A real thermal scope for under $ 1500 - video on zeroing these small lens wonders ....

Why the extremely long video ???

Well for each rule of thumb , I’ve personally helped / guides dozens of “new thermal owners” through these troubleshooting process time and time again.

For me, the topics had to be addressed and using the latest entry level scope from Bering it provided an opportunity to say what needed to be said!

Examples of questions I get in PMs , DMs, and via referrals

1) My thermal isn’t easy to zero , why can’t I see the target well ?

2) Can I see a hog at 500 / 1000 / 2500 yards ?

3) I’m using a 10.5” pistol AR and steel cases ammo, I can’t get tight groups at 50 yards - is the scope messed up ?

4) I bought this thermal because I hear it’s the greatest thing but man I can’t see past 100 yards with it (these are the guys who watch 640 res videos and don’t want to spend more than 700 bucks).

5) I just built a new AR in this super Gucci caliber and it’s got AMBI everything and cost me a lot of money - I am shooting the only ammo I can find for it right now, I just got my thermal scope today and I’m pushing buttons to learn the features because who reads the frickin’ manual ... anyhow I don’t see what the big hype is because I can’t seem to get it to maintain zero and I’m missing all my shots . P.S. I never miss because I’m the greatest hunter known to mankind and I spent so much on my build that I expect it to be a tack driver.

Again this is just the tip of the iceberg on stuff I view online, hear people say at ranges and gun stores, and get traffic in my email and online accounts saying “need help zeroing a thermal”.....

Good, informative video.

I think confusion comes from different scopes/makers, and lack of instructional clarity in owner's manuals. (As well as poor/no reading of them)

That's exactly how I zero my Super Hogster. After I attain zero, I have a 7" popper at 100 yards I usually take 4-5 shots on to confirm settings and integrity of zero.

Glad you made that. Hope people use it before zeroing.

Good stuff sir

I haven't watched the video yet (I will though), but LMAO at your description. Man I know what you are talking about! I work very hard at tuning loads, and am constantly checking my zero to make sure it is staying where it needs to be. I'm telling you, I KNOW where my gun is shooting all the time. Misses are totally on me not my equipment. Nearly everyone I thermal hunt with tells me how good I hit at night. There are lots of times I want to tell them if they would test their rifle for loads it liked, and shoot it to verify zero more than every other year or so it would really help their shooting too! It really isn't so much about skill shooting, it is about having a setup that 100% shoots where you point it, every time.

That's a good point too. I'm just as anal as you about accuracy, and knowing where I'm hitting.

Even with the mounts that are QD, and "return to zero"... I verify.

I have heard others say the same thing about night shooting and I have to wonder if they somehow think ballistics work differently in the dark. I have known guys with thermal who "won't shoot over 100 yards" in the dark.



When I belonged to the local shooting club before buying my own land, I managed to be present on the weekend before deer season a couple of times. That was a frightful eye opener. There were the paper plate hunters who put a 9" paper plate out at 50 or 100 yards and if they could hit is regularly (because 9" is the kill zone on a deer), then they were good to go. A 7" group was just as good at 50 yards as it was at 100. I had a guy explain to me the paper plate concept and he noted that if he could get 5 shots on the plate, he was good to go. He fired 6 rounds, got 5 on the plate, and left!

I have watched numerous other guys zero with a completely different ammo (usually whatever was cheap FMJ in their caliber) than what they were going to hunt with and not verify with their hunting ammo because "hunting ammo is expensive." I could not ever understand their logic as I would watch them get back into their Landrovers, Lexus, or Caddy and leave. They could afford to be a member. They could afford nice vehicles, but they were not willing to spent 60 cents (at the time) per round on verifying zero.



That is because you are doing it right! The QD mounts work exactly right every time until they don't. And when they don't, it always seems to really confuse the shooter as to why he can't hit anything.

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I think Pig_Popper could do a very good tutorial video for every scope he uses and the information would be solid. Unfortunately, many of the folks wanting his help won't take the time to read the user manuals or take the time to watch the video (and probably none would do both), but in the long run, they would save time and a lot of frustration if they did. However, like the guys who don't verify zeroes, get paper plate zeroes, or won't zero with their hunting ammo, they are only wanting just enough prep to go hunt. Anybody thinking of getting this particular optic would be well served to watch the video.

I've heard this too.

My best shots have been at night with thermals. Not sure why, but I'm guessing it's the extra weight added and/or the fact that I don't feel the need to rush as much because hogs/predators are less skittish at night. Also might be that I get much less excited now as the shot opportunities are abundant compared to hunting during the day.

I will also say that a significant part of mine is training too. Even though I have been shooting for 45 years I'm not afraid to throw down the money and ammo and go take classes. I've had several carbine/pistol/mindset classes and I take good notes, then come home and practice what I was taught. Even if it is not the exact same shooting it builds confidence in your system and abilities and takes you out of your comfort zone. Forces you to learn hard things and not just practice the easy things that you like. Forces you to prove your beliefs and presumed abilities under stress.

Skills are important and I don't mean to have downplayed that in my earlier post when I talked about having a zeroed weapon.. But you have to walk before you can run. If your weapon isn't always sighted in good and shooting dead on, you have no basis for the rest of your training and skills development.

A couple weeks ago I had a rare for my gun weapons malfunction. Brass catcher kicked an empty back in and jammed it up. In the dark my training kicked in. I cleared the jam and swapped mags, and had the gun up and running again quickly, and continued shooting pigs. Most of the guys I hunt with would have just quit and been done until they could get some light on it and figure things out. I was able to do that not just because I had been trained but because I practiced that training. I guess here would be the place to throw out an unsolicited recommendation for Badlands Tactical in Grandfield OK. They are just across the line north of Wichita Falls. Good people, good training, very reasonable prices. You will come away a better shooter.

I guess all of that above was part of my way of saying that in my experience lots of shooters don't want to learn. Or at minimum don't want to learn bad enough to put in the effort required to really learn what they need to know. Or to develop the skills they would really like to have.

By no means am I saying I am some kind of guru. I'm not. But I care enough to be critical of myself and be constantly working and striving to make myself better.

That's what it takes, Sir!

And practice. Lots of it.

And something that hasn't been hit on yet here... Natural ability.

I've had people ask me many times how I used to consistently hit coyotes running. When I was on top of my game, not many escaped. (Oh, to roll about 15 years off my eyes and body... )

I really never knew quite how to answer the question about how to shoot coyotes running consistently... It's pretty hard to tell someone that you just "Know" when the shot is right, and you visualize the bullet taking the animal down in the split second you have to calculate all that.

I'm sure most of you guys who are accomplished shooters know what I mean.

I believe they call that hard work and experience. A person can read things and watch videos all day long, but until you put in the hard work and do it a bunch, you will never gain that experience.

-TJ

Good job and thank you. I have used aluminum foil as a thermal target many times and it works great.

Great video, thanks for taking the time and your effort, well done and very informative!