How to sight in a thermal scope?
Unlike regular rifle scopes that depend on visible light, thermal imaging translates infrared radiation into images you can see. So you've got no visible reticle aiming at a heat blob target. It's weird. The good news is ATN thermal scopes have features to make sighting way easier.
What You Need
Before heading to the range, grab:
- ATN Thermal Scope: Duh. Make sure the battery is charged.
- Range: Clear some space to set targets from 20 to 100 yards.
- Rifle Rest: Bench rest, tripod, bag, or anything to keep your gun stable while sighting in. No shaky hands allowed.
- Ammo: Stick with the rounds you plan to use in the field. Match ammo to targets.
- Target: Battery-powered ones are ideal but expensive. Get creative with foil, cardboard, even a hot water bottle at shorter ranges. The hotter, the better for visibility. Or you can just use ATN Thermal Target - it will do the job, and there is no need to bother yourself with what to use for sighting.
| Target Type | Distance | Durability | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | Long | Reusable | $$$ |
| Foil | Short | Fragile | $ |
| Hot Water Bottle | Very Short | Reusable | $$ |
The main advantage of using ATN Thermal Target, besides that you don't need to gamble what will work for your thermal scope, is that you can zero your scope very precisely. Using a hot water bottle at 100 yards can give you up to 5 MOA shifts, while thermal target will allow you to zero your scope with sub moa dimensions.
ATN Scope Features
ATN thermal scopes are packed with features to make the bizarre task of thermal sighting easier including:
- One-Shot Zero: After entering your weapon profile, aim center mass, fire one shot, and the scope auto-calibrates crosshairs to align with bullet impact. Easy as pie and way faster than fiddling with turrets to dial it in.
- Ballistic calculator: No you don't need to keep in your mind at what distance your zero. After zeroing, the scope will automatically calculate the drop once you enter the shooting distance.
- Profile Manager: Save weapon profiles (ammo types, etc.) right in the scope. Instantly change between rifles without re-zeroing by loading the appropriate profile.
Getting On Target
Once your target and gear are prepped, it's time to dial in your electronic eyeball.
Step 1 - Mount and Position: Mount your ATN scope. Adjust for eye relief and alignment like traditional scopes before tightening everything down.
Step 2 - Adjust Settings: Dial in scope settings like brightness, contrast, zoom level for optimal visibility.
Step 3 - Range Target: Range your target with the rangefinder. Input distance into ATN scope for auto-calibration.
Step 4 - Fire and Adjust: Center crosshairs on target, fire shot, check impact. Use ATN's one-shot zero or manually nudge reticle onto bullet hole with buttons. Repeat until precisely sighted in.
Step 5 - Save Profiles: Input weapon parameters into ATN scope profile manager to save zeroing settings for quick swapping among rifles without losing your carefully calibrated aim.
Conclusion
Once sighted in, your ATN scope should automatically calibrate when ranging targets in the field, even as light and weather shift. Your only job is to enjoy effortlessly putting heat-signatures in your crosshairs thanks to ATN's thermal technology doing the heavy lifting.
So grab your favorite blaster, strap on an ATN heat-caster scope, dial in your digital aiming dot, and get ready to spot some critters! Just remember what your mama taught you...don't shoot it unless you plan to eat it. Happy hunting!
