I am considering buying a night vision scope and was wondering which ones work the best and what they cost. I will probably use it on several rifles including a Colt CAR-A3 Elite, a Remington .308 PSS, and a Remington .300 Win Mag Sendero.

Unfortunately those that "work the best" seem to "cost the most".  Some Generation III rifle scopes go for upwards of $ 8,000.00 while other Generation I models go for less than $ 400.00.

I haven't bought one yet, but I have seen a few of the low end hand held models and was not impressed.  If you are going to use it for a weapon sight you must be able to identify the target and accurately direct your fire.  All of the el cheapo ones I have seen with both Gen I and II intensifiers were very limited in the range at which you could see targets clearly on a dark night without using the infra red illuminator. There are some good Gen II models like the AN/PVS-4 which is also available with Gen III intensifiers. You can get a new Gen II model for less than $ 2,000.00 with a range on a man sized target of 400 yards with starlight only. You can find them lots of places including [url]www.x20.org/nightvision/PVS4.htm[/url]

I want one that will work at ranges up to at least 300 yards without any illuminator required, hold its zero and is weatherproof.  The really cool ones now are the Thermal Imaging sights available to Law Enforcement and Military only at this time.

Let me just say this...
Th cheeper ones are in Cabela's.  
I am used to the 1st or 2dn ge. Ruski ones that hage a "Power-up" rather than a turn on switch, hat way the image intensifire doesn't get overlaoded and blow! Insead it only uses the energy from the battery that was used on power-up and if it hits intense light it just fades off the power.
Even with the "image intensifiers" they are still good units.  After all the intensifiers are just a IR LED or a laser, that you can use JUST when you want it...



BISHOP

If you are going to use it on a .300 WinMag, make sure it is rated to .50 cal, which most of the better ones are.

Big_B is right: the "best" units are the most expensive. If you can afford Gen3, I would say you would be real happy with a Litton Aguila, Litton Ranger, or Excalibur Raptor.

Litton Electo-Optics:
[url]www.littoneos.com[/url]

Excalibur Electro-Optics:
[url]www.nightvis.com[/url]

If you just have money to burn, and want to be the most high-speed guy in your 'hood, you can't go wrong with the AN/PVS-10. The '10 uses optics to split the viewed image allowing you to use it as a day scope, and activate the image intensifier with the push of a button.

AN/PVS-10:
[img]www.littoneos.com/products/images/ANPVS-10.jpg[/img]

If you're not looking to spend the big bucks, the AN/PVS-4 is a damn fine scope, also. It is available in Gen2 or Gen3, and can be had surplus for as little as $1200 usually.

AN/PVS-4:
[img]www.littoneos.com/products/images/ANPVS-4.jpg[/img]



...And image intensifiers have NOTHING to do with IR LED's or lasers. The image intensifier is the electronic "silver bullet" or "image tube" that makes modern night vision function. Many have either internal or external circuitry that protects the tube from bright light sources including muzzle flash.

I have never, ever, heard of a US-made tube "blow" from being turned on. The circuitry built into the tube's power supply, which is a donut-shaped structure that surrounds the tube itself, regulates the incoming voltage to a safe operating level.

YMMV.

havoc

everything i have ever read on the subject says to stay away from the russian units, reasons vary from low quality, short life-spans to actually irradiating your eyes and/or brain.

check out these pics i took with a gen III unit:
[url]www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?id=45154[/url]  they don't do the distance justice, looking through the scope, one can see clearly out to 400 - 500m, probably farther. it can fit in front of many scopes, as long as they have a threaded objective lens, with the camera adapter sold by ITT. happy hunting!!!

...actually, i just realized, you would need to mount it in front of a riflescope with an illuminated reticle for it to work, sorry! but i have considered an ACOG of some sort, mounted on an extended weaver rail on my Rem 700, with the NVD mounted in front...