Night Vision In the market for night vison set up

[Ezmoney]

IN THE MARKET FOR NIGHT VISON GOGGLES!! AND IR
LASER!

What I'll be using them for- hog hunting. I want to be able to drive 4wheelers, or a vehicle while shooting. About 98% of my hog shooting is done driving, at night at high speeds (on my own property). Distances- Most of the shooting taking place is at max 100yds. I'm currently running a EOTech EXPS2-2 with G33.STS magnifier, while using spot lights. It works to an extent. But I need the element of surprise to be more efficient in dropping hogs.

Now budget! This is the big whammy! I would like to keep it somewhat moderate. I'll put this out cap is $8,000. This doesn't mean if there's a way to get set up for 4K i won't take it. That's just basically what I won't go over.

With all that being said, it's really not much. I know this I don't want a monocular. Think it will be to hard. For driving and shooting but what do I know. Open to everyone's opinion on this. Also what's a good trusted place to buy from. I have seen a few places on here.

 

[6172crew!]

I just picked up a PVS30 that works in front of your eotech, so far its a awesome rig but heavy. Not an issue if youre drving around I guess. The PVS14 goggle type might be better if you want to drive around with lights off.

Edited to add: the knights armament PVS I bought as $4650

 

[spife7980]

You think driving with a monocular will be too hard? Think about how hard it is right now without night vision in front of your face and rethink that statement. Its a whole hell of a lot easier to use a monocular than trying to drive holding a rifle up to look through a weapon mounted system. Not to mention that the weapon mounted system will make getting a laser redundant.

Or by the term monocular did you mean a purely handheld unit? That I will agree with driving being more difficult, in the same vein as driving while looking through a weapon mounted system.

https://tnvc.com/shop/tnvpvs-14-l3-gen3-omni-viii/

 

[wigwamitus]

I think I posted this yesterday, but not in this thread !!!

I roll on 4-wheeler with pvs-14 on left eye, thermal monocular on right eye and 5.56(10.3) carbine with IRD mk3 35mm strapped on. I can roll up to about 30 mph max but usually rolling much slower. I do NOT try to shoot while rolling on the 4-wheeler, though if I had to I would use m1911 for that. Driving the 4-wheeler with no hands is not a skill I've mastered ... and aiming/shooting a carbine with one hand isn't either.

But I can stop and shoot within seconds. And can throw foot up on wheel well and use elbow and leg as a sort of "sitting / kneeing" position that works. Or if more time I can use the 4-wheeler seat as a rest for my elbows in sort of a kneeing / prone sort of position.

Here is the kit I was doing this with last night ... though I didn't have the pack or the radio last night.

$8k ... hum ...
PVS-14 $3k
helmet, mount, full setup, including IR laser $2k
Thermal monocular $5k ( best case)

So $10k could get it done, but you would be aiming with the ir-laser and the PVS-14, the thermal would be on your head for hands free seeing of the critters while rolling on the 4-wheeler. Thermal cannot see thru "regular" glass, so this will not work in a truck with a windshield ... only on a vehicle with no glass. Aiming with ir-laser works fine out to 150yds especially for hog sized critters and more practice could extend a bit further.

For $3k more you can put a thermal on your rifle also, but then you're up to $13k.

==
I wouldn't start buying yet ...
Step 01 ... determine your needs ... in detail ...
Step 02 ... learn which gear can meet your needs ...
(spend a lot of time on steps 01 and 02)
Step 03 ... find three dealers that sell the gear you need ...

Keep the gear and the dealer decisions separate ... otherwise you might wind up buying the crap the dealers want to sell you today ... instead of the crap you really need!

==
Alternatively, if you just want to get a thermal on your rifle, that is easier ... the pulsars are the best bang for the buck ... the older/current ones run from about $2,500 (XD38A) and up ... newer ones are coming out this year ... more features ... not more cost ...so if you can wait a while look for the new stuff ... it is actually getting harder to find the older stuff ... but there is some out there here and there.

your shooting/spotting while driving is more complex and needs more 01 and 02 time ... classical ole "thermal on the rifle" is not as hard.

 

[Ezmoney]

Thanks for the input. I've thought about putting in on the rifle, but don't want to much weight. I'll reword that statement. Right now I drive with lights on. Why I say it might be harder but then again I don't know never tried it. Is one eye will be seeing black and the other you have a picture. So I thought two eyes on would be a better and safer Solution.

 

[Devildog]

Call the guys at TNVC they now there business, I had a good experience with them.

 

[newguy2k3v2]

I hunt almost exactly like you do. Pvs-14 on left eye, ir patrol on right, suppressed 300blk sbr with dbal d2 or a3.

with a 8k budget I'd look at a crye nightcap, pvs-14 and accessories, some sort of ir laser for your gun and a cheaper thermal monocular for spotting.

 

[wigwamitus]

<<Is one eye will be seeing black and the other you have a picture. So I thought two eyes on would be a better and safer Solution.>>

With one 14 on one eye .. on foot or on a vehicle with no glass ... you rarely see "black" either the other eye. Last night, no moon, but mostly clear, so the star light and some ambient light from cities/towns 15-30 miles away give enough light that I could walk without NV. I had it, but only used it for ranging with the LRF and driving. With the 14 up there, I see "vague shadows" with the unaided eye ... but that is WAY better than "black" and gives me some depth of field.

If you want to optimize driving safety over all else, then absolutely two NV is the way to go. And if I was driving a vehicle carrying persons other than just myself I would consider it to be a requirement, that's why I have two 14s. This would likely be a vehicle with glass and the thermal wouldn't work anyway and I can pull it off and put the second 14 up there instead. The bridge I have (MA/IC bridge) you can "flip out" one or both of the NODs (or flip both up) and that is convenient for getting one out of the way temporarily while like ranging with the LRF.

But when I'm out by myself on foot or on the 4-wheeler, I want to be able to see the critters hands free while I'm moving, hence having the spotter all ready up there an available is very convenient. Last night I saw deer and rabbits and rats while I was rolling. I was heading out to do target shooting, to check zero on one of my carbines. So wasn't trying to see critters, but like to be able to see them and know what is out there and where it is and the thermal up there beside the 14 gets that done.

If all you want is goggles and an ir-laser that can be done for $9k, something like a steiner cqbl-1 and the abmod3 goggles and a OPS CORE bump helmet setup. I'd add Pete Lesbo with I2tech to your vendor list.

A single 14 on a Crye Precision works but don't think 2 NODs up there will work not enough rigidity for the counter-weight to work. CP with one 14 barely works for me (moves around more than with bump helmet) but it works.

 

[HTX_17]

Is there anywhere in/around Houston that carry NV/Thermal optics?Would love to physically go and see some of this equipment and work my way from there. Thanks in advance.

 

[newguy2k3v2]

I think they do some night shoots at the impact zone west of Houston near monaville sometimes.

 

[wigwamitus]

For Houston area contact Clifford Cheadle at Third Coast Thermal ...

https://third-coast-thermal-llc.myshopify.com/

 

[HTX_17]

Thanks Wigwamitus and Newguy!

 

[Benjamin Farr]

Thanks for the input. I've thought about putting in on the rifle, but don't want to much weight. I'll reword that statement. Right now I drive with lights on. Why I say it might be harder but then again I don't know never tried it. Is one eye will be seeing black and the other you have a picture. So I thought two eyes on would be a better and safer Solution.

You will find that you will have move success keeping the lights off. Hogs will learn to scatter and run when the lights go on. You might catch them a time or two but they are smart and can get very hard to hunt when pressured.

In known terrain, roads and open fields I have gone 30-40+ MPH with a PVS-14 and sufficient IR illumination in my Polaris Ranger. Not sure how you would shoot going very fast unless someone else is driving with NV monocular/goggles. A helmet + NVmonocular/goggles with a IR laser is a great way to go for run and gun at short distances. Over 75-100 yards, I prefer a dedicated scope on my rifle.

 

[marksman762x51]

i have a peq 2 if youre interested

 

[700smooth]

Following kinda curious on this