Thermal lovers welcome back! For this week’s Friday Night Lights, we’re using a brand-new thermal scope. InfiRay is distributed in EU by Thermal device LTD. The Jerry C and Jerry F are made by the same individuals. The RICO MK1 is a new thermal weapon sight from Thermal device LTD, and the ILR-1000 is a laser rangefinding module that links to the RICO to provide laser rangefinding into the scope. We will continue to provide you with balanced news and reviews from a range of companies, as it does with all of our sponsored programs.
There is a 35mm version available. The review of RICO MK1 is the following.
The RICO Series was created with two goals in mind: to provide the greatest image and to be simple to use. The RICO Series is powered by an iRay Micro II processor with outstanding performance and an AMOLED HD display with exceptional contrast. With the MATRIX III image algorithm, RICO accelerates image processing with Advanced Image Correction and Automatic Image Optimization. Unrivaled picture quality combined with a simple and intuitive interface, picture-in-picture picture function, 6-hour battery lasts, Aluminum alloy housing, 1000 G impact resistance, and 32 Gb of system storage offer you everything you need to elevate your hunts to another level.
The highly sophisticated MATRIX III image processing method used by iRay distinguishes the RICO Mk1 series. The system is visually and electronically tuned, and the picture it creates pushes the limits of long-wave infrared image sharpness.
The Mk1 is powered by a high-capacity 3.7 V 4400 mAh lithium-ion battery pack that lasts at least 6 hours and up to 10 hours on standby. If you don’t want to turn off the computer, you may rapidly remove the battery and replace it with a new one by connecting external power to the USB-C port.
At $……….apiece, replacement batteries are a little costly. I would have rather that the customer could utilize 18650s batteries, which are simple to install and are less expensive.
The mount on the RICO MK1 is rather huge.
The factory mount is designed for a conventional hunting bolt action rifle and is somewhat lengthy. Because the RICO MK1’s eye relief is insufficient for bolt weapons, the lens cantilever attachment brings the thermal sight closer to the shooter’s eye. When you wish to use an AR-style platform, though, this gets a bit more
difficult
Using The RICO MK1
The RICO MK1 is simple to operate, which is a compliment to InfiRay. There are a few points that aren’t totally clear, but I’ll go over them in more depth later. The RICO MK1 features only four buttons, as seen in the photo. Also, it features a focus dial located slightly beneath and above the objective lens.
Power is the first button, then magnification, menu, and finally picture and video capture. The picture capture and magnification buttons have two functions. They are used to navigate the on-screen menu by acting as up and down buttons.
There is a third function concealed under the magnification and image capture buttons. When you connect the IRL-100 laser range finder, you must push both buttons at the same time to connect and activate it.
A second box appears on the screen at this point, indicating where the laser range finder is ranging so you may target it.
With your thermal scope, the IRL-100 is ideal for ranging. Many thermal scopes employ stadiametric ranging, which uses a reticle in the scope to measure the height of an object. This is based on general universal heights for the item and target in question. The issue is that it lacks precision. You can also get false positives. What if you aim for a coyote or a smaller deer? Not all coyotes are the same size, and it’s difficult to judge distance with thermal scopes just by looking at something. A little dog may be closer, but from a greater distance, a larger dog may appear to be the same size.
The IRL-100 mounts to the RICO MK1’s Picatinny rail on the side. It is connected to RICO’s USB type C port on the other side.
The disadvantage is that you can no longer utilize a portable power supply when using the RICO MK1 and the IRL-100 at the same time. I did notice some vampiric battery drain from the IRL-100, but Angelo said that this was due to the outdated software. The problem seems to be resolved once I upgraded the firmware. I found the IRL-100 to be a little sluggish when it came to range. I’d have to push the range button a few times before it gave me a satisfactory result. The range finder seems to operate a little better if I kept the IRL-100 stable, such as on a bench or tripod. The first one they delivered appeared to be malfunctioning, unable to range beyond 400 yards, and I had it configured to meters due to operator mistake, and was perplexed as to why the capabilities of the IRL-100 differed from those of my Vortex Razor rangefinder. The disparity in range vanished once I changed the internal menu to show distances in yards. However, there was little I can really do about the IRL-100’s sluggish range. Let’s hope, a software upgrade will repair and enhance this as well.
Phenomenal Thermal Image
While the RICO MK1 has a few flaws, it does an excellent job of detecting heat. This is my regular testing location, which is 530 yards distant from the utility shed.
The RICO MK1 includes six distinct reticles, each of which may be changed in color. I prefer this crosshair reticle since there are more suspensions in the reticle when zoomed in digitally.
The picture capture is such a feature of the RICO MK1 that I’d like to see. Only the thermal picture and the reticle are captured. It does not preserve the menu or, more significantly, the range displayed by the IRL-100. I shot these photos to illustrate some cows and how far away they were, with the idea that the picture capture would also demonstrate the range. Regrettably, it does not. The image below, if my memory serves me right, was a little over 500 yards long.
The RICO MK1 has a fantastic function in that it can be synced with their app. If you have a MacBook, this is how you get the files off the RICO MK1. On a Windows computer, you may use the charging cord (which is a USB cable) to connect the RICO to your computer and access the data as if it were a USB drive. I enjoy how the battery charger’s charging cord is also a USB data cable. This simplifies ownership by eliminating the requirement for a cable that is only used to charge the battery.
You must first enable the RICO’s WIFI mode and then connect to it as a WIFI hotspot. After that, the app connects to the RICO, and you can choose the Remote Files option to download the photographs into the app. You may share them on your iPhone once they’ve been downloaded to the app.
RICO: Some Closing Remarks
The price of the RICO MK1 640 50mm is $……. This is an excellent choice for a dedicated thermal weapon sight due to its high thermal sensitivity and excellent photos. I strongly advise obtaining the ADM mount if you want to use it on an AR platform. The IRL-100 is functional, but given the price and the time it appears to take to provide a good return, I’d wait to see if they improve it. A specialized laser rangefinder, on the other hand, can be faster and less expensive; nevertheless, ranging a target at night is difficult. InfiRay should program the IRL-100 and RICO MK1 to function with a ballistics calculator, in my opinion. It’s similar to the SIG Sauer KILO system. When you tag a target with the IRL-100, the ballistics calculator calculates a firing solution, which is then shown on the RICO MK1 as an aiming/firing solution, indicating where you should aim to make that shot. That would vastly improve the capabilities of the IRL-100 and RICO MK1, which are currently only available to a select few.