How to Mount and Zero Your Thermal Weapon Sight

Getting a thermal weapon sight mounted and zeroed is not complicated, but there are a few things that trip people up the first time. This covers the process from unboxing to first-night confidence.

What you need

• A rifle with a Picatinny (MIL-STD-1913) or Weaver rail
• Your thermal weapon sight
• A hex key (usually included with the mount)
• A zeroing target or a fixed reference point at a known distance
• About 30 minutes

If you are running the Elevate 45 for an offset setup, have that ready too.

Choosing where to mount it

Most hunters run their thermal on the top rail, forward of any magnified optic. This keeps the sight picture clean and gives you the most eye relief.

A 45-degree offset mount like the Elevate 45 is worth considering if you want quick access without removing your primary optic. You rotate the rifle slightly to bring the thermal into line, which becomes natural after a few field sessions. It works well for hunters running a daytime LPVO who want thermal available on the same platform.

Pick one position and stay with it. Moving the sight between hunts means re-zeroing every time.

Mounting the sight

1. Make sure the rail is clean and dry.
2. Set the sight into position. For a standard top mount, place it forward of the bolt handle with enough clearance to cycle the action.
3. Tighten the mounting screws evenly, alternating sides, until snug. You want firm contact across the entire mount base.
4. Before trusting it in the field, grip the sight and try to move it. It should not shift at all.

Torque to the manufacturer spec if provided. Over-tightening aluminum mounts against steel rails can strip threads over time.

Boresighting first

Before you go to the range, boresight the optic. Remove the bolt and look through the bore at a target about 25 yards away. Adjust the reticle to roughly match what you see through the bore. This gets you on paper for the first shot instead of hunting for your zero from scratch.

Some thermal sights have a digital boresighter mode. Use it if available.

Zeroing at the range

Zero at the distance you plan to hunt. Most hog hunters are shooting inside 150 yards, so a 100-yard zero is a reasonable starting point.

Fire a three-shot group, check where rounds are landing relative to your reticle, and adjust accordingly. Thermal reticles adjust the same way as any other optic: the markings on the turrets tell you which direction and how far each click moves point of impact.

A few things worth knowing:

Zero in conditions similar to how you will hunt. Thermal imaging is affected by ambient temperature, and your zero at noon in August is not the same as your zero at midnight in January.

If you are sharing the sight between rifles, track which rifle it was zeroed on. Write it on a piece of tape on the sight body if you have to.

Re-check your zero at the start of each season. One hard knock can shift things.

First night out

Before you take it hunting, spend 15 minutes in your yard running through the controls. Find the palette settings, practice switching zoom levels, and locate the record button if you plan to use it. Fumbling with controls in the dark costs you shots.

Bring a backup light source. Thermal is for finding animals and confirming targets. You will still want a weapon light for recovery work.

Questions about your specific rail setup, email us.