't need to change it any more. Any changes of your glass scope zeroing will mirrow also when you use add on.

 

[Eniramrar]

When zeroing thermal scopes or add ons, I don't use one shot/freeze function.
Simply because it is dificult to see the point of impact on the screen. There are some small thermal patches that you can use, to stick over the POI and then use them as refference point for moving the cross hair. But I just never went this way.

I prefer using standard method by measuring distance between POA and POI.
Than I change X and Y value accordingly. Of course, sometimes I change X,Y too much or not enough, but after some tries, I always mamage to alaign POI with and without add on.

If you will use freeze function and so called one shot function, you need to do as follows:
Select new profile and name it.
Enter correct zeroing distance.
Take a test shot.
Put your crosshairs at POA, freeze the picture, use up and down buttons to put crosshairs at POI. Than save the setting and take a test shot.

Setting correct distance to target, during both ways of zerroing process is esential. Add on system needs to know at what distance you are zeroing it, to adyust POI correctly.
Once the add on is alligned correctly or in other words calibrated, you don't need to change it any more. Any changes of your glass scope zeroing will mirrow also when you use add on.

That’s very clear, thank you. Only thing is that the Krypton doesn’t have that distance to target function, or at least I haven’t seen it mentioned anywhere.