New Pig and Coyote Solution

[mark-hunter]

Wouldn't the most elegant solution be something like German pivot mounts, one set for a day scope and one for a dedicated thermal scope?

This is general description of what I use (except I dont have thermal but NV, which suits the purpose).
For me it is QD on picatinny rail, with Rusan QD rings.

My feeling is, that picatinny system for modern sighting solutions and electronics is most convenient, I prefer not to mix thermal, or NV with classic designs of swing mount, or claw mount.

 

[Daisy]

Man I’m glad you got that working for you. I tried clip ons and just never liked them as much as my dedicated thermals.

Agree on 5.56 for hogs. They die but run. I use 6.5 or 30/06 when I’m ridding the world of hogs.

 

[mark-hunter]

@Daisy
You speak pure wisdom on calibers! Pure wisdom!

 

[mdwest]

Red - A suppressor cover goes a long way to reduce visual heat from the can for rapid follow up engagements. Usually that first shot lights it up like a torch and it’s difficult to see the second target, no matter the thermal platform.

Especially true in my situation.. Im shooting "K" cans on both of my guns.. they don't get anywhere close to "Hollywood" quiet.. but they knock enough of the recoil off to get the guns back on target quickly (when they are running properly).. and bring the noise down to at least being reasonable when shooting from inside a blind, etc...

but they get hot quickly..

slipping a quality cover over them brings down the heat signature extremely well.. and also makes it a lot easier to handle the can after a range session, etc (not sitting around waiting for a long time for it to cool before I can remove it, put the rifle back into the case, etc..)..

 

[Daisy]

@Daisy
You speak pure wisdom on calibers! Pure wisdom!

Haha. Experience on that one. I’ve killed a ton of varmints. A ton. If it’s a few hogs my 5.56 does fine, I neck or ear shoot them. For a big sounder when chaos breaks out the 5.56 is lacking.

Lately I’ve been using subsonic some. It’s fun to try new things.

My coyote load this year will be a 62ge eld-vt running 3500 from a 22 creedmoor. Yote medicine.

 

[Daisy]

Especially true in my situation.. Im shooting "K" cans on both of my guns.. they don't get anywhere close to "Hollywood" quiet.. but they knock enough of the recoil off to get the guns back on target quickly (when they are running properly).. and bring the noise down to at least being reasonable when shooting from inside a blind, etc...

but they get hot quickly..

slipping a quality cover over them brings down the heat signature extremely well.. and also makes it a lot easier to handle the can after a range session, etc (not sitting around waiting for a long time for it to cool before I can remove it, put the rifle back into the case, etc..)..

I’ve switched to silicone wraps. I then use self healing silicone tape and coban/vet wrap around the ends. Best mirage decreasing thing I have found.

 

[TOBY458]

I looked at the Leica clip on thermal at DSC this year. Very impressive! It’s what I’ll be buying when I finally pull the trigger on a thermal unit.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I think the Pecan's will be much safer soon.

 

[Green Chile]

Interesting solution and topic. It is nice to see so many optical options and thankfully the evolution of pricing is dropping. I went a little different direction but with similar outcomes I think. I went with the Swarovski solution, which is a clip on thermal with various adapters for different scope objectives and I use it on Swaro scopes with lighted reticles (but will fit anything of that objective diameter). I have adapters for 24, 42 and 50mm objectives. I had only messed around with them in the backyard until I took it to Africa recently. We used it on a .416 to take a big bush pig in the total pitch black darkness. Worked like a charm. I bought mine through EO and there were big discounts at the time...like 50%.

 

[mdwest]

Interesting solution and topic. It is nice to see so many optical options and thankfully the evolution of pricing is dropping.

256 grade thermals are now pretty close to the same price point as some day/night vision optics and are super affordable.. I'd imagine in the next 12-18 months the 384 grade stuff will come down pretty sharply..

I went a much lower end, cheaper route than most of you guys.. Cabelas has been selling the AGM TS19-256 Rattler for $799 (most other places are still retailing them around $950)... between the Club Member Monday discounts (15% during the Christmas season) and the veterans discount (another 10%) I bought several of them for myself and for a few key friends for about $650 out the door with tax included..

Where Im doing 90% of my pig hunting a 150 yard shot is long.. most are going to be somewhere between 50-100 yards.. the 256 is more than enough clarity to properly identify a pig at that range, and I can easily pick up heat on something the size of a pig at 400+ (there's only one place on the property where I can see 400 yards.. down a stretch of powerlines.. but after about 250 yards you're off my property and onto the neighbors place)..

To be truthful I don't think I'll ever really need an upgrade.. what Ive got is plenty to get the job done where I hunt, and do the job really well...

but if the 384 units get inexpensive (as I am sure they will at some point) Im not sure I'll be able to resist..

thermals are addictively fun to shoot and play with..