Sightmark Wraith HD Digital Rifle Scope

Digital rifle scopes are starting to become more popular, but they are still the new kid on the block. Just like red dots back in the day, more companies are starting to make them. Eventually, they will become cheaper, smaller, and easier to find. Right now, most HD digital rifle scopes are in the thousands and offer everything from recording capabilities to infrared technology. The Sightmark Wraith HD 4-32X50 digital rifle scope doesn’t have infrared capabilities, but it does have night vision mode and an IR illuminator.

Sightmark makes a lot of low-end lasers, lights, and optics. But they have been producing some surprising gear recently that is hard to ignore. If you browse the web for a digital riflescope, you will probably notice the Wraith unless you plan to spend big. This caused me to give it a try, and I’m glad I did. Now, I have a digital scope that can take photos, zoom in quickly, and still provide enough of a sight picture to see at night. This thing has a ton of features, so let’s jump right in.

Overview of the Sightmark Wraith HD Digital Rifle Scope

The Wraith is a 4-32×50 digital rifle scope that has a 1920×1080 sensor. A removable IR illuminator is included in the box that attaches separately. This is helpful for those who do not want the extra weight if you only plan to use it during the day. Power is drawn from four AA batteries with a run time of 4.5 hours. It does have a sleep mode, so it can be on standby without running the batteries down. The built-in camera provides 1080P HD digital imaging for videos recorded on a micro-SD card.

This thing is big, so it does weigh down your rifle by 36.3 ounces. It attaches with a double, cross-bolt mount to a Picatinny rail. Powered by two CR 123 batteries, the IR illuminator has a run time of 2 hours on high. The batteries and micro-SD card are loaded from an outside compartment, making them easy to get to. You can also power the unit with a micro-USB port for external power. It has a diopter and focus adjustment to make sure you can see the screen clearly.

Display and On-Screen Menu

There is an on-screen menu, but some information is always displayed at the bottom of the screen. This includes the profile, magnification, date, time, memory card status, day/night mode, and battery status. Everything is controlled by four buttons in a top/bottom and right/left pattern, like a TV remote. This keeps it simple and easy to navigate while in the field. Some digital scopes have so many buttons it’s hard to operate while looking through the scope. The power button is in the center of the other four and serves as the menu button.

To turn the scope on, press the power button and it powers up within a few seconds. Once the scope is on, the left arrow will cycle through the day/night modes. Pressing on the forward/up arrow will zoom in, and the down arrow zooms back out. The right button takes a photo, or you can change the settings and have it take video when pressed. If you press and hold the down arrow for several seconds, the unit will go into sleep mode to conserve power. Press the power button to turn it back on quickly.

As mentioned above, pressing the power button while the optic is on will bring up the menu. When the menu is pulled up, the power button acts as “enter” and the left button as “back.” The up, down, and right arrows navigate the menu options. To exit the menu, press the left button until the scope is activated again. When you are ready to power down the optic, press and hold the power button. It will count down from 3 and then turn off.

Zeroing the Sightmark Wraith HD Riflescope

Normally, a dial for windage and elevation is turned to zero a scope or optic. Because the Wraith is digital, you must go to the menu to zero the scope. But first, fire 3 shots at a target so you have a reference point. After pressing the power button to bring up the menu, scroll to reticle settings and press enter (power button). Scroll to the right and select “reticle zero.” Now, while keeping the crosshairs at your original point of aim, move the red adjustment reticle to the center of your group. If you fired three shots, move it to the center of the three. Press the power button to save it. This makes adjusting the scope much easier than adjusting the MOA settings on a traditional scope.

You can also change the reticle color and style from the menu, and there are 10 reticles and 9 colors to choose from. This can be done from the reticle settings option in the menu. There are some weapon profiles to select from in the menu under “weapon select.” You can tell it what caliber and grain of bullet you are using. The Wraith can handle the recoil of up to a .308 caliber rifle. You can adjust the zero for each weapon profile, and the Wraith will keep the settings, so there’s no need to zero it again when you switch to a different grain of bullet.

Resolution, Video Recording and Photo Mode

If you want to take a picture or record that perfect shot, the Sightmark Wraith has an internal camera for that purpose. You can adjust the video resolution by going to settings and then “resolution,” using the up and down arrows to change it. The camera can change between video and photo in the settings menu as well. Find the “record mode” and then select which one you would like it to be set to. Whenever you press the right arrow button, the camera will activate based on this setting.

You can also watch the playback on the scope by going to playback in the menu setting. But don’t forget it holds a micro-SD card, so you can watch your video on a computer or TV as well. In photo mode, you can choose between AVI or JPG format. The Wraith can handle up to a 256 GB memory card, allowing you to record up to 7 hours of video on one card. In other words, you don’t have to worry about changing the card out very often.

Night Vision and IR Illuminator

Some of the more expensive digital scopes have infrared capabilities built in. But even without that, the night vision abilities on this scope are not bad when combined with the IR illuminator. The Sightmark Wraith has an IR wavelength of 850 and a night vision detection range of 200 yards. Without the IR illuminator, you can’t see very far unless there is some type of light. With it, however, you can see well enough to identify what you are looking at.

In the photo above, I zoomed out to a tree about 125 yards in a field on a night with no light at all. I had the IR illuminator on high (there are three settings), and the tree could easily be seen. If there were something smaller in the field for me to focus on, I could have zoomed in much closer. But still, this view wasn’t bad for 100+ yards in the dark.

Worth the Money?

So, is the Sightmark HD Wraith worth the money? Like anything else, it all depends on how much you want to spend and what you plan to do with it. For the price, I was surprised at the quality and ease of use. The scope appears to be a solid build, and the on-board screen is easy to read and navigate. During the day, it zoomed in and focused quickly, although a bipod is recommended once you start using the digital zoom.

You get everything you need in the box except for the batteries. I’m guessing rechargeable AA batteries will work if you plan to use the scope a lot. I would also buy a battery storage container and keep an extra set with you. For a digital optic that sells in the $400-$500 range, the Sightmark Wraith is a great deal. If you want a digital scope but don’t want to shell out a bunch of money, this is the perfect option.