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Thermal #7112768 03/16/18 01:43 AM
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BrianCook_RanchSales Offline OP
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Whats the best bang for your buck on a thermal scope or monocular?


Brian Cook
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Foster Farm & Ranch
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Gig 'Em
Re: Thermal [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7112779 03/16/18 01:47 AM
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In my opinion Pulsar Apex XQ50

Re: Thermal [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7112789 03/16/18 01:56 AM
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For hog hunting, in my opinion the Pulsar Apex XQ38. If you are looking for video recording and all the whizz bangs, I think the best bang for the buck is the Pulsar Trail XQ38.

If you are in the midwest or farm country and hunting coyotes, the XQ50 is a great option and a bargain as well. But for most of us in the South and hunting hogs, it's just too narrow of a field of view for many of our tastes. That's not an absolute but it's the majority report.

At the end of the day the Apexes provide a huge bang for your buck.

- Jason


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Re: Thermal [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7113471 03/16/18 06:54 PM
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Some of the new Pulsar scopes aren't holding zero but not all models are affected. But yes Pulsar best for the money. Not for me though as I don't want to question my gear when I'm out in the field.

Re: Thermal [Re: Dien] #7113554 03/16/18 08:05 PM
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Originally Posted By: Dien
Some of the new Pulsar scopes aren't holding zero but not all models are affected. But yes Pulsar best for the money. Not for me though as I don't want to question my gear when I'm out in the field.


Yep, it is true that a few of the Pulsar Trails were having POI shift issues related to temperature change. However, Pulsar released a firmware fix for the issue earlier this week, so hopefully that problem is solved. Also, it's worth noting, I've sold a whole lot of Trails and I've yet to have a single customer tell me they've had any POI shift issues with their units. I've been using an XP50 as one of my main thermals since they were released and thankfully I never had an issue either. I'm just glad it was something they were able to identify and fix.

And those problems did not affect any other Pulsar scopes models, including the Apexes.


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Re: Thermal [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7113661 03/16/18 09:32 PM
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Why the XQ38? Genuine question here although it's probably too late for me.

I just picked up a FLIR Breach and PTS233 today, so I'm curious for the rationale.

Re: Thermal [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7113745 03/16/18 11:09 PM
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Tnvc?

Re: Thermal [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7113790 03/16/18 11:40 PM
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Whatever model you think you want. Save up money for another 6 months and get the next model up. Thermals are a great investment. Don’t settle.

Re: Thermal [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7114172 03/17/18 01:29 PM
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Originally Posted By: bow5
Whats the best bang for your buck on a thermal scope or monocular?


The one I recommended to you in your other thread is the minimum starting point for thermal that you would be happy hunting with out to 100-150 yards and no recording or zoom capabilities.

I have an Apex XQ50. That would cost about 900.00 more. If you can afford it, I highly recommend it. The best way to go if your going to hunt thermal regularly at night, is a scoped rifle along with a hand held monocular. It gets tiring pretty quickly trying to scan terrain with a scoped rifle.

You can get a nice Pulsar hand held that will scan out to 875 yards right now for 1700.00. I have two scoped rifles with Apexes and 2 hand held monoculars. If you have a place to hunt PM me and we can arrange an outing for a test drive. WARNING! Once you try this setup it can be as addicting as crack cocaine, Lol!


Marc C. Helfrich
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Re: Thermal [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7114461 03/17/18 07:43 PM
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Originally Posted By: bow5
Whats the best bang for your buck on a thermal scope or monocular?


Pulsar APEX XQ50 as Sapper Titan said. It has good magnification to hunt at longer distances or smaller game with a better image than the XQ38 as the picture and magnification really are worth the small amount of extra money for the difference.


Hogdalorian - Si vis pacem cum sus, para bellum.
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Re: Thermal [Re: Midwaytmm] #7114494 03/17/18 08:22 PM
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Originally Posted By: Midwaytmm
Tnvc?


If you’re asking me, then yes.

Re: Thermal [Re: Pitchfork Predator] #7115842 03/19/18 09:12 AM
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Originally Posted By: Pitchfork Predator
Originally Posted By: bow5
Whats the best bang for your buck on a thermal scope or monocular?


The one I recommended to you in your other thread is the minimum starting point for thermal that you would be happy hunting with out to 100-150 yards and no recording or zoom capabilities.

I have an Apex XQ50. That would cost about 900.00 more. If you can afford it, I highly recommend it. The best way to go if your going to hunt thermal regularly at night, is a scoped rifle along with a hand held monocular. It gets tiring pretty quickly trying to scan terrain with a scoped rifle.

You can get a nice Pulsar hand held that will scan out to 875 yards right now for 1700.00. I have two scoped rifles with Apexes and 2 hand held monoculars. If you have a place to hunt PM me and we can arrange an outing for a test drive. WARNING! Once you try this setup it can be as addicting as crack cocaine, Lol!


sincere question..how would you get a shot off at night with mono thermal and a regular scoped rifle..by stalking..the only time ive hunted hogs at night was while spotlighting on private land..my way of thinknig if i was to spend that kind of money i wouldnt want the educate the hogs as i was spotlighting ..again i apologize for the naiveity..lol

Last edited by mow; 03/19/18 09:16 AM.
Re: Thermal [Re: mow] #7115953 03/19/18 12:56 PM
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Originally Posted By: mow
Originally Posted By: Pitchfork Predator
Originally Posted By: bow5
Whats the best bang for your buck on a thermal scope or monocular?


The one I recommended to you in your other thread is the minimum starting point for thermal that you would be happy hunting with out to 100-150 yards and no recording or zoom capabilities.

I have an Apex XQ50. That would cost about 900.00 more. If you can afford it, I highly recommend it. The best way to go if your going to hunt thermal regularly at night, is a scoped rifle along with a hand held monocular. It gets tiring pretty quickly trying to scan terrain with a scoped rifle.

You can get a nice Pulsar hand held that will scan out to 875 yards right now for 1700.00. I have two scoped rifles with Apexes and 2 hand held monoculars. If you have a place to hunt PM me and we can arrange an outing for a test drive. WARNING! Once you try this setup it can be as addicting as crack cocaine, Lol!


sincere question..how would you get a shot off at night with mono thermal and a regular scoped rifle..by stalking..the only time ive hunted hogs at night was while spotlighting on private land..my way of thinknig if i was to spend that kind of money i wouldnt want the educate the hogs as i was spotlighting ..again i apologize for the naiveity..lol


I was referring to a thermal scoped rifle.


Marc C. Helfrich
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Re: Thermal [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7116040 03/19/18 02:04 PM
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oops,sorry

Re: Thermal [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7116122 03/19/18 03:28 PM
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To the guy with the breach, how do you like it? Got to use one a little bit. Not enough though. And wasn’t in field, for extended time

Re: Thermal [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7116137 03/19/18 03:40 PM
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Comes in Wednesday and I'll be playing with it on some land later this week. Happy to let you give it a go if you're north of DFW.

Re: Thermal [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7116195 03/19/18 04:17 PM
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No sir we’re south. Maybe get together and hunt sometime. Got plenty of dirt down here . Been real busy with work , but will slack off some after this week . Trigger finger getting itchy. Only been out twice in last two weeks

Re: Thermal [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7116347 03/19/18 06:42 PM
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"Only" twice in the last two weeks -- color me jealous

I use up all of my get out of jail cards with the wife during the fall and early winter, so the last time I went out was...you guessed it.

Re: Thermal [Re: Double Naught Spy] #7116393 03/19/18 07:29 PM
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Originally Posted By: Double Naught Spy
Originally Posted By: bow5
Whats the best bang for your buck on a thermal scope or monocular?


Pulsar APEX XQ50 as Sapper Titan said. It has good magnification to hunt at longer distances or smaller game with a better image than the XQ38 as the picture and magnification really are worth the small amount of extra money for the difference.


Not arguing but seriously asking here, I've seen someone else who owned the XQ50 say the image was better than the XQ38. I've used the Apex XQ38 and XQ50 side by side on too many occasions to count and I've never seen a single minutes difference in the image quality. I've had countless customers look at the two scopes side by side at night in the field with me and no one else has said they thought the 50 had a better image. It is the same unit short of the slightly higher magnification and smaller FOV. Am I missing something here? It's possible, because I've been known to make a mistake. grin

- Jason


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Re: Thermal [Re: Outdoor Legacy] #7116472 03/19/18 08:44 PM
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Originally Posted By: Outdoor Legacy Gear
Originally Posted By: Double Naught Spy
Originally Posted By: bow5
Whats the best bang for your buck on a thermal scope or monocular?


Pulsar APEX XQ50 as Sapper Titan said. It has good magnification to hunt at longer distances or smaller game with a better image than the XQ38 as the picture and magnification really are worth the small amount of extra money for the difference.


Not arguing but seriously asking here, I've seen someone else who owned the XQ50 say the image was better than the XQ38. I've used the Apex XQ38 and XQ50 side by side on too many occasions to count and I've never seen a single minutes difference in the image quality. I've had countless customers look at the two scopes side by side at night in the field with me and no one else has said they thought the 50 had a better image. It is the same unit short of the slightly higher magnification and smaller FOV. Am I missing something here? It's possible, because I've been known to make a mistake. grin

- Jason


I'll chime in. I hunt East Texas and West Texas. The XQ50 does not have too narrow a FOV unless your hunting from 30 yards in IMO. Well worth the extra money for distance shots as you pointed out yourself. I get plenty of those out west but more than my fair share of 300+ shots in East Texas on all the hay meadows, which the hogs love.


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Re: Thermal [Re: BrianCook_RanchSales] #7116811 03/20/18 12:45 AM
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We did an experiment with the 38/50. Had a pig in a trap. Started out at @30 yds w the 38. Then using the 50, backed away until pig took up roughly same area in the fov. We used the reticle as measuring tool. Had the 38 on tripod at 30. Had the 50 on tripod at 50ish. Walked back and forth between the two to see if anybody could tell a difference. Everyone agreed the 50 was better.

Did the same thing few days later w different guys. But nobody knew there were two different scopes involved. They all agreed they were equal...... I thought 50 looked better both times, through full range of adjustments. Contrast, brightness ect. But I didn’t think it was huge difference...

Re: Thermal [Re: Pitchfork Predator] #7116981 03/20/18 03:51 AM
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Originally Posted By: Pitchfork Predator

I'll chime in. I hunt East Texas and West Texas. The XQ50 does not have too narrow a FOV unless your hunting from 30 yards in IMO. Well worth the extra money for distance shots as you pointed out yourself. I get plenty of those out west but more than my fair share of 300+ shots in East Texas on all the hay meadows, which the hogs love.


Fair enough, I think it's just a real matter of different strokes for different folks. I just hunt hogs differently and I personally won't take a shot over 150 unless there was some reason I really had to. I'm not saying someone else shouldn't, I just know my own abilities. On my own place I can see 450 yards and I spot hogs that far away but I walk up on them. Last year I never took my first shot on a hog on any place I hunted at over 80 yards and we spotted them as far as 600 yards away. But at the same time, I'll admit I love getting up close and personal and I get crazy close on some occasions when I could have taken the shot at 100 yards. It's just a different way of hunting and these East Texas conditions usually make it very easy to get close to hogs.

I also want to clear something up since I had someone else ask me if I liked the XQ38 because I get some sort of deal on it. As a dealer, I make more $ on the XQ50 vs the XQ38 and the demand for 50's is much less than what it is for 38's so there is no question, from a financial and availability stand point I'd much rather sell a 50 than a 38 but I don't let those things sway my recommendations. And if someone wants a 50....be my guest, I'd love to sell you one! cheers

At the end of the day, thankfully we have lot of choices on what thermal magnification to buy. If you like magnification, FLIR is coming out soon with their PTS536 that will be 4x and the PTS736 that will be 7x, so the more the merrier. There is something for everyone!


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