I just purchased my first NV device. Looking for any tips or pointers anyone might have. Also any mounting tips.
thanks
thanks
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Night Vision PVS-9 simrad
- Thread starter jaybigboy34
- Start date
Mounting tips:
1. You can remove the light shade from the simrad to give you more room on the optic.
2. 42mm is fine, but 50 is iffy
3. If you have the Spuhr simrad cap, and the old side clamper recoil system, cut a side clamper notch in the Spuhr. this will give great repeatability.
4. Follow zeroing procedures to the T.
1. You can remove the light shade from the simrad to give you more room on the optic.
2. 42mm is fine, but 50 is iffy
3. If you have the Spuhr simrad cap, and the old side clamper recoil system, cut a side clamper notch in the Spuhr. this will give great repeatability.
4. Follow zeroing procedures to the T.
spuhr mount also has optional 4mm or 10mm spacers that will let u raise the simrad up higher to fit over larger objective bells and get better aligned with the optical center of the day scopes
So I guess trying to make it work on a Nightforce Atacr 5-25x56 is pretty much out of the question? I have other scopes, but I just wanted to use it on that particular gun without changing the scope out.
There wasn’t anything i could do about the 56mm schmidt, but i didn’t know about the spacers either.
I'm guessing with this setup it is putting allot of down pressure on the scope causing a point of impact different than not having it on there?
I mounted a spuhr on my 6.5 cm, and then the Simrad. I shot a few 1/2” groups in the dark and don’t think anything is going on with my setup because of it.
theres no shift running a simrad like this. ive done it for years.
So I am assuming you do not use the stray light shield for attaching to your day scope? thanks
I've been on business trip to Atlanta, finally made it home. As you can see from the pic, I need one of the spacers also, probably the 4mm to raise my SIMRAD up a tiny amount to improve alignment with day scope and prevent it from scraping on the top of the objective when mounting/unmounting. The is a 42mm bell scope (L&S Mk6 3-18x T3).
Yeah that’s actually what the notch on the spuhr leveling tools is for. It’s a screw depth gauge.
Eliteuas, I am betting you have one hell of a good image through that setup. Mine looks great through a Viper PST gen 2 3-15, I'd imagine that Hensholdt beats it. On the Radius, I now wish I would've bought at least two of them so my spotter could be ranging as well. Nice looking optics package you have there.
I've been on business trip to Atlanta, finally made it home. As you can see from the pic, I need one of the spacers also, probably the 4mm to raise my SIMRAD up a tiny amount to improve alignment with day scope and prevent it from scraping on the top of the objective when mounting/unmounting. The is a 42mm bell scope (L&S Mk6 3-18x T3).
Install the actual mounting piece to the bottom of the extension arms instead of the top where it is now. You can also unscrew the two studs and swap them to the bottom too. Very quick and easy to do and you won’t need to buy any spacers or anything.
Sounds easy - once I figure out what these words mean ... especially these words !!
"the actual mounting piece"
" the bottom of the extension arms "
"instead of the top where it is now "
" unscrew the two studs "
" swap them to the bottom "
But I think you are talking about parts on the SIMRAD, not parts of the Sphur. So I will start my thinking about these words in that context !
Correct, the parts on the KN253. There’s the main unit, and then the extension arms and mount. Flip the mount to the underside of the arms. Works like a charm. The KN253 has quite a bit of adjustability in it because of the design of the mount vs how the KN203 has a frame that the mount bolts to.
Ok so I’m noticing that you guys have like the best set ups and gear which means you spent some money $$$ yet you didn’t go with a NVD like the Knights PVS 30. Why? $$$?
I had two pvs-30s and sold them after I compared to the kn253 and the PVS-22.
The PVS-30 is HEAVY. The image was equivalent in clarity to my eyes for all of them PVS-30, PVS-22 and kn253. Yes the PVS-30 supports about 33% more magnification, but the 12x from the kn253 is plenty for long distance and I can crank it up to 18x when shooting dots at night. So from a dollars perspective, the kn253 wins hands down and the PVS-22 looses. From a weight perspective and handiness perspective the PVS-22 wins, but the PVS-30 looses. From an image clarity perspective they are equivalent.
So, could not make a case to keep a PVS-30. Now if I could get a PVS-22 for $2,000 or less, then I'd go for it. But I can get a kn253 for less or way less than $2,000 ...
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Similar for me but I've never used a PVS-22. I owned PVS-30s for six months. I loved the 30s but, compared to the KN203 I bought two months later, the image wasn't quite as good in dark conditions and it cost a lot more money. I don't mind spending $$ for good gear, but there better be a proportional increase in effectiveness or it is getting sold. As long as one understands the SIMRAD offset and its implications at the various distances you intend to use your rig at, it really ceases to be a drawback in my opinion. Sold the 30s, bought more KN203s, haven't looked back. Tonight I was observing geese at 140-200 yards (admittedly short range) and you could see vivid details and movements. It was overcast, no moon or stars, no illuminator and I was looking through a window. Day scope was a Vortex HS-LR 2.5-10x32 I paid $320 for, decent glass but not exactly Nightforce or S&B
Attach a can and Radius rangefinder and start making hits. Hogstooth, I think it was a comment you made a couple years ago on a SIMRAD thread here that helped convince me to buy one this year... so thank you!The only real con of the Simrad to a 30 is the added bulk. A KN203 weighs about the same as a 30 and a KN253 is about 1.25lbs lighter than both of them. Even with the KN203 though the rifle feels much lighter than a 30 because of where it mounts. A Simrad is basically at a rifles balance point while a 30 is way forward of it. Some would say the offset creates an issue but if you set it up right it's not an issue at all.
The Simrad performs better in poor light conditions (even the 253 and more so the 203), the controls are much easier to reach, and you can buy two or three of them for what a 30 costs.
redneckbmxer24 walked me thru setting up my KN253 on my S&B 5-25 with Spuhr and no spacers. Flipping the mount to the bottom of the arms got the height just right to clear the 56mm bell, and punching out the pressed-in dowels along with removing the stray light housing entirely, I am now in the 3rd notch of the Spuhr A-0018 rail and it is much studier than it was only being in the 1st or 2nd notch.
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I'm about to do this process myself ... was this "hard" punching ? On "tap tap tap" sort of punching ??
A hammer and a punch with some authority popped mine right out. I’ve heard that some of these dowels are threaded in. Mine were pressed. I found out the hard way after heating and twisting with no joy.
I think the easiest way to tell would be to compare the diameter of the dowel hole to the diameter of the threaded holes right next to them. If they’re the same, try screwing. If the dowel is larger, punch em’ out.
I think the easiest way to tell would be to compare the diameter of the dowel hole to the diameter of the threaded holes right next to them. If they’re the same, try screwing. If the dowel is larger, punch em’ out.
Also when you reinstall the arms into the 253 body itself, the SPA spec is 39in/lbs on the 3mm allens. The screws into the clamp did not achieve 39 before the threads started to give, so I backed them up with the silver nuts you see in the pic.
Thanks HeyTo !!!
I don't see any indentations on either side my my "dowels" ... so I will try punching as there is nothing to turn with.
And I think I'll start with 20 i/p torque and "see what gives"
I don't see any indentations on either side my my "dowels" ... so I will try punching as there is nothing to turn with.
And I think I'll start with 20 i/p torque and "see what gives"
No problem guys. Don’t be afraid to give it a solid smack Wigwam, the arms are pretty hard steel. There’s plenty of thread into the housing for 39in/lbs but just not enough thread in the arms for the screws to get there with my already well-used screws. 20-25in/lbs shouldn’t be a problem into the arms. The screws are the weak link tho so no worries if they’re already too far gone.
I have seen no ill-effects running the NV lens this close to the objective lens but I need to spend more time behind it. Nice full picture thus far.
Last thing I can think of is to make sure you’re getting as much clamping force on the rail as possible. The clamp lever on the 253 only rotates 180* so I adjusted the nut (remove left side two very small Allen screws, cover plate, and clockwise on the adjuster one hole at a time) until i couldn’t get any tighter by hand at about the 135* area.
I have seen no ill-effects running the NV lens this close to the objective lens but I need to spend more time behind it. Nice full picture thus far.
Last thing I can think of is to make sure you’re getting as much clamping force on the rail as possible. The clamp lever on the 253 only rotates 180* so I adjusted the nut (remove left side two very small Allen screws, cover plate, and clockwise on the adjuster one hole at a time) until i couldn’t get any tighter by hand at about the 135* area.
Yup, KSE walked me thru the adjusting process for the "clamper" .. and that removed my wobble. Definitely a "must do" process.
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Yeah, I'm probably overly sensitive on the screw torquage. The scope bases on both my buddies and my .308s came loose in the SAME week a few weeks ago and I tightened them to 30 i/p not knowing these were supposed to be 15 i/p ( 15 i/p is "hand tight" in my book ???) ... so broke heads off and one screw got stuck.
The good news was I got to get several "broke screw extractor" tools and work on that process. For me it was "heat gun and then extractor pliers" and the broke screw came right out The heat gun loosened up the blue loctite and the extractor pliers had enough purchase to back the screw out easily. Did not have to revert to the tiny extractor bits.
I ordered steel bases which torque to 25 i/p to replace the "crappy" stock aluminum ones.
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Ok, I will work up to the "wack" when I try it, probably this weekend. And thanks a bunch for all the details ... those really help !!
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Yeah, I'm probably overly sensitive on the screw torquage. The scope bases on both my buddies and my .308s came loose in the SAME week a few weeks ago and I tightened them to 30 i/p not knowing these were supposed to be 15 i/p ( 15 i/p is "hand tight" in my book ???) ... so broke heads off and one screw got stuck.
The good news was I got to get several "broke screw extractor" tools and work on that process. For me it was "heat gun and then extractor pliers" and the broke screw came right out
The heat gun loosened up the blue loctite and the extractor pliers had enough purchase to back the screw out easily. Did not have to revert to the tiny extractor bits. I ordered steel bases which torque to 25 i/p to replace the "crappy" stock aluminum ones.
==
Ok, I will work up to the "wack" when I try it, probably this weekend. And thanks a bunch for all the details ... those really help !!
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Dang, I wish you guys had a video on all of this. I'm getting lost. lolYup, KSE walked me thru the adjusting process for the "clamper" .. and that removed my wobble. Definitely a "must do" process.
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Yeah, I'm probably overly sensitive on the screw torquage. The scope bases on both my buddies and my .308s came loose in the SAME week a few weeks ago and I tightened them to 30 i/p not knowing these were supposed to be 15 i/p ( 15 i/p is "hand tight" in my book ???) ... so broke heads off and one screw got stuck.
The good news was I got to get several "broke screw extractor" tools and work on that process. For me it was "heat gun and then extractor pliers" and the broke screw came right out
I ordered steel bases which torque to 25 i/p to replace the "crappy" stock aluminum ones.
==
Ok, I will work up to the "wack" when I try it, probably this weekend. And thanks a bunch for all the details ... those really help !!
There are several PVS-9 threads (unfortunately) ... and the one where KSE walked me thru it I think we had pics.
Sorry bud, We’re talking about the mounting “arms” on the PVS-9a aka KN253. I think this is different from the 203’s. There are 3 parts, the NV housing itself, the clamp that grabs the scope rail, and the “arms” that connect the two. Two screws go thru the arms into the housing. Two screws go thru the clamp and thread into the arms. The rear hole in the arms has a stud or dowel to help stiffen things up. With longer scopes, it becomes necessary to remove the dowels and move the arm / clamp to the rear most holes to get the length needed to clear. Hope this helps.
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ok that makes since because I am not seeing some of these parts, but I have the 203.
The 203’s are quite a bit different. They’ve got a frame on the bottom of the unit and the mount bolts directly to it instead.
Is it normal to have a little play while it's mounted? It rocks just a little when I push up and down on the nv.
Some yes. I set my unit back as far as possible to get more bite on the rail and stiffen it up. Interestingly enough I spent lots of time behind my 253 last night and wiggling the unit doesn’t change point of aim at all. Don’t ask me how that works lol
You don't want any play. After I tightened up my (253) adjusting thingy, my play was 100% gone.
Maybe 203 is different, but play would be bad regardless of the model number. Could result in "jerks" damaging the tube ... and POI shift.
Now if you mean "play" at the angstrom level ... well I guess so. But after I tightened I could not detect any play.
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As to wiggling not affecting POI it is possible, due to the risley prisms in the rear lens system. But, you can only push that so far and then it will matter and that is true for any clipon. If the clipon isn't lined up enough or wiggles too much, then POI affected. But I would be more worried about jerks damaging the tube (jerk is a technical term meaning the change in acceleration, the third derivative - rather than some a-hole messing with your gear
)So, I would want to eliminate detectable movement and with my 253 I was able to.
i tried doing this but couldnt figure out how to tighten the lever, the only thing i can think of is to take about 1/4" off to allow it to go past the ring more. can you pop the lever off and re-position it?
Well, I couldn't find it - and that's terrible because KSE posted the instructions because I asked !! Oh well. I will reproduce.
So, you start by setting the device down with the right side away from you and the front to the left, like this.
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Then you unscrew the little hex screws at 9 and 3 o'clock in the prior pic.
Then you remove the plate "cover" those hex screws were holding on.
Then you you tighten by turning the rotary gizmo under neath. I'm 50% positive you turn it clockwise to tighten
IIRC, I turned by two notches and then re mounted it to test. It was still a tad bit loose. So I turned it one more notch and then we was solid.
Then I reinstalled the plate.
Then I screwed the screws back in.
Done.
So, you start by setting the device down with the right side away from you and the front to the left, like this.
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Then you unscrew the little hex screws at 9 and 3 o'clock in the prior pic.
Then you remove the plate "cover" those hex screws were holding on.
Then you you tighten by turning the rotary gizmo under neath. I'm 50% positive you turn it clockwise to tighten
IIRC, I turned by two notches and then re mounted it to test. It was still a tad bit loose. So I turned it one more notch and then we was solid.
Then I reinstalled the plate.
Then I screwed the screws back in.
Done.
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