Tip on sighting in thermal sight

Three 44s

New member
Hey all,

I just bought a thermal scope (ATN Thor) from a friend who had to generate some cash in a hurry. I had been using it as a spotter in the past to amazing results so I was already familiar with that capability but I had only sighted it in once before and used the handwarmer trick (it was winter time and cold).

But now we are in full summer temps and the though occurred to me that electric friction tape might work.

In full sun at 98 degrees F the tape warmed up pretty fast. I was shooting at only 35 yds thus far but the e tape worked well.

Another bonus was seeing the heat signature of each hit on the taped background for a few seconds.

I can not tell whether I will be able to see the contrast at greater ranges until I try it. But for my “money” and not having the hand warmers on hand at the moment, the electric tape worked under the stated conditions.

Best regards

Three 44s
 
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Ice is what I use in warm weather. White hot, it glows black, black hot it glows white. I use a sandwich baggie, put enough water in it to make a 1/4" thick pack and freeze overnight.
I use 1/2" insulation foam board with a 1" square hole in the center, tape the ice pack to the back. Put a strip of duct tape over the hole so you can see the POI. It is hard to see the exact POI in the ice pack after you hit it the first time without the tape.
I can easily see the 1" square ice glow at 100 yards through my Trijicon.
 
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I do similar with frozen water ballons. Fill them up to about the size of a golf ball or slightly bigger then staple them to the shooting board.
 
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Originally Posted By: Kevinfarmer3456I do similar with frozen water ballons. Fill them up to about the size of a golf ball or slightly bigger then staple them to the shooting board.

That sounds like it is a lot easier than what I am doing. I'm going to try it.
 
Originally Posted By: 1trkyhntrOriginally Posted By: Kevinfarmer3456I do similar with frozen water ballons. Fill them up to about the size of a golf ball or slightly bigger then staple them to the shooting board.

That sounds like it is a lot easier than what I am doing. I'm going to try it. yea, it works pretty good. Nice thing is you can also use normal balloons and fill them up really large for long range shots or small for close precision shots.
 
If there is any downside with the electric tape it is that it tends to self heal rendering the bullet holes less visible but they do glow immediately after impact from the heat transfer as the bullet passes through.

As far as the frozen popcicle targets, I wonder about saturating a sponge or a high density foam and freezing that?

I want something that takes more of a lickin’

The water ballon looks promising. Just take an ice chest full of them and keep hanging them up.

Best regards

Three 44s
 
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,I have been using can lids cut from bean cans and such that my wife gets at the grocery store. I attach the lids to a cardboard backing via a nail at the top.
Then I use a small hand-held butane lighter that I purchased from WallyWorld, and heat the can lid for maybe 2 seconds. It doesn't take much and the lid will
glow like a neon sign. It cools down quickly but stays hot long enough for a couple of shots at closer ranges. I always walk to the target after a couple of shots
anyway to check POI, so I give it another short burst of butane.

This can lid target works for me, but then also I have only mounted the Pulsar Apex XQ30 on my Ruger 10/22 so far, and shots have only been 35 yards, so I
didn't have far to walk. Still, I think using this at 100 yards will work but may have to heat it a couple of seconds more to make it last since the lids cool
down quickly. It's cheap to do and bullet impact is easily seen. When the lid cools just a little, I can see the glow when a bullet hits just for two seconds or so.

These particular can lids are 2 5/8" diameter. The top target was for sighting and then a few shots for grouping. The second target is at 35 yards from the 10/22 and CCI Mini Mags.

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I have also tried placing the can lids in the freezer to cool them, but that doesn't work as well for me. They don't remain cool very long
and in short order I can no longer see the target. I much prefer the heating method.




 
Not to sound like a Pulsar fanboy but...

I really like the "one shot zero" feature of the Pulsar Trail that I have.

Basically you put your cross-hairs on the target and take a shot. Then line up your cross hair again and "freeze" the image. Next you just move the X to your bullet hole and the Trail will move your cross hairs to the bullet hole. Your done.

Instead of adjusting the reticle to the center of your target you move the reticle to the bullet hole.

Actually this same concept works with day scopes too.
 
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Tinfoil works but I've had better success with using a torch to heat up 3/8" steel plates. The thicker plates hold heat for quite a while and with a little paint they are just like new again. I was using white paint but my plates face the sun so I painted them black to see if they will soak up enough heat from the sun to glow without the torch, but I haven't had time to try it yet.
 
I keep a propane torch with me and I heat up an 8" steel target thats painted. Satisfying to smack steel with thermal. Especially at night.
 

Over the last few weeks I have been setting up a thermal sight-in range along with one of my landowners. He has a good location to shoot out to 200 yards and the best part is the the entire length is under some huge oak trees that provide some much needed shade.

My goal was to provide a solid thermal background for some 8 inch AR500 steel plates and see whether hot or cold steel was the way to go. I tried different insulation board and found that the white styrofoam allowed for the steel plates to stand out well enough to shoot with no heating on a 90 degree summer day and they were mostly shaded. I also bought a magnetic overlay which will allow you to paint target lines on the steel for working with day scopes.

I did buy a small torch to heat the plates a little when needed but for now they are working well just from ambient summer heat against the foam backdrop. I use the plates mostly for checking zero on my scopes and for initial sight-in I use hand warmers under a shoot-N-C target. I use 100 yards for my sight-in range.

We bought one of these portable shooting tables and it seems to be good enough for our setup.

http://www.mtmcase-gard.com/products/shooting/hunting-products-pst-11.html

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I tested different foam board to find the best thermal backdrop.

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Once I get my POI adjusted I shoot 3 rounds @ 100 yards into a 4 inch plate just to make sure I am shooting MOH (minute of hog).

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Originally Posted By: rustybucketWhich foam board had the best thermal backdrop?

If you look at the 2 pieces on the left in the pic one is white and one is silver side. (Got it at Lowes) They are both the same insulation board reversed and the plain white side worked the best on the hot sunny day I tried them. (Targets partially shaded) The foam did not absorb any heat but the plates did so I could see them without heating.

If your target is in direct sunlight you could also take the silver side of the insulation board and let it get hot and dip the steel plates in ice water.

 
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