Thermal - anyone have a FLIR BREACH PTQ136?

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  • Norton

    NRA Endowment Member, Rifleman
    Staff member
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    May 22, 2005
    122,848
    I've been going back and forth on some optics gear looking at PVS-14, an ACOG and then went down the rabbit hole of looking at thermal.

    It looks like the technology is trickling down to some price points where normal people can get into the game. I'm beginning to think I want to go that way first and then get a PVS14 since those are out there from many manufacturers.

    Anyone running a FLIR Breach PTQ136?

    https://tnvc.com/shop/flir-breach-ptq136/

    A little cheaper than some of the Scouts and it comes ready to be helmet mounted if I decide to go that way.

    If nothing else, I can go Sasquatch spotting at the Undisclosed Location. :D
     

    h2u

    Village Idiot
    Jul 8, 2007
    6,693
    South County
    Not familiar with that model. Just be cautious as I believe FLIR stopped selling to the civilian market recently. So I’m not sure how any warranty issue might be handled.

    But they’re are several other solid manufacturers out there should you decide to move in another direction.
     

    Ski169

    Active Member
    May 28, 2012
    939
    No experience with thermal imaging outside of vehicle mounted (helicopter) units. But I did see this that combines NV and thermal into one unit. Granted, the price is a huge turnoff but you get what you pay for. If I had this kind of money burning a hole in my pocket, I’d get on the list. In the meantime, my PVS-14 meets my needs.

    https://tnvc.com/shop/optics1-e-coti/
     

    Silverlax

    Active Member
    Nov 13, 2014
    518
    Eastern Shore
    I've been looking deeper into this for a while. There is a guy on youtube called Nitewalker that uses one and he found a mount that would allow a pvs 14 and a flir breach to be helmet mounted and allow your brain to pair the images together. I think this is the best of both worlds without spending $6000 on a coti mount and still having a "full screen" thermal image. This would give you a great option when you decide to purchase the pvs 14 later on.

    https://youtu.be/R6LFYnlR30s

    https://youtu.be/Nmslu6RvjPM
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    The problem with FLIR is that you can't use it and walk through the woods as you can't discern what is on the ground.
     

    nedsurf

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 8, 2013
    2,204
    Yes. Used that exact model on the job. It is a good portable and light model I used for finding people and animals. It has decent clarity and one can discern how many people deer or whatever are in a group. It has many color options but found them to be too complicated and stuck with white hot or black hot modes. The zoom is okay but slow to react to pressing the button. Only real complaint is it goes through CR123 batteries very quickly so carry extras and change out for each mission/outing lasting more than a couple hours.

    If you are looking to buy a bunch for the job, my purchasing people managed to negotiate a purchase of five for $2,000 in their usual end of fiscal year buying spree.
     

    GASSMAN

    Member
    Feb 14, 2009
    70
    I don't know much about FLIR brand, but I just got a Pulsar xq38 scope and I love it for what I am using it for, which is coyote's/fox at under 200 yards. I really wanted the xp50 which has higher resolution but couldn't justify it for an extra $1,700 for shots under 200 yards...
     

    Norton

    NRA Endowment Member, Rifleman
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    May 22, 2005
    122,848
    Not familiar with that model. Just be cautious as I believe FLIR stopped selling to the civilian market recently. So I’m not sure how any warranty issue might be handled.

    But they’re are several other solid manufacturers out there should you decide to move in another direction.

    Just for these models, or all of their line? I see the Scouts everywhere.
     

    Norton

    NRA Endowment Member, Rifleman
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    May 22, 2005
    122,848
    No experience with thermal imaging outside of vehicle mounted (helicopter) units. But I did see this that combines NV and thermal into one unit. Granted, the price is a huge turnoff but you get what you pay for. If I had this kind of money burning a hole in my pocket, I’d get on the list. In the meantime, my PVS-14 meets my needs.

    https://tnvc.com/shop/optics1-e-coti/

    Yeah, that's a lot to swallow at one sitting, but definitely cool.
     

    Norton

    NRA Endowment Member, Rifleman
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    May 22, 2005
    122,848
    I've been looking deeper into this for a while. There is a guy on youtube called Nitewalker that uses one and he found a mount that would allow a pvs 14 and a flir breach to be helmet mounted and allow your brain to pair the images together. I think this is the best of both worlds without spending $6000 on a coti mount and still having a "full screen" thermal image. This would give you a great option when you decide to purchase the pvs 14 later on.

    https://youtu.be/R6LFYnlR30s

    https://youtu.be/Nmslu6RvjPM

    I know that they can be bridged between the thermal and the PVS14, but I thought that it was one or the other.
     

    Norton

    NRA Endowment Member, Rifleman
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    May 22, 2005
    122,848
    The problem with FLIR is that you can't use it and walk through the woods as you can't discern what is on the ground.

    True this. I was thinking that if these are available now, and perhaps limited, it would be a better plan to get this first and then the PVS14.

    Was thinking that it would be good for Sasquatch spotting at the Undisclosed Location, or at the very least coyotes. But, it would have other applications later on along with the night vision.

    I dunno, I get spooled up on this stuff and then I think about the things I need to fix around the house and my adult voice takes over.
     

    bibitor

    Kulak
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 10, 2017
    1,894
    FEMA Region III
    True this. I was thinking that if these are available now, and perhaps limited, it would be a better plan to get this first and then the PVS14.

    Was thinking that it would be good for Sasquatch spotting at the Undisclosed Location, or at the very least coyotes. But, it would have other applications later on along with the night vision.

    I dunno, I get spooled up on this stuff and then I think about the things I need to fix around the house and my adult voice takes over.

    Yeah, my adult voice is a real SOB, but I'm glad he's around...most of the time anyway.
     

    Norton

    NRA Endowment Member, Rifleman
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    May 22, 2005
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    Yes. Used that exact model on the job. It is a good portable and light model I used for finding people and animals. It has decent clarity and one can discern how many people deer or whatever are in a group. It has many color options but found them to be too complicated and stuck with white hot or black hot modes. The zoom is okay but slow to react to pressing the button. Only real complaint is it goes through CR123 batteries very quickly so carry extras and change out for each mission/outing lasting more than a couple hours.

    If you are looking to buy a bunch for the job, my purchasing people managed to negotiate a purchase of five for $2,000 in their usual end of fiscal year buying spree.

    That's what kind info I was hoping to get a better sense of. I had read how battery hungry they are, but it looks like there's some rechargeable options that save you from eating up those CR123s too fast.

    I'm no operator, so this is really just for fun at the land with the option that it could be purposed for more important duties, unlike the FLIR Scouts.
     

    Norton

    NRA Endowment Member, Rifleman
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    May 22, 2005
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    I don't know much about FLIR brand, but I just got a Pulsar xq38 scope and I love it for what I am using it for, which is coyote's/fox at under 200 yards. I really wanted the xp50 which has higher resolution but couldn't justify it for an extra $1,700 for shots under 200 yards...

    That looks nice. if I were going to go bucks deep for a weapon mounted option, I would be looking at the IR/Trijicons, I think.

    I like the this little FLIR is small and can be stashed in a pocket or small pouch.
     

    Norton

    NRA Endowment Member, Rifleman
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    Yeah, my adult voice is a real SOB, but I'm glad he's around...most of the time anyway.

    We have a couple of projects here that need to be done and I want to spend some money on the road at the Undisclosed Location, so I'll have to maybe just make an envelope and put some cash in it until I have the coin for this.
     
    Sep 21, 2018
    6
    Flir got out of the outdoor industry. The scouts can be found because I don’t think they were popular or seen as a good “bang for your buck” against pulsar when it comes to monoculars. The breaches pop up new on ebay but aren’t around long.

    I looked into one myself at one point but didn’t wanna spend the money for the unit and helmet setup but, what I found was it was popular amongst helmet mounted units. There aren’t many other options for helmet mounted thermals that your wallet would like. The iray is popular but I believe north of 5k.

    I have an AGM monocular for coyote and fox hunting which is very comparable to the flir units because they use a flir sensor. You might want to give them a look. I’m not certain if they have a smaller helmet mountable unit though.
     

    Norton

    NRA Endowment Member, Rifleman
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    May 22, 2005
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    This guy does a nice comparison of the general capabilities and limitations of thermal vs. night vision.

    I didn't know about the glass thing.

    He needs to be careful walking around at night in that ghillie suit. He looks like a midget Sasquatch. :lol2:

     

    KIBarrister

    Opinionated Libertarian
    MDS Supporter
    Apr 10, 2013
    3,923
    Kent Island/Centreville
    Not familiar with that model. Just be cautious as I believe FLIR stopped selling to the civilian market recently. So I’m not sure how any warranty issue might be handled.

    But they’re are several other solid manufacturers out there should you decide to move in another direction.

    Only for their riflescopes. But they are still honoring warranties. But once it is out of warranty they won't service them. A couple other folks that own rifle scopes have apparently had some success going to Ray Marine IIRC (apparently they were an authorized service provider before FLIR bought Armasight). But you are right that there is some concern that FLIR may pull these from the civilian market.

    The problem with FLIR is that you can't use it and walk through the woods as you can't discern what is on the ground.
    Yes you can. The temperature differential on my FLIR thermal scope is out of this world, to the point you can count the hairs on someone's head from a few yards away - now, if the zoom won't permit adjusting out the focus, YMMV.
     

    Norton

    NRA Endowment Member, Rifleman
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    May 22, 2005
    122,848
    Flir got out of the outdoor industry. The scouts can be found because I don’t think they were popular or seen as a good “bang for your buck” against pulsar when it comes to monoculars. The breaches pop up new on ebay but aren’t around long.

    I looked into one myself at one point but didn’t wanna spend the money for the unit and helmet setup but, what I found was it was popular amongst helmet mounted units. There aren’t many other options for helmet mounted thermals that your wallet would like. The iray is popular but I believe north of 5k.

    I have an AGM monocular for coyote and fox hunting which is very comparable to the flir units because they use a flir sensor. You might want to give them a look. I’m not certain if they have a smaller helmet mountable unit though.

    I'm seeing the Breach at TNVC and JRHEnterprises, but maybe they are closing them out.

    I'll look at that AGM. :thumbsup:
     

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