The first thing any hunter or shooter learns when they start looking for a thermal rifle scope is that THERMAL IS EXPENSIVE. With the average thermal scope costing around three thousand dollars and higher-end models easily reaching six grand or more, there is a substantial barrier to entry for anyone that wants to get into thermal.
Thankfully for all the buddies on a budget, there is the AGM Rattler. With the base model costing only $1099, this unit is much more accessible to the average person. Although, this comparatively low price tag begs the question; is a thermal scope this cheap any good?
The construction of the Rattler feels like it was designed for durability. The body is made from a combination of injection-molded composite and anodized aluminum. Stiff rubber forms the control buttons, the data port cover, and the logo on the right side of the unit.
This unit boasts an IP67 water resistance rating. This means that it is completely impervious to dust and can be submerged in water up to one meter in depth. I suppose this rating is only valid if the unit is running off its internal batteries and the USB-C port cover is in place. I doubt it would be waterproof if you were using an external battery pack.
The 19mm objective lens is protected by a flip-down scope cap. The cap can be rotated to open at any angle or removed completely. I suggest you leave the scope cap on and close it whenever not actively looking through the optic, as these lenses and their coatings are more delicate than that of most day scopes.
With a few considerations, thermal can be used during the day just as effectively as at night. During the day you will have to recognize the warming effects of the sun and it also becomes harder to see the OLED screen inside the scope due to the brighter surroundings. The scope comes with a rubber boot around the ocular lens that in addition to reducing your light signature at night, also provides a darker environment for your eye to see the screen during the day.
The Rattler is powered by two internal CR123 batteries or an external battery connected to the USB-C data port. It is easy to change the internal batteries quickly and they will give you around four hours of run time. The runtime can be increased if you put the unit into sleep mode by tapping the power button. This shuts the screen off but keeps the processor running. The benefit of sleep mode is that you can instantly turn the screen back on versus having to wait six seconds for the unit to boot up from being completely off.
All AGM scopes come with American Defense Manufacturing quick detach mounts. These are great mounts and I am glad that AGM chose to invest in this feature because an optic is only as good as the mount you put it in.
One feature that I love about this scope is that each of the five reticles can be zeroed independently. This means that I can zero this scope on up to five separate rifles. Thanks to the quick detach mount it can be popped off one rifle and onto another. Then, all you have to do is select the reticle for that rifle.
The rattler has four color palettes (white hot, black hot, fusion, and red hot). I prefer white hot for most situations. Depending on the conditions, it generally has the darkest image- which is easier on my eye during extended use.
Video and pictures can be taken with this unit, but it does not record sound. The files are stored in the 16 GB internal memory. All media is accessed through the USB-C connection on the side of the scope.
The image you get from the TS19-256 is not as sharp as more expensive thermal scopes but it is still usable. I had no problem spotting medium sized animals out to five hundred yards but I was only able to reliably identify them if they were within three hundred yards. Larger heat sources can be seen from even farther. I was able to view the level of warm water inside a water tower from half a mile away.
The 2.5x base magnification is low enough to give a good field of view while providing enough magnification for medium range shots. You can zoom up to 20x digitally but the image quality degrades so much that I hardly ever use the zoom.
If you are sure you need more magnification, you could get the Rattler TS25-256 for $1318. It has the same sensor as the TS19-256 but with a 3.5x base magnification. I originally thought I would like the TS25 better but I found that I preferred the wider field of view from the TS19. Either way, I am glad the option is available.
Overall, I am very happy with this scope. The controls are simple and easy to manipulate. The magnification and resolution are acceptable for my needs and you can’t beat the price. I have no problem recommending the Rattler TS19-256 to anyone looking for a good-value thermal. Visit AGM’s Website to see the full spec sheet on this optic or to order your own.
*** Buy and Sell on GunsAmerica! All Local Sales are FREE! ***
I feel like someone who actually did a review would have more than one image. Diffrent ranges, etc. Terrible article.
This review failed to offer anything the the website of the product offers. Even the included pics failed to mention yardage. Come on, you can do far better or stop publishing.
You said you had no problem identifying targets “at distance” but failed to disclose what those distances may be.
How’s the accuracy/consistency of the scope after it is zeroed?