Author Topic: Curious about night-vision products (Read 575 times)

FWiedner · « **on:** February 01, 2005, 11:46:23 AM »

Does anyone hunt at night?

I'm curious about night-vision rifle scopes. I've looked at a couple, and the product desciptions are interesting, but the ones I've read about all seem to have a real short eye-relief.

If I were to buy something for use, I probably wouldn't be putting it on my 10/22, know what I mean?

I'd probably be shopping in the Gen 1 or Gen 2 market, because I don't really want to spend thousands of dollars on an occassional use item.

Anyone here got any expertise in this area?

Thanks for your help!

VTDW · « **Reply #1 on:** February 01, 2005, 02:35:32 PM »

FWiedner,

Those night vision scopes are really expensive for sure. I love to hunt hogs at night with an Optronics Night Blaster spotlight that just snaps on the scope tube. Mine is the 6V. I also use a little accessory that attaches to the eyepiece of the scope and illuminates the reticle. Makes it glow gold and you can adjust the brightness. Here is a link for the Night Blaster.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jhtml?id=0006362224707a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnString=hasJS=true&_D%3AhasJS=+&QueryText=night+blaster&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jhtml.22&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=night+blaster&noImage=0&returnPage=search-results1.jhtml

Dang, that is a long link. Run time for mine is 20-25 minutes solid. That is a long time for hunting at night.

Dave

FWiedner · « **Reply #2 on:** February 07, 2005, 11:42:33 AM »

That looks like an excellent unit, Dave. I've seen that one before and might check it out.

State game laws direct that for a device to be used on public land, it cannot project any visible light or shape onto the target for hunting, so since a lot of my hunting is on public lands I guess that puts me in search of "green light".

Honestly, I'd probably buy something dopey and expensive just because it's "cool", but I have to be a little bit practical, or I'll never be able to explain it to "You-know-who".

VTDW · « **Reply #3 on:** February 07, 2005, 11:56:00 AM »

"You-know-who". Ah, She Who Must Be Obeyed.

I am taking the Night Blaster on the Hogfest hunt.

Dave

Catfish · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2005, 06:16:37 AM »

I have a first gen. Russian scope on a .30-30 and not real impressed with it. Max. range with IR on dark nites is 150 yrds. or less, behond that you just can`t see well enough to shoot. I was told by a guy that sell the stuff not to use the rifle scopes for nite hunting, but to get a good pair of nite vision gogles and use a lazer on the gun. That way you don`t have to take your eyes off the game to go from spotting to shooting.

FWiedner · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2005, 06:38:49 AM »

That's useful information on the 1st Gen device, I appreciate it.

I thought about using a laser, but I ran into the "...it cannot project any visible light or shape..." issue in the game regs.

Does domestically produced 1st Gen gear perform any differently/better/worse that the Russian stuff?

Any experience with 2nd Gen equipment out there? 3rd and 4th Gen are just totally out of my range.