firearms | First sight

FIRST TEST

Bruce Potts gives the fi rst independent assessment of the Pulsar Digisight N750 Sight in the UK

nce upon a time The original Pulsar N550 What you have is a very feature and works very well and hunters had to caused a sensation when it affordable, durable and effective you also have controls to alter use lamps to hunt came to the market a couple of night sight for use not only image brightness and contrast. at night, then the years ago because no longer did on vermin or foxes but now You now have a choice of night-shootingO revolution you have to rely on an image also becoming popular sport Weaver mounts or standard began with generation after intensifi er tube, now you had for wild boar shooting. 11m dovetails, making it easier generation of night vision a digital solution. Digital sights to mount the device low on an (NV) and ever increasing can safely be used in day or Features air gun or .22 rimfi re, and an intensifi er tubes to break night and boost the available You have an array of features external power source such as through the darkness without like a standard NV sight, but built in that include a fast the Pulsar EPS3 (rechargeable lamps. Today the next level uses a CCD (Charge Coupled aperture lens of 50mm F1.0 and Li-Pol battery pack) gives you of lamp free NV has been Device) for digital display. a long eye relief of 67mm to limitless night time usage. obtained in the form of the Best of all is the avoid “scope eye” on recoiling Yukon Pulsar Digisight. performance to price factor, guns. You also have a 4.5x Sighting in which is why it has become so magnifi cation which is more Power up with either 4 Flip up objective popular, as for £1297 you have than good enough for most Lithium powered AA batteries lens cover and what would be labelled Gen hunting situations, plus an at least 2500 mah or clip really good built in laser 2 performance in standard NV optional 1.5x digital zoom. The on a Pulsar EPS3 power illuminator terms. Also, being digital, there display is an OLED (Organic pack as I did on the external are other features as standard, Light Emitting Diode) type of side Weaver mount. such as digital zoom, video 640x480 resolution that views To switch on, a large ribbed out, reticule change and a high sensitivity CCD array for switch is located at the rear lightning sensitivity changes. maximum light enhancement, top of the unit one click is on This new N750 model now further enhanced by a Sum light and then three further clicks has a more sensitive detection signal processing program. illuminates the laser at three range, greater clarity and an The reticule has a swift colour increasing power settings. Just onboard laser illuminator, thus change as necessary and with a in front of this is a button that doing away with the need to add one shot instant zero facility. The switches from red to green on an additional lighting source. built in laser illuminator is a great the reticule if needed. Next

200 september 2012 | GUN MART View hundreds more gun reviews online at www.gunmart.net pulsar | firearms to that is another button that with the bullet hole whilst holding activates the 1.5x zoom facility. the rifl e to the original zero point THE BREAKDOWN I ‘zeroed in’ during the day (obviously best done from a time, then later adjusted the fi xed or benched position). It’s brightness and contrast using a fast, easy, and saves bullets. knob on the right side to get a clear image. Being digital there Field use is no chance of damage to the The reticule is an uncluttered sight as there would be with a four stadia and changeable red normal NV intensifi er tube. or green illuminated fl oating On the left side are the central dot, for precision aiming. menu buttons for setting the On a rimfi re rifl e - like the CZ 17 clock, one shot zeroing and HMR – weight is negligible, while video out functions, plus a large the lower mounting height with removable adjustment wheel 11mm rail makes it less of a neck for elevation and windage. strain to view down the scope. All you have to do is remove The image actually improves as the cover then push the button the night falls but you do need in, which up in the viewer some or starlight Brightness, video out and focus adjustments your X (up/down) co-ordinates, for the best image quality. you then turn the adjustment Ranges for observation are wheel with every click indicating quoted at 650 yards in the 13mm movement at 100m. manual and that’s under ideal Push the button in again and conditions i.e. an object of you now adjust the Y (windage) 1.7m X 0.5m dimensions in ¼ coordinates for horizontal moon with illuminator on. I set adjustment, until the shots out some rabbit and fox steel match the cross hairs. There`s silhouette targets at night under a handy rectangle sight location differing lightning conditions to masked over your reticule, to literally see what was visible. show the position of the reticule With little or no ambient within the adjustment range. light the illuminator needs When the sight is zeroed, to be on, otherwise you can On/off knurled switch and push button screen replace the cover and switch increase the brightness but and reticule controls. off. The adjustments are zeroed only by enhancing the grain and the X and Y coordinates or “fi zz” on the image also. In are shown as a fi gure, so if you these harsh conditions any NV want to adjust for a differing kit struggles, and fox recognition range you can simply return to was about 185-200 yards, and the origin zero by re-entering rabbits about 125yards. The the original settings. Alternatively illuminator helped out here. have two or more settings As soon as you had half for multiple gun use – this a moon or semi cloudy with clever and sensible feature. starlight, the image instantly There is also a one shot zero improves and even more so feature that is made by entering with the laser switched on. Now the menu section and then you could spot a fox at 300 odd adjusting the reticule to coincide yards but only take a shot at 200 A Pulsar EPS3 extra The EPS3 battery pack is an optional accessory battery pack is a must have accessory, especially for only £85

On a rimfi re rifl e - like the CZ 17 HMR – weight is negligible, while the lower mounting height with 11mm rail makes it easier to view down the scope ▲

View hundreds more gun reviews online at www.gunmart.net GUN MART | september 2012 201 firearms | pulsar

A nice haul of rabbits taken with the Pulsar Digisight N750 and CZ .17 HMR rifl e. This fox was shot at 40 paces in the head which just goes to show it's not all about long ranges ▲ yards maximum and with rabbits spotted a fox walking across Weaver or 11mm dovetail rail reduced, but the onboard side 150 yards would be maximum. a fi eld at 250 yards and 90 you have a solution to mounting mounted laser is very good and On live animals the refl ected degrees to me. I was armed only issues solved, and there are instantly improves the image. light from the on board laser with a Sako .22lr – typical! But great options such as the one My only niggle is the left handed from their eyes gives an he changed course before the shot sight-in, digital zoom and mounted focus controls common instant indication of a beast hedge line and trotted right down a host of digital options that to NV kit, as it makes it awkward that you have missed in the the track towards me. I shot him only this sort of sight will allow. to adjust in the fi eld when using bushes or folds on the fi elds. at 40 paces in the head and he The optional battery pack sticks, but apart from that you will went straight down, which just is defi nitely a must, as for only be amazed what you can see in Taking shots at goes to show it’s not all about £85 it alleviates any worries the dark with this updated Digi targets and live long ranges, its dark and the about batteries running out sight from Pulsar and so long as quarry fox had no idea I was there! at a crucial moment. you keep the ranges sensible I shot the silhouettes with .22 I switched to a .22 Satan RPA With no moonlight or for a sure and humane shot you rimfi re, .22-250, .243 and a rifl e but had no luck on foxes at starlight the range is signifi cantly will not be disappointed. GM .22 Satan wildcat round. At 200 all, nothing showing up over the yards in ½ moonlight and with next three days, which happens TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION the laser on, I could shoot 2-3 sometimes. So a quick switch to Manufacturer Pulsar (Yukon) inch groups on the fox target with the CZ 16 inch .17 HMR I had on Model Digisight N750 the 22 Satan - which is pretty test proved excellent on rabbits. Type Digital Night Vision good going with a 4.5x power NV The .17 HMR trajectory is nice Weight 1 Kg sight. Some people like higher and fl at so out to 100 yards just Size 340x95x94mm mag but it just seems to increase aim dead on. I had eight rabbits Magnification 4.5x the “fi zz” of the image to me, very quickly from 15 to 125 yards Digital Zoom 1.5x and I would rather have a crisper around an orchard area with the Objective lens 50mm F1.0 image with lower magnifi cation Digi sights fi ne dot pinpointing Field of View 8.7m at 100 metres for better shot placement. a 17 grain V-Max bullet. Eye relief 67mm For rabbits at closer range Resolution 55 lines per mm or better. you can aim deliberately but I Conclusions Max detection range 600 metres found on foxes being a bigger Overall performance of the N750 (1.7x0.5m object in quarter moonlight) target it was best to centre was really good, especially for Closest focus 5.5m mass with the cross hairs the money, and it’s at home on Adjustment range 13mm per click, max 100 clicks vertical, 80 clicks horizontal in the thorax and squeeze a rimfi re as well as centrefi re Illuminator Laser 780nm off, otherwise you can ‘over rifl es. It’s so good that you have Power 4x AA Batteries think’ the shot too much. to question the option of going Price £1297 (provisional) Real quarry shooting can the traditional entry level Gen 2 Contact Thomas Jacks 01789 264100 sometimes be different from route, as the Digi N750 offers www.thomasjacks.co.uk targets, but under a ¾ moon as good if not better imaging for (and a rare rainless night) I had less money! With the optional

202 september 2012 | GUN MART View hundreds more gun reviews online at www.gunmart.net