Topic: The Best Thermal Scopes of 2023 (Read 37 times)
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Key Features
Pros
Cons
The AGM Rattler TC-35 is the best value thermal clip on for a few important reasons: digital zoom, external battery co*patibility, and video recording.
The biggest standout is its digital 2x, 4x, and 8x zoom. This makes it quite useful as a handheld monocular. If you want to use it as a dedicated monocular, I’d pick up the optional eye piece for about $300. The eyepiece makes the image appear larger to your eye while using it as a monocular. Even without the eye piece, it’s a serviceable monocular when it’s not on your gun.
The Rattler has external battery capability. This is a huge plus if you want to hunt for more than 4 hours or hunt in extreme weather. Freezing temperatures will kill a normal CR123 battery quickly, but an external battery pack rated for 20 hours will let you hunt without worrying about battery life. External batteries are also easy to wrap a hand warmer around, extending operating time greatly.
The rattler records video and takes photos. It boasts 16 GB of onboard storage, which is plenty to get you through even the most active hunts. Be aware that there is no microphone, so the recordings have no sound. To get around this, I purchased a cheap audio recorder the size of a pack of gum for when I want the audio. Unless you are a YouTuber like me, you probably won’t care much about the audio, but it is worth noting. My only real co*plaint with the video function is that it requires a long press of 3 to 4 seconds to start. That can feel like a long time when a coyote is passing through.
One thing to remember when using this unit or any other clip-on is that less magnification on your day scope is better. Low magnification lets you see more of the OLED display. More magnification is helpful for longer shots but restricts your field of view. For this reason, I like a second-focal plane scope with low magnification and illuminated reticle. I find the sweet spot to be around 5x magnification when using clip-ons.
My Rattler is incredibly repeatable when taking it on and off of the rifle, holding within 1 inch of zero at 100 yards. I have also found that when attaching it to the scope bell, it can be used on scopes of the same brand and model without re-zeroing the thermal unit. That’s why I own multiple rifles with the same brand and model scope on them. This allows me to choose which rifle is best for the task at hand, whether it be an AR-10, bolt gun, or airgun all without touching the clip-on’s settings.
At about $2700, this optic packs in a ton of features and is a great option for owning the night.—Keith Gibson
Pros
Cons
This is Zeiss’s entry into the thermal imaging realm, and it’s a good freshman effort, with very thoughtful design and decent performance. Note that Zeiss offers a co*panion 3/25 unit with a much wider view that’s useful in close quarters like woods and bait sites. With a 1,350-yard range, the 3/35 is better for open fields where you have longer detection ranges. Because of European prohibitions on the manufacture and marketing of devices that have military applications, rifle-mounted thermal scopes are simply not a thing there. Hence, the introduction of so many thermal viewers from European brands. The big question for American buyers is whether a hand-held viewer is as useful as a rifle-mounted thermal scope.
While an all-in-one scope is certainly a better option for many uses—hog and predator hunting, among them—I got a lot out of this Zeiss as a tracking tool, (non-game) animal spotter, and to find my pickup after an after-hours hunt got me turned around.
This is a battle-proven, made-in-America thermal, essentially the little brother to models used by our armed forces. The exterior style and controls get at that front-line heritage; the housing is robust and metallic, and even the battery housing is weatherproof. But the IR-Hunter’s best crossover attribute is its knobs that control most functions. This is a wide departure from the push-button navigation of most plasticky thermals, and once you get the hang of them, you won’t want to go back. The knob clicks have pleasing positivity, and allow users quick and sure adjustments in the field.
I like the reticle options, and the ease of mounting to a variety of firearms platforms.
At over $7,000 for the 35mm version (Trijicon also offers 24mm and 60mm versions of this thermal scope), it’s not a casual purchase, and users want the assurance that they’ll have years of service and institutional support. The mil-spec Trijicon unit exudes that assurance. Because the IR-Hunter is made right here in America, you can expect the warranty and product support will be hassle-free.
For all its exterior attributes, the resolution of the Trijicon is a little underwhelming. While its 12-micron pitch rate is on par with its peers, the image seems slightly fuzzy. I’m on the fence about whether I’d trade some of its robust build for a Bluetooth receiver that might wirelessly transmit photos and video. Media sharing is a nice addition, and is beco*ing an industry expectation. But because the IR-Hunter is built for serious shooters, the need to record an encounter and/or shot is largely an afterthought.
A sized-down thermal sight for fairly specific uses, this is the reflex sight for night hunters. Its detection range is limited to 500 yards for vehicle-sized targets, and closer to 200 yards for pig-sized targets. But given that most shots on nocturnal pigs and predators are inside that distance, it’s a good choice for AR rifles because of its capability for fast follow-up shots. It’s also a very handy tracking tool, because at 1x the X-Vision Thermal Reflex Sight can take in a lot of ground and then assist in fast, close follow-up shots.
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Consider this the thermal scope for us mortals. Priced well under $1,000, the Wraith offers a wide range of features and utility for hog and predator hunting at night, but also daytime hunting and shooting. The scope, also available in a 4-32-power version, is easy to mount on a variety of platforms with a repeatable zero using the fixed Picatinny mount.
Clip-on monoculars pull double duty as hand-held thermal devices and as rifle-mounted aiming aids. Because of their split personalities, they don’t do either especially well, but they are remarkable for performing each task pretty capably.
Let’s talk first about the riflescope accessory. First, note that you’ll need to buy the correct adapter that connects your riflescope’s exterior objective bell diameter with the interior dimensions of the Leica unit. There are plenty of aftermarket clips that achieve this mating. Once you connect the scope with the thermal, operation is simple. You use your scope’s reticle and turret subtensions to put your round on target, and the 1x magnifying thermal unit simply beco*es a magic lens that sees into the night. All other riflescope operations—magnification, reticle subtensions, and turret controls—remain the same. This capability cannot be overstated. You don’t need to replace your favorite scope with a thermal unit with limited utility, and you don’t need to invest in a specialized thermal monocular. This single unit bridges that performance gap.
As a hand-held thermal monocular, the unit provides decent resolution but class-leading field of view, thanks to that 1x magnification. While this is a subjective assessment, the build of the Leica is among the most durable of the field.
Because this is designed to be used as a thermal