Night Vision Tight Budget & Some NV Advice

[azsugarbear]

Been wanting to get a NV device for a while now. I love the quality and versatility of the PVS-14, but just can't justify the cost for the amount of use it would get. The purpose would be dual: 1) help me hike safely up the mtn. to my 'spot' hours before first light and; spot/judge game from a distance of 100 yds. Trail cams keep getting stolen, and they don't tell you which direction that nocturnal big buck came in from or where he went back into the woods. If I can back-track a nocturnal buck a little bit more each night, then I will eventually find where he hangs out until the sun goes down.

I plan on mounting the NV to a soft cap, but it would also be nice if it could be versatile enough to be clipped on and used on an M4/300 Black Out for hunting coyotes (became legal in AZ last year). What do you guys think? I know having the best money can buy is something you never regret, but it just isn't in the cards right now. Is there a unit out there that can meet my requirements? Something else I should consider/look at? Thinking something around $1,000 that I could later sell or trade-in for a gen 3 unit later? Any dealers run specials that I should watch out for? Thanks in advance for your help and wisdom.

 

[ViperEyes]

Are you thinking 1k for the NV unit only, or for the NV unit and mounting and an external IR as well? The 1k point can be tough because it's a little shy of many Gen 2 options, and by the time you get some mounting hardware as well, you'll probably be a bit higher than you originally intended. That said, here's some options:

If your primary use is to mount on a soft cap, then I'd recommend a monocular that can be mounted on weapon. Most dedicated weapon mounts will be larger and heavier than you probably care to use except when weapon mounted. The Armasight Spark CORE is about the best monocular there is where the NV unit, an external IR illuminator, and the mounting hardware (part number #ANAM000004) can be had for about 1k. It's Gen 1, but it's performance is better than most other units labeled Gen 1. From the use you describe, it could certainly provide adequate performance, especially with a quality IR. Like any other monocular, it's not a weapon sight, you you'll also also need a collimator dot sight or laser aiming device for it to be of any use on a weapon if you don't already have them. Make sure to double check your local hunting laws for those options as well if you haven't already done so.

If you are thinking about 1k for just the NV unit, then your options open considerably, but you'll probably end up spending quite a bit more than 1k total on a setup if you don't already have everything else. Armasight also makes the Sirius monocular which is one of the lower priced Gen 2 monoculars that can be mounted to a weapon. The base model goes for 1.3k If being weapon mountable isn't required, then there are many more options available.