Adam Scepaniak 09.04.22
Last week we reviewed an Armasight Contractor 320 3-12x Thermal Riflescope after a recent trip down to Texas hunting various species of varmint and game animals. While down in Texas, we learned that Armasight is now its own, standalone company; not associated with FLIR at all. With Armasight beginning fresh and new (not related to FLIR whatsoever), they showed us multiple new models of thermal riflescopes that would be coming out in the Contractor 320 3-12x and Contractor 320 6-24x. In this AllOutdoor Review, we will specifically take a look at the Armasight Contractor 320 6-24x Thermal Riflescope to see how it performed surveying the land, taking game in Texas, and in comparison to its little brother in the Contractor 320 3-12x. Let’s dive in!
Thermal/Night Vision Optic Coverage on AllOutdoor
Specifications – Armasight Contractor 320 6-24x Thermal Riflescope
The Armasight Contractor 320 6-24x Thermal Riflescope has an incredibly similar feature set compared to the Contractor 320 3-12x. What is primarily different is its overall size/footprint on your rifle, the weight, and its magnification. All of the finite specifications for the Contractor 320 6-24x Thermal Riflescope can be read below as presented by Armasight:
- Multiple color palettes
- Intuitive menus with turret controls
- 8+ Reticle Types
- 4 hours runtime at 20° C
- Image Detail Enhancement
- 1/2MOA Boresight
- Standard Picatinny Mount Included
- Video Recording & Image Capture
- USB Video Stream & Wi-Fi Video Stream
- Bluetooth 5.0 Capabilities
- Application on iOS / Android devices
- USB-C Interface for External Devices
- Integrated Stadiametric Rangefinder
- Inclinometer
- Levelometer
- Graphic Compass
- Angle Cosine Indicator
- Reticle ON/OFF Selection
- Battery Status Indicator
- Alloy Metal Body and Ergonomic Design
- Package Includes: Thermal Imaging Riflescope, 2 x CR123A Battery, Cloth, Case
In the rare event that anything should ever happen to your thermal riflescope from Armasight, they stand behind the products that they make for hunters and shooters alike. You will be covered by Armasight’s Standard Limited Warranty. Simply reach out to their customer service folks and they would be glad to assist you with any question or concern you might have.
- Detector Type ArmaCORE™ 320×240 12um Thermal Core
- Eye Relief 45mm
- FOV [HxV] 4.4° (H) x 3.3° (V)
- Memory 4 Hours of Video
- Dimensions (mm/in) 210 × 88 × 95 mm / 8.2 × 3.4 × 3.7 in
- Weight 0.92kg / 2.02 lbs
- Optical Magnification 6.4x
- Lens System F/1.00; 50mm
- Digital Zoom 1x – 4x
- Diopter Adjustment -5 to +5 dpt
- Battery Life Up to 4h at 20° C (68° F)
- Battery Type 2xCR123A (3V)
- Wireless Bluetooth 5.0, Wifi
- Display XGA (1024 x 768) AMOLED
- Graphics Active On-Screen Graphics
- Refresh Rate 60 Hz
- Operating Temperature -40° C to +50° C (-40° F to + 122° F)
- Recoil Rating Up to .50cal
- Waterproof IP67
- Image Processing Digital Enhancement
- Warranty 3 years w/ registration
Armasight was founded back in 2011 and they have been constructing advanced solutions to both night vision and thermal products ever since. This extends to our military, first responders, hunters, shooters, and many other enthusiast groups as well. Armasight shares below some of the more important elements that make the Contractor 320 6-24x so special:
“Armasight brings you the Contractor Thermal Imaging Weapon Sight. Users can spot prey on the hunting grounds by tracking their heat signature. Experts developed this thermal weapon sight to perform in any environmental conditions. They enable you to locate targets through smoke, dust, and fog. This long eye-relief sight is comfortable to use and features an array of advanced technologies that will maximize your weapon efficiency.
With user-selectable reticles and color palettes, you can customize this thermal imaging device to suit your needs and environment. The Contractor comes equipped with a digital compass and inclinometer that helps you calculate distance, direction, and angles. A military-grade thermal scope that is MIL-STD compliant, you can use this in all weather conditions and any situation. Step up your hunting game or be equipped adequately for any tactical operation with this 6-24x thermal rifle scope from Armasight.”
First Look – Armasight Contractor 320 6-24x Thermal Riflescope
When handling the Armasight Contractor 320 6-24x Thermal Riflescope for the first time my initial impressions were that this unit is a bit heftier than its lower magnification counterpart. You are looking at a thermal scope that is roughly 2 Lb; whereas, the Contractor 320 3-12x is only 1.7 Lb loosely. Most of this increase in weight can be attributed to the larger objective size (50mm versus 25mm; literally doubled).
Another area in which the Contractor 320 6-24x is larger is in its length. It is 8.2″ long compared to the 7.7″ of the Contractor 320 3-12x. So, while the Contractor 320 6-24x appears and feels in your hands to be much larger – in actuality – it is only 1/2″ longer and roughly a 1/4 Lb heavier. Next, we’ll discuss how it performed out in the wild for actual field use.
Field Use/Hunting – Armasight Contractor 320 6-24x Thermal Riflescope
When it came to being out in the field at night hunting with the Contractor 320 6-24x from Armasight I appreciated the little extra magnification this unit affords you. If a heat signature was ever in question – whether it was maybe a group of deer bunched together or a large Nilgai – this thermal riflescope was able to help distinguish what game animals you actually had in front of you. In fact, I used this very optic on top of a custom .458 Socom build to harvest my very first Nilgai.
The larger objective size seemed to provide you with a slightly better picture – more crisp detail, more light, and better game confirmation at further distances – all of which helped in spotting our one and only Nilgai down in Texas. I then was able to make a single well-placed shot that quickly and humanely downed the Nilgai in the dead of night. That animal went a long ways to serving future guests of the ranch we were hunting at, its workers, and people from our hunting party as well.
Also, because the Armasight Contractor 320 6-24x did such a superb job showing such crisp detail of the Nilgai we were hunting, that allowed for me to make a perfect heart shot. This game animal was downed swiftly and did not suffer as a result.
While hunting over the course of 4 – 5 hours in the evening on multiple nights, we did a lot of spot-n-stalk from vehicles: survey and scan the surrounding land, spot game animals we could hunt, and then stalk them on foot. Although I may have preferred an optic that was a bit lighter, I would not trade down in size if that meant losing the clarity and confidence in identifying game that the Armasight Contractor 320 6-24x afforded me.
Final Thoughts – Armasight Contractor 320 6-24x Thermal Riflescope
So, what are my final thoughts on the Armasight Contractor 320 6-24x Thermal Riflescope?… Overall, I liked what it had to offer. If you are in a much more open environment or landscape for hunting, this thermal riflescope would serve you well. You can pick up and quickly identify game from hundreds of yards away to be able to make the decision of whether or not you want to pursue them. This saves time, energy, and then you are “injecting yourself less into your hunting environment” – you’re leaving it undisturbed. The MSRP asking price of $4,799 is very fair for the strength of magnification and quality this optic offers. For anyone searching for a stronger magnification thermal riflescope I can solidly endorse this one. It helped people in my hunting party harvest pigs as well as the gorgeous Nilgai I harvested myself.
In closing, I want to say thank you to Armasight for allowing AllOutdoor and myself the opportunity to try out their Armasight Contractor 320 6-24x Thermal Riflescope and for inviting us down to Texas for some epic hog and Nilgai hunting. That is greatly appreciated. Also, we would like to know what all of you guys and gals think? Do you believe that the Armasight Contractor 320 6-24x Thermal Riflescope is something worth spending your money? Would you take it hunting with you? As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.
