Day or night

bman940 · #1 08-28-2023, 10:40 AM

Hunting coyotes and pigs are two of my favorite things to do with a rifle. I put this pair together a few years ago to make it easy on me, no matter what I'm after. Heck, even deer hunting, I have to remember a 5-round mag, and all is good. This set-up is a CMMG lower and 2 CMMG uppers. 1 topped with an ATN thermal and the other with a Riton Optic 5 Primal 2-12X44 MOA reticle. The daylight optic is a proven performer, having taken down several fawn eaters past 400 yards and multiple swine from 25 to 300 yards away. It's so easy to swap out uppers and be ready for whatever critters appear. My other new favorite hog rig is a Brown Precision .375 H&H, no longer just for the Dark Continent.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/p46hg...di9ony9zk&dl=0

elkhunter11 · #2 08-28-2023, 11:18 AM

Unfortunately, we aren't allowed to hunt hogs or coyotes at night in Alberta. We can't even target shoot at night, other than at a range approved for night shooting.

Coiloil37 · #3 08-28-2023, 01:12 PM

Nice looking rigs. A 375 of any flavour seems heavy for hogs but you do you.

What gen of ATN are you using and do you rate it? As elk said, night hunting in Alberta is forbidden. Since moving here though it’s pretty much the only shooting we do. Either under a spotlight or with thermal. The only daylight work I’ve done here is from a chopper and the last few minutes of daylight before dark. I have mates with thermal scopes and my main pig hunting buddy who I hunt with using his dogs has thermal on a drone and both are game changers. The tech these days is absolutely unreal. My next purchase is a thermal scope and I suspect the fifth gen ATN will be a top contender but I haven’t seen one in person yet.

bman940 · #4 08-28-2023, 03:43 PM

I knew Canada had a lot of regs for hunting, but I thought maybe coyotes in Alberta would be fair game anytime! I am very happy with my ATN Thor 5 640 optic. It was state of the art, lol, 3 years ago. It has taken a few doz swine, coyotes, and bobcats. Not to mention armadillos and possums, tho I usually let them go since they eat snakes. My Riton Optic has enough light transmission that I have used it with a 3/4 moon to shoot pigs 100 yards away. Pretty impressive. I agree that the .375 H&H is over doing it, but is there such a thing as overkill? I don't think so. It keeps it from just sitting in my safe doing nothing, and at the range, I can always find someone who wants to pull the trigger behind it. At sub 7 pounds with the optic, it stings a bit.

Coiloil37 · #5 08-28-2023, 04:24 PM

Any more modern or technically advanced thermal options you’re aware of? Or, at that price point are they still a top contender? I stumbled onto ATN because I was wondering what the US military used. I also don’t want to spend more then ~10k AUD on it. Shep with his thermal optics on his drone has $40k spent and I’m not THAT into it. He’s a loner and I’ve got a wife and kids if you catch my drift.

Locally we have a lot of Asian, Russian and domestic thermal brands but ATN or American made are nearly unavailable. On local forums and the guys I hunt with they only discuss what’s available locally, a form of tunnel vision most suffer from.
I honestly expect to buy one in Canada or the US and bring it home with me in my carry on. It’s not because the locally available brands suck but I don’t think they’re the best on the global market at that price point.

fordtruckin · #6 08-28-2023, 09:10 PM

What can are you running? It looks like an AAC or Sig??

bman940 · #7 08-29-2023, 09:37 AM

Many good Thermal options are out there, and the prices have decreased significantly. You no longer need to spend even $6K to get something good. I have been happy with ATN for my needs. I'm familiar with them and go back to their old night vision optics that attach to your daylight scope.
Yes, that is an AAC SDN 7.62 suppressor. I have had it for at least ten years. I like the ratchet-style attachment and how easy it is to take on and off. I also use their SDN 5.56 model.

fordtruckin · #8 08-29-2023, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bman940

Many good Thermal options are out there, and the prices have decreased significantly. You no longer need to spend even $6K to get something good. I have been happy with ATN for my needs. I'm familiar with them and go back to their old night vision optics that attach to your daylight scope.
Yes, that is an AAC SDN 7.62 suppressor. I have had it for at least ten years. I like the ratchet-style attachment and how easy it is to take on and off. I also use their SDN 5.56 model.

I have a silencerco omega 30 and a specter 2. I’d like to get a dedicated 556 can next. Problem is I wanted the aac m4000 and they stoped making it. May go with the saker. Shooting Suppressed is fantastic and I’m glad to see more folks hunting with them. Bust some of the stupid Hollywood myths of suppressors!!

bman940 · #9 08-30-2023, 08:01 AM

I have been a fan of the AAC suppressors for a long time. I also have Liberty, Dead Air and Gentec for my rimfires. AAC 556 SD is no longer available, and when I spoke to AAC, they wanted more $ to upgrade my cans to their new Ranger style than I paid for them, no thanks. I have a few .300 Win I've considered getting threaded, but they are all .5 MOA, and I can't bring myself to take a chance on ruining that. Especially since I only hunt with them, and it is always just 1 shot.

Big Grey Wolf · #10 08-30-2023, 10:22 AM

How do you get rid of a fox bothering your pheasant pens at night without discharging a firearm?

yoteblaster · #11 08-30-2023, 01:30 PM

Arrow

walking buffalo · #12 08-30-2023, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoteblaster

Arrow

Nope. That is illegal too.

Trap it.

fordtruckin · #13 08-30-2023, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bman940

I have been a fan of the AAC suppressors for a long time. I also have Liberty, Dead Air and Gentec for my rimfires. AAC 556 SD is no longer available, and when I spoke to AAC, they wanted more $ to upgrade my cans to their new Ranger style than I paid for them, no thanks. I have a few .300 Win I've considered getting threaded, but they are all .5 MOA, and I can't bring myself to take a chance on ruining that. Especially since I only hunt with them, and it is always just 1 shot.

The AAC QD mount system is pretty sweet. I got rid of the SilencerCo QD on my Omega and do direct thread as it gives me the shortest length and lowest weight. I find that while it does change your point of impact, you probably won't lose much for accuracy. Maybe gain some due to the reduction in recoil and noise. ON the other hand, at .5MOA already, what is it worth to you to find out? Having hunted the past 4 years with my can, I can't imagine not having it on a range rifle or hunting rifle. Took a doe a few years back in front of an old timer and he was blown away telling his wife afterwards that he was saving $$ to get one. Whenever I have to shoot my 716 or 375 for work, I feel uncivilized!