achosenman Posted September 21, 2016 Report Share Posted September 21, 2016 Just a quick acknowledgement for Julian and Starlight. After 3 years with the Archer Grade A Gen 3, I wanted a change. I got a disinterested response to my phone call from the sellers of Drone so I went back to Starlight. Julian was informative and straight talking with his advice. I decided to go for the Longbow. Julian offered to sell the Archer on his website, it took around five days in total and went for an excellent price. I went out last night for the first time after a daylight confidence check with the QD rings and zero retention. The intention was a bug shakedown before serous foxing took place. TBH I was a bit nervous about the 10x scope. After the 25xPMII I didn't think 10x was enough. I needn't have worried and Recknagel QD's changed the game anyway. I dropped the regular scope off and fitted the Longbow. After setting the Dragonfly up, I discovered the filter is best left off, if you want significant range. This becomes a class 3 illuminator and you don't want to be getting an eyeful. The XR5 tube is bright clear and sharp at ranges that are well beyond anything the Archer achieved on a PMII. One annoyance was the Dragonfly mount. It's quite frankly too loose around the adjustment axis, causing you to lose the site picture on firing. That was solved with a NM mount in two minutes. I decided to take a quick mooch and I was watching some rabbits in a hedge bottom around 450-500m away when a fox trotted through my view 3/4 of the way out. I hadn't intended to shoot at that point but never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I whistled to stop it, held high a tad over 1 mil and it dropped DRT. I love FFP. The second fox I found in long cover after a scan with the thermal showed nothing of interest. I spotted it head down, tail in the air after a mouse or something, I don't think I'd have seen it without eye shine with the Archer. That one I squeaked in to 200m and dropped it. The third and last was a big dog laid up at the base of tree. I had time to range him, dial it and deliver the bad news. All in all a good outing with confidence in the kit through the roof. In my experience, after trying a myriad of NV solutions, the Longbow ticks all my boxes. The scope in day mode is better than any digital, not quite top tier glass but the coating is tuned for IR so a compromise for NV. The turrets are very acceptable, but again not PMII standard. Why the reticle is mil FFP and turrets .25MOA is beyond me, but I'll live with it. I've just ordered the adjustable power switch from Julian because the Dragonfly is staggeringly powerful without the filters and I prefer to be able to turn it down as needed. It was possible to use the scope without IR and turn the illuminated reticle on but I was too busy enjoying the "green daylight" I did notice that the Dragonfly didn't seem to spook anything, it might be just coincidence, time will tell. All in all, a very happy bunny. Atb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weejohn Posted September 22, 2016 Report Share Posted September 22, 2016 Great to hear , I am currently waiting for my longbow after using the archer gen3 for the last couple of years but have decided to sell it privately to see if it goes. After reading this I am even more eager to have it arrive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achosenman Posted September 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2016 Have you talked to Julian to see if he can help? I was going to part ex mine and he suggested selling through his site to get a better deal. Atb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB1 Posted September 22, 2016 Report Share Posted September 22, 2016 I have to agree with the comments regarding how helpful they are. I dropped a clanger by leaving my archer switched in (just a couple of days :-( ) Very fast turnround for a replacement tube, and I must add it was better than the original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapua Posted September 22, 2016 Report Share Posted September 22, 2016 Can we have a picture of your setup please, particuarly interested in mounts and eye relief? Glad that youre happy with your choice, always good to hear in the somewhat risky nv choice gamble! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achosenman Posted September 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2016 I'll get som pics posted with both day and night units when I get back on monday. The eye relieif is as per a normal day scope. There is no differance between day or night use, fit wise for the shooter, with a Longbow scope Atb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barmag Posted September 24, 2016 Report Share Posted September 24, 2016 what is the nm mouunt you used to mount your dragonfly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achosenman Posted September 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2016 Here you go. It's on the NM website. http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0786/8747/products/HMzHMKzwTmuCoMTqVWGO_fully-adjustable-rail-mount-2.jpeg?v=1449232542 Atb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achosenman Posted September 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2016 As promised a few snapshots of the Longbow in "day" mode and "night" mode. The day unit has long eye relief and the night unit can be used rubber eye piece on or off. There is no change needed for the shooters head position, or comb height. For very serious day mode I switch to my "go to" optic. The reason for the 12mm Recknagel? the bottom of the turret touches the rail with the 6mm version. Murphy'e law states Recknagel don't do a 9mm QD mount... Atb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapua Posted September 26, 2016 Report Share Posted September 26, 2016 thanks for taking the time to post the pictures. nice action Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barmag Posted September 26, 2016 Report Share Posted September 26, 2016 many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achosenman Posted October 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 Update. I went out again last night. All in all, very productive. The Dragonfly proved to be exceptional again. The only beast spooked was a Roe at about 50m and I'm not convinced it wasn't me being noisy, or a bit of scent. The class three doesn't seem to be the issue I thought it might in that regard. Julian sent the adjustable power cap and it's made the whole thing very versatile. A two position rotary switch set to 50% or 100%. power. I originally thought I'd want a rheostat. Having used it now, I'm happy with the switch. I never found it wanting in any of the fox encounters I had last night and I don't think I will TBH. It allowed me to illuminate under overhead/adjacent cover without getting reflected high energy IR whiting out the NV so does what you need. Without putting the numbers out, I took the opportunity to deal with some foxes that absolutely would not come in to a squeak, and would run at the sound of the Landy. I've been after these two for months. The only option as I saw it was to sit back at long range (for NV) and wait. I set up, ranged the safe shoot zone dialled in and waited. I wasn't disappointed and the chickens are a lot safer today. Waiting to hear the bullet strike home at night, is a new one for me. However, unless there are exceptional circumstances I'll need to guard against the temptation to take long shots as a matter of routine with this setup, it's too damn easy. Atb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ergid Posted October 10, 2016 Report Share Posted October 10, 2016 Hi ,another excellent mount worth a look is made by Laserluchs it has a swivel ball head mount ,it would make your setup more compact ,there is an offer on them at the moment £41.00 instead of £59.00. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achosenman Posted October 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2016 Thanks for the heads up, I'll take a look. Atb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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