ATN X Sight 4K Pro Review: Is this Smart HD Optic the Best for Hunting?

The ATN X Sight 4K Pro is an excellent scope, but is it the best smart HD Optic for hunting? Our review examines its features and whether this scope can truly stand up to hunting. 

Before we dive in, here are some factors to consider are standard for hunting scopes: recoil resistance, waterproofing, battery needs, cost and how well this scope works at night. 

ATN also throws in some features not found in traditional scopes. A few things are not found in some electronic scopes either. 

I hunt with everything from rimfires to big-bore dangerous game rifles. This scope serves me best on my varmint rifles because of day and night shooting capability. Without further ado, let’s dive into the review.

What Makes the ATN X sight 4k Pro Worth it?

ATN X-Sight 4k Pro packs so many features into a reasonably priced scope. You will not find another feature-rich scope of this quality at this price. These features include video recording, one-shot zeroing, tracking other people in a hunting group, and a built-in ballistic calculator.

It’s worth noting that ATN’s scope quality wasn’t as great as it is today, but that has definitely changed! The company’s production problems were corrected, and now, its quality control is excellent.

Features of the ATN X Sight 4k Pro

ATN packs a truckload of features into the X Sight 4 Pro. This scope will not make you an Army Ranger sniper, but you can get close.

Some of the features are exclusive to ATN, while some are found in other scopes. The exclusive features are what genuinely set this scope apart and make it such a bargain.

1. Tracking

The tracking requires a little extra. You need the optional ATN Laser Rangefinder. Fortunately, it clamps onto the front of your scope. You need to download the free ATN app; instructions come with the scope packaging.

Then, you need your smartphone with data and Bluetooth on. Anyone hunting with you also needs their data on and the ATN app loaded on a smartphone.

Data allows you to connect to your hunting buddies and them to connect to you through the app.

With the app running, you know where all your hunting buddies are located. You see this on a map on your screen. They know where you are with the same map.

Now the coolest part. Use the laser to “tag” whatever you are hunting. All your hunting buddies will see the target pop up on their map. 

As the target moves, track it with the laser. 

Each person in the hunting group knows where the others are. Each person knows where the target is.

This is even better for airsoft competitors. You know where your guys are and vice versa. You can tag the opposition and make a plan to take them out.

Some airsoft competitions will not let you use the ATN tracking feature for that very reason. They think it is cheating.

2. One shot

ATN has a “one shot zero” function, and it works. Put the scope on your gun. Set up. Shoot. Find the bullet hole.

Without moving the gun, hit the windage and adjustment buttons. Watch as the reticle moves. 

When it is centered over the bullet hole, you are sighted in.

Yes, you can technically do this with any scope. If you have ever tried, you know how hard it is.

The problem with a traditional scope is the force used to turn the knobs also moves the gun. 

The ATN X-Sight buttons require a lot less force and so move the gun far less.

3. Ballistic calculator

The built-in ballistic calculator takes a lot of the guesswork out of making long shots. Shots past 300 yards mean you need to pay attention to the wind and the bullet drop.

You plug in environmental factors, wind speed and direction (you may have to estimate), temp and some additional information. The scope prompts you for this info. Estimate if you have to and skip if you want to.

With the rangefinder, the scope automatically gets the distance. 

Now enter your choice of cartridge. You can store several different calibers in the scope (see below). 

The reticle adjusts automatically to show you where to place it for a dead-on shot. This does not interfere with your zero. After your shot, the scope returns to the zero you created on sight in.

4. Smart Shooting

Program your ATN X Sight 4k pro with the guns you use. You can load up to 5 profiles. A profile can be another gun or the same gun with a different bullet.

For example, you shoot a .30-06. One profile can be 110-grain varmint rounds. One profile can be 150-grain whitetail rounds. A third profile can be 220-grain big game rounds.

With those three, you still have room for two more. You could program in a .223/5.56 and a .45-70 Government. 

The .30-06, 5.56 and .45-70 are my most commonly used rifles. Yours can be different. You pick the guns and cartridges to add.

5. Smart Reticle

Imagine a hash mark reticle where you set the distance between hash marks. The Smart Reticle lets you do that.

The scope uses milliradians (MIL or MRAD), not minute of angle (MOA). One MIL is about 3.6 inches at 100 yards. A 1/10 MIL adjustment is .36 inches at 100 yards.

You can choose a spacing of 1 to 4 MILs on the hash marks.

Using MIL instead of MOA is not difficult. The Smart Reticle makes this even easier. A MIL is just a way to measure, just like MOA. Neither is better or worse than the other.

You can choose a standard hash mark reticle or a Christmas Tree reticle.

6. Video

The ATN X Sight 4K Pro streams video in 720p resolution and records to the SD card at 1080p resolution inside at the same time. You can stream your hunt live. You also get a recording to enjoy as often as you wish later on. You can set the scope to start video recording or let the recoil-activated recording capture the video.

Pull the trigger. The scope records everything. The scope even recalls the previous 30 seconds to show how you set up the shot. You can even use the scope to take still pictures.

The SD card is replaceable. You can get a bigger card and pack extras with you in case you plan to hunt over several days. Get a video of more than just your kill. Record the scenery, other animals you see and so forth.

Never point your gun at another person! If you want to use the scope to record yourself or your buddies, take it off the gun.

7. Mounts

ATN includes three different 30mm rings. Pick the one that best suits your needs and your rifle. If these do not work, 30mm rings are common.  

Be sure to get high rings so the front of the scope will clear the barrel or extended Picatinny rail. Low rings will not work unless you have a high enough cantilever mounting rail.

8. Night vision

This scope has night vision. It is not a thermal vision scope. The difference between thermal and night vision is huge. From a hunting perspective, the differences are:

• Range – Night vision has much less range than thermal. You can expect a maximum of 400 to 500 yards with a good infrared light on a night vision scope.
• See-through – Thermal can see through fog and some rain. Night vision cannot.
• Light – Night vision needs some light. That can be the moon or an optional infrared illuminator. Thermal works in complete darkness.
• Cost – Night vision is much cheaper than thermal.

Being able to switch between a day hunt and a night hunt without swapping scopes or guns is a huge benefit.

Say you are coyote hunting. You spend the afternoon and evening trying to call in a song dog. They hang up just out of range or behind cover.

At night, when they think they are hidden, they will come closer and leave cover. The ATN X Sight 4k pro night vision capability means you can get them without a spotlight or switching guns.

Pros and Cons

The ATN X-Sight 4K Pro has some pros and a few cons. My thinking is the pros greatly outweigh the cons.

Pros

• You can get one of these scopes for under $1,000.
• It is rated to handle the recoil of guns up to the 375 Holland & Holland.
• The SD card for video and pictures is replaceable.
• Video can be recoil-activated. You shoot. The scope handles the video.
• You get a daytime scope and a night vision scope in one.
• The ballistic calculator will get your bullet on target at longer ranges.
• The Smart Reticle means you choose the distance between the reticle hash marks.
• Put multiple gun and cartridge profiles into the scope.

Cons

• Night vision – If you are looking for a thermal scope, this is not it.
• Water resistant – This scope is not waterproof. It will hold up to a light rain but cannot be submerged.
• When the internal lithium-ion battery dies, you have to send it back to ATN for a new battery. The battery warranty is 6 years.
• It is water resistant, not waterproof. Keep it as dry as possible.

FAQs 

Conclusion:

The ATN 4K pro excels as a varmint hunter scope because of the ability to switch from day to night use immediately. It is ideal for all other hunting applications too, because of the built-in features like the ballistic calculator, range finder and the targeting map.

Given the price, which is less than a thermal and less than top-end scopes, the ATN 4K pro will be a welcome addition to any hunter’s gun safe.