Tell me about your night vision

[Rockrivr1]

I've been seriously considering getting some night vision goggles or a monocular to mix in with my SHTF equipment. But looking at the prices on Gen 3 items, I'll be saving a LONG time to get one new. With that said, I'm thinking that maybe I should look into a decent Gen 2 setup. Granted it's not the best that's out there now, but I'm assuming it's good enought for a lot of applications.

With that said, I'm looking to see what some of you have purchased that works well with your AR, AK, M1A etc. Maybe one of the AN/PVS systems. Others?

Also, do you know of any reputable vendors that sell good quality NV items. Unless I'm missing it, I can't seem to find anyone in this area to physically try them out.

 

[Preacherman]

Carrots... definitely, think CARROTS!

 

[Chipperman]

I have not seen any NV stuff in MA or NH stores either.

Shotgun News always has ads for them.
www.morovision.com
www.atncorp.com
www.nightoptics.com
These are a few I saw just flipping thru SGN. I know nothing about the companies.

 

[MudPuppy]

I'd like some NV myself, I'm currently limited to illunimated reticle 3-9x on the AR and a Red Dot (available--not always mounted) for the AK. While far from being NV, it will allow me to put the point of aim on the "dark blob".

 

[JohnKSa]

Back when I was single I bought a 3x scope with a Litton GenII+ intensifier built in.

Pretty nice--Like watching a good quality black and white TV except it's green and white. It's really too sensitive for in-town use. You have to crank the iris way down.

With the iris all the way open I found out it's sensitive enough to see a shadow cast on a hollow core door--from the OTHER side. Evidently enough light was making it through the flimsy door for the intensifier to pick up. Pretty interesting.

It doesn't have an aiming reticle. The idea is to equip your rifle with a weak IR laser and zero it to point of impact. Then the dot (which will be visible through the scope) is your aim point.

On the one hand, I've never seen anything in an image intensifier that I thought was appreciably better. On the other hand it cost me about $1800...

 

[Harry Tuttle]

fun for cheap:


modify some LED garden lights to IR and your backyard can have lights on that no one can see

http://www.cdnninvestments.com/nidinivivine.html

NiteMax Digital Night Vision Viewer •?Features 24 Hour Operation, High Resolution Image, Easy View 2.5" LCD Display, Rechargeable Batteries, High Power Illumination, Interchangebale Optics, Video Out For Recording and AC/DC Power Port •?Uses: Camping, Hunting, Boating, Wildlife Observation, Personal Security, Law Enforcement Suveillance and Camcorder Adaptable •?Package Contents: NiteMax Viewer, 12mm Lens, 7.2 v.d.c. Li-Ion Battery, Battery Charger and Manual • MSRP $339.99!!

NITE00001Price: $169.99 SALE: $129.95

 

[Crosshair]

Here is my NV scope Here I got it at Cabelas for $300 on clearance. It is mounted on a .223 Howa 1500. I use handloaded rounds that produce about 2000 fps with a 55 grain bullet. I could probably go slower with lighter bullets. The 55 grain bullets that I am using now don't like to stabilize if I try to go lower. My friend and I where having a blast shooting pop cans at 50 yds on a pitch black night (New moon) I want to get out and start hunting rabbits. They won't stand a chance. I did modify the scope to take AA batteries instead of the more expencive 123 lithiums, no problems so far. The illuminator stil uses a 123 battery though.

 

[Chipperman]

Just make sure hunting at night is legal where you are.

 

[Chris Rhines]

Two sets of ITT PVS-7B 64lp/mm goggles, one handsfree rig, and a bag of spare parts.

Can't wait until Sanner's Lake gets the dark shoot-house finished...

I'm of the opinion that US-made GenIII gear is worth spending the money for. I've seen some pretty good GenII and GenII+ gear, though. You want to be able to test night vision gear yourself before plunking down the cash. Don't buy NODs on-line unless the dealer has a no-questions-asked return policy.

- Chris

 

[Gung-Ho]

I will say this....Gen 3 is WAY COOL. My nephew has a pair, and he really freaked me out late one night on the way back from a night shoot. He put the gogles on, and turned down a very remote back road....on a mountain with cliffs on the side. (And no guardrails.) He then shuts off his lights. It was pitch black for me, and I asked him if he could see. In his best "Terminator" voice he says......"I see everything." But I got a tell you, it had a pucker factor of about 9.5 for me.

 

[slabsides]

My shooting pard just showed up at my country digs this afternoon with a new toy...Weaver brand night vision scope that works like a digital camera with a CCD...has an LED IR source for times when there's just NO infrared light. Worked pretty good in my dark cellar. Uses AA batteries, has 1x or 2x selectable magnification, comes with three filters and costs just two bills, he said. He wants it for motoring down the lake to his wilderness hideout on those dark and stormy nights when you can't see the shore 'til you've piled up on it. Of course it's not a sight, but it's cheap enough to get into NV without going bankrupt.

 

[mete]

Preacherman, that's no joke. A deficiency in vitamin A is one cause of loss of noght vision. In WWII our pilots were given vitamin A supplements to improve their night vision.

 

[dave3006]

The Nitemax is good. Unfortunately, they backlight the user. Gen III is way, way better. I have the ITT 5001 Goggles. They are mainly a good tool for covert observation for ambush or exfiltration purposes. I would not try to clear a house or fight with them on. White light would be better because of the dynamic nature of a fight.