Estimated studying time: 17 minutes
We took Armasight’s Commander 640 thermal weapon sight and Warden 640 thermal monocular right into a West Texas night time hunt the place recreation cams like to lie. The thermals didn’t. Right here’s what impressed me, what irritated me, and the way the rig carried out when hogs lastly confirmed.
Recreation Cams Will Break Your Coronary heart, Then Thermal Exhibits Up
I began hating recreation cameras a number of years in the past on hunts identical to this one. You realize, hunts the place the cameras present every kind of exercise within the days earlier than your hunt, and you’re all psyched up, however then you definitely sit for hours and typically days, and nada exhibits?
Which was turning out to be my hunt on my first night time in Kent County, Texas, early December 2025. I used to be there to subject check a pair of Armasight thermals, the Commander 640 1.5-6×35 Thermal Weapon Sight and the Warden 640 2-8×35 Thermal Monocular.
I settled into my elevated stand, nicknamed The Dink, an hour earlier than darkish to determine the native panorama, together with the probably journey routes to and across the feeder that sat 140 yards away. I used to be prepared for the sounder of hogs that hit the feeder for the final three nights, 20-plus hogs in a gaggle, plus varied large lone boars showing later.
Perhaps quarter-hour after darkish dropped, my Warden monocular picked up three deer on the hillside above the feeder. An excellent signal, I assumed, as I watched the deer transfer in direction of the feeder after which into the sphere beneath it. They milled round for half an hour, joined proper on the finish by one other deer, the pictures sharp and centered within the thermal.
I scanned and scanned with the Warden. I picked out heat rocks tons of of yards away and thick brush glowing from the day’s solar. But not one other animal.
Rattling recreation cams.
The Hunt Setup: West Texas Evening Work on a Working Ranch
I used to be searching a big working cattle ranch, a spot I’d hunted many instances earlier than. My clothes shop and excellent good friend, Craig Archer, operated TBD Open air on the ranch and supplied deer (mulie and white-tailed) hunts, in addition to turkey and hog searching alternatives.
Enthusiastic about a West Texas-style hunt? Contact TDB Open air at 214-301-3434.
The ranch held very numerous landscapes, from crimson rock canyons to mesquite flats and river bottoms, thick tangles of brush. One complete aspect of the ranch was rolling open areas of what locals termed “shin oak,” scrubby oak stands interspersed with giant swaths of waist-high grasses.
The Dink sat atop a small hill overlooking a sea of shin oak and tall grass.
Commander 640 Thermal Weapon Sight: Clear Glass, Actual Attain
Armasight’s Commander 640 1.5-6×35 Thermal Weapon Sight options an ArmaCORE™ 640×480 thermal sensor and a 35mm Germanium goal lens, and the unit supplied very clear photos all through my time with it. A pair of CR123 batteries powers the Commander.
Armasight charges the unit’s detection vary at roughly 1,400 yards. The Commander 640 additionally options video and picture seize, USB video streaming, and a USB-C interface for viewing content material on exterior gadgets. A number of shade palettes, a easy 3-button management setup, a customizable reticle possibility, and an IP67 environmental ranking spherical out the choices.
The unit sells with a quick-detach mount, too, which went onto my rifle very simply.
Armasight Commander 640 Specs (Discipline-Take a look at Context)
Warden 640 Thermal Monocular: Your Scanner, Your Early Warning
The Warden 640 2-8×35 Thermal Monocular sports activities an ArmaCORE 640×480 thermal sensor. Just like the Commander, this unit additionally includes a 35mm Germanium lens, supplies high-contrast photos and detects warmth signatures as much as 1,400 yards, and is IP67-rated and totally waterproof.
The Warden 640 gives video and picture seize, USB video streaming, a USB-C interface, a number of shade palettes, easy 3-button controls, and picture enhancement capabilities.
Armasight Warden 640 Specs (Discipline-Take a look at Context)
What These Armasight 640 Thermals Nailed (and What Didn’t)
As famous, photos seen via each models have been very clear and sharp edged. The handbook focus changes on the entrance and rear lenses of each models labored very effectively to fine-tune these photos, too. Likewise, each models simply noticed warmth signatures far out. On my hunt, I simply recognized deer versus hogs out to 400 yards.
Graphics and icons popped properly on the show screens, and the numerous palette choices allowed me to regulate to environmental situations. The Commander supplied seven reticle choices, and the T-Dot in inexperienced labored rather well for me and my eyes.
The three-button controls labored effectively initially, although the rubberized buttons turned stiff as soon as the air temperature bought beneath 50 levels. Which made it harder to make changes within the subject.
The 123A batteries I used actually didn’t final greater than half the rated time, and my batteries have been new Ray-O-Vac 3V lithiums. Now, that restricted battery use might’ve been the batteries I picked up, or the truth that I used to be operating demo models that possibly have been due for some type of upgrades.
Sooner or later, I’d solely run these two thermals utilizing rechargeable CR123 lithium batteries, which maintain energy longer than their non-rechargeable cousins.
The Rifle: Ruger SFAR in 6.5 Creedmoor, Light-weight and Imply
I went with my Ruger SFAR (Small Body Autoloading Rifle) chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. This lighter-weight AR10 platform hits the scales at 7.3 kilos, unloaded. It sports activities a 20-inch barrel, chilly hammer cast chrome-moly metal barrel.
It additionally includes a Magpul MOE grip, plus a 15-inch aluminum handguard, free-floated and lined with Magpul M-LOK accent attachment slots. A pair of sockets for Fast Detach sling swivels are on the muzzle finish of the handguard, with one on the butt inventory.
The SFAR’s bolt provider meeting includes a chrome-lined metal bolt provider and nitride-processed fuel key staked in place. The titanium firing pin is DLC-coated for lengthy service life. The bolt contains twin ejectors and an optimized extractor; spent brass kicks many ft from the rifle.
It’s not a normal function, however my SFAR has a blue Cerakote end on the higher and lowers, plus the handguard. I like some shade! Plus, as an alternative of the usual Magpul MOE SL inventory, I outfitted my SFAR with a Magpul PRS Lite Inventory.
My SFAR has at all times been MOA or higher, and it continued that sample of accuracy. Earlier than I headed to Texas, I zeroed the rifle and the Commander at 100 yards. My three-shot teams got here in at .70 to 1.20 inches.
The SFAR platform can be out there in .308 Win, with a 16-inch barrel.
A High quality Suppressor: SilencerCo Scythe STM Smoothed It Out
I outfitted the SFAR with the SilencerCo Scythe® STM, a chrome steel construct supposed for more durable use; it’s full auto rated with no barrel restrictions. The Scythe STM will run rifles from .223 Rem./5.56 NATO as much as .300 RUM.
Modular, it may well run lengthy at 6.9 inches or extra compact at 5.1 inches, in each instances with the hooked up muzzle brake. Weight is 14.7 ounces lengthy and 10.4 ounces compact. General diameter is available in at 1.73 inches.
The Scythe STM direct threaded onto my SFAR’s barrel. Recoil from a 6.5 Creedmoor isn’t an actual thumper to start with, however the STM smoothed it out much more, and I shot comfortably with out ear safety.
Ammo: Federal Terminal Ascent Put Hogs Down Quick
For my 6.5 Creedmoor searching ammunition, I relied on Federal Premium Terminal Ascent loaded with a 130-grain, poly-tipped bullet. I zeroed the Commander and SFAR with this spherical earlier than I left for Texas.
The Terminal Ascent made 4 one-shot kills on hogs, capturing from 75 to 180 yards (see beneath).
Uber Eats, Texas Model: Stand Supply and a Propane Heater
When he dropped me off at my stand, Archer stated he’d gladly deliver me out some dinner. I didn’t plan on asking for that, because the drive to the stand was a superb half-hour from the ranch home.
However, true to my previous hunts, I bought hungry…as quickly as I chowed down on my salty snacks, my sweet bar, and an apple. I waited for so long as I might, no less than 16 minutes, and texted Craig for much-needed meals help.
He arrived inside the hour, true gentleman that he’s, with grilled rooster, a small salad, and three cookies for dessert.
It was very form of him, and did make the dearth of any hog motion simpler to take.
One Down: When the Commander 640 Lastly Acquired Its Second
Initially, I wished to spend all night time at The Dink and rack up a powerful physique depend. However these shin oak hogs weren’t cooperating, and round 11 P.M., I began enthusiastic about heading in. The inner debate (My heat mattress again on the ranch home? No, damnit, man up and keep out!) lasted about an hour earlier than I gave in. I texted Craig to please come and get me.
“On my manner,” he texted again ten minutes later.
I sat and waited and scanned the shin oak prairie.
Practically an hour later, I noticed the glow of Craig’s headlights within the distance. I swung the Warden in direction of the feeder as soon as extra, and damned if a hog wasn’t standing between the feeder and me about 100 yards away.
I shortly turned on the Commander and slid open the aspect window. The 40-some diploma air poured in. I set the SFAR onto the window ledge, shifted my chair to get snug behind the rifle, and lined up the thermal’s inexperienced reticle on the hog.
He confronted me. I actually didn’t need to take that shot. I waited, nervous that Craig would roll up and scare off my one probability at a hog. However the boar turned, proper aspect to me as he nosed the bottom.
I instantly shot. The Terminal Ascent 6.5 Creedmoor bullet took him proper down.
Craig confirmed up a couple of minutes later, and we went to retrieve my first hog of the hunt.
A Beginner to Thermal: One Shot, One Grinning Wisconsin Man
My good good friend, Mike B. from north-central Wisconsin, additionally got here alongside on this Texas journey, searching deer and hogs through the day along with his crossbow. And he very a lot wished to get into the thermal recreation.
The night time after, I hunted from the Dink discovered Mike and me standing alongside a fenceline close to the ranch home. We had a tripod arrange, my thermal rigged SFAR mounted in place.
I’d given Mike a thermal preview pre-Texas, which included some night time capturing. However this was his first in-field expertise with the tech.
Scanning with the Warden revealed dozens of hogs within the subject and among the many bushes earlier than us. However the subject was additionally residence to ranch cattle and their feeding stations, and the hogs and cattle have been intermingled in a manner that made pictures unattainable.
We waited and scanned, hoping the hogs and cattle would separate for a secure shot. That occurred a half hour later when a number of of the hogs drifted to the left, placing over 75 yards between them and the closest cattle.
Mike was already on my rifle, scanning with the Commander.
“You see these pigs on the left?” I whispered.
“No, I can’t—oh, yeah!”
“They’re below 100 yards,” I advised Mike. “Simply purpose lifeless on. Bear in mind, heart-lungs on hogs are low.”
“Acquired it.”
A minute later, Mike squeezed the set off, and his first-ever thermal hog smacked the bottom virtually instantly.
“That is so damned cool!” he stated, almost guffawing in his pleasure.
Even suppressed, the SFAR barked loudly sufficient to scare off the opposite hogs. Via the Warden, I watched them run right away a few hundred yards, then decelerate and start to re-group into three completely different sounders.
In the meantime, the cattle weren’t bothered by the capturing in any respect. They glanced round on the sound of the SFAR after which continued to feed at their stations or relaxation below the bushes.
There was a pleasant, vast hole between the 2 teams of cattle, and hogs drifted into that hole whereas nonetheless a few hundred yards away. I took over with the SFAR, elevated the Commander’s digital zoom, and bought onto a hog. That little piggie shortly turned and ducked in behind a rock pile.
One other pig appeared from behind the rock pile, made a circle round it, after which stationed himself on the proper fringe of the rocks, nostril within the air.
I fired.
This time hogs and cattle scattered, operating in circles and crossing in entrance of me. It took a couple of minutes earlier than all of the animals cleared out, and I swung the Commander again to the rock pile. A warmth signature hugged the bottom to the suitable of the rocks.
Hog Quantity Two of the night time is down!
The Twister Stand: Taking pictures Via the Doubled Fence Query
My final night time hunt came about at a stand referred to as The Twister. It was so named as a result of tornadic winds ripped via the world a couple of years again, tore the steps from the stand and corkscrewed them, plus half lifted the stand itself out of the bottom.
The issue I noticed with my pre-dusk scouting of the placement was the fence across the feeder. The feeder sat 100 yards in entrance of The Twister, with the fence surrounding the feeder pulled aside to permit hogs into the enclosure space. However in opening up that entrance part of the fence, the fence finish turned doubled up, and heavy fence wires partially blocked the very entrance of the feeder.
I attempted to drag the fence again, nevertheless it was secured tightly to the bottom.
As soon as it was darkish, I powered up the Commander to search out out if the doubled-up part of fence confirmed up within the thermal. It didn’t.
Which made me surprise about taking a shot via the doubled-up part of fencing. Would my bullet zing off a wire?
An hour later, a good-sized boar slipped into the enclosure earlier than I knew he was there and commenced foraging across the base of the feeder. Behind that double-up fence.
The Commander confirmed the hog completely as he circled the feeder as soon as after which began one other go ‘spherical looking for corn kernels. I figured as soon as he accomplished his second circuit, he’d head out, and I won’t have a shot.
Now or by no means. The boar discovered extra corn, paused broadside to gobble up the kernels. I aimed for his lung space and squeezed the set off. Muzzle blast lit up the thermal imagery with a short flash of sunshine. I blinked a couple of instances, and when my imaginative and prescient cleared, I noticed no hog.
However earlier than I began to swear at that part of fence, I caught sight of motion. The boar’s rear legs kicked the gentle floor below the feeder, sooner after which slower after which achieved.
I stayed at The Twister one other couple of hours to see if anything would present up. Nothing did. However the night time and my Kent County hunt have been a hit. Three hogs for me and, possibly extra importantly, I’d helped a thermal newcomer bag his first pig.
Texas made all of it potential! I really like the state.
Execs & Cons: Commander 640 and Warden 640 within the Actual World
Execs: Very clear, sharp-edged thermal imagery in each models; handbook focus labored nice for fine-tuning; straightforward warmth signature recognizing far out; sturdy palette choices; Commander reticle selections with a inexperienced T-Dot that labored effectively; QD mount put in simply. Cons: Rubberized buttons stiffened up beneath 50 levels, making subject changes more durable; CR123A battery life fell effectively wanting the rated time in my use.
Brian McCombie (Author)
A full-time author, Brian’s work focuses on searching and firearms, day and thermal optics, and different capturing gear. He’s been lucky sufficient to hunt a lot of the USA and Canada. His favourite hunt is chasing Texas hogs at night time utilizing a suppressed rifle outfitted with a thermal scope.
Dream hunt: Alaskan brown bear.
He’s taken handgun self-defense programs and long-range rifle lessons for hunters. Brian continues to dive deeply into the brand new applied sciences a lot part of at the moment’s searching and capturing experiences.
His high firearms embody AR-15’s and AR-10’s, double-stack 1911’s, and lever actions.
