I really tried to do my own work on this one. I have searched this forum and YouTube for information and have come up short. My intended use is daytime fun ( I can't really justify it but I want to play with one) and night time pestling. Budget is under a grand. It looks like there are a few trusted brands in that price range (Pard, ATN, Arken) and most have a LRF option. FWIW I have a hand held TideWe laser range finder. So what would a built in range finder do for me?
Digital scopes (not thermal) with or without LRF
- Thread starter Rickstwowheels
- Start date
I got my Oneleaf NV500 without LRF, with the idea that i would maybe get one later when they also offer a greater than 4 X optical lens, i am hoping for a 10 X lens
On their site they say 5 X and 7 X is coming, i think with a 4 X lens why make a 5 X, the 7 X i can understand but really as a zoom whore i would prefer 10 X.
Need a lot of zoom at least if i am to be able to see 4.5 mm holes in cardboard 130 yards away.
Otherwise the 4 X lens i have is fine for shorter range stuff.
On their site they say 5 X and 7 X is coming, i think with a 4 X lens why make a 5 X, the 7 X i can understand but really as a zoom whore i would prefer 10 X.
Need a lot of zoom at least if i am to be able to see 4.5 mm holes in cardboard 130 yards away.
Otherwise the 4 X lens i have is fine for shorter range stuff.
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The build in LRF is nice working with ballistic calculator to take away the doubt of what hold over / under to use, of course only if you have entered the correct parameters.
So i think very cool, but not a immediate must have as i do not shoot at wildly alternating distances, so i know my hold over / under when zeroed to 55 M
IMO the big ? with the oneleaf is you can swap lenses on it, that is nice i think even if i bet you could still shoot mice and rats at 10 - 20 M with a 10 X lens, the only problem i would think then is target acquisition with that " much " zoom to start with.
But right now we bait for mice and rats at our range, so they are always at 30 M
So i think very cool, but not a immediate must have as i do not shoot at wildly alternating distances, so i know my hold over / under when zeroed to 55 M
IMO the big ? with the oneleaf is you can swap lenses on it, that is nice i think even if i bet you could still shoot mice and rats at 10 - 20 M with a 10 X lens, the only problem i would think then is target acquisition with that " much " zoom to start with.
But right now we bait for mice and rats at our range, so they are always at 30 M
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Depending on your location a HikMicro Alpex 4K LRF may be within your budget.
Arguably the best of the current crop of Daytime/NV optics in a normal scope configuration.
LRF in a scope with a ballistic calculator capability will make hitting targets at any distance relatively easy (as long as you do your bit and the supporting data required is accurate).
I’ve got a few videos going now using the Alpex on my YouTube channel (Ooter Outdoors).
HikMicro
There’s a lot of other people using them on other channels as well.
The Pard DS series would be another option albeit with the nacelles from Star Trek Enterprise hanging off the objective bell.
Happy to answer any other questions you might have and I’m sure there will be others that will chime in with other options.
Cheers,
Rob
Arguably the best of the current crop of Daytime/NV optics in a normal scope configuration.
LRF in a scope with a ballistic calculator capability will make hitting targets at any distance relatively easy (as long as you do your bit and the supporting data required is accurate).
I’ve got a few videos going now using the Alpex on my YouTube channel (Ooter Outdoors).
HikMicro
There’s a lot of other people using them on other channels as well.
The Pard DS series would be another option albeit with the nacelles from Star Trek Enterprise hanging off the objective bell.
Happy to answer any other questions you might have and I’m sure there will be others that will chime in with other options.
Cheers,
Rob
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Thanks Rob, I will check it out. I am in the US so I might have to jump through some hoops to get one. I will check out your videos today.Depending on your location a HikMicro Alpex 4K LRF may be within your budget.
Arguably the best of the current crop of Daytime/NV optics in a normal scope configuration.
LRF in a scope with a ballistic calculator capability will make hitting targets at any distance relatively easy (as long as you do your bit and the supporting data required is accurate).
I’ve got a few videos going now using the Alpex on my YouTube channel (Ooter Outdoors).
HikMicro
There’s a lot of other people using them on other channels as well.
The Pard DS series would be another option albeit with the nacelles from Star Trek Enterprise hanging off the objective bell.
Happy to answer any other questions you might have and I’m sure there will be others that will chime in with other options.
Cheers,
Rob
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Shouldn’t be too hard getting one in the US. If anything it should be within your budget.
It’s $1500.00 AUD in Australia so that should make it close to $950 USD or less given everything fun in Australia gets its own treasure island tax applied.
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I'm a big fan of this feller.
us.dntoptics.com
ZHD520R-ZULUS HD 5-20X Digital Night Vision Scope
Discover the ZHD520R, featuring a laser rangefinder and ballistic calculator for precise targeting. Ideal for enhanced night vision and accuracy.
us.dntoptics.com Upvote 0
I would buy a lrf zulus for every gun I own if i could afford it. Infra red nv neat....the laser range finding and ballistic solutions are the real game changer. No fumbling with your range finder and phone or looking for a scope sticker either. I was a tough convert but I love the range finder most.
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Without selling it too hard there's a new update that really tickrle the perpetually tinkering guy like me. It has personalities you can choose on the scope so it remembers your ballistics chart and zero for a. Given projectile and it stores plenty. For example on my impact I can have a zero for a known power wheel setting for light slugs or heavy slugs and switch with exomtreme repeatability.
I bought a pard add on camera to stick on my conventional optics at first and it's nothing like the zulus. It's sensor is good enough and the nv and daytime FOOTAGE are good. The tiny screen you look thru when using it is so low resolution that it makes the digital zoom of the camera too grainy to use and day or night have slightly different focal lengths to the lense on the scope.
I say all that to say this. The viewing screen is good, the reticle choices and zoom are fine. Having a scope that range finds/ballistic solves and shows you on screen your rifles status of cant/tilt is an absolute game changer for the quality of shooting experience. The battery life isn't bad at all and they can be found at 600ish dollars if you look.
If i was made of money, id buy a case and everything I own would have one, and it took my buddy months to convince me that a battery optic was worth my time.
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It's hard for me to under sell the Zulus because it's just that good. Bought mine from tactical panda, for $590 shipped to my door. It was shipped directly from DNT, so there's no question on warranty being honored.
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Here's a link to a recent post in "Hunting" of a few squirrels with the Hikmicro 4k LRF over here in the USA. I have used it for about a year now. AGM resells it here, but it's not quite the same scope. They have an external LRF unit where the Alpex is built in. And the AGM is more expensive! airgunheaven will ship them over here and they are great to deal with!
www.airgunnation.com
I also have a DNT Zulus 3x12 and a PARD Landsat 640 so I have a few that I can AB them all against...
The Alpex has the best zoom range of the bunch.
Here's the link to airgunheaven for the scope and it's in your budget!
airgunheaven.com
Tree Rat Action
It seems that this time of year really brings out the vermin! I caught a squirrel and a very large Norweigen brown rat in my shed the other night - both foraging for food! I got the rat in the evening with the aid of my Hikmicro thermal scope and the squirrel videos were take with the Hikmicro...
www.airgunnation.com I also have a DNT Zulus 3x12 and a PARD Landsat 640 so I have a few that I can AB them all against...
The Alpex has the best zoom range of the bunch.
Here's the link to airgunheaven for the scope and it's in your budget!
Night Vision Scope HikMicro Alpex 4K A50EL LRF | Airgunheaven.com
Sold out, We buy them from the importer and send to you in about 1 week after receipt of your order. (under reserve of stock importer) This HikMicro Alpex 4K A50EL LRF night vision scope provides crystal clear images. Those images are the result of the Ultra-HD CMOS sensor, which boasts an...
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With XMAS code that would put you right under 1k . I’ve seen a few good reviews. I don’t personally have one but for thermal I don’t think you could find cheaper . 
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Actually, the new Oneleaf.ai Mars at 640k for $1399 is THE best deal on the market! 640k is exceptional and the ability to buy an additional objective lens at 50 and 70mm to go along with the 35 and switch them out quickly is fantastic! There is another link here going over this scope.
For the Thermnight, (and I have owned and used one) the 256k is good enough for the lowest resolution to spot your targets, but the pixelation is terrible once you start zooming. The NV side is very good, though and I would switch over for the final shot unless I was real close...
For the Thermnight, (and I have owned and used one) the 256k is good enough for the lowest resolution to spot your targets, but the pixelation is terrible once you start zooming. The NV side is very good, though and I would switch over for the final shot unless I was real close...
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A buddy of mine got the ATN X-Sight 5 LRF from his soon to be X wife for Christmas. I have zero experience with these type of optics, so I cant't give him a good opinion. He claims he has seen good reviews on youtube. But I've seen many complaints. Can anyone here give me some solid info on this optic? He's not a techie at all. Personally, I told him to return the optic and get a traditional scope.
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I got a Zulus 5-20 with LRF. If I could do it again I'd get the 3-12. Unless your hunting in large fields or open areas it's easy to get off target if you have to adjust your position or get off target in closer quarters and dense woods. My solution is to take my pard nv007 and use it as a spotter and then switch to whatever my Zulus is on.
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I have a x-sight 5 lrf 3-15 model mounted to my night pesting rig. Overall it has worked well for this application and ballistic calculations have been spot on for me. It does have some quirks though. The user interface is slow to navigate, and its missing quite a few settings that would greatly improve its overall function. For instance, after turning off the optic, the ballistic calculator defaults to its disabled state upon powering up the device. The user must remember to re-enable the ballistic calculator in order for it to function, and this task probably takes a good 10-15 seconds to accomplish. I don’t understand how the designers failed to create a startup function in which the user can quickly enable the ballistic calculations and pick the profile they wish to load, or just have the optic default to a user specified profile upon startup. Another example is the time it takes to grab a lrf reading and update the point of aim. After pressing the range button the lrf begins taking readings that last for at least 5-7 seconds, during which time the reticle is replaced with an lrf aiming rectangle. Pressing the range button again, does not stop the process, it must be allowed to finish. The lrf seems to display the measured range quickly (2 seconds) and then just keeps ranging needlessly for an extended amount of time. It would be nice if ATN included a user setting that would allow the user to select the desired duration of the ranging process. What is your buddy planning on using this optic for?
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It was a X-mas gift. He gave no indication to his wife, friends or family that he wanted one. And as I said in my original post, he is not a tech savvy individual. He would have a terrible time trying to learn this and remember how to use it. I told him to return it, which he did
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