The AGM units can be exported and sold in Canada. Both Brandon Optics and Hero Outdoors have or have had them listed for sale. How they get them into Canada is?
I am waffling on which unit to buy. I quite like the AGM Rattler V2 but the DNT has the option of being used as a clip on, which is really useful. It is more than I was thinking I'd spend but it certainly offers excellent image quality and features and the clip-on option is really worthwhile.
Comparing specs it would seem the DNT HS325 would be the model that best fits my needs.
They can be exported to Canada and sold in Canada, but they can NOT be exported legally from the USA - which is where their North American head office is based - unless AGM got some very special export permission that Pulsar, Leica, Swarovski etc do not have...
I deal with Leica, Swarovski and Pulsar and none of them are allowed to export their thermal riflescope or clip-on products to Canada. Once that unit enters the USA from Leica Germany, Swarovski Austria or Pulsar Lithuania, it can never be sent out of the US again, not even to get repaired in Germany, Austria or Lithuania. Leica as example are binning broken units. Leica USA's Sales Manager has told me on various occasions how they cannot even send back units to Leica in Europe when they receive a faulty unit back from a customer in the USA. They literally BIN them.
I won't get into how other dealers sell products in Canada, but I can tell you straight up we cannot get ANY US-distributed Thermal or NV products that attach to a rifle or a riflescope into Canada legally.
Maybe some dealers are bringing in product from Europe - I don't know and I do not want to know. Because if so, it would be on that specific dealer to inform their customer that the product carries no official warranty from the North American distributor - it would have to be sent back to the country it came from for warranty - and I'm sure that is not always openly discussed with customers. Maybe it is.... like I said, it's NOT my business, so I actually don't want to make assumptions or comment on that.
The only legally exportable thermal products from the US to Canada, are handheld only devices like monoculars or binoculars. If it can in any shape or form be attached to a firearm or riflescope, it cannot be exported.
We have been trying for 4 years to get Leica, Swaro and Pulsar to ship clip-on thermals and thermal riflescopes directly to Canada from their European Head offices, so we by-pass the USA but it's not something any of them can get done.
Anyway, a DNT HS225 which has the same size sensor as the AGM Rattler V2, is $1399 in Canada compared to the $1775 price of the AGM Rattler V2. So apples to apples, it's cheaper buying the HS225 and it's a 3-in-1 unit. So not sure where you can get an AGM for cheaper than the HS225?
Anyway, I have provided as much info as I can. Hopefully it helps you in your quest for a thermal.
