According to Amazon, more than 300 people bought the DNT Optics Zulus in the past month.
We think a few of those buyers will be disappointed.
So what’s wrong with buying a DNT Optics Zulus ZHD520R?
1. EXCESSIVE MAGNIFICATION
Nearly all digital night vision and thermal scopes coming out of China have too much magnification. The DNT Optics Zulus ZHD520R, for example, has a magnification range of 5-20X. That range is too much magnification for night hunting.
Why is it too much? Firstly, most night hunting is varmint hunting, and most of it takes place inside 500 yards. Secondly, 6X magnification is more than enough to shoot accurately out to 800 yards. Thirdly, field-of-view halves when magnification doubles, and field-of-view is critical when varminting at night. Without a wide field-of-view, you struggle to find the target in your scope. You can spend 5-10 minutes just finding the target in your scope, and by then, the target has probably moved. You’ve missed your chance.
The DNT Optics Zulus ZHD520R’s minimum magnification is 5X, so even at its lowest setting, its field-of-view is too narrow to spot targets quickly.
A night vision scope should have a magnification range of about 1-8X. At 1X, you get the widest field-of-view to find the target, and then you zoom in to take the shot.
2. INACCURATE RANGEFINDING
The DNT Optics Zulus ZHD520R’s built-in rangefinder gives inaccurate readings and can’t range past about 250 yards.
3. INACCURATE BALLISTIC CALCULATOR
Every DNT Optics scope that claims to have a built-in ballistic calculator has the same problem: the calculator doesn’t account for shooting angle. If you’re shooting up an incline, for example, the firing solution isn’t accurate enough for an ethical shot. When we asked DNT Optics about the missing shooting angle, DNT was less than forthcoming, which, speaking of ethics, is questionable.
As far as we know, every “ballistic calculator” on the digital scopes coming out of China ignores shooting angle, including every scope PARD ships. If you want an accurate ballistic solution, stick with U.S. and European ballistic calculators, like the ones from Applied Ballistics.
THE SOLUTION:
The only reasonably priced way to get night vision, a ballistic solver, rangefinding and decent optics in one setup is to switch to something like Sig Sauer’s BDX scopes and rangefinders.
Sig BDX rangefinders have built-in Applied Ballistics software and send your holdover data to any BDX scope, which then shows an illuminated holdover dot where you need to aim.
Then add a 12mm PARD 1X clip-on and a Sightlok RF-1 rangefinder mount. The Sightlok RF-1 mounts your rangefinder on your rifle’s rail and keeps an accurate co-witness between your rangefinder and scope, so you can range in total darkness.
A POTENTIAL SHOPPING LIST:
– Sig Sauer EASY6-BDX 1-6X scope
– Sig Sauer BDX rangefinder
– Sightlok RF-1 rangefinder mount (to co-witness your rangefinder with your scope)
– Digital night vision clip-on that supports 1X
– Thermal monocular spotter that supports 1X
– Infrared illuminator
The setup above has more pieces, costs more and weighs more, but it ticks all the boxes if you want reasonably priced digital night vision with ballistics. Most importantly, the Sig EASY6-BDX 1-6X’s field-of-view is about 800% better than the Zulus ZHD520R’s, so you can spot the target far more easily, even without a thermal scope.
Have a better solution, or a different opinion? Leave your comments below and we’ll respond promptly!
Ready to Build a Better WMLRF?
Mount a Sig BDX rangefinder, or the rangefinder you already own, on your rifle and co-witness it to your scope.
Try the Sightlok RF-1 for 30 days. If you don’t like it, send it back for a full refund, with no restocking fees, no return shipping fees and no questions.
New here?
Mount your rangefinder to your weapon
The Sightlok RF-1 is a Picatinny / Weaver rail mount that turns the handheld rangefinder you already own into a weapon-mounted laser rangefinder.
