Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics The wife wants to know about night vision scopes....

She's been hunting with me now for 3 years or so. Got the bug bad and has found out that hogs tend to be out a fair amount at night. Hence the question.

I've not thought of buying one, she just sprung it on me yesterday. I know they are expensive and some are definitely better than others. Considering I'm not going to buy a $5000 scope what decent options are available? Yes, I know you get what you pay for but need some better options than the wallet drainer listed above.

Oh, she's buying it. Not I.

I'll be sitting in the dark next to her......

According to Eremicus, the Leupold 6x42 works in total darkness so you won't be needing an answer to your question.

Beer goggles and a flashlight?

..when you rifle is wearing a Leupold 6x42, your whole world gets brighter. Birds start chirping, rainbows appear, food seems to taste better, sex starved cheerleaders appear at your tent camp and most other seemingly lost senses begin to rejuvenate....

I've never used one, but you (she) might want to check out the night vision that attaches to the front of your existing scope. That way you can make everyone happy with a Leupold 6x42mm and night vision at the same time. I've read favorable reports, but I can't remember the manufacturer.

I've hunted hogs 2 times with another campfire member's Gen 3 4x night vision scope and it's FUN. Around $3,500. He let me shoot his DPMS with a suppressor. Of course, he had the Gen 3 monocular for driving and the magnetic roof mount remote control IR and all lighting completely blacked out in his pickup. Pretty sure the game wardens have the same thing....so be careful what you do.

I'd say it's fun....but not sure if it's worth all the cost.

The digital night vision is cool and lesser expensive. But I don't pretend to know too much about such things.

I use these for a living. I will say that while prohibitively expensive, a clip on univeral night sight is the better piece of equipment compared to a dedicated night scope. I say that because they tend to have as good of resolution as the better scopes, can be swapped between rifles without affecting zero, and can be attached/detached when the sun falls/rises. They also keep your cheek weld the same because they use your optic.

Better than any IR optic is thermal but I don't know anyone who can afford to buy good thermals.

I don't know what kind of rifle you intend to make night capable but I would probably go with a light first and use it with a good optic. If you need more I'd add a laser and parallel zero it.

The down side to a universal night sight, light, or laser is you need a rail if this is not an AR.

I use a Kill Light attached to my Leupold 2x7 vari-x II. it shines a green light bright as day so you can easily see the crosshairs on a pitch dark night. Cost a little over $100 , comes with charger, scope or barrel mount, and two batteries. I love mine.

Do the hogs react to it?

I am saving in order go here and buy the pinnacle.

http://tnvc.com/

Don't think I want a scope, want something that can removed and used off the rifle as well. It can be mounted behind a T-1.

PVS14/Mum14 can me used with a helmet mount, hand held or rifle mounted. Get the best you can afford.

Also don't think they aren't without issues. Cloudy nights seriously limit their application (even Gen 3) without an illuminator. Any ambient light goes a long way though.

Another option may be a Trijicon Accupoint with the post and triangle that glows. The triangle shows up in very low light conditions.

Havent u considered as an alternative Rifle Scopes by ATN? http://www.atncorp.com/night-vision-search.html?query=night+vision+scopes
They have a large selection and comfortable partition all divices by tipe, by use and by price.