Take a look at the innovative optics coming to market from ATN Corp, who’s leading the way in affordable thermal rifle scopes with night vision, smart HD recording, and a multitude of other capabilities.
Each year we try to pay close attention to the new wave of optics that come out of the industry, but it’s admittedly difficult to keep up. But not a year goes by without hearing from ATN Corp, one of our favorite smart optics makers. Their day/night rifle scopes have impressed us from first sight, and the products they’re coming up with to add to those offerings are following suit.
We got to see, up close and in fine detail, three new products ATN is coming out with this year. When the thermal imaging day/night sight, thermal monocular, and clip-on sight were announced, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on them at SHOT Show 2020 to really see what they could do.
After getting a full run through from one of ATN’s experts, we thought some of the features and capabilities of these smart HD optics were pretty awesome. Then we learned about the MSRPs of the new gear. Needless to say, ATN Corp’s year is set to be a big one.
The company is proving that thermal, night vision capabilities aren’t strictly for law enforcement or military operations. When you use them as hunting rifle scopes, game animal scouting tools, and management control devices, there’s a whole new world that can open up to the optics user.
Here are a few more details on the specific things we got to check out, all of which will be available on ATN Corp’s website in good time.
X-Sight LTV Series Day/Night Thermal Imaging Scope
A scaled and slimmed version of the already popular ATN X-Sight 4K Pro, the X-Sight LTV brings forth the new ATN QHD+ M584 Sensor with a resolution of 2688×1944. The vivid, crisp image these scopes produce is like what you’d expect from a high-quality piece of glass. Then you’re reminded of all the extra features.
It’s smaller and lighter than the previous versions, with the new ATN Obsidian LT Core which promotes an expanded battery life. It allows you to record HD video and cycle through multiple reticles. The X-Sight LTV has a 3D gyroscope, a 3D accelerometer, and includes an IR illuminator. Despite all that tech-talk, is still pretty simple to operate.
You can mount this versatile scope on almost anything with standard 30mm rings. Basically, it’s the digital scope for the masses.
OTS LT Thermal HD Monocular
We were able to look through the OTS LT Thermal HD Monocular on the showroom floor, and it really didn’t do the optic justice. Though it was incredible to see how well it worked, we needed the dead of night to really get the full idea.
Still, the monocular’s capabilities spoke for themselves. The same Obsidian LT Core is at work keeping the battery consumption reasonable, and lenses available range from 19mm to 50mm.
The top of the series boasts a human detection range of 1,700 meters and a human identification range of 400 meters. Imagine what that translates to as wildlife detection! Scoping for critters in hunting situations or thick vegetation is the sort of task night vision devices like the OTS LT are made for.
It’s lightweight, can be held in one hand for an extended period of time, and makes game recovery or search and rescue duties far more efficient.
TICO LT Thermal Clip-On Sight
Perhaps the coolest of the new ATN Corp gear was the TICO LT Thermal Clip On Sight. It’s a wonder it’s taken so long for someone to bring this sort of thing to the general public, but to think it can change your entire set up into a night vision-capable machine is really incredible.
For those who can’t manage to part with their rifle scopes, the TICO LT brings thermal straight to your current set up. There’s nothing to zero or adjust; you can just upgrade the optics you’re already comfortable with. Up to 10 hours battery life and 1280×720 resolution thermal imagery are indeed upgrades.
The clip on is versatile and weather resistant, and it’s so easy to attach and detach the TICO LT, that we’ve got some pretty high expectations for this release.
Now that you’ve seen the newest products from ATN Corp, you’re wise to what more and more hunters, shooters, and servicemen and women are learning each season: ATN really is the future of optics.
Prices?
$699 for standard night vision scope
$999 for the thermal scope
$1999 for the clip on thermal monocular.
Video says… $699.
The way thermal keeps coming down in price it will be in the budget long before night vision.
You said, “The way thermal keeps coming down in price it will be in the budget long before night vision.”
Thermal is night vision. It’s simply the best night vision, much better than image intensification or active infrared. Just because it also works in the daytime doesn’t meant it’s not night vision, and the best night vision.
I’ve been using thermal since 1984… on U.S. Army tanks, where I commanded the M60A3 TTS tank (TTS stands for “Tank Thermal Sight”).
Back then, basic night vision scopes for rifles cost as much as a new Mercedes,
and thermal night vision weighed hundreds of pounds so it could only be used in a tank.
Now, thermal is getting so cheap that I’m thinking of getting a thermal monocular just to search for my cat when he sneaks out at night!
Yes yes both at heart pick up in the IR spectrum but if we need to split hairs one is far closer to the visible spectrum than the other and has subtle but noticable capabilities. Also advances in digitized processing and improved sensors have benefitted thermal sensors far more than those that still need image intensification tubes whose digital version is still playing catch up.
Glad to have a company that actually supports the 2A actively selling to the citizens and not just gov/mil/le like flir.
Ironically the mil/le/gov will benefit from it as much as citizens when they have competitive contracts. I wish I could say that would benefit taxpayers but realistically they would use or lose the savings on something else. With that gloom out of the way if the specs perform as advised it’s better than the 20 year old thermals we were issued, 1/4 the mass, and 95% cheaper……… may be time to get a second job.
Governments don’t need cheap prices, they get all the taxes and have all the fiat money in the world.
Procurement and division of the budget would like a word. Ultimately you have the main problem correct but increased efficiency helps sometimes. If we are lucky it helps those it is intended to benefit if not it helps a retired employee that is a consultant for an approved vendor who read up on minimum requirements for ethics regulations.
I bought a gen2 X-sight a few years ago. It cracked around the controls on the second trip to the range. Not banged, not bumped, not misused. Just normal use on a warm day for an hour or two. I tried for months to get warranty support with zero response. Even though the a major retailer discontinued selling the product, they tried to get warranty support from ATN without a response. It appears that ATN’s only interest is selling the next thing with zero warranty or customer support. I suggest that you try to find (good luck) their warranty terms and process before buying an expensive paper weight.
I’ve had nothing but GREAT customer service from them…. not sure if we’re talking about the same company …. they’ve been awesome seems my scope is still going strong 3 years in….
Cool concept! Anybody who ever tracked a deer after dark sees this and is like dam wish I had one a these lol
When the day comes that I can afford thermal, I’ll jump a few and get a hybrid NVG+thermal if they are available. I played with both night vision and thermal in the grunts and I’ll tell you that thermal is hands down more effective at spotting targets than NV. Even a dinky, handheld monocular beats NVGs.
ATN makes good products but I’ve heard their support is basically non-existent if you have problems. WadeJ kinda just compounds it. I personally never had any issues with them in the few instances got to play with thermal optics.
I played with a medium range binocular of some sort, I think it was a FLIR optic, and that thing was amazing. It probably cost more than four years of pay at the time and I still want one to this day. I don’t know what the model was and I still can’t find it. Its probably discontinued for a later gen now.
– just another 0311
Always found the issued thermals ate through batteries to quickly but being a stepchild unit ours were from the mid to late 90’s. Absolutely agree on easier spotting though and the peqs were great in letting everyone else know where to look.
I Have the 4-40 Thor and it the worst thing i ever spent cash on. Its at best unreliable. This is the worst Thermal scope on the market bar none. AVOID AT ALL COSTS.
1 purchased the ThoR 4 640 1.5 X 15 and the ABL 1000. These are mounted on AR as most .have a pixilation problem at zoom 5, the higher the worst it gets, At 1.5 everthing looks good, but I can’t shoot Hog are Coyote at 1.5 magnification at 100yd are more. i’am old folks so I need the zoom to see bullet holes at 50 yds must less 100yds as they show in there video’s .Now to the ABL cant see laser at 8yd to line up rangefinder rectile.Was able to use a work around for ABL sight in, works well
Now to phone support called 3 separate times 20min ,30min and 45min nothing except answering machine telling me I need to update my firmware, my unit came with updated software.Any body have any suggestions i’am all ears LOL.