Looking at cheap night vision monoculars, input wanted

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Looking at cheap night vision monoculars, input wanted

Posted: 12/12/2005 3:45:47 AM EDT

I'm looking for a cheap NV device to use while night calling coyotes and bobcats. It doesn't have to mount to the rifle. I want to be able to scan for incoming varmints without waving a spotlight around. Anybody have one of the Trashco/Bushnell > $200 type? How well does it work?

1911fan

Posted: 12/12/2005 3:47:06 AM EDT

[#1]

See the SWAT magazine forum for the discussion on the new CCD model

Posted: 12/12/2005 3:52:23 AM EDT

[#2]

I think the version I tried was around $170-180 or so at Dicks. It was returned as soon as I could. Miserable optics, pathetic performance. I was, and am, FAR better off with a high quality pair of bino's....

You won't believe me on this so try for yourself, just make sure what the return policy is before you drop your $$.

Posted: 12/12/2005 3:53:52 AM EDT

[#3]

The wifes grandfather bought one of those russian made ones from harbor freight & it's a pos, totoal waste of money. No idea about the tasco, is it russian or japan made ?

Posted: 12/12/2005 4:04:39 AM EDT

[#4]

forget the swat article. several guys bought one based off that review and the general consensus is that it was crap.

i have a night owl gen1 that is useable. not great but functional. it would atleast allow you to see a moving dog like shape at around 75-100yrds. nothing is that price range is going to be good.

Posted: 12/12/2005 5:10:54 AM EDT

[#5]

Some of the Russky NOD's can be worth having with a good, healthy IR illuminator. You have to remember that these are essentially 1950's and 60's technology devices you are buying. It's not like TV or what you see on the movies. None of the 1st gen devices will provide a useful image on an average night out in the country without some kind of an artificial light source. There's no such thing as a free lunch in life, and any $200 NVD you buy will leave you wanting for performance if you expect it to be more than a curiosity to show your friends.

Dave

Definitely won't look like this tent with a faint dim glow to it:

Posted: 12/12/2005 7:37:11 AM EDT

[#6]

my nightowl is significantly better than that pic using 1/2 moon light on a clear night.

Posted: 12/12/2005 7:39:32 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
I'm looking for a cheap NV device to use while night calling coyotes and bobcats. It doesn't have to mount to the rifle. I want to be able to scan for incoming varmints without waving a spotlight around. Anybody have one of the Trashco/Bushnell > $200 type? How well does it work?

1911fan

You can night hunt in Washington?

Posted: 12/12/2005 8:13:54 AM EDT

[#8]

Yup, coyotes and bobcats only.

1911fan

Posted: 12/12/2005 8:21:21 AM EDT

[#9]

I have an ~$85 monocular from Sam's Club I bought two years ago. It's been used to check on the kids across the street that were shooting fireworks over my house and was fine for that. It's a Gen I with illuminator. I've toyed with the idea of getting some IR Cyalume Lightsticks and using them as illumination (thrown on the lawn for example). It's grainy and has a lot of spots to it but has a little more contrast to it than the pic that TheOtherDave posted.

Frankly I think everyone should have some kind of NV, be it monocular or not.

Posted: 12/12/2005 8:29:21 AM EDT

[#10]

I have a $220 Isreali import monocular. Uses 2 AA batteries. Been really happy with it. When I get home I'll get the mdel number.
I believe I bought it from KY Imports.

Posted: 12/12/2005 8:35:03 AM EDT

[#11]

I dont have any NV but i saw on optics planet that they sell a cheap Bushnell monocule that actually comes with a rifle mount. Do others also have that option? It seems to me that you have to pay a lot extra for "weapon mount" NV. But if you get a cheap Monocule and mount it yourself you save dinero.

Posted: 12/12/2005 8:40:22 AM EDT

[#12]

Tag

Posted: 12/12/2005 8:46:19 AM EDT

[#13]

I just bought a Weaver Nightview that is supposed to be really good. I haven't tried it yet but will in the near future ...price was $199.

Posted: 12/12/2005 12:04:58 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
I just bought a Weaver Nightview that is supposed to be really good. I haven't tried it yet but will in the near future ...price was $199.

i hope your experience is better than the others here have had.

Posted: 12/12/2005 12:09:03 PM EDT

[#15]

I've been looking at buying some cheap goggles for just goofing off at night. I dont' know which ones to go with though. Bushnell, Night Owl, or Argus.

Abe

Posted: 12/12/2005 12:14:53 PM EDT

[#16]

Don't do it.

Posted: 12/12/2005 12:17:50 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Don't do it.

+1

Save your dough for Gen3

Posted: 12/12/2005 12:29:08 PM EDT

[#18]

is there a decent weapon mounted monocular that doesnt have the price tag of a PVS-14?

i could probably afford one, just cant justify it for the little use it will get.

any other decent ones out there?

Posted: 12/12/2005 12:30:30 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I just bought a Weaver Nightview that is supposed to be really good. I haven't tried it yet but will in the near future ...price was $199.

i hope your experience is better than the others here have had.

I am not so impressed with my NightView. I don't have anything to compare it to though.

Posted: 12/12/2005 1:10:49 PM EDT

[#20]

If you can potentially afford a Gen II or III save up but it wont help you now. I couldnt afford a Gen III unless I saved for YEARS so thats not an option. I been looking at Gen I stuff because it is within my reach now and better than nothing.

I'd rather have a GenI thats works OK now than looking at the dark saying "Sure wish I had some Nightvision, maybe in a couple a years i'll have some good stuff"

Posted: 12/12/2005 1:13:53 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
If you can potentially afford a Gen II or III save up but it wont help you now. I couldnt afford a Gen III unless I saved for YEARS so thats not an option. I been looking at Gen I stuff because it is within my reach now and better than nothing.

I'd rather have a GenI thats works OK now than looking at the dark saying "Sure wish I had some Nightvision, maybe in a couple a years i'll have some good stuff"

That's exactly the reason I got mine. It was $85 or so at Sam's Club. Works nice. I'm glad I have it.

Sure I would like Gen II or III... It's just not happening right now or even for the forseeable future.

Posted: 12/12/2005 9:51:19 PM EDT

[#22]

I concur with others: the gen-1 scopes can be useful at close range if you use illumination, but otherwise aren't. I have an ATN M0-21 and I like it for the $230 it cost. The "free" 2X doubler is useless but the regular lens is 3.2X and works okay. I feel it works about as well as a gen-1 can--that there is nothing deficient about the scope overall.

I bought one Harbor Fr3ight and have seen a couple other models from them and they were all POS's, you could see that it was working but the view was nearly-useless. I took mine apart just to see what was inside a NV scope. The optics appear to be TOTALLY uncoated, and the imaging tube internals are crooked! The ATN cost twice as much but is built much nicer.
----
And dual-tube gen-1 goggles would be a waste of money. The "decent" dual-tube gen-1 goggles cost up around $750 or so--and for ~$1200 you could buy a gen-2 monocular that would work much better overall.
~

Posted: 12/17/2005 8:36:57 AM EDT

[#23]

So how far away can you recognize things with the MO-21? I want to be able to spot coyotes or bobcats against snow, prfereably out to 250-300 yards.
But I also don't want to spend ~$1000 for it. Whatever I get will be used for 1-2 months a year, a few times a month. The idea is to locate incoming varmints and get the shooter & spotlight lined up on it, then turn on the light and shoot. Moving blobs would probably be acceptable, target recognition could be from the way the move.

1911fan

Posted: 12/17/2005 8:46:17 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
So how far away can you recognize things with the MO-21? I want to be able to spot coyotes or bobcats against snow, prfereably out to 250-300 yards.
But I also don't want to spend ~$1000 for it. Whatever I get will be used for 1-2 months a year, a few times a month. The idea is to locate incoming varmints and get the shooter & spotlight lined up on it, then turn on the light and shoot. Moving blobs would probably be acceptable, target recognition could be from the way the move.

1911fan

that would really be stretching it for any gen1 device. If it is still against a tree line you won't see it.

if it is still against a snow bank you will see a blobbbish outline that may or may not <likely not> recognisable. mine i would expect 200yrds top for a shape identification on a good moonlit night of a still target on open ground. Toss in brush and trees and it goes down to 150 or so at best.

Posted: 12/17/2005 9:22:54 AM EDT

[#25]

What about a gen2+? Is the gen3 that much more of an improvement to cost $2500 more?

Posted: 12/17/2005 9:30:17 AM EDT

[#26]

Crap- seemed like a good idea, I just don't want to spend a pot o'cash on it. Guess I'll just stick with the spotlight.

Thanks for saving me from a $200 mistake, guys!!

1911fan

Posted: 12/17/2005 9:39:28 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
So how far away can you recognize things with the MO-21? I want to be able to spot coyotes or bobcats against snow, preferably out to 250-300 yards. .....1911fan

Under those conditions, a gen-1 won't see beyond about 50 yards any better than "okay" unpowered binoculars will.

You can get some "okay" binoculars for $200, good ones (with ED-glass) for about $450. Regular binoculars do work well at night, if there is any moonlight at all and especially if there is snow on the ground. If you want to be able to see under starlight without any additional illmination, you will need at least a gen-2 scope; nothing cheaper will do it.
~

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Looking at cheap night vision monoculars, input wanted

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