Whats everyones thoughts on 35mm vs 50mm objective? Or does it even matter inside a hundred yards? You can see in my second video I got a 2nd shot off on another Hog, but just barely. I feel like if I had a 50 mm objective it would have been much easier for a follow-up shot. I think I would spend two to three hundred more for the 50mm if its worth it

Ol dad

… ride by and check the evidence room… never know might get lucky lol

If you're referring to field of view...thermal scopes FOV is determined by the base magnification...not the objective.

Someone else with more knowledge than me please chime in.

No access there any longer...remember I'm retired. But I'd bet there are some in there.

You're right about FOV. Objective doesn't matter. I thought it did but after doing some reading I see that it doesn't. Realizing that now, i wonder if a higher base magnification would be more of a detriment than a benefit for shots under 100 yds, specifically folliw up shots?


Ol dad

Base mag is what allows for follow up shots. I went against recommendations and got the 3.5. Recommendations are 3.5 for coyotes (generally longer ranges) and 2.5-3.0 for hogs (generally closer ranges). I can’t say it’s hurt my kills or follow up shots. I shoot a bolt gun and that’s a personal thing for me. I tend to shoot a LOT better knowing I have to rack a shell (time) vs a semiauto where I could dump a mag.
What’s funny is I’ve shot from 25-225 and always keep it on 3.5. Of course I also have it on a larger than normal caliber rifle too. I like to keep things simple and found an ammo that shoots great in all my rifles, Rugers, and it dumps them.

Used one we had here on base about 18 years ago. Beleive it was around 16k new 20 years ago. Checked it out at the armory and had the thermal sighted in on our suppressed .243. Spent many nights behind it, unzipping critters off the airfield. Between the silenced thwack of the bullet impact and the thermal splattering mist........was good times. No idea what brand it was but it was accurate and zoomable and I could easily shoot rabbits at over 200 yards. This was 18 years ago.........

That would’ve been a Raytheon brand I’d imagine. I got to play with some FLIR way back when, and at that time it was the bomb!

Ol Dad,
Something else I've learned in my recent thermal scope research is the "zoom" is digital zoom. In other words, when you zoom in you are NOT increasing the magnification of what you are viewing thru the scope. You are enlarging the view screen inside the scope. That's why it pixelates rapidly. Would be like opening a pic on your phone and using your fingers to enlarge that pic.....gets blurry quickly.

At first it was confusing to understand why the "zoom" wasn't like a regular rifle scope that increases target magnification while remaining mostly in focus.

I'm still learning....

Some scopes have optical Zoom.

Swamp, you need to get a RIX thermal and let me know how you like it. If it’s good I may get one!!

The rix is not a true optical zoom in the sense most think.