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Posted: 7/15/2013 1:44:11 AM EDT
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I've been thinking about getting a NV scope but not sure the PVS-14 is what I need.
I'm looking for something that can take up to 308 recoil, has some magnification and is decently rugged. Having the gen 3's capability is great but I cannot afford 2000+ for the good ones. Therefore, I started considering the PVS-4 but would appreciate your experience with it and recommendation of reputable sources. I imagine that a PVS-4 plus a decent IR illumination device should provide very good view. Are there better options than the PVS-4? Thanks! |
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The PVS-4 is one of the best bargains in NV. They are super durable and work very well for the money. As stated above, add some IR and you really add to the performance. With a super bright IR illuminator, I could just about double the range that I could ID something at. You can get the used in the $1K to 1.5K range, a little cheaper if your lucky, a bit more if you get a really nice one or a gen 3 tube (closer to $2500). But be aware of the risks of buying used and particularly of buying used NV on Ebay. I would keep an eye out on the EE optics for sale section on this board, PVS-4 pop up time to time.
I have a TVS-5, which is the PVS-4 big brother (same image tube with a 6x front lens instead of the PVS-4's 4x). It is very big and heavy. I am keeping an eye out for a PVS-4 front lens assembly to put on it. It is too big for use on a rifle (it was made for crew served weapons) and it needs to be slimmed down. It can be used as a spotting scope if mounted to a tripod and has the 3" rear lens added, but I don't have the need for that. If I had a view from my house, I would use it in this role. I used to have a PVS-4, which is about as large as you would want to go There is also the M845 as mentioned above. It is a little smaller and lighter than the PVS-4. It also works pretty well and is also pretty durable. I had one and was impressed with it for the money. I would go with the 3x rather than the 1.8x. I had the 1.8x and it has the disadvantage of a rifle scope without the advantage of higher magnification. These run closer to $2K, but can still be found new from some retailers. So you don't have the risk of buying used or off of Ebay. Now, be aware that the PVS-4 is pretty big and heavy. So you would not be holding it up like a PVS-14 to your eye for longer than just a few minutes. It won't work well for hand held scanning or navigating, so it's use will be limited. Also consider the fact that you will be pointing a rifle everywhere you look with the PVS-4. Again, for shooting, it is a great scope. But it isn't a great do it all NV device. You may also consider getting a gen 2 monocular or even looking into a PVS-7 with the gen 3 tube. Both will be used and have all the risk of buying used. But you can get a gen 2 monocular for under $1K pretty easily. The PVS-7 can be found for $1200-1500 with a newer tube and will be much more flexible than the PVS-4. I have seen some older gen 3 tubed PVS-7 for close to $1K. The PVS-7 isn't as desirable to many as a PVS-14, but I really like them and think they are a great bargain, particularly for the civilian user. If I could only have a PVS-4 or a PVS-7, the -7 would definitely be it by a huge margin. You can add a 3x magnifier and IR laser if you want to shoot at distance. It won't be as nice as a dedicated NV rifle scope for shooting, but it will do everything else better (scanning, star gazing, navigating, etc.). |
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I have a 3rd gen PVS 7, about omni 4 to 5 spec, and its not that much worse than my new PVS 14, the main difference I see, is that the 14 allows you to have a night adapted eye, and it still allows some use once your eye is accustomed to the dark.
I would not hesitate to buy a good used PVS 7 if you can find one, most folks are clueless about what tube is in it, and you can find that out in about a minute, with no tools. AS for recoil, I would NOT mount a PVS 14 to a 308 rifle, even though some claim their brand can take the shock. In fact, after becoming educated, I am not mounting my PVS 14 to a rifle, just in case, an IR laser is the way to go, with options for IR lasers under 200 bucks, its a no brainer. |
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Thanks!
I saw a PVS-4 once and the size wasn't that bad to mount on a R700 since I'm not moving around long distances. I looked at e-bay but do not trust that place for this kind of stuff. Prefer dealing with the TNVC folks, which have good reputation here. The M845 also looks fine but I did not see it in their website so shot them an e-mail. An online search just brought the 1.5x magnification. The PVS-14 looks very cool, but there's the 308 problem and the budget. The PVS-7 does not seem mountable on a rifle. So, not considering it right now. |
| Its a long shot, but look up the German Fero Z51 units, with Zeiss optics, its a dual tube 1st gen unit, that is a great bargain if you can find one. Lack of parts make it a kinda dead end, but, it was designed for full auto 7.62 fire, and should handle the recoil you want, seriously, it has great performance for a 1st gen plus unit, and the original price was great, sub 400 bucks, they are bringing more on the secondary market, but, its cheap even at those costs. |
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Quoted:
Its a long shot, but look up the German Fero Z51 units, with Zeiss optics, its a dual tube 1st gen unit, that is a great bargain if you can find one. Lack of parts make it a kinda dead end, but, it was designed for full auto 7.62 fire, and should handle the recoil you want, seriously, it has great performance for a 1st gen plus unit, and the original price was great, sub 400 bucks, they are bringing more on the secondary market, but, its cheap even at those costs. www.hkparts.net has them in stock. I had one and the image was outstanding. The main diffference between it and a PVS-4 (which I also had) was that the image was crisper on the Z51, but had some fisheye on the edges, and it was VERY sensitive to lights. So sensitive they actually have an internal filter you can engage to cut down the light levels! If you are in a more suburban area I would go with the PVS-4, in a very rural area the Z51 would rock out. |
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Thanks! The Zeiss looks fine. Found some videos and reviews about it. Only problem is the risk. Anything breaks and it's a paper weight. TNVC does not have the PVS-4, still my first option but may have the other model so I'm calling them to check it out. Other places carry pvs-4's, and the zeiss is very good for the cash, but you are probably SOL if/when the tube goes. Its about the same size and weight as the pvs-4 which is nice for a gen1. The 845's are nice too though a bit more cash though. |
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