Night Vision Day Optic for NV Clip-on

[1slow01z71]

Setting up my 16" 308 bolt gun for a CNVDLR later this year. Currently running a mk5 3-18 thats been great but kind of have the itch to upgrade. Any particular scopes that seem to work better for nv clip-ons? Looking at the 4-20 ATACR, and the 3-20 SB ultra short.

Mainly used for farting around and shooting pigs/yotes with some 125gr TMKs at 3100fps. Occasionaly stretch it out past 500yds with 155s.

 

[Killswitch Engage]

What you have is pretty tough to beat for clip on use. Those are great optics. Short stature optics are best performers with clip ons I feel

 

[TheHorta]

As Killswitch said, clip-ons generally do NOT benefit from great glass. Believe it or not, your existing MK5HD is absolutely perfect for just about any clip-on — NV or Thermal — in existence. You will NOT benefit from getting anything else specifically for NV use.

 

[1slow01z71]

10-4, just figured better glass quality would help with the light transmission from the cnvdlr.

 

[Huskydriver]

520 us or gtfo

 

[Squibbler]

The prior comments hit right on the nutz, that upgrading glass won't help in regards to clip on usage. The shorter mk5 also fits the bill for being user friendly and light weight with clip on. However, an area to consider would be the reticle choice. If you are satisfied with the Leupy flavors, then rock on. The reticle is the main use interface, and to me, there are better choices for clip on usage. Especially considering that holdovers are on the menu vs dialing in the dark with clip on usage.

 

[The King]

I have this optic - the 3-18 MK5HD AND I have the CNVD-LR.

I'm going to say that the 3-18 MK5 was the ONLY optic I thought genuinely SUCKED ass with the CNVD-LR. Mine at least had an awful pincusion effect with the unit and didn't give me a flat image at all. And I like the MK5...just not here.

 

[Killswitch Engage]

I have this optic - the 3-18 MK5HD AND I have the CNVD-LR.

I'm going to say that the 3-18 MK5 was the ONLY optic I thought genuinely SUCKED ass with the CNVD-LR. Mine at least had an awful pincusion effect with the unit and didn't give me a flat image at all. And I like the MK5...just not here.

you'd bitch if they hung you with a new rope...

 

[The King]

you'd bitch if they hung you with a new rope...

You know me so well.

In all seriousness, I have looked through like 50 optics with clip ons and that 3-18 was the only one where I was like "jesus that blows" THAT said it could be just my example.

 

[TheHorta]

I have to admit, I don’t think I’ve run any of my CNVD-LR’s with the MK5HD. I’ve used the MK5 with tons of thermal units — UTC, UTM, TigIR-6M, Voodoo-S, and some “special” units — but not the M2124, that I can specifically recall. It works exceptionally well with everything I’ve tried it with, so just assumed it would work equally as well with the CNVD.

Sadly, I jusy traded my 3.6-18 for a ZCO 4-20, so I can’t actually confirm or refute Sam’s experience. Someone send me their MK5 to test.

 

[rlsmith1]

Maybe some of the knobs aren't turned the right direction? I haven't screwed with mine at all but I know that ocular adjustment can really change how an optic looks.

Having not compared my MK5 to any others except a PST 3-15 (apples and oranges) I'd say I'm 8.5/10 impressed. There is a little distortion around the edges on low power so the image isn't completely "flat" but pretty much inconsequential. If I could change anything it would be slightly larger FOV on the low end. I'm running a Jay built 30 and not a 24LR but I doubt that matters much.

@TheHorta I'll send you mine but it will be in a backpack attached to my body

 

[TheHorta]

Maybe some of the knobs aren't turned the right direction? I haven't screwed with mine at all but I know that ocular adjustment can really change how an optic looks.

Having not compared my MK5 to any others except a PST 3-15 (apples and oranges) I'd say I'm 8.5/10 impressed. There is a little distortion around the edges on low power so the image isn't completely "flat" but pretty much inconsequential. If I could change anything it would be slightly larger FOV on the low end. I'm running a Jay built 30 and not a 24LR but I doubt that matters much.

@TheHorta I'll send you mine but it will be in a backpack attached to my body

Bring it!

 

[rlsmith1]

Roger roger

 

[Huskydriver]

You know me so well.

In all seriousness, I have looked through like 50 optics with clip ons and that 3-18 was the only one where I was like "jesus that blows" THAT said it could be just my example.

That's my reaction to all Leupold optics lol

 

[TheHorta]

Here in Bama, Leupold is high cotton.

If I told my neighbors my scope is a TT or Hensoldt they’d laugh and ask why I couldn’t afford a Leupold.

 

[Huskydriver]

Here in Bama, Leupold is high cotton.

If I told my neighbors my scope is a TT or Hensoldt they’d laugh and ask why I couldn’t afford a Leupold.

Freakin fuds maybe I won't move to Alabama next year after all lol

 

[The King]

Freakin fuds maybe I won't move to Alabama next year after all lol

You can be a Peasant in Heaven or Rule in Hell.

 

[1slow01z71]

That's my reaction to all Leupold optics lol


View attachment 7805694

Ive never been a fan of leupold til the MK5 series. Honestly I like my 3-18 better than my 4-16 atacr. Im just never happy and always wanting to change shit up. Ive never looked through a bender ultra short but the 4-20 atacr fixes most of what I dont like about the 4-16 and figured it might be worth it if I could find a decent deal on one not at msrp.

 

[Conqueror]

Am I the only one who really likes an illuminated reticle with a clip-on? A gentle red reticle stands out so nicely against BH/WH polarities. Most of the MK5 scopes are the non-illuminated flavor.

 

[The King]

Am I the only one who really likes an illuminated reticle with a clip-on? A gentle red reticle stands out so nicely against BH/WH polarities. Most of the MK5 scopes are the non-illuminated flavor.

Leupold is a buncha whiney bitches when it comes to illumination on their tactical scopes. I think its because they make the whole assembly out of solid gold with a plutonium power source that lasts 10 minutes and isn't daylight bright. I watched a scope go from $2000 street to $4500 street and the only difference was the illum.

Seriously, their illumination situation sucks a dead donkey dildo.

 

[Ksracer]

My experience is very limited, but I think having a scope with adjustable paralax is important. With my Yoter-C on a G3 razor, the pixels began to get blurry over 6x or so. Each pixel would get a halo around it and they just began to look like a blob. There was also a couple Mils of paralax between the reticle and screen when you moved around in the eye box also.

With the NX8's paralax turned as low as it will go, the pixels still look "crisp" at much higher magnifications. Even the icons on the screen look better. I can max it out on 20x and still have clearly defined boundaries to aim at, if I desire.

I think the G3 was better at lower magnifications, but it looked pretty crappy over 8x. The NX8 still provides a decent image at 12x.

My .02¢