For those of you with experience with the PVS-14, what is a good scope or sight to use in-line with the PVS-14. I am looking to mount them on my AR-15 platform and am looking for ideas...
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
just watch out cause the EOTech vs Aimpoint battle is like Ford vs Chevy. I have owned both and have run them into the ground with no failures on either, so it all comes down to how good each looks to the owner. I run a 552 on my rifles that don't have lights or any attachments cause AA's are easy to find and I don't have to worry about matching batteries with other components. I run a 553 on my rifles with my lights and lasers so everything takes the same battery.
Try to avoid the Eotechs that have more than one dot because they take away from the actual "reflex" part of the sight. If you are trying to engage targets far enough away that you need to hold over, then just go with a 1-4x variable that is compatable with the PVS14.
How about rather than running the PVS 14 on your gun, keep it on your head and use a laser on the gun. I like the versatility of this set up. I don't need to have my head behind the gun to use it, and I get to see in the dark without having the gun up to my face.
Here is my experience, keep the pvs14 on your head. But r u gonna night shoot or hunt?
You might be best suited using a QD mount on your rifle for your 14. That would free up your 14 so that you could use it for spotting and then attach it to your rifle before you shoot. This may take some practice but we have used that technique on amush sites. I am fan of the LT133 ( LaRue Tactical PVS-14 Mount QD LT133 | LaRue Tactical ). I like it cause I can still mount is on a skull crusher or a helmet then move it to a weapon. It has a larger throw lever that makes is easier to attach at night and with gloves on. One thing that will help you mount it in the same place everytime at night is; mount it on your weapon where you want it; then get some 100mph tape and cut little 1"x1" sqaures out of it; stack about 5 or 6 of the squares infront and behind your mount base (not touching your base but just outside of it). This will give you and indexing point to feel for at night. This will also allow you to run a 3x or 4x magnifier on your weapon with the same style mount during the day if you want.
As for the "burn in": I have never had an issue with this but I have only used 14s and 7s in a military environment where they break about every one or two months and you just swap them out. I know that Eotech uses a NV setting that makes the dot very very light. I am assuming that setting is to try and stop the "burn in", but I have no idea.
Here's my experience. I have prolly missed 20 dawgs at night fumbling around trying to mount my pvs14 behind my aimpoint in the heat of the moment.. Heart pounding adrenaline rush, then to get in on and look and the dawg b gone. After getting wise, I bought a helmet rig and a dbal d2 IR laser. Now your eye is on the critter all the time. Just push a button with your thumb, point, and lay the smoke down. This set up is good for fast shooting, when hunting small tracts. My longest shot at night with a laser is about 200 yards. Now when I'm gonna hunt a large field with long fence rows and ditches about a half mile or a mile long and u know your gonna have a lot of time to spot the critter coming I'll mount it behind my vortex viper 2.5-10x44 with a torch. I keep it mounted on my AR and scan with a flir ps 32 thermal. U can shoot long range with it mounted behind a good scope and a good IR devise. So keep ur options open. My favorite and most versatile is probably the helmet rig with an IR laser. And if u decide you wanna shoot a longer range with a laser get yourself a 3x magnifier for the pvs 14
I personally like the 14 helmet mounted and used with laser. However, I also have both the eotech and comp 4 . I like the 14 mounted behind the eotech. I use a D-lock for a QD mount abd it works great. I got it from modarmory.com, and identmarking.com has them also as I am sure others do. I works great and is very quick to mount or take off.
If you want to talk scopes and the PVS-14 I would suggest you PM SkyPup, on here as he has pics and thoughts on this. He uses his set ups regularly.
Semper Fi
To avoid burn in, try finding a 30.0 or 30.5mm IR 720nm filter for the front lens of the PVS14. Skypup's idea, and works great. In fact, many never remove it, as the USGI 3X screws right into it.
I run the PVS14 with the 3x magnifier behind a CompM3. Got the idea from Vic over at TNVS. Here is an old archived ARFCOM post with pics of different setups.
Brand New PVS-14 NIGHT VISION Tactical Packages. - AR15.Com Archive
The clarity with the 3x attached to the pvs is outstanding. The only downside is that it also magnifies the red dot. My CompM3 is the 2MOA dot but it is noticeably larger in the sight frame with the 3x mag attached. Not an issue, just an observation.
I like the EOTech mounted on a Larue QD mount with the Larue QD PVS-14 ring. That entire setup, from A to Z, was made for a quickly detachable night vision weapon sight without modifying the parts or losing zero, plus the ability to use other optics. Their EOTech mount has a small, raised rail mount behind the sight itself. Their QD PVS-14 mount lines right up behind it and stays on the 14's, even on the head. I think the magnifier works on that rail piece, and I know my flip up irons don't get in the way of it either. Everything snaps on and off like Legos and keeps zeroes well too, amazing. I have the ACOG RX01 on ARMS mounts (not the best) but I doubt that little sight would work well with NOD's but I could be mistaken (mine just doesn't line up). I also have a 4x ACOG with a QD Larue mount that I use on the same rifle, only without the NOD's. I have used NOD's mounted on a helmet behind an ACOG before, holding it up there, and though it is doable, it works in a pinch, it doesn't work nearly as well as a PVS-23 or other clip on, and there I'd prefer a thermal.
There is also the recoil concern. ITT has a lower recoil rating than L3 but better image. ITT can handle 5.56 only, L3 can handle .300BLK, 6.8, 7.62x39 (and due to that, I'd suppose the 6.5G, but I didn't ask).
I went with the ITT for the best picture, TNVC is hooking me up very well with this new set of NOD's, and my preferred method of targeting at night has historically been with the PEQ-2A or an IR laser with the laser zeroed for 300m. I liked the PEQ on the Larue QD mount too. If you know what you are doing and have a little practice, IR laser targeting/shooting it is as easy as it looks.
My $.02.
Aimpoint T1 all the way