Bolt On Night Vision
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yetidude69
Well-Known Member
Hi, Well depending on what distance your wanting to shoot at? for that amount of money you will only get out to 100yrds and thats having to use a I.R. laser too! There are a few bolt on designs, the best iv seen thru was a pvs14 gen3(£2.5k+), awesome bit of kit, infact its now on the bay! The long bow is another good idea as you just unclip the eye piece from day scope to night scope!(no loss of zero) But again very expensive (£6k)! You can usually pic up a gen3 archer 2nd hand for about £1500+ depending on tube!
That said i have recently bought a dedicated nv scope and its awesome, alot of money but it has a much greater field of view! Benefit of spending the money is i dont need any extra I.R. unless extremely dark night or im looking for eye shine! I can easily spot rabbits/foxes out to 200 yrds+ with this set up, and with the I.R. laser 400yrds+! The limiting factor is the fixed mag of 6! this is obviously where the add on excels as you can crank your scope upto 12+ mag if needs be! But then at night 200yrds is far enuff away for them not to know im there(using wind to my advantage)!
hope this of sum help!
atb J
That said i have recently bought a dedicated nv scope and its awesome, alot of money but it has a much greater field of view! Benefit of spending the money is i dont need any extra I.R. unless extremely dark night or im looking for eye shine! I can easily spot rabbits/foxes out to 200 yrds+ with this set up, and with the I.R. laser 400yrds+! The limiting factor is the fixed mag of 6! this is obviously where the add on excels as you can crank your scope upto 12+ mag if needs be! But then at night 200yrds is far enuff away for them not to know im there(using wind to my advantage)!
hope this of sum help!
atb J
TJ,
There is much said about the relative qualities of the relative generations of NV. I have a Gen 1+ Cobra Merlin day scope add on - see here as an example - Cobra Optics Merlin 1x EX Gen 1 Nightvision Monocular with Day Scope Attachment at Uttings.co.uk - and I think it is excellent for the money and right in your budget. Pretty rare second hand although they do come up - but that in itself says to me people hang on to them. It does need a good IR designator, but with one more than adequate for bunny and fox - and I would go further than the previous poster to 150-200 - certainly as far as I want to shoot at night. Mounting is easy, with no loss of zero and you have the benefit of your own optics (although this will struggle at high magnification because of the resolution of the NV tube). The only shortcoming is that you are back on the stock because of the extended eyepiece, but that's just a case of getting used to it.
I bought one not expecting much and now wouldn't give it up - it's a regular tool in my shooting armoury. It isn't a patch on Gen 2 or above - Gen 2 is 10x more sensitive than Gen 1 - but as seen it's also a lot more expensive. The PVS 14 is a super bit of kit, fitting onto the rear of the scope rather than the eyepiece, but £2k is a lot of money.
At less than £500, I thoroughly rate the Merlin and its flexibility (as you can use it off scope too). When you see an animal through it for the first time, it's a revelation - and again when you shoot it!
HTH - do PM me if you want some more details
E t R
There is much said about the relative qualities of the relative generations of NV. I have a Gen 1+ Cobra Merlin day scope add on - see here as an example - Cobra Optics Merlin 1x EX Gen 1 Nightvision Monocular with Day Scope Attachment at Uttings.co.uk - and I think it is excellent for the money and right in your budget. Pretty rare second hand although they do come up - but that in itself says to me people hang on to them. It does need a good IR designator, but with one more than adequate for bunny and fox - and I would go further than the previous poster to 150-200 - certainly as far as I want to shoot at night. Mounting is easy, with no loss of zero and you have the benefit of your own optics (although this will struggle at high magnification because of the resolution of the NV tube). The only shortcoming is that you are back on the stock because of the extended eyepiece, but that's just a case of getting used to it.
I bought one not expecting much and now wouldn't give it up - it's a regular tool in my shooting armoury. It isn't a patch on Gen 2 or above - Gen 2 is 10x more sensitive than Gen 1 - but as seen it's also a lot more expensive. The PVS 14 is a super bit of kit, fitting onto the rear of the scope rather than the eyepiece, but £2k is a lot of money.
At less than £500, I thoroughly rate the Merlin and its flexibility (as you can use it off scope too). When you see an animal through it for the first time, it's a revelation - and again when you shoot it!
HTH - do PM me if you want some more details
E t R
Not a lot at that price - what there is, does not stand recoil well, & has a short eye relief.
Not good - unless you want it permanently installed like' Seven of nine'!
NB: Photo added to show dangers of using short eye-relief units on C/F rifles........... honest!
Rgds
Ian
roedeerred
Well-Known Member
Imagine crawling through long grass behind that
NB: Photo added to show dangers of using short eye-relief units on C/F rifles........... honest!
Ian
You sure it wasn't added because she has big boobies?
I have the NVM14 from nightvisiongear.co.uk
The chap there is very helpful, pre and post sale. The two best comanies I've dealt with are them and Swillington SS.
I had an archer on loan for 2weeks, It put me off nightvision, it was heavy and too long off the back, also the tubes are second hand and graded, very akward to set up.
I ended up trying a friends NVM14 and WOW, I only lamp with it now, and can't remember how I did with out it!! The scope is very important, I have it on a swaro 6-18X50 and after getting used to it it stays on 18x. I have shot a fox at 357paces and i'm 6'4". I wouldn't have shot this far but it was at the begining and I didn't realise it was on 18x. You can see 6-700yards on the right night, darker the better. The drawback is its around £2000 but really so worth it
The chap there is very helpful, pre and post sale. The two best comanies I've dealt with are them and Swillington SS.
I had an archer on loan for 2weeks, It put me off nightvision, it was heavy and too long off the back, also the tubes are second hand and graded, very akward to set up.
I ended up trying a friends NVM14 and WOW, I only lamp with it now, and can't remember how I did with out it!! The scope is very important, I have it on a swaro 6-18X50 and after getting used to it it stays on 18x. I have shot a fox at 357paces and i'm 6'4". I wouldn't have shot this far but it was at the begining and I didn't realise it was on 18x. You can see 6-700yards on the right night, darker the better. The drawback is its around £2000 but really so worth it
Well I've got an archer grade D tube, (the Cheapest at about £1650 I think) and love it. Not sure where you get the idea of secondhand tubes. It took a while and a few phone calls to the guys at starlight to understand how to set it up correctly, but I can be a bit slow (ask the wife). Now sorted and all my rifles are set up with a DSA permanently attached so I can go out ratting, bunnying? or foxing. I have no problem with the weight but you do need the correct scope and the longer the eye relief the better. I haven't shot more that 50 yards at this stage but that is just me being cautious.
You could look at digital.There is a £400 digital system available that is good but it has some issues depending on Rifle used and very narrow fov. Bolt can interfere with DSA. I had it and liked it but liked the Gen 3 better. Now wouldn't go back. Never look through gen 3 if you can only afford Gen 1.
You could look at digital.There is a £400 digital system available that is good but it has some issues depending on Rifle used and very narrow fov. Bolt can interfere with DSA. I had it and liked it but liked the Gen 3 better
. Now wouldn't go back. Never look through gen 3 if you can only afford Gen 1. 
Offroad Gary
Well-Known Member
stu,
archer is the way to go, 300y shots in the dark are easily possible if your target is big enough (and your rifle is up to it
)
eye relief is not a problem, you just have to "man up" a bit, had mine out on the 25-06 the other night and my titanium glasses did take a few knocks though.
speak nicely to julian and he might put a decent tube in it for you at a good price
archer is the way to go, 300y shots in the dark are easily possible if your target is big enough (and your rifle is up to it
)eye relief is not a problem, you just have to "man up" a bit, had mine out on the 25-06 the other night and my titanium glasses did take a few knocks though.
speak nicely to julian and he might put a decent tube in it for you at a good price
WAYNE DAVIES
Distinguished Member
Hi Stu
I used a ATN ps 22 on the boar it mounts on the front so no worry about eye relief.
Wayne
I used a ATN ps 22 on the boar it mounts on the front so no worry about eye relief.
Wayne
I've used an Archer for some years now and it has been excellent. It is not something you slap on and use, it needs setting up properly and in truth you learn more and more about this over a period of time. Much depends on the light conditions range etc: but once this has been sorted it really does the job.
As far as eye relief goes, use a slip on a rubber butt pad when using the Archer, makes all the difference.
As far as eye relief goes, use a slip on a rubber butt pad when using the Archer, makes all the difference.
WAYNE DAVIES
Distinguished Member
stu,
archer is the way to go, 300y shots in the dark are easily possible if your target is big enough (and your rifle is up to it
eye relief is not a problem, you just have to "man up" a bit, had mine out on the 25-06 the other night and my titanium glasses did take a few knocks though.
speak nicely to julian and he might put a decent tube in it for you at a good price
Gary
If if you feel like you want to "man up" a bit come and mount it on my .375 h&h "pig rig" I'll put a mattress unter the highseat about where U expect you to land
Morgy
Well-Known Member
A bit more than £500, but it mounts on the front of a scope.
http://www.guns.gb.com/ps-22-nv-15768-0.html
http://www.guns.gb.com/ps-22-nv-15768-0.html
What do you mean, big boobies ?, they're recoil cushions, ain't they?
widows son
Well-Known Member
Picatinny rail system Stu you know the man to ask .
That was the difference between archers and the NVM14, I have no ties to either but the set up was so much easier with the NVM, I switch it between the .22 and the .223 when out and see a fox, takes 20secs. I just found the clamp on the NVM was better and it swings to one side also does up tighter. The NVM is shorter and lighter surely both are a plus. The way the laser lines up and clamps on is also easier to set up in the dark.
The tubes in the archer are recovered tubes, they have been used before, thats what Julian told me. The grading also relates to how many dots there are in the picture and where they are so you can pay alot of money for a tube which will have dots round the edge etc. Also the service was not as good from starlight, it was often a struggle to get an answer. nightvisiongear.co.uk sent me some free bits when I broke it and sent it back to fixed with no charge after the warranty period. Starlight may well have changed I've had mine for 18months.
The tubes in the archer are recovered tubes, they have been used before, thats what Julian told me. The grading also relates to how many dots there are in the picture and where they are so you can pay alot of money for a tube which will have dots round the edge etc. Also the service was not as good from starlight, it was often a struggle to get an answer. nightvisiongear.co.uk sent me some free bits when I broke it and sent it back to fixed with no charge after the warranty period. Starlight may well have changed I've had mine for 18months.
See my earlier post :idea: and in comparison to gen 3 it doesn't get a look in. But if you are looking at Gen one money, then it is worth a look. But keep a good supply of batteries.
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