I really wish I could add something to this thread but I just have Sentinels.

Installment Nine

Light discipline is difficult and boring as a lecture so I'll close with:  Pay attention to how lights that you see in daily use behave to get a feel for how your lights will behave. Experiment with your lights and use the least amount of light necessary for the task at hand. The rest of my contribution regarding lights will be geared towards efficacious use but a conversation about discipline can go a long ways towards getting everyone sorted.

There is room for a lot of varying, yet equally valid, opinions regarding selecting lights so I am going to cover one potential loadout that makes sense to me but your results may vary.

Helmet Mounted:

Surefire M1: It's a workhorse low-powered spotlight rated by Surefire to run 480 minutes on one battery. If you load a fresh battery before use then you can run it all night. Use a pivoting mount so you can point it straight upwards. That way you can reflect light off of a ceiling in a closed environment. This allows you to get diffused light over the entire area without getting a bunch of splash-back, and prevents you from dazzling someone else in the room with you. Further, one person can light the whole room for everyone instead of everyone using directional lights. I like to keep this on my dominant side to make room on my non-dominant side for other lighting. (You can't put it all on one side because you'll side-load your neck.)

SolarForce L2M or SolarForce LC-IR module in Surefire 6P housing with click switch: This is a high-powered floodlight rated by SolarForce to run (I forget 1 or 2 hours) on a set of batteries. Battery life is not staggering so you cannot run it all night and IR output can sag if the ambient temperature is high during constant duty use. Be careful with this one as I suspect eye damage is possible if not used properly and you can certainly dazzle another MNVD user in close proximity. I like to have this light on the non-dominant side so I can get to it in a hurry and so I can turn it on/off/on repeatedly without hassle. I'm assuming the readers are all using MNVD's in conjunction with a long arm - if not then modify as desired.

Petzl STRIX: Mounted on the rear/slant section of the non-dominant side ARC rail, this light is rated for just short of infinite battery life and can be pivoted to shine pretty much anywhere with low-signature blue/green/red lighting up through medium power white lighting that can be used for navigation if your MNVD fails. I like to use the IR task light on the STRIX more than the built-in IR on the MNVD because I can aim it where I want it, and I don't like to place unwarranted use on the on/off switch on the MNVD, especially when I'm beat to all hell and I tend to crank every knob and switch way harder than is needed.

I scored a M1 on the EE. Due to the fact that you spoke so highly of it.

ETA: I got an email yesterday that my WP unit should ship next week. Very excited...  @TNVC

I have used a M1 for many years and love it. I still have the vintage da torch for long range.

Why do we not weapons mount a PVS14? Does recoil kill it too easily? Sorry if this was answered - I spent several minutes browsing but didn't see an answer.

From what I've gathered, that depends on both the type of tube/film of your pvs-14 and caliber of bullet you're using.

I believe the idea is that calibers over 5.56 tend to cause to much recoil shock and that can damage the thin film of the tube.
The thicker filmed units handle the recoil better and thus are useable on higher calibers.

I could be totally wrong.

From the OP: It will be helmet mounted.

I started adding material to this thread from that standpoint and I don't want to derail from the primary objective here. That having been said, the MNVD is typically employed in one of two ways - helmet mounted with a weapon mounted laser as an aiming reference and weapon mounted behind some sort of optical aiming reference. Using the laser is fast and comfortable and allows you to stay mobile because you're not sucked into the optic and you have the PVS-14 always at the ready for mobility, navigation and scanning for targets. This is the nigh time equivalent of running a red dot - fast and nimble. Running an MNVD behind an optic is more of the low key benchrest equivalent. You can get behind the aiming reference and scan for your target without losing the laser dot on the horizon or getting laser splashback because you accidentally lased a nearby object (and it is passive - footnote Benghazi).

The takeaway: There are two fundamentally different styles of shooting with the MNVD. The laser is fast, versatile and popular. Weapon mounted is low-key, in most applications slower and is less popular (but is potentially more accurate and is passive).

Recoil: Different tubes are differently susceptible to damage. I have an older tube that I have been led to believe is somewhat ruggedized and that is what I use for weapons mounting. The new tubes are still "rated" for 5.56mm in the M-4/M-16 package but I am aware of several tubes getting splattered even when used as advertised. I typically keep weapons mounting to a minimum for this reason, but the PVS-14 is what I always have with me, so it is what gets used if I'm not humping a weapon scope.

Eventually I'd like to do an in-depth comparison including running a course on-the-clock. I will post when I get around to it.

I got my first M1 back when it was one of the only available options. After many years, and an accumulation of many IR lights, the M1 still gets the most run-time of any of them. It was like they scored a home-run the first time at bat so they quit the league to maintain their perfect batting average.

Do continue, please.

Ek

Good read and good information

Good read. Needs moar sticky.

Installment Ten

All light discipline and signature rules apply to the following:

If I'm covering a lot of ground, problem solving, searching for things, etc. then I like to keep some IR glint on hand for marking trails or objects like breadcrumbs to help me navigate home. I have these configured the standard way with Velcro but I also have a bunch with magnetic backing that I can stick to fence posts, etc. I have some para-corded Velcro tabs so I can hang glint on a tree branch or whatever and then I just stick the standard squares to them. We use glint on the helmets to help increase visibility when we are working as a team. I have extra Velcro inside my helmet where I stow my glints when I want to go fully passive. You don't need to go crazy with it. If you are not worried about IR discipline then you can use the regular glint that is available cheap at the sewing stores. It's way better than the real thing.

Speaking of working as a team: NV does not make you bulletproof. ALL OF THE STANDARD RULES FOR FIREARM SAFETY APPLY AT NIGHT. Keep track of everyone and stay safe. Everything is harder at night. Everything is more dangerous at night. Take it slow. Make sure you understand clearance procedures for the most common stoppages for your weapon system inside-out and backwards because it's even less fun in the dark than it is in the daytime. Don't forget, if someone does get hurt then you have to treat them in the dark. I have only had to deal with one trauma case in the deep dark but that is one time too many.

Sidenote: Have contact numbers and radio frequencies handy for anyone nearby that has medevac capability, even if you don't think they'll divert assets for you. A lot of the Marine bases have ready-teams on-call 24/7. They get given make-work fairy tale missions to keep them busy. If you have a trauma case then they MAY divert assets for you if they can. Do not rely on the 911 operator to take care of everything for you. She may sit on her hands (It happened to me.) Stay on it. If nothing appears to be happening then send a mayday call elsewhere. Start with agencies that are directly responsible for your welfare and work your way out from there (but have contact info with you at all times).

Back on topic: If I have a real opportunity to get lost then I may landmark a location with a strobe. I does not need to be anything fancy. The Phoenix Jr. does the job. The same goes if I'm ditching a ruck - I strobe it. If you need to run strobes for IFF, they don't necessarily need to be exposed. You can keep them in a pocket or a pouch and the IR will usually blast its way through the fabric. (Don't rely on this - test it.) If I'm marking myself for IFF then I like to use the IR Glo-Toob in CR123A version because I like to be able to turn it off. The Petzl STRIX has an IFF beacon but it's lower power and you can't just ditch it like a strobe that's made for the purpose.

Thanks again for the info. Really learning a lot from your posts.

Thanks for the info, I just ordered my first NV and this will help learning to use it

Armasight Spark, I'll be using it mostly for wildlife and prowlers so the info on use of illumination is most welcome.

OP UPDATED.

This thread is primarily geared towards the OP's MNVD of choice (PVS-14). Much of what we cover here will translate well for you but Gen 1 has serious limitations, so much of it will not. Once you get your unit and this thread is done I may have interest in covering working around the limitations of Gen 1 in a separate thread.

Thanks and looking forward to the info. I know there are limitations to Gen 1, but I don't think I have to worry too much about illuminating my targets. Still it is nice to see the above info on night ops and may provide good practice for when I am able to upgrade.

I have some experience prowling around the woods at night and that is what led me to start looking at NV. It is very disquieting to be walking down a trail at night and hear a pack of cayotes make a kill less that 50 yards away. Doesn't do much good to be armed if you can't see what you want to shoot.

Excellent thread!  I'll probably integrate a couple of points into a quick tailgate session at work (LEO).

Please, advise regarding any conclusions you draw from your discussion - both positive and negative - learning is an active process, not a destination. Everything I say should be validated or discredited by independent sources. I'm far from perfect.

I consider this thread to be an introductory primer. I will be concluding my contribution to it soon so I can dedicate some time to exploring each sub-topic in finer detail.

I never even thought of having to perform medical procedures, even basic ones, using NV in the deep dark.

Yikes. I couldn't imagine how much harder it must be to find arteries in wound holes and everything else.


And keep it coming man!  I'll read everything you write.  

Though I do accept its limitations, Gen 1 can provide extremely good results up-close in even the darkest environments when run "active". I would, however, still have serious apprehension about dealing with several coyotes in the deep dark through a 30 degree cone (typical Gen 1) if they made the determination that I looked tasty. I have only once had them approach aggressively as a pack and, even then, they still didn't close on us - they just haloed us.

Installment Eleven

Once you've made your way to your FFP you need to get yourself comfortable. Discomfort means fidgeting and fidgeting means noise - you are already going to be making all sorts of stupid noises from mistakes that you'll be making due to operating under I². Nobody's perfect - just try to keep it to a minimum. Though I have bottom-mounted lights in the past, I generally like to get them on the same horizontal plane as the bore. In the field, you'll be operating in an environment where a lot of detritus gets in your way and a higher mounting point will help a little. Be wary of splashback, even from the weeds.

I like to get in a seated position (sighting above the weeds) in an overwatch from elevation, if possible. I use one of the super-tall Harris Engineering bipods (part number pending) that lets me sit on my pack and keep my rifle comfortably at-ready for long durations. Experiment a little with how you like to get your rifle situated for shouldering. A perfect cheek-weld is not necessary. Some guys use a chin weld or other index and some use no reference. Find what works for you. If you need to cheek-weld then you may want to remove your day optic to avoid hitting it with the MNVD. This isn't National Match so you get to decide what's best. If working as a team, use your laser as a pointer to indicate points of interest to your partner. Pick landmarks ahead of time to help minimize necessary communication in the event the spotter sees activity. Work the laser on the terrain to get the feel for how it behaves. THERE WILL BE CONDITIONS WHERE YOU WILL LOSE THE DOT. Get used to tracking the dot to minimize this. If you need to operate in a flat environment the you will need to "walk the dot" -  place the dot low and converge it to your target. Attempting to scan horizontally across a flat, level environment will result in you losing your dot on the horizon, constantly having to reacquire it.

Magnification on the MNVD can help detect targets, but typical military models are 3X for a reason. Excessive power will hamper the high-speed nature of target acquisition/tracking. The military afocal magnifiers are excellent choices and are conveniently slipped on and off of the MNVD using the friction ring, or the friction ring can be removed and the magnifier can be directly threaded to the MNVD. True military models are the highest quality. If purchasing a knock-off be sure to get one made in Singapore - avoid Chinese manufacture of this item as the lenses are not at par for the application.

The 3X afocal lenses are big and heavy, especially pronounced due to the leverage they place on your neck over the long term. For this reason, many of us use 2X telephoto lenses. Do not bother with anything over 2X in a telephoto. A true 3X telephoto (many are poorly designated) approaches the size and weight of an afocal lens and telephoto lenses have less DOF. This loss of DOF is pronounced at 3X and is more manageable at 2X. I typically use a 37mm lens with a 37mm/30mm step-down ring though I do have one 30mm telephoto that directly mounts. The following are 2X telephoto lenses that I have used to good effect graded from highest to lowest resolution:

Tokina (part number pending - discontinued model)
Neewer (part number pending)
Sony : VCL-R2037
Raynox : AF2000 (fairly low resolution but extremely light)

The Neewer lens is an amazing performer for its cost and is readily available. Use only name-brand adapter rings. Generic rings tend to have erratic sizing. I will be going into more detail with magnifiers in the "Augmenting use of the MNVD with optical devices" thread.

For installment twelve I want to cover weapon-mounted lights. There are a lot of selections and I will cover a few but I definitely would like some feedback for this topic from some others. Points to consider are the total luminous flux, pattern design and spectral spread. The following are lights that I have used to good effect, or have been advised regarding their performance by reputable individuals, but there are many other good lights:

TNVC Torch Pro II
LDI SPIR
Surefire M952V
Solarforce LC-IR 6P drop-in
Ultrafire UF T20-IR

I would like the hive to add to the list and I will pull specifications and we can round-table this one (hopefully).

Thanks again.

So far I only have a surefire M951 with a UV cap attached. The M1 is attached to my helmet. It's rather large and bulky, but it's currently my only rifle light.
It serves a purpose, we'll see how it works under NVD.

I'm still awaiting my 14 currently.

List of kit I've obtained while waiting:
Ops Core Fast Bump
INVG mount with duel dovetail
Princeton Tec (IR/Red)
EOG Low profile
Surefire M1
Steiner DBAL i2 (IR/Green)

Once I can re-supply the "gun fund" some, I'll look into a better rifle light.

If you are on a tight budget then grab an Ultrafire UF T20-IR. The pattern is a little weird, but manageable, and at $18 or so it fits the bill for a starter light. It's good to have something that casts at distance, even if it is sub-par.

Not so much on a budget as I like to spread things out over time.

Keep these coming! Really invaluable tips for us newbies saving our pennies for our first PVS14. I've learned alot from your posts.

Thanks.

I was really hoping the hive would roundtable IR weaponlights a bit. I have a lot of experience with my lights but I know that I am in-the-bubble when it comes to a lot of the newer lights. I would prefer if a lot of good lights did not get left out. If the hive does not respond then I will keep this section brief and move on to a few issues regarding eye-dominance and comfort for the closer. Questions are welcome. I think TNVC had some comparison shots comparing the LDI SPIR and the TNVC Torch Pro II. These are both excellent lights. If they could drag and drop those photos on this thread it would be appreciated.

IR weapon lights are kind of a red herring when it comes to "tactical" use--I don't have much of a background as a hunter so I can speak much to those applications.  

At the end of the day, the AN/PEQ-2 family with the integral Class IIIB laser based targeting illuminator has been on line coming up on two decades, and for long range military IR illumination purposes is simply head and shoulders superior to any even currently available IR-capable weapon lights, to say nothing of what was available when they were first introduced.  

In military use, IR weapon lights have mostly been used for "fill lighting," whether you're talking about the IR filters on old-school incandescent lights, or the USSOCOM spec'ed and issued WMX200 of today.  They give wide and diffuse short range area lighting--usually because the user already has a standard power LAM mounted on the weapon that is focusable and gives target illumination.  IR weapon lights have often been used mostly as "task lights," for navigating rooms and structures, SSE, etc., without requiring the user to mess with the adjustments of their targeting illuminator or mess with filter covers, which have been a major deficiency of L3/Insight LAMs, the filter covers snap off with annoying regularity, especially if you fuck with them a lot.  Using IR weapon lights as "search lights" is pretty much a non-starter as well, especially these days, for the IR light discipline reasons you and others have mentioned--a flashlight is a flashlight is a flashlight, and using one too much is generally a poor idea when there may be folks around trying to kill you, so learning to rely on one tends to be a bad idea.  

Beyond that, the preference of most for "true" CQB where weapon lights are often employed has been to switch to white light when you go "full kinetic," your NV gives you the stealth to move into position, but once you start breaching doors, shouting commands, and shooting guns, many prefer to go to white light which is faster and more efficient, at least until NVD technology improves to the point of autofocus, color and contrast, natural FOV, etc.  Devices like the GPNVG are still niche and specialty items that are used in specific circumstances, and are available to only a very narrow range of users who primarily choose to use AN/PVS-31s and/or FGS in all but those narrow circumstances.    

Adding to the increasing preference for more power white lights, and the fact that "useful" IR illumination usually requires a sacrifice in white light illumination (take IIRC 5-600 lumens for the Surefire M600U, versus I think the "upgraded" versions are 350 lumens WL on the M600V--I know that lumens aren't an "absolute" measure of brightness/power/beam, but it still serves to illustrate).  Nevertheless, many organizational users are using about 200 lumens of white light or less (M600C, WMX200, M952V, AN/PEQ-16B), but that's neither here nor there--most folks who are using standard power LAMs with on-board IR illumination and using their own lights tend to be preferring the use of dedicated WLIs rather than IR-capable versions, and simply using their LAMs for IR illum, often supplemented by helmet mounted IR task/area lights like the various Princeton Tec models, as well as the Surefire HL-1, which crappy as it is, is still quite prolific.  

For users that have "tactical" needs, whether real or imagined, that otherwise have had no access to standard power LAMs, LED-based IR illuminators are less than satisfactory, both because of their large size and bulk, dedicated nature, and visible spectrum signature when used.  

For those folks, IR-capable weapon lights were briefly popular before second generation civilian legal LAMs like the DBAL-D2/I2/A3 and ATPIAL-C became available, because first generation devices tended to be aiming laser-only devices, and therefore requiring a supplemental device if you wanted IR illum for target engagement.  Even for that use, IR weapon lights were kind of a "gotta take what you can get" kind of situation, not an ideal one, because there wasn't a good way to activate both the illuminator and the aiming laser at the same time, you had to activate each device one at a time, or somehow synchronize your button pressing to press two buttons at one time (whether we're talking about native to the device, or a remote switch setup).  

This was also exacerbated by the fact that most "popular" IR weapon light options had primary momentary controls, so depending on how you were doing things, you might have to flash the light, and then it would go off when you hit the laser (e.g., if using a dual switch), or you had to keep mashing down a light button while you turned on a laser button, or you had to use a click cap (the Surefire SL dual function tailcap for the popular Scout light series was not yet available, forcing you to choose between a native click cap that was "hypothetically" capable of momentary activation, but easily "pressed in" to constant under stress, or a remote switch--either a momentary only version that came with the light, or an SR that had both a click and momentary, but would cost you an extra $80, if you wanted a dual switch, you were stuck with momentary only again), turn the light on, then turn on the laser (or vice versa).  

Meanwhile, if you were using a dual button switch, either the Insight or Surefire SR-D-IT, and trying to push both buttons at once, the on-board device logics do not necessarily co-exist well, if your fingers "stuttered" on the buttons, you might end up turning your laser on constant (double tap) or accidentally turning it off, whichever would be most inconvenient, while you were trying to keep your momentary-only light and laser on at the same time.  

Even if you did overcome or didn't care about these limitations, e.g., if you were using head-mounted NODs and an NV capable optic as your primary aiming method, so that activating the IR laser simultaneously was not as much of an issue, most IR/WL capable lights still require you to switch or turn something in order to make them go from IR to WL, meaning that if you need another setting "quick, fast, and in a hurry," you didn't have much recourse, i.e.--if you were doing a rapid transition to kinetic, white light engagement after conducting movement to the OBJ under NODs.    

Obviously, this kind of stuff would only apply if you were wanting to use both the illuminator and the laser at the same time, which might not be 100% of the time, but compare any of the above to using a LAM with on-board IR illum, where all it takes is a turn of a dial and the press of a single device control that uses the exact same switchology and logic.  The TAPS-Pro does allow you to program logic into the controls, as well as slave two devices to a single button, which is a nice touch and can solve these problems--but it didn't help the guys a couple years ago who were stripping wires and soldering switches because they were stuck with an OTAL or CQBL-1 and an old-school M620V or something before the TAPS-Pro was available.  At the same time, now with the availability of second gen, power limited laser based illuminators, specific IR weapon lights have become even less relevant, as while "civilian-legal" versions do have somewhat degraded capability relative to Class IIIb standard power ("restricted") devices, they are still more than capable for most civilian and even "tactical" use--the biggest complaint from me is the inability to "focus" such devices (versus the power level), but even so, this isn't really a downgrade from most IR-capable weapon lights, either.  

Unless there's some sort of "next great leap" in one of the technologies, my advice is usually to simply go with a LAM that offers on-board IR illumination, and then choose a white light that best matches your requirements and preferences, if it happens to be IR capable, cool, if not, not a big deal--and certainly don't choose a white light you like less just because it has IR capability.  

Again, the "rules" for hunting applications might be totally different, someone may be able to chime in on those, and lights that are suitable/effective for those uses better than I.  

~Augee

In my opinion


If you have one NVD, head mount it.

If you bolt it to your rifle, when it gets dark, guess what? Unless it's mounted, you see dick. You can get deep into the weeds here, many prefer to use a head mount NVD and an IR laser to paint their targets. Some try to actually sight the firearm with their NVD, but I've never had much luck with that, pistol or rifle.

If you have the money, or the seriousness, you use a headmount NVD on your nonshooting eye for situational awareness, then sight the firearm with a weapon mount system.


The only thing I didn't see mentioned is kinda stupid, but I find it helpful.

Do normal stuff with the goggle.

Have you tried to eat out of a retort pouch with one? Or poop? Or try to manipulate things like keys or little pieces? (Bonus points if you're rocking those fancy mechanix gloves). Double bonus points if, as previously mentioned, you do it without refocusing (or looking under the goggle and / or using a task/nav light).

take your garbage out under night vision. Go make a round around your home making as little noise and using as little light as possible.

Oh

The depth of field trick. If you can get away with using IR ILLUM, you can use the pinhole-in-the-lenscap trick to make a lot more stuff near to far in focus at once. I try not to use any more emitted light (or gain) than I need, but there are trade offs either way. Especially when the moon is out.

I used to be about blind without glasses, so I took to night vision quite readily. Fuzzy stuff is fine - I'm more looking for obstruction avoidance up close, anyway.

Oh! I remember something else.

I used to guard a place that trained nurses and paramedics. I brought my stuff in, blacked out a room, and let some of the instructors try to start a line and intubate on the dummies under night vision.

It was instructive for both of us. I found it very interesting watching them try to cope with the problems that came with it. They learned they don't want to really do any invasive procedures / tacmed under goggles. lol  I asked a couple of people there who flew as NVG  (duals) qualified paramedics, they said they never used them for work, they turned on cabin lights.

Thanks for the input Augee.
I'll find some time and update the OP with everyone's contributions.
Been extremely busy here lately.

I'm hopeful that my unit will ship in the next week or two.
Very excited for my first PVS14!!

Thank you for your time Augee. I'm going to let this simmer for a couple of days, hoping that we will get more input. If not, I will close my input for that chapter and finish the rest.

Great resource. Please keep posting.

I like the Sniper Hog Lights 50LR for an IR light. It has a very long range and an adjustable zoom head. Would be curious to know your thoughts on it from a hunting standpoint. It is not a light for trusting with your life.

I'll second this. I got a variation of this off of Amazon for a little more and it works comparable to my Olight 800 lumen warrior. It's adjustable too from flood to very focused. It's sorta heavy IMO but I lobe never handled quality so I don't know if they are just as heavy.

Edit:  here it is. I'm sure it's "junk" compared to the good stuff but I must admit it does a fantastic job with my gen 1 Spark and it lights up the building across the street that's.....ehhhh, I'd say 300 yards....ish

IR illum evolva

As corny as it seems, you may be better served dealing with medical procedures under a "poncho-tent" using visible light. You can link multiple ponchos together for a larger tent, still maintaining some minimal level of light discipline. I don't want to drag these (however good) ideas too far as the OP is about hunting and I want to keep most of this at the beginner level. I'd like to run some more focused threads where the advanced readers don't have to wade through all of this chaff.

Installment Twelve

Outside of Augee, I did not get a lot of feedback regarding weapon mounted IR lighting so I'm going to keep it brief due to my limited knowledge. I don't like to reference lights as being good for "X" amount of distance because factors such as reflectivity of terrain, the amount of gain you are running and the capability of your NVD all come into play, hopelessly complicating matters. Here are some benchmark lighting solutions and my subjective opinions of them, some of which you may be able to compare:

Solarforce LC-IR 6P drop-in: Cheap and easy to obtain, this little workhorse, though not as reliable as a premium unit, dumps massive IR. It tends to flood the area and overdrive the NVD on close targets so this is for medium range only. If you are on a tight budget and have nothing, then this is a good starter. You may be able to flash coyote eyes with this.

Surefire M952V: This is a decent quality unit that provides both IR and white light. It works well for close to medium engagements. You should be able to flash coyote eyes with this.

Ultrafire UF T20-IR: This is an economy long distance, adjustable beam light. Quality is not superior but it does reach considerable distance. The pattern is square and blotchy and never appears in-focus.   Still, at the price, it does have good reach and will flash coyote eyes.

TNVC Torch Pro II / LDI SPIR: These fill the same niche so I'll describe them together. These are high quality adjustable beam lights that work best at long distance. The SPIR provides a beam that will reach further but the Torch Pro II has replaceable pills that make it more versatile and maintainable. The battery latch on the SPIR is of the variety that have given me durability issues in the past, though I have never seen a SPIR battery latch break. The Torch Pro II battery cap is extremely ruggedized and the body is compatible with many Surefire battery caps / switches. Both of these lights will flash coyote eyes. I give the edge to the SPIR in performance and the edge to the Torch Pro II in usability / mountability / maintainability. For hunting, I would pick one of these.

I consider my viewpoint on lights to be very subjective and opinion oriented but I wanted to add something despite my lack of knowledge, so I'll close my comments on them here but anyone else is free to chime in.

Keep in mind splashback from nearby objects (even weeds) as it will blind the MNVD. A tightly focused beam will help with this.

Installment Thirteen

Eye Dominance and setup of the MNVD:

Once again: ALL FIREARMS SAFETY RULES APPLY TO MNVD USE

Most end users are RH/RED (right-handed/right-eye-dominant) and most of the rest will be LH/LED (left-handed/left-eye-dominant). A small remaining fraction will be CED (cross-eye-dominant). In my limited experience training with users that are not RH/RED, I have not seen any serious limitations on their performance (notwithstanding the many weapons systems that may be combined with MNVD use exposing weakness in my statement). That having been said, I want to cover orientation of the head-mounted MNVD for rifle use.

The most popular current configuration is to mount the MNVD on the side opposite of the rifle. For RH/RED users this is the left eye. Most users experience some uneasiness about this - they want the MNVD over their dominant eye because mounting it over the non-dominant eye forces them into cross-eye-dominance since the aided eye now provides more information to the brain. For this reason I suspect CED users more easily adapt to cross-eye-usage. The nuts and bolts of why this configuration has become so popular is mostly related to physical conflict between the MNVD and the rifle - mounting the MNVD on the left allows you to mount the rifle on the right without them smashing (too badly) together. Many users mount the rifle lower for MNVD use to further avoid the physical conflict but many experienced users still like to keep the rifle high on the shoulder for long distance engagements because they have spent considerable time building a solid standing shooting platform and they don't want to lose this stability. Some users move the butt of the rifle towards the sternum for MNVD use. I suggest you try it all and find what works best for you. I personally like keeping the rifle high - in line with my dominant eye. This allows me to run CED with the MNVD/LASER and instantly switch to RH/RED when I transition to white light/red dot - the flood of white light causes the dominant eye to re-assert itself.

Be sure to be able to adjust the J-Arm from right to left. In the event that you suffer eye strain, you may need to switch the MNVD to your dominant eye for relief. Mounting the rifle to the sternum helps to avoid conflict if this is necessary. Eye strain will be particularly prevalent when you are using magnification in conjunction with the MNVD.

I'm getting ready to close my input to this thread, so now is the time if you want me to respond to questions. Maybe Augee or someone else can add to this installment where I have fallen short.

Installment Fourteen

Ocular Pathology and use of the MNVD:

Use of corrective lenses can present difficulties with the use of the MNVD - so can non use. Use of an additional lens that is not native to the MNVD can cause focus issues. If you have an ocular pathology that can be corrected by the use of the diopter ring then I recommend that you do so. If you are an avid user of the MNVD and suffer eye strain in the unaided eye because light levels are high enough to cause it to attempt to focus, then I recommend you consider using a pair of glasses with the lens removed that would be behind the MNVD. If you go this route, then I recommend you go full-tilt and get a set of BCGs (birth control goggles). They will provide a better field of view and better eye protection than smaller lenses. Alternately you can block the unaided eye altogether with a pirate patch - this is not recommended but it does work to some extent. Do not use the MNVD for extended periods with the unaided eye closed - this is not a solution.

Use of a single contact lens is probably a better route if you are a contact lens user. Eye protection is still recommended for the unaided eye.

Some ocular pathologies are not correctable by using the diopter ring so you may just have to work around it the best you can. Do not rely on the diopter ring being calibrated properly - many are not.

Frequent rest and exercise of the eyes is in order for those with ocular pathologies to get the most benefit from the MNVD. (Really, it helps ALL of us.)

This is one arena where the BNVD shines - many can independently provide correction for each eye.

All of this is based on opinions from other MNVD users with ocular pathologies. I am not an expert in this segment but I wanted to add what I think I know because it at least gets you to a starting point.

Thanks again SOT.

Do you (or Augee) have any experience/comments on the Inforce WML/WMLx white/IR lights? I have a gen 1 that l like just fine for my uses so far, and was considering a second for another rifle (they bumped up the lumens in both modes since I bought the gen 1).

I have zero experience on the Inforce product line. I would not over-invest in Gen 1. It's a good tool for starters but Gen 2 is where the fun starts.

Sorry, should have been more clear. I have a Gen 1 Inforce WML.

NV is TNV/PVS-14 Gen 3.

Installment Fifteen

Laser Zeroing System

LASER: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation

The following section relies on a carbine being equipped as I have chosen to do so. Your results will vary from mine depending on your own configuration. That having been said, my system has served me well and, hopefully, I can provide some insight. None of this is written in stone.

Assumptions:

1) A carbine with a barrel length of 16+ inches
2) Railed fore end (handguard) of 10+ inches
3) Flip-up iron sights
4) Your favorite NV compatible dot sight
5) LASER
6) MNVD with weapon mount

The barrel length was chosen based on the assumption that we are out in the open and we need to maintain substantial terminal velocity over significant distance.

The railed fore end was chosen to allow forward mounting of the laser. The laser should be mounted as far forward as is reasonably possible. Depending on your grip and stance, body parts or gear may tend to obstruct the beam if the laser is mounted too far to the rear.

Flip-up iron sights were chosen to avoid interference with the MNVD and sight picture when passive use of the MNVD is required. My iron sights do not see very much day-to-day use but they are rock solid and form the kingpin of my system.

There are a lot of good dot type sights available. They all have their drawbacks. Pick one, preferably in an NV compatible model. Dot sights are fast and provide a substantial, unobstructed field of view compared to iron sights. They also provide an aiming reference if you need to run the MNVD passive. I leave 7 rail slots between the red dot and the rear sight to allow room for mounting the MNVD with a 2X telephoto lens.

Typical civilian-legal IR lasers are 0.7mW output power and may be accompanied by a visible beam. If a dual beam laser is chosen the "slaved beam" option is convenient and can save some range time. The 0.7mW IR beam can be used to approximately 200m under optimum lighting conditions. Under overall brighter conditions or when aiming into a brightly lit area the beam may wash out. Under low light conditions the beam may cause blooming. Overlaying some supplemental IR lighting can calm excessive blooming. Under many conditions the user may choose to ignore blooming and just "shoot through it". Experience will play a big part in this. The visible beam of a dual beam laser may provide further engagement distance for you, if necessary (at the expense of invisibility). Lasers can cause immediate and irreparable damage to an I² tube so avoid shining them on other NVD users or reflective surfaces that may redirect the beam at your own tube. 0.7mW lasers are typically considered eye-safe but I recommend that you still treat them responsibly. The assumption is that the laser is mounted to a firearm so the basic caveat applies:

Do not point the firearm or laser at anything you do not wish to destroy.

I follow a complete system oriented approach to the zero process:

1) Zero the iron sights.
2) Leave the iron sights in the "up" position and zero the red dot sight to the iron sights. Flip the iron sights to the "down" position and validate zero for the red dot sight with live fire.
3) In a low light environment, set the red dot sight to its NV compatible setting and mount the MNVD to the weapon. View the projected laser dot through the MNVD. Using the reticle of the red dot sight as a reference, zero the laser. Remove the MNVD from the weapon and head/helmet mount it. Validate zero of the laser by live fire.

Periodic field validation of zero is easily done without live fire.

1) Check the red dot against the iron sights.
2) Check the laser against the red dot.

If any sighting system deviates from the others then I know that I have a problem.

If all 3 sight systems are aligned then I assume that I still have a solid zero. The likelihood of all 3 sighting systems being knocked off of zero to the same arbitrary point is nearly nonexistent.

If the laser fails to function or fails to maintain zero then the MNVD can be weapon mounted for passive use as a backup.

I personally run a "true-cowitness" EOTech and a LaRue LT114 PVS-14 weapon mount. This mount causes the MNVD to ride a little high when run passively behind the EOTech but it is extremely workable, especially in conjunction with a high quality 2X telephoto lens.

^^ I'd love to read about this.  I am having a hard time seeing $1300 for an ATPIAL-C for hog hunting.

OP Updated minus new section on IR Lasers.

Thanks again for everyone's contributions.
This thread is coming along nicely.

I'll have to fully review the OP for some redundancy and to make sure it reads properly.
This has become a wealth of information beyond what I'd initially expected.

The above procedure, while similar to mine, relies a little too much on one's weapon being configured nearly identically to the weapon described.  

A lot of folks have dumped iron sights completely, and/or prefer to run their sights at a lower-1/3 height or higher, also, you didn't specify a distance at which to collimate your various sighting devices at--I say all this not to nit-pick you, but because I can see someone trying this procedure with lower-1/3 sights, then lining up all their sights across their living room with the lights off, then wondering why the hell everything is so off.  

Co-alignment/Boresighting/Co-axial Zeroing method:

0. HAVE A GOOD DAY ZERO.
1. Pick a point, preferably between 100-200m away that you can see and identify both through the day optic, and with the naked eye/NVD.  
2. Align the day optic on the selected aiming point.  This can be done at dusk all visual (if you have a slaved VIS laser), or it can be done at night using the NVD to look through the day optic, including magnified optics.  
3. Align the aiming laser to the selected aiming point, it can help if you have a buddy to help you so one of you can adjust the laser, while one of you holds the weapon steady on the aiming point.  
4. Confirm that both the laser and day optic are co-aligned.  

In order to aid in this procedure, my preferred target is a boresight panel of my own [semi] design, this is a "prototype" that I used before building one with a less... "used trash" vibe :



The panel is approximately 3'x2.5', and has an intersecting pattern, which allows the size of the aiming point to be "0."  In the center is a 1.25" reflector.  

At 200m, the panel is visible without magnification, and you can make out the intersecting point through your day optic, while the reflector will cause your laser to "bloom" (again, day or night) when the laser is properly aligned to it.  It makes it very simple to simply have one person keep the weapon steady on the panel through the day optic, while the other moves the laser on to the reflector until it blooms.  Confirmation can be checked by moving the weapon off, and moving it back on, and insuring that everything is still aligned.    






Some of the theory behind all this, and why I generally recommend a distance of between 100-200m:

If you align your sights so that they are co-aligned at any given distance, they will not be perfectly aligned at any other distance, due to differences in mechanical offsets/axes/heights, and direct LOS versus parabolic movement (ballistics) versus LOS radiation.  I am a fan of co-alignment (versus constant offsets), but you need to pick a distance that makes sense based on your day battlesight zero, which for most people is either a 25-300m, 100m, or 50-200m.  

The long and the short of it is that the easiest way [in my experience] for people to shoot with an IR laser is to have the IR laser match their day zero as closely as possible, as they often are already familiar with the distance offsets that they use, and it's not terribly difficult to translate that back into the aiming laser placement.  Ultimately, the laser is not a precision sighting system, so there's a little bit of "fudge factor" that rarely causes practical issues, and that is generally unavoidable regardless of zeroing method.  

Basically, when using the co-alignment method, versus the constant offset, at the muzzle of the weapon, your offset from your various sighting systems and muzzle will be at their exact mechanical distances, about ~1.5" high and ~1" right for an ATPIAL (this is a rough estimate, as I don't have my notes for the exact mechanical offset in front of me).  These offsets will generally dwindle (accepting, again, the fudge factor of your direct LOS on two different vertical planes from your optic and laser, versus the projectile curve of the bullet) to 0 at whatever distance you coalign them to.  You want this distance to be as close to the "point blank" range of your day zero because that's probably what you're already used to, and it won't be difficult to adjust using the same vertical offsets you're already used to.  

At the boresighting distance, all your sights and bullet will converge, and then start moving "away" from each other in the opposite directions--you're already used to this with vertical offsets because it's what you do with your day sights, however, most aiming lasers, unless they are centered, and mounted at the 12 o'clock or 6 o'clock, will add a horizontal offset as well.  What this means is that at twice the distance you boresighted at, your offset will be the same as your mechanical offset at the muzzle--just in the opposite direction, then continuing to open up as you get further out from the point you boresighted at.  

What this means practically is that most people using "civilian legal" IR LAMs generally consider 200m to be the maximum effective range for both identification and engagement using an IR laser, while standard power military LAMs are rarely used [for target engagement] beyond 400 or so meters.  Meaning that getting a boresight at 200m would mean that your laser aiming point would never be greater than your offset if you used a constant-offset zeroing method out until 400m.  Depending on the ranges that you expect to be firing, battlesight zero, and space available, a 100m boresight isn't so bad, either, particularly for a civilian shooter, and you can "slide" the range based on what distance best corresponds to "point blank" for your weapon and battlesight.  

Basically, this procedure, while it might be a little bit more complicated to explain, can be done with a piece of cardboard, some spray paint, and a $0.50 road reflector, and works with just about any optic/laser combination, as long as you have a good day zero.  

~Augee

You are absolutely correct. That's why I qualified it: "The following section relies on a carbine being equipped as I have chosen to do so. Your results will vary from mine depending on your own configuration."

Thank you for taking the time to repost your zero procedure here so we can have a solid stream of info from donning to firing for the beginners. I'm weighing too heavy on this thread and it needs input from others because my view on some topics is too narrow.

You hit the nail on the head as to how "your results will vary". I should have addressed the how and why regarding that.

The above is one reason I love having my CQBL-1 at 12 o'clock. The IR is basically inline with the bore and allows me to use roughly the same maximum point blank zero as my day optic.