Anybody have any experience or suggestions on night vision scopes? Wanting to get one for the AR. I know they can get expensive quick, so before the $2K - $3K suggestions come up, I am wanting to try and keep it under 5 bills.
Night Vision Scope
- Thread starter jabber
- Start date
I have been thinking about buying a X-Sight-II 3-14X Smart Day/Night scope for a coyote gun. Getting sick of hearing the things howl in the dark and not come into calls during the day. Kick that idea around, if you go that route I would make you a good deal on one if you let me open the box and check it out before I send it.
Nick87
Well-known member
Whether you get the atn or something else. I would be very interested in a review on the scope. I'm interested in one as well, I have a buddy who spent $9,000 on thermal. Really nice but really far put of my price range.
I own an ATN X-Sight II 3-14. I really like the scope and bought it mainly for hog hunting. Its very complicated but once you figure it all out it has some really nice features. There are a few things that you have to get used to and some considerations when using it. The scope is essentially like looking at a monitor so it takes some getting used to. It also has pixelation the more you zoom in so you'll see the squares starting to become a little grainy. Overall its still very clear and usable even at max zoom but it takes some getting used to when switching from glass scopes.
The biggest issue with these scopes is they eat energy quick. Normal AA batteries only last about 60-90min. You can get lithium and stretch that out to 3-5hrs. I ended up getting the external batter pack that they sell that will let it last 24hrs at a time but it adds a lot of bulk and weight. For me thats not a big issues since I'm normally in a tree stand but again just something to consider.
If you have any specific questions let me know and I'd be glad to answer them.
TimeOnTarget
Well-known member
Range? How far can you see with these units? As good as say a PVS14 if you've by chance looked through one of them?
The guy I spoke with at Bass Pro, who admittedly didn't know much about them said that in total darkness, i.e. no moon or heavy clouds, that you really needed to add an artificial light source to be able to see at night. Any thoughts on that statement?
Gut Shot
Well-known member
In my (limited) experience the lower end digital ones are not worth it. The "Generation 2" Armasight scopes I played with worked OK but IMO not worth the money. If you are looking at spending $2000+ I think you can get into some good NV.
The digital units aren't true starlight scopes. They simply use a digital camera and a IR light source. They then project that image onto a screen in the eyepiece side of the scope. You can actually make one yourself for much less than $500.
The ones I messed with were:
-heavy and bulky
-had magnification levels that were useless
-had overly complicated software systems
-had controls that were hard to get to and use
-had a real useful range of around 100-150yds
-the size and resolution of the monitor screen will limit what you see. I filmed a hunt while trying out one of
these units for the local gun shop. When viewing the recording of a bunch of deer there were coyotes
shadowing the herd, the coyotes were farther out and invisible in the tiny screen of the scope but could be
seen on a full size monitor.
I'm saving up for a thermal, the price is coming down and the tech is getting better.
Some useful sites
www.tnvc.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wnNFR99xGI
The digital units aren't true starlight scopes. They simply use a digital camera and a IR light source. They then project that image onto a screen in the eyepiece side of the scope. You can actually make one yourself for much less than $500.
The ones I messed with were:
-heavy and bulky
-had magnification levels that were useless
-had overly complicated software systems
-had controls that were hard to get to and use
-had a real useful range of around 100-150yds
-the size and resolution of the monitor screen will limit what you see. I filmed a hunt while trying out one of
these units for the local gun shop. When viewing the recording of a bunch of deer there were coyotes
shadowing the herd, the coyotes were farther out and invisible in the tiny screen of the scope but could be
seen on a full size monitor.
I'm saving up for a thermal, the price is coming down and the tech is getting better.
Some useful sites
www.tnvc.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wnNFR99xGI
Gut Shot
Well-known member
True. The cheap ones aren't true starlight scopes with an image intensifier. They need an external IR light in the 8-900nm range.
I'm not sure how to answer range other than to say I've shot mine easily out to 300yrds. Again it depends on how much zoom you want to add. At full zoom, I'd imagine you could easily see out to 1000yrds. You could identify your target although it would be pretty grainy at that zoom level. I've never looked through a PVS14.
Thats a very true statement. I'm no expert on the technology but all it does is amplify ambient light so that you can see. If there is no light because of no moon, dark room, etc then there is nothing to amplify. Its amazing how little light you need to make it work though. I have an external light but I can see out to a 100yrs most nights with just the moon and starts. Here is what the ATN website says.
"How does Night Vision work?
Night vision devices gather existing ambient light (starlight, moonlight or infra-red light) through the front lens. This light, which is made up of photons goes into a photocathode tube that changes the photons to electrons. The electrons are then amplified to a much greater number through an electrical and chemical process. The electrons are then hurled against a phosphorus screen that changes the amplified electrons back into visible light that you see through the eyepiece. The image will now be a clear green-hued amplified re-creation of the scene you were observing. "
One more comment is if you are going to spend that much money, I would also recommend going thermal. Thermal is in another league as far as what you can make out at night. I watched a field mouse in a corn pile at about 50yrds with a thermal scope that I would have never noticed nor probably seen through any night vision. It much more expensive but can be had for around $2K. I picked up my X-Sight II for around $550 so significantly lower than your budget.
devon deer
Well-known member
I know this is an old thread but, I have just bought a Pard007 add on, it fits to the rear of your scope, but the scope must have Parallax adjustment, the great thing is you can shoot fox's is daylight with your scope, then as it gets dark clip on the Pard.
It has an inbuilt IR but only good for 100 yards, I'm going to get a separate IR torch.
I guess you can get them in the US, but mine was under £400, so around $500?
So I can use my thermal Pulsar Helion XQ38F(expensive!) to spot a fox then shoot it using the Pard.
Cheers
Richard
It has an inbuilt IR but only good for 100 yards, I'm going to get a separate IR torch.
I guess you can get them in the US, but mine was under £400, so around $500?
So I can use my thermal Pulsar Helion XQ38F(expensive!) to spot a fox then shoot it using the Pard.
Cheers
Richard
Similar threads
