Seeing an animal at night is half the job. Knowing how far away it is decides the shot. The ATN ThOR 6 Elite LRF 640 3-24x handles both from one eyepiece. It pairs a 640x512 thermal sensor and 50 mm lens with a laser rangefinder that reads out to 1,000 meters. ATN has also cut its minimum advertised price (MAP) by $1,500, from $4,495 to $2,995.
We have hunted with ATN gear from Michigan to Texas, and nearly every generation of ATN optics has passed through my hands. The LRF 640 got its turn on the 640 acres I lease in Northern Michigan, with two days left before archery season. That was my last window to use it before bow season took over. I reviewed it alongside the ThOR 6 Mini 384, which gets its own write-up.
From ThOR 4 to ThOR 6: How Ranging Evolved
Ranging has come a long way in the ThOR line. The ThOR 4 estimated distance with an on-screen geometric rangefinder. You bracketed a target of known height between two bars and let the scope do the math.
For a true laser reading, ATN offered its LaserBallistics rangefinder. It paired with the ThOR 4 and fed the distance straight into the scope's ballistic calculator. ThOR 5 LRF models moved the laser inside the scope in 2023, with ranging out to 1,000 yards.
The ThOR 6 Elite LRF 640 ranges to 1,000 meters, about 1,094 yards, and is rated accurate to plus or minus one meter. ATN says its 6th Generation core processes 2.4 times faster than Gen 5 and credits that speed for letting SharpIR, its AI image enhancement, run in real time. The warranty is now five years, up from three on the ThOR 4.
Image Quality: More Detail at Distance
Ranging is the feature on the box, but the image is what you look at all night. I have run ThOR 4 and ThOR 5 scopes, and the ThOR 6 picture is a clear step up from both.
The ThOR 4 640 paired a 640x480 sensor with a 1280x720 display. The LRF 640 runs a 640x512 sensor with 12-micron VOx pixels rated at 15 mK NETD or better, shown on a 0.49-inch, 1920x1080 OLED.
That sensor has nearly three times the pixels of the ThOR 6 Mini 384, and the 50 mm lens puts more of them on a distant animal. Through the eyepiece, that means more detail. A hog or coyote stays recognizable farther out, and the picture holds up better as you zoom in. That matters on a scope built for longer shots, where positive identification has to come first.
The 50 mm objective starts at 3x, and 8x digital zoom in steps or smooth mode takes it to 24x. Eye relief is 50 mm, and the diopter adjusts from -5 to +5.
ATN rates detection at 3,650 meters. Detection range is how far out the sensor can pick up a heat signature. For a hunter, that means more time between spotting an animal and deciding on a shot.
This is a traditional-length scope at 16.93 inches and 1.89 pounds. It mounts in standard 30 mm rings, sold separately, so you can pick the height that fits your rifle.
Built-In Laser Rangefinder and Ballistic Calculator
The rangefinder is the reason to choose this scope over a Mini. It uses a 905 nm Class 1 eye-safe laser, and the reading shows up in the same eyepiece as the animal. There is no second device to dig out in the dark.
The LRF feeds ATN's built-in ballistic calculator, which stores up to six custom profiles for different firearms and calibers. Range the animal, and the scope builds an aiming solution for that distance.
The rest of the ThOR 6 feature set carries over, including hot point tracking and Zeroing Freeze. Recoil Activated Video keeps 10 seconds before and after every shot on the scope's 64 GB of storage, and phone streaming runs through ATN Connect 6.
Two 18650 rechargeable batteries power the scope for about nine hours, and the USB-C port takes external power from a battery bank. The magnesium housing is IP67 rated, with a recoil rating of 6,000 joules.
ATN ThOR 6 Elite LRF 640 3-24x Specifications
As stated by ATN and not verified by TFB:
• Sensor: 640x512, 12-micron VOx, 50 Hz
• NETD: 15 mK or better
• Objective lens: 50 mm
• Magnification: 3-24x, 8x digital zoom (step and smooth)
• Detection range: 3,650 meters
• Laser rangefinder: 1,000 meters, plus or minus 1 meter, 905 nm Class 1
• Ballistic calculator: up to six profiles
• Display: 0.49-inch OLED, 1920x1080
• Eye relief and diopter: 50 mm, -5 to +5
• Palettes: White Hot, Black Hot, Iron Red, Alarm, Green Hot, Sepia
• Recording: video and audio, Recoil Activated Video, 64 GB internal
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi to ATN Connect 6 (iOS and Android), USB-C
• Power: two 18650 rechargeable (included), about 9 hours, USB-C external power (5 V, 2 A)
• Startup: under 7 seconds, instant from standby
• Housing: magnesium alloy, IP67, -22 to 131 F
• Max recoil rating: 6,000 J
• Mount: 30 mm rings (sold separately)
• Length and weight: 16.93 in, 1.89 lb (855 g)
• Warranty: 5 years
• Price: $2,995 MAP (down from $4,495)
Price and Verdict
ATN's new $2,995 MAP takes $1,500 off the ThOR 6 Elite LRF 640 3-24x. For that price, you get a 640x512 sensor and a 1,000-meter laser rangefinder in one housing on the rifle. Add a set of 30 mm rings, and it is ready to mount.
The LRF 640 is built for the hog or coyote hunter who shoots at distance and wants one instrument on the gun. Hunters who want a scope that can also work as a handheld should look at the ThOR 6 Mini 384, at 1.19 pounds and $1,495.
Image quality is the headline. The LRF 640 delivers a clean, detailed 640 picture that shows how far the ThOR line has come, with the range in the same view. At the new $2,995 MAP, the ATN ThOR 6 Elite LRF 640 is the best affordable thermal scope for hog and coyote hunting on the market.
Highlights
• MAP cut from $4,495 to $2,995
• Clean, detailed 640x512 image rated at 15 mK or better
• Built-in 1,000-meter laser rangefinder
• Ballistic calculator with six profiles
• 50 mm objective with 3-24x magnification
• Five-year warranty
ATN ThOR 6 Elite LRF 640 FAQ
Is the ATN ThOR 6 Elite LRF 640 good for hog and coyote hunting?
Yes. The ThOR 6 Elite LRF 640 is the best affordable thermal scope for hog and coyote hunting. The 640 image tells you what the animal is, and the built-in laser tells you how far.
What is the ATN ThOR 6 Elite LRF 640's detection range?
ATN puts detection at 3,650 meters, just shy of 4,000 yards. You identify a hog or coyote closer in, where the 640x512 sensor and 50 mm lens pay off.
What does the ATN ThOR 6 Elite LRF 640 cost?
The MAP is now $2,995, down $1,500 from $4,495. That puts a 640 thermal and a 1,000-meter rangefinder in one scope for under $3,000.
How far does the laser rangefinder on the ThOR 6 Elite LRF 640 reach?
It reads out to 1,000 meters, about 1,094 yards, and ATN rates it accurate to within one meter. That is more reach than most night shots call for.
Does the ThOR 6 Elite LRF 640 have a built-in ballistic calculator?
Yes, and it pulls distance straight from the rangefinder. Save up to six profiles for your firearms and calibers, and the scope works out where to hold once you range the animal.
What is the battery life on the ATN ThOR 6 Elite LRF 640?
ATN lists about nine hours from the two 18650 cells in the box, and the USB-C port can run the scope off a power bank on long sits.
Should I buy the ThOR 6 Elite LRF 640 or the ThOR 6 Mini 384?
Buy the LRF 640 for longer shots and built-in ranging, with the larger 640x512 sensor behind a 50 mm lens. Buy the Mini 384 for a light rifle or a thermal you can hand to a spotter. It weighs 1.19 pounds to the LRF 640's 1.89 and costs $1,495.
