Guide Nova N435 Thermal Riflescope

A winter night on a predator stand can outlast a thermal scope's battery, and a battery change that blanks the screen can come at the wrong moment. The Guide Nova N435 pairs a 400 × 300, 12 μm sensor behind a 35 mm F1.0 lens with a built-in battery that keeps the scope running while you swap its external 18500 cell. Guide rates its detection range at 1,800 m (1,950 yd).

Key Features

• Hot-swap power. The built-in battery runs the scope while you change the external 18500. Guide rates runtime at 7.5 hours, supports 20 W charging over USB-C and says a 10-minute quick charge allows 1 hour of continuous use.
• Ranged ballistics with an optional rangefinder. The N435 has no rangefinder built in. Guide lists a Bluetooth or wired laser rangefinder as optional, and with one connected the scope uses each measured distance and angle to calculate the correction and shows it on screen. Without one, its stadiametric tool estimates range from two lines and the target's assumed height.
• TargetIR Ballistics app. The app connects over the scope's dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), draws on Guide's regularly updated database of common calibers and manufacturers, fills the scope's five configurations (A to E) and installs firmware updates.
• Five zero distances. Zero at 100 and 200 plus three custom distances, each saved separately, with a freeze-frame step that holds the image while you adjust.
• Recoil-triggered recording. When the scope senses recoil, it records a 15-second video with sound, from 5 seconds before the shot to 10 seconds after, and takes five photos. Trigger sensitivity has five levels.
• Aiming aids. Picture-in-picture adds a magnified inset at the top of the display, hotspot tracking follows the warmest point in view, and an on-screen indicator shows the scope's pitch and roll.
• Seven palettes and sensor care. White Hot, Black Hot, Red Hot, Green Hot, Iron Red, Blue Hot and Sepia, plus burn-in protection, defective pixel correction and a smart sleep mode that puts the scope on standby, and wakes it, as you change its angle.
• Built for recoil and weather. Guide calls the magnesium alloy housing "lightweight yet durable", seals it to IP67, rates it for recoil up to 6,000 J and for operation from -4°F to 122°F.

Ideal For

• Predator and hog hunters stepping into thermal who want a 35 mm scope that starts at 3.3x, zooms digitally to 13.2x and can take a rangefinder later.
• Long, cold sits. Hot-swap power and an operating rating down to -4°F suit nights that run past one battery.
• Hunters who review their shots. Recoil-triggered clips and photos keep a record of each shot for later.
• Choosing within Guide's line. If you want the rangefinder built in, the Guide TU435L 3.0 carries one rated to 1,500 m (1,630 yd) on a 400 × 300, 12 μm sensor, at 780 g against the N435's 560 g. For a 640 × 512 sensor rated ≤15 mK behind a 35 mm F0.9 lens, step up to the Nova N635S.
• Cross-shopping the AGM Rattler V2 35-384. Both are rated at 20 mK or better on a 12 μm sensor. The N435 has 400 × 300 pixels to the Rattler's 384 × 288 and 32 GB of storage to its 16 GB, and it undercuts the Rattler on price. AGM rates the Rattler lighter, at 1.13 lb, and longer-running, at up to 11 hours.

Accessories & Compatibility

• Side rails. A Picatinny rail connector on each side of the scope takes an external fill light or rangefinder module.
• A handheld for scanning. A thermal monocular lets you scan a field without shouldering the rifle; see our thermal monoculars.