Night Vision NV advice

[TxWelder35]

Went out for the first time with my new milspec UWP L3 PVS14 and dbal d2 for the first time this week and have a couple questions.

1st, is there anyway to make the pvs14 focus closer? Doing anything with your hands, or looking down to watch your step is almost useless.

2nd, how the fuck do y’all see anything after the first shot? I’m shooting a 223 AR with a YHM turbo. After the first shot there is a couple seconds where you can’t see shit from the gases, is is impossible to see where a pig went, or do a follow up shot because the gases block everything out.

3rd, does anyone use IR flood lights on the front of the their vehicles? With no moon light and a lot of tree canopy it’s a little hard to drive blacked out, on that same note, any good tips for blocking out the guage cluster and radio? I just taped some cardboard over it.

Thanks for any advice

 

[Vitali1342]

As for your first problem : I use Universal Refocus Flip Lens

 

[smcfarland]

1. Focus ring is on the objective of the 14. There are more expensive options but I just move mine manually for close in stuff, otherwise it stays on infinity.
2. Haven’t ever had that issue, think it’s likely a back pressure issue with your suppressor. Might play around with gas settings. I’ve gone to piston for my night hunting rigs.
3. Cheap answer is a IR flashlight (I’ve used TNVC Torch for years) that you can hold out the window while driving through gates or tricky spots. Last year I added ultimate night visions IR lights to my vehicle and it works much better. You lose a lot of depth of vision when running IR lights, though. Last option is to just turn on parking lights when need a little extra illumination. Won’t spook pigs within a couple hundred meters where I hunt.

 

[smcfarland]

For #2, could also shoot from hip instead of shouldering to keep gas further away from your face.

 

[GreenMushroom]

You should be able to turn the focus on the front of your 14 to the point you can see your hand in front of your face. There are also focus devices like mentioned above. As for the shooting especially in cold weather you need to move. Shoot and circle so your constantly leaving the gas cloud behind. It's foggy/misty here a lot in the winter so visibility is often marginal to begin with and after a couple shots I can't see shit even with an Illuminator.

 

[Killswitch Engage]

Kill your illum once you break the shot. You’ll be able to see what’s going on. Put an ir light bar on your rig, depending on the vehicle you can modify dash lighting off otherwise cut some black canvas or cloth and sew Velcro to it and install small strips of Velcro over your gauge cluster and install when needed.

Pin hole butler creek cap will let you focus up close

 

[TxWelder35]

Thanks for the reply guys, I think I do have a gas issue with the gun, pulled these 2 rounds out of the chamber of the gun.

 

[CoryT]

If you need to look at your gear to operate it, you need practice, not a refocus lens. Close focus is for temporary detail work, like reading a map. For that, turn the objective, then reset it. When I teach the NVG class here at Gunsite, we stress the ability to work all your gear/systems eyes off.

Where did you mount the D2? Reflection off the gasses is the most likely issue. Use the momentary switch, keep the gun lower, take one or two steps right after the shot.

 

[roostercogburn98]

Fun fact. The PVS14 used to be the only item in the army inventory that could correct your vision to 20/20. The focuses were fairly intricate. You will soon learn to set the ocular side and almost forget about it, then use very small tweaks to get the objective lens set to focus how you like.

As for issues with autogating, my YHM phantom does not give me any flash issues so I can’t help with that. Practice like coryt is the only true fox to learn to operate with nv. I can’t count the number of hours/nights I have spent with 14s on my eye while driving. Once you get it straight, it’s like riding a bicycle.

 

[TxWelder35]

If you need to look at your gear to operate it, you need practice, not a refocus lens. Close focus is for temporary detail work, like reading a map. For that, turn the objective, then reset it. When I teach the NVG class here at Gunsite, we stress the ability to work all your gear/systems eyes off.

Where did you mount the D2? Reflection off the gasses is the most likely issue. Use the momentary switch, keep the gun lower, take one or two steps right after the shot.

D2 is mounted at 3 o clock at the front of the rail, was way too in the way to mount at 12

It wasn’t my gear I was having a hard time operating, but like trying to get into a deer blind, the latches on it were fucked in and since it was out of focus I couldn’t see anything. I’ll play with the focus tonight and see if that helps, I didn’t even think about that.

Fun fact. The PVS14 used to be the only item in the army inventory that could correct your vision to 20/20. The focuses were fairly intricate. You will soon learn to set the ocular side and almost forget about it, then use very small tweaks to get the objective lens set to focus how you like.

As for issues with autogating, my YHM phantom does not give me any flash issues so I can’t help with that. Practice like coryt is the only true fox to learn to operate with nv. I can’t count the number of hours/nights I have spent with 14s on my eye while driving. Once you get it straight, it’s like riding a bicycle.

It wasn’t the flash I’m having a problem with, it was the plume or smoke from the shot.



Overall had a great week learning my gear in different uses. I put probably 9 hours of time on my PVS14. Got pretty comfortable driving and walking with it. We probably walked 10 miles over 3 nights. Did learn my sling set up needs to change, not every comfortable.

Also I 10/10 need to take some sort of NV shooting class, or find somewhere to really practice shooting with the laser. I had 1 shot under 50 yards I wiffed, and 2 shots around 100 I wiffed. I definitely should have been able to make all 3 of those shots and would have in a daylight environment.

 

[roostercogburn98]

It wasn’t the flash I’m having a problem with, it was the plume or smoke from the shot.

Plume reflecting laser and making your tube autogate(assuming it is an autogated tube)?

Also, just curious as to why you say your laser is “way in the way to mount at the 12”. Only way I can see this, is if you are leaving your laser mounted all the time and it interferes with day scope operation. Otherwise, you shouldn’t even notice it at the 12oclock shooting it at night. I don’t actually bring my blaster up to my eyes if I am shooting off shoulder. If it is tripod mounted, then I am standing almost upright behind it as well. Can you post a pic of your rig if you are comfortable with that so we can get an idea of your gear placement?

 

[TxWelder35]

Plume reflecting laser and making your tube autogate(assuming it is an autogated tube)?

Also, just curious as to why you say your laser is “way in the way to mount at the 12”. Only way I can see this, is if you are leaving your laser mounted all the time and it interferes with day scope operation. Otherwise, you shouldn’t even notice it at the 12oclock shooting it at night. I don’t actually bring my blaster up to my eyes if I am shooting off shoulder. If it is tripod mounted, then I am standing almost upright behind it as well. Can you post a pic of your rig if you are comfortable with that so we can get an idea of your gear placement?

I was planning on leaving the laser on there full time

 

[GreenMushroom]

Reflection off the gasses is the most likely issue. Use the momentary switch, keep the gun lower, take one or two steps right after the shot.

This. Step, step, pop, pop, step, step, pop, pop etc. The complication is when conditions are shitty and you need your illuminator to see the target but it reflects off the gas once you shoot. With a little practice you will do it automatically when needed.

 

[CoryT]

That will put the illum right where the gas will be, try 9 , placing the illum under the bore line. Then step left right after the shot.

With a laser, you don’t need a conventional shoulder mount, just a position that keeps the gun steady.

 

[TxWelder35]

That will put the illum right where the gas will be, try 9 , placing the illum under the bore line. Then step left right after the shot.

With a laser, you don’t need a conventional shoulder mount, just a position that keeps the gun steady.

I didn’t think about that the illum was hitting the gas and auto gating my tube. Sadly it was so damn dark out there I had to use the illum. I’ll try 9 when I take it out next

 

[CoryT]

It’s not automating, it’s reflecting off the particles.

 

[WhereNow&How]

Here's how you do it so the smoke particles don't interfere with you.

Dam that boy is fast.

Pay attention to just the "fog" coming off his breath. Must have been pretty chilly that night.

 

[Millennium200]

Thermal

 

[aslrookie]

I recommend the tarsier eclipse cap. It’s spendy but worth it. The other caps don’t allow you to fine tune your close in focus. It also has a sacrificial front lens which is replaceable. There are easy DIY options as well such as taking a used 5.56 casing and use the case mouth to punch a hole in the daytime cover. That’s probably the cheapest/easiest solution.

The other issue is your gun is way overgassed. Lightforce, Nightforce sister company makes IR flood and spotlights. Some dudes make a cardboard cutout of the dashboard and friction fit or tape it to hide the interior lights. All that is vehicle specific and something you have to figure out.

 

[MK20]

Went out for the first time with my new milspec UWP L3 PVS14 and dbal d2 for the first time this week and have a couple questions.

1st, is there anyway to make the pvs14 focus closer? Doing anything with your hands, or looking down to watch your step is almost useless.

2nd, how the fuck do y’all see anything after the first shot? I’m shooting a 223 AR with a YHM turbo. After the first shot there is a couple seconds where you can’t see shit from the gases, is is impossible to see where a pig went, or do a follow up shot because the gases block everything out.

3rd, does anyone use IR flood lights on the front of the their vehicles? With no moon light and a lot of tree canopy it’s a little hard to drive blacked out, on that same note, any good tips for blocking out the guage cluster and radio? I just taped some cardboard over it.

Thanks for any advice

If you need to look at your gear to operate it, you need practice, not a refocus lens. Close focus is for temporary detail work, like reading a map. For that, turn the objective, then reset it. When I teach the NVG class here at Gunsite, we stress the ability to work all your gear/systems eyes off.

Where did you mount the D2? Reflection off the gasses is the most likely issue. Use the momentary switch, keep the gun lower, take one or two steps right after the shot.

First off, Cory is a good guy and has helped me out in a big way.

I tend to disagree on the focusing advice he gave to some degree. Get a cap that fits well on the obj end of your PVS. Punch a hole in it with the case mouth of an empty 5.56 casing. Put it on the NOD. Take it out and look around. Everything up to about 2-3 ft away will automatically be in focus. It only won't work on VERY dark nights.

Turn your illum/laser off as soon as you break the shot. You should shoot with rifle on shoulder, head up and off the gun. Bring gun up towards target, safety off, laser on, engage, laser off and safety on. For a single target and round you should have the laser on for less than a sec.

With smoke, more illum will often make it worse.

 

[TxWelder35]

First off, Cory is a good guy and has helped me out in a big way.

I tend to disagree on the focusing advice he gave to some degree. Get a cap that fits well on the obj end of your PVS. Punch a hole in it with the case mouth of an empty 5.56 casing. Put it on the NOD. Take it out and look around. Everything up to about 2-3 ft away will automatically be in focus. It only won't work on VERY dark nights.

Turn your illum/laser off as soon as you break the shot. You should shoot with rifle on shoulder, head up and off the gun. Bring gun up towards target, safety off, laser on, engage, laser off and safety on. For a single target and round you should have the laser on for less than a sec.

With smoke, more illum will often make it worse.

Either I forgot there was a focus adjustment in the front or I’m just a tard and didn’t think to try to adjust it. Just tested it out and that’s all I needed, I only needed to focus on something 2’ in front of me once, and needed to watch my feet going down a rock cliff a couple times, that would have been the solution in both instances to just adjust the focus temporarily.

Flip caps with a hole I don’t think would have worked. It was dark as fuck out there, zero moonlight, zero ambient light, soley relying on starlight. I was pretty happy I bought a milspec L3 UWP tube this week. I don’t think a lower spec or filmed tube could have kept up, even the L3 was struggling. Then again this is the only tube I’ve looked through so

As to the only having the laser on for a second, I’m not sure that was really an option. I needed the illum to get a good visual on the pigs. I guess i could cut it right after the shot and that would let me at least see where the pigs went, but that doesn’t help me for a quick follow up shot

 

[TxWelder35]

@TheHorta any advice for engaging bacon?

 

[TxWelder35]

Here's how you do it so the smoke particles don't interfere with you.

Dam that boy is fast.

Pay attention to just the "fog" coming off his breath. Must have been pretty chilly that night.

My take from this is movement. Also not using the illum would probably help. It was dark as fuck though. I guess I could have not used it though, wish I had a recorder to go back through it and watch it over.

 

[WhereNow&How]

Well Horta would probably say: "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe" take you pick and go to the show.

 

[TheHorta]

@TheHorta any advice for engaging bacon?

I don’t have any feral hogs anywhere near me, unfortunately. We have >200 of our own hogs on our farm, but they walk right up to me looking for food, so it kinda takes the fun out of it. We have a large yote population, but I suck at hunting them. @kirsch would be a way better reference for that.

I find out where they are with a thermal drone (Autel Evo II 640T Enterprise) and do as WNH says — figure out what I want to use on any given night. 8/10 times I just go with the Halo LR (believe it or not). I hate having a $40K gun banging around in the Ranger, so I stick with a $10K beater.

 

[TxWelder35]

Well Horta would probably say: "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe" take you pick and go to the show.

You know, you think you do okay in life, then you come to places like this and see stuff like this and realize yes, you are indeed still a poor.

Me- Man this set up was pricey between the gun and Nv goodies I’m like 8-9k into this

This post- *laughs in Horta*

 

[roostercogburn98]

@diggler1833 does some night hunting as well. He might have seem more input on pigs.
I sadly only shoot steel at my place. We don’t have feral hogs in my part of NC yet. We have a few yotes, but none on my place.

 

[diggler1833]

The reflection off the gasses is why I don't recommend night vision scopes for hog hunting if guys can afford to run a thermal.

Depending on which way the wind is blowing - if at all - means the difference between a clear sight picture right after a shot, or looking like you just touched off a Brown Bess (exaggeration). However, a loss of awareness on your target for a good two seconds isn't an exaggeration, and that doesn't make me comfortable when the quarry can be a 250+lb hog with 2"+ cutters. The OP seems to have covered this observation fairly well in the first post too.

CoryT seems to have passed out all the good info...but from a hog eradication perspective, you don't want to have to take a shot, side step while moving equipment in the dark (even with an NVG), sight in and engage again. Your feet will probably be stable, but your tripod probably won't.

I ran a PVS-14 and PEQ-15 for probably a dozen years. In hunting, it has the advantage of PID if you need to distinguish things like dogs from coyotes, and it can help you navigate the dark better on unfamiliar terrain...but the thermal is just head and shoulders above regarding target detection and engagement.

 

[WhereNow&How]

You know, you think you do okay in life, then you come to places like this and see stuff like this and realize yes, you are indeed still a poor.

Me- Man this set up was pricey between the gun and Nv goodies I’m like 8-9k into this

This post- *laughs in Horta*

Maybe Horta is that guy you have seen picking up aluminum cans on the side of the road for the last 40 years so he could have some TOYS.

But in all seriousness, the point is, most of the time you have to make some decisions between Peter and Paul. One is going to get robbed while the other gets rewarded. Let your perceived priorities guide the way.

 

[TxWelder35]

The reflection off the gasses is why I don't recommend night vision scopes for hog hunting if guys can afford to run a thermal.

Depending on which way the wind is blowing - if at all - means the difference between a clear sight picture right after a shot, or looking like you just touched off a Brown Bess (exaggeration). However, a loss of awareness on your target for a good two seconds isn't an exaggeration, and that doesn't make me comfortable when the quarry can be a 250+lb hog with 2"+ cutters. The OP seems to have covered this observation fairly well in the first post too.

CoryT seems to have passed out all the good info...but from a hog eradication perspective, you don't want to have to take a shot, side step while moving equipment in the dark (even with an NVG), sight in and engage again. Your feet will probably be stable, but your tripod probably won't.

I ran a PVS-14 and PEQ-15 for probably a dozen years. In hunting, it has the advantage of PID if you need to distinguish things like dogs from coyotes, and it can help you navigate the dark better on unfamiliar terrain...but the thermal is just head and shoulders above regarding target detection and engagement.

Did you ever find a good way to avoid the smoke plume? Cut the illum off for the shot?