Going Thermal

[brett1868]

Finally, after almost a year of waiting my Pulsar Apex XD50 Thermal Rifle Scope arrived this week. Been fiddling with the settings and getting to know the menus and functions. I have a Newton CVR640 solid state video recorder attached to the rail on the side to record the action, went stalking the sons kitten tonight in pitch black around the lounge room. Video in link below, the quality of the video doesn't do the scope justice as the picture through the OLED viewfinder is awesome and being the 50Hz version the refresh rate is great as you'll see in the video. It has 3 memories for zero points and multiple reticules so I'll be bolting this baby onto the SRS and setting memory 1 for bunnies and memory 2 for giant bunnies. Beats having to adjust dials on the existing scope when swapping barrels. They claim you can identify a person out to 1250m so it should be perfect for feral anything to 500m. One side use I can see is that if you don't get a clean kill shot then finding the animal should be much easier by just following the heat trail. At the end of the video you can still see my foot prints or at least the residual heat in the tiles from where I was standing several minutes earlier. If I finish work early tonight I'll walk down to the park and see if I can spot the local fox





http://youtu.be/9dZ9uOBWiNs

http://pulsarnv.com/pl76425.html

[sandgroperbill]

Looks a real nice piece of kit. Can't wait for some videos from the field

[Title_II]

That is truly awesome. Congratulations

BTW, your cat is completely nuts!

[KWhorenet]

Anyone want to buy 1/3 of a liver?

[bigfellascott]

I've been watching a few vids on youtube where they use thermals, I can see where they could come in handy to use (not convinced I need one) but they seem to use them to good effect - not sure what ranges they are shooting things at with them, I look forward to seeing some vids Brett when you put it to good use.

[tom604]

come on xlotto,,,now i 'need' one like the foot prints at the end, even the cat left prints

[Baronvonrort]

One of these would compliment a thermal scope and save battery life, you could have a spotter telling the shooter where to look,it can be controlled by laptop and recorded on hard drive.

http://www.flir.com.au/marine/display/?id=50777

With a thermal scope and M-625XP you would be set for pro shooting work, add occupational as a genuine reason start a business and lets see what else this clown ends up with

[Title_II]

That mount looks like garbage. If you can't replace it, torque that SOB onto a double rail/riser and attach to a mount befitting that sort of expensive hardware. Like a LaRue Tactical QD.

[brett1868]

That's heaps cool, can't wait for some field action vids

I do find it hard to believe that anyone can buy that kind of gear and no one bats and eye lid but you want a basically useless lever action and everyone loses their s**t!

Hence one of the reasons I pulled a thread devoted to the "Big Guns" as I didn't want the "Anti's" knowing what I own and what's available on the market. The Adler is just a lever action shotgun and I'm puzzled why the anti's have their panties in a bunch when far more powerful and higher tech gear is easily available on the shelf. Throw the high tech thermal on my modern .375 Cheytac and I'm a potential threat for 1500m+ in any direction day or night and that's fine but a short range >100yr old technology shotgun should be immediately banned...The Anti's arguments border on Obsessive Disorder behaviour and are a text book example of Cognitive Dissonance, both of which are classed as mental disorders and they're the ones calling us unreasonable.

[brett1868]

That mount looks like garbage. If you can't replace it, torque that SOB onto a double rail/riser and attach to a mount befitting that sort of expensive hardware. Like a LaRue Tactical QD.

The mount is rock solid, I've used them before on other Pulsar products mounted on my 338Lap and they don't budge. Alloy rail is secured to the scope with 3 countersunk and loctited hex screws then fitted on the rifle and torqued to 80 in/lb. Will head out to the range on Tuesday night to get it sighted in on both calibres on the SRS in readiness for the next trip north. Work has me tied up 6-7 days a week till the end of September but I'll see if I can get a couple days mid week and make a quick trip north as I'm hanging out to see how this thing performs in the bush.

[bigfellascott]

Yep, these idiots wouldn't know dangerous new technology if it bit them on the bus!

Yeah they would, they'd get all their technical info from the super intellects that work for the newspapers and other news outlets that explains why they haven't got a bloody clue hey.

[Title_II]

That mount looks like garbage. If you can't replace it, torque that SOB onto a double rail/riser and attach to a mount befitting that sort of expensive hardware. Like a LaRue Tactical QD.

The mount is rock solid, I've used them before on other Pulsar products mounted on my 338Lap and they don't budge. Alloy rail is secured to the scope with 3 countersunk and loctited hex screws then fitted on the rifle and torqued to 80 in/lb. Will head out to the range on Tuesday night to get it sighted in on both calibres on the SRS in readiness for the next trip north. Work has me tied up 6-7 days a week till the end of September but I'll see if I can get a couple days mid week and make a quick trip north as I'm hanging out to see how this thing performs in the bush.

Good to hear!

[on_one_wheel]

What a blody ripper !
And when you get a good clean kill you'll get to see splatter everywhere like tou just popped a glow stick.

[brett1868]

What a blody ripper !
And when you get a good clean kill you'll get to see splatter everywhere like tou just popped a glow stick.

Never considered that, being B&W I'm thinking it'll look like I've shot a can of shaving cream

[Title_II]

Get some yotes with varmint grenades Or a bunny.

[brett1868]

Made an attempt to sight it in tonight out at St Marys indoor range, was a bit more complicated then I expected. Paper targets don't have any heat which effectively make them invisible to thermal scopes. Put a few down range using what I could see to attempt a group, managed a reasonable 3" 5 shot group but was more impressed at the flying bits of hot backstop. I put 1 into the backstop and used it as my aiming point then dialled the scope in. A little bit of video below with the hot rubber flying I did a quick 5 shots as a bit of a fireworks display and whoever says you can't cycle a bullpup fast should pay attention. Not my quickest 5 as I haven't really tried rapid firing a bullpup before tonight.

http://youtu.be/n_TxzGcIhKk

[Jorge in Oz]

Nice equipment. If I was that cat I'd be scared.

[Herdsman]

being B&W I'm thinking it'll look like I've shot a can of shaving cream

That's probably a good show too

[brett1868]

Finally, went to the range tonight mainly to let my nephew shoot my pistols and show him I'm not so old after all. Took the SRS in .308 trim and a target I had stuck some aluminium tape on. I bought a roll of what is essentially rolled aluminium with a sticker type back, cut to shape, peel and stick. Been sitting at the back of my bench for ages but the other day I had one of those "Aha" moments, maybe I can stick some on a target to reflect heat. Stuck some on my back fence then checked it through the scope at different times of the day and night and it proved to be an excellent heat reflector. Cut myself 6 50x50mm squares and stuck them on a target which I took to the range with me tonight. Worked perfectly and I now have a properly zeroed thermal scope, even managed to clover leaf a 3 shot group. Considering the ammo was loaded a year ago for a different rifle I was quite impressed. Next step will be to zero it at 100m and work up a load for it so I can nail the feral's in complete darkness. I've often thought of how many of the buggers took off into the scrub after seeing the spotlight or headlights, that's not going to happen now.

[Carter]

I had one of those "Aha" moments, maybe I can stick some on a target to reflect heat. Stuck some on my back fence then checked it through the scope at different times of the day and night and it proved to be an excellent heat reflector.

Aaah but how to get the ferals to wear a stripe

[brett1868]

I had one of those "Aha" moments, maybe I can stick some on a target to reflect heat. Stuck some on my back fence then checked it through the scope at different times of the day and night and it proved to be an excellent heat reflector.

Aaah but how to get the ferals to wear a stripe

No skunks down here....hmmm. Will just have to rely on them being warm blooded. Thermal is useless on project managers due to their being cold blooded tickers of milestone checkboxes, just might have to stick some shiny tape on them

[Die Judicii]

Congrats Brett,, an awesome piece of machinery.

You said a "side use" for it is to follow the heat trail ???
That's NOT a side use,,, that's a bloody big POSITIVE.

On the subject of paper targets not having any "heat",, I thought you might have stuffed em into your pants on the way to the range mate.

[petemacsydney]

so when are we going to see the field footage

[brett1868]

so when are we going to see the field footage

When you invite me out to the bunny farm or in a few weeks after I've been bush. Trying to head up week after next....but time off work is difficult at the moment with so many project managers all wanting to tick their little boxes which is keeping me busy

[Browning]

Went out last weekend and had the pleasure of using a mates Pulsar Thermal monocle.. All I can say is wow!! We had night vision scopes and used the monocle to find the pigs..
Nothing short of amazing... The range on it was incredible and the definition was awesome! Very easy to use and swap batteries as well..
Best fun was tracking a wounded sow through the scrub and lignum regrowth to her hiding spot.. Wind was favorable and we got within 20ft before swapping to the night vision on the rifle..
Totally new way of doing it and massive amount of fun!
Also wondering, as stated above, what organs to sell now haha

[petemacsydney]

so when are we going to see the field footage

When you invite me out to the bunny farm or in a few weeks after I've been bush. Trying to head up week after next....but time off work is difficult at the moment with so many project managers all wanting to tick their little boxes which is keeping me busy

bl**dy project mangers... pain in the ar... oh wait...

[Title_II]

So go outside and give us an idea. I want to see the range on this thing. BTW, your cat is completely nuts.

[brett1868]

So go outside and give us an idea. I want to see the range on this thing. BTW, your cat is completely nuts.

Admittedly I was thinking to go for a walk around the street late one night to see what I can see. I'll try to walk round tonight to the local park and see if there's any wildlife about.

[Die Judicii]

Hey Brett, How does the scope perform, as in picking up other sources of heat nearby your intended target ?
Is there an adjustment for missativity, or doesn't that come into the equation at all with this equipment ?

[brett1868]

Hey Brett, How does the scope perform, as in picking up other sources of heat nearby your intended target ?
Is there an adjustment for missativity, or doesn't that come into the equation at all with this equipment ?

It picks up all heat and translates that into a picture rendering it in various shades from black to white (cold to hot). If there was a rabbit next to a dog then you'll pick them up and be able to perfectly identify which is which. I'll make an attempt during the week to shoot some more video with it, been a bit busy with work and catching up on a massive pile of empty brass that needs loading.