Introduction
Thermal optics have become one of the latest trends in the shooting industry. In fact both night-vision and thermals have become sort of a new status symbol for gun owners. Mainly because they are not inexpensive, and require significant dedication to obtain. But as with many things in our industry, competition drives innovation. We all have benefitted from this competition, as more products and companies have emerged making it easier to get hands on these products. Today we are looking at one of those products, the Armasight Contractor 640 2.3-9.2×35 Thermal Weapon Sight.
Armasight manufactures a variety of thermal and night-vision devices for both observation and weapon sighting. This is not the first experience I’ve had with the brand, or thermal/night vision for that matter. So I was excited to see how the Contractor 640 stood out against other thermal sights I’ve used.
The Armasight Contractor 640 2.3-9.2×35 Thermal Weapon Sight
With so many features to go over, I ‘ll simply list them all at once, and go over the ones that deserve attention:
- Multiple color palettes
- Intuitive menus with turret controls
- 8+ Reticle Types
- 4 hours runtime at 20° C
- Image Detail Enhancement
- 1/2MOA Boresight
- Quick Detach Mount Included
- Video Recording & Image Capture
- USB Video Stream
- Wi-Fi Video Stream
- Bluetooth 5.0 Capabilities
- Application on iOS / Android Devices
- USB-C Interface for External Devices
- Integrated Stadiametric Rangefinder
- Inclinometer
- Levelometer
- Graphic Compass
- Picture in Picture Mode
- Angle Cosine Indicator
- Reticle ON/OFF Selection
- Battery Status Indicator
- Alloy Metal Body and Ergonomic Design
Features
With such an impressive suite of features its is challenging to discuss them all. Perhaps the most valuable ones are the practical things you will use on a regular basis. For example, color pallet selection can help define targets and surroundings. Giving you contrast to better see what you’re looking at.
The image and video recording capabilities are nice if you like to share your hunting experiences with others. And it’s also valuable for seeing what happened after the shooting is over.
Connectivity is very handy, and with wifi enabled devices like the Contractor 640 you can easily access images and other data from your phone. Armasight has both Android and Apple applications to do this, I downloaded the Apple version to see how it worked
There was a surprising amount of control of the Contractor via the app. You can do almost everything through the phone, change color pallets, reticle style, ballistic solving as well as record video feed. I was quite impressed with how much could be done, the thing only missing was a remote focus adjustment.
The different angle finding features of the Contractor 640 can be handy, as is the compass heading. Some of these features aren’t hugely important unless you are shooting beyond regular distances. So they may be overkill for many shooters, but very handy for others.
The dual turrets for bringing up and selecting menus makes changing up some of these features quick to do on the fly.
Shooting a Thermal Weapon Sight
One of the first things I find useful with a thermal sight is selecting a color pattern that best fits your eyes. Everybody’s eyes are different, and finding a good contrast setting that fits your eye will help you make sense of the display. I tend to prefer white on black, while you might prefer one of the color pallets.
For those of you who might have seen an ultrasound of a growing baby, it can be similar. You are oftentimes looking at not only what is there, but the negative of what lies around it. Different display settings can enhance your ability to identify your target.
In addition to the actual warm and cold image, the Contractor shows additional data in the display. The aiming reticle can be changed, offering you different tools for holdovers. There are also angle and cant indications on the sides of the display. Zeroing the device is easily done following Armasights directions using one of their thermal targets.
Field Use
Before shooting with the Contractor 640, I would need to zero the sight to my rifle. Armasight has incorporated a handy function to zero the sight. After centering the crosshair on your target, and carefully firing a shot, you steady the rifle on the target (using bipod, bags, etc). You can then adjust the point of impact to the bullet hole in the target. It’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it.
Controls
One of the greatest strengths I believe the Contractor brings is the turret menus. Both turrets have a pop-up menu each that can be easily cycled through to select different features or settings. I found them easy to navigate and go through without taking too much time.
The Power knob is easy and secure, you simply push down and rotate it to on or off. There is no question which of the two settings it is set on, and it is not easy to switch accidentally. This is refreshing when compared to other options that uses push-buttons, that can be accidentally pressed. And when cold weather is encountered, their engagement can be less tactile.
Recording video through the sight is easily done by pressing the record button behind the right turret. This initiates recording of the display, and it shows a recording icon in the display so you know it’s recording. Four hours of recording time will fit on the internal memory card, which is easily downloaded via the provided USBC cable. Personally I prefer removable memory cards, that allow you to swap and upload as needed.
Focusing the images seen in the Contractor is done by two rubberized focs rings. The one at the rear of the optic, is to focus the image seen by your eye. At the front of the optic, there is another focus ring that corrects the actual thermal sensor clarity. Both are easily adjusted giving a great image.
Mount
Mounting the Armasight Contractor is quite easy, thanks to the Kinetic Development Group QD mount. The cantilever mount uses spring-tension to snap closed over whatever picatinny sight rail you wish to attach it to. It locks into place, and can be removed by pressing the button at the front to release it. It’s a top quality mounting system.
Shop thermal optics at Euro Optic or Optics Planet
Action
With the optic zeroed, there was little to do other than shoot. Selecting an appropriate reticle for my purposes was easy, making shots at various target types a snap. Shooting with a suppressor was a huge plus, keeping the hot gasses of the report focused tightly to avoid target obstruction. Watching bullets fly through the air was pretty cool, as was seeing their impacts. Sparks and hot bullet fragments could be seen as shots impacted. To keep this article less obscene, I’ll avoid mentioning the imagery of animals being hit through the thermal. I’ll let you find those images on your own.
Shooting through the Armasight Contractor in darkness was very effective. But as the freezing fog of winter came in, the image rapidly deteriorated. This is the case with most thermals I believe. With ice crystals floating in the air, there is no way for the thermal to see through so much.
Another thing that I experienced with this and other thermals is a need to be very attentive to the focus. It’s very easy to move from one target area to another and lose clarity, until you remember to refocus the image.
I fielded the Armasight Contractor on several occasions, aiming to find something warm to shoot at. One of the local swamps promised the opportunity of a raccoon or fox, which would have been just right. Unfortunately I never got onto one of them, but the swamp was certainly full of life, such as rats and waterfowl. It was awesome to be able to pick out the living inhabitants so easily, the warm heads of ducks shown starkly against the cold water around them.
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-CBM