Thermal vs Night Vision

[Blr243]

Jimtom im really looking forward to your stories about your first few hunting trips with a thermal. It will be impossible from the read not to get an idea of what a fantastic time you will be having

[JimTom]

Definitely looking forward to getting one and taking it out mate. Will let you know what I end up with and my experiences. Thanks for your help mate. Appreciate your advice.

[Ferrisweil]

Hey Jimtom. BLR is spot on in that, when using thermal, 98% of the time I’m shooting under 100m, if not half that. As BLR said, the buzz for me is seeing how close I can stalk in start bopping them. You’ll be surprised how close you’ll get especially if you get used to reading the wind and watch the noise you’re making. We’re super quiet on the stalk. One of my mates I shoot with is SAS and he’s taught us a few good tricks....
Having said all that, there’s no reason you couldn’t take shots at 300m if you were so inclined. Wish you could post vids on here. I could show you a cool vid of a pig at 240m. You can even see the mist as it hit his head. You can also set up different “profiles” so technically speaking you can have a 100m, 200m, 300m or a “whatever distance you want” zero and with a push of a button the scope re-zeroes at the distance you need to shoot.
Again, nearly all our shots are however under 100m, and most often even under 30/40m. Like BLR said, if you can’t hear them munching, get closer lol.
We do however take shots on the run. When there’s a mob of pigs that close,’its game on and we open up. Property owners want numbers where we go and with mobs between 6-50, we’ll occasionally go through two mags each. Keep in mind, this is out on big paddocks on BIG properties.
For what it’s worth, my thermal is on a 6.5creed. I’ve found the eye relief on most thermals to be ****** and on a 308/270wm the recoil is a fair chance of smacking you with the scope in the eye. I could put a muzzle brake on (but I hate them) and don’t like wearing muffs when I’m in the field, so the 6.5 has good smack down power and that little bit less recoil which works well for my thermal.
Let me know which thermal you’re looking at. I use the Trail xp50 LRF and one of my best mates uses a Thermion XP38. We swap rifles so I’ve had a fair bit of time behind both. Another bloke messaged me the other day and I replied with the pros/cons of those two. Happy to put it up here if you want?
Hope that helps

[Blr243]

99 per cent time I shoot prone and as thermal scopes sit further back I get hit in the face occasionally even from a mildly kicking 243 but it has a good buffering rubber so it’s only ever a slight bruise not a full cut. And I’m so happy pig hunting that I don’t care how often I get hit

[Ferrisweil]

Haha so agree BLR on the being happy bit. Lol
You say you lie prone most of the time. I’ve been looking into tripods and claws lately as a support instead of free shooting or lying prone with a bipod. (Free shoot on big mobs and prone for lone boars etc)
I’m really interested in the hyperpod 2. Looks easier to walk with than a tripod/claw and fast and quiet to set up....It really looks the goods...

[JimTom]

Thanks Ferrisweil. Mate I was thinking that I would be shooting like you, 100m or less so was thinking I would put the thermal on my 300AAC or maybe 6.5cm for longer shots when presented. Although I am no chicken strangler I did spend quite a number of years in the Army so am able to be a bit sneaky when required. Nothing like those blokes though. Figure the gentler recoil of those two cartridges would be kinder to the scope also.
I am looking at either the Thermion XM30 or 38, or the ATN Mars 4 equivalents. Would be interested in your opinion mate. Not sure the budget will stretch to the Thermion XP range at this stage. Am I better of waiting and saving some more? Like you I shoot on big properties so no issue there. There are opportunities for longer shots and also close stuff when sneaking up on dead pits etc. Nothing like getting the good oil from someone who knows what he is talking about. Mate I am all ears for whatever info you can provide.

[Ferrisweil]

Check your messages mate....

[Blr243]

Ferris. I had a look at those bipod but could not find them. I’ll have a better look tomorrow I have the day of. I have picked up 400 once fired cases today cheap so been reloading all day and it’s driving me nuts. I did a calculation on what my time is worth and how much I’m saving and it’s pathetic. I would earn more money working at Mac as ......anyway back to the bipod s I hate them on a gun but I shoot in cultivation paddocks where there’s no treees to lean on. When I used to shoot grazing paddocks at moonie I would shoot offhand or tree rest ....a benefit of cult paddocks is no vegetation is in line of sight so prone position without extending the legs works for me. It’s the most stable accurate field shooting I have ever done ... I find sitting position and 600 mm legs no where near as stable as prone. For me prone and bipod is almost as good as a set of shooting bags. All the skin has worn off my elbows and knees and bleeding from wriggling round in the dry dirt and prickles. I have only been back fro m the bush couple of days ..... I know I have had a great hunt when I arrive back home all cut up and infected from laying down in cow and pig s**t in the dark .... sounds a bit rough but still better than city slicker dinner parties, trivia nights and ten pin bowling

[Ferrisweil]

Check this link.

https://youtu.be/Q-qo6qaYjho

I reckon this would work really well. Thinking of trying one...

[Blr243]

That unit looks flexible enough for many different scenarios .......I’ll hang with mine for the moment. .be sure to keep us informed of its suitability if u end up getting one

[marksman]

l'd be interested in a review as well, it does look very smartly engineered

another one that may interest you is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5dEspEKbvc

[Ferrisweil]

Just when you’ve made your mind up, someone puts a link to another good idea hahaha
Thanks mate; looks interesting for sure

[ratpaker]

Guys...I represent spectra tactical and we import the pard brand into Australia.
I have just started using a pard hand held spotter.
The sa series thermal scopes will be here before the end of January.
We have a cheaper 19mm sensor version coming as well as some of the top of the range 45mm sensor versions with built in laser range finder.
Expect a price under 5k for top of the line versions...Will confirm pricing after they are landed and all duties etc are paid.
If you have any direct questions please give me a call on 0420363045 regarding pard night vision and I will answer what I can.
Cheers Neil

[marksman]

ratpacker expect a call about an nv007 in the next few days from me as soon as my home ph is back online

a good reason for having a mobile, not

[Ferrisweil]

Hey Neil. Once it’s available, any info up here would be great, especially features and any footage available. Thanks

[Blr243]

Rat packer. I can’t afford another 7-8 for my next scope that I’m considering for a second rifle/shotgun. Thanks for the update. We look fwd to updates and reviews esp videos in real hunting situation....understand that if you are busy it may take a while before you can get your gear out for tests in the scrub. Meanwhile, Video of cattle and calves in a little paddock is better than nothing at all

[ratpaker]

I will upload some footage tonight when I get home.
Pard 007 is in stock.
650 posted and insured to anywhere in Australia or pick up in Melb metro area..$600.

[JimTom]

G’day Neil

Mate I am very close to pulling the trigger on a thermal, would be interested to see what you have though prior to this. I will watch with interest mate.

[JimTom]

Have tried to find some specs and indicative prices on these mate however to no avail. Any chance you can point me in the right direction please Neil.

[ratpaker]

Ok try here http://www.pard-tech.com/Products/Therm ... 1/315.html

[JimTom]

Thank you mate. Specs seem pretty good. Very interested in pricing mate.

[JimTom]

How do they mount on rifle and is mounting hardware included?

[Blr243]

I remember seeing a pro mo vid on a pard thermal and it appears to come with a alum bracket that firmly screws to the underside of the scope. Then this bracket clamps over the top of a pic or weaver rail. I prefer to have a full length rail on my rifle instead of two separate bases

[Blr243]

Prob be something like this

[Blr243]

The other side of my ally base has quick detach levers ( not that I ever need to remove it )

[ratpaker]

Guys they come with their own mount to suit a picatinny rail.
They run on 18650 rechargeable batteries which we also sell , genuine Panasonic ones for $10.50 each.
They usually ship to us with a battery installed so they really are complete and ready to go as long as you have a picatinny rail on your rifle.
An external charger is highly recommended as charging batteries in the unit itself can possibly be catastrophic if the battery should leak during the charging process.

[JimTom]

I remember hearing that about the charging of Pard units when Ozzie reviewed the Pard008. If they are competitive cost wise I may be a customer Neil.

[Blr243]

This is a pic of the walkabout headlight I use the led is powerful and strictly red with high and low setting. I find it critically important especially inside 200 m ( the final stages of my stalk ) I just use a led lenser white for other times so I don’t drain the batts on my red light It’s poeered by 2:18650 rechargeable s . Walking often 25 to 5o m from pigs iv never been busted with my red headlamp. I also strongly recommend spending a week practicing with the thermal prior to a hunt and familiarisation with all the buttons and then practice same in the dark. Remember in grade 3 or 4 at school we learned multiplication tables by repetition training ..... same goes here. Practice button function as much as possible so your not stuffing up big time in the field when the pressure is on. Nothing worse than looking fwd to seeing the vid and later realising it’s not there or u have accidentally deleted it or u realise under stress that u just took a single photo instead. A common mistake that I continue to make is that after the first shot when the video is still rolling I’m walking up to the dead pig or looking for another and I forgot to turn the video off. Later when down loading I have massive video files to deal with. It’s also really important to thoroughly read the instructions manual . And if it’s only online . Get it printed and keep a copy in the glovebox when u go hunting

[ratpaker]

pardthermal.jpg (102.79 KiB) Viewed 5460 times

Ok, filmed on my smartphone so not the best copy, this is from the g25lrf modelhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV8xxDEp9W0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avmi9wut0PA

[mchughcb]

Ok try here http://www.pard-tech.com/Products/Therm ... 1/315.html

Interesting specs. I'm curious about how many zeroing options are available as it doesn't specify. It would be great if they had some type of quick release for a picatinny rail to make it easier to swap between rifles. It would also be nice if the snorkel eyepiece was easy to remove as required.