Digital scopes ... Anyone?

[Jackal]

It's always seemed easier and less expensive to simply use a flashlight light and scope at night to remove critters. With a $300 flashlight, you can see a coyote out to 300+ yards easy.

 

[Stony]

I've been using a Sightmark for some time now and it has helped me pop a bunch of hogs. They are not top of the line..and are priced accordingly, but I've had no problems with mine. It seems to work a long time on just two AA batteries.

 

[kimberkid]

This is interesting info ... and it has saved me from buying the Gen I that's on display at a local pawn/gun shop ... they have both of the early models the 3-12 & 5-18 IIRC and they are priced $599 & $699 respectively, which I believe is the same as the Gen II's

If I find one locally or at a show, I think I'll get one ... that's the price range I'm looking at staying in as I don't have a "need" ... just a "want"

 

[bmnloader]

Ive been using my Sightmark for about 6 months now at ranges out to around 150 yards. In that time I've taken 10 or so hogs. For the price, it's hard to beat. Most of my hunting is done of the back porch or up in a blind. I attach a small LCD monitor to mine so I watch it until I see movement. Not really hunting them as much as it is just an extermination tool.

 

[kimberkid]

Ive been using my Sightmark for about 6 months now at ranges out to around 150 yards. In that time I've taken 10 or so hogs. For the price, it's hard to beat. Most of my hunting is done of the back porch or up in a blind. I attach a small LCD monitor to mine so I watch it until I see movement. Not really hunting them as much as it is just an extermination tool.

So yours is a Gen 1?

 

[basicblur]

I showed a video I took with the new ATN to a fellow that sells night vision stuff (some of it pretty darn expensive). He was impressed with it - I pointed out that the video did not appear to be quite as bright as what I actually saw thru the scope, but the clarity seemed to be the same.

The video quality thru mine is better than 99% of the videos I've seen online, but I realize since it's s new scope, good videos showcasing it are not yet out there.

He was impressed enough that he immediately went to his distributor to see if he could get ATN stuff (he can) - I think he's going to order at least one to play with.

Some folks seem to prefer the green display, but I (and the fellow out on the farm) both prefer the white display - I can pick out detail better with the white.

If you decide to get one, note that the new models and lights may be a bit of a leap forward, so info and past reviews you get may be a bit outdated and don't accurately reflect the increase in performance of the newest stuff.

1. The 5-20x MSRP is $699 - cheapest I've seen it online is $566.01 (Vizzard's Guns and Ammo).
2. I got mine at B&H - they seem to get more of them than other folks? I managed to get 10% off, and they have free shipping.
3. If everybody's out, you might as well get on everybody's e-mail wait list.
4. Nothing wrong with the IR light that comes with the scope, but folks say it's good to about 100 yards.
5. If you decide to step up, the ATN IR850PRO is really impressive. It appears to be a rebadged Nightmaster, but I wonder if it may be a newer model or have some upgrades from all the Nightmaster reviews I've seen?
6. I ordered a drop in pill from the UK, but darn if I know if / when I'll ever install it as the stock IR850PRO seems to really reach out there.
7. The IR850PRO has a different, and apparently nicer mounting / adjustment system than any I've seen. It uses thumbwheels for the UP/DOWN, LEFT/RIGHT light aiming, although we saw no need to really aim the light.

 

[bmnloader]

I believe so. Don't have it here in town to look at, it's at the ranch in west Texas.