The Pulsar Digisight N550 is unlike any other NV rifle sight on the market, as it relies on digital technology and infra red illumination to enhance the image instead of traditional NV Gen 1 or Gen 2 image intensifier tubes.
The green image normally associated with NV devices is not present in digital units as the N550 does not use a green phosphor screen, the image instead appearing on a sharp black and white LCD screen. Green was commonly thought as the most effective colour for the human eye to view at night, so it would be interesting to find out how the N550 image compared.
Scott Country first saw the N550 in the "flesh" at the Tackle and Guns Trade show in Stoneleigh and we were lucky enough to be one of the first in the UK to put it through its paces..
N550 LIGHT-FREE TUNNEL TRIAL
We had heard great things about the N550, and we were excited to see if it lived up to our expectations and couldn't wait to try it out. UK Distributors Thomas Jacks had access to a custom built light free tunnel for the afternoon, so we put the N550 through its paces.
The dark tunnel consisted of a long blacked out tunnel with a range of targets to acquire at the far end of the range, this was ideal for testing a Night vision device.
To get a comparison we tried a Gen 1 + Riflescope to see how it performed, and using the Built In IR I could easily make out the rabbit shaped targets and it performed as expected.
Eagerly we mounted the N550 to the plastic dummy stock, and I raised the eye piece to my eye and what I saw was a revelation. The image was sharp and defined with a depth of clarity that far exceeded my expectations.
The best way to describe the image is that it is like a crisp clear CCTV camera image, but in black and white.
The N550's built in reticle can be cycled through various profiles, and I chose a traditional cross hair, and practised lining up for shots against the rabbit targets. With the built in IR turned on, the N550 could easily pick out targets in the light free tunnel, giving virtually daylight quality images.
N550 SET-UP
Setting up the N550 on a firearm couldn't be easier, with the adjustable dovetail fitting most rifles from 11mm dovetail to weaver. As part of the ongoing product development for the N550, Pulsar will shortly be releasing their own reticle design software, which is currently in its BETA stages.
This will allow the user at home, to create their own bespoke reticles for their requirements. You can then have a reticle for a 25yard range onboard an air rifle, or a mildot reticle for 200m lamping foxes at night. We at Scott Country have been testing the new Pulsar software and are offering a free of charge reticle design service when you buy a Digisight from us.
Zeroing is simplified using Pulsar's one shot zero system which allows you to adjust the reticle position using a single live shot. I found this very easy to use, and although I needed two or three shots to convince myself it was zeroed correctly, it's certainly a way of saving ammo.
Most people find gauging distance at night is particularly difficult and this poses a problem when zeroing conventional NV riflescopes.
I have found this a problem in the past using a Gen 1 device at night, but with the Pulsar N550 the one shot system makes this easier, although with the N550 being resistant to bright light exposure, you can use it in the daylight also. This is great news for zeroing during the day before you go out lamping at night.
THE N550 IN THE FIELD
Taking the N550 out in the field for the first time was an exciting prospect but there was little in the way of quarry about, primarily due to the awful weather.
It was a very dark and gloomy night with almost 100% cloud cover so no hope of starlight to assist the unit, I wondered how it would fare. As there wasn't a rabbit to be seen I set up a target at 100m and turned on the optional IR flashlight (or so I thought) and looked through the eye piece.
I could easily see every detail and blades of grass and twigs were clearly visible.
I reached to turn off the optional IR Flashlight to see how the built in IR compared, to find that in fact it was turned off!!!
The unit was performing this well already without the IR flashlight!!
With the optional IR flashlight on I actually found it overpowering at air rifle ranges, the image was so bright I had to look away for a moment. Looking at trees with nesting crows over 200meters away with the IR flashlight on this time, I was stunned at how clear the image was, and it blew a Gen One riflescope out of the water.
I have only ever used one Gen 2 riflescope before, and the N550 was easily comparable at less than half the cost of the Gen 2 unit. I spent a bit of time with the N550 handheld as a viewing monocular, and my Yukon MPR capturing footage at various distances and throughout an evening to see how it performed.
Watching pigeons flighting to roost was fantastic, and as I lay still and motionless a badger cub ran past me and I managed to catch sight of it as it went through a hedgerow.
I was most impressed as the clock got close to 11pm and I sat and watched some rooks nesting in trees, which were easily 250 metres away. I could see them clearly and watched them getting ready to bed down for the night, just as they were spooked by a rifle shot in the distance and flew off again.
N550 FUNCTIONS
The functions of the N550 were all very easy to operate at night and I could change the reticle, adjust the brightness, focus and zero with the touch of a button.
The SumLight function of the N550 is operated by push button and switches the N550 into enhanced sensitivity mode, this was particularly useful with the mist closing in.
Some time ago I tested a riflescope that could take pictures of what you were shooting at when you pulled the trigger, well the N550 goes one step further.
Being a digital night vision device the N550 can output a video stream to a mobile personal recording device such as the Yukon MPR, allowing you to record your night's hunting.
THE RESULT
The Pulsar N550 Digisight offers a true night vision riflescope with the capability of day light use which is ideal for those of us who dont have two rifles. No need to switch between day and night scopes, or having to add on a bulky NV add on scope device.
Offering clear and precise viewing out to 250meters with the IR flashlight, the N550 is ideal for vermin control on centrefire rifles, as well as for hunting small ground and roosting vermin with air rifles.
