Micro dot piggybacked onto LPVO for NV use?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Micro dot piggybacked onto LPVO for NV use?

Posted: 8/12/2019 9:02:12 PM EDT

I'm relatively new to the NV scene and I'm still working on setting up my gear and optimizing it for NV use. I have a PVS-14 and I've been mostly using it over my dominant eye. I have an SBR with an Aimpoint T1 and I'm pretty happy with it for passive NV use. I also have a 14.5" carbine and it's my main do-it-all rifle. I currently have an IR laser on it but a LPVO for an optic. I really like the LPVO for general use but it's pretty much useless through NODs as far as I can tell. I don't want to sacrifice the utility of the LPVO but I'd like to have a good passive NV optic on the gun. I've seen a lot of ACOGs with micro dots piggybacked onto them but I can't find much information on LPVO/micro dot combos, especially in regards to NV use.
Would this be a good solution for my setup? Seems to me that the height of the micro dot would also be a benefit for NV use. But being new at this I'm concerned that I'm missing something important.
Thanks.

Posted: 8/12/2019 9:17:39 PM EDT

[#1]

Choose a LPVO that has NV mode for their lowest red dot setting, set your magnification to 1-1.25 X and you should be gtg.

Posted: 8/12/2019 9:27:09 PM EDT

[#2]

I tried that with my current optic (Vortex Viper PST 1-4) and it didn't seem like it would work well to me. The reticle is a crosshairs with a largish segmented circle around a dot in the middle. It was just a huge blurry blob through the NV and eye relief felt pretty awkward due to the length of the tube. It didn't seem like something that I could make work quickly or with any sort of precision in actual use. I might go out and try some more if it's something that folks have been able to work with, though.
I think I'd probably still prefer a RDS of some sort. I sure like the way my Aimpoint works with the NV.

Posted: 8/12/2019 9:37:36 PM EDT

[#3]

I am soon to be in the same boat. I was wondering about a 45* offset micro?

Posted: 8/12/2019 10:20:51 PM EDT

[#4]

Quote History

Quoted:
I am soon to be in the same boat. I was wondering about a 45* offset micro?

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For a night gun, a high-mount or a piggybacked RDS is better than a lower mounted or offset mount when trying to get your NOD-Face behind it.

Posted: 8/12/2019 10:50:20 PM EDT

[#5]

Yep, works great. The PA MD-ADS button type MRDs have a very nice, crisp, 2 MOA dot that has actual NV settings. I use a scope tube mount to hang it off the ~1:30 position. You could do the 12 position too (depending on elevation turret height), but I use 1:30 because 12 is useless if my SIMRAD is onboard. A side benefit is that I can use either left or right eye to aim, just have to rotate the gun. I use my 14 on the non-dominant eye, so I try to stick with left eye (rifle rolled slightly) day or night for consistency's sake. Mine hangs off of 2.5-10 and 3-15 optics, not 1-6/8, but the NV application is the same. I too find the 1-6/8 optics FAR less than ideal for trying to look through w/ head-mounted NV. I've found that the height works out nicely too for NV use. All that said, I still prefer using an IR laser.

Posted: 8/13/2019 8:34:31 AM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:

For a night gun, a high-mount or a piggybacked RDS is better than a lower mounted or offset mount when trying to get your NOD-Face behind it.

View Quote

Yep.

Posted: 8/13/2019 12:06:16 PM EDT

[#7]

I would probably just recommend a separate optic you can swap out on a tall mount once the sun goes down to keep the weight low on the gun.

Posted: 8/13/2019 12:22:31 PM EDT

[#8]

I've had good luck with the PVS14 mounted behind Trijicon MRO.

I have a Larue mount on my 14 continuously and just transfer it to the rail behind MRO for "long distance" shots.
When done it goes back on the helmet with dovetail adapter to INVG.

I'm only able to get out to about 350 yards with that setup, but it works.

Posted: 8/13/2019 12:45:35 PM EDT

[#9]

Lots of good points and ideas. Weight of the whole setup is certainly a consideration. I’d rather not need to totally switch optics for day/night use, though. I’m thinking of having something that puts a pic rail on top of my LPVO and having a small RDS like an RMR on a QD mount that I can just snap on when needed. The pic rail would only add a small amount of weight to the gun in day use mode and the RMR setup would be light enough that I don’t think it would be too much of a burden in night config.
The IR laser would still be my primary means of aiming but I’d like at least some ability to go passive.

Posted: 8/13/2019 4:43:34 PM EDT

[#10]

I wonder if a set up like this would work well. It's not going to QD the RMR off when not needed, but I'd rather have it on if I ever did need it. If during the day you were on 6-8x power and then needed to make a closer snap shot, lift your head slightly and put the RMR to work.

https://blackphasetactical.com/products/rof-90-rmr

https://blackphasetactical.com/products/rof-25mm-riser

Posted: 8/13/2019 8:02:47 PM EDT

[#11]

What about going to something more like the ACOG with RMR up top and just being done with the LPVO altogether?

If you're going through the trouble of mounting it up high, why not just use it during the day to?

Posted: 8/13/2019 8:25:06 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
What about going to something more like the ACOG with RMR up top and just being done with the LPVO altogether?

If you're going through the trouble of mounting it up high, why not just use it during the day to?

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Funny you should mention that. Last night after I posted the original question the same ACOG idea occurred to me. I’ve been looking into those and trying to decide if that would serve my purposes better. I really like the idea of being able to go to 6x but the increased ruggedness and decreased weight of a 4x ACOG are appealing.

Those Black Phase Tactical RMR mounts look really slick, too. If I do go with a LPVO I’ll probably use something like that.

Posted: 8/13/2019 9:50:30 PM EDT

[#13]

Love my docter on my elcan for passive shooting.

Posted: 8/14/2019 6:57:14 AM EDT

[#14]

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Quoted:
Love my docter on my elcan for passive shooting.

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They also make an RMR ELCAN mount.

The LED ACOGs are actually night vision compatible, though I've never used one. Also, if you get green illumination you might still be able to use it with a LIF that cuts the green light.

With either the ELCAN or ACOG you will face some tough challenges for eye relief when using NODs. Probably best to just use the piggy back when running NODs.

Posted: 8/14/2019 6:58:22 AM EDT

[#15]

There is no way I could make a LPVO work with binos or a 14 on my dominate eye. I simply cant mount the rifle without having all kind of shit crashing into each other. I thought that I really wanted a LPVO optic on a primary weapon for its patrol value until I attempted to run it in a low light school. In low or when white light is required the LPVO is much more of a handicap than the value that it might bring during the day.

My night fighters and primary weapons are set up with a compact red dot, Aimpoint T2, in a Knights high rise mount that I can easily get behind with binos for passive and support an Aimpoint magnifier for when and if magnification is needed. Magnifier is easily and quickly removed at dark.

The new Unity Tactical FAST Mount and MAG Mount would also be a great solution!

I don't know what a LPVO does better as a primary optic vs the dot and magnifier. Lets face it with LPVO you either on 1x or its highest setting anyway. Maybe having stadia marks but I'm good to 300 and honestly if I need more than that I'm looking for a different platform.

Posted: 8/14/2019 9:24:01 AM EDT

[#16]

Offset like AJ sugessted would be okay. Top of the scope is best. I will be doing that, depending on where the pvs30 ends up in the way.

Posted: 8/14/2019 9:56:33 AM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
There is no way I could make a LPVO work with binos or a 14 on my dominate eye. I simply cant mount the rifle without having all kind of shit crashing into each other. I thought that I really wanted a LPVO optic on a primary weapon for its patrol value until I attempted to run it in a low light school. In low or when white light is required the LPVO is much more of a handicap than the value that it might bring during the day.

My night fighters and primary weapons are set up with a compact red dot, Aimpoint T2, in a Knights high rise mount that I can easily get behind with binos for passive and support an Aimpoint magnifier for when and if magnification is needed. Magnifier is easily and quickly removed at dark.

The new Unity Tactical FAST Mount and MAG Mount would also be a great solution!

I don't know what a LPVO does better as a primary optic vs the dot and magnifier. Lets face it with LPVO you either on 1x or its highest setting anyway. Maybe having stadia marks but I'm good to 300 and honestly if I need more than that I'm looking for a different platform.

View Quote

I agree. I'm planning to get the new Unity Tactical FAST mount and magnifier mount. It's about the same height as the KAC skyscraper, but it also has a "flip to center" magnifier capability so you don't have the magnifier hanging off the side, which was always my biggest issue with them. Mag mount is still QD if you don't want it at all, but I'm anticipating just leaving it there since it doesn't throw off the balance or get in the way.

They also make a riser that puts an EXPS in line with the flip to center magnifier mount (and puts it at a great height for passive NV shooting).

Posted: 8/14/2019 5:23:33 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:
I agree. I'm planning to get the new Unity Tactical FAST mount and magnifier mount. It's about the same height as the KAC skyscraper, but it also has a "flip to center" magnifier capability so you don't have the magnifier hanging off the side, which was always my biggest issue with them. Mag mount is still QD if you don't want it at all, but I'm anticipating just leaving it there since it doesn't throw off the balance or get in the way.

http://soldiersystems.net/blog1/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/image-402.jpg

http://www.unitytactical.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/FAST-Micro-Mag-Side-Deployed.jpg

They also make a riser that puts an EXPS in line with the flip to center magnifier mount (and puts it at a great height for passive NV shooting).

http://www.unitytactical.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/FAST-Riser-With-Mag.jpg

http://soldiersystems.net/blog1/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/image-406.jpg

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I'm really looking forward to y'all's user reviews on these. Looks to me like the flip down magnifier might get in the way of your NODs. Need real user feedback.

Posted: 8/14/2019 9:27:02 PM EDT

[#19]

What I've done before is used an offset holosun dot on an ADM 33* offset mount. I then put the Daniel Defense spacer that comes with the micro mount they sell on the offset mount. That put it at the right height to passively aim rather easily with nods.

I'll see if I can dig up a pic.

Posted: 8/15/2019 12:50:33 PM EDT

[#20]

How are y’all looking through the LPVO and not having them contact the lenses on your NODs during recoil? Mine are wayyyy too close for comfort.

Posted: 8/15/2019 8:31:52 PM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:

I'm really looking forward to y'all's user reviews on these. Looks to me like the flip down magnifier might get in the way of your NODs. Need real user feedback.

View Quote

The beauty of the Unity system is to simply remove the magnifier and mount at dark. Its QD so when removed no issue getting behind. At dawn flip the NODs up and reattach the magnifier.

Posted: 8/16/2019 5:13:48 AM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:
How are y’all looking through the LPVO and not having them contact the lenses on your NODs during recoil? Mine are wayyyy too close for comfort.

View Quote

My guns barely move at all under recoil.

Tune your system to improve this. Also Id run the stock a click or two out further if i was that worried.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Micro dot piggybacked onto LPVO for NV use?

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