NV... What type of gun to use ?

NDAR15MAN

NDAR15MAN

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Folks. ... I have had a D760 mounted on a 223 cal bushmaster 16 inch barrel gun the last few years for night hunting. Also have the FLIR64 thermo. All I use it for is coyote hunting and fox hunting. No pigs in states that I hunt in now. Question ... I am thinking about putting NV D760 on single shot Thompson Contender RIFLE or bolt gun for easier use. Does this make since ? I am pushing 60 years old but lots of knee issues and starting to feel that Ar15 guns are getting to be to much of head ache. Big heavy , not that easy for me to operate in dark anymore , little harder to clean at end of year Putting in and to taking out of gun case at night ( got zipper hung up last night ) standard Ar15 cloth case just not wide enough. Might need to have a bigger case built , I like a cloth case better for type of hunting I do. Maybe getting to old to hunt in dark anymore ha ha ha. That happens even if we don't want to admit it. I only night hunt 6 times a year anymore because of knee pain and getting every thing all ready to hunt. Starting to slow down I am afraid. Was wondering if you big time Night Vision hunters are you getting a 2nd or 3rd shot at a animal ? Here in IL and Midwest your lucky even to call one in at night. Now when I retire I can picture my self hunting in warmer western state and southern states for predators but not sure in wild pig states. just wondering if single shot might better for my type of hunting style and age ? Martyd
 
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Most your 16" AR15's come in around 6.5 lbs - 7 lbs without the optic. Unlikely you'll find anything much lighter then that. More times then not,..a quick second shot for me is usually to stop the critter from flopping around on the ground...not in the fur trade and see no reason to let em suffer any longer then necessary. Ole AR's come in pretty handy for that!
 
Sounds like most you guys get 1 good shot with night vision. I have not hunted enough to really have multiple [beeep] at a coyote at night. Martyd
 
Originally Posted By: NDAR15MANFolks. ... I have had a D760 mounted on a 223 cal bushmaster 16 inch barrel gun the last few years for night hunting. Also have the FLIR64 thermo. All I use it for is coyote hunting and fox hunting. No pigs in states that I hunt in now. Question ... I am thinking about putting NV D760 on single shot Thompson Contender RIFLE or bolt gun for easier use. Does this make since ? I am pushing 60 years old but lots of knee issues and starting to feel that Ar15 guns are getting to be to much of head ache. Big heavy , not that easy for me to operate in dark anymore , little harder to clean at end of year Putting in and to taking out of gun case at night ( got zipper hung up last night ) standard Ar15 cloth case just not wide enough. Might need to have a bigger case built , I like a cloth case better for type of hunting I do. Maybe getting to old to hunt in dark anymore ha ha ha. That happens even if we don't want to admit it. I only night hunt 6 times a year anymore because of knee pain and getting every thing all ready to hunt. Starting to slow down I am afraid. Was wondering if you big time Night Vision hunters are you getting a 2nd or 3rd shot at a animal ? Here in IL and Midwest your lucky even to call one in at night. Now when I retire I can picture my self hunting in warmer western state and southern states for predators but not sure in wild pig states. just wondering if single shot might better for my type of hunting style and age ? Martyd
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I hunted with a Rapor6 for few years on a AR15 and was pretty good set-up . . Thompson Contender would be real cool little set-up . If it were me and I was going to switch to a 'Single Feed' to host my D760, I would go 6BR Cal. and never look back .
Now I was going to think a little out of the box, for a 'single Feed' Cal. on my Thompson, I would go .30 Dasher . just because hearing the ...THWaaaaaapp , impact energy of it hitting a dog with pushing a 110 vmax or 125 TNT's, would give me goose bumps .
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Yep. Just thinking about changing to some type of single shot. Been hunting this week and age is catching up with me and these knee replacements. I just don't have the drive like I use too. I am even thinking about selling my night vision. I still have the drive I think but body just not there any more. Heck to be old at age 57. I have aged too early I am afraid. Martyd
 
Sounds like you just need to streamline and go lightweight . Try to get in as close to your area you intend to make your calls and less hike, for less impact on your new Knees you got put in .
. Driving and hiking multiple fields in night for several hours does take it out of you next day . My neck gets sore a lot next day from helmet fatigue on long nights out, and I have had a few past injuries from past start to creep-in and show the older I get . So you going out relaxed once in a while with purpose of making one stand and shooting one Dog with a nice single-shot platform sounds like good hunting .

If you tired of Night Hunting ? . You might want to just switch back to day hunt ..? . There is No Doubt that night hunting takes more energy and more responsibility with handling more equipment on the hunt than Day Hunting . for fact I pack way more crap with weight with me at night than daytime hunting . When I go out in the daytime to hunt Dogs it feels like a relaxing vacation .
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Index finger your right. Thinking about just going back to daylight hunting. The mind says yes to night hunting but the body says no. Heck to be old and bad knees and shoulders at 57, some days feel 77. Martyd
 
I often use my .223 T/C carbine with a sling and a FLIR RS64 for hiking at night on coyote hunts.

Put a picitanny rail on it so I could switch back and forth from my day scope to the FLIR RS-64 since you can save three different rifle settings on the FLIR RS.

It has a Match Grade Machine custom 1:7" twist 16" barrel for shooting custom handloaded 77 grain SMKs.

It is super lightweight and super accurate.

I've also killed some big hogs with it.


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Originally Posted By: NDAR15MANIndex finger your right. Thinking about just going back to daylight hunting. The mind says yes to night hunting but the body says no. Heck to be old and bad knees and shoulders at 57, some days feel 77. Martyd
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another option to make things easier, you could find partner to go halves on the Night hunting. make the other guy drag-out Dogs out of fields . . One guy spotting /call . And One guy shoot & packing the rifle, also makes for lot less crap to pack and lot less energy spent on a Nights Hunt .
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Nice little, short Carbine and easy packing rifle right there .
There is a reason that TC's have held there own and stuck around all these years .
 
Yep nice carbine. That looks like a great set up. Right knee replaced 15 months ago. After 5 months therapy came up short in range of motion. Only 107 degrees. They want at least 120. Knee is still stiff. I think scar tissue has gotten me. They say 1 in 10 or 1 in 15 knee will still have some pain. Going to get a 2nd option on what could be wrong in January . They want to replace other knee but after this one turning out not so good afraid of it. Walking 1 mile at work a day the last 15 months. I would think it would loosen up but has not. I get to ride a scooter otherwise could not make it through day. So hope new dr can get me some answers. All this great predator hunting EQ and just don't feel like going anymore. Thanks for the info guys. Martyd
 
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