Knights PVS30 for ANVIS?

[19dsniper]

Advice needed.
I currently own a Knights PVS30 with a FOM of 1952. I purchased this thinking that I would use it alot more than I do. I have owned it for just under 4 years and I'm still on my first set of batteries.
I really think I would use a dual tube, WP, set alot more, than my pvs30.

I contacted a local guy who knows a gentleman who owns a night vision company. It's not TNVC or anything like that. He gets in units that need repair, etc. Rebuilds, repairs them and then flips them for a profit. He has been very up front about that.

He has offered me a trade, straight across, for an ASU branded ANVIS that had a broken bridge that he has replaced. They are suppose to be aviation grade tubes and glass. Comes with mount and battery pack, and he says he will warranty them.

Is this a fair trade straight across? I am partially of the mindset that if he has what I want. It's worth it. However, am I cutting myself short in any way? Would I be better off selling what I have and purchasing something else? Are these comparable in value?

I will be honest, I thought I knew about night vision when I used it in the Army for 9 years, then purchased my first PVS14 omni 8 hand select from TNVC, then later the PVS 30....
NOPE, I'm just an end user, I don't know anything other than turn it on and run it.

So what is everyone's advice? Should I make the trade?

 

[aslrookie]

I would not. You would be better off selling your PVS30 and using the cash towards a solid PVS14 or great start to a set of quality duals. The problem with the ANVIS housing is it's not meant for ground use. Hence why this one has already been repaired. The bottom of the housing is also open to the elements, i.e. moisture leaving the wires exposed. In a light mist you would be fine. People have snapped their ANVIS housing by accidentally hitting it against door frames, vehicle frames getting in/out, and especially dropping them.

The ANVIS mount also needs an adapter plate to be used with more common and traditional tactical helmets vs aviation helmets. The ANVIS battery pack is also not waterproof either. The battery compartment pods don't have any sort of rubber seal or screw on cap. It's just plastic lids secured with a plastic tab.

My first set of NV was a ANVIS 9 setup, but it was a brand new kit with L3 white phos thin filmed tubes, and $5k shipped which included the ANVIS mount adapter, ANVIS mount, battery pack and the nods. I used that setup for a year before having the L3 tubes and optics swapped into an RNVG housing.

The only way you're getting a good deal or even a fair trade is if the tubes are gen 3 (not gen 2+), no major blems, white phos, and either L3 or Elbit made. Then you could just sell the ANVIS housing, mount, and battery pack. I sold mine for $500 and used it towards an RNVG housing. Outside of that, you're getting a bad deal.

 

[19dsniper]

Thank you for the info. I currently have a Gen3, PVS14, omni8, hand select from TNVC that I have for my helmet. I am really trying to get into dual tube WP for as little out of pocket as possible.
That's the only reason I considered his trade. But I don't want to get ripped off, or worse, be unhappy with a trade if it doesn't suit my needs. My hope is that I will have a unit good enough to use for many years.

 

[aslrookie]

Thank you for the info. I currently have a Gen3, PVS14, omni8, hand select from TNVC that I have for my helmet. I am really trying to get into dual tube WP for as little out of pocket as possible.
That's the only reason I considered his trade. But I don't want to get ripped off, or worse, be unhappy with a trade if it doesn't suit my needs. My hope is that I will have a unit good enough to use for many years.

You would be there if you sold the 14 and the 30.

 

[19dsniper]

You would be there if you sold the 14 and the 30.

You have a good point, and I have considered it. I just felt that I would be giving up alot to do that.

I guess that's why my hopes were to trade straight across or be close so that if something happened, I would still have a backup. I plan on using whatever I get on our SWAT team and having a spare sounded really nice. They don't have the budget for NVG's so we have gone out of our way in the past to get our own.

I got the PVS 30 to use on swat as well, but we flood the target with so much light at night, that it hasn't been an issue and I've never used it for its intended purpose.

 

[aslrookie]

You have a good point, and I have considered it. I just felt that I would be giving up alot to do that.

I guess that's why my hopes were to trade straight across or be close so that if something happened, I would still have a backup. I plan on using whatever I get on our SWAT team and having a spare sounded really nice. They don't have the budget for NVG's so we have gone out of our way in the past to get our own.

I got the PVS 30 to use on swat as well, but we flood the target with so much light at night, that it hasn't been an issue and I've never used it for its intended purpose.

Ballsy move. I've been too paranoid to use my nods at work due to the possibility of them being held as evidence. I chased a stolen car into a dead end road which happened to be the access point to 300 acres of public hunting land. It would've been nice to have my nods in that scenario, but as a patrol dude (non SWAT), if significant or deadly force would've been used, I could see the potential of my equipment being taken. The agency won't replace them, so I figure why take the chance.

 

[19dsniper]

I'm sure it's a possibility that they might hold them for some crazy reason, however I don't know how likely that is or why they would.

I could definitely see my PVS30 being taken as evidence because it would be part of that weapon system when a shot was fired. However, helmet mounted NODs, I see as much less of a possibility.

Unfortunately our Sheriffs office is small enough and broke enough that we end up using alot of our own equipment. Hell, they didn't even issue weapons lights until a few months ago. Luckily I work with a good group of individuals who take their job seriously enough to invest in themselves, their equipment, and their training. Getting school slots has never been an issue for the department either. We send guys off to swat, breacher, K9, etc on a regular basis.

Alot of us are retired military and as such, have stuff like nods and other toys at home because we are just that way. So when needed, we grab it and go. Now, we don't lend it to other people, and that's why alot of guys eventually buy their own, but when needed, we have access to some fun toys like nvg, thermals, drones, etc.

Not to derail the topic, I have reached out to TNVC to see how much their military/Leo discount is. I am curious about the Artemis, and hope to talk to someone more about it at TNVC. I think I'm going to tell this guy that I'm going to hold off for now till I get some more guidance. When it comes to dual tubes I'm a complete novice.

I'm still curious about opinions on what my best route would be.

 

[robozebra]

You should reach out to Jay at Sure Shot @Surgeon_Shooter to see if he has something to trade for the PVS30 and 14. Felipe at @Eliteuas might be able to help you move your stuff and get into a DTNVS or similar too. I’ve done business with both of them and recommend them.

I’d agree with the advice above about not trading straight across for the ANVIS-9.

 

[19dsniper]

Thank you for the information. I will reach out and see what he has to offer, if anything.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

I wouldn't make that trade !

 

[LawTalker]

Ballsy move. I've been too paranoid to use my nods at work due to the possibility of them being held as evidence. I chased a stolen car into a dead end road which happened to be the access point to 300 acres of public hunting land. It would've been nice to have my nods in that scenario, but as a patrol dude (non SWAT), if significant or deadly force would've been used, I could see the potential of my equipment being taken. The agency won't replace them, so I figure why take the chance.

I understand and appreciate your concerns, but ultimately what is your life worth to you? Give yourself every advantage you can legally, tactically, and financially manage.

Do you want to decline to use a night vision device, which might make the difference between life and death, because, "it might get held as evidence." The first rule is to survive the encounter, which usually means winning the encounter.

Also, things held as evidence eventually get returned, whether they voluntarily cooperate or get ordered by a court to return the item.

I don't want my PVS-14 held as evidence, but if it were taken I would go out and buy another one or just upgrade and get the dual-tube I've been eyeballing, in the meanwhile. I get not everybody can do that. I've come to a point in life where I look at items as, "I don't want them stolen, lost, confiscated, damaged beyond repair, but they are just items, I can always buy another one, it is just money, I can always pick up an extra case, do some more work, there is always more money to be made."

My primary home defense AR-15 is a suppressed SBR with an ACOG/RMR, an IR illuminator/aimer, and I could potentially [depending on time available] have my helmet with PVS-14 on. I don't want any of that held as evidence, but it is probably the best all-around defensive carbine I have in the house, and even if the worst case scenario happened and I never got the rifle/suppressor system back, I value my life more than I value a $5,000 dollar rifle with a suppressor, ACOG/RMR, IR illuminator, and light. I don't want to lose any of my stuff, but I'm the only thing irreplaceable in the discussion of losing stuff and stuff that cannot be lost.

Equipment can always be replaced, unless we're in some unique Mad Max scenario, even then it is still only just equipment.

 

[TheHorta]

We’ve moved on, brah.