It’s not that difficult for a competent shooter to hit an adult coyote at 100 yards, not with the predator standing 2 feet high or better and weighing 30-plus pounds. Add in an accurate AR-15 and there’s less of a reason to miss. 

But I wasn’t aiming at the yote, not specifically.  

Actually, my coyote was a paper version, life-size and made by Delta McKenzie. I outfitted the yote with two heat packets, the kind you drop into a hunting coat pocket during cold-weather deer hunts. I’d folded the packets over, and taped them to the Delta, heat sources for the thermal rifle scope I was testing, the Avenger 40 from Fusion Thermal.

The packets were at least three years old and weren’t exactly on fire. Folded, they measured approximately 3.5x2.5 inches. Yet, they showed up clear and sharp-edged through the Avenger 40, as did all images I viewed, and in the daylight. Base magnification on the unit was 3x, but I shot the yote at 6x at 100 yards and, briefly, 12x. 

Hits? Had a good number. My best shooting was on the rectangular packet placed over the coyote’s head (save the pelt, you know), and four of my six shots drilled the pad.  

The Avenger 40 is an impressive thermal rifle scope. In fact, had I not known the sensor was a 384x288, I would’ve assumed it was manufactured with the more expensive upgrade, the 640x480 sensor.

Fusion Thermal is doing things very, very right.

Features

In addition to the 384x288 thermal sensor, the Avenger 40 features:

• High-Purity Ultra HD Germanium Lens fronting the unit.
• The very easy to use T3 Three Button Control system atop the metal housing.
• Fusion’s KISS, “Keep It Simple Stupid,” menu.
• Handy Target Focus Knob at the front, top of unit.
• Audio, Still Photo and Video Capture.
• Five Color Palettes and Seven Reticle Options.
• A Quick-Detach Mount. 
• Rated to easily handle the recoil of a .300 Win. Mag. rifle.
• Five-year transferable warranty

The unit is powered by two 18650 rechargeable Li-Ion protected type batteries, and Fusion provides a re-charging station and an A/C adapter.  

The RAZR Difference

The newest feature found on the Avenger 40 and other Fusion thermals is RAZR, short for “Recoil Activated Zoom Reduction.”

Many thermal scopes have picture-in-picture technology. The smaller PIP image is located above the main image and features a zoom magnification. You spot that hog, select the PIP option, and you and the reticle zoom in on your point of aim.

The only problem comes when that first shot is fired and the animal starts running. The PIP presents a very narrow field of view, and that hog you’re trying to put a last shot into is all but impossible to pick up in the PIP. The main image has the PIP box getting in the way, too. The situation’s even more difficult if you come upon a sounder of hogs, with pigs large and small scattering in all directions at the shot.

Fusion’s RAZR option avoids this potential difficulty. 

When zoomed in on a target at any magnification above the base level, and once the first shot is fired, RAZR makes a quick but very fluid move back to the base magnification. In a split second, you have the full field of view for follow up shots without the PIP box in the way. The technology can be switched on or off; it’s adjustable for the amount of recoil, too, light, medium, or heavy. 

RAZR is available on all Fusion thermal units, at no additional charge from the basic MSRP. 

I ran the Avenger 40 with the RAZR on for much of my shooting, and it worked extremely well. The transition from zoom to base magnification was near instantaneous and very smooth.

A Side-Charging AR-15

To test out the Avenger 40, I mounted it on a Mike-15 223 Rifle Gen. II, from Foxtrot Mike Products. My Mike-15 has a folding Magpul Zhukov Stock, and this particular model is available exclusively from Brownell’s.

Chambered in .223 Wylde, the Mike-15 features a mid-length gas system and a non-reciprocating side charging handle located alongside the front half of the 16-inch barrel. With its 1:7 twist rate, the rifle matches well with heavier .223 Rem and 5.56x45 NATO rounds. 

Designed without a buffer tube, the Mike-15 can be fired with the Magpul Zhukov stock folded or extended. The rifle also sports a slim, 15.25-inch handguard with M-LOK attachment spaces and a full-length rail atop the receiver.

The Avenger 40’s quick-detach mount fit neatly onto the Mike-15.

Controls

I think the designers at Fusion Thermal learned a good deal from past thermal optic controls and menus — as in, they learned that many of the previous models had clunky controls and difficult-to-access menus. 

The result of that knowledge is Fusion’s T3 Three Button Control system. The central button is raised above the other two and very easy to discern by touch. That’s a real plus when hunting at night. Long press down on the central button and the menu appears on the rear screen. The buttons on either side of the central button move the selection bar up (front) or down (rear). Move to the required menu option, “Sighting,” for example, and short press on the central button and you are in that option.

To record videos or to take photos, use the “R” button to the left side of the unit. 

The front Target Focus Knob quickly micro-clicked my targets into sharp focus. The Rear Display Focus knob adjusted the reticle and menus to fit my eyes. 

There is also a USB-C port on the left side of the unit and ahead of the battery compartment. Transfer photos and videos from the Avenger 40 to your computer with the USB-C port and the provided cable. The port and cable will also connect to an external power source.  

 Last, the ON/OFF button is on the right side of the thermal. 

Easy Zero

Like many of the newest thermals, the Avenger 40 features an Easy Zero function. A shooter makes a long press on the center MENU button, goes into the SIGHTING option, and selects EASY ZERO.

The Easy Zero is basically a 50-yard zero with the unit set on the base 3x magnification. Take a two- to three-shot group at the intended target, determine where the shots went in reference to the target, then freeze the screen and move the reticle to the initial point of impact. Long press the MENU and the zero is set.

Which it was on my 50-yard zeroing. But once I moved onto 100-yard shooting, my Federal Premium America Eagle .223 ammunition and its 62-grain full metal jacket bullets hit left and up. 

That gave me the opportunity to try out the unit’s TRADITIONAL ZERO. The TRADITIONAL’s UP/DOWN and RIGHT/LEFT reticle movement fine-tuned my point of impact, and it worked nicely.   

The Company

Based in Hammond, Louisiana, Fusion Thermal is a relative newcomer to the thermal market, having launched itself into the industry in August of 2020. Working with a team of electro-engineers in the U.S. and Europe, Fusion introduced its first thermals to the American market in 2021.

Fusion thermals are initially assembled in Lithuania, with the sensors and image processors derived from European sources. Once they arrive at Fusion’s U.S. facility, the units go through a final assembly process, a testing and quality control operation, and are factory zeroed for a 5.56 cartridge on Gun Profile 1. Last, the thermals are packaged and shipped to Fusion dealers. 

In addition to the Avenger 40, Fusion offers the Avenger 55XR with a 640x512 sensor, the Boarmaster 40 Pro and 40E, both built with 384x288 sensors, a pair of thermal clip-ons, and various accessories.

According to Todd Bailey, the company’s national sales manager, Fusion Thermal only sells its products directly to its dealers. Their thermals are not available through distribution. Direct dealer inquiries to Bailey at: tbailey@fusionthermal.com.

Sell That Avenger

Hunters are the main customer base for the Avenger 40 and other Fusion thermals. Don’t be surprised, though, if law enforcement shows interest too. Bailey noted that several of his dealers had recently taken LE orders.

When showing the Avenger 40, start with the unit’s very easy-to-use T3 control system. Power up the thermal and run the customer through some basic menu options. Changing the color palettes is always a good way to get a customer’s attention. Let them switch out the reticles, too.

Point out the thermal’s Wi-Fi and media capabilities. Show off the 18650 protected Lithium-ion batteries and the included recharging unit.

To generate customer attention, mount the Avenger 40 onto an AR-style rifle for display. You will get customers asking, “Hey, what’s the deal with that strange looking scope?”

Also, position a few heat-reflective targets on far walls so customers can get a sense of what objects look like when seen through the thermal.

Last, mention that all of Fusion’s warranty work and customer service is strictly U.S.A. based, and actual humans answer all related phone calls.

In-Store Help

“We are a brick-and-mortar dealer's best friend,” said Bailey. “When you consider this and then also understand we are selling high-quality, hand-assembled, military-grade thermals, it becomes easy to see why we've doubled the number of our dealer partners in the last 12 months.” 

In-store, Fusion offers its dealer brochures, counter mats, DVDs and signage. Scope stands for counter displays are available, too.

Sales staff training? A considerable amount!

“I recently completed filming 10 videos, ‘The Fusion Thermal Product Training Series’ in our studio last month,” said Bailey. “The entire training is 58 minutes long, but we split it into 10 shorter segments. I’ve sent this out to all of our rep agencies for distribution.”

Bailey visits stores regularly, too, running training sessions with staff.

“Training is something that I take very seriously, and I have always maintained that training at a dealer level is the secret to better margins, stronger sales, and good factory-to-dealer relationships.”

Fusion also offers its “Bounty Hunter” program that pays an ongoing incentive for the sale of each unit.

“We are tenacious MAP supporters,” Bailey added. “Our dealers are not faced with Amazon price-matching customers on the other side of the sales counter. When it comes to protecting margin, a dealer will find that we are their best friend in the thermal market.”  

Marketing Thermal

Fusion has been very active in promoting the Avenger 40 and its other units.

Several night-hunting guides are using both the Avenger 40 and its big brother the Avenger 55XR and are steadily posting content to Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. One of the more prolific posters is The Thermal Crew out of Winnie, Texas, with a strong and growing social media following.  

Fusion Thermal also has content on the X-Ring channel on YouTube, as well as Carpe Sus, and Night Vision Specialists. Recently, the company hired a social media expert who is also a thermal specialist to further promote the Fusion line.

  

More to Come

Don’t expect Fusion Thermal to slow down any time soon. The company is launching a thermal this fall built with a ballistic laser rangefinder that generates ballistic solutions in the field. And for 2025, Fusion dealers will see several new thermal offerings.

Given the quality and functionality of the Avenger 40, expect Fusion Thermal to be a major player in this market for many, many years.