Thermal decisions help!!

[theblakester]

Pretty much settled on a Reap-IR for me. Looking for quality back up or 2 not as good back ups that still work. Getting ducks in a row to start side business guiding hunters.
If I take 1 hunter a quality back up thermal is nice. If I take 2 hunters, 2 not as goood scopes would be better... plus if I take one hunter, having the 2nd not as good scope as a spotter would be nice.
For the best price value what should I do? Pros cons?
IRD patrol m300w??

Two pulsar Apex 38??

Two armasight Zeus 3x 336?

Pulsar apex 50/armasight predator?

Pulsar apex 50/ pulsar quantum monocular?

Or. what combination will allow me to do the most for the best price. The more I think about it the more I'm kinda leaning towards the reap and 2 affordable scopes on the side bc one of them could also be used as a monocular but both can be used as scopes if hunters are in separate blinds and not stalking.
Should I buy now with some of the sales? Should I wait until after shot show to see if prices come down on some things??
My head is gonna explode trying to weigh out the pros and cons of all variables lol

 

[Brian Shaffer]

Pulsar Apex XD50a, get two!

I really think this model is the best bang for the buck right now. It isn't the best scope on the market, but it is a very functional scope with a lot of features and as you have seen with Zen Archery, Jake, Lancer, etc. they kill and lot of hogs and yotes with this scope. And particularly if this is for guests, you are going to be having them make 200 yard shots. You are going to most likely be well inside 100 and likely inside 50, right?

 

[ZenArchery]

Apex 50A Picture in Picture is hard to beat man. LOVE IT!

 

[FrankT]

I just put an almost new one in the want ads cheaper than you will ever see one

 

[Taco]

If you are getting a reap-IR why would you need a monocular? If you're just using it as a scope I'm sure you know you could save a lot of cash and buy a 42 or 75 640 Zeus, right?
Taking out people that haven't ever hunted at night scares the S out of me, especially 2! I usually only want them shooting at one pig and stopping. I'd get two 42mm 336 Armasights.

 

[slim_shady]

Acadamy has a Flir 1x thermal spotter for $700. Ive used one a few times, wih practice you can learn to identify live things verses large rocks, stumps etc. Mainly I think they are nice to use while on a stalk, or while sitting in a stand. Also BigRedDog may be able to match or offer a better deal.

 

[Lancer]

Pulsar Apex XD50a, get two!

I really think this model is the best bang for the buck right now. It isn't the best scope on the market, but it is a very functional scope with a lot of features and as you have seen with Zen Archery, Jake, Lancer, etc. they kill and lot of hogs and yotes with this scope. And particularly if this is for guests, you are going to be having them make 200 yard shots. You are going to most likely be well inside 100 and likely inside 50, right?

I actually use the XD38a and love it. But I totally agree with Brian!

 

[Brian Shaffer]

My mistake, Lance, but that is even more of a testament to the capabilities of the Apex platform in general.

 

[rgilbert]

Pulsar Apex XD50a, get two!

I really think this model is the best bang for the buck right now. It isn't the best scope on the market, but it is a very functional scope with a lot of features and as you have seen with Zen Archery, Jake, Lancer, etc. they kill and lot of hogs and yotes with this scope. And particularly if this is for guests, you are going to be having them make 200 yard shots. You are going to most likely be well inside 100 and likely inside 50, right?

+1 on this decision. I really liked the Pulsar that I tested for BRD. I killed several hogs and a couple of yotes with it.

 

[JPK]

I have a 35mm MK II and have been jonesing for a REAP-IR, but I also have an XD 50S for my son or buds. Every time I turn it on to check zero or look through it to make sure it is ready to go for my son or a bud I am re-impressed and reminded that it is all the scope a hunter ever really needs.

You can use your REAP-IR as a spotter, and with the DLOC mount you can mount it quickly, easily and by feel if you block the rail so it will only go back where you want it to. That is how I used my Patrol when I had it.

The Pulsars are big and awkwardly shaped for a spotter, but with a UNV DLOC mount it could be used and go back on the rifle pretty quickly. (If the Pulsars came in a compact, streamlined package with a good QD mount, like the IR D units, there would be no reason to look at anything else! The UNV DLOC mount takes care of the one issue, but the scopes are really big and fugly.)

Fwiw, My son and I hunt with a guide in GA who does night thermal hunts. We bring our own gear, but he provides it to those who don't have it. Last we hunted with him his gear consisted of a 320? pan and tilt unit on the roof of his 4wd van, a 320 handheld spotter, a spare 160 hand held spotter (don't recall which units,) a Zeuss 640 and two 320's, I think. Three shooter max, and he isn't one of the shooter, he is minding the customers.

Taco, with two or three guy lined up shoulder to shoulder shooting off tripods, with given fields of fire (60* arc,) and a minder, it's safe. Same as a duck blind.

JPK

 

[theblakester]

I appreciate the input yall.

If you are getting a reap-IR why would you need a monocular? If you're just using it as a scope I'm sure you know you could save a lot of cash and buy a 42 or 75 640 Zeus, right?
Taking out people that haven't ever hunted at night scares the S out of me, especially 2! I usually only want them shooting at one pig and stopping. I'd get two 42mm 336 Armasights.

My experience taking friends has lead me to believe that I should have a good thermal for identifying at farther distances. the reap eliminates having to point a gun everywhere to look around, swap guns/gear between hunters and/or myself in the dark and would get us on the hogs faster without as much guesswork, and discussion, lost time, noise and lost animals. I think this is a safer approach. With two guests, I won't be shooting and will be focused on keeping an eye on them/safety and finding/identifying hogs without having to point any rifles at anything so we can stalk in safely quickly and quietly. then all the hunters would have to do is set up in the shooting sticks, take off the safety and shoot on zero while I watched their lines of fire. The inexperienced hunters won't be switching gear around in the dark fumbling with stuff passing back and forth which would cause more safety issues, noise and missed shooting opportunities.

JPK
I will look into the Dloc for the apex units.
Saving a few thousand dollars on an apex that returns to zero and could work as a monocular that's big and awkward to hold seems like the best compromise/trade off. I agree that it would be more ideal to have a smaller handier package do both, but not for a couple extra thousand dollars.

Might look into an apex xd50a (or the used one xd50s franks friend posted) along with an apex xd38a. The 38a wider field of view would make a good back up spotter and the better image of the 50 would make a better shooting option for 1 other hunter. Plus the pulsars are super easy to use and have a solid price point.

 

[Jake]

+1 on the Apex. Hard to beat for sure, get 2 38s. I'm using the 50a and 75a now but I've looked through the 38a on a couple different occasions and I really don't see much difference in image, just a little less magnification. All you are losing is ID range. As you have seen, Lancer is a doggone murderer with the 38a.