Night vision questions

So regarding laser vs optics, is it practical to use NVG with an Aimpoint optic with NV settings or is it too impractical to use reliably and easily?

With a head mounted NOD I think it would be very hard to use. The NOD has a fixed focus so it would be hard to focus on your Aimpoint and the target further out.

I run my NOD on my left, non dominant eye so that if I have to use my dominant shooting eye with my sights I can.

With your dominant eye unaided you can still draw and fire a handgun with night sights or cheek your rifle and look through your optic as normal allowing the use of both in an emergency situation. You are dark adapted with your primary eye so you can also ready changing light conditions and see shadows in the darkness.
You can quickly use a white light as well.

With a firearm mounted NOD, maybe.
 
With a head mounted NOD I think it would be very hard to use. The NOD has a fixed focus so it would be hard to focus on your Aimpoint and the target further out.

I run my NOD on my left, non dominant eye so that if I have to use my dominant shooting eye with my sights I can.



With a firearm mounted NOD, maybe.

Interesting, thanks.


Cheap-ish, but functional IR laser recommendations?
 
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Interesting, thanks.

I have a connection who gifts/discounts unusual items to me. Awhile back he set me up with 2 complete Surefire rifle lights, and one has a Vamp head unit. He messaged me today that a Sightmark SM15070 Ghost Hunter 1x24 Night Vision Goggle Binocular Kit was shipped to me Friday. My AR15 has the Vamp on it, and Aimpont T2 as well. I guess Ima pick-up an IR laser too.

Cheap-ish, but functional IR laser recommendations?

I went with a $300 Lasermax LMS IR laser.

https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1499573-IR-laser-wanted-to-buy

I tried the LaserMAX IR laser with a Gen3+ PVS14.

At 10m the IR laser is blooming on a light beige wall to about a 4" circle. It is bright but not searingly bright through the PVS14.

I have it aligned parallel to the bore using a red laser bore with the rifle clamped in my gun vise. The small allen key and the location of the windage and elevation corrections made it a PITA to align in the dark wearing my PVS14 and having to adjust the focus from near to 10m back and forth.

It's zeroed now and indoors the IR laser beam is slightly visible with the PVS14 due to dust floating in the air. Outside the beam is not visible in the NVD.
 
So regarding laser vs optics, is it practical to use NVG with an Aimpoint optic with NV settings or is it too impractical to use reliably and easily?

I have shot with a setup exactly as you have described. The pressure switch on my laser gave up on life, and the placement was inconvenient to use the main switch.

My aimpoint was mounted forward of the upper, and I found the setup very easy to use. Almost easier than the laser, but that was mostly because once you had the weapon shouldered, it worked like daytime.

Given. Had the laser been working properly, it is a slick setup
 
I'm biting the bullet on a PVS-14 Gen2+ probably tomorrow to be helmet mounted. Not the best specs (SNR 22, Resolution 44 Minimums, EKRAN FEP tube), but will be enough for now and can be upgraded later since its a pvs-14 housing. But will probably pick up another set later this year and will upgrade the tube if I don't like the Gen 2+(have used in the past and liked them enough).

I'm glad to hear you're going for it! Wizard eyes are barrels of fun!


So regarding laser vs optics, is it practical to use NVG with an Aimpoint optic with NV settings or is it too impractical to use reliably and easily?

I've just started using my Aimpoint PRO, as one of my lasers decided to have a battery leak and die in a very short amount of time (DON'T. LEAVE. BATTERIES. IN. ANYTHING. EVER.)

It is surprisingly easy to aim with, though I am using duals, which may make it easier. I still prefer using a laser, but the PRO just does fine. Downside is that the optic obviously lets less light through, so there is a darker image on very dark nights. Have supplemental IR available if needed.
 
Nothing beats the PERST/Klesch laser/IR illuminator from ZenitCo. Even the Americans are buying Perst instead of being stuck with civilian LAMs. The only commercial offering I find interesting is the Streamlight TLR VIR.
 
I beat the hell out of my Perst 4+ Green/IR gen 2 and it’s held zero solid. Lots of good threads and good infos on those in the Armory/NVG section of arfcom.

The perst4 is a good entry level to find out if you like the units or not, it doesn’t have IR illumination so you’ll have to get a separate unit if you want to LARP at 100-300yards. I use a Nitecore CI7 - 2500 lumens dual mode white / IR940 on a QD mount so I can use it on helmet as well as pic rail. The amazon 15$ fandyfire IR940 are also a very good choice because they’re so cheap and they have a zoomable/focusable lense but they are very cheap and easy to break or they’ll drain the battery. I would leave them as helmet mounted only.

The Streamlight TLR VIR is interesting because it’s only 275$USD. It’s very light weight and has a dual mode, visible 300 lumens or IR850 led illum + IR laser. Should be good enough for sub 100yards for a 22lr, 9mm PPC or pistol.
 
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If I end up springing for any LAM of any kind it will be one with an illuminator built in. I’ve played the separate laser and Illuminator game, and never will again.
 
I picked up a sightmark wraith scope to try out on some problem skunks
The reviews in the US seem to be good on it from the hog and yote hunters
 

I have shot with a setup exactly as you have described. The pressure switch on my laser gave up on life, and the placement was inconvenient to use the main switch.

My aimpoint was mounted forward of the upper, and I found the setup very easy to use. Almost easier than the laser, but that was mostly because once you had the weapon shouldered, it worked like daytime.

Given. Had the laser been working properly, it is a slick setup

I'm glad to hear you're going for it! Wizard eyes are barrels of fun!




I've just started using my Aimpoint PRO, as one of my lasers decided to have a battery leak and die in a very short amount of time (DON'T. LEAVE. BATTERIES. IN. ANYTHING. EVER.)

It is surprisingly easy to aim with, though I am using duals, which may make it easier. I still prefer using a laser, but the PRO just does fine. Downside is that the optic obviously lets less light through, so there is a darker image on very dark nights. Have supplemental IR available if needed.

Thanks all, that is great. I will update how it works for me after it all comes together.

JMD
 
So regarding laser vs optics, is it practical to use NVG with an Aimpoint optic with NV settings or is it too impractical to use reliably and easily?

maybe in line mounted...but the recoil is not good for them.

Eotech is more forgiving and I found that still to be a PITA and always used PEQ non visable despite what the "expert" said earlier...
 
Does anyone have direct experiance with

newcon lam4g

Alpha Optics AO3351 gen 3 cat 3 or gen3 cat 0 wp Autogated?
 
No experience with the AO3351, but I have their PVS14 Gen 2+ to pick up tomorrow in the mail. The lower priced models use an Ekran FEP tube. The higher priced use Harder Digital tubes (cat 1 and cat0) and are considered MILSPEC. I bugged them a lot before buying mine.
 
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