I wasn’t sure I saw what I saw.

I had just pulled the trigger on my very first shot using the PARD Ocelot 640 thermal sight, zeroing the unit at 50 yards. It was an overcast morning, 45 degrees and 70% humidity, the latter thanks to a steady rain the previous two days. My zeroing “bullseye” was a HotHands Super Warmer heat pad taped to a cardboard rectangle, and the pad popped nicely in the rear lens of the Ocelot, my color palette set on Red Hot. 

I thought I saw a tiny red heat signature to the low right of the HotPad but that wasn’t possible, was it? No. But? If I did see it, that meant the .223 Rem. bullet cut through the cardboard and the PARD picked up heat left on the cardboard as the bullet exited?

I fired again, and damned if that wasn’t exactly the case: a small red heat circle appeared low and right on the cardboard, stayed for a few seconds and disappeared. 

I’ve zeroed dozens of thermal units and I’d never had it happen where the unit picked up the heat the bullet left behind on the target itself. Factor in the high humidity, which is never a friend to thermal imaging, and the heat sensing and image-generating capabilities of the Ocelot 640 are even more impressive.

Just two rounds in and I’d already learned a great deal about this thermal.

Many Features

The PARD Ocelot 640 features a high-resolution, 640x512 sensor and a 50mm objective lens. It is also available with a 35mm objective lens. Images are viewed through a round 800x800 display. The objective lens focuses with a wheel control atop the front end of the unit, while a rear diopter sharpens images seen at the rear of the unit.

With its 2.5x base magnification and 2-8x digital zoom, the unit can really reach out. It does so, I discovered, with sharply defined images. The thermal also sports a laser range finder along the left side of the main tube, easily activated by one of the four control buttons along the top of the unit body. The rangefinder is good out to 1,200 yards, according to PARD. 

The unit also features a ballistic calculator. A hunter can configure the Ocelot to their particular ammunition’s bullet weight and muzzle velocity. Paired with the laser rangefinder, the unit will provide real-time target distance and estimated impact point for a precise shooting solution.

As I discovered when I saw the bullet hole heat signatures, the Ocelot detects very subtle temperature differences. The unit rates at a Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference (NETD) of ≤20mK. In common English, this means the unit can note differences in temperature as low as 0.02℃elsius or .036 Fahrenheit.

Menu options include multiple color palettes and reticle options; image adjustments (brightness, contrasts, etc.); Picture-in-Picture setting; Hot Track; recoil-activated video; and WI-FI connectivity, among other options.

The unit takes both JPG photos and mp4 videos and can record them on a removable Micro SD Card (not provided), using a card up to 128GB. Photos and video can also be accessed by downloading the PARDVision2 app. There is a Type-C battery charging port and an HDMI port for digital inter-connection.

A Compact Unit

A single, rechargeable 18650 lithium battery powers the Ocelot 640. When fully charged, the battery provides up to five hours of use and can operate in temperatures between -22 degrees and 131 degrees Fahrenheit. For extended use, a hunter can carry an extra battery or two (purchased separately). 

Also, the unit can run with an external power source connected through the Type-C port.

The unit’s main body is aircraft-grade aluminum alloy. A cantilever mounting bracket and the appropriate screws are included with the Ocelot. I had no problem quickly attaching the mount to the unit. Once attached, the unit easily mounted onto my rifle’s Picatinny rail. 

PARD rates the Ocelot as recoil resistant up to 6,000 joules of force or roughly equivalent to a .338 Win Mag.

With an IP67 rating, the Ocelot should provide complete security against dust and submersion in up to 3 feet of water.

In all the Ocelot weighs in at only 16 ounces and is just 7.16 inches in length.

Easy Zero 

With my first two shots completed, I accessed the reticle settings and made the unit’s one-shot zero adjustment, sliding the reticle over to my first shots and then saving that setting. It worked fine.  

I moved to my 100-yard shooting lane and did a quick re-zero, then set about to see what level of accuracy I could get out of my rig.

That rig, by the way, had the Ocelot mounted on my FM-15 223 Rifle Gen. II, from Foxtrot Mike. Unlike the standard AR-15, the FM-15 features a forward placed, non-reciprocating charging handle along the left side of the rifle’s 16-inch barrel. For easier transport, the FM-15 also sported a Magpul Zhukov folding stock.

I’ve used the rifle in reviews and numerous hunts, and it is a first-rate AR, capable of superior accuracy. 

For ammunition, I used HOP Munition’s .223 Rem loaded with a 55-grain full metal jacketed bullet. American veterans make this “House of Payne” brand of ammo. It ran without a hitch in the FM-15 and proved itself extremely accurate.

Not that my shooting at 100 yards started out so fine. My first couple groups were over 2 inches large. I figured I needed a more life-like target and taped some HotHands over a full-sized Tru-Life coyote target made by Delta McKenzie.

I aimed my first five shots at the center-mass of the heat pack, and while all five hit, the group measured nearly 2 inches.

Time to really concentrate. I shot at the smaller heat pack taped to the yote’s head. This produced a decent group, but the shots hit just above the pack. 

Deep breath and a big stretch and I went back to it. My last three shots all drilled the heat pack at a very respectable .80 inches.

Controls

The Ocelot’s main controls are located along the top of the unit, four rubber-coated buttons. Each button controls different functions; those functions are accessed by a single press, double press or a long press, depending on the function.

The buttons are staggered size-wise from front to rear, shorter, taller, shorter, taller. At night, I had a relatively easy time determining what button to press. The height differences of the four buttons provided very tactile reference points for my fingertips.

Still, four buttons and various press/hold protocols definitely required some practice. I needed a good hour-plus at night to get used to switching among the various functions. And I had already run the unit many times inside for familiarity, plus did the zeroing and shooting of the unit that very day.

The Company

Established in 2017 in China, PARD Technology Co. LTD. manufactures both night vision and thermal imaging devices. Units included night vision scopes, thermal imaging scopes with and without rangefinders, thermal monoculars, and versatile multi-spectral optics.

Initial sales focused on the European markets and after five years of double-digit growth, PARD USA opened in Reno, Nevada. 

Dealer Info

Approved dealers can buy direct from PARD or through distribution, based on whatever is best for their individual business models. PARD products are available through a number of distributors including Bill Hicks, Orion Wholesale, Sports South and Zanders.

Dealers can apply to become an authorized PARD dealer one of two ways: Contact ODLE Sales at info@odlesales.com for terms/requirements and to set up an account; or contact PARD directly at sales.support@optimaxtechnologyllc.com/.

Sales 

While prices have come down across the thermal landscape over the last decade, many customers experience sticker shock when they discover thermal prices still run into the many thousands of dollars.  

There’s no real way around this. The market is the market.

But the price and the quality of the Ocelot unit will be big selling points for the serious thermal buyer. The MSRP for the Ocelot 640 is $2,999. Most thermals built with 640 sensors start at $1,000 to $1,500 more and can run several grand beyond that. But for $3,000, a night hunter can get a 640 unit with a 50mm objective lens, featuring nearly all the capabilities of units that are much more expensive.  

Point out to potential customers the many, many features of the Ocelot 640 including:

• ≤20mK NETD rating
• The large soft-touch buttons, easy to operate in the dark
• The unit’s 2.5 base magnification and 2-8 digital zoom
• A true 800x800 round display, familiar to users of daytime optics
• Photo and video storage on a 128GB removable Micro SD card
• The 1,200-yard laser rangefinder with built-in ballistics calculator
• WI-FI connectivity to a mobile device
• A solid aluminum chassis built to withstand the elements.

Recording the Hunt

Also inform potential customers of the quality photos and videos that the Ocelot 640 takes.

I spent several hours one night scanning and taking photos and videos and was impressed with the image quality of both. Photo and video images were generally sharp-edged, even with that night’s 84% humidity. 

I also used the unit’s Picture-in-Picture and was impressed with the detail in the smaller picture used for more precise shooting. 

In Store

PARD offers in-store scope stands provided free of charge to display all PARD products at a side counter. 

PARD also provided its dealers with catalogs, counter mats, high quality HD product-specific videos (on the PARD website), and a free online dealer media kit with HD images. The company also offers banners to support store-level POP display and help drive sales. 

The company has partnered with ODLE Sales https://www.odlesales.com/, one of the top shooting sports rep groups in the country, with over 40 years of experience, to help support its retail partnerships. This includes dealers, distributors, buy groups and chain accounts. 

Odle Sales coordinates and supports training programs for dealer staff. Sales staff incentive programs and account specific advertising support and funding can be set in place, too.