It's been awhile since I looked at these for our department, last I knew the refurb 27s were the best thing going but I'm not sure if those are still available. I'm looking at purchasing 2 maybe 4 depending on price. If I can get into them for un $10K a unit I can get 4. I don't know if that's doable or not. Any suggestions?
Have your bean counters contact KAC's electro optic div. and ask for a firm quote on 4 units direct ship to agency. You might be surprised.
Also have your number nerds see what GSA contract pricing would be.
One or both avenues may net you a price close to or under your 10K threshold.
PLAN B: Have whoever writes your grants get busy. There is a lot of money out there for counter narcotics surveillance and other similar activities. Your grant writer just needs to avoid using the words "weapon mounted" or "weapon site" anywhere in the document. Instead, they load up the grant request with tons of pictures with your NV mounted in front of a spotting scope, video camera or DSLR. Just like agencies magically getting suppressors with PPE safety money after begging for 10 yrs, you might can land your clip on NV with attacking from the flank instead of head on.
The 30 family is the only clip on that is as rugged as the 22/27 family from OSTI and then FLIR. New production 30s will be right on top of the best 27 in performance. Power consumption of the new production 30s are twice as good as the 22/27s. 30s take 1 battery cell and are convertible between AA and CR123 by simply flipping the compartment cap over. You can take a AA that is pretty much dead in anything else and run a 30 for an hour or more on it.
A big consideration should also be the physical size difference between the 27s and the 30s. The big CAT lens on the 27 can get in the way of mounting RAPTORs, PEQs, etc. on a RAP rail or similar.
I have a fine ass 27 and am a believer in that family but the 30s have proven themselves to us.
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