Digital NV and thermal scopes - what sort of longevity is to be expected?

[Scipio]

Hello all

I am currently looking for a thermal, or combined thermal and digital day/night vision scope for boar hunting in sweden, which in turn made me wonder, - how long do we actually expect these scopes to last?

Now of course who you are, for example a pro culler or ranger vs recreational stalkers, matters, as does naturally how you treat your gear, and if one is hunting in extreme weather conditions or not, and there will probably be other factors too. I get that .-)
However let's say that we are talking use by a normal recreational stalker, in north western europe, who takes decent care of the gear, what do we think, 2-3 years? 3-5? We dont know??

 

[wytonpjs]

I've still got a Thermion XM38 bought when they first came out about a decade ago that still works. Only issue is the limitation of the sensor which is nowhere as good as the one in the Themion 2 XP50 which replaced it. However, I doubt the rate of evolution seen over that decade will be repeated, so good quality kit now will IMHO not become as outdated as fast. I would expect my kit to exceed the 3 year warranty normally given and hopefully go on for several years afterwards as a minimum.

 

[The Singing Stalker]

I am still using a thermal that I bought about 8 years ago. It is semi retired and used only un a fox box.

 

[Cottis]

I still have the OG Helion XQ38f in use. It has had very heavy use. Only used 6 months of the year but in those 6 months it is used extensively. At least 4 times per week. So quite a few years old now. No issues at all apart from the charger it came with broke a while back so I just plug it in and charge the battery in situ.

I had a Ward 700 add on that I used for about a decade before selling it in perfect working order. I replaced it with a Vulpine Mk3 add on which I still have and again, that is working fine and no issues with after years of use.

I actually cannot recall having an electronic shooting item that has failed to be honest. Although I would expect mechanical, traditional day scopes to offer better longevity, I have had faulty scopes from Sightron, Vortex and Delta, all of which have been replaced/repaired under warranty but still, they failed and the leccy chinese stuff didn't.

I have recently got a DNT day night scope thing and it seems quite solid. If it lasts 3years that will be fine. It has already paid for itself in deer shot just in the last 3 weeks.

The only thing I will say is that I tend to take care of my stuff and although you will see me out in the wind and cold and snow and what have you, I tend to avoid the rain when hunting. So my stuff rarely gets soaked. Pulsar especially seems really robust. I have kicked that thermal about a fair bit and although the housing is marked and gashed, the lens and optics and internals seem fine. Frankly it is miracle.

 

[Cyres]

My Pulsar Quantum XQ38 is 10 years old. It cost £2500 so huge investment for me. It's used 3/5 times a week for hours and it's been truly faultless.
Have looked at new offerings but as yet cannot see the need to stop using it.
D

 

[RedOctober]

I’ve had a Pulsar XQ 38 spotting thermal for about ten years now. It has seen very heavy use and has got that ‘been around look’ but has never failed and operates as good now as it ever has. Recently I treated myself to a pair of Pulsar Merger xp 35 binoculars. They have the same quality,rugged feel as the spotter and perform to a very dependable and reliable standard.

 

[B&W FOX]

I've got a set of XQ38 Accolades and an XQ38 Trail scope both highly recommend by the late Bruce as best buy when they we're launched in 2019.
Still haven't seen any vast improvement with performance in any of the new models that warrants a 7k + investment.
Neither unit has ever been back to Thomas Jack's for any work.

 

[Scottb123]

I do try to stick to pulsar as Thomas jack’s after care is excellent I’m not too sure if the other brands will stand the same test of time

 

[Scipio]

Hello lads, and thanks for responding with good, real life based input on this matter!
Ok, it seems that if one buys the right sort of brand (and maybe model), treats it right and nothing extraordinary happens, half a decade of service or more is not impossible, (and maybe even likely). That sounds pretty decent tbh.

I still have the OG Helion XQ38f in use. It has had very heavy use. Only used 6 months of the year but in those 6 months it is used extensively. At least 4 times per week. So quite a few years old now. No issues at all apart from the charger it came with broke a while back so I just plug it in and charge the battery in situ.

I had a Ward 700 add on that I used for about a decade before selling it in perfect working order. I replaced it with a Vulpine Mk3 add on which I still have and again, that is working fine and no issues with after years of use.

I actually cannot recall having an electronic shooting item that has failed to be honest. Although I would expect mechanical, traditional day scopes to offer better longevity, I have had faulty scopes from Sightron, Vortex and Delta, all of which have been replaced/repaired under warranty but still, they failed and the leccy chinese stuff didn't.

I have recently got a DNT day night scope thing and it seems quite solid. If it lasts 3years that will be fine. It has already paid for itself in deer shot just in the last 3 weeks.

The only thing I will say is that I tend to take care of my stuff and although you will see me out in the wind and cold and snow and what have you, I tend to avoid the rain when hunting. So my stuff rarely gets soaked. Pulsar especially seems really robust. I have kicked that thermal about a fair bit and although the housing is marked and gashed, the lens and optics and internals seem fine. Frankly it is miracle.

Thanks for the very thorough input mate, it is much appreciated It is exactly a DNT night-day/thermal scope i am very strongly considering moving for, the TNC 335r to be exact, so it is very good to hear that your intial impressions are good. .-)
If i can get 5+ years of it, treating it right, i will be quite happy, and I dont go out hunting in the rain either if i can help it, although one can of course get unlucky and be caught out, at times.

 

[bobo]

In 1996 I bought a "passive infrared" night vision scope from a Soviet RPG-29 (1PN51-2). It is a simple light amplifier, and I still use it for wild boar. At new moon and under trees I can shoot out to approx. 80-100 meters, at a little moon and open fields, and not too bad cloud cover it has almost no limitations.
As far as I can decipher the writing on it, it was made in 1990.
The batteries cannot be obtained, so I use non-original 6volt ones.
The only disadvantage is that it is a rather large heavy lump to lug around, but I use it mostly from a tower, so I don't want to spend money on a new one, for the few nighthunts I do over a year.

 

[Scipio]

In 1996 I bought a "passive infrared" night vision scope from a Soviet RPG-29 (1PN51-2). It is a simple light amplifier, and I still use it for wild boar. At new moon and under trees I can shoot out to approx. 80-100 meters, at a little moon and open fields, and not too bad cloud cover it has almost no limitations.
As far as I can decipher the writing on it, it was made in 1990.
The batteries cannot be obtained, so I use non-original 6volt ones.
The only disadvantage is that it is a rather large heavy lump to lug around, but I use it mostly from a tower, so I don't want to spend money on a new one, for the few nighthunts I do over a year.

Quite a cool solution actually, and if it works it works Now i am impressed with how much some of these new scopes can do, but like you i do also think "well how much do i actually need, to be able to shoot safely and ethically from a tower at maybe 60 meters or less ? " .
So as cool as a lot of this new tech is, for the use you (and i) have, we might not need more than your solution tbh. But good to hear that even something from 1990 is still going strong! .-)

 

[Polar Lynx]

Whatever you buy make sure the device will perform well in damp conditions. Summer nights in Sweden tend to be foggy with humidity often above 95 %. IR is almost worthless in damp conditions.
Re. how long devices will last is still unknown as some use devices which are 5 yrs +.
Go for a brand with generous warranty as ' **** tend to happens '

 

[Taff]

I have seen units over 10 yrs old in use, problems seem to occur if you don’t, charge them regularly and use them, like most electronics they are obsolete before you buy one it’s how they get you to buy another, pulsar only support some products for 5 yrs, unless there are commonalities with new products,

 

[bobo]

An IR flashlight and a cheap IR spotter will go a long way when you just need to shoot a few pigs from a tower.
What ultimately comes out is my super modern BSA CF-2

 

[Scipio]

Whatever you buy make sure the device will perform well in damp conditions. Summer nights in Sweden tend to be foggy with humidity often above 95 %. IR is almost worthless in damp conditions.
Re. how long devices will last is still unknown as some use devices which are 5 yrs +.
Go for a brand with generous warranty as ' **** tend to happens '

Hm, I had not considered that, so maybe getting a unit with some pretty decent thermal is Worth it, after all. Very good real world input @Polar Lynx, thank you!

 

[Foxyboy43]

Hmmm.
Have you considered a simple add-on such as the Pard 007 range? A 007p was my intro to lamp-free night shooting maybe 5 years ago and I shot many foxes using it at all sorts of ranges. At the distance you are shooting they will do all you want of them and have a decent on-board IR too so no additional lamp is required. It also means your day scope stays on the rifle - though do be aware that high base mag (4+) and expensive glass with multiple coatings can impact on the quality of picture. The attached will let you see what it is like - I could clearly id a protected badger at about 130m.


PS
It is still working well though has been demoted since getting into the Pard 008 and Zulus v1 and 2 - it now gets only occasional use on my 6.5x55SE.
PPS
No badgers, cats or rabbits were harmed in this video…

 

[Scipio]

Hmmm.
Have you considered a simple add-on such as the Pard 007 range? A 007p was my intro to lamp-free night shooting maybe 5 years ago and I shot many foxes using it at all sorts of ranges. At the distance you are shooting they will do all you want of them and have a decent on-board IR too so no additional lamp is required. It also means your day scope stays on the rifle - though do be aware that high base mag (4+) and expensive glass with multiple coatings can impact on the quality of picture. The attached will let you see what it is like - I could clearly id a protected badger at about 130m.


PS
It is still working well though has been demoted since getting into the Pard 008 and Zulus v1 and 2 - it now gets only occasional use on my 6.5x55SE.
PPS
No badgers, cats or rabbits were harmed in this video…

hello @Foxyboy43 , and thanks for the video - well given @Polar Lynx quite sensible points (as i will using it in Sweden), getting something that also has ok thermal capacity might be sensible after all i reckon, although i for a little while there had gotten my hopes up, that maybe it wasnt really necessary

But tbh, if the longivity, given non extreme use, and sensible handling and storing of the kit, is truly 5 years plus, it's ok, and it is not a problem with the mounting, as i will probably get the Rusan EAW-picatinny rail for my eaw swing mount bases, and in that case i should be able to simply swing the digital day/night/thermal sight on or off, and switch between that and regular glass.

 

[lotuseater]

Whatever you buy make sure the device will perform well in damp conditions. Summer nights in Sweden tend to be foggy with humidity often above 95 %. IR is almost worthless in damp conditions.
Re. how long devices will last is still unknown as some use devices which are 5 yrs +.
Go for a brand with generous warranty as ' **** tend to happens '

Yes. I have noticed this winter that my thermal's resolution and range is distinctly reduced in mist and high humidity (Nocpix Vista)

 

[South of the M4]

Hello lads, and thanks for responding with good, real life based input on this matter!
Ok, it seems that if one buys the right sort of brand (and maybe model), treats it right and nothing extraordinary happens, half a decade of service or more is not impossible, (and maybe even likely). That sounds pretty decent tbh.


Thanks for the very thorough input mate, it is much appreciated It is exactly a DNT night-day/thermal scope i am very strongly considering moving for, the TNC 335r to be exact, so it is very good to hear that your intial impressions are good. .-)
If i can get 5+ years of it, treating it right, i will be quite happy, and I dont go out hunting in the rain either if i can help it, although one can of course get unlucky and be caught out, at times.

I've been using a 335 for a year now, both during the day and at dusk.
It's a great bit of kit, but does need setting up and practice to get the best out of it. Not great to be facing some nervous fallow that might take flight at any moment and having to faff with the thermal toggle or day/night mode switch.
I keep mine set a certain way (thermal in the PIP at x1 to quickly get on the deer), it's been really excellent and reliable over the winter, I've taken deer I could not have attempted with a traditional scope, so has paid for itself already.
However, during the day an optical scope is quicker and easier to use, no button pressing for the screen to come on to save the battery, then maybe focus as the depth of field is shallow for example, so I prefer to use my 6.5x55 with the old Leupold on top at those times on fallow.

The 335 is well built, I feel it's going to last and has been a very worthwhile purchase.

 

[Scipio]

I've been using a 335 for a year now, both during the day and at dusk.
It's a great bit of kit, but does need setting up and practice to get the best out of it. Not great to be facing some nervous fallow that might take flight at any moment and having to faff with the thermal toggle or day/night mode switch.
I keep mine set a certain way (thermal in the PIP at x1 to quickly get on the deer), it's been really excellent and reliable over the winter, I've taken deer I could not have attempted with a traditional scope, so has paid for itself already.
However, during the day an optical scope is quicker and easier to use, no button pressing for the screen to come on to save the battery, then maybe focus as the depth of field is shallow for example, so I prefer to use my 6.5x55 with the old Leupold on top at those times on fallow.

The 335 is well built, I feel it's going to last and has been a very worthwhile purchase.

Thank you for the input @South of the M4 , it is super useful to get impressions of the scopes characteristics, and pro and cons, from real world use like this
In my case i shall only be using it at night. During the day i will keep it simple and use my optical scopes, and in time maybe even irons too, for very dense woodland hunting and driven hunting too