Another thermal weapon sight... IR Defense IR Hunter

[Hunt TXHogs]

I've been watching the thermal parade for the last couple of years pass me by, looks like fun but awful costly $$$.

The following recap is recent time period offerings, sure there were scopes before these but they were way up there in price!

ATN's THOR has been there since day 1, offered for civy use and effective as a hunting tool.

Raytheon's W1000 - has a new price point this year, has a huge 100m lens and is a proven optic.

Next came Armasight's Zeus, competitively priced - I actually rented one for a weekend and killed a sow with it. A few hiccups though so I decided to wait till they got them settled out.

While waiting.....

This year FLIR comes to market with the Thermosight RS at very competitive prices, ATN lowers their prices and the Zeus stays were it was. That is 3 thermals for civy use all within 1k of each other based on magnification, sensor, etc...

There has been much chatter and even a recent local demonstration of all the above with the ATN and FLIR being most talked about.

I am waiting on the IR Hunter - "it is made for shooters by shooters" and the marketing has been spot on in terms of features and components used to make this unit.

I may just get off my bum and get involved in the parade - hopefully performance on this unit matches marketing's claims.

And that'll make 5 units in 2014 where you can get a modest magnified 320x res weapon sight for about 5k.

Thoughts?

HTXH

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

IR hunter looks to be the best non milspec one of the bunch. I have not played with one yet though. So far I've been disappointed in the newer units when compared to the w1000 it's detection range is just amazing. The w1000 size seems to be the greatest deterant for most even I was concerned about it. The more I use it the more I love it. I would like to put the w 1000 side by side with a IR hunter so if you get one let me know.

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

Oh and welcome back stranger.

 

[ppapago]

The IR hunters ability to be used as a clip on is an impressive selling point. Wish I could find more information about this feature as I would not mind getting into thermal but not as a dedicated sight.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

The addition of it also being clip-on is a neat feature for the price range. Using the FLIR-based system, I don't know that they will get the image clarity of the ATNs, W-1000, Armasight Zeus, etc., however. Also, they seem to have the same problem as everyone else with missing their launch date which was last month, IIRC. Now, it looks like August for the first units which appears to be the 5-20x50, 320...which I am guessing will be one of their more popular units.

http://www.irdefense.com/irh-main-price.html

 

[Hunt TXHogs]

The addition of it also being clip-on is a neat feature for the price range. Using the FLIR-based system, I don't know that they will get the image clarity of the ATNs, W-1000, Armasight Zeus, etc., however. Also, they seem to have the same problem as everyone else with missing their launch date which was last month, IIRC. Now, it looks like August for the first units which appears to be the 5-20x50, 320...which I am guessing will be one of their more popular units.

http://www.irdefense.com/irh-main-price.html

The IR Hunter is using a 17 micron FLIR sensor, TAU2 architecture, so image quality should be as good as ATN, furthermore they are using a pure digital path from sensor to display which should increase sharpness of the reticle on the image. 2 shoulds in that statement I know

They are already delivering 35mm units to dealers and distributers, in fact a guy on another forum says he received his retail unit last week so they didn't miss delivery to market by too much - not like ATN and Sightmark and others.

The 50mm units were later adds to the IR Hunter lineup hence the August 2014 availability.

I am eager for other user feedback on this scope and more information on the clip on accessory and cost.

 

[hdfireman]

I have looked through this scope indoors only and didn't have a lot of time to give it a good once over. In thermal you get what you pay for and cheaper units they have to save money somewhere. With this unit I feel they saved their money on the screen. It doesn't matter how great a thermal functions if you can't get the image out. The sales rep at the booth couldn't even tell me what type of display it was but I was not impressed with it. Just my .02 and like I said it was indoors and I had a limited time with it.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

+1 on "should."

I just got an email from Chris Sederquist confirming units going out. Woohoo.

As is the case with pre-release units, what is demo'd isn't always what ends up going out the door to customers. So it will be interesting to see how it turns out.

 

[DaveABQ]

I like the specs, and I won't pass judgement until I see some reviews, I like the fact that in the 380 X 240 scope that it can improve the image in the area around the crosshairs to make it look more like a 640 x 480 resolution.

It is also compact. A big plus. Just have to wait and see. With the price drop of the W1000 I was thinking of getting one of those, but the IR Hunter can be worn helmet mounted also.

 

[BigRedDog]

How would it be worn on the helmet?

 

[rgilbert]

I would like to T&E one before I put down the money. Of course that goes with most all expensive equipment I purchase. When I'm looking at something that cost as much as my first new car I want to test drive it.

 

[Hunt TXHogs]

I bought one today, more information to follow in the coming week(s) after I receive it.

This is my first ever thermal sight so regardless it will be better than anything I've used.

Todd if you want to get out sometime together we can do an A/B comparison.

No video cable right now so it'll be verbal relation of my experiences until I get a cable made.

I did ask IR Defense about whether it is helmet mountable and for more information on the clip on accessory.

HTXH

 

[ppapago]

I bought one today, more information to follow in the coming week(s) after I receive it.

This is my first ever thermal sight so regardless it will be better than anything I've used.

Todd if you want to get out sometime together we can do an A/B comparison.

No video cable right now so it'll be verbal relation of my experiences until I get a cable made.

I did ask IR Defense about whether it is helmet mountable and for more information on the clip on accessory.

HTXH

Which model did you buy?

 

[rgilbert]

How would it be worn on the helmet?

Duct tape dummy!

 

[FrankT]

that or baling wire!

 

[Brian Shaffer]

Wow Ben, which model did you get?

 

[Hunt TXHogs]

I got the IRH-320-35, 3x optical - 12x digital zoom which is the Standard Model running a 320x240 res sensor at 30 Hz with a native res of 336x256 ...

Some websites show 1 year warranty however it was upped to 3 years by IR Defense.

Since this is an early production unit it came with a Larue mount and I will be looking for bugs/glitches as any early adopter would be. I will say that what I have seen on IRD's facebook and through verbal conversations with them that they put the unit through it's paces and have run it hard - so hopefully a seemless transition is to be made.

 

[Brian Shaffer]

Most cost effective bang for the buck of what they are currently offering. Excellent.

 

[Hunt TXHogs]

Brian, same offer goes for you to use it at HornHillRange and compare to other thermal you've used.

Currently I am trying to figure out the video cable connector type, sure it is a Fischer connection outputting a RS-170 video signal but what exact pin configuration....

Just my style to blow the whole budget on the scope and go cheap on the vid cable

EDIT: 9 pin connector

 

[Hunt TXHogs]

EDIT/UPDATE: Here is a video taken through the eye piece demonstrating menu and function structure and feature effect on a base image.

[youtube]

Initial observations:

Focus is completely digital architecture, so the best image overall in my opinion is 3 clicks left of full sharp (Level 2 DFC)

The polarity modes - I find the 4 interior modes to be most useful, the outer selections seem to effect the entire image and soften the image

I like that you can dim the screen down to off, dependent on situation you can dial it way down and give your eyes a rest and with a flick of a knob be back to a calibrated and set image without startup lag or a need for calibration.

I do not like the fact that the windage and elevation have no indicators or values, I will see how this plays out in zeroing and moving scope from gun to gun.

I like the reticles and the auto (black/white) in addition to green and red. the reticle sharpness to the eye is very clean and tidy - looks too faint in the video, better in scope.

Perhaps my biggest observation that has me looking online for information and looking at the reference cards that came with the unit is Enhanced Target Recognition (ETR), it doesn't seem to do anything inside or outside of the box. I am baffled and this is a feature that I bought into from a marketing (pre-purchase) standpoint.

Color Palettes, I like the purple and green there is not polarity adjustment for these, in fact if you go back to Level 1 menu and adjust polarity it takes you back to white hot / black hot. I would have preferred that if you want to return to white hot / black hot you have to select it from Level 6 in the menu.

Thoughts?
HTXH