Night Vision Best setup for under $500

[Baba Yaga]

Was thinking of trying the Photon RT 4.5S from academy for $299 and pairing it with the Armasight MSI8000 from optics planet for $65.

Was thinking of mounting them on an aero precision ar10. Where I hunt the furthest distance would be 200 yards.

Is there anything else in this price range I should consider? Any suggestions for a qd mount for the scope to the rifle and a mount to attach the Armasight light to the Photon?

 

[Rerun7]

How much research have you done?

The best night time setup you are going to get for under $500 is a spotlight.

Lots of great info here but none of it will point you to anything in that price range.

 

[richthe1]

Interested to hear this as well. NV noob, and that deal for $300 looked like a good way to get started in NV.

Edit: Oops, didn’t fully read Rerun7’s comment. Sounds like it might not be the best.

 

[car16smg]

@Rerun7 hit the nail on the head. I would add a red filter to the spotlight if you plan to shoot varmints.

 

[tinytigers]

I used to have a night owl from cabelas that was a $300 novelty.. If you want 200 yards with that price range I'd look into a high powered flashlight. You may be able to find a used FLIR RS for 1K and that could get you to 100 yards.

 

[Baba Yaga]

200 yards would be the max ... Most shots would probably be in the 50-100 yard range.

Have just started looking into night vision as this is all new to me. Have read the product reviews on a few different sites and watched the YouTube vids covering the Photon and most of the feedback is positive.

Would the spotlight with filter be a better choice?

 

[diggler1833]

500 bucks will get you some decent spotlights and some prayer beads. Digital night vision can work, but is much more weather-sensitive...and if you are shooting downwind, it looks like you let loose with a black powder round through the optic...Not necessarily what you want to see when you have multiple pigs running at you.

I tried it all too, but finally bit the bullet and got the best-working, inexpensive thermal out there at 3200 bucks. It was a night and day difference. I have to kill hogs among my herds, so I could either spend the money or waste time being ineffective. It works great on coyotes too.

If you're doing it for fun, then get whatever you can afford and have fun trying. Nothing wrong with that at all. If this is work/urgent related, then spend the bucks.

 

[AlanM]

Sadly, there are no good under 500 dollar options.

 

[falcom]

You can buy a Pvs-4 or a Litton m845 for about $800 and do everything that a much more expensive setup costs albeit with a little more weight.
I think the pvs-4 has killed more things than anything else.

 

[Crang]

Second on a PVS-4. Thats how I started for $800. Pay attention to which reticle it has but you can easily swap them yourself. Ended up getting a modified ACOG QD mount as well that fits it (sorry forgot who makes it) and made it very easy to move around rifles. That thing is built like a tank- can take 50 BMG recoil. The 105mm catadioptric lens on that thing cost uncle sam $5K in 1980 dollars- its definitely a quality piece of gear just a bit heavy.

No trouble IDing and killing pigs at 250 yards. Never needed to shoot them further than that at night. I had originially pplanned on upgrading the tube to a full Gen 3 but honestly never felt the need after I got it. Use a PVS-14 thats a Gen 3 but the much larger tube size in the PVS4 at Gen II+ and the outstanding front lens makes up for the older tech.

 

[DavidAR10]

This thread is filled with crap.

BY, go get a SightMark Wraith HD 4-32x50 Digital Riflescope @ $449-$499 Model # SM18011. There are respectable
authorized sellers that have better prices than AMAZON. Hit GOOGLE & YOUTUBE for INFO.

I was a day late in using a $50 off coupon BUTT!! I still squeezed the trigger at
OpticsPlanet along with the SightMark Wolfhound QD Mount. WIKIBUY may still save
you $50 from AMAZON or EBAY.

Hans misspoke about the QD mount and resighting in... it was just a brain fart, let it ride. He's a great guy and not stupid.[last edit, buy one]
HansETX nails it. He's with Outdoor Legacy Gear.

Here's a push to do better than a FLESHLIGHT for night fun.

 

[MATADOR]

Hundreds of rednecks here in East Texas are killing thousands of hogs with the Sightmark Photon.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

For $500 a damn good flashlight is the best. That digital nightvision is trash. May work ok for some people but it isn’t going to work long.

Best way to get into NV on a budget without pissing your money away on junk is $1000-$1500 for a good Gen 3 PVS-7 or PVS-14 (the 14 is way better, more versatile, better depth perception) and then mounting an IR laser on your gun. There’s actually some pretty capable IR lasers for sub $500 now. It’ll get it done to 200 yards which is as far as you’re going to stretch it with weapon mounted laser anyway. If you want further than that you need a badass thermal sight or a clip on. Badass thermal is going to start around $5K and good clip ons are $2000-$5000 for a Simrad, PVS-27, or PVS-30.

 

[car16smg]

What he said.

Save your peanuts and invest in quality equipment. $500 here and $1000 there on stuff that will let you down depresses me. Then resell for 50% or less of what you paid to fund better quality gear. Buying quality in the beginning saves money and heartache.

Just my $0.02

 

[tinytigers]

Hundreds of rednecks here in East Texas are killing thousands of hogs with the Sightmark Photon.

Also lots of rednecks that shoot at things they can't positively ID. Save your money and invest in good equipment, or get a nice flashlight.

 

[DavidAR10]

Also lots of rednecks that shoot at things they can't positively ID. Save your money and invest in good equipment, or get a nice flashlight.

Am I allowed to say that that is an asinine argument about assholes shooting beyond a night vision device's capabilities to make a stupid point that there are assholes that shoot at shit that they cannot identify? Especially when talking about a device for half a grand that can record, has various reticles, reticle colors and CLEARLY allows the user to IDENTIFY and engage a man, bear, pig & deer @ 200yds and farther in instances.

If it is not...
I won't.

YouTube.com has tons of examples that $500 dollars {WRAITH for those in Rio Linda} allows one to start having high quality fun with 200yds high quality target identification rat damn now...

while saving up for a $7K THERMAL device or any other puke it up out there NV example down the road.

BTW, Merry Christmas and truly, best to all.

 

[tinytigers]

^ Valid, it is. Thanks for the call out. Merry christmas!

 

[Rerun7]

For those advocating optics under $500 let us know your personal experience with them.

My only experience with a $500 digital nv device is looking through a friend’s setup. It was extremely choppy and dim without powerful illumination. No way you could use it on moving targets and it crapped out on him a year after he had it.

It was from a “reputable” company. There is only so much you are going to get out of that price range. Your expectations are going to play a lot into it.

Take it from someone who started as cheap as possible and ended up wasting time and money in the end. Save up, buy once cry once.

 

[Mk32784]

Modlite okw head is pretty amazing, lights up targets at 200-300 yards pretty easily.

 

[MATADOR]

Also lots of rednecks that shoot at things they can't positively ID. Save your money and invest in good equipment, or get a nice flashlight.

If you can't identify a hog at 100 yards with a Sighmark photon or wraith then you need to go see a fucking optometrist.

It's comical to me when people state you need thousands of dollars in optics to hunt at night. It is better, yes, is it mandatory, no. Some of you have more money than sense, not all of us can budget a thermal or AN/PVS 30.

 

[Rerun7]

It’s all up to your expectations. Where I hunt I don’t get 100 yard open field shots with low grass while everything stands still on a full moon night. YMMV

Go buy it and tell us all how it worked out.

 

[Strykervet]

Sorry, there is no $500 setup. You may be able to find some junk, sure someone will SELL you something for $500, but I doubt it'll be what you're looking for.

You can buy a Pvs-4 or a Litton m845 for about $800 and do everything that a much more expensive setup costs albeit with a little more weight.
I think the pvs-4 has killed more things than anything else.

Jackpot baby. This is what you want for a budget NV scope. 2gen. will save you money, get 3gen if you can afford it. Not only will it just work, it's also a damn well made and nice scope. When it comes to NV, you want US military shit, even if that means upgraded older shit because the latest and greatest is still $30k. There are few exceptions to this.

This thread is filled with crap.

BY, go get a SightMark Wraith HD 4-32x50 Digital Riflescope @ $449-$499 Model # SM18011. There are respectable
authorized sellers that have better prices than AMAZON. Hit GOOGLE & YOUTUBE for INFO.

I was a day late in using a $50 off coupon BUTT!! I still squeezed the trigger at
OpticsPlanet along with the SightMark Wolfhound QD Mount. WIKIBUY may still save
you $50 from AMAZON or EBAY.

Hans misspoke about the QD mount and resighting in... it was just a brain fart, let it ride. He's a great guy and not stupid.[last edit, buy one]
HansETX nails it. He's with Outdoor Legacy Gear.

Here's a push to do better than a FLESHLIGHT for night fun.

Uh, no.

If you need real NV gear call Vic at TNVC and talk to him. If he can't square you away personally, he'll probably be able to point you in the right direction. At any rate he won't blow smoke up your ass since most of his business is repeat sales and he won't sell you any junk because he doesn't carry any.

Best bang for buck when it comes to rifle mounted is the PVS30 but it's $4k used (better than $12k!). Still worth it if you can save for that though, even if it takes a while.

You COULD get a PVS14 and a soft cover for a head mount, then mount that behind an EoTech as long as you kept the recoil down... Or use a laser. This costs less than a PVS30 and has more general use in the field.

"Digital NV" is a nice way of saying "we repurposed security industry shit and call it a weapon sight". Everything needed to make one is in a Supercircuits catalog, has been since they were black and white too, and if you wanna get real high speed you can slave it to your rifle and have a flip down monitor on your helmet like some sci-fi super soldier. Trust me, considered doing it for shits and giggles --20+ years ago when I was in the security industry. Nothing new.

Good luck.

 

[Strykervet]

It’s all up to your expectations. Where I hunt I don’t get 100 yard open field shots with low grass while everything stands still on a full moon night. YMMV

Go buy it and tell us all how it worked out.

That, or just dig through the threads or hit up wigwam because junk or not, I think he winds up trying it all one way or another (but judging from his personal gear I don't think he's into buying the budget shit). There's a few guys like that on here, he ain't the only one, some are dealers and wanna try it to see if it's worth selling. IF there's a budget device worth a fuck, one of those guys will be the only ones on Earth I'd trust to recommend it.

When they say "get a flashlight" they're not being dicks either, some of us have arsenals of $500 flashlights.

Yeah, the shit's expensive, no, you don't have to be rich you just have to be smart, patient, dedicated and save. I didn't get all my shit overnight, you probably won't either.

 

[Rerun7]

Totally agree. My comment was for the guys that want to argue that the under $500 setup is perfectly fine.

Some people will never listen so let them go waste their money and report back. They’ll end up in the same place eventually. How much extra it costs in the long run and how long it takes to get there will be the only difference, haha.

 

[jambau]

I think you have to be realistic about your needs. Example: When my buddy and I began night hunting on his property I purchased a Sightron Photon largely due to the price and my ignorance. Our shooting consists of sitting over an electric call or gut pile at 75 yards or less with fairly open terrain. We scan with a green light and the shooter takes over from there. I hunt like this maybe 4 times a year. For this application I'm quite comfortable with this setup and I think most would be too. I can certainly afford to upgrade but I don't see why I should. However, when I go to FL to hunt pigs with another buddy it's a whole different story. He is thermal all the way. I don't even know what we use but I do know he paid 3K for his. That said, he is out almost every weekend and appreciates the wide field of view and zero reflection. Yes, I could upgrade but really, for my needs, I don't have to. Maybe, if you generally hunt with a buddy, you can split the cost.

 

[shoots100]

My 70 year old Aunt has been killing fox, raccoon, mink and rats that were raiding her chicken coop and my pheasant pen for the last 5 years with a Photon 4x , with a upgraded IR light mounted on a 22mag rifle.
Granted she's only shooting 75 yards, but she's probably killed more critters with that set up than most who buy mega amount NV.
I got that used digital scope for $300 shipped and spent another $50 on the upgraded IR light + QD mount.
I install new job supplied batteries every couple of months and let her do her thing.
Best $350 Investment I've made.

SJC

 

[jambau]

That's exactly my point. You go Auntie!

 

[shoots100]

The photon does the job for her because it's simple to use and she took to it like a duck in water.
Pretty scary, now that I'm thinking about it.
She won't hurt a fly, unless it messes with her chickens.
I hunt with Thermal scopes, the best I can afford.
I would get her one too, but I don't want to spoil her.


SJC

 

[Rebels010]

How much research have you done?

The best night time setup you are going to get for under $500 is a spotlight.

Lots of great info here but none of it will point you to anything in that price range.

Do you guys have some lights you recommend? Does color of the light matter? Does it tend to scare the hogs off?

 

[jambau]

I've used both green and red but haven't noticed a difference in how game reacts

 

[Mporche]

I can't speak for others but I bought a sightmark wraith to get started with. I din't want to spend a couple of grand on something that I wasn't sure I was going to like.For 500 bucks this things rocks I'm able to see and clearly identify coyote and fox sized animals out to 400 yards easy with the stock ir illuminator and have made clean kills out to 250 yards.The optic is very easy to operate with minimal to no fuss and the setting are easy to remember and scroll through even in the dark.

It also has a very clear image in daylight and dark and I'm able to see bullet holes and read lettering very clear out to 100 yards.
The only thing negative that I have to say about it is it has no audio.

 

[DavidAR10]

I can't speak for others but I bought a sightmark wraith to get started with. I din't want to spend a couple of grand on something that I wasn't sure I was going to like.For 500 bucks this things rocks I'm able to see and clearly identify coyote and fox sized animals out to 400 yards easy with the stock ir illuminator and have made clean kills out to 250 yards.The optic is very easy to operate with minimal to no fuss and the setting are easy to remember and scroll through even in the dark.

It also has a very clear image in daylight and dark and I'm able to see bullet holes and read lettering very clear out to 100 yards.
The only thing negative that I have to say about it is it has no audio.

You're a liar!!! You can't have 4-legged critter Target Reduction fun for less than $3K. And it surely won't last because... well, BECAUSE. And you're not allowed to save up for your $3K-7K Thermal while having fun now. So, STOP HAVING FUN NOW.

Best to you, sir.

EDIT: BUTT!!! You are allowed to call any large frame AR an AR-10. Yes, especially if it is not an ARMALITE.
BUTT!!! Don"t don't you dare call a Digital night viewing device that has multiple reticles a Night Vision Scope.

 

[Rerun7]

You're a liar!!! You can't have 4-legged critter Target Reduction fun for less than $3K. And it surely won't last because... well, BECAUSE. And you're not allowed to save up for your $3K-7K Thermal while having fun now. So, STOP HAVING FUN NOW.

Best to you, sir.

EDIT: BUTT!!! You are allowed to call any large frame AR an AR-10. Yes, especially if it is not an ARMALITE.
BUTT!!! Don"t don't you dare call a Digital night viewing device that has multiple reticles a Night Vision Scope.

Thanks for enlightening all of us that have experience in these matters.

What NV setup do you currently use and what’s your hunting area like?

 

[Hobo Hilton]

1) Gather up your money into $500 cash in $100 bills. 2) Travel to all of the Pawn shops you can reasonably visit. 3) Make a detailed list of all the Leupold rifle scopes you can locate. 4) Hunting season will soon end and more rifles / scopes will get Pawned. 5) Ponder your list and asking prices. You can even share that info here for some personal feed back. 6) Make your purchase and immediately send it back to the Leupold factory to have it verified, calibrated, inspected.

You will be pleased at what is returned to you.

Hobo

Contact Us | Leupold

Whether you're at home or in the field, we are here for you. Call us at 1-800-LEUPOLD or complete the contact form and we'll be happy to help.

www.leupold.com

 

[NukeMan]

I hunt with a Flir PTS PRO233. Its Flir's entry level thermal. They can be had for just under 2k. I got a buddy with the entry level Pulsar thermal and a cousin that got the Photon night vision scope. Cousin is wishing he saved up a bit and went thermal.

 

[Geeb]

These guys are not recommending you spend more money just for the heck of it.

Start a post and see if anyone in your area night hunts and will let you check out their equipment or take you on a hunt.

You don't know what you don't know. I, just like many others, started with the cheapest stuff I could buy. There IS a big difference in what you see through cheap night vision compared to even gen2 stuff.

There is a BIG safety aspect in sending a bullet down range in the dark, knowing what you are shooting at (and what is beyond) is very important.

 

[dang472]

It’s kind of funny to read these guys who seem to have it all figured out for $500 while laughing at us that have spent thousands. I take target ID really serious. A damn coyote is not worth screwing up your life because you shot something you weren’t supposed to.

I have a trail cam on my back fence line. I got an alert of a coyote. I snuck out back and saw the white hot signature of an animal at 200 yards with my $7k Halo LR. I waited for it to move to determine if it was indeed the coyote that was on camera.

True, if you’re hunting open areas and a dog sized animal is coming in you can start assuming things. Dog sized at 350 yards or raccoon sized at 200? It gets tricky in the dark. I’ve been fooled for several minutes by skunks, raccoons, deer, and owls with NV gear costing more than $500.

Most of us that have spent the cash on high end gear have had those moments in the field where their cheaper gear’s limitations were apparent. I also hunt near livestock/farmsteads with domestic pets and can’t let rounds fly at every glowing pair of eyes in an IR illuminator.

I didn’t start this night hunting process 5 years ago thinking I’d have a $7k thermal, dual PVS14s, and a thermal spotter but experience changes your view.

 

[Rerun7]

That’s exactly right. I wasted quite a bit of money on cheaper stuff starting out only to be disappointed that it really didn’t meet my needs.

There are different needs based on your expectations and environment so not everyone needs a $7k thermal but I have seen very few instances where a $300 optic has worked well.

 

[car16smg]

This literally sent chills down my spine. I know this happened 10 years ago, and technology has come a long way since then. Just another example why target ID is of the utmost importance.

Forest Ranger shot, killed by Ga. hunter at night

Ranger First Class Will Smith named the shooter as 40-year-old Norman Clinton Hale of McDonough.

www.wrdw.com

 

[Rerun7]

@DavidAR10

What NV setup do you currently use and what’s your hunting area like?

 

[acts238]

through they above posts it has become obvious to me I cannot afford a decent thermal, so would some one please recommend one around 3k price range
and also a good flashlight for night hunting . the predators have taken over in my neck of the woods

 

[Geeb]

through they above posts it has become obvious to me I cannot afford a decent thermal, so would some one please recommend one around 3k price range
and also a good flashlight for night hunting . the predators have taken over in my neck of the woods

You can get a decent thermal for 3k if you shop around and have patience. Watch the classifieds here, ar15.com, among others (you can even find deals on gunbroker or eBay every now and then) and you can find a pulsar within that range.

From what I am hearing you would be well advised to stay away from any flir/armasight product; they are supposedly ending civilian sales, which will probably mean they'll end their service department also.

Sorry, I am of no help as far as lights go. Good luck

 

[Rerun7]

through they above posts it has become obvious to me I cannot afford a decent thermal, so would some one please recommend one around 3k price range
and also a good flashlight for night hunting . the predators have taken over in my neck of the woods

Give us some details on how you’re going to use it, shooting distance, open/wooded terrain, etc.

For thermal in the $3k range the predominant recommendation will be a Pulsar Trail. Unless you don’t need video and some other bells and whistles which you could potentially bump down to a Pulsar Core but it’s going to depend on your needs (hence the need for details).

In that budget you could also look at starting with NV. Keep in mind that with the right NV setup you can navigate and shoot. Thermal is king for detection and great for shooting. NV is great for navigating and identification.

If you do much hunting at night you’ll end up with both. You just have to decide how you’re going to use it and the path you want to take.

 

[Romeo458]

Save your money and get something quality. I have several friends that wasted 300 to 500 bucks on monocles or scopes that are junk. All you are doing is setting yourself back from quality optics by getting good enough for now, or one to have one.

 

[acts238]

Give us some details on how you’re going to use it, shooting distance, open/wooded terrain, etc.

For thermal in the $3k range the predominant recommendation will be a Pulsar Trail. Unless you don’t need video and some other bells and whistles which you could potentially bump down to a Pulsar Core but it’s going to depend on your needs (hence the need for details).

In that budget you could also look at starting with NV. Keep in mind that with the right NV setup you can navigate and shoot. Thermal is king for detection and great for shooting. NV is great for navigating and identification.

If you do much hunting at night you’ll end up with both. You just have to decide how you’re going to use it and the path you want to take.

mostly wooded area 90% although there are a few openings in the area , there few & far between -any shots would be 100 yards or less (most much less) and would depend on ID range -

 

[NukeMan]

I'm 100% happy with my Flir PTS Pro233. I haven't had any issues. I've hunted with it from well below zero temps to hot summer nights. I got it just under 2k. Flir and Pulsar are the most used around me.

 

[jambau]

Do not get IR in this case. There will be too much reflection from the trees and brush.

 

[Rerun7]

mostly wooded area 90% although there are a few openings in the area , there few & far between -any shots would be 100 yards or less (most much less) and would depend on ID range -

So I hunt in similar terrain, dense woods, some open areas but shots are usually within 100 yards. Look at the Trail xq38. Plenty of resolution to ID critters at those distances and it has several nice features for under $3k.

 

[YotaEer]

I’ve been reading through a bunch of threads like this and it seems like the buy once cry once is the way to go.

Going to start out with a quality set of red lights (Likely wicked) and then save up for thermal.

 

[aggiez28]

If I had to stay under 500 I would go with a good light.