Best Thermal Scopes for Air Rifles in the UK

The Pixfra Cetus C225, at £679.95, is the most airgun-friendly of the three on paper. Its 256x192 sensor uses a 12µm pixel pitch with a sensitivity rating below 18mK, which helps pick out small heat signatures such as a rat's head against a warm straw bale. The 25mm f/1.0 lens gives a 3.5x base magnification with 1-8x digital zoom, a 7.0° x 5.3° field of view and 45mm of eye relief. It weighs 520g, runs for up to five hours on a replaceable 18650 battery, records to 64GB of built-in storage with recoil-activated recording, and stores multiple zero profiles, so you can hold separate zeros for two pellet weights or two rifles. It is IP67 rated and shock rated to 1,000g.

The ATN Thor 6 Mini 215, at £699.00, is the lightest and shortest here at 500g and 180mm, which makes it an easy fit on a compact PCP or a bullpup. It pairs a 256x192, 12µm VOx sensor rated at 20mK or better with a 15mm f/1.0 lens, giving a 2x base magnification that is ideal for close-range rat work, with digital zoom stepping up to 16x. Battery life is quoted at around eight hours on a single 18650, it mounts directly to a Picatinny rail, stores up to five weapon profiles, records to 64GB of internal memory, and carries a five-year warranty and a 6,000-joule recoil rating. Start-up takes under seven seconds.

The ATN Mars LTV+ 2-6x, at £749.00 (down from an RRP of £939.00), takes a different approach: it is a tube-style thermal that fits standard 30mm rings, so it sits on the rifle like a conventional day scope. It uses a 256x192, 12µm sensor behind a 19mm lens with 2-6x magnification, a 1024x768 OLED display, an internal battery rated for more than nine hours, a stadiametric rangefinder and 720p video recording. At 650g and 292mm long it is the heaviest of the three, but the tube format suits shooters who want a traditional scope silhouette and ring mounting rather than a Picatinny-only body.

Match the lens to your typical range. A 15mm lens (Thor 6 Mini 215) gives the widest view and suits rats in farm buildings and rabbits inside 30 yards. A 19-25mm lens (Mars LTV+ and Cetus C225) gives a tighter, more detailed image that is better for rabbits at 35-50 yards on open grass. On any air rifle, a scope whose lowest magnification makes a rabbit fill the screen at 40 yards is too much at 15 yards, so a low base magnification matters more than a high maximum zoom.

Recoil is the one area where air rifles differ sharply. A regulated PCP produces almost no recoil and suits every scope here. A spring-piston rifle produces a sharp two-way recoil pulse that can damage electronics not designed for it, so if you shoot a springer, confirm with the retailer that your chosen model is rated for springer use before buying. For thermal work in general, a PCP is the more sensible platform.

Zeroing a thermal on an air rifle needs a target that shows up in thermal, because a paper target is the same temperature as its surroundings. A hand warmer or heat pad fixed behind the aim point works well, and so does a small square of foil tape. Zero at your most common distance, usually 25-30 yards for a sub-12 ft/lb rifle, then use the extra zero profiles to set a second zero for close-range rat work, where a pellet's point of impact sits above the line of sight.

Finally, remember that thermal shows heat, not detail behind the animal. Always confirm a safe backstop before you shoot, especially in and around farm buildings, and make sure your permission covers night shooting on that land. Rabbits, rats and grey squirrels are legal quarry with an air rifle given the landowner's permission, and a sub-12 ft/lb air rifle needs no certificate in England and Wales, though Scotland requires an air weapon certificate.