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What to use for thermal sight-in. #7185921 06/01/18 08:48 PM
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I have ice cubes. Anyone else use something else this time of year. What distance?


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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: Curtis] #7185923 06/01/18 08:50 PM
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Eat the ice to stay cool

I use Foil on a plain colored backboard or poster board.

100 yards


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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: Curtis] #7185926 06/01/18 08:55 PM
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Have always used the small disposable hand warmers. Aluminum foil works great as well. I have sighted mine in at 75-100 yards.

Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: Curtis] #7185933 06/01/18 09:01 PM
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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: Curtis] #7185942 06/01/18 09:07 PM
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Great! I will try the foil idea. Im predator hunting for coyotes/bobcat on my place. Saw two inside when we were chasing with dogs but the dogs got wore out. The fence is buttoned up tight with all holes filled. I want to sit out there late tonight and just scan for coyotes because they may be on the move to try to get out. Too many kills this year and I need to get rid of this pair.


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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: Curtis] #7186247 06/02/18 03:12 AM
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I've tried ice in beer or soda cans and other stuff too. The iced cans is visible enough, but you hit it once and your target is gone. Makes refining the sight-in difficult and a downright PITA.

I finally had a good idea, and just the other day in fact. Next time I want to sight in my thermal I will stop along the way and pick up a small quantity of dry ice. I will stuff as much as I can into whatever large empty rifle brass is handy, and poke them into cardboard backers so that the headstamp is facing me at the firing line. Should be large and cold enough to see well in the thermal, stay cold a good while, and it's a small enough target that once you hit it you should be satisfied with your sight-in..


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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: Curtis] #7186425 06/02/18 03:07 PM
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It depends on which thermal scope you have. For example, the FLIR units (RS32) will not see the foil. My Pulsar unit will see the foil very bright. If your unit will see the foil, use that. For my FLIR unit, I used a water bottle (standard 16.9 oz) heated in the microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute with about an inch or two of water in it. Staple the top portion of the water bottle to your target, with a large white paper backer to see your misses. Start about 25-50 yards, and move back to 100 when you get it close enough on paper. The water would be warm enough for a while to sight in. If you pop the water bottle, get another one, or an empty beer can filled with warm water. (Just don't heat the beer can up in the microwave!!)


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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: Curtis] #7186588 06/02/18 06:57 PM
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I always have trouble taping the ice cubes to the target.

Seriously, most of the time I just use a steel target.


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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: ChadTRG42] #7186602 06/02/18 07:07 PM
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Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42
It depends on which thermal scope you have. For example, the FLIR units (RS32) will not see the foil. My Pulsar unit will see the foil very bright. If your unit will see the foil, use that. For my FLIR unit, I used a water bottle (standard 16.9 oz) heated in the microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute with about an inch or two of water in it. Staple the top portion of the water bottle to your target, with a large white paper backer to see your misses. Start about 25-50 yards, and move back to 100 when you get it close enough on paper. The water would be warm enough for a while to sight in. If you pop the water bottle, get another one, or an empty beer can filled with warm water. (Just don't heat the beer can up in the microwave!!)


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Love it so far just using as a monocular. Been too busy chasing life to get it sighted in. I will have to try tonight.


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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: Curtis] #7186640 06/02/18 07:47 PM
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I've used an ice cube in a zip=loc bag, but once you hit it you're done with that target. Of course, if you hit it perhaps you can consider it as 'mission accomplished"!

I just thumb tacked the bag to the target so that the corner containing the ice cube hung over the target center. There are probably better methods, but it worked.


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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: Curtis] #7187098 06/03/18 05:38 AM
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I sometimes take an ice cube and put it in a small zip lock bag. Staple one corner so the ice cube goes and stays at the bottom. I like it bc it’s more defined the heat doesn’t radiate off of it like a hand warmer and it’s a smaller target. Have also used foil but not a fat in the heat at 100 yards. Also some of those black shoot and see targets stand out really well in the sun.

Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: Curtis] #7187250 06/03/18 01:58 PM
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I like the foil tape for AC units.. when its how outside I will put ice cubes on the roll of tape where I am going to use for about 1-2 mins.. Then put a 2 inch pice of tape on your target and switch to black hot.. it will light up white like a christmas tree. Here is a video of what it looks like at 100 yards..



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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: Curtis] #7188243 06/04/18 04:56 PM
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Not to hijack the thread but then what would you use for night vision zeroing in the daytime?


Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: GLC] #7188261 06/04/18 05:11 PM
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Originally Posted By: GLC
Not to hijack the thread but then what would you use for night vision zeroing in the daytime?


You don't use night vision in the day time. Night vision amplifies the low light at night time. During the day, it would be too bright and damage the sensors.

Thermal is different than night vision. Thermal sees heat, and can easily be used during the day time. The problem with using thermal in the day time when the sun is out is thermal "clutter", as I call it. The sun heats everything up, and causes everything to want to glow with heat. But you can sight in a thermal scope the same way during the day or the night.


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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: ChadTRG42] #7188271 06/04/18 05:26 PM
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Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42
Originally Posted By: GLC
Not to hijack the thread but then what would you use for night vision zeroing in the daytime?


You don't use night vision in the day time. Night vision amplifies the low light at night time. During the day, it would be too bright and damage the sensors.

Thermal is different than night vision. Thermal sees heat, and can easily be used during the day time. The problem with using thermal in the day time when the sun is out is thermal "clutter", as I call it. The sun heats everything up, and causes everything to want to glow with heat. But you can sight in a thermal scope the same way during the day or the night.


Yes sir I understand but night vision still has to be zeroed. I recently picked up a Sightmark Photon RT 4.5x42S. I took it to the range to sight in a t 100 yards and really could not see any definition enough to make consistent zero. I then zeroed at the 50 yard range. Just wondering if there was something I could use in the daytime that I could see easier to zero at 100 yards.


Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: GLC] #7188279 06/04/18 05:33 PM
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Originally Posted By: GLC
Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42
Originally Posted By: GLC
Not to hijack the thread but then what would you use for night vision zeroing in the daytime?


You don't use night vision in the day time. Night vision amplifies the low light at night time. During the day, it would be too bright and damage the sensors.

Thermal is different than night vision. Thermal sees heat, and can easily be used during the day time. The problem with using thermal in the day time when the sun is out is thermal "clutter", as I call it. The sun heats everything up, and causes everything to want to glow with heat. But you can sight in a thermal scope the same way during the day or the night.


Yes sir I understand but night vision still has to be zeroed. I recently picked up a Sightmark Photon RT 4.5x42S. I took it to the range to sight in a t 100 yards and really could not see any definition enough to make consistent zero. I then zeroed at the 50 yard range. Just wondering if there was something I could use in the daytime that I could see easier to zero at 100 yards.


I tried zeroing my Photon at 100 yards. I eventually got it done by spotting with my regular scope and guesstimating where to move the reticle on the Photon. I eventually just stayed with a 50-yard zero, since I could see the hole in the target, and move the retice directly over the hole.


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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: ImTheReasonDovesMourn] #7188286 06/04/18 05:40 PM
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Originally Posted By: ImTheReasonDovesMourn
Originally Posted By: GLC
Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42
Originally Posted By: GLC
Not to hijack the thread but then what would you use for night vision zeroing in the daytime?


You don't use night vision in the day time. Night vision amplifies the low light at night time. During the day, it would be too bright and damage the sensors.

Thermal is different than night vision. Thermal sees heat, and can easily be used during the day time. The problem with using thermal in the day time when the sun is out is thermal "clutter", as I call it. The sun heats everything up, and causes everything to want to glow with heat. But you can sight in a thermal scope the same way during the day or the night.


Yes sir I understand but night vision still has to be zeroed. I recently picked up a Sightmark Photon RT 4.5x42S. I took it to the range to sight in a t 100 yards and really could not see any definition enough to make consistent zero. I then zeroed at the 50 yard range. Just wondering if there was something I could use in the daytime that I could see easier to zero at 100 yards.


I tried zeroing my Photon at 100 yards. I eventually got it done by spotting with my regular scope and guesstimating where to move the reticle on the Photon. I eventually just stayed with a 50-yard zero, since I could see the hole in the target, and move the retice directly over the hole.


That is pretty well what I did, just wondering if something would work better on the 100.


Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: GLC] #7188293 06/04/18 05:42 PM
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Originally Posted By: GLC
Not to hijack the thread but then what would you use for night vision zeroing in the daytime?


I use 4” inch black squares on a white poster board - this gives a 2x2” bullseye, it’s about as refined as you’ll be able to get from the Photon XT/RT at 100 yards.

Use a pinhole cover (butler creek or OEM) cap and adjust the screen brightness to yield the best fix on the black bullseye.

Also it helps tremendously if you have the sun behind you and/or you place the target in the shade of a tree.


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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: ChadTRG42] #7188295 06/04/18 05:46 PM
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Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42
Originally Posted By: GLC
Not to hijack the thread but then what would you use for night vision zeroing in the daytime?


You don't use night vision in the day time. Night vision amplifies the low light at night time. During the day, it would be too bright and damage the sensors.


Conventional image intensification (I2) NV sights can be briefly subjected to indirect sunlight to zero during the daytime. It is only recommended with a “pin hole” lense cover - and again brevity is key.

Get into a shooting position, flip on the power - shoot and turn off immediately.

Make adjustments to windage and elevation in the darkest area available to you and repeat.

I 100% agree you never “use” NV (conventional) in daytime but they can be zeroed without permanent damage.

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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: Curtis] #7188297 06/04/18 05:49 PM
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I would sight in during the night and not the day. I quickly scanned over the specs on your scope, and it said to:

" Adjust the display brightness
and the IR illuminator brightness accordingly to obtain a bright, clear image. For best imaging using performance, if
using at night use with the lens cap open. If using in daylight use with lens cap closed."

But I would use it at night as it was intended. But in the NV and thermal world, you get what you pay for. A $600 NV scope won't have the high end performance.


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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: ChadTRG42] #7188311 06/04/18 06:19 PM
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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: Curtis] #7188354 06/04/18 07:00 PM
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My go to method is a heavier cardboard box folded up and attached to a target stand, with a small square of foil tape for the point of aim. The heavy kind like you would use for AC duct work. Most thermals see it pretty dang good. If it doesn't show up good on thermal switch to a small ice cube in a thin sandwich bag. The heavy cardboard holds the heat and you can usually see your bullet impact without going downrange to check it. I usually start at 25 yards to get on the board and then move back. You can go cover bullet holes with smaller squares of foil tape to mark your hits. Spend time setting up a good target and sighting in a thermal is easy as can be. A very stable rest is key too. Then you can watch the reticle move to the point of impact as you adjust it.


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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: Curtis] #7188363 06/04/18 07:05 PM
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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: Curtis] #7188416 06/04/18 08:06 PM
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2in black shoot & see stick on target in the middle of a large white piece of cardboard works great on a hot sunny day at 80 yards. Bore sight first


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Re: What to use for thermal sight-in. [Re: KK30RAR] #7188456 06/04/18 09:06 PM
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Originally Posted By: KK30RAR
2in black shoot & see stick on target in the middle of a large white piece of cardboard works great on a hot sunny day at 80 yards. Bore sight first


This


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