Thermal Scope Vs Thermal Spotter

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Ian70

Ian70

Member
It may be a stupid question, but is it not better for someone like myself who's in the market for a thermal spotter to buy a thermal scope and use that as a spotter when it's not mounted? What are the disadvantages when using an unmounted thermal scope as a spotter apart from the ergonomics? I'm currently looking at the ATN BlazeHunter 650 LRF, but I'm wondering whether it would be more advantageous to buy a thermal scope as I have Tier One QD mounts. What's the pros and cons, and why a dedicated spotter when a scope can double up as a spotter?

Cheers,

Ian
 
Ian70 said:
It may be a stupid question, but is it not better for someone like myself who's in the market for a thermal spotter to buy a thermal scope and use that as a spotter when it's not mounted? What are the disadvantages when using an unmounted thermal scope as a spotter apart from the ergonomics? I'm currently looking at the ATN BlazeHunter 650 LRF, but I'm wondering whether it would be more advantageous to buy a thermal scope as I have Tier One QD mounts. What's the pros and cons, and why a dedicated spotter when a scope can double up as a spotter?

Cheers,

Ian
Click to expand...
What's your budget ?
 
Taking a scope on and off quickly becomes boring, fox is running in and you are dicking around trying to get everything attached, ignore anyone who says it takes 10 seconds, and by then the fox has run 50 yards, then there is always that little bit of doubt, is it on correct, will I miss?
You also have a very narrow field of view, to try to find that bloody fox, who isn’t standing still.
Yeah, buy a spotter and shoot with night vision. You can always upgrade later if you want.
 
The Singing Stalker said:
Taking a scope on and off quickly becomes boring, fox is running in and you are dicking around trying to get everything attached, ignore anyone who says it takes 10 seconds, and by then the fox has run 50 yards, then there is always that little bit of doubt, is it on correct, will I miss?
You also have a very narrow field of view, to try to find that bloody fox, who isn’t standing still.
Yeah, buy a spotter and shoot with night vision. You can always upgrade later if you want.
Click to expand...
I was thinking more of just leaving the thermal scope permanently off and using it as a spotter, but with an option of later using it as a thermal scope should I want to mount it for whatever reason. Although I'm guessing there consensus is if you're spotting with a thermal spotter and shooting with NV, there's no real reason to want to ever mount the thermal scope when the two are a deadly combination in the order that they've been used in.
 
Ian70 said:
I was thinking more of just leaving the thermal scope permanently off and using it as a spotter, but with an option of later using it as a thermal scope should I want to mount it for whatever reason. Although I'm guessing there consensus is if you're spotting with a thermal spotter and shooting with NV, there's no real reason to want to ever mount the thermal scope when the two are a deadly combination in the order that they've been used in.
Click to expand...

Ian70 said:
I was thinking more of just leaving the thermal scope permanently off and using it as a spotter, but with an option of later using it as a thermal scope should I want to mount it for whatever reason. Although I'm guessing there consensus is if you're spotting with a thermal spotter and shooting with NV, there's no real reason to want to ever mount the thermal scope when the two are a deadly combination in the order that they've been used in.
Click to expand...

Well you've answered your own question right there.

And secondly there's no such thing as a stupid question, just a stupid answer.

Apart from the ergonomics which you already mentioned which is why for me I personally like the handheld spotter, but it's horse's for courses and all that.

Good luck whichever you decide.

D
 
Ok then, let’s go back to using a scope as a spotter.

Issues, narrow field of view.
Bulky, unless you use something like a panther I guess.
More expensive.

Positives. Better image at range as a scope is probably 5x whereas a spotter is probably about 2x. There are variations of course, but you are quite limited by your budget.

Now horses for courses,
I do have a thermal scope on my .22. Everything else has NV.
The following is very much my opinion, like my arsehole, we all have one. It may be right or it may be wrong.
Most people prefer to spot with thermal and shoot with NV. This is down to ease of identifying the target easier, in certain conditions, nv is able to identify the species better than thermal.
It can also show shadows which identify a wire , not recommended to shoot electric fence, show branches that you couldn’t see with the thermal. It is a complete barsteward to fix when it is still live. (Ask me how I know)
Sometimes, and the only real time I have experienced where I would have been better had I used a thermal scope
It was foggy. Thermal could see the fox, nv couldnt.
Thermal is 100% covert, ideal for a very close range fox. Think 20 yards. Other than that, in my time, the nv was fine. Other than that I find as long as the fox isn’t looking at you when you switch on the NV, it doesn’t affect anything. Most of the time. Ahem.
 
Mate has a Hik Micro thunder which can be used as a hand help spotter.
I suggest you buy thr best thermal monocular you can afford ie Condor 35 lrf mk 1 which is under budget. Use the remaining to buy a digital Nv. Ie the photon with doubler that's currently for sale.
It might be old but dead simple to use 12 x mag will cover all you likely foxing scenarios. I have had one on my .243 for 5 yrs and with a 940 torch is nigh on as covert as you can get.
If you got a bit more cash then see if you can source a Yukon N470s.Image wise as close to a Drone as you can get. I have one permanently attached to my .204.
The other route is to buy one of the latest digital scopes just wait for some decent reviews or better still get to look through one.
However firstly buy the best monocular you can afford.
D
 
Cyres said:
Mate has a Hik Micro thunder which can be used as a hand help spotter.
I suggest you buy thr best thermal monocular you can afford ie Condor 35 lrf mk 1 which is under budget. Use the remaining to buy a digital Nv. Ie the photon with doubler that's currently for sale.
It might be old but dead simple to use 12 x mag will cover all you likely foxing scenarios. I have had one on my .243 for 5 yrs and with a 940 torch is nigh on as covert as you can get.
If you got a bit more cash then see if you can source a Yukon N470s.Image wise as close to a Drone as you can get. I have one permanently attached to my .204.
The other route is to buy one of the latest digital scopes just wait for some decent reviews or better still get to look through one.
However firstly buy the best monocular you can afford.
D
Click to expand...
I really am liking the look of the ATN Blazehunter 650. Its x3.5-x28 mag is appealing. It's also compact with a good battery life. At £1800 it seems a lot of bang per buck. But thermal technology will of course continue to evolve and I'm sure that spec will be in the sub £1K category before we know it.

I don't think they'll ever be a good time to buy a thermal spotter or scope. Technology is great, but things move so fast nowadays.

I'm only controlling vermin ATM, so IDK if the Blazehunter is overkill and will prove to be a bad investment by the time I'm using it to stalk deer.
 
Ian70 said:
It may be a stupid question, but is it not better for someone like myself who's in the market for a thermal spotter to buy a thermal scope and use that as a spotter when it's not mounted? What are the disadvantages when using an unmounted thermal scope as a spotter apart from the ergonomics? I'm currently looking at the ATN BlazeHunter 650 LRF, but I'm wondering whether it would be more advantageous to buy a thermal scope as I have Tier One QD mounts. What's the pros and cons, and why a dedicated spotter when a scope can double up as a spotter?

Cheers,

Ian
Click to expand...
What hunting is it for? Shooting foxes all night or last light deer? Or something else?
 
I have had a look at the spec and it seems ok. I am not very familiar with ATN, other than they had a terrible reputation a few years ago, but they seem to have overcome that.
The usable mag will probably be 7x, 14 and above I would doubt you would have a clue what it is due to pixilation, but I used a 1.5 mag 25 micron spotter for 5 years and it did the job. In fact I still use it now in a fox box I have as a static setup.
The 35mm lens is what limits it, but the same lens makes it more compact., it really is a try before you buy, if you can.

Buy thermal and yes, you are throwing money down the drain. I am on my third spotter now, however with the advancements, I do not think I will need another until this one breaks down, or until they bring out something so shiny I must have it.
For me, the ideal is a spotter with lrf. The better the spec for clarity, the better, big screen etc. ease of use with the switches and for focusing,
I was at the shows looking at the spotters and really liked the way that Hik have incorporated the force into the suit to make it true one handed operation, but different budget.

As has been said, buy once, cry once, you will be using it long after you have forgotten the price.
 
Try looking at DNT thermnight or hydra both are day, night and thermal with pip and allow instant switchover between modes. I have the zulus ir and a separate thermal spotter and find when moving across to the rifle it can be difficult to lock on quickly to the target.
 
Hand held spotter every day. I have two pulsar telos as I take guests out a lot. A scope being used as a spotter would be cumbersome. They aren’t made for neck straps etc and field of view often quite tight. Second hand pulsar gear is reliable and great. £1800 will buy you something pretty decent. Plenty of telos in that price bracket.

If you are local to Stansted happily let you have a go with my kit to get a feel for it

Regards

Matt
 
With your budget you could get one of these and have enough change for a used spotter

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Ian70 said:
It may be a stupid question, but is it not better for someone like myself who's in the market for a thermal spotter to buy a thermal scope and use that as a spotter when it's not mounted? What are the disadvantages when using an unmounted thermal scope as a spotter apart from the ergonomics? I'm currently looking at the ATN BlazeHunter 650 LRF, but I'm wondering whether it would be more advantageous to buy a thermal scope as I have Tier One QD mounts. What's the pros and cons, and why a dedicated spotter when a scope can double up as a spotter?

Cheers,

Ian
Click to expand...
Absolotley no chance, you definitely need both, I have a thermal spotter and a pard ir on my scope, when a fox comes theres no chance of quickly putting a scope on, I need to constantly look with my thermal to see where its at. Pards are very cheap, only about £290 new, my thermal spotter was used off ebay about 8 years ago, cost a bit but its seen a lot of foxes, rifle needs to be resting still, not wandering about like a spotter, using a hand held is so easy.
 
Hi Ian I have been using a BlazeHunter 635 for 6 months now and really like it I have put bit on YouTube if do a search
But as said if the Pixfra Arc is cheaper then it’s a no brainier they both have the same warranty
The BlazeHunter may have come down in price as I believe that there’s an new model out now the XD
 
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