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Posted: 4/26/2015 2:03:34 PM EDT
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I am pretty lost when it comes to mounts. I just ordered a PVS14 and I am trying to figure out what I am going to do for a helmet mount. The only thing I decided on is I want a dovetail mount. I currently have a ACH with the single point mount, but in the future I plan on getting an Ops-Core FAST and Base Jump.
Question: 1) Will all of the mounts connect with both the single point ACH and Ops-Core mounts? IE, are they "standard"? These are the 2 dovetail adapters I am looking at: Wilcox Norotos Questions: 2) For the Wilcox mount, when I have the night vision in the "up position" can I rotate the PVS14 so it is flush with my helmet and not sticking out? 3) For the Norotos mount, this does not appear to be adjustable. If it places the NOD too far left or right am I stuck with that position or is there a way to get it lined up with my eye L/R? |
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Quoted:
I am pretty lost when it comes to mounts. I just ordered a PVS14 and I am trying to figure out what I am going to do for a helmet mount. The only thing I decided on is I want a dovetail mount. I currently have a ACH with the single point mount, but in the future I plan on getting an Ops-Core FAST and Base Jump. Question: 1) Will all of the mounts connect with both the single point ACH and Ops-Core mounts? IE, are they "standard"? These are the 2 dovetail adapters I am looking at: Wilcox Norotos Questions: 2) For the Wilcox mount, when I have the night vision in the "up position" can I rotate the PVS14 so it is flush with my helmet and not sticking out? 3) For the Norotos mount, this does not appear to be adjustable. If it places the NOD too far left or right am I stuck with that position or is there a way to get it lined up with my eye L/R? I've only used the Wilcox arm. It does adjust a little, but more for adjustment of angle in use. Your mount plays more of a role in the stowed position than the arm/interface. |
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I have tried most of the common mounts over the past year or so in an effort to gain a good understanding of the differences.
Since you have decided on dovetail, that makes the next step(s) in selecting the mount SYSTEM easier. The Wilcox arm will not position your PVS-14 any closer to your helmet when stowed (up position) than a standard USGI J-arm unless you use the Norotos INVG mount which is pretty much the only one that has a "swivel" feature. If you go with this option, be advised that the "I-arm" version that you linked does not allow enough rearward adjustment for many folks. The "J-arm" version with the silly shut-off switch provides more rearward travel, and seems to be the preferred option for most folks.....just dyke of the stupid switch pigtail if you don't want to use that "feature", or if the mount you select does not have push button raise/lower. The Norotos DDA that you linked does indeed have inter-pupillary adjustment (side-to-side), but there are a couple of caveats. You must get the newer "THA" version; the older ones did not have this feature, so know what you are buying if shopping used. There is only one adjustable shoe; the other one is non-adjustable. Either shoe can be used for either eye. Since I never swap the monocular from eye to eye, I put the adjustable shoe for the left eye on my DDA and didn't even bother putting the other shoe back on. |
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The vast majority of mounts, including USGI Rhino, all of the Wilcox stuff, and most of the Norotos stuff as it comes from the factory use the "bracket-type" interface. This is the standard interface on USGI brackets, OpsCore, Team Wendy, etc.
Norotos also has a proprietary "shroud-type" interface. Some of the TATMs come from the factory with this, and other such as the INVG and AKA2 can be converted. The only helmet shrouds that I am aware of that use this are the Norotos 1-hole, 3-hole, and universal, typically used on ballistic helmets such as the MICH/ACH. These links from TNVCs site should help your understanding. Bracket Norotos proprietary shroud To me, there doesn't seem to be much benefit to using the much less common Norotos proprietary shroud interface, particularly if one is swapping around to multiple helmets. ETA - It would be helpful if you can post a pic of your current shroud. |
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It does not sound like I have the Notoros mount. This is the mount I bought:
http://www.fortbraggsurplus.us/MICH-ACH-NVG-Plate-p/nvg-mount.htm For some reason they copywrite their pictures so I can't link the picture. I guess what I am leaning towards is: This Mount This Arm I believe that will work with my current helmet and an ops-core in the future and is probably as cost-effective as I can get with a dovetail interface. Is there any reason I should NOT, go with that combination above? |
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All of that stuff will work together for your ACH, and will work on OpsCore or Team Wendy as well in the future.
The G24 is a nice mount now that Wilcox has reversed the action of the release/engage slider so that the release is not on the same side and right next to the raise/lower push button. Do you have any experience with the USGI Rhino? When stowed, the G24 locates the PVS lower than the Rhino for better overhead clearance if you are routinely mounting/dismounting vehicles or helos with the NOD up. The trade-off is that it is cantilevered slightly more forward when stowed, but obviously less than deployed. The reason that I highlight this is because you previously mentioned snugging up against the helmet when stowed. For the closest fit against the helmet when stowed, the INVG is king. If you ever plan to go with duals though, the swivel feature of the INVG is of no benefit for that configuration. Some other things to consider are: -FTO versus push button raise/lower -which side the pitch control is on -thumbscrew versus lever elevation adjustment -etc. Selecting a mounting SYSTEM can be a bit daunting with all of the options available,but if broken down to preferences can easily lead to good choices. |
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I was leaning towards the wilcox arm originally because I thought it could rotate flush to my helmet. I thought that would be a good feature for a little more money. In the future I hope to bridge 2 PVS14s together so I would not be using the INVG's best feature.
I do not have any experience with the Rhino. I like how the Wilcox mounts do not rotate so high up. I am afraid I am more likely to walk my PVS14 into something with it up so high. |
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Generally speaking when stowed:
-Rhino, Rhino II = highest up, furthest back -INVG, AKA2, TATM = not as high up, not as far back -Wilcox = lowest, furthest forward -The Norotos LoSto is also supposed to be quite low, but I do not have firsthand experience with this mount as it is rather new. Again, these are generalizations. If you want a low stowed height, dovetail interface, and capability for duals in the future, the G24 would be a good fit. It has breakaway (for those who find that beneficial, not me), push button raise/lower, right side pitch adjustment with a smallish lever, lever elevation adjustment, squeeze eye relief adjustment. The LoSto might also be a good option. It has breakaway, either push button raise/lower or FTO of your choice, left side pitch adjustment with a larger lever, lever elevation adjustment, right side lever eye relief adjustment ("analog" sliding versus "digital" indexed at specific locations). ETA - I will admit that my general preference is Norotos mounts. |
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