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Illuminated reticles in extreme cold? |
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03mossy
Optics Apprentice Joined: March/03/2010 Location: Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 180 |
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Posted: February/10/2011 at 22:02 |
I'm just curious how reliable are lighted reticles in cold weather. I'm not talking cold like around freezing, i mean the cold like our late season up here. Where 3 out of 4 atv's don't start, the half full windsor jug from the night before freezes, and where you can't even get your GPS or phone to turn on...that cold. 3 years ago during a 4 day hunt the highest it reached was 8, and that was the day we were packing up. I just got to thinking about this today when I woke up and it was -22. Anybody use these type of reticles in extreme cold?
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budperm
Optics Retard show me your sheep!! Joined: January/01/2009 Location: Pennsylvania Status: Offline Points: 31710 |
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Basically anything that runs on lithium batteries can stop working below 0°F. The chemistry in the batteries slows way down and the battery can't provide it's usual current levels. If the load is heavy enough the battery voltage will drop to the point where most electronics won't turn on. If the load on the battery is small enough it might operate. An led illumninate reticle would probably work unless then got fancy and are driving teh LED with a constant current source IC instead of a series resistance.
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"Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".
--Thomas Jefferson |
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SVT_Tactical
MODERATOR Chief Sackscratch Joined: December/17/2009 Location: NorthCackalacky Status: Offline Points: 31233 |
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Trijicon illumination - yes Pretty much anything on batteries - no
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Stud Duck
Optics Journeyman Joined: May/20/2005 Location: WV Status: Offline Points: 508 |
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budperm
Optics Retard show me your sheep!! Joined: January/01/2009 Location: Pennsylvania Status: Offline Points: 31710 |
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There is also the Firefly reticle but you have to haev a working lightsource to charge it....Dulp!
Edited by budperm - February/11/2011 at 07:21 |
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"Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".
--Thomas Jefferson |
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SamC
Optics Professional Joined: October/01/2007 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 902 |
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I did not know that lithium batteries conked out at approximately 0 degrees. If you prefer your reticle lighted and if you hunt up north it looks like Trijicon may be the way to go.
Sam
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Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. Winston Churchill |
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jonoMT
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: November/13/2008 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 4853 |
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If you need illumination at those temperatures, chances are you also need to be near a fire and shelter...really soon. Or you could relive the scene in Empire Strikes Back where Han borrows Luke's lightsaber to slit open the belly of his dying ton-ton so he could shove him inside. Me, I've just stayed indoors, at least once it gets dark.
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Reaction time is a factor...
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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Anything with batteries will show reduced performance if the temp gets cold enough. In that regard, I'd say the Trijicon system is superior. Here in Texas, I've never experienced temperatures cold enough to negatively impact illumination on any of my battery powered optics. I've not seen any adverse effects when temps were in the teens.
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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OLI62
Optics GrassHopper Joined: October/04/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 16 |
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I went whitetail hunting in Alberta last year from 11/22 to 11/27. We had two days (Monday and Tuesday) where the temperature dropped well below 0 degrees. The IR in my Swaro Z6 worked fine.
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jonoMT
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: November/13/2008 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 4853 |
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Was them there Calculus or Centipede temperatures or whatever the heck all them Canucks 'n' other furriners call it? |
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Reaction time is a factor...
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budperm
Optics Retard show me your sheep!! Joined: January/01/2009 Location: Pennsylvania Status: Offline Points: 31710 |
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Dogger can tell us! |
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"Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".
--Thomas Jefferson |
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