Our equipment has a port for external batteries. We run 10,000mah external batteries on our scopes and scanners. They keep the internal batteries charged and extend the charge time dramatically. I hunted last night for 7.5 hours and used 1 out of 4 bars. They cost about $25. Plug them in a type C charger when you get home and you're ready to go again.
Bought my first thermal
- Thread starter Duhhh
- Start date
Duhhh
Well-known member
Went out tonight to use the scanner for the first time and it worked great! Can’t believe I went out without one haha.
Shot 6 coyotes total but couldn’t find two of them. I know one was stone dead but couldn’t find him in the brush and the snow was coming down pretty good. I feel pretty confident with the set up as is now. The rangefinders working very well now that it’s not -5.
Coyotes are on fire lately. Had one stand where I called in 6 at once. That’s too many coyotes to try and manage haha. Couldn’t get them all in the same frame but that was a rush.
Shot 6 coyotes total but couldn’t find two of them. I know one was stone dead but couldn’t find him in the brush and the snow was coming down pretty good. I feel pretty confident with the set up as is now. The rangefinders working very well now that it’s not -5.
Coyotes are on fire lately. Had one stand where I called in 6 at once. That’s too many coyotes to try and manage haha. Couldn’t get them all in the same frame but that was a rush.
Does your scanner or scope have LRF? I’m running the TH50 v2 and haven’t experienced what you’re describing with the RH50 yet. My scanner has LRF. So far the 3.5 base mag and the 7.0 magnification on PIP has been enough. Once they get at 200 yds I drop my scanner and get on the gun. I use to use the PIP all the time on my Pulsar but with this Iray and the 3.5 base mag, I have yet to use the PIP.congrats on smashing them!
I ran the IRay RH50; it's a completely different class than the Varmint. However, I can hit targets better with the AGM. I was missing too many coyotes beyond 200 yards with the RH50 because the crosshair in the Picture-in-Picture (PIP) would enlarge when I zoomed in on distant coyotes. This required me to zoom in and then focus, which caused me to lose depth perception. It felt like I was adding unnecessary complexity to a straightforward process, resulting in missed shots at the coyotes.
On the other hand, the AGM is simpler to use. I keep it on base magnification and aim through the PIP—it's as easy as point and shoot, thanks to its pinpoint crosshair. I have shot enough with the AGM to judge fairly accurately what is within range based on the crosshair size on a distant coyote.
I sent the Iray back and just sent the Varmint back. I am not sure what I am going to run next as a primary optic. I am going to see what drops at shot show,. Hands down I had total confidence in the Varmint V2 50 640 I was running. I went out a couple nights ago and got 15, and last night got 11 and only put one bad hit on a coyote that needed a follow up shot. Ultimately, optics are just tools, and it’s essential to find the ones that work best for you.
I had no problem hitting coyotes within 200 yards using the RH50. Notice the size of the crosshair in the Picture-in-Picture (PIP) mode compared to its size on the main screen. When you zoom in, the crosshair enlarges. However, with the AGM, when PIP is activated and you zoom in, the main screen remains on base magnification, and only the image in PIP enlarges, while the crosshair stays small. If I had started off with the RH50 instead of AGM, I believe I would have adjusted to it and used it confidently. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to adapt to a new system right now, especially since I already confidence in a lesser model that gives me better results. I'm waiting to see what new products will be released at Shot Show to consider as a primary optic.
As of yesterday, I do not have a LRF I sent back the Varmint V2, and about a week ago, I returned a NocPix Vista with an LRF that I had used for just one hunt due to its high base magnification. I recently acquired the RH25 and am currently waiting on the bridge and mount, so I haven't had the chance to use it yet. My main scanner is a Sidewinder, which has a longer detection range than the RH25. I plan to use the RH25 hands-free in tighter setups.
I really want a scanner with an LRF to assist in locating downed coyotes from a distance. If I know the distance at which a coyote disappears from sight in an open area with no visual markers, I can point my laser where it went down, walk out there, and range back to my setup, which will help me recover it faster. In spring, when the wheat fields are shin-high, it becomes challenging to find coyotes downed at a distance.
Currently, if the ground is flat and I can maintain sight—such as over a creek bottom or canyon—if I know a coyote dropped at 350 yards, I turn on my laser and walk straight ahead, counting 350 paces. This typically brings me close to the coyote. I want a scanner with an LRF for situations where the terrain isn't flat. Once I get back to an elevation that aligns with my laser, I can turn around and range my setup to determine how much further I need to go.
I haven't been able to find a scanner with a low base magnification that also includes an LRF. My friend uses a Pulsar Telos, but I find the image quality in my Sidewinder to be better. When we're hunting pigs, I often hand him my scanner so he can see the pigs I spot that he can't see with the Telos.
I do not care what the main crowd and cool kids are using. So far I am just in tune with the AGM scopes, on base mag, using their German reticle in PIP. The only AGM I have not liked was the Secutar, due to its 4X base mag. The image in the Iray looks far better, but I will take what I can kill more with, over what looks pretty.
I think the firmware in the Varmint I was using needed updated. all at once i got a bunch of dead pixels, and the detail got grainy. I compared it to the rattler and the rattler looked far better, it used to be the other way around. It still held zero and hit every coyote I shot at this week. 26 and only one I had to shoot twice due to a bad first hit.
Do any of you fellas recommend a good scanner with LRF. One that runs off a stronger battery than an 18650, has a 2X base mag or less with good detection range?
Bradsbirds
Member
I have the pulsar axion 2 (without the rangefinder) but they have a couple models with rangefinder in 384 and 640. Mine is a 2x base mag, not sure what the LRF units are but I'd bet it's the same. I like mine a lot. It does have it's own battery as pulsar units do, but I've never run out using it all night. I did buy a backup though just in case.
Does your friend have a 640 Telos? I have a Telos XP50 640 LRF and the base mag is 2.5 My Bolt TH50 640 has a 3.5 base mag. Honestly,
some times I wish My Telos had the 3.5 base mag. I find the detection range on my Telos to be very good. One good thing about the Telos models, they are upgradable. I could actually have my Telos upgraded to the 3.5 magnification. I had the Helion scanner before the Telos come and I really liked it but I wanted something with the LRF. My LRF stopped working on my Telos last year, I sent it in and they sent me a brand new one because they couldn’t fix it.
Duhhh
Well-known member
Question for you guys on scanners. Why do some of you prefer 2, 3 or 3.5 magnification for scanning?
I feel like my 3x scope is a bit to much magnification when I tried using it as a scanner too (in my very limited experience). For that reason alone, I got a the 1.5x scanner. Using it last night, I felt very confident that I wasn’t missing anything coming in close in the brush. I did call some in from over 600 yards out too and could tell they were coyotes based on their movement or running in. I guess I don’t have dogs or livestock to worry about though, just a lot of deer.
I feel like my 3x scope is a bit to much magnification when I tried using it as a scanner too (in my very limited experience). For that reason alone, I got a the 1.5x scanner. Using it last night, I felt very confident that I wasn’t missing anything coming in close in the brush. I did call some in from over 600 yards out too and could tell they were coyotes based on their movement or running in. I guess I don’t have dogs or livestock to worry about though, just a lot of deer.
Yes, it is the XP50 640 LRF. I would not want anything more than a 2.5 base mag for scanning. I made a few stands with the nocpix that has 4x base mag. it was worthless if a coyote burned in from the side, inside of 50 yards, i felt a had tunnel vision. when we are out looking for hogs I am picking up heat signatures way out there, that he cannot see, otherwise I would have bought a telos.
Spurchaser
Well-known member
For my areas down South the 2 base scanner is a huge difference in the Bolt with 3.5 base.
I got where I’ll use the AGM scope (2 base) for hogs and take the Bolt (3.5 base) for coyotes.
I got where I’ll use the AGM scope (2 base) for hogs and take the Bolt (3.5 base) for coyotes.