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Thermal foxing


rangey
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I have been shooting foxes with various night vision units for years now, and using a thermal spotter for 18 months. The thermal spotter along with nv is a very good combo but always fancied going totally thermal. Took the plunge and bought a thermion xq50. Mounted this on my 22.250 and set about getting it zeroed. I thought it would be a pain to zero but set up in 3 shots, 100yd target was black with a 1 inch piece of silver foil with the target angled back. 200yd target 3 inch steel gong with a blow torch to heat it up.. Perfect.. Following 2 nights resulted in 5 fox and 16 rabbits.. No problem with I'd, and furthest fox was 240yds.definately worth the expense.. I will still keep the digital nv and set that up on the 223..gets a bit expensive blowing up rabbits with the 22.250. 

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Well, after a lot of nights out with this setup I can say the thermion xq50 is an awesome bit of kit, can't see me going back to nv after using this. Thought their might be a problem with ID but it's easy to pick out rabbits at 400yds plus. No mistaking fox for badger or munty, easy to tell as soon as they move. I suppose using thermal spotter for a while helps with I'd. Want one on the 223 as well now.. Lol

Might try switching between the 2 and see how it holds zero. 

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Everyone has their own opinions on thermal scopes and I always thought that proper I'd would be a problem with a thermal scope, but after a couple of weeks shooting almost every night with it in my opinion I'd is not a problem at all... Can't beat a bit of lamping and still use the lamp when out with someone. 

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3 hours ago, WalkedUp said:

I can’t afford the leap to thermal spotter and nv riflescope (the ideal combination). A cheap thermal scope may be affordable next year, would you recommend it? The XQ50 is 4x my budget mind! 

It really depends on what range, and what your e looking for to shoot at at night.

Thermal scopes CAN go out to 300 yards , but you need to spend some decent money for that, where as a cheap thermal spotter , then drop back to lamp/NV for the shot is the cheaper option.
A cheap thermal scope will not give you the clarity for a positive ID beyond 150 yards , maybe less if its humid or foggy.
Also swinging the gun round all over the place to spot is never good.

A thermal spotter for around the £1000 mark and £300 worth of Pard 007 , will get you into the 21 st century !

Plenty will disagree with me , but 9/10 cats prefer , thermal to spot , digital nv to shoot.

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5 hours ago, WalkedUp said:

I can’t afford the leap to thermal spotter and nv riflescope (the ideal combination). A cheap thermal scope may be affordable next year, would you recommend it? The XQ50 is 4x my budget mind! 

I would put your money into a thermal spotter before thermal scope. It won't spook whatever you're shooting at,just need to put your lamp on the target and pull the trigger, no waving about all over the place with the lamp. You would be surprised what you don't see with a lamp scanning. We have scanned fields with a lamp and said nothing in it then used the thermal spotter to find six rabbits sat in same field.

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