Night Vision Thermal / NV advice

[texag0842]

Figure I better run this by everyone before I make a mistake.

Thermal - REAP IR 35mm going on my SR25
It will be mostly used for hogs on the rice fields and then up at our ranch for general hunting. I expect to make this purchase between now and 4th of July sale

Would everyone also recommend mounting a PVS 14 WP on my right eye (left-handed shooter)? Or is the NV just not needed with the REAP-IR now?

 

[SkyScrapin]

It's a preference thing. if you're walking in relatively open areas without much navigating, it's probably not needed. If you're stalking over large distances with lots of varying terrain, it's a nice to have.

My .02

 

[wigwamitus]

If you are on known ground ... and use certain techniques ... to hold up and scan while moving ... then 14 not needed ...

If on unfamiliar ground ... especially rough ground ... gullies etc, then 14 can help ...

I use both thermal scanner and 14 on head ... and the combination (called "dual band" by some) takes a lot of mystery out of the ground in front of me ...

On the other hand ... in the woods ... a 14 with a coti ... leaves one eye open ... to expand FOV ... and more easier dodge around branches and deadfall and such.

So tradeoffs are detection and speed ... mostly speed ... how fast do you need to move.

If driving a vehicle with glass and lights out, then 14 is mandatory to avoid crashing !

 

[texag0842]

Thanks gentlemen,

So sounds like it's nice enough to have so Team Wendy, 14, and a MAWL?

Anything else major that I'm missing?

 

[TheHorta]

You need one of these. I don’t leave home without it.

 

[TheHorta]

Psq20?

Sort of...

 

[TheHorta]

So I sort of bought the anvis 10s you (the collector) traded in towards that system... if my calculations are correct! Robert told me a collector who owned the lnib anvis10s traded em towards something similar? Small world haha

Nix that. Overstepped on a public forum.

 

[MarinePMI]

 

[TheHorta]

You don’t have penguin blood coursing through your veins, do you?

 

[MarinePMI]

"We protect those who protect us"...

 

[SkyScrapin]

You need one of these. I don’t leave home without it.

View attachment 7341994

do tell

 

[SkyScrapin]

You can’t handle the truth

I just want to know if it’s a 640. If it is, I’m getting my redneck engineering on to stuff a SkeetIRx into a -14

 

[TheHorta]

It’s a BAE 12um 640px core.

It’s essentially a SkeetIRx melded with a PVS-14 with a wireless connection to a thermal weapon scope.

Yeah... it’s next-level badassery.

 

[GTOJOSH]

So, you work for bae and one of these units "fell off the truck" perhaps? How often do these fall? Asking for a friend of course.

 

[MarinePMI]

Those certainly aren't cheap, assuming you can even get your hands on one.

 

[diggler1833]

I basically second what wigwamitus says. Having a 14 in an unfamiliar area would be a huge benefit, but is not an absolute necessity. *Also, my AO is not really open enough to drive around scanning at night. Most of our ranches have timber that separates the pasture from the road. Therefore I spend a lot of time on foot, and not in my truck.

I usually hunt my ranch, so I know where everything is down to the armadillo holes. I also thin hogs on a handful of other properties. One thing I make sure to do on new land is to walk it in the daylight. I do not use any kind of NVG. I basically scan with my rifle thermal and find my way through in the dark otherwise. Going out when the moon is at 40 percent or better can help in an unfamiliar area as well...plus it is a great way to practice moving blacked out so to say.

Having done it so much, I am pretty comfortable moving around with no lunar illumination now. That's not to say I'm a ninjutsu master...I have walked head long into barb wire fences before.

If your budget allows for 14s, by all means get the NVGs. Using the 7B and 14 for most of my adult life in the Marines gave me an appreciation for how well they help you move around at night. If you can only have one item, spend on the thermal rifle optic.

 

[TheHorta]

So, you work for bae and one of these units "fell off the truck" perhaps? How often do these fall? Asking for a friend of course.

Mine is an unserialized engineering sample unit. There are a handful of them floating around. As long as it is never sold to any .GOV agency it’s fair game.

 

[wigwamitus]

I agree with diggers writings ... and have learned a LOT about my land (250 acres of creeks, trees, hills and pastures - plus another 450 acres of rougher pasture I lease for cattle and/or hay ground) ... BUT ... mother nature does continuously change the creeks, especially the main creek, so where there might have been a mild bank now there might be a cliff ... so if I haven't done a creek walk in a while ... II do a day creek walk, before attempting a night creek walk ... otherwise, it is very challenging and you will fall. As to falling I practice falling ... of course it isn't the same as real falling ... but it helps with cases where you have a nano-second to react (which is not all cases) ...

But I agree in detail with diggers words!

==
Another thing about going on foot ... its a LOT better exercise than riding !!!


==
Strangely, I don't think I've ever fallen at night, but I have fallen in the day a number of times ... fallen off a bank, tripped over a tiny hard as steel stump, when moving thru a neighbors rough pasture, etc.. So you will fall ... just need to learn how to fall and fall as correctly as possible when you do fall ...

 

[diggler1833]

I agree with diggers writings ... and have learned a LOT about my land (250 acres of creeks, trees, hills and pastures - plus another 450 acres of rougher pasture I lease for cattle and/or hay ground) ... BUT ... mother nature does continuously change the creeks, especially the main creek, so where there might have been a mild bank now there might be a cliff ... so if I haven't done a creek walk in a while ... II do a day creek walk, before attempting a night creek walk ... otherwise, it is very challenging and you will fall. As to falling I practice falling ... of course it isn't the same as real falling ... but it helps with cases where you have a nano-second to react (which is not all cases) ...

But I agree in detail with diggers words!

==
Another thing about going on foot ... its a LOT better exercise than riding !!!


==
Strangely, I don't think I've ever fallen at night, but I have fallen in the day a number of times ... fallen off a bank, tripped over a tiny hard as steel stump, when moving thru a neighbors rough pasture, etc.. So you will fall ... just need to learn how to fall and fall as correctly as possible when you do fall ...

You're on 700 too huh? I've got creek on three sides, and one full-time creek that runs through...I totally cheat and turn my red light on when I'm crossing the creek.

Edited to further add that I agree on the health benefits of walking. I regularly make about a 2 mile circuit, and it's way harder than just stomping around in the daylight.

 

[TheHorta]

I highly recommend you snag one of these. It works reasonably well, but it makes you stick out in a crowd. That, and you’ll forever be known as an Uberdork that’s compensating for some deficiency elsewhere in your life.

Of course, I’m talking about the Manta IR strobe. She’s a beauty.

 

[TheHorta]

You bastard.

As much as I’d like to take credit, they belong to a mutual friend.

 

[deersniper]

Mine is an unserialized engineering sample unit. There are a handful of them floating around. As long as it is never sold to any .GOV agency it’s fair game.

So did I read that right that your thermal weapon sight is visible in there’s too?

 

[TheHorta]

So did I read that right that your thermal weapon sight is visible in there’s too?

Yes.

 

[deersniper]

Yes.

Sweet. What thermals does it work with. Does that feature work well.



Since you have used everything. Have you ever used a Raptor hooked to a utC or other thermal that supposedly will give you a dot on the cross hair where the bullet will hit at whatever range the raptor Is pointed at? Example raptor is pointed at 500 yard target, crosshair will be 2.3mils up??

 

[TNVC_Will]

I highly recommend you snag one of these. It works reasonably well, but it makes you stick out in a crowd. That, and you’ll forever be known as an Uberdork that’s compensating for some deficiency elsewhere in your life.

View attachment 7342843
Of course, I’m talking about the Manta IR strobe. She’s a beauty.

I think I’ve seen this movie before

 

[army_eod]

I basically second what wigwamitus says. Having a 14 in an unfamiliar area would be a huge benefit, but is not an absolute necessity. *Also, my AO is not really open enough to drive around scanning at night. Most of our ranches have timber that separates the pasture from the road. Therefore I spend a lot of time on foot, and not in my truck.

I usually hunt my ranch, so I know where everything is down to the armadillo holes. I also thin hogs on a handful of other properties. One thing I make sure to do on new land is to walk it in the daylight. I do not use any kind of NVG. I basically scan with my rifle thermal and find my way through in the dark otherwise. Going out when the moon is at 40 percent or better can help in an unfamiliar area as well...plus it is a great way to practice moving blacked out so to say.

Having done it so much, I am pretty comfortable moving around with no lunar illumination now. That's not to say I'm a ninjutsu master...I have walked head long into barb wire fences before.

If your budget allows for 14s, by all means get the NVGs. Using the 7B and 14 for most of my adult life in the Marines gave me an appreciation for how well they help you move around at night. If you can only have one item, spend on the thermal rifle optic.

This is the kind of advice I am looking for as a newb. Yes, I have used the NODS In the Army. Not extensively. But for defense purposes, was wondering if a scope is the first buy, or the NVG?

 

[WhereNow&How]

But for defense purposes, was wondering if a scope is the first buy, or the NVG?

It kind of depends at what ranges and applications of defense.

So thermal will always pic up way more critters out there than night vision. NV only sees maybe 10% of what is really out there live animal wise versus thermal. Thermal pics up critters thoroughly and fast. However, there can be some positive ID issues associated with thermal.

So as a "general" statement. If I had to defend at close ranges (75 yards and down) in the dark home (urban setting) I would likely start out with a PVS 14 with a LAM on a rifle or shotgun.

For distances past that I would more than likely go with a Thermal Scope.

However, here is a good combo for defense. Get a clean used PVS 14 for say $2,000 and a Flir Breach for say $2,000 and and allocate another $1,000 for helmet/Crye Nightcap, mounts etc for PVS all that for $500 and then for another $500 you can put some lower cost IR Pointer and IR Illuminator on your rifle/shotgun.

So for a total all in of $5,000.00 you have a hecque of a lights out home defense system that is NV & Thermal.

However, a good white light on your weapon is also a great home defense system.

 

[diggler1833]

This is the kind of advice I am looking for as a newb. Yes, I have used the NODS In the Army. Not extensively. But for defense purposes, was wondering if a scope is the first buy, or the NVG?

Definitely scope. Most thermals have a detection range of around a mile. Plus it gets you out hunting/shooting sooner.

The biggest advantage of NVGs is navigation of your area. Falling into a hole isn't a lot of fun. Another would be if you had to do something like distinguish coyote from your neighbor's dog. Much harder to do with a thermal.

There is no comparison though between the two when it comes to detection and shooting at running targets...thermal blows night vision out of the water.

I'd also like to add that this is regarding hunting applications.

 

[WhereNow&How]

@diggler1833 Yeah, it sounds more like he is wanting defense more than hunting. So if for defense, you gotta make some serious PID decisions followed by other very serious decisions. Thus my previous recommendations to him.

You are 100% correct if out hunting critters like hogs, yotes etc.

 

[diggler1833]

Yeah, for engagements inside my front yard, NVGs win.

 

[TDFT1]

I always use both, they compliment one another as others have said. NV for walking, Thermal for spotting, & either for shooting.

 

[TheHorta]

I always use both, they compliment one another as others have said. NV for walking, Thermal for spotting, & either for shooting.

What makes you think you can't walk with thermal?

 

[PlinkIt]

What makes you think you can't walk with thermal?

Seems to depend on how much thermal you can afford....

I'd have broken ankles if I tried dual breaches

 

[WhereNow&How]

So from time to time I hog hunt in some very rugged, thick, slippery, terrain where it gets very dark under a no moon, 100% cloud cover and thick canopy.

A PVS 14 on left and Breach on right on a Mod Armory Light weigh bridge. There are many times that the Breach sees small limbs, game trails and other definable features and items that the PVS 14 just does not pick up which significantly helps me walk through and navigate this terrain.

So in that scenario, I find the aid of a helmet mounted thermal to be very valuable for navigation purposes. Limbs slapping you in the face etc aint no fun.

 

[RC556]

I highly recommend you snag one of these. It works reasonably well, but it makes you stick out in a crowd. That, and you’ll forever be known as an Uberdork that’s compensating for some deficiency elsewhere in your life.

View attachment 7342843
Of course, I’m talking about the Manta IR strobe. She’s a beauty.

Wow, thats incredible. I can't even comment on the ENVG because my mind is still processing.