New Thermal in the House

alf

alf

Well-known member
Earlier this summer I sold my Super Hogster with the idea I wanted to step up to their new Super Yoter LRF. After months of waiting for them to get them in stock, I finally gave up and bought the new iRay LRF instead.

More specifically, the iRay Rico G LRF GH50R, 640 resolution with the 50mm lens.

https://irayusa.com/ricoglrf/

I've had it out the last two nights looking out the truck window, resting it on the padded glass. I was comparing it my the 640 Phenom, and checking ranges with my Leica. I started at just before sunset to be able to see to range with the Leica.

Short story, I think it beats the Phenom, and the rangefinder compares just fine. The raised ridges between the buttons are taller than what's on the SH, making it easier to find the correct button. Listed weight is 25.7 ozs. In reality, the bare scope weighs 23.2, the battery is 3.3, and the issued extended mount is 7.5 ozs, making fighting weight at 34.1 ozs.

I really like the extended base. There's four mounting holes, about an inch apart, of which only 3 are used for attaching the scope, letting you adjust scope mounting a little back & forth. I mounted my scope all the way forward in the 3 holes, and attached on the AR upper just to the forward end of the upper for proper eye relief.

I then tried it on a 700 bolt gun, and it will mount on a normal picattiny rail for proper eye relief w/o the need for an rear extended rail like I bought for 2 of my guns.

Height is perfect on the AR, a little tall for the bolt gun. I may add a little cheek riser, or just use a chin weld instead.
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Humidity was 61% last night in the video, so it was good for viewing. Some ranges for perspective:

Fence post - 100 yds

Bottom of the hill - 400

Top of the hill - 550

Far treeline - 1050

Far right treeline - 1550

 
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I friend of mine just picked-up a Bolt 640 a couple weeks back, Was the 1st Iray brand Therm. I had ever checked out. Mounted on Bolt gun, I was pretty impressed with that IRay unit, with it's Image and also user friendly layout .

As much as I hate the PRC, I have to admit the IRay 640 line is pretty crisp and defined on the projected view image . Also the base magnification 3.5x all the way up to a good 7x or 8x stay together in the pixelation magnification, but the 14x was little pixel blocky but still fairly usable/shootable powerX choice
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Congrats on the new hardware Al!

That video looks WAY better than any Bering footage I've seen so far including my old Super Yoter 50mm. Looks like they did a much better job with less video compression.

Nice upgrade, enjoy!
 
Great review. Thanks for including the video and various yardages. Look forward to seeing more clips of that optic in the future.
 
Originally Posted By: BradsbirdsCan you record the PIP and yardage, etc... on video or just the main screen?
Not sure about PIP, I haven't tried yet.

I haven't tried the yardages either, but reviews say they don't show during recording.
 

All mounted up and ready to go.

Picture shows the mount goes right to the end of the upper for my proper eye relief.

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After getting it zeroed, I did a test checking point of impact at 100 yards with the different power settings, which are 3, 6, 9, & 12X.

So I shot at 3X first, then 6, 9 & 12, with 12x the high shot on the target, then back to 3X, then back to 12X, which went into the group, for a six shot group.

I'll take the blame on the high shot.

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This test was the upper group.

I then flipped the target 180, and tested repeatability of the factory picatinny mount. I removed, installed the scope, and fired one shot, five times, to make a five shot group. I'd say there's no issues in removing & mounting the scope and having to check zero before hunting.

All in all, I believe the new Rico passed with flying colors.
 
Originally Posted By: 454shooterDoes it have multiple gun profiles like the Bering Optics or no?
Comparing it and the SY LRF
Thanks in advance
Yes, there's 3 profiles available.
 
Originally Posted By: ToroThat return to zero scope mount is pretty impressive.

I was pleased with the results. It's not that easy trying to shoot a group with the gyrations a guy goes through for this test, especially with an AR. Stand up, take it off, put it on, sit down, load a round, wrestle the gun back in position, shoot, and do it all again four more times.
 
One quirk I found with the PIP. I always hunt on black hot, with the reticle on white, which the center + is white but the rest of the reticle is black, as shown in the video.

However, when the PIP is on, the + is black, making it tough to see. Same when it's set to white hot, the + in the PIP is white.

It's a non event if you select the red or green option, as both reticles will be the same color. To me, the red & green reticles seem "fatter" than the black or white.
 
Good morning Alf. I showed your video recorded with the INFIRAY GH50R to the Italian night hunters who appreciated it very much. Many of them ask me if you could record the same video, on the same stand with the Bering Optics Super Yoter 50 mm (or with the Infiray Saim SCH50, which is exactly the same as the SY). We'd all like to see a side-by-side, "apple to apple" comparison. Thank you in advance for your great patience
 
Originally Posted By: Ernest49Good morning Alf. I showed your video recorded with the INFIRAY GH50R to the Italian night hunters who appreciated it very much. Many of them ask me if you could record the same video, on the same stand with the Bering Optics Super Yoter 50 mm (or with the Infiray Saim SCH50, which is exactly the same as the SY). We'd all like to see a side-by-side, "apple to apple" comparison. Thank you in advance for your great patience

Hi Ernest,

I'm glad your night hunting friends liked the video, it was actually a spur of the moment deal.

Sorry to say though, there's no way I can do a comparison video, as I'm kind of a loner around here in the thermal world.

I waited patiently for as long as I could for the Super Yoter LRF to become available, but I'm not regretting the iRay purchase at all.

Happy hunting.
 
The scope came with only one unbranded 26650 battery, and a single slot charger, so I went on the hunt for a couple more batteries. After a little research, I found out that there were quite a difference in lengths of various brands of batteries out there, so I was trying to key on ones that were the same length as the original.

As usual, I spent way too much time on the net reading reviews, and specs, trying to find ones that were equal, or better in specs, than the original. I finally just ordered four of the Efest 5000mAH batteries and a 6 slot charger. I soon as the batteries arrived, I measured the length and they were a perfect match. I'm set now.

Efest IMR 26650 5000mAh 40A flat top battery - Batteries - EFEST® Battery and Charger Manufacturer
efest5000-2.jpg
 
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I decided I should probably check zero today, so I loaded everything up and off to the "range".

Set the target at 100 yards, and fired one shot.......Mister Completely.....

Moved the target to 25 yards and shot another, five inches right & 3 low.

Dialed the windage and moved the target back to 100.

Tweaked it again and called it good.

Sure hope this is/was a fluke......
 
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