User Panel
[#1]
SOT_Solutions, can you elaborate on using the ocular adjustment to correct the focus and removing your contact in that eye? I have used my PVS-14 for a while now and I have never done that. I am just curious what the advantage is.
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[#2]
OP Updated with LASER comments/guidance from both SOT and Augee.
(Thanks!) |
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[#4]
Quoted:
SOT_Solutions, can you elaborate on using the ocular adjustment to correct the focus and removing your contact in that eye? I have used my PVS-14 for a while now and I have never done that. I am just curious what the advantage is. View Quote I, personally, do not use corrective lenses so these suggestions were based on comments from other users. In their experience, adding extra lenses into the MNVD lens train caused some slight optical issues. The PVS-14 is designed for diopter correction, anyways, so if that is all you are correcting then using a corrective lens behind the eyepiece is a net zero gain with added complications - your contact lens can still become detached due to impact shock or even direct impact with the MNVD. If your eye becomes contaminated with debris then the presence of the contact lens complicates cleaning the eye. The MNVD is designed for aggressive use where these can be issues. Most corrective lens users find that the unaided eye needs to either be occluded or corrected. If the unaided eye has a blurry image available to it then it will constantly try to focus - causing the aided eye to sympathetically focus resulting in headaches and eye-strain. Once again, I am not an expert on this factor, so consider this only information to consider. If you find better performance in conjunction with the corrective lens then carry on. I would appreciate any feedback you might give after your consideration/experimentation. |
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[#5]
Installment Sixteen
LASER Use: Higher power lasers can be used to target at longer ranges but, due to the nature of firing a rifle using a laser as an aiming reference, I use a standard civilian-legal 0.7mW laser and I find that it is generally effective for my uses to 200m. Laser use tends to break my classic precision shooting positions - I do not do effective precision work with it. It does, however, allow for very fast target acquisition at these shorter ranges. Laser aiming references are easily lost above the horizon so don't scan the horizon with your dot - aim low so you hit the dirt and brush to keep an eye on the dot and "walk" the dot onto your target once you have it centered between you and the target. In clean air you won't see the beam - once the shooting starts, you may start seeing the beam due to smoke and dust providing a reflective background for the light. Very many laser aiming references have zero retention issues. I highly recommend checking zero before every shooting session. Make sure your switch is easy and comfortable to activate in any position you might foresee utilizing it. For me this means standing and sitting - prone position in the field tends to obscure my field of view and works against making fast follow-up shots on running critters. Nothing else comes to mind so I hope someone else chimes regarding this topic lest it be a disappointment. |
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[#6]
Quoted:
I, personally, do not use corrective lenses so these suggestions were based on comments from other users. In their experience, adding extra lenses into the MNVD lens train caused some slight optical issues. The PVS-14 is designed for diopter correction, anyways, so if that is all you are correcting then using a corrective lens behind the eyepiece is a net zero gain with added complications - your contact lens can still become detached due to impact shock or even direct impact with the MNVD. If your eye becomes contaminated with debris then the presence of the contact lens complicates cleaning the eye. The MNVD is designed for aggressive use where these can be issues. Most corrective lens users find that the unaided eye needs to either be occluded or corrected. If the unaided eye has a blurry image available to it then it will constantly try to focus - causing the aided eye to sympathetically focus resulting in headaches and eye-strain. Once again, I am not an expert on this factor, so consider this only information to consider. If you find better performance in conjunction with the corrective lens then carry on. I would appreciate any feedback you might give after your consideration/experimentation. View Quote Interesting points. I would just point out though that there are other advantages to leaving your contacts in or lenses in both eyes of your glasses. For example if you get in a vehicle and don't have your Nods on then you will have your contact in or your glasses on. Also my PVS-14 is adjusted to my eye with my contacts in so I don't feel like there is any eye strain associated with the extra lenses. Thanks for your posts. These are very informative. |
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[#7]
Thanks for this info.
I have one note to add about corrective/corrected vision. My vision was corrected with lasik in my early forties. It was intentionally done with my dominant eye favoring long distance and the other more close up based focus, in anticipation of aging eye close vision challenges. Doctor even asked about shooting eye during initial consultation. I tried to run my helmet mount monocular on my non dominant eye because I read that's what I was supposed to do. I was constantly trying to get the fuzz and fog off at distance till I realised by walking with my dominant eye closed during the day that it wasn't the NVD that was much of my problem. I switched eye for monocular use, and it works much better. Just because you read it doesn't make it right. Try, try, try till you find what works best with what you've got. Lasik was great, and I wouldn't trade it, but it put in a variable I don't think about with both eyes working together. |
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[#8]
Quoted:I tried to run my helmet mount monocular on my non dominant eye because I read that's what I was supposed to do. I was constantly trying to get the fuzz and fog off at distance till I realised by walking with my dominant eye closed during the day that it wasn't the NVD that was much of my problem. I switched eye for monocular use, and it works much better. Just because you read it doesn't make it right. Try, try, try till you find what works best with what you've got. View Quote From my original post: "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." The important part is that it works for you in your intended application. All of my recommendations were flavored to the OP's application (hunting). Left-eye mounting is for conflict avoidance with ancillary gear for right-handed users. None of this is written in stone. Like SHD says, find what works best for you - for some of us, ocular pathologies will be a controlling factor. |
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[#9]
Sticky!! The few posts up regarding contact lens and eyestrain would be cool in the OP, too.
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[#10]
I wear glasses. Let me tell you that you wouldn't believe how badly I want, and will, go and get contacts too at my next eye doctor visit. Which is soon.
The first, most annoying thing, for me is they don't allow the unit to get close enough to my face before the touch, and rest, on my glasses. Thus is annoying for several reasons. One, the glasses become smudged very quickly(due to the rubber piece) thus degrading your view. Maybe some can deal with it but I find it real irritating. Two, they can and will push and shift your glasses. And that's just walking around doing light maneuvers. I would hate to think how bad it is if I really had to negotiate some rough terrain. Three, the picture you see will be smaller than if the unit was closer to the eye. By how much is directly proportional to the distance they are away from your eye. Four. It sucks enough hitting your NODS and smashing them into your face while learning to walk around and account for the change in depth perception. With glasses you now risk damaging them. Also, there is the fogging aspect. They are another lense that can fog. They can trap rain and most likely even snow while you are stationary and engaged in observation. To be continued. My daughter just woke up from her nap |
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[#11]
I will update the new stuff into the OP soon.
It's starting to get quite large now :) I should have my unit in hand by Saturday. I'm jacked!!!! |
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[#12]
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[#13]
Quoted:
I wear glasses. Let me tell you that you wouldn't believe how badly I want, and will, go and get contacts too at my next eye doctor visit. Which is soon. The first, most annoying thing, for me is they don't allow the unit to get close enough to my face before the touch, and rest, on my glasses. <snip> View Quote Ditch the rubber eyecups and run your NODs further out and reset the diopter adjustment. The FOV only "feels" smaller because you think you want to fill as much of your natural FOV with the green, but 40 degrees of FOV is still 40 degrees of FOV. In mixed light environments you get better situational awareness because you can also see peripherally around the device, and you can look under and around it much more easily. When it's pitch black and all you're going to see is the green circle--all you're going to see is the green circle, all 40 degrees of it. Learn to scan like a predator, never give something a static gaze. Running your NOD further out, and for the love of god, without the eyecups, will also reduce fogging issues--treat your lenses with stuff like "Cat Crap." Nevertheless, I recommend wearing your NODs this way to anyone, whether you wear prescription lenses, non-prescription eye-pro, or nothing at all. Carry an eyeglass cleaning lens for when you may have a spare moment to give them a wipe. Wear a do-rag under your helmet if you sweat a lot. I hate contact lenses, and I've heard too many stories about people who have had Lasik or PRK and it ends up messing with their vision--not for nothing, but most optometrists don't factor night vision, aided or unaided, and electro-optics into their schema when correcting eyesight, they figure your eyes work notrmal for all the things "normal" people do, so you're fixed. Maybe some surgeons do it better than others, but I suspect neither I nor my insurance rate the top tier folks--and I don't feel like letting some cut-rate, discount surgeon start shining lasers in my eyes, at least not yet. ~Augee |
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[#14]
Quoted:
I hate contact lenses, and I've heard too many stories about people who have had Lasik or PRK and it ends up messing with their vision--not for nothing, but most optometrists don't factor night vision, aided or unaided, and electro-optics into their schema when correcting eyesight, they figure your eyes work notrmal for all the things "normal" people do, so you're fixed. Maybe some surgeons do it better than others, but I suspect neither I nor my insurance rate the top tier folks--and I don't feel like letting some cut-rate, discount surgeon start shining lasers in my eyes, at least not yet. ~Augee View Quote I know of one case of corrective surgery that resulted in the patient seeing flares from every light source in low light environments. He was not stoked on it. |
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[#15]
Personally I would not ever want to wear NODs without corrective lenses underneath them, even with all the struggles highlighted above of wearing corrective lenses under NODs, but my uncorrected vision is terrible--whenever I have my annual eye exam and they tell me to take my glasses off and read the chart, my answer is: "black smudge--gray smudge underneath."
Even so, typical PVS-14/ANVIS oculars can be adjusted to my unaided eyes, I've tried it just to see how well it works, but I would still never run them like that, even if I was confident that I was not planning to take my NODs off. I have the utmost confidence in MIL-SPEC NODs, but I still would not want to be caught in a situation where if they broke or the batteries died, or they got knocked off my head somehow, that my only recourse would be relying on my uncorrected eyes. But that's just me. ~Augee |
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[#16]
Quoted:
Personally I would not ever want to wear NODs without corrective lenses underneath them, even with all the struggles highlighted above of wearing corrective lenses under NODs, but my uncorrected vision is terrible--whenever I have my annual eye exam and they tell me to take my glasses off and read the chart, my answer is: "black smudge--gray smudge underneath." Even so, typical PVS-14/ANVIS oculars can be adjusted to my unaided eyes, I've tried it just to see how well it works, but I would still never run them like that, even if I was confident that I was not planning to take my NODs off. I have the utmost confidence in MIL-SPEC NODs, but I still would not want to be caught in a situation where if they broke or the batteries died, or they got knocked off my head somehow, that my only recourse would be relying on my uncorrected eyes. But that's just me. ~Augee View Quote You're sort of bursting my bubble. I never thought of the NV aspect of corrective eye surgery. I know you don't seem hot on it but there are a couple top notch doctors who get nothing but near perfect results. In fact out if everyone I know I've only had one person who was unhappy with corrective surgery. But now I have to rethink it. I was so "on" about it. I hate my glasses and to some extent my contacts. To me glasses are a major potential source of drama from day to day life to SHTF. Even if I break them when everything is normal it's an expensive pain in the ass. If they break during an emergency I'm fucked. Much like you my unaided eyes couldn't see a billboard from five feet away. Sigh. Just can't win. Lol. Here I thought I found something I could fix with no side effects. Such is life I suppose. Thanks for bursting my bubble Augee. I owe you one! . |
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[#18]
Nice rig for your first NV purchase, but you should invest in a retention system ASAP.
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[#19]
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[#20]
Quoted:
Roger that. I've got some 550 cord I can rig up until something more permanent. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes |
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[#21]
Quoted:
I like to hook directly to the MNVD as possible, so wherever it un-moors you still have it captivated. Some guys just tether the RHNO to the helmet but that does not help if the MNVD launches from the RHNO. Tie through your vent holes and make a noose in the loose end - cinch to secure and uncinch to release. The various methodologies for tethering the MNVD and related accessories probably deserves it own thread. View Quote Exactly. Id go from your PVS-14 to the J Arm, to your lanyard, then to your helmet or NVD mount. |
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[#24]
Quoted:
Exactly. Id go from your PVS-14 to the J Arm, to your lanyard, then to your helmet or NVD mount. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
I like to hook directly to the MNVD as possible, so wherever it un-moors you still have it captivated. Some guys just tether the RHNO to the helmet but that does not help if the MNVD launches from the RHNO. Tie through your vent holes and make a noose in the loose end - cinch to secure and uncinch to release. The various methodologies for tethering the MNVD and related accessories probably deserves it own thread. Exactly. Id go from your PVS-14 to the J Arm, to your lanyard, then to your helmet or NVD mount. I like the daisy chain approach because it ties everything together. I didn't mention it because that takes a little bit of thinking to do it right and these guys are vibrating to get to the field. |
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[#25]
+1 to everything Augee said.
As far as the corrective eye surgery, most of the results are graded according to seeing 20/20 or better on a bright sunny day. Seeing at night hasn't been a factor for success of the surgery. http://www.lasikcomplications.com/nightvision.htm I'm not fond of the problems with glasses, and have used contacts for 25 years now, but with a diopter of -9.5 I'll still take the contacts over risking my night vision with the surgery until there's a way the correction can be made with seeing at night in mind. |
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[#26]
Quoted:
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/361596/IMG-6106-158468.JPGhttps://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/361596/IMG-6105-158469.JPGHoly moley this is kinda nuts. View Quote |
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[#27]
So stupid question- With your supplemental IR lighting tucked in close to your rail. How do you avoid IR light splash back from your suppressor? Especially if you have a cover on your suppressor. This is in use with a PVS 24. When I turn on my surefire it "flares" out my view. I assume this would also be a issue with a aimpiont and PVS 14 combo.
I can use my Dbal if the beam is focused tight so it projects past my suppressor Also how do you stand a laser/illumnator at the 12;00 postition on your gun being in your field of view? |
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[#28]
Quoted:
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/361596/IMG-6106-158468.JPGhttps://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/361596/IMG-6105-158469.JPGHoly moley this is kinda nuts. View Quote Damn, that WP is nuts. Almost makes me wish I would have went with that. Maybe on the next one |
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[#29]
Quoted:
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/361596/IMG-6106-158468.JPGhttps://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/361596/IMG-6105-158469.JPGHoly moley this is kinda nuts. View Quote That's fucking awesome. $$$$ but awesome. |
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[#30]
Quoted:
That's fucking awesome. $$ but awesome. View Quote Attached File |
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[#31]
Quoted:
The consensus seemed to be that if you're going to jump in--do it right the first time. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes |
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[#32]
Quoted:
Hmmm ... but I seem to recall some naysayers that questioned why you were willing to wait so long for your hand selected unit. View Quote I placed my order with them back on November 20th and as of this week still had not received it. I cancled my order on Monday with them figuring to go elsewhere. Then bought this unit from the EE and had it in (2) days. It was made in Jan 2017 by TNVC and the only difference was tan housing rather than camo. I managed to save about $240 as well. Funny how things work out sometimes. |
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[#33]
Quoted:
Hmmm ... but I seem to recall some naysayers that questioned why you were willing to wait so long for your hand selected unit. View Quote Maybe because you and other naysayers don't know our units have the highest specs out there and are plucked form the actual Mil Spec L3 production line (not fall outs) and our demand is very high as we get in line like all the other Mil units. Tech Ops, glad you got a unit, our warranty will transfer over to your current unit. Just give us an email with your latest information. Thank you. P.S. Your new unit would have shipped this week as our latest large batch of tubes did just arrive late Friday. We have had to double up on our contact with L3 WPT. Either way you saved some money, which is always a good thing. |
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[#34]
Quoted:
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/361596/IMG-6106-158468.JPGhttps://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/361596/IMG-6105-158469.JPGHoly moley this is kinda nuts. View Quote Nice tube.... |
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[#35]
Quoted:
Maybe because you and other naysayers don't know our units have the highest specs out there and are plucked form the actual Mil Spec L3 production line (not fall outs) and our demand is very high as we get in line like all the other Mil units. Tech Ops, glad you got a unit, our warranty will transfer over to your current unit. Just give us an email with your latest information. Thank you. P.S. Your new unit would have shipped this week as our latest large batch of tubes did just arrive late Friday. We have had to double up on our contact with L3 WPT. Either way you saved some money, which is always a good thing. View Quote It's a good "issue" to have. I saved some cash and still got what I wanted...the best. |
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[#36]
Quoted:
Well..to be honest the unit I finally bought was not from TNVC.(directly) I placed my order with them back on November 20th and as of this week still had not received it. I cancled my order on Monday with them figuring to go elsewhere. Then bought this unit from the EE and had it in (2) days. It was made in Jan 2017 by TNVC and the only difference was tan housing rather than camo. I managed to save about $240 as well. Funny how things work out sometimes. View Quote I saw (drooled) over that one on EE. Congrats. |
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[#37]
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[#38]
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[#39]
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[#40]
Quoted:
Doesn't seem like the thread for this? Have to be honest it seems like you're shitting up an excellent thread because of a spat with SOT. Why ask what the STN ratio is in this thread? Humble brag? View Quote Lets get back on topic. |
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[#41]
Quoted:
Doesn't seem like the thread for this? Have to be honest it seems like you're shitting up an excellent thread because of a spat with SOT. Why ask what the STN ratio is in this thread? Humble brag? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Doesn't seem like the thread for this? Have to be honest it seems like you're shitting up an excellent thread because of a spat with SOT. Why ask what the STN ratio is in this thread? Humble brag? Have to be honest as well...I started the SPAT? I said nothing, nor ever commented until others did...Maybe you should have asked him why he derailed and posted this Doesn't seem like the thread for this either Quoted:
Hmmm ... but I seem to recall some naysayers that questioned why you were willing to wait so long for your hand selected unit. And have to be honest here.... I asked AFTER TechOps (THE OP, HIS THREAD) showed and told, and it was important he knew what the warranty transfer was...AND the part about the S/N was a good question as there has been several TNV-14's on the EE and was NOT sure which one he got, and yes he can brag with those specs, I simply asked. Hope this helps. TechOps, please send Jaimie at tnvc dot com an email Monday with your Serial # and full name etc. so we can transfer the warranty. |
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[#42]
Quoted:
So stupid question- With your supplemental IR lighting tucked in close to your rail. How do you avoid IR light splash back from your suppressor? Especially if you have a cover on your suppressor. This is in use with a PVS 24. When I turn on my surefire it "flares" out my view. I assume this would also be a issue with a aimpiont and PVS 14 combo. I can use my Dbal if the beam is focused tight so it projects past my suppressor Also how do you stand a laser/illumnator at the 12;00 postition on your gun being in your field of view? View Quote Chiraq won't let the good part of this state have suppressors.. |
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[#43]
Quoted:
So stupid question- With your supplemental IR lighting tucked in close to your rail. How do you avoid IR light splash back from your suppressor? Especially if you have a cover on your suppressor. This is in use with a PVS 24. When I turn on my surefire it "flares" out my view. I assume this would also be a issue with a aimpiont and PVS 14 combo. I can use my Dbal if the beam is focused tight so it projects past my suppressor Also how do you stand a laser/illumnator at the 12;00 postition on your gun being in your field of view? View Quote The only other solution I have found is to move it to the helmet which changes the ergonomics altogether (probably for the worse). |
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[#44]
Quoted:
Maybe because you and other naysayers don't know our units have the highest specs out there and are plucked form the actual Mil Spec L3 production line (not fall outs) and our demand is very high as we get in line like all the other Mil units. Tech Ops, glad you got a unit, our warranty will transfer over to your current unit. Just give us an email with your latest information. Thank you. P.S. Your new unit would have shipped this week as our latest large batch of tubes did just arrive late Friday. We have had to double up on our contact with L3 WPT. Either way you saved some money, which is always a good thing. View Quote |
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[#45]
Quoted:
So stupid question- With your supplemental IR lighting tucked in close to your rail. How do you avoid IR light splash back from your suppressor? Especially if you have a cover on your suppressor. This is in use with a PVS 24. When I turn on my surefire it "flares" out my view. I assume this would also be a issue with a aimpiont and PVS 14 combo. I can use my Dbal if the beam is focused tight so it projects past my suppressor Also how do you stand a laser/illumnator at the 12;00 postition on your gun being in your field of view? View Quote A turbo coupling makes a good splash shield for your light problem. Just measure the outside diameter of your light and get one just a hair smaller, they have some stretch so it will stay there. Something like this works good. Turbo Coupler |
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[#46]
Thanks, thats a great idea I have not though of. I just see all these different lights mounted in tight in behind suppressors and wonder how it was working for everyone.
Everyone seems to want high power lasers and illuminators and I have more problem with splash back from foliage hunting pigs in the swamps of Georgia. I have started using layers of x-ray film on my dbal to tone down the intensity. All my shooting is under 100 yds in heavy cover. So things happen fast. |
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[#47]
Hunting in thick woods is tough when IR is needed, every little twig reflects light back at you. A 940nm IR light works 100x better when hunting in thick cover.
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[#48]
Quoted:
So stupid question- With your supplemental IR lighting tucked in close to your rail. How do you avoid IR light splash back from your suppressor? Especially if you have a cover on your suppressor. This is in use with a PVS 24. When I turn on my surefire it "flares" out my view. I assume this would also be a issue with a aimpiont and PVS 14 combo. I can use my Dbal if the beam is focused tight so it projects past my suppressor Also how do you stand a laser/illumnator at the 12;00 postition on your gun being in your field of view? View Quote These things are ugly but cheap so you could test the waters to see if it works for you to move the light forward: TufForce MT-1R7E15 I think it will clear the diameter of the suppressor but you should check that. There are similar ones with more rise that will clear a larger diameter suppressor. There are some more elegant units available but they aren't very common. |
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[#49]
Quoted:
Hunting in thick woods is tough when IR is needed, every little twig reflects light back at you. A 940nm IR light works 100x better when hunting in thick cover. View Quote Absolutely correct in my experience. 940nm seems to splash back less from twigs and tree trunks. I have a couple different cheapie IR flashlights from eBay, Amazon, and Alibaba, not to mention some 6W vehicle-borne illuminators. The 940nm seem like the light produced doesn't "bounce" around as much, I seem to remember something about 940nm being absorbed by water vapor... But it's been like ten years since I cared about that stuff. If you have an issue with your suppressor splashing, try picking up some silicone based self-mastic tape and wrap that on the suppressor. It may change the sound signature and/or POI, so play with it a little bit. Alternatively, I'm sure you could pick up some kind of IR Absorptive fabric covering from a vendor, or move the light to the right-hand side of your rifle and use a remote-switch to reduce how much splash hits your FOV. Unfortunately, short of a culminated illuminator, you're going to be stuck with workarounds for this issue. |
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[#50]
SOT_Solutions, since it was recently mentioned, could you do a post on the topic of NVD lens protection and add-on filters? For example: sacrificial lenses, LIF filters, demist shields, IR filters, amber filters, etc...?
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