Suggestions for "Budget" Night Vision or Thermal

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  • I am looking for night vision or thermal(probably night vision more so) suggestions of monoculars or binoculars. I am not going to be shooting at night, simply observing a section of my farm so I do not need a scope.

    I've seen reviews all over for Gen 1 and 2 and CORE tech from Armasight. But I simply just don't know enough to make a confident decision. I'd like an effective distance of at least 200 yards as that's about the max distance I need.

    Only reason I said "or thermal" is I don't want to rule out options. And I'm not looking to set my wallet on fire with an extremely high price tag, but I also don't want to get garbage.
     

    TylerFirearms

    , , Class-7 FFL, MRFD
    Industry Partner
    Dec 27, 2013
    1,952
    Halethorpe, MD
    We have some Sightmark and Firefield night vision and thermal. Both work great and under $300. I can’t recall the price off the top of my head. Nice image quality and it sounds like either one would work fine for you. You can hook them to a computer and take still images and record video of what the device sees. Stop by the store and we can demo them for you.
     

    Jaybeez

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Patriot Picket
    May 30, 2006
    6,392
    Darlington MD
    For night vision, you have digital, and gens 1-3.

    ATN, pulsar, and sightmark make digital scopes that can be rifle mounted. The require supplemental IR light to function. That means a high powered IR flashlight. The newer models have electronic bells and whistles, recording, usb, bloothtooth, gimmicks to retain zero ECT. These can be suitable for short range hunting. Short range. These digital scopes start around 6-700$.

    All 3 of these manufacturers also have thermal rifle scopes starting at around $2000.

    Real night vision uses an image intensifier tube (iit), not to be confused with the acronym of a us image tube manufacturer called ITT.
    Commercially made Gen 1 is very poor in comparison to the others. You will feel regret if you ever look through a gen 2 or 3. Gen 1 requires supplemental IR light. On a night with good moonlight you can usually see better with the naked eye once it adapts. $500 range. Accessories are usually manufacturer specific.

    Gen 2 It slightly newer tech, but most is made overseas now. Most of the housings are too. Replacement parts can be hard to acquire after a few years once models change. This was a big problem with older ATN offerings. Gen can function without supplemental light, as long as there is an ambient source like starlight, sky glow, moonlight.
    Prices start at about 1300 and go upwards, especially for bleeding edge foreign tech. Some other the foreign stuff actually exceeds gen 3 in certain aspects (aspects you don't need), but will cost many thousands. Accessories are usually manufacturer specific, with exceptions.

    Gen 3 is where it is at. It can function without supplemental light, except in the darkest conditions, like sealed rooms, under tree canopy, and overcast cloudy stateless night's.
    Most is current us production, and when combined with mil spec housings, you can be assured that replacement parts will be available for a long long time.
    New prices retail start at about 2300.
    You can find "new" from boutique builders for much less, if you are ok with blemishes (black dots on the image screen).
    Going rate used for a pvs14 style mono with blems is about 15-1600.
    A pvs7 can be had used for around 1300.
    Most everything in a milspec or milspec style housing is mil spec compatible, and can use a broad range of accessories, like mounts, sac lenses, j arms, magnifiers ect.


    My opinion, go gen 3. Accept nothing less.
     
    For night vision, you have digital, and gens 1-3.

    ATN, pulsar, and sightmark make digital scopes that can be rifle mounted. The require supplemental IR light to function. That means a high powered IR flashlight. The newer models have electronic bells and whistles, recording, usb, bloothtooth, gimmicks to retain zero ECT. These can be suitable for short range hunting. Short range. These digital scopes start around 6-700$.

    All 3 of these manufacturers also have thermal rifle scopes starting at around $2000.

    Real night vision uses an image intensifier tube (iit), not to be confused with the acronym of a us image tube manufacturer called ITT.
    Commercially made Gen 1 is very poor in comparison to the others. You will feel regret if you ever look through a gen 2 or 3. Gen 1 requires supplemental IR light. On a night with good moonlight you can usually see better with the naked eye once it adapts. $500 range. Accessories are usually manufacturer specific.

    Gen 2 It slightly newer tech, but most is made overseas now. Most of the housings are too. Replacement parts can be hard to acquire after a few years once models change. This was a big problem with older ATN offerings. Gen can function without supplemental light, as long as there is an ambient source like starlight, sky glow, moonlight.
    Prices start at about 1300 and go upwards, especially for bleeding edge foreign tech. Some other the foreign stuff actually exceeds gen 3 in certain aspects (aspects you don't need), but will cost many thousands. Accessories are usually manufacturer specific, with exceptions.

    Gen 3 is where it is at. It can function without supplemental light, except in the darkest conditions, like sealed rooms, under tree canopy, and overcast cloudy stateless night's.
    Most is current us production, and when combined with mil spec housings, you can be assured that replacement parts will be available for a long long time.
    New prices retail start at about 2300.
    You can find "new" from boutique builders for much less, if you are ok with blemishes (black dots on the image screen).
    Going rate used for a pvs14 style mono with blems is about 15-1600.
    A pvs7 can be had used for around 1300.
    Most everything in a milspec or milspec style housing is mil spec compatible, and can use a broad range of accessories, like mounts, sac lenses, j arms, magnifiers ect.


    My opinion, go gen 3. Accept nothing less.

    I wouldn't mind going the used route. Is there any preferred sites or dealers for used pvs7? And what are the boutique builders you're referring to? I don't mind some mild blemishes like a few spots.
     

    Jaybeez

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Patriot Picket
    May 30, 2006
    6,392
    Darlington MD
    I wouldn't mind going the used route. Is there any preferred sites or dealers for used pvs7? And what are the boutique builders you're referring to? I don't mind some mild blemishes like a few spots.

    Join some of the night vision groups on facebook, and check the night vision classifieds on ar15.com multiple times daily.

    As far as the boutique builders go, do some googling and start checking reviews. They aren't like wal mart, where you can find an item 8n stock 24/7. They get a lot of this, an overrun of that, and offer something for sale till their supply is gone.
     
    May 13, 2005
    2,769
    I agree completely with Jaybeez earlier post, very well written.

    I've used gen 1/2/3/+ and you really do get what you pay for. I would not even consider anything less than gen 3. If you think you cant afford it, then save up for it over time. You will regret not getting one.

    However, bringing thermal into the discussion, you might also consider a thermal unit. I've used them extensively as well. They bring a different capability to the table and can see into dense vegetation WAY better than a PVS-14.

    Think of it as PVS-14 and other NV can illuminate the dark and let you see things, just like the mark 1 eyeball would in the day time, but at night (and not as good). Things can still blend into vegetation etc and most are limited in color and depth perception. Thermal, however, really can see deep into the woods and pick out things that would not be visible to the naked eye and NV.

    I've been borrowing a 3K thermal scope for somethings and it is absolutely a leap in capability above NV.

    In a perfect world get both, but you're talking 2K minimum for each and realistically 5-6K for both at that point.

    Save up for good quality with these types of things, that's my best advice.
     

    SCARCQB

    Get Opp my rawn, Plick!
    Jun 25, 2008
    13,614
    Undisclosed location
    An ATN THOR4 thermal sight is a good entry level thermal optic. Or the ATN LT.

    The sight is relatively easy to use and is loaded with features. The battery life is also excellent. ( 10-12 hours, rechargeable).

    The only drawback is:
    They’re ugly as sin.
    You have to manually focus at various distances.
     

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