Best Clip-On Thermal Scope – Reviews

Last updated on March 22, 2021

Best Clip-On Thermal Scope

While it’s no doubt that hunting takes a certain amount of natural skill and determination; the right equipment is of equal importance.

Day and night hunters alike rely on advanced technology to act as an extra set of eyes & ears in the field. Hunting is more than just being in the right place at the right time. Successfully taking down a target means all your equipment must work together. From your rifle to your selection of scopes.

The hunting niche is constantly growing in popularity. As a result, so is the availability of accessories that can be used to enhance your personal experience. Thermal rifle scopes that clip onto your rifle take your hunting game to the next level. We just love these feature packed scopes brought to us by the leaders in the industry.

We took the time to take a closer look at some of the best clip-on thermal scopes on the market right now. Using this guide you’ll be able to compare and select the best one for you.

Here are the best clip on thermal scopes you can buy:

What Is A Thermal Scope?

Night hunting is a popular activity across most of the United States. A thermal rifle scope is used by hunters to gain enhanced vision while hunting at night.

Thermal scopes use infrared sensors to capture the heat omitted by all objects in your scope’s range. They deliver this captured heat energy as reflected imagery back into the hunter’s eye piece.

Thermal imaging scopes are used for night hunting and can also be used during the day unlike night vision scopes. They are your eyes in the dark. A traditional day scope is used during daylight to more easily take down your targets from a distance. Day scopes are purely lens and magnifier based unlike thermal scopes that use sensors & light detectors. A day scope cannot help a hunter at night. This is why clip-on thermal scopes are necessary when hunting at night.

About Thermal Clip On Scopes

clip on thermal scope

Clip on thermal scopes typically clip onto your rifle and sit directly in front of the hunter’s daylight scope. The device makes use of the high magnification of the daylight scope to extend its own viewing range. They essentially work together.

Depending on the quality of the screen and the depth of zoom, imagery may become blurry should a higher magnification daylight scope be used. You will still, however, be able to shoot much longer distances by using a thermal clip-on scope.

A thermal clip-on scope can also be used on its own, simply attached to the riffle. Its distance ability will be less without the day scope but will you will still be able to see your targets in the dark.

Thermal clip-on scopes are usually lightweight and non-bulky. They clip easily onto your rifle and won’t add much weight. These scopes are helpful in almost any hunting scenario. Here’s what you’re missing out on!

The Benefits:

There are many advantages of investing in a clip-on thermal scope.

First and foremost is the convenience factor. They’re lightweight and won’t bog you down during long hunting trips. Hunters that spend multiple days and nights out in the field need to be mindful of how much weight they bring along.

A clip-on thermal scope eliminates the need to change or re-zero your day scope when you switch between day and night hunting. Most clip-on scopes available on the market have the ability to keep your day scope’s zero.

Unlike individual thermal imaging scopes, clip-on one's work in unison with your day scope magnifier to extend their scope range.

Using a clip on thermal rifle scope frees your hands from having to switch between your rifle and thermal monocular to locate or track your target. You are free to concentrate on your shot instead of juggling between equipment.

Perhaps the most important benefit of using a clip-on scope is the extra layer of safety it provides the hunter when out in the field. As darkness descends, and terrain is unknown, there are many dangerous elements that can come into play. A clip-on scope provides consistent, quality night vision. It decreases the risk of any danger or creature sneaking up on you while your scope was out of reach.

A bonus feature is that most clip-on thermal scopes can also act as a thermal monocular which standalone thermal scopes cannot do. This two-in-one feature makes the imaging technology far more versatile than ever before.

While night hunting, there really is no need to switch between your thermal rifle scope and monocular. Using your rifle with its thermal scope to spot can be tiring if you are not used to doing it however it does help ensure you don’t miss your target after you have spotted it. This can happen when having to switch between a thermal monocular and back to your rifle.

Things to Keep In Mind Selecting a Clip On Thermal Riflescope:

While the advantages of these nifty devices are vast there are still a few points we’d encourage you to keep in mind while trying to find the best one for you.

When looking at clip-on scope options, consider your own rifle’s mounting system. Make sure the thermal scope you’re looking at investing in is compatible with your gun’s mount/rail system. Incompatible scopes may require the additional purchase of an adapter to successfully clip onto your rifle.

Quality matters. A high-resolution display-screen is important if you plan on using your day scope in conjunction with a thermal clip-on. Zooming further than around 4x on your day magnifier can create blurred imagery on your thermal screen display which will distort what you see making it harder to take your shot.

Purchasing a unit with high thermal imaging capability will take care of these issues, but at a higher price.

If you intend to use your day scope and thermal imaging rifle scope simultaneously there’s a chance your day scope’s zero could be slightly thrown off. Keep this in mind and be sure to re-zero the scope before each use. This is imperative to ensuring your aiming accuracy.

Lastly, take these general features into consideration: