Night Vision IR illuminator or NV compatible sight.

[libertyman777]

Okay the IR illuminators are pretty dang awesome but cool factor aside, which would be the best way to proceed?

The Illuminator with day laser will provide a usable sight without the NV as will the NV compatible sight, so from the prospective they are even. The NV compatible sights are less expensive.

What are some other things I should consider? I currently have no weapon mount nor head mount for my monocular.

Thanks,

Paul

 

[One-Eyed Jack]

Re: IR illuminator or NV compatible sight.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: libertyman777</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The Illuminator with day laser will provide a usable sight without the NV as will the NV compatible sight, so from the prospective they are even. The NV compatible sights are less expensive.</div></div>
I'm not following you here. An "illuminator" is an IR source with a broad beam so that a target area can be lit up and observed using NV devices like a PVS-14. A "day" or visible laser has a couple of uses - it can be an aiming laser used with a NVD, or it can be used to adjust the aiming point of an IR laser during daylight, if it's designed to do so. It could also be used without a NVD, as you mentioned as an aiming laser.

An "NV compatible sight" usually refers to the ability to set its reticle illumination so that it does not overwhelm a NVD behind the scope -- you still need an NVD for night visibility.

I think the <span style="font-style: italic">basic </span>setups are:

*** PVS-14 (1x, helmet mounted) with rifle-mounted aiming laser and IR illuminator, if needed.

*** PVS-14 with 3x or 5x magnifier, rifle mounted with aiming laser and IR illuminator, if needed.

*** PVS-14 behind a low-magnification day scope (up to about 6x, possibly with NV-compatible reticle illumination) with IR illuminator, if needed.

*** Day scope behind a boresighted night vision sight like the PVS-22/24/27 (up to about 10x) with IR illuminator, if needed.

*** Dedicated night vision scope like a Raptor/D700 series (4x, 6x) with IR illuminator, if needed.

Notice that an IR illuminator can be useful in every one of these NV setups.

 

[Victor-TNVC]

Re: IR illuminator or NV compatible sight.

One-Eyed Jack kinda summed it up that would have taken me a half hour on the phone to discuss all those options! :-D

Good post.

 

[libertyman777]

Re: IR illuminator or NV compatible sight.

Yeah, I used the wrong word. I meant to say IR laser instead of illuminator. I was thinking of the combination sight, LDI DBAL-I² Class 1 IR Laser vs a NV compatible sight like the Aimpoint or EoTech.

I already have a Torch that works really well.

Paul

 

[litotes15]

Re: IR illuminator or NV compatible sight.

Any good products to place in front of leupold mk4 ???

 

[HillbillyfromAL]

Re: IR illuminator or NV compatible sight.

One Eyed Jack already answered that:
*** Day scope behind a boresighted night vision sight like the PVS-22/24/27 (up to about 10x) with IR illuminator, if needed.

 

[NoveSPR]

Re: IR illuminator or NV compatible sight.

Forget the Eotech. Use a PEQ2 or equivalent and just point and click! Its that simple.

 

[softcock]

Re: IR illuminator or NV compatible sight.

You should NOT just dismiss running Eotech.
Still Good Idea to still have & use an Eo or other mounted Sight along With IR Laser & other IR supplement .

Your IR Laser . You still need & it's a good idea to run an Eotech of other reflex . Or run & use a Scope .
You still need to C0-Witness your POI of your IR with some other Sight for accuracy & peace of mind . You can use you Iron flips but It is more accurate to Co-Witness with Eo or another reflex .
You can even look threw a Vari-X scope to IR co-witness also if that is what you have Mounted on your Rig .

Just seems like the natural thing to do . As my Flip Irons already co-witness my Eotech anyway on my AR's . & I like to remove my IR supplements after every use @ night & put them up in the padded case to avoid damage . Even though the IR POI is pretty repeatable when re-mounting them . I will put the units back in the same spot . & I will (co-witness/double check my POI ) every-time before stepping out .

.

 

[9H_Cracka]

Re: IR illuminator or NV compatible sight.

The weapons mounted sight, NV compat or not, has no bearing in either case you state.

You can't use the day sight in line with the NV if you don't weapons mount the NV, and you can't use the NV helmet mounted if you don't get the IR laser mounted to the rifle.

Basically your NV is useless for shooting in both scenarios you asked about.

That said, if you instead choose to pursue one or both of the options above, the helmet mounted PVS/IR laser on the rifle is the more versatile of the two alternatives.

Weapons mounting the PVS works pretty well from a static position, but moving with your NV source on the rifle instead of your head means you have no benefit from your NV other than holding your rifle up and pointing it at things ahead of you - not a good way to move.

With the helmet mount and the PEQ weapon mounted, you can do CQ with it and hit torso sized targets out to 300M or so with a 100 yard zero on the PEQ.

Weapons mounting the PVS sounds cool, but in reality for most situations given the limitations of the PVS, helmet mounted is the way to go.

Two PVSs, one helmet mounted, one weapons mounted, AND a PEQ is pretty much PVS Nirvana, and when you start looking at the $$ needed for other alternatives, a pretty sound deal.

 

[NoveSPR]

Re: IR illuminator or NV compatible sight.

My point exactly. Not to put words in Libertymans mouth, ( and please correct me if Im wrong) but Im making the assumption that the initial investment cost is a major concern. That said the difference in cost between an Eotech or Aimpoint at 500 or so bucks vs the versatility of an IR laser/illum. at 900 to 1k is well wort the cost up front. Buy once, cry once. That said, I agree with the point of co-witness, but that is an added luxury that can be addressed at a later date. Not to mention that class III lasers are pretty "available" at this time whereas you can get a holosight any time. By the way, if you need a headmount, just post a WTB for a Scrullcrusher and I'd bet someone who has upgraded to a helmet or Facemask would probably sell you theirs for next to nothing. Not comfy, but it will get you by.

 

[9H_Cracka]

Re: IR illuminator or NV compatible sight.

This setup will set you back about $300 and is way more comfortable than a scullcrusher.

Finding and paying for the PEQ is a different story though

 

[NoveSPR]

Re: IR illuminator or NV compatible sight.

Peq 2a's are easy to get right now. The prices have dropped from 15-1300 down to 900 to 1K due to their availability. This will change as the supply dwindles and they will go back up in price. So are peq-15's. Atilla's and Izlids are a different story but thats a completely different animal altogether.