Night Vision VIS/IR Lasers & White Lights Questions

[MaverickNH]

OK - new to NV and just have a PVS-14/helmet system on order (with SF-M1 for helmet-mount). For purposes of indoor/outdoor home defense, and night coyote hunting in the NE, I'll be looking for lasers and lights for a SIG556R (with ACOG 3x30), SIG556 (with EOTech XPS3-4 and 3xMag) and Glock 17.

I've only used white light on rifles and pistols and and wondering if my needs might be just white lights and IR lasers, without VIS lasers. What does VIS Lasers add to the capabilities of the vis optics I already have?

Which combinations have what advantages/disadvantages of the below:
1. Pistol
a. Integrated IR Laser/White Light
b. Integrated IR/VIS laser with hand-held or no white light
2. Rifle
a. Integrated IR Laser/White Light and separate or no VIS Laser
b. Integrated IR/VUS Laser and separate or no White Light
c. Separate IR Laser and White Light and Separate or no VIS Laser

I've left off units with integrated IR Illuminators thinking a separate helmet-mounted SF-M1 or rifle-mounted TNVC Torch would fit the need, although space becomes limiting for rifle-mounted depending on other choices.

Looking to stage purchases wisely - thanks for noob-help!

 

[TNVC - Kyle]

Re: VIS/IR Lasers & White Lights Questions

Good questions all. I will lend my two cents to try and help.

<span style="color: #006600">[/color]What does VIS Lasers add to the capabilities of the vis optics I already have?[color:#006600]</span> Visible lasers don't add a lot of targeting ability, especially in high-light conditions. Their relatively low power gives them a limited amount of range and, at those ranges, you are typically better off utilizing what you have trained with over and over and, go to the main optic. In low-light scenarios (where most varmints of the two or four legged variety present themselves) lasers add a ton of capability but, as you have stated, you have a standard optic that accomplishes the same thing. By using the Vis laser, you are also overtly targeting which lets your perp/ quarry know that you are there. I can tell you that as a Law Enforcement Officer and a former Special Operations Member, that sometimes this overt targeting serves as an excellent "threat deterrent". Of course, this is only on the two-legged variety of game!

<span style="color: #006600">[/color]Which combinations have what advantages/disadvantages of the below:
1. Pistol
a. Integrated IR Laser/White Light [color:#000000]</span> Great combination. IR laser can be used to covertly target. Whitel light use to blind and distract. Standard sights are used in daylight or, in conjunction with the white light, at night.Disadvantage is you still should carry a hand-held light so you don't have to point your handgun at everything you want to look at.
<span style="color: #006600">b. Integrated IR/VIS laser with hand-held or no white light</span> Not bad either. Cost is greater, integration of systems is nice.
<span style="color: #006600">2. Rifle
a. Integrated IR Laser/White Light and separate or no VIS Laser</span> The combinations like this are limited. Vis lasers on rifles are again, limited in their useful range. IR in the civilian-legal models should give you about 175 yards of useable range (depending on ambient light conditions).
<span style="color: #006600">b. Integrated IR/VIS Laser and separate or no White Light</span> I like/ run this setup. I am a fan of "slaved" lasers. They allow you use your Vis laser to zero your IR laser and make this task exceedingly easier than doing this under goggles (IR only). I would also add that I ALWAYS have a visible light on my gun. It is one of the more important aspects for utilizing the rifle.
<span style="color: #006600">c. Separate IR Laser and White Light and Separate or no VIS Laser</span> This is the lowest cost alternative. Disadvantages are that you have multiple items on the gun which means multiple places to turn them on and off. In ALL of these options, you must be cautious to setup your weapons in order to facilitate ease of transition form one system to the other. Then, <span style="font-weight: bold">TRAIN!!</span> If it was me and, cost was an issue (which it almost always is), I would forgo the Vis and concentrate on saving my money for the IR. While the "slaved" systems are nice, they are several hundred dollars more.

Hope that helps.

Be Safe.

 

[MaverickNH]

Re: VIS/IR Lasers & White Lights Questions

Very helpful! Many thanks.

 

[hs338lapua]

Re: VIS/IR Lasers & White Lights Questions

If you can find a vis/IR laser that is slaved that is the way to do it. I'm kind of lazy when it comes to sighting stuff in and I run my stuff on multiple weapons.

I will sight in my visible laser to my Aimpoint or other optic. Then I pop off my day optic for my NV and dial her in to my IR laser. Takes all of 5 minutes. That is of course if your day optic is zeroed.

 

[MaverickNH]

Re: VIS/IR Lasers & White Lights Questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hs338lapua</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you can find a vis/IR laser that is slaved that is the way to do it. I'm kind of lazy when it comes to sighting stuff in and I run my stuff on multiple weapons.

I will sight in my visible laser to my Aimpoint or other optic. Then I pop off my day optic for my NV and dial her in to my IR laser. Takes all of 5 minutes. That is of course if your day optic is zeroed.
</div></div>

Now there's a thought for me...

I picked up a LDI CQBL-1 VIS/IR dual slaved laser and SureFire M720V White-LED light and IR Illuminator. Once lasers are zero'd to 200yd with day optics, I can quick-release my day optics and put the PVS-14 on the top rail - am I following that right?.

Will a TNVC TM-14/AimPoint Twist Mount co-exist on a PVS-14 set up for use on a helmet, so it's just plug and play from helmet to rifle and back?

 

[jwp6114]

Re: VIS/IR Lasers & White Lights Questions

Hs338, nice tpal, I want one...

 

[Eric-TNVC]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hs338lapua</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you can find a vis/IR laser that is slaved that is the way to do it. I'm kind of lazy when it comes to sighting stuff in and I run my stuff on multiple weapons.

I will sight in my visible laser to my Aimpoint or other optic. Then I pop off my day optic for my NV and dial her in to my IR laser. Takes all of 5 minutes. That is of course if your day optic is zeroed.
</div></div>

Now there's a thought for me...

I picked up a LDI CQBL-1 VIS/IR dual slaved laser and SureFire M720V White-LED light and IR Illuminator. Once lasers are zero'd to 200yd with day optics, I can quick-release my day optics and put the PVS-14 on the top rail - am I following that right?.

Will a TNVC TM-14/AimPoint Twist Mount co-exist on a PVS-14 set up for use on a helmet, so it's just plug and play from helmet to rifle and back?

Yes the TNVC TM-14 was designed for that exact reason. The absolute fastest plug and play transition from your melon to your rifle and vice versa.

 

[Victor-TNVC]

Yes the TNVC TM-14 was designed for that exact reason. The absolute fastest plug and play transition from your melon to your rifle and vice versa.

Hey all, (slight Hijack for an intro...)since we here at TNVC always say who are employees are and do not pose as shills. A brief introduction on Eric.

Eric Butler joined the TNVC family this month as Programs Manager. Eric is a former SWAT officer from a police department in southeast Georgia, working with various federal alphabet soup agencies on high profile raids. He is also an adjunct instructor for Telluric Group. He brings a wealth of tactical knowledge as you can imagine and will be posting here on the Hide.

Vic

 

[MaverickNH]

Thanks for the answer and the into Vic and Eric.

Now that I pick through your website I see I'll do well do put my EOTech G33 3x on a TNVC twirst-off mount so I can alternate between magnifier and PVS-14 on the rifle with my EOTech XPS3-4. Ingenious!

One question - when you say 1/3 cowitness, are you saying the mount palces the magnifier at that height with respect to standard iron sights? And the magnifier center is aligned with center of EOTech sight window?

 

[mavrick10_2000]

Thanks for the answer and the into Vic and Eric.

Now that I pick through your website I see I'll do well do put my EOTech G33 3x on a TNVC twirst-off mount so I can alternate between magnifier and PVS-14 on the rifle with my EOTech XPS3-4. Ingenious!

One question - when you say 1/3 cowitness, are you saying the mount palces the magnifier at that height with respect to standard iron sights? And the magnifier center is aligned with center of EOTech sight window?

Lower 1/3 Co-witness is looking through an optical sight of some sort, like an Aimpoint T1 in combination with BUIS(Iron Sights). When zeroed, usually the co-witness of irons through the T1 will be in the lower 1/3 of the T1's field of view as opposed to centered in the tube - this is common with the AR or AK platforms.