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Posted: 11/23/2020 3:49:37 PM EDT
[#1]
My backup rifle has a vis/ir laser (without illuminator) and a white light. It's primary use is during the day so equipment is placed accordingly. My work gun has more expensive gear on it and is more night-oriented. I don't see anything wrong with a jack of all trades rifle and not necessarily spending $$$ on the top of the line equipment. It all depends on what you need it to do.
Another consideration is with a good set of duals and a higher RDS mount, just about any gun can be good to go at night. But yes, lots of decent options to bring a whole new capability to a gun without breaking the bank. Edit: Another note on the dual tubes. I always fought getting them because of the cost but when I considered needing at least 1k to get a gun setup to shoot at night, it adds up quick. The duals give me a pretty good solution for anything with an RDS. |
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Posted: 11/23/2020 3:50:56 PM EDT
[#2]
My plan is to have two guns set up almost identically for use with nods. A 10.5" 556 pistol and 8.5" 300BLK pistol.
Both will have streamlight HLX and Steiner/TNVC TOR mini. |
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Posted: 11/23/2020 3:56:56 PM EDT
[#3]
I've got a few.
Also, it may not relate to your question, but I wish my NVision HALO thermal had a rail on top like the REAP-IR doe, so I could put an RMR on top of it. That would be handy. I do have a PEQ15 on my HALO equipped 300BLK though. |
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Posted: 11/23/2020 4:05:49 PM EDT
[#4]
Quoted: How many of you have backup or alternative rifles that can be used in a pinch under NODs but aren’t optimized with perfect placement of tape switches or activation button placement or top quality gear? An OTAL and a vampire gives you 100m White/IR/Illum capability for $800 or a Dbal I-2 and TLR1 for $900 Even a Perst1 and TLR1 easily transforms any weapon to a capable day/night tool for $300 Am I off base here? You're generally on the right track. My "night optimized" rifles all have RDS primary sights to maintain passive aiming capability. Anything with an LPVO or magnified optic is night vision capable/compatible (may have offset or piggybacked RDS + laser, room for a clip-on, etc.). Then there's "beaters/loaners," which may have a TOR-MINI thrown on them, so they're not useless with night vision, but they're not particularly set up as a fighting gun. ~Augee |
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Posted: 11/23/2020 4:38:19 PM EDT
[#5]
I started putting cheap red lasers on the rifles that don't have an IR laser or NV capable red dot.
The red lasers are not very visible to naked eye, but light extremely well with NV. And when its just me shooting in my back yard, no one sees the laser but me lol. I got tired of picking up guns, wishing I could shoot them with nods and figured it was better than nothing. You can find decent quality red lasers with very small footprints for relatively cheap. |
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Posted: 11/23/2020 4:40:36 PM EDT
[#6]
Holosun 117ir -$270
surefire scout vampire -$340 (cheaper used) Taps sync-$ 158 Total =$768 or less if u can find some stuff used And you get ir laser + Ir Illuminator with one press of a button. That’s what I’ve been thinking for secondary rifles ^ |
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Posted: 11/23/2020 4:45:59 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted: My plan is to have two guns set up almost identically for use with nods. A 10.5" 556 pistol and 8.5" 300BLK pistol. Both will have streamlight HLX and Steiner/TNVC TOR mini. Basically what I have too - 11.3" 5.56 w/LPVO, Offset 407c, and PERST-3, and 10.5" .300 w/ACSS RDS and LS321, both with White Lights. Once I throw a Hogster XXmm on the 16", it too, will be a Night Gun 
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Posted: 11/23/2020 4:54:50 PM EDT
[#8]
All of my rifles have at minimum the ability to shoot passive.
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Posted: 11/23/2020 4:58:12 PM EDT
[#9]
My back up guns have a red dot and M600V. Not too expensive, works great with dual tubes, and I can use them with or without NV.
I have a Unimax IR + RDS + 600V on my varmint gun but I almost always just use the red dot + 600V. The Unimax is fun for plinking though. |
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Posted: 11/23/2020 5:44:36 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You're generally on the right track. My "night optimized" rifles all have RDS primary sights to maintain passive aiming capability. Anything with an LPVO or magnified optic is night vision capable/compatible (may have offset or piggybacked RDS + laser, room for a clip-on, etc.). Then there's "beaters/loaners," which may have a TOR-MINI thrown on them, so they're not useless with night vision, but they're not particularly set up as a fighting gun. ~Augee Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: How many of you have backup or alternative rifles that can be used in a pinch under NODs but aren’t optimized with perfect placement of tape switches or activation button placement or top quality gear? An OTAL and a vampire gives you 100m White/IR/Illum capability for $800 or a Dbal I-2 and TLR1 for $900 Even a Perst1 and TLR1 easily transforms any weapon to a capable day/night tool for $300 Am I off base here? You're generally on the right track. My "night optimized" rifles all have RDS primary sights to maintain passive aiming capability. Anything with an LPVO or magnified optic is night vision capable/compatible (may have offset or piggybacked RDS + laser, room for a clip-on, etc.). Then there's "beaters/loaners," which may have a TOR-MINI thrown on them, so they're not useless with night vision, but they're not particularly set up as a fighting gun. ~Augee Pretty much this. All of my rifles could be used at night. A couple are “night optimized”. |
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Posted: 11/23/2020 6:27:33 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You're generally on the right track. My "night optimized" rifles all have RDS primary sights to maintain passive aiming capability. Anything with an LPVO or magnified optic is night vision capable/compatible (may have offset or piggybacked RDS + laser, room for a clip-on, etc.). Then there's "beaters/loaners," which may have a TOR-MINI thrown on them, so they're not useless with night vision, but they're not particularly set up as a fighting gun. ~Augee Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: How many of you have backup or alternative rifles that can be used in a pinch under NODs but aren’t optimized with perfect placement of tape switches or activation button placement or top quality gear? An OTAL and a vampire gives you 100m White/IR/Illum capability for $800 or a Dbal I-2 and TLR1 for $900 Even a Perst1 and TLR1 easily transforms any weapon to a capable day/night tool for $300 Am I off base here? You're generally on the right track. My "night optimized" rifles all have RDS primary sights to maintain passive aiming capability. Anything with an LPVO or magnified optic is night vision capable/compatible (may have offset or piggybacked RDS + laser, room for a clip-on, etc.). Then there's "beaters/loaners," which may have a TOR-MINI thrown on them, so they're not useless with night vision, but they're not particularly set up as a fighting gun. ~Augee You could easily play defense with a helmet mounted PVS14, TOR mini and a TLR-1 You may not want to go force on force with a near-peer opponent but it let you see and aim well enough in most environments, right? |
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Posted: 11/23/2020 7:17:03 PM EDT
[#12]
Every single one of my rifles is as you’d say “night optimized”, being equipped with a full power laser/illuminator of some sort.
I really need to mess with clip ons more. SGT-Fish is onto something with the red laser though, you’d be surprised how well they work and how they actually don’t give off much of a visible signature. You can also make neutral density filters out of old floppy discs that work pretty well. I drilled out the cover on a red OTAL and glued in a piece of floppy disc and it basically made it an IR OTAL only better because it eliminated the bloom. |
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Posted: 11/23/2020 7:20:30 PM EDT
[#13]
Virtually any rifle with a red dot and a basic white light could be "night capable". Add an IR/Laser and a white light to make it more capable.
For an "optimized" rifle I would probably select a quality night vision capable (low dot illumination) red dot like an Aimpoint T-1 or T-2. I would mount that on a "night sight" height riser (higher than a normal one so its easy to shoot passively through the NOD). Then add a long range laser/illuminator like a MAWL or DBAL D-2 and of course you still need a white light (1000 lumens is good). Probably would add remote tape switches for the light and laser/illuminator depending on how you hold the gun - I personally like the remote switches. |
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Posted: 11/23/2020 8:05:04 PM EDT
[#14]
No, I think you’re spot on. I’ve tried to slowly upgrade the entire fleet to have a IR laser at the bare minimum, and several ready to go with the whole NV enchilada.
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Posted: 11/23/2020 9:04:12 PM EDT
[#15]
In 2020 there's no reason a long gun can't be night vision capable. If it's got a red dot system, make it one with NV settings on a 1.93 mount. 1.93 is just as good during the day as it is at night.
If you're doing magnified optics, piggy back a red dot on an offset mount or put a small visible laser on it. A visible laser works awesome as an emergency backup aiming system on any gun, and there's nothing like getting proficient at night vision shooting to make you realize that shooting up close with a laser is an incredible capability both day and night. |
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Posted: 11/24/2020 11:44:45 PM EDT
[#16]
I've started putting together a somewhat budget friendly set-up, just ordered a Photonis Echo from JRH and I've got most of my rifle set-up done.
I would call it "night capable" at this point: 11.5" suppressed upper Aimpoint PRO (Scalarworks lower third mount) Streamlight TLR VIR 2 on the top rail Streamlight HLX with tapeswitch My only regret is not getting something with a slaved visible laser, but for $290 for the VIR 2, I'll live with it for now. |
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Posted: 11/25/2020 8:53:26 AM EDT
[#17]
I like the streamligt TLR-2 IRW makes a great rifle system when combined with their tape switch. White light makes it usable without NVG, IR laser when i do, cheap and light weight. i have no meed for IR illuminator because my PVS14 just dont seem to need it.
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Posted: 11/25/2020 11:47:09 AM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I've started putting together a somewhat budget friendly set-up, just ordered a Photonis Echo from JRH and I've got most of my rifle set-up done. I would call it "night capable" at this point: 11.5" suppressed upper Aimpoint PRO (Scalarworks lower third mount) Streamlight TLR VIR 2 on the top rail Streamlight HLX with tapeswitch My only regret is not getting something with a slaved visible laser, but for $290 for the VIR 2, I'll live with it for now. Having a slaved vis laser IMHO is useless since it's only set at a certain distance, after that the 2 points can be off at distance. The best way to zero your IR laser is to overlap it to an already zeroed RDS (I use 50/200) at the furthest distance possible that way all your hold overs/unders are the same as your RDS. |
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Posted: 11/25/2020 11:57:54 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Having a slaved vis laser IMHO is useless since it's only set at a certain distance, after that the 2 points can be off at distance. The best way to zero your IR laser is to overlap it to an already zeroed RDS (I use 50/200) at the furthest distance possible that way all your hold overs/unders are the same as your RDS. Okay that makes sense, thanks for the tip. |
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Posted: 11/27/2020 4:52:08 AM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I've started putting together a somewhat budget friendly set-up, just ordered a Photonis Echo from JRH and I've got most of my rifle set-up done. I would call it "night capable" at this point: 11.5" suppressed upper Aimpoint PRO (Scalarworks lower third mount) Streamlight TLR VIR 2 on the top rail Streamlight HLX with tapeswitch My only regret is not getting something with a slaved visible laser, but for $290 for the VIR 2, I'll live with it for now. After several years of fooling around with a number of setups, I don't really place a ton of value on slaved vis lasers anymore. Can make daylight equipment checks easier and they're another backup sighting option, but I never mess around with them for zeroing, due to using the same method MunnyShot outlined. A thing to watch out for doing night capable on the cheap, a lot of the non-Aimpoint red dots have coatings that block some of the IR wavelengths just outside the visible range. This can range from annoying to near-unusable for passive sighting. Holosun in particular seems to do it on the cheaper versions of a given optic - like the 407, vs the 507/508T |
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Posted: 11/27/2020 8:45:00 AM EDT
[#21]
Strongly recommend the zenitco 2iks+ gen 3 ir laser/illuminator.
Inexpensive and effective for closer range. |
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Posted: 11/27/2020 11:37:11 AM EDT
[#22]
Night vision capable at MY place includes guns that are outfitted with visible light and lasers.
Doesn't take much of a white light or laser to turn a shotgun (or any other gun) into a 25 yard rig that will work fine when you have passively found your quarry with unassisted NV be it I squared NV or thermal. That is where my cheap lasers and many cheap, low power LED lights end up - attached however possible on old, non-railed, clunker guns that might need to hit within 6", inside of reasonable self defense distances, if necessary. So what if the light comes on just before the shot rings out? You are going to shoot - move - shoot anyway if it is that kind of an event. We did it for decades without NV and only with white light. It's a good idea and it's easy to fold in the NV ability with the same equipment. With NV, the dimmest led flashlight or red laser often suffices. My real night vision guns are outfitted properly (for me) with much better quality gear, but none are set up with shots beyond 100 yards in mind. |
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Posted: 11/27/2020 11:48:57 AM EDT
[#23]
Any of you guys run the Arisaka EX IR Light? https://arisakadefense.com/products/ex-ir-light seems like this would be a pretty badass illuminator
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Posted: 11/27/2020 3:06:26 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Any of you guys run the Arisaka EX IR Light? https://arisakadefense.com/products/ex-ir-light seems like this would be a pretty badass illuminator I'm waiting for reviews comparing the 250mW version to the 700mW head and for Arisaka to restock on 600 bodies for it to be available as a package before I pick one up. I'm still not sure if 700mW would be too powerful for the ranges that I'd be working with under night vision although I guess it would help defeat photonic barriers more effectively than the 250mW head; maybe I can add a diffuser snap cap or something to the 700mW head... |
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