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Night Vision IR Patrol, magnifier options?

CoryT

Gunsite Rangemaster
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  • Mar 5, 2004
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    Paulden, AZ
    www.gunsite.com
    Looking for suggestions on a 3x/4x magnifier to fit the IR Patrol M300W. The N-Vision unit appears to be unavailable, can't seem to find much on the TPL lenses, waiting to see of Sector Optics gets back to me. Any other suggestions?
     
    TPL/Sector Optics is the option at this point. The double-backend path to the Raytheons has dried up.

    49607048596_e1e5d36ad7_h.jpg


    My Ratheon one has a customization which permits locking the magnifier into its screw on mount. That's permitted me to shoot it on .22LR. On 556 the setscrew needs to be lock-tited. But my use case is as a long distance spotter/thermal range finder. And I still wear it on my head, though with the 3x removed while in motion.

    I've heard TPL can also do a similar customization to allows a locking set-screw which permits shooting it, but that's a separate deal you have to work out with TPL.
     
    Wig is 100% correct.

    Torrey Pines Logic did some excellent custom work for me on magnifiers and mounting arms for Flir PTS Thermosights. These mounting arm holds the magnifier on rock solid such that they are rated up to 7.62 Nato per my request. They likely could handle even more than that.

    All of the people I dealt with at TPL were excellent first class people to deal with. Extremely knowledgeable.

    Here is Dr. Volfson's email address if you need to reach out to him.

    Leo Volfson <[email protected]>
     
    Looking for suggestions on a 3x/4x magnifier to fit the IR Patrol M300W.
    I have a buddy that is running a TPL 3x 62 mm magnifier on a M300W as a spotter.

    Man, that thing is a beast with the magnifier on. Excellent performer.
     
    ... Wait until you put one on your SkeetIRx ...

    My 3xG doesn't fit on skeet. The threaded diameter is too large and the collar diameter is too small. Now with a slightly larger collar it could clamp on to the focus ring (like it does on the patrol). But that's a new part.
     
    Attempting to resurrect this thread. My google-fu is fairly strong, but I'm not finding any TPL or Sector 3x afocal lenses anywhere.

    I have a Patrol 250 that could use some reach.
     
    I don't know much about afocal lenses and stuff. Could you mount a lens on a flip to side mount in front of a thermal and have an system for optical zoom?
     
    Look like backorder times are "impressive" at OP

    https://www.opticsplanet.com/ir-defense-tpl-magnifier-for-ir-patrol.html

    Maybe less so at UNC

    https://www.ultimatenightvision.com/3X-Lens-for-IR-Patrol-p/3x-62mm.htm

    As per usual, OP will give 10% discount if you put the item(s) in your cart and call them on the phone and say "I will buy today if you approve 10% discount for the items in my cart".

    ==
    ... Could you mount a lens on a flip to side mount in front of a thermal and have an system for optical zoom? ...

    If you have the correct equipment and design yourself such a mount and then fabricate yourself such a mount, then YES !!
     
    I have a 2x I never use and would part with if anybody wants it.
     
    Short answer YES ... shorter answer NO ...

    I found one a few months ago and validated with Max (because that one was made by N-Vision) ... didn't get it though ... then saw it again 30m ago when I was searching for the patrol ones ... now can't find it since I'm looking for it ... can't remember my exact search strings ... it was designed for a 25um sensor IIRC.

    Even if you find the listing ... it probably isn't in stock ... i.e. its an old sale listing that's just sitting out there.

    When I remembered it was N-VIsion ... that was a new clue ... maybe this is it. Will have to ask Max.



    ==

    I just held the patrol 3x I have up in front of the skeet and it works optically. It just doesn't "fit" physically. Needs a different collar. If we had the correct equipment, we could design a different collar and manufacture a different collar, then we'd have it !!!
     
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    Short answer YES ... shorter answer NO ...

    I found one a few months ago and validated with Max (because that one was made by N-Vision) ... didn't get it though ... then saw it again 30m ago when I was searching for the patrol ones ... now can't find it since I'm looking for it ... can't remember my exact search strings ... it was designed for a 25um sensor IIRC.

    Even if you find the listing ... it probably isn't in stock ... i.e. its an old sale listing that's just sitting out there.

    When I remembered it was N-VIsion ... that was a new clue ... maybe this is it. Will have to ask Max.



    ==

    I just held the patrol 3x I have up in front of the skeet and it works optically. It just doesn't "fit" physically. Needs a different collar. If we had the correct equipment, we could design a different collar and manufacture a different collar, then we'd have it !!!

    Too bad I invested in skills that don’t pay well, or that don’t have any mechanical backing. We need to find a machinist to do a little work on this
     
    So the “factory” 2x and 3x models are the ones you guys were discussing.... I was hoping that there was another option out there that was cheaper than $2500 retail
     
    There was, there was a Raytheon equivalent that was available through "Night Optics" ... but those guys went "belly up" about 2 years ago ... so that door is closed AFAIK. But it was still custom work to get them modified to be shootable. As it stands now, TPL has done similar mods (see posts way up at the beginning of this thread) ... but that's custom work.
    I'm not sure TPL still makes these magnifiers ... I don't see them "in stock" anywhere, though both OP and UNV act like they can back order them.

    But bottomline, there is no easy off the shelf bargin basement solution in this space right now. If you want one badly enough, it will involve hunting for it and custom work, best case. And some $$.
     
    ...
    Even if you find the listing ... it probably isn't in stock ... i.e. its an old sale listing that's just sitting out there.

    When I remembered it was N-VIsion ... that was a new clue ... maybe this is it. Will have to ask Max.

    ...
    @wigwamitus you are correct. This is a very old listing that B&H just don't want to remove. Nobody has our old magnifiers in stock. 98% of them were sold to different agencies and there should not be too many of them (any?) floating around on eBay, etc.
     
    Would be nice if a company that happen to be releasing a nice helmet unit in the near future would / could also source / produce magnifiers for that unit

    Would be doubly great if they were compatible/ configurable to work with other similar units that may already be floating around...

    Any body a good enough mathematician to figure the odds of such a thing happening?...
     
    My degrees are in math and computer science (and minor in statistics) ... my guess is the percent chance is right about EPSILON !!! :D

    ==
    EDIT: If you skipped Calculus and Real Analysis ... then here's a hint !!

    50328279221_54c5732935_c.jpg
     
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    If you really want 3x magnifiers ... contact TPL ... they seem to be in that business !!!
     
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    I just held the patrol 3x I have up in front of the skeet and it works optically. It just doesn't "fit" physically. Needs a different collar. If we had the correct equipment, we could design a different collar and manufacture a different collar, then we'd have it !!!

    Yep, for a second conformation on 3x Germanium Magnifiers, I can hold my Torrey Pines Logic 3x magnifiers I had made to fit on PTS 233's in front of a Breach and they work perfectly optically. Hecque, you only have to get somewhat close and they work great. The arms I had built on them will not allow them to come anywhere near fitting a Breach physically. So I just hand hold one up half/ass close and presto. Mini Mouse gets a big boost.
     
    When I was getting mine made at Torrey Pine Logic I quizzed Dr. Leo Volfson down about the 4x. He said that the 3X is what would work correctly with my PTS 233's. I at first was thinking about the 4X and he steered me away from that.

    He was correct. The 3x was the perfect addition to the 1.5 native magnification on the PTS 233's. So with the 3x on them, it turns them into 4.5 X native magnification and makes them very good long range performers for detection, recognition and identification.
     
    So to clarify was TPL custom rolling germanium lenses and now they aren’t?
     
    ... my guess is the percent chance is right about EPSILON !!! :D

    My guess is that a chance of compatibility (mechanical) with a bunch of similar units is little-o :) of the 1/number of units that the magnifier has to be compatible with (please ignore this reference is you had to read the explanation about epsilon above). This being said, optically this is relatively straight forward. Actually, the problem with magnifiers is mostly commercial. In order to produce magnifiers at a reasonable cost, there has to be an initial demand for at least a few hundred lenses. It seems that at the moment nobody believes that there is this kind of demand and there are no government requirements that I'm aware of to re-kindle production of them. Sorry, just a boring truth the way I see it.
     
    So if I'm understanding the mathematicians correctly here... It's not a zero chance... Just a really small one given the current variables

    ...quizzed Dr. Leo Volfson down about the 4x...I at first was thinking about the 4X and he steered me away from that...
    Thanks
    Do you happen to recall what he spoke of while trying to steer you away from the 4x? Was this mainly about the compatibility with the pts unit? Or any other notes?

    ...Sorry, just a boring truth the way I see it.
    I'll take a boring truth over an exciting puff of smoke any day!
     
    Do you happen to recall what he spoke of while trying to steer you away from the 4x? Was this mainly about the compatibility with the pts unit? Or any other notes?

    Well I told him what I had and wanted to do (increase native magnification) and asked would the 4x work and he said know. I did not press the issue as he is the expert and I did not want to come off as a whinny argumentative customer.

    They had to do some serious custom design and fitment to custom machine the coupling and arm that hold the magnifiers on my PTS 233's,

    I will say that working with them was a pure pleasure. They are very professional and know what they are doing with Thermal devices and Germanium Lens.

    If you want something. Call Dr. Volfson and discuss what you want and he can likely do it. Their price was more than fair considering the one off design time and one off building of my magnifiers. I am extremely satisfied with everything involved in getting those magnifiers into my hands.
     
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