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11/20/2025 7:53:18 PM EDT
<$500

No hard use, just to play with and to have the ability to see around the property at night.
11/20/2025 8:06:43 PM EDT
[#1]
Without researching... do any thermal sights come in under $500???
11/20/2025 8:11:28 PM EDT
[#2]
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Quoted:
Without researching... do any thermal sights come in under $500???
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Not sights, but you can get a handheld AGM monocular in that neighborhood.

EDIT: I don't know what the fuck Avant link is, but that's not what I tried to link. Just google "MidwayUSA AGM Thermal Monocular."

There are also used ones on the EE and TacSwap.
11/20/2025 8:17:11 PM EDT
[#3]
I got something for my phone off of amazon.   Works well enough.

I also have a real scope.
11/20/2025 8:18:44 PM EDT
[#4]
AGM Taipan V2 256 is about $550

I'd go with the 320 that can be had for about $630.

If you can find someone with the older Taipan TM they should be clearing them out for less than $500.
11/20/2025 8:23:51 PM EDT
[#5]
I can't say enough good things about thr Rix K2 pocket thermal. I'm outside about every night looking around the property.  It is 399 on Amazon right now.  That is what I paid.  It is normally 499.

If anyone wants to get into thermal cheap buy this now!

11/20/2025 8:47:33 PM EDT
[#6]
I have been researching this very question the past 3 days.
I'm looking for something to find downed game.
I've read several reviews
Right now it looks like a Prodon,  TS400, I think, right in your price range, is the one.
It's $500 from Amazon, but only $388 from Walmart.
11/20/2025 8:51:25 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote History
Quoted:

Not sights, but you can get a handheld AGM monocular in that neighborhood.

EDIT: I don't know what the fuck Avant link is, but that's not what I tried to link. Just google "MidwayUSA AGM Thermal Monocular."

There are also used ones on the EE and TacSwap.
View Quote


The avant link stuff is Brownells bullshit.  They filter links to Midway, Amazon, etc, and stuff their url in front of it so that they get money as the referrer if you follow the link and make a sale.
11/20/2025 9:05:23 PM EDT
[#8]
Sure, but it wont be great.
11/20/2025 9:21:51 PM EDT
[#9]
Quoted:
Sure, but it wont be great.
View Quote

This. Budget higher. $1000 opens more doors. 2k gets you into some good territory.  I have a Bering optics mono 385 that I love.
11/20/2025 9:24:02 PM EDT
[#10]
Cheap thermal and cheap night vision have one thing in common: disappointment.
11/20/2025 9:25:36 PM EDT
[#11]
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Quoted:
Cheap thermal and cheap night vision have one thing in common: disappointment.
View Quote

False. I love cheap NV, and I love expensive NV.

https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/Is-there-any-place-for-a-cheap-digital-night-vision-scope-in-your-arsenal-/5-2820553/

https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/My-first-time-trying-out-NODS-a-few-observations-/5-2822202/

EDIT: I don't actually have REAL expensive NV. Just a lowly PVS 14. When I win the lottery I'll buy quads.
11/20/2025 9:28:16 PM EDT
[#12]
Generally the 2 things you should look for are core resolution i.e. 128, 256, 320, 384, 640 etc. The higher the better, but the other thing is the lens diameter, again bigger is better. You can stuff a fancy core behind some dogshit 9mm lens and the results will be less than stellar.

middle of the road, for 500, if you can find something in the 256/320 range with a non 9mm lens then go for it.
11/20/2025 9:29:32 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote History
Quoted:
Cheap thermal and cheap night vision have one thing in common: disappointment.
View Quote


For an entry level thermal monocular, a $400 AGM is decent. Will you be identifying targets at 100 yards? No. Will you know there's some hot near you? Yes.
11/20/2025 9:49:28 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote History
Quoted:

False. I love cheap NV, and I love expensive NV.

https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/Is-there-any-place-for-a-cheap-digital-night-vision-scope-in-your-arsenal-/5-2820553/

https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/My-first-time-trying-out-NODS-a-few-observations-/5-2822202/

EDIT: I don't actually have REAL expensive NV. Just a lowly PVS 14. When I win the lottery I'll buy quads.
View Quote
Panos have a very niche mission set that they excel at.  Guys that are issued Panos wear them much less than their 31s.
11/20/2025 9:52:37 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote History
Quoted:
Panos have a very niche mission set that they excel at.  Guys that are issued Panos wear them much less than their 31s.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:

False. I love cheap NV, and I love expensive NV.

https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/Is-there-any-place-for-a-cheap-digital-night-vision-scope-in-your-arsenal-/5-2820553/

https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/My-first-time-trying-out-NODS-a-few-observations-/5-2822202/

EDIT: I don't actually have REAL expensive NV. Just a lowly PVS 14. When I win the lottery I'll buy quads.
Panos have a very niche mission set that they excel at.  Guys that are issued Panos wear them much less than their 31s.

Why is that?
11/20/2025 9:53:48 PM EDT
[#16]
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Why is that?
View Quote
They are heavy and bulky.
11/20/2025 9:55:28 PM EDT
[#17]
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They are heavy and bulky.
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Quoted:
Quoted:

Why is that?
They are heavy and bulky.

And the gain in peripheral vision isn't worth it?
11/20/2025 10:02:54 PM EDT
[#18]
Quoted:
<$500

No hard use, just to play with and to have the ability to see around the property at night.
View Quote

I use an AGMTaipan 15-256 for exactly this. In heavy woods it will spot a human farther than los for me (200yds+) here in eastern woodland rolling terrain. Squirrels are visible as hot red to about 75yds or more...further than .22 range. I use it both day and night when hunting.
11/20/2025 10:17:49 PM EDT
[#19]
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And the gain in peripheral vision isn't worth it?
View Quote
In certain scenarios, yes.
11/20/2025 10:58:51 PM EDT
[#20]
Olight has one on sale for Black Friday. I have no experience with it but have been happy with their products.
11/21/2025 9:43:32 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote History
Quoted:

False. I love cheap NV, and I love expensive NV.

https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/Is-there-any-place-for-a-cheap-digital-night-vision-scope-in-your-arsenal-/5-2820553/

https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/My-first-time-trying-out-NODS-a-few-observations-/5-2822202/

EDIT: I don't actually have REAL expensive NV. Just a lowly PVS 14. When I win the lottery I'll buy quads.
View Quote


Ok, so your argument is invalid.
11/21/2025 9:44:32 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote History
Quoted:


For an entry level thermal monocular, a $400 AGM is decent. Will you be identifying targets at 100 yards? No. Will you know there's some hot near you? Yes.
View Quote


You can do that with a $300 device you attach to your cell phone.
11/21/2025 9:49:57 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote History
Quoted:


Ok, so your argument is invalid.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:

False. I love cheap NV, and I love expensive NV.

https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/Is-there-any-place-for-a-cheap-digital-night-vision-scope-in-your-arsenal-/5-2820553/

https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/My-first-time-trying-out-NODS-a-few-observations-/5-2822202/

EDIT: I don't actually have REAL expensive NV. Just a lowly PVS 14. When I win the lottery I'll buy quads.


Ok, so your argument is invalid.

In what way?
11/21/2025 1:30:34 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote History
Quoted:
Olight has one on sale for Black Friday. I have no experience with it but have been happy with their products.
View Quote


I found that, and it is a Topdon not an Olight. Unsure if this is supposed to be a rebrand but they didn't change the photo, or if Olight has some sort of partnership with them. The price appears to be the same across multiple sites.
https://www.olight.com/store/oselect-ts004-thermal-imager
11/21/2025 5:22:12 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote History
Quoted:


You can do that with a $300 device you attach to your cell phone.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:


For an entry level thermal monocular, a $400 AGM is decent. Will you be identifying targets at 100 yards? No. Will you know there's some hot near you? Yes.


You can do that with a $300 device you attach to your cell phone.


That's true. There are obvious trade-offs. The image looks better using my InfiRay T2 Pro than either of the low end AGM thermals I have. That said I tend to grab an AGM to check things around my property over the infiray.

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