Night Vision Illuminators washing out

[jroberts1968]

Question for you guys on illuminators. When I turn my IR on my image down range becomes washed out but my buddy sitting 30” to my right has a crystal clear image. Now when I turn my IR off and his on I have a crystal clear image and his is washed out. My illuminator is mounted in a NF RAP above a NXS 5.5-22 and his is mounted on the side via a PRI rail and he is also using a 5.5-22 NXS.

we swamped illuminators and clip-on units. Can anyone explain this. My theory is that the intensifier tube is picking up the IR and my buddy theory is the IR is reflecting off the rifle.


If we put the IR on a tripod and aim it down range both our pictures are perfect.

 

[Killswitch Engage]

what illuminator? if its any type of led light it can help a ton to make a diffuser shroud of sorts to keep splash off the gun etc.

 

[CoryT]

Mounted on the gun, behind the NVD, is often going to result in a lot of reflection on the objective. Do you have a wrap in place between the scope objective and the prism of the NVD? That's also subject to image killing glare. Ideally, the illuminator lens is forward of the NVD and above the ground enough to prevent the beam from lighting the foreground, or off axis. I usually have the illum mounted on the spotter and have them designate and illuminate as required. In your case, as configured, have your partner illuminate your targets and you illum his.

 

[jroberts1968]

We are both using LED
Streamlight
Armasight

 

[jroberts1968]

Mounted on the gun, behind the NVD, is often going to result in a lot of reflection on the objective. Do you have a wrap in place between the scope objective and the prism of the NVD? That's also subject to image killing glare. Ideally, the illuminator lens is forward of the NVD and above the ground enough to prevent the beam from lighting the foreground, or off axis. I usually have the illum mounted on the spotter and have them designate and illuminate as required. In your case, as configured, have your partner illuminate your targets and you illum his.

I was thinking the same thing. I have a 4K ATN and I am thinking of mounting it on a tripod and a illuminator on it and just use it as a spotter illuminator rig.

Picked up a larue SPOTR system in a trade so I can mount shit everywhere on that system.

 

[sheepdog697]

My guess is its reflecting off your rifle, and autogating your unit. That is assuming your unit has autogating. You mentioned clip on, what models are you both using?

 

[jroberts1968]

My guess is its reflecting off your rifle, and autogating your unit. That is assuming your unit has autogating. You mentioned clip on, what models are you both using?

Kac PVS 30
Armasight co-x

 

[sheepdog697]

Im no expert with clip ons. That being said, my rnvgs autogate if my illuminator reflects of something back at me. Have you tried messing with where you mount it? Maybe try mounting it as far forward on your rifle as possible?

 

[jroberts1968]

Im no expert with clip ons. That being said, my rnvgs autogate if my illuminator reflects of something back at me. Have you tried messing with where you mount it? Maybe try mounting it as far forward on your rifle as possible?

Yes I have the badger vfr on my rifle and have mounted it on the side

 

[sheepdog697]

Is the image getting dimmer when it is "washing out"? Maybe im misreading your issue....

 

[Huskydriver]

@WhereNow&How @wigwamitus @deersniper

 

[stefan73]

Hhhhmmmm, I had some weird effects that I was able to eliminate with my Luna by moving it to a different location on my rifle. You might try moving the illuminator around while looking down the optics to see where the sweet spot is.

 

[upSLIDEdown]

Are you shooting prone on a bipod?

If so, that's probably why. Close to the ground it's reflecting off the ground. Make sure you focus the IR down small. A wide beam pattern throws light everywhere and it reflects. With a clip on, would want it just bigger than your fov at most. Sometimes I focus mine in even smaller. I run a Luna though. My rig is standing on a tripod, my IR mounts under the rifle where a bipod would normally go.

 

[WhereNow&How]

@WhereNow&How @wigwamitus @deersniper

Stefan 73 pretty much has the answer.

Sum ting aint gee hawing.

Do like Stefan says an move the thing around and see what kind of results you get.

Also, some of the LED that are powerful and throwing a wide beam will likely make a unit gate.

 

[Killswitch Engage]

stand up and shoot from a tripod and see if your situation remedies. it likely will. the super tac is a great illum but lacks the ability of a adjustable bezel to tighten the beam and eliminate wash. this is also the reason many times that laser illum is better simply because you can concentrate it and axis adjust it.

 

[jroberts1968]

stand up and shoot from a tripod and see if your situation remedies. it likely will. the super tac is a great illum but lacks the ability of a adjustable bezel to tighten the beam and eliminate wash. this is also the reason many times that laser illum is better simply because you can concentrate it and axis adjust it.

I was shooting from a tripod buddy was shooting from a table

 

[Killswitch Engage]

take your bipod off and mount the light at 6 under the gun then.

 

[stefan73]

You could also run a tube off the end of the illuminator to mitigate some of the light impacting your optic (something like a sunshade on the end to focus the light and reduce spillage).

 

[Capt_Right]

This is pretty common and happens because the clip on with the illuminator has to look at every single particle reflection between the rifle and the target. You are essentially staring down a beam of light which is bouncing off of everything along the way. When you use an illuminator off axis, you look through much less beam and therefore less dust/moisture/whatever reflections.

We have found best results using a illuminator on a spotter. Helps with communication as well.