LIEMKE – Zeroing in with intent

Once a thermal imaging device has been fitted on the rifle scope, the rifle’s point of impact may change – but not all users know this fact. If it does deviate, there are two reasons for this:

The fitted thermal imaging optics increase the overall weight of the weapon. This has an impact on the barrel’s vibration characteristics and therefore on the point of impact. Above all, rifles with thin, more lightweight barrels respond more sensitively to a weight increase, whereas rifles with semi-weight or match barrels are much more impervious in this regard. This disadvantage of thin barrels has also been observed in the simultaneous use of cartridges with different shots or shot weights because they influence the barrel’s vibration characteristics in the same way. Whereas in thick barrels, the bullet holes of light and heavy shots are still usually relatively close together when they hit the target, the deviations caused by thin barrels often become unacceptable for hunting.

The second reason for possible deviations after fitting the thermal imaging optics is the fact that, when looking through the rifle scope, hunters are not looking directly at the target but at the clip-on device’s screen. Although these devices are pre-aligned in an axial direction when they are made, there is still sufficient leeway for deviations in accuracy. When assembling its LUCHS thermal imaging optics in Germany, Liemke therefore places the utmost importance on meticulous pre-alignment to reduce any deviations to a minimum.

Nevertheless, it is a given that hunters want to have the exact same point of impact as when shooting without a clip-on device. It is therefore imperative that, once the thermal imaging device has been fitted, hunters try shooting their rifles in a controlled environment before first use.

Important: Any corrections must be made to the clip-on device only, not the rifle scope. With the new Liemke LUCHS-2 models, this is very easy to do thanks to the self-explanatory menu navigation and intuitive buttons. Once the correction has been saved with one press of the menu button, the point of impact will also remain the same, even if the thermal imaging device is repeatedly removed and reaffixed.

It goes without saying that you do not have to always shoot in darkness with this technology. However, as standard paper targets do not provide a thermal contrast, we recommend attaching a small heat pad to the paper as the target point. These pads are available from rifle specialists, but you can also use disposable hand warmers here, too.

„Simplicity is our concept, as people instinctively avoid complicated things.”

The Liemke LUCHS-2 can also be used as a pure observation device. It therefore comes with an eyepiece attached. If the LUCHS-2 is attached to the rifle scope, the eyepiece needs to be unscrewed and replaced with the clamping adapter in the box contents.

The Blaser B2 rifle scopes are specifically designed for use with thermal clip-on devices. Its protective cover is a genius optional extra that offers protection for the lenses and important additional functions. While the eyepiece cover controls the on/off function of the B2 rifle scope’s illuminated reticle when it is removed and reattached, the protective lens cover guarantees the thermal clipon device is in the accurate position. An immense advantage when fitting it in darkness.

The LUCHS-2 and BLASER B2: Carefully coordinated