Pulsar Thermion XM30

[cazorp]

G'day 9,3x64

Correct, I'm unsure what height these are, but I'm quite sure they're "high" rings, so roughly 10 mm "base to tube".

Cheers,

[9.3x64]

G'day 9,3x64

Correct, I'm unsure what height these are, but I'm quite sure they're "high" rings, so roughly 10 mm "base to tube".

Cheers,

Thanks mate, I think it is part number C8800005, but am unsure.
You don’t have the original packaging by any chance?

[cazorp]

I'm afraid I don't - I just measured with my Mitutoyo caliper and it reads 8.95 mm from Base to Tube (bottom), so this ballpark clearance figures required to make this work with Blaser and Thermion XP50, I don't consider my mount too high to work without an adjustable cheek rest either, so I'm happy with this setup.

[9.3x64]

I'm afraid I don't - I just measured with my Mitutoyo caliper and it reads 8.95 mm from Base to Tube (bottom), so this ballpark clearance figures required to make this work with Blaser and Thermion XP50, I don't consider my mount too high to work without an adjustable cheek rest either, so I'm happy with this setup.

Thankyou, very much appreciated.

[Sigsako]

Anyone else bit the bullet and invested in a Thermion?
The release of the new XQ38 and XQ50 has definitely upped the game and breached that middle ground between the XM and XP variants.
Tempted in an upgrade

[9.3x64]

Anyone else bit the bullet and invested in a Thermion?
The release of the new XQ38 and XQ50 has definitely upped the game and breached that middle ground between the XM and XP variants.
Tempted in an upgrade

So now they make three models, XM, XQ, XP?
Do you know what the difference is between the three models?

[9.3M03]

Going by the prices I’d say the image quality would increase XQ to XM to XP. It’s very difficult to do an apples to apples comparison the table below shows all 50mm objectives. But you notice the resolutions, pixel pitch and magnification ranges vary between the models.

D45EB3E6-E9BE-4494-9E8D-0C81FC7D284E.jpeg

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

If you look at the promo shots of the F455 you’ll se that the scope has to be in a high mount so the NV can be attached and clear the barrel. So not only do you have a crap cheek weld with your NV but with the day scope as well
For the same $$ a N450 or N455 and an Innomount Blaser Mount gives you another system and you can leave the day scope in low rings. You will still need an adjustable stock like a GRS to get the optimal cheek weld

Yes spot on. I spoke to the importer today and he told me a similar thing. Thermion is the way to go if you can afford it.

I have a KKC stock - so adjustment should not be an issue. In any event, in the UK my intended game is deer for which I need visual identification of species and sex to make sure I am shooting within seasonal restrictions. NV does not do that well enough. But having gone out with a friend with an Helion XP50 it makes a massive difference in revealing the presence of deer in a woodland setting or in foggy/misty conditions. Maybe Santa will have a surprise for me.

Curious how far you are stretching your shots if thermal enables you to sex and age deer on the hoof but the NV doesn’t?
I’m spotting with a Flir and shooting with a Pulsar NV. The Flir is good for picking up a deer moving in grass long before I can get a clean shot but without fiddling with the resolution I find I’m hard pressed to make out antlers.

[9.3x64]

Going by the prices I’d say the image quality would increase XQ to XM to XP. It’s very difficult to do an apples to apples comparison the table below shows all 50mm objectives. But you notice the resolutions, pixel pitch and magnification ranges vary between the models.

D45EB3E6-E9BE-4494-9E8D-0C81FC7D284E.jpeg

Thanks, I notice the XM has the longest detection range though...

[Sigsako]

Thermals are a bit of a prick of a thing to get your head around.
All of the technical jargon can be very confusing.
As far as the Thermions go don’t take the view that one is better than the other, they all (xm, xq, xp) all have a positive and negative.
XP, is the pick, but only if you want low base mag and huge field of view.
If you want greater mag, go the XM, but way less field of view and in reality not that much less visual quality thanks to differing internals.
The XQ is middle ground, low base mag, not as low as the XP, and still great visual quality.

Not worth getting caught up in the detection range deal. Seeing a white or black blob at 1500m means nothing. Identification range is very different and that’s where the mag factor comes into it.
Pulsar have been very smart in their marketing with these which has resulted in something for everyone. No different really to buying a day scope. You either want high mag or low, or something in between.

The one thing that I can share from experience is that low mag, and I’m talking a base mag of 2x, is more than enough for a thermal scope.
The XQ will sell very well thanks to its lower end mag and mid range price.

[Ado]

At work we are currently running Pulsar Digital NV and Flir thermal spotters.

Out of curiosity, which Flir unit(s) do you use?

[9.3x64]

Thermals are a bit of a prick of a thing to get your head around.
All of the technical jargon can be very confusing.
As far as the Thermions go don’t take the view that one is better than the other, they all (xm, xq, xp) all have a positive and negative.
XP, is the pick, but only if you want low base mag and huge field of view.
If you want greater mag, go the XM, but way less field of view and in reality not that much less visual quality thanks to differing internals.
The XQ is middle ground, low base mag, not as low as the XP, and still great visual quality.

Not worth getting caught up in the detection range deal. Seeing a white or black blob at 1500m means nothing. Identification range is very different and that’s where the mag factor comes into it.
Pulsar have been very smart in their marketing with these which has resulted in something for everyone. No different really to buying a day scope. You either want high mag or low, or something in between.

The one thing that I can share from experience is that low mag, and I’m talking a base mag of 2x, is more than enough for a thermal scope.
The XQ will sell very well thanks to its lower end mag and mid range price.

That makes a bit more easy to understand, thanks.
I would think that you don’t really need much magnification, I certainly can’t see the need for 22 power for night shooting.

[Sigsako]

Thermals are a bit of a prick of a thing to get your head around.
All of the technical jargon can be very confusing.
As far as the Thermions go don’t take the view that one is better than the other, they all (xm, xq, xp) all have a positive and negative.
XP, is the pick, but only if you want low base mag and huge field of view.
If you want greater mag, go the XM, but way less field of view and in reality not that much less visual quality thanks to differing internals.
The XQ is middle ground, low base mag, not as low as the XP, and still great visual quality.

Not worth getting caught up in the detection range deal. Seeing a white or black blob at 1500m means nothing. Identification range is very different and that’s where the mag factor comes into it.
Pulsar have been very smart in their marketing with these which has resulted in something for everyone. No different really to buying a day scope. You either want high mag or low, or something in between.

The one thing that I can share from experience is that low mag, and I’m talking a base mag of 2x, is more than enough for a thermal scope.
The XQ will sell very well thanks to its lower end mag and mid range price.

That makes a bit more easy to understand, thanks.
I would think that you don’t really need much magnification, I certainly can’t see the need for 22 power for night shooting.

Absolutely. Unless you want to shoot out to 1k with your 338LM.
One thing to add.
When evaluating thermal capability and what is best suited to the end user, it needs to be acknowledged that with every unit it’s best performance is at its base mag.
With the XP50, at base mag it has great field of view and clarity. At 4x all that has happened is that your 2x picture has doubled in size, the processing of the image is not reworked to get clearer it has just doubled in size.
Best example is to open a picture on your computer in the paint program. Image looks great at 100% but try it at 500% and your just looking at colour blocks and no definition.

So if considering a thermal it’s best to start at your desired mag range then go from there, then find a good human organ broker on the dark web and get a good price for the body part that needs to be sold.
If you have use for one (thermal) they are priceless.

[shoots100]

I have an XP38 and it's a great thermal for the wooded terrain I hunt. 640 resolution with low base magnification and a great FOV.
In open fields, you want 640 resolution with a higher base magnification.
With thermal, resolution and the size of the germanium objective glass are the key factor's in determining it's price.
The higher the resolution and bigger OD glass, the more it's gonna cost.
The XP model has 640 resolution at it's lowest magnification, XM starts with 384.
So when you double the magnification, you cut the resolution in half.
Starts at 640 at 4x, double to 8x, it's 320 resolution.
Unless you spend mucho mucho bucks on a cooled unit, an uncooled thermal scope for long range shooting isn't going to have the clarity for positive ID of a target.
You'll know something is alive out there, but not what it is.
SJC

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

At work we are currently running Pulsar Digital NV and Flir thermal spotters.

Out of curiosity, which Flir unit(s) do you use?

The Breach monocular. You can tell a deer from a roo but seeing antlers is a bit of a stretch. You also pay for the ability to carry it in a shirt pocket in terms of battery life.