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Affordable night vision

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JimFromTN View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JimFromTN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Affordable night vision
    Posted: August/07/2018 at 13:02
I go on an annual pig hunt every year and every year I wish I had some half way decent night vision.  I can't justify spending thousands on something I only do once a year.  If I lived closer and did it more often, I would spend the money.  I have a light on my rifle which works fine for my situation when its time to shoot.  I need something that I can sit and watch an area with.  Average range would be 70 to 100 yds.  I would like to keep the price under $800.  I have a cheap gen 1 which is fun to play with when you are bored but pretty useless otherwise.  I could go with a good gen one.  I am just not sure if a descent one exists.  Also, I am not afraid of an IR that is too bright.  I know that is something people complain about.  There are some gen one goggles out there which would be great if they actually work.  I just don't know and don't want to spend the money to find out.  I am interested in some of the thermal stuff out there but I don't know how well it works.  I came across the Flir Scout pocket which is in my price range.  It looks promising.  The only thing I don't like are the built in batteries.  Leupold and Seek make hand held thermal image viewers in my price range as well.  
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Rancid Coolaid View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/07/2018 at 13:41
 First, "affordable" and "night vision" don't really go together, not yet anyway.

If looking for not super expensive and okay with an IR light source, digital is not a bad way to go.  It will be much better than your gen1.  So long as you don't have a gen3 to compare, you'll be happy with it.

You want a hand-held, not a weapon-mounted, correct?

I had a Pulsar N550 for awhile, liked it okay for the price.  With a good IR light, it was fine for taking game at 100 yards.  The nice thing abut digital is daytime usable, making sighting in much easier.

There are places that rent good NV gear, but they ain't cheap. If you are willing to drop a few hundred dollars for your once-a-year hunt, you could take some first class gear and try it out.  But, be warned, if you do that, the less expensive stuff will not be tolerable thereafter.
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SVT_Tactical View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/08/2018 at 09:01
Originally posted by Rancid Coolaid Rancid Coolaid wrote:

 First, "affordable" and "night vision" don't really go together, not yet anyway.

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There are places that rent good NV gear, but they ain't cheap. If you are willing to drop a few hundred dollars for your once-a-year hunt, you could take some first class gear and try it out.  But, be warned, if you do that, the less expensive stuff will not be tolerable thereafter.

 

Two great pieces of knowledge/advise

 

For that once a year thing, splurge and rent good gear... will make it so much more enjoyable that its worth the money.  You'd rather have a really good time than have to settle on something you use... again once a year.

"Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be" - Abraham Lincoln
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/08/2018 at 19:58
I have the digital night vision ATN X-sight II HD 5-20 which ATN sent to me to replace the ATN X-sight 5-18... had constant problems with the 1st version.  So far, the X-sight II has been very good, but a little bright.  Image is clear and clean, have not experienced any of the original version problems.  However, that is a "known" issue with ATN... you have to search to find one that works properly.  If you get a "good one", it is really good.  The one I have now appears to be good.  They already have a new version out, still gets mixed reviews.  However, they are reasonably priced, have a lot of features.  My opinion... worth the chance.  I'm really liking the X-sight II HD.  
To get good "traditional" NV or thermal, as stated above... BIG bucks.  
Some of the hog hunting organizations (Alabama, Georgia, Florida) supply rifles with NV or thermal, or you can bring your own.  
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tejas View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tejas Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/04/2018 at 13:16
Inexpensive is a relative term. What’s expensive to me might be dirt cheap to you. Anyway, I have a Sightmark 4.5 X42 RT. This is an updated version of the XT. For the money, I have no complaints. It can also link to your smartphone and let you monitor what it sees remotely, record pics or vids and so forth. It EATS batteries. I use two sets of Panasonic recharables. It has digital zoom but it’s impossible to resolve a target when using that feature. Just leave it on 4.5, get within 150 yards and be satisfied. For the price, those are it’s limitations. I use it on a 20ga slug gun, because that’s what I’m allowed to use on a nearby military base. Slug guns aren’t sniper rifles so it’s limited range isn’t a big factor to me. It’s held up so far to about 50 full power 3” magnum slugs. I have some vids you can check out if you like. I think there are 4 but you can use this one to find the others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3l4b9Tt_9U



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3l4b9Tt_9U

Edited by tejas - September/04/2018 at 13:21
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sergiol83 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sergiol83 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/19/2019 at 12:52
Forget the FLIR Scout. The thermal resolution is too low on it. It's barely useful. Leupold HD is the new version of the thermal tracker and is MUCH better than the Scout. The downside is that it cannot be mounted and it's a viewer, not a monocular. 
If you want a scope, get the ATN 4k X-sight, their new version of the digital night vision scope. Good performance and value for the money. 

Link removed to comply with forum rules. 


Edited by SVT_Tactical - April/21/2019 at 14:28
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