Now that I have my NV, what else should I have?

[warthog]

OK, I have my GEN 3 NV. How about lasers and how to they help my NV abilities? Or are they for painting targets? Are they like a flashlight for my NV? Also I looked at the Crye Hat thing but for now the head thing it came with will have to suffice, I suppose that is what you mean when you say "Skull Crusher" though I haven't put it ll together yet. I have looked through it in my darkened home but that is all so far. I do have a place to fo out in the country finally that is nearby to check it further though. I am looking forward to that and hopefully someday to have my own place to use them in the woods. I will also say that an event someplace (hopefully near TH) can be come up with to either train in their use or at least get togther with others to use other things as we; as talk to those folks more knowledgeable about this sort of gear.

As I said before, wasn't in the Armed Services so never really used anything like these before but have alwas wanted to. I once lived in the countryside and back then the best you wer allowed was 1+ which I used and still have for that matter. Night Vision and IR vision has ALWAYS fascinated me and I am not getting younger so I am hoping to get something out of the money before I croak too.

 

[Hop]

The .mil guys use IR lasers to aim the weapon when using nods so yes, get something like a PEQ15. $$$!!!

 

[The Bubba Effect]

I would not suggest trying to use your head mounted NVD with a rifle mounted optic. I have a PVS 14 mounted on a bump helmet and an aimpoint T1 on my rifle and in theory you could use them together, but in practice I find it to be a disaster.

I am in the market for an IR aiming laser to mount on the rifle, but as Hop mentioned, those are pricey.

 

[JollyMon]

IR lasers can be as pricey or cheap as you want them. I have heard okay things and decent reviews on a lasemax (Amazon.com : LaserMax UNI-Max Class, IR : Airsoft Gun Scope Mounts : Sports & Outdoors) .... Or you can go all in all the way up to the peq-15. I use an ldi cqbl-1, and I have no qualms about it, Besides it's limits on mounting on the top rail ( as it can't be behind a folding iron)

 

[warthog]

Hmmm.... I hadn't thought of using it as a weapon, mount and hadn't even though how to use it that way effectively. So for that I ill need lots more money, guess it waits as I spent most of that getting the NV.

Still looking for some sort of get together so we can all talk and experiment among ourselves with this stuff... if I had a suitable place I put it on myself.

 

[tradertator]

An IR aiming device is a must if you want to use it with a weapon. As already said, you can crank your head over and line your PVS14 behind your optic, but it doesn't work well. I'm in the same boat as you right now, and don't know what I want. The only thing I have experience with is a Class III B (non civilian version) PEQ-15 that a buddy had on his SWAT rifle, and it was awesome. I have no idea how the Class III A (civillian version) compares, but my guess is just fine. In theory, your PVS14 is going to be ineffective at previous distances to a III A laser failing. My only complaint with the PEQ15 is the polymer body on such an expensive device. Of all the current options, the Wilcox Raptar seems the coolest. And if you don't need a built in range finding function (no doubt bad ass, but probably something most of us civillians can live without), the Lite version is comparitively priced to most of whats on the market. But I tend to like a K.I.S.S. approach when it comes to firearms, and less options might be better.
As far as a handgun goes, the Surefire X400V seems like a clear winner. I have my doubts on it performing well on a rifle though, as it really isn't designed for such.
I purchased the Crye Nightcap, and I'm really impressed. It beats the hell out of the Skullcrusher, and is a lot less cumbersome than a helmet, especially if you don't need ballistic protection for your mellon. I went with a 3 hole Wilcox L4 shroud at the suggestion of many, and picked up a surplus Norotos "rhino" mount for $25 bucks at my local surplus store. The Norotos / J Arm setup are fine, but I think I'll replace it down the road with an improved system like the Wilcox Dual Dovetail mount.
An IR light source really improves the performance of night vision, and I'm really happy with my Surefire M952V with the K3 Vampire head so far. I wouldn't mind trying a dedicated IR light source like the TNVC Torch, but having access to both spectrums of light in the same unit is really cool. I think in the next few weeks, I want to replace my handheld light on my work belt with a dual spectrum model like the Surefire V2. I also want to get a 30.5mm 720nm IR filter to thread into the front of my PVS14 for 2 reasons: A) I'm in town mostly and deal with a lot of mixed light. Hopefully that will help with the "bloom" effect and possibly ease wear on the tube. And B) is for it to serve as a sacrificial lense that can be used in conjunction with the day light filter that's tethered to it. Something else you might purchase depending on what your plans are for your monocular, is a shuttered eye piece. This helps eliminate the glowing green face when your using it, plus the one that comes with it is kind of ****ty.
PS: I think an INGO sponsored night shoot would be awesome.

 

[warthog]

I keep trying to see where I could sponsor such a meeting of INGO people but so far no where seems to want anyone there at night.

I habe a lot to learn and I love to learn. Thank you for your info filled post traderator, I appreciate it.

 

[warthog]

Was thinking, can someone who has either what I have or similar take a shot through it using one of the lasers?

Barring this any picture through a NV using a laser to illuminate a target?

THANKS!

 

[Hop]

I've got a little project for you guys. Find a visible laser illuminator and pointer (searching and targeting) then swap out the visible diode for an IR diode.

US-Lasers - Visible and Infrared Laser Diodes

 

[warthog]

Sounds like a good project and I am able to do such a thing but since I haven't any idea what this does for me I can't see why or better. how best to do it.

Would still like a pic with one of these laser in action...

 

[JollyMon]

Sounds like a good project and I am able to do such a thing but since I haven't any idea what this does for me I can't see why or better. how best to do it.

Would still like a pic with one of these laser in action...

It looks like a little green dot. And if it's foggy you can see the beam.

look at this thread....
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_18/194673_.html&page=2&sr=0

 

[warthog]

Thanks Jolly Mon! I get things better though a lot of the pix were gone of not viewable by me, there were enough to show how it all looked though as stated a few times it is clearer when actually looking through it verses a picture. I suppose I wil check these out in a more dark spot (hopefully next weekend) before trying to jump too far. I guess when I can figure out how we can do a NV type shoot and use sort of meet.

 

[mammynun]

So you want to see what an IR laser looks like through a PVS-14? Starting at 38 seconds you can see what it looks like filmed through a pvs-14 with an amber filter on the occular end of the pvs-14. I wear glasses which prevents a good eye cup seal, so I also use an amber filter to cut down the green glow on my face and it is also why the video appears "less green" than the video that is shown before it. The guy shooting at >38 seconds in the video is also using an illuminator of some sort; you can see the super bright IR laser dot in the center of a circular bright "halo" (from the illuminator) when he move the gun around (you can see it pretty well on the target at around 2:30).
[video=youtube;y-59qnew9V4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-59qnew9V4[/video]

This shows what you see though an NVD (probably a pvs-14, certainly gen 3) when shooting with an IR laser and no additional IR illumination.
[video=youtube;8Bu50EZhLLc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Bu50EZhLLc[/video]

Here's the video that The UziButton shot of me... I'm using a PVS-14 mounted to a Team Wendy helmet and an Insight CQBL-1 IR laser. At :26 seconds into the video, there's a quick (very quick!) shot of the IR laser getting put on the propane tank at about 60 yards right before I engage the evil grilling insurgent He shot the video through his PVS-14 mount to the lens of one of his cameras, and I did not use my illuminator as it tended to wash out the video recording... but the shot would have been easier with the illuminator.
[video=youtube;TTEzUdocySc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTEzUdocySc&index=22&list=LLYWzrmL8-2MTWFpTBafgcQw[/video]

I'm shooting a night match tonight, I'll try and get some video that addresses you questions more directly...

 

[warthog]

OK, now I want one of those laser to mount on my weapon too. I also would really love to go to a night shoot. I wish I bought land when I fist moved but then as now I would have needed to find a place with woods and no or bery small area I needed to mow and care for and I didn't find it then either.... hopefully one day prior to death I will so I don't always need to beg to be allowd at somone else's shoot.

What IR Laser should I get anyway? I also wear glases and haven't gotten a good cup seal because of them so I may want to look into a way to help me there. Thanks Mammynun