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Illuminated reticles in extreme cold?

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03mossy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 03mossy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Illuminated reticles in extreme cold?
    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 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote budperm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2011 at 06:54
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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SVT_Tactical View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2011 at 06:55

Trijicon illumination - yes

Pretty much anything on batteries - no
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Stud Duck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2011 at 07:09
Originally posted by SVT_Tactical SVT_Tactical wrote:

Trijicon illumination - yes

Pretty much anything on batteries - no
You nailed it.
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budperm View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote budperm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2011 at 07:21
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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SamC View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SamC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2011 at 14:03
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2011 at 14:30
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.
Reaction time is a factor...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2011 at 14:37
Originally posted by jonoMT jonoMT wrote:

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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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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote OLI62 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2011 at 14:45
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2011 at 15:15
Originally posted by OLI62 OLI62 wrote:

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.

Was them there Calculus or Centipede temperatures or whatever the heck all them Canucks 'n' other furriners call it?
Reaction time is a factor...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote budperm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/11/2011 at 18:06

Dogger can tell us!

"Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".
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