Night Vision PVS 30 Turn-ins - How Many?

[Mike_Honcho]

Out of curiosity does anyone have any idea how many total PVS30s were turned in?

I was told the other day "they are getting down to the end" and I assumed it was BS, but then it got me to thinking - how many units in all were turned in? 500? 1000?


TIA

 

[wigwamitus]

I heard a rumor it was "hundreds" ... but rumors should be taken with a grain of salt.

I finally got one because I thought they might be less available after the official cupboard is bare ... they are heavy. Mine weighs in on the scale at 3 pds 14 oz ... so tripod indicated if hunting with one. Not much reason to get anything else in the under $10k club until they do dry up - in the NV clipon space. Maybe a CO-x if you want to try to hunt standing unsupported, due to lighter weight, but given the price on the refurbs I'd get a 30. I did get a 30 !

 

[redneckbmxer24]

As of a month or so ago there were approx. 800 grade A units left, not sure on B's. They aren't getting low IMO. I don't know initial numbers however.

There's probably plenty to go around for another year or two. Then again interest could spike and that be gone in a a matter of months. Just depends. If you want one I personally wouldn't wait, knowing what they cost there isn't a ton of margin so don't expect dealers to drop prices any, therefor there's no advantage to waiting. If you wait you also lose time playing with your toy.

 

[wigwamitus]

Also, I doubt people are requesting less than highest "FOM" units. I hear officially the distribution is "random" but I expect there are exceptions. Important people might get higher "FOM" units.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Also, I doubt people are requesting less than highest "FOM" units. I hear officially the distribution is "random" but I expect there are exceptions. Important people might get higher "FOM" units.

Nope, they're shipped from KAC to the distributor so many at a time and the dealers get the choice of Grade A or Grade B which is only supposed to be cosmetic. If anyone is being cherrypicked a unit, it's on the dealer end.

I have two that have a good difference in FOM's and me nor anyone else who have compared them can tell any sort of a difference. This is all in front of very high end glass. It honestly makes no discernible difference.

I do suggest buying the Grade A because they only run $200 more. You're getting a unit that hasn't been beat around as much and $200 on an almost $5K purchase is nothing.

 

[schmi015]

Where are these at?

 

[plong]

Three I know of, there may be others...
EuroOptic
Ready Made Resources
USA Night Vision

 

[alpine44]

Does anyone know what tube is used in the PVS 30 and whether that tube is used in any other NV device?

 

[newguy2k3v2]

Does anyone know what tube is used in the PVS 30 and whether that tube is used in any other NV device?

11769 I'm pretty sure. It's probably the most common type there is. Pvs-14 and other clip ons. Kac are the only ones that can get a pvs30 apart and back together though last I heard

 

[Surgeon_Shooter]

I still have them. I never thought they would last this long to be honest. The supplier told me they bought “several hundred” back from the military but he wouldn’t get too specific. They are all sent out from NVD at complete random FOM. We offered to pay more for higher numbers and quickly got turned down. I have had 16xx and 20xx foms show up in the same order. It’s a surprise every time. But like red neck said, it’s near impossible to tell a 17xx from a 19xx. They are both great clip ons, and being milspec they are all pretty much spotless. Red neck is also right on the margin, we don’t make much on these at all. NVD makes a pretty good lick on each unit but us dealers don’t make squat really. So I just sell them cheap and move on.

Jay

 

[CBDR]

Had 33% moon illumination last night with no cloud cover. Wow talk about nice. Mr. Boar hog at 160 yards, RIP.

 

[Terry Cross]

Are these really just rebuilt 26s or similar that are supposed to be close to original 30 specs?

 

[CBDR]

Face plate data says PVS 30 from Knight's Armament. Unreal clarity and definition. Scan with the Thermal Zeus, shoot with the 30. Big learning curve here for me. Killswitch was right.

 

[Mike_Honcho]

What is your FOM?

 

[Terry Cross]

I have a personal PVS-30 with WP Photonis tube for a loaner in my Adv Sniper courses. It is a new production unit straight from KA. We have also had a lot of new production 30s come though with other students from certain units. All of them have a main housing that accepts a single AA battery with a reversible cap to also take a CR123A battery. Their power needs are very efficient also with the unit being able to run for several hours on a AA that will barely light up a flashlight.

I noticed that the rebuilt units being sold seemed to have the older 2 battery housing like the original 26s had. That was the main thing that made me ask.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[newguy2k3v2]

I have a personal PVS-30 with WP Photonis tube for a loaner in my Adv Sniper courses. It is a new production unit straight from KA. We have also had a lot of new production 30s come though with other students from certain units. All of them have a main housing that accepts a single AA battery with a reversible cap to also take a CR123A battery. Their power needs are very efficient also with the unit being able to run for several hours on a AA that will barely light up a flashlight.

I noticed that the rebuilt units being sold seemed to have the older 2 battery housing like the original 26s had. That was the main thing that made me ask.

Thanks for the reply.

I spoke to Peter months ago about these and if I'm not mistaken he said some of the mil pvs-30's were upgraded from 26s. Also a new production pvs-30 has a little bit different/better/updated lens system internally than the refurb 30's.

 

[cake5150]

Interesting, that's the first I've heard that. I must say I am glad I finally got off the fence and bought one, it really does make shooting steel at night a great deal easier at long distance than my PVS-14 behind the optic. If they hang around long enough I may buy a second one.

 

[Rumlover]

With demand dropping, are the prices coming down any? Tax season is right around the corner and the Don's been good to me this year.

 

[Surgeon_Shooter]

If the price comes down anymore we will have to buy them for you ?

 

[Nate O.]

I still have them. I never thought they would last this long to be honest. The supplier told me they bought “several hundred” back from the military but he wouldn’t get too specific. They are all sent out from NVD at complete random FOM. We offered to pay more for higher numbers and quickly got turned down. I have had 16xx and 20xx foms show up in the same order. It’s a surprise every time. But like red neck said, it’s near impossible to tell a 17xx from a 19xx. They are both great clip ons, and being milspec they are all pretty much spotless. Red neck is also right on the margin, we don’t make much on these at all. NVD makes a pretty good lick on each unit but us dealers don’t make squat really. So I just sell them cheap and move on.

Jay

Sent you a PM

 

[redneckbmxer24]

With demand dropping, are the prices coming down any? Tax season is right around the corner and the Don's been good to me this year.

There's hardly any markup in them at current prices and I don't see KAC or the distributor dropping pricing especially as popular as they've been. You're getting a $11K unit for under $5K.

I'd buy sooner than later before they can potentially dry up, or get low and someone buys the remaining inventory to control the market.

 

[Killswitch Engage]

There's hardly any markup in them at current prices and I don't see KAC or the distributor dropping pricing especially as popular as they've been. You're getting a $11K unit for under $5K.

I'd buy sooner than later before they can potentially dry up, or get low and someone buys the remaining inventory to control the market.

this^

 

[Mike_Honcho]

1k or less units, and these have available for a year or so? I am surprised there are any left.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

1k or less units, and these have available for a year or so? I am surprised there are any left.

There was probably many more of them than you'd think. I wouldn't be surprised if it was several thousand. I know there's a ton of them out there being used so it's not like they've only sold a couple hundred or something.

I think it's safe to assume the supply is probably good for about a year, I wouldn't assume current pricing to be good indefinitely though. I certainly don't see how they could go down and as I mentioned previously all it takes is someone buying the remaining inventory to control the market and raise prices to whatever they see fit. I'm confident that these units would sell at $6000 just the same as they do at the current pricing.

 

[Mike_Honcho]

So not the 800 you stated above....

 

[redneckbmxer24]

So not the 800 you stated above....

Well of course not, the 800 quote was a little over a month ago after they had been available for over a year. As of that point there was approximately 800 grade A units remaining. Guesstimating how many have sold and factor the 800 quote is why I think there was a pretty good bit initially.

This also isn't considering the Grade B units, who knows how many of those are available.

These are the facts:


- There were approximately 800 Grade A units left just recently (as stated a little over a month ago, possible 2 months at this point).

- Grade A's are a greater value than Grade B's since they're only $200 more.

- Inventory is only going to continue to be reduced.

- The price isn't going to go down and will most likely go up eventually. I wouldn't be surprised if dealer cost goes up once inventory diminishes.

- Once they're gone the only options for comparable inline clip ons from dealers will be $9K+. There should be a used market seeing as how many were released but buying used NV is always iffy. I'll take my chances with the unit freshly gone through by knights and backed by a one year warranty long before I'll buy used.

- At current pricing they're a great value. At higher prices they'd still be a great value.


Take from this what you wish, but this is the way it is.

 

[Mike_Honcho]

Agree on the value, just surprised the opportunity hasn't evaporated by now.

Thank you all for the info.