The first trip out with a Sitemark Photon XT was a good one. I had been hunting with a standard optical scope and green light, but I was tired of spooking pigs with the shadows from the light.

The first boar walked out of the dense brush @ 114yds. I dropped him in his tracks with a 223 Barnes VOR-TX 55 gr TSX



A second boar showed up 30 min later and did't appear to care that the first one was laying close by. I dropped him in his tracks @ 105yds with a 223 Barnes VOR-TX 55 gr TSX



I sat around another hour with no additional activity.



First impressions of the Photon XT are really positive.

Good job! Your nights will never be the same.

DRT, good job, I use the 62 gr. SP in my 223.

And the addiction begins...

223 Barnes VOR-TX 55 gr TSX - very good bullet!

What's your IR source?

Nice going. Pretty soon you'll be setting your alarm for four ayem when the moon is in the third quarter.

Don't ask me how I know . . .

I mounted my Photon on my kids .243. It does get kinda addicting. Now you can see what that green light didn't show you! I had heard the weren't much good past about 100 yards but I have a feeder 156 yards from where I shoot(back porch) and I can see find past the feeder. Work great in the moonlight.

I went with the Armasight XLR-IR 850

http://www.armasight.com/illumination/illuminators-markers-beacons/armasight-xlr-ir850

The mount that it comes with isn't great, so I mounted it in a different mount that is fully adjustable so you can aim the beam exactly where you want it.

Ahhhhh a sightmark photon thread, how refreshing

Good job on bringing home the bacon

I love my Photon. For the money they are very hard to beat.

My experience is that they work great when there's moonlight. With at least a quarter moon I can see half a mile over a clear pasture. Can't see anything in the shadows, of course, without illumination. The built-in illuminator on my 'old' Photon 3.5X is good out to at least 80 yards with no moon, probably a little more. What I really enjoy is getting out before dawn. About an hour before the sun comes up the sky starts getting lighter, and even though I can barely see my hand in front of my face, the light from the predawn sky gives me a view of several hundred yards. Plenty enough to see hogs that are out in the open and stalk them in the dark.

Congrats on the pigs.

Good job!
The Photons just work and keep working - really refreshing compared to some other "here, beta test this crap for us" stuff out there.
My old Photon 5X has been taking pigs for years and I expect it to continue.
Running a Evola IR with adjustable focus and power, I can see a lot further than I feel comfortable shooting at night.
You can pick up the Evola IR off ebay for under 50 bux and it works as well as some of the 200+ dollar Illuminators.

Great feedback! I just got a Photon and looking to take it out in a few weeks hog hunting. I'm even more encouraged by your hunt and what others are saying.

good job waverider get ready to start losing sleep. I use the Evola IR on mine and it works great.

Love my photon xt 4.6. I have several hogs down with it. Good job with the pork.