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SJC81
Posts: 26
Joined: 06 May 2019, 17:16
Location: Oxfordshire

Hello

Post by SJC81 » 07 May 2019, 14:07

As titled, Hello to all.

As you will have guessed I am new to the forum. I have limited knowledge regards night vision and thermal, just about enough to be dangerous some would say.

Anyway, I’m probably out a couple, if not three times a week with a rifle of sorts and to date I only have person experience with a Ward 800L and Pulsar XQ 50 spotter. Both great bits of kit IMO. I must say, after a lot of research, the Ward appeared to be the best for the money, and better than a lot at twice the price. On arrival and over a period of use it has not disappointed. However, the Ward has been sold. Not that there was anything wrong with it, it just won’t fit anything of my S&B PM2’s. Which means it only fit the Hawke on my air rifle. I need something that works with every thing really, and so I find myself here on the look out for a little guidance and advise so that I can get back to my night shooting ASAP.

Look forward to reading all and hopefully being of some use.

Kindest regards

phoenix
BRUCE ALMIGHTY
Posts: 9536
Joined: 09 May 2012, 14:40
Location: Aberdeen

Re: Hello

Post by phoenix » 07 May 2019, 16:35

There are no rear add-ons that will work with your S&B scopes any better than the Ward did.
For NV work, the add-on is not the problem - it's the scope
You need to make a choice of whether you want to keep your S&B scopes and not have much NV capability with any rear add-on, change to a different scope that works well with a rear add-on (Ward or PARD NV007), or go with a dedicated night vision scope on one or more rifles.

Cheers

Bruce
LAND ROVER - THE WORLD'S WORST 4X4 BY FAR

SJC81
Posts: 26
Joined: 06 May 2019, 17:16
Location: Oxfordshire

Re: Hello

Post by SJC81 » 07 May 2019, 17:49

Hi Bruce,

Thanks for the input, always appreciated. The issue I had with the Ward Unit was not that it didn’t work, I couldn’t even get it on the scope to try. The S&B has a diameter of 50.00mm or near enough and the Ward in the region of 48.00mm. If I could have got it to fit, I’d not have sold it. I did look at taking it to an engineer to machine the 2mm out, but thought it may well weaken it to much a ruin the unit.

A dedicated unit has crossed my mind, but I have an air rifle with a picatinny rail across the length of the action (this is the easy one), a Anschutz target rifle with a 110mm section of picatinny at the rear of the action so I have to adopt an extended mount to gain eye relief, and then a blaser with the usual saddle mount. In short, as far as I am aware, I’d need three dedicated NV scope to suit all the different mounting situation. This gets a little pricey I fear. Not so bad if I just look at the scopes, like a Photon XT, but when you add a blaser saddle mount, extend mount and pair of rings your close if not in excess of a good front addon (?). I have been looking at front add on’s in all there forms, Gen 2/3, Digital and Thermal but not many have positive things to say about them. I’m not sure if it’s just a case of those that get on with them keep quite and though with issues speak out? This is all part of the reason for me joining the forum, to gain a good perspective on what good and what not.

Any advise is always welcome.

Many thanks

SJC81
Posts: 26
Joined: 06 May 2019, 17:16
Location: Oxfordshire

Re: Hello

Post by SJC81 » 07 May 2019, 17:52

Sorry Bruce, I should add, it will take a lot for me to give up on the S&B’s . I’d rather find something that works with them. I’ve looked at rear tube add on’s but the Blaser is in a sporting configuration and chambered in .308. I’d not say it’s a kicker, but with most units I fear I would end up walking away with a nice little mark around my eye.

Cheers

phoenix
BRUCE ALMIGHTY
Posts: 9536
Joined: 09 May 2012, 14:40
Location: Aberdeen

Re: Hello

Post by phoenix » 07 May 2019, 19:45

Given your situation, then a front add-on may be your best solution.
However the digital NV and thermal front add-ons are poor because you are basically looking at their near eye displays through the scope and since those displays are rather low resolution, it doesn't take a lot of scope magnification to make the image appear very pixellated
That leaves tubed front add-ons, of which i have no personal experience, although I understand that the the Pulsar blade with a gen 2+ tube is pretty good (Scott Country sell them)

Cheers

Bruce
LAND ROVER - THE WORLD'S WORST 4X4 BY FAR

SJC81
Posts: 26
Joined: 06 May 2019, 17:16
Location: Oxfordshire

Re: Hello

Post by SJC81 » 08 May 2019, 08:30

Morning Bruce,

Thank you. I will focus on front tube add ons, probably resulting in me posting on gear to see what is best. When I spoke to Scott country they steered me towards the FLIR CO -X. However, I can find little in the way of a review for theses.

I also need to understand the tube situation a little better, no idea at present why image quality is compromised with a front add on tube.

Many thanks

jthyttin
Posts: 1661
Joined: 30 Jun 2014, 11:39
Location: Finland

Re: Hello

Post by jthyttin » 08 May 2019, 12:29

Using rear add-on you first magnify the picture and then look at it through camera & near-eye display. You need lots of IR since the scope has a lot of lenses that block it.

Using front add-on you are magnifying the near-eye display picture through your scope. Less IR needed since scope is not in front of the camera, but picture gets grainy. Try using binos to look at telly (don't know how good it actually works but same principle).

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fizzbangwhallop
Posts: 2612
Joined: 18 Oct 2011, 11:27
Location: north herts

Re: Hello

Post by fizzbangwhallop » 09 May 2019, 08:48

Sounds like a Picatinny rail on the Blaser might be the solution...... I use one of these zruncho rails on my R93 and it’s been very good......

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Blaser-Picat ... Sw5cNYfV6L

The dayscopes have the Recknagel poly lever qr rings and I’ve had no repeatability problems. Everything comes off for the rifle to go into the cabinet and if I’m out before dark the dayscope gets swapped as the light goes.

Switching to the pic rail then opens up the options for a dedicated night scope..... the best value for money at the moment would be a Pard NV008.

Cheers

Fizz
8-)
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A correct grip on the butt & cheekweld is imperative for accurate shooting. :crazy: :lol:

SJC81
Posts: 26
Joined: 06 May 2019, 17:16
Location: Oxfordshire

Re: Hello

Post by SJC81 » 12 May 2019, 15:38

Hi All,

Thanks for the comments and advise, all appreciated.

I have looked many times at putting a Picatinney rail on the Blaser R8, but the cost of the rail, mounts etc. put me off, along with the need to recall different points of impact between all three rifle and the fact that regardless of what I do if I want it on the .22lr I will need an extended mount that won’t work that well on the on the other two. I fear it will be either a tube front add on, or I am looking at Clive Wards CL42.

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