Nocpix thermal scopes, like other thermal optics, operate according to different principles from conventional glass optics which only use visible light.

These thermal scopes are sensitive to thermal radiation which they detect and then use to assemble a cohesive sight picture on an LED or AMOLED display, enabling them to work in complete darkness. 

With that in mind, they are prone to performance degradation in the face of certain, select environmental or operating conditions, two of which will be covered here. 

Understand these better and you will extract better, more consistent performance from your Nocpix thermal scope.

Barrel Flare 

Rapid firing causes a firearm’s barrel to get hot. Slow, intermittent fire rarely causes this problem, but at the range, heavy, sustained fire will quickly heat up a barrel.

When running a thermal scope, this can cause a condition known as “barrel flare” or simply as “thermal flare” or “flare” which manifests as a semicircular artifact at the bottom of the sight picture on the thermal scope’s display. 

The cause of this is simply firing too rapidly and allowing the barrel to get so hot that it produces an artifact on the scope’s display that can adversely affect your ability to see your intended target. 

What you can do about it: 

The easiest fix for barrel flare manifesting in the scope’s sight picture display is to slow down your rate of fire to keep your barrel cool.

The other thing you can do is install a heat shield if that is possible. A heat shield can help minimize the presence of visual artifacts on your thermal scope’s display. 

Lastly, there are barrel heat indicators you can install that can give you a visual cue as to whether your barrel is too hot or not. However, in this case, again, the fix is simply to slow down your rate of fire.

Adverse Conditions 

There are numerous adverse conditions that will lower the detection range of your Nocpix thermal scope, or which will create more noise in the sight picture of the display.

Rain, snow, fog, and smoke will all adversely affect the detection range of your Nocpix thermal scope. The thicker the obstructive influence, the more severe the effect will be. 

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to change the ambient conditions when you are hunting, but being aware of it can help you take steps to improve your rate of success.

What you can do about it:

Ultimately, in this case, all you can do is recognize when conditions will adversely affect the detection range of your thermal scope so you can make adjustments. 

If it is raining or snowing, or foggy or smoky, the best thing you can do is adjust your setup. You won’t necessarily have the same ability to shoot at range when conditions don’t allow for it, so you may need to set up closer to where you expect your intended target to appear.

Note: This Isn’t Just About Nocpix

While this article specifically addresses conditions that will adversely affect the performance of your Nocpix thermal scope, the same conditions mentioned here will also affect all other thermal optics. 

Here for a New Nocpix Thermal Scope?

If you’re in the market for a new Nocpix thermal scope, visit Dark Night Outdoors online. They carry Nocpix thermal optics, as well as thermal scopes, monoculars and binoculars from the top brands, such as DNT, iRay, PULSAR, and many others. 

Visit their website or get in touch with them directly at 309-781-8421; they’ll be happy to help answer any questions you have or even make personalized recommendations based on what you’re looking for.

For more information about Rix Thermal Scope and Infiray Thermal Please visit: Dark Night Outdoors LLC.