Night Hunting Setup - Rifle

[CameronMcGrath]

ATN X-Sight is a good scope for night hunting, the quality of the image is excellent. I like it because it is also suitable for hunting during the day. I use it in pair with Beretta 92D. It is an excellent pistol for hunting. I found out about it on ballachy.com. Even though it’s small enough to conceal, this gun still gives you all the accuracy of a full-size handgun. This is perfect for me because I have small hands, and it suits my hands perfectly, and I can shoot comfortably using it because of a good grip.

 

[Drycreek]

I just bought a digital day/night scope, gonna pick it up tomorrow. I’m actually buying it for hogs as well as exotics. In Texas exotics are considered livestock and you can shoot them 24/7/365. On my recent axis hunt, they didn’t come out in the open to the wheat fields until right after dark. So I wanted a scope that I could get in the stand with at say 3:00 pm and hunt until a couple hours after dark or longer. Axis deer are way too tasty to let a little daylight, (or lack thereof), to get between me and those steaks !

 

[Mennoniteman]

ATN X-Sight is a good scope for night hunting, the quality of the image is excellent. I like it because it is also suitable for hunting during the day. I use it in pair with Beretta 92D. It is an excellent pistol for hunting. I found out about it on ballachy.com. Even though it’s small enough to conceal, this gun still gives you all the accuracy of a full-size handgun. This is perfect for me because I have small hands, and it suits my hands perfectly, and I can shoot comfortably using it because of a good grip.

You have an ATN X-Sight mounted on a Beretta 92D?

I just bought a digital day/night scope, gonna pick it up tomorrow. I’m actually buying it for hogs as well as exotics. In Texas exotics are considered livestock and you can shoot them 24/7/365. On my recent axis hunt, they didn’t come out in the open to the wheat fields until right after dark. So I wanted a scope that I could get in the stand with at say 3:00 pm and hunt until a couple hours after dark or longer. Axis deer are way too tasty to let a little daylight, (or lack thereof), to get between me and those steaks !

Do you have any pics of the new scope yet?

 

[Drycreek]

You have an ATN X-Sight mounted on a Beretta 92D?

Do you have any pics of the new scope yet?

I haven’t mounted on my gun yet, when I do I’ll take a picture.

 

[Drycreek]

As promised, the Sightmark 4K Wraith Max mounted on my Mossberg AR 15 originally in 5.56 but rebarreled to 6.8 SPC by my friend Jeff and me. (He had the tools and the know-how and I just kinda stood there.) I haven’t sighted it in yet, will do that later. Sorry for the background clutter, but I have better lighting in the kitchen. That thingy hanging on the side is an IR flashlight, one of which is already on the handguard of this rifle. I’ll see which one is best before I eliminate one.

 

[Cedar Ridge]

View attachment 23398 As promised, the Sightmark 4K Wraith Max mounted on my Mossberg AR 15 originally in 5.56 but rebarreled to 6.8 SPC by my friend Jeff and me. (He had the tools and the know-how and I just kinda stood there.) I haven’t sighted it in yet, will do that later. Sorry for the background clutter, but I have better lighting in the kitchen. That thingy hanging on the side is an IR flashlight, one of which is already on the handguard of this rifle. I’ll see which one is best before I eliminate one.View attachment 23397

Have you had the opportunity to take this out to see how it works for night hunting?

 

[SwampCat]

Has anyone tried one of the low end ATN thermal scopes? They are in the low to mid $1000 price range. Thermal is such an improvement over night vision. Wonder if those low end thermal scopes might be a big improvement for only a few hundred dollars more?

 

[Drycreek]

Have you had the opportunity to take this out to see how it works for night hunting?

No Sir, I haven’t yet, but I need to. I haven’t even sighted it in yet. My son has been trying to trap hogs and since my place is only 80 acres I’ve been keeping a low profile. He’s gonna try to catch once more before it gets too hot, and after that I’ll get her sighted in. He’s caught 11 in one catch and 8 in another, so that’s better than shooting them.

 

[Cedar Ridge]

No Sir, I haven’t yet, but I need to. I haven’t even sighted it in yet. My son has been trying to trap hogs and since my place is only 80 acres I’ve been keeping a low profile. He’s gonna try to catch once more before it gets too hot, and after that I’ll get her sighted in. He’s caught 11 in one catch and 8 in another, so that’s better than shooting them. View attachment 23524View attachment 23525

Definitely a better option! Great job.

 

[HuronMtn]

I am giving a Sig Echo 3 Reflex Scope a try on my 6.5 Creedmoor AR. So far I really like it. No luck yet on predators but attached a few deer pics so you can see what it looks like looking through this scope. Image quality is more than adequate for my purposes. Paid $1700 for it. Recommend checking this out if you don't want to spend thousands more for a thermal.

 

[Drycreek]

I am giving a Sig Echo 3 Reflex Scope a try on my 6.5 Creedmoor AR. So far I really like it. No luck yet on predators but attached a few deer pics so you can see what it looks like looking through this scope. Image quality is more than adequate for my purposes. Paid $1700 for it. Recommend checking this out if you don't want to spend thousands more for a thermal.

I could easily identify predators, deer, or hogs from that, but I couldn’t tell whitetails from axis. That’s one reason I didn’t get a thermal but the biggest reason was $$. We hunt axis when whitetails are not in season and of course you can’t ever kill them at night. That Sig looks like a good alternative to a high priced thermal scope. I could snipe pigs with that !

 

[HuronMtn]

I could easily identify predators, deer, or hogs from that, but I couldn’t tell whitetails from axis. That’s one reason I didn’t get a thermal but the biggest reason was $$. We hunt axis when whitetails are not in season and of course you can’t ever kill them at night. That Sig looks like a good alternative to a high priced thermal scope. I could snipe pigs with that !

Yes, my worry when I was checking thermals out was the ability to discern dogs vs coyotes vs wolves -- and it works fine for that. I don't have the axis vs whitetail issue -- they probably would be tougher to distinguish.

If you decide to take an interest in the Echo 3, the way you get it cheaper than the $+3K retail price is to call the company and ask to speak to the product manager. Tell him you would like to get on the list to purchase a trade-show or demo unit that is coming back into inventory. Sig will sell them to you at cost as a "reconditioned unit" even though they really don't do any reconditioning (they can't legally sell them as new units). They provide the full lifetime warranty -- it is a very good deal.

 

[Drycreek]

Yes, my worry when I was checking thermals out was the ability to discern dogs vs coyotes vs wolves -- and it works fine for that. I don't have the axis vs whitetail issue -- they probably would be tougher to distinguish.

If you decide to take an interest in the Echo 3, the way you get it cheaper than the $+3K retail price is to call the company and ask to speak to the product manager. Tell him you would like to get on the list to purchase a trade-show or demo unit that is coming back into inventory. Sig will sell them to you at cost as a "reconditioned unit" even though they really don't do any reconditioning (they can't legally sell them as new units). They provide the full lifetime warranty -- it is a very good deal.

Thanks for that info.