Have a need for a night optic but totally new to night optic choices. Have a varmit/hog problem. Need to shoot up to 150 yards max. Will mount on AR15 platform. Device can be clip on or not. Cannot break the bank but would spend 3K if needed. Tell me if I'm under budget, also. Your suggestions are appreciated. Night vision-thermal-digital---tell me what I need and point me in the direction of a vendor. Thanks for your help.

Thermal is a game changer, for sure. You might want to look at the Pulsar Apex xd38a ($3k) or wait and see how the new Thor HD from ATN turns out (base model is $2k).

I'm personally waiting to see what the ATN offerings look like, because I imagine at the very least it will cause some of the other manufacturers to react and potentially drop their prices as well.

Thermal monocular for scanning and digital for shooting

That's one option.

All of these are going to be above your budget if you purchase a scanner and a scope.

You might be able to get by with just a thermal scope but then your pointing your gun at everything you want to see.

For your budget you might try a HD19A monocular for scanning and a Photon for shooting.

That is what I've been using and works pretty well and for under 3 grand. You will need to add a stronger 850nm IR light for the Photon.

Simple fix, just buy my monocular and weapon mount. You can start eliminating the problem.

Not under budget. A Pulsar HD19A with a Photon XT 4.6x comes in at $2,500. For about $500-1000 over your budget you could get a nice thermal scope. If I were in your shoes I would check out the APEX XD50A and 50S and start pinching pennies. Hope that helps!

THIS ^^^^

I also want a thermal weapon sight this year. I have studied online for a while and think I want the Armasight 640 3x 75 mm but I cannot decide on the 30 versus 60 hz frame rate because of the battery life. I will be stalking or driving a golf cart in mixed terrain but mostly thick cover few fields. I know the capital cost favors the 30 hz, but I understand battery life is twice as good. Your thoughts and please recommend a vendor. AR platform both 15 and 10 will be used. Shots under 300 yards. I have a cheap thermal handheld for scanning. I have also considered the Pro 50mm but lean toward the larger objective. We are in dry west Texas, so complete water proofing is a luxury. Hope I included all the details? Big decision for me I can't afford a mistake on this. Any help much appreciated guys.

I see that I forgot a couple of details. The target is 90% hogs, under 250#. Typical range is 150 yards.

I just bought the exact scope you mentioned about two months ago online from Night Vision Guys. I actually got a 60 HZ and a 30HZ to compare, and I sent the 60 HZ back. It didn't do anything outstanding or have any kind of telltale difference as far as I'm concerned.
As for battery life, when your negotiating your price, ask them to throw in a battery pack and they will.
It clips on to the side of the scope easily and I have yet to use up my battery power in an outing.
I paid around $5500.00 for the Zeus 640 3x75 30HZ with a battery pack.

Many thanks. I appreciate that advice very much. Getting excited now.

Once you see what you can see with thermal you will not want to use anything else. Go for the Thermal scope like Bearclaw suggested (APEX XD50A)

you will not regret it.

I can tell you from experience that if you get the thermal monocular and digital scope you will be disappointed. I tried that and can tell you that you will see lots of animals with the thermal monocular that you will not be able to locate with the digital scope.

That is true, H-S, but then again, scanning with a thermal scope on a rifle is cumbersome and is not considered prudent by many hunting instructors (i.e., scanning with rifle is considered unsafe). I tried going this route early one when I got into NV. Only having a scope on the rifle was a pain the arse.

The trick is to spot the animals and then to get on them, hence why people suggest getting a thermal monocular for spotting and going with digital NV on the rifle if one is trying to save $. If you scan with digital or regular NV, there will be animals that you never see and hence won't even know to try to pursue with the thermal on your rifle.

I have sets of thermal + digital NV scopes and viewers at my disposal.
When I'm hunting in field conditions(IE open areas without a lot of cover) I use the thermal mono and digital scope.
with a good IR illuminator.
I can easily shoot out to 200 yards with my set ups.
When hunting in varied cover, I use a thermal combo.
I've had too many times where I spotted the quarry and couldn't get a shot with the NV scope, as the glare from the IR off of obstacles made shooting impossible. Even on low IR settings.
Most of my optics have QD mounts and I can switch scopes if I need to.
Buy the best you can afford and work 8 days a week like I do to feed your addiction.

^^^
This. Except I finally decided on the HD38A for scanning and XD50A for shooting.
I really got tired of either not finding in the NV scope, switching back and forth you find them again and having them shy from the IR light.

I have two of the Armasight Zeus 640 3-24x75mm lens in 30hz. I bought mine from Third Coast Thermal out of Katy Texas. I was easily able to talk to the guy via e-mails and phone. Was even able to get a demo of the unit with the guy before I bought them. It's been a real game changer to be able to scan with thermal and be able to shoot with it as well.

To the OP. I'd buy the best thermal scanner you can afford and go with some sort of digital or Gen 2 NV scope. Get a a really good IR light and you'll be set. The thermal will allow you to pick up the heat signature of animals you would have missed by scanning with NV. Then you can get close enough to determine what it is with the NV scope. With my Armasight Zeus scopes I can see pigs at close to a mile away. Can't always tell if they are pigs or not. But studying the target movements you'll be able to figure out if it's a deer, pig, cow, raccoons etc.. after awhile.

Are they shipping the Thor HD?

Since the new ThOR HD records to an SD card, I'm sure you have some videos to share right?