Sightmark Photon XT

philtuts

Senior Member
Hey guys,

I'm interested in the night vision game. I'm currently running a Wicked Lights setup on my .243, but I'd love to try night vision. I've been looking at the Sightmark Photon XT - seems like great value for the price. I'm hunting Nebraska, so my shots can be pretty long - however, I don't claim to be a great shot so I let them get as close as possible.

Has anyone had any experience with the Sightmark Photon XT for night-time predator hunting?

Thanks in advance.

Phil
 

Mark K

Banned
Maybe some of the nighttime predator hunters will chime in. I’m like you, I just use a Wicked Light when needed.
 

BCPbuckhunter

Senior Member
Hey guys,

I'm interested in the night vision game. I'm currently running a Wicked Lights setup on my .243, but I'd love to try night vision. I've been looking at the Sightmark Photon XT - seems like great value for the price. I'm hunting Nebraska, so my shots can be pretty long - however, I don't claim to be a great shot so I let them get as close as possible.

Has anyone had any experience with the Sightmark Photon XT for night-time predator hunting?

Thanks in advance.

Phil
I have one. on a full moon you can see a good ways with them on an open field. I have used it on hogs and liked it but the other day something happened to mine and I can only see through it with the lens closed at night. It is very blurry if I don't. Still trying to fix that issue. I have some wicked lights that I use way more than the photon. That infrared washes out on brush really bad. More so than a colored light. If I had to do it over again I would have saved that money and just waited until I had enough saved up for a thermal scope. Thermal is way better than the night vision because with night vision you can't see into the brush.
 

Buckhead

Senior Member
I have a Photon XT. Certainly not a Gen 3 NV or a thermal, but good for the money. I bought mine as a dealer sample, around $300 as I recall. It sits on a dedicated AR upper and gets used 3-4 times per year.

You will need an external IR illuminator, the built in IR is marginal. 150 yds is about max. It eats batteries, I use rechargeables.

Probably better for baited hogs, but ok for yotes. Get a NV monocular for scanning as the Photon has a limited field of view and you don’t want to be swinging your rifle around.
 
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