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Topic ClosedNightvision riflescopes for varmits

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samchap View Drop Down
.416 Rigby
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Nightvision riflescopes for varmits
    Posted: 17 December 2003 at 03:18
Anyone with experience using them? Pros? Cons?  Temperatures in the 0° F. range are a consideration for me. Does the infrared illumination help? Difference between gen1-2-3? Special mounting quirks?
samchap - Waldoboro, ME








Be careful what you decide to not like. Your wife may wear one. Your son may ride one. Your daughter may bring one home. You may have to have one someday.
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mr mom View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 December 2003 at 04:06
 samchap: i have 1 of those varmint blaster lights that fit on your scope. it has a 12 v. battery that fits on a belt or in your pocket.  the red lens on the end.  if you look with just the light you see the beam about 30 yds. but if you look in the scope you can see about a 100 yds. here in michigan you can only use a rim fire for night huntingso 100 yds is good enough. they also make some of the lights for father out. i have only used it once and got a coon out of the garden. other than that its to clod at night for me to use. hate to leave a warm bed to sit in the cold.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 December 2003 at 04:16

Samchap,

I've not used rifle scopes, but I have hunted with night scope binoculars.

Some thoughts:

Gen I,II andIII are each a great improvement over each other.  I woould only recommend the Gereration III.  Like most things you get what you pay for.

Infrared illumination, is a great help.  It is an expensive option on some units.  But the IR illumination works totally independent of the nightvision unit.  It is much like a flashlight, it add brightness to the picture.  So as a cost item a cheap IR unit can be hand held or taped to the rifle barrel.  Night vision scope still require some illumination.  On a moonless and starless night you will not be able to see much, ambient light is a great help.  No moon and clouds will mean useless, even Gen II, unless you have an IR unit.

I'm not sure what your needs are, but assume they are legal?  IMHO the rechargable 1 Million CP spotlights and a good 3x Leupold scope works better than the nightvision stuff.

I have looked at the Soviet surplus stuff (most is GenI), and it appears to be a bargain for the $$$.  But at the same time, they are not what most people would like...a bright sharp image.  The military use is to see WITHOUT being seen, for animals the bright spotlight doesn't draw fire toward you like a battlefield situation would.  In fact the spotlight, as jacklighter have found, actually stablizes  wildlife.

BEAR

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samchap View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 December 2003 at 07:51

Bear....I'm long past the stage where I get a thrill from having to constantly look over my shoulder to see if a warden is following me. With the proper inexpensive permit, we can hunt coyotes at night in Maine. I thought that checking out some of the farm fields during the do-nothing season of Jan-March might get me out of the old rocking chair. I kinda need a"mission" to stay motivated late winter-early spring. Sometimes March can last a thousand days. There are sheep farms here that have a problem with mama coyote teaching her pups to hunt sheep in August and September. They use donkeys and dogs to deter the coyotes from the pastures, but nothing is 100%. There is a group of local guys that have trained coyote chasing dogs and that group is quite effective in their area becuse they all know the terrain and the travel routes of the coyotes being chased.

Not having used a nightscope, they seem to be "the answer" to night hunting coyotes. I didn't know that a bright spotlight and a good scope was just as effective, if not better. Like anything you get into for the first time, there is a learning curve to climb.

samchap - Waldoboro, ME








Be careful what you decide to not like. Your wife may wear one. Your son may ride one. Your daughter may bring one home. You may have to have one someday.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 December 2003 at 09:49

The only night 'varmints' I've hunted are leopards and hyenas.  I've used the Gen III stuff for leopards with supplemental white light spotlights.  It same setup over baits gives some interesting viewing of mated pairs of honey badgers dissolving the hanging impalas.  With a predator call the spotted hyenas come running and an open sighted rifle with a broad beam light works good.  At least until the varmints 'learn' you setup, then they stay out of the beam.

For you purpose I think the regular 1 million CP recharge is much better.  And loads cheaper.  I've never used the "red lens filter" but like Mr. mom says, I've heard they work.  I do 'observe deer nightly" on my property with a 1million white light, and at least in the case of deer they do not move in response to the light.

I hunt coyotes in the early morning without light (illegal to use light except for coon).  The coyote is smart, so any your spot and shoot at will learn fast.  It wouldn't surprise me if the light comes on and they take of.  A leopard will give You about 3 seconds, if it is chewing on a fresh bait then it runs.  So when the light comes on you have 3 seconds for a good shot.  In Africa on public lands some e countries still consider the leopard dangerous and require a 9.3 (375) or bigger rifle.  On private land anything is ok.  I've used 338 and 308.  Leopards are really small, generally under 200 pounds so a deer rifle is perfect.  The three most important things in making a good shot are placement, placement, and  placement.

 

Good luck with the 'otes.  remember the sheep are the white furry ones

BEAR

 

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 December 2003 at 15:20
Another thing that Bear quickly noted, be sure to check laws regarding use of any such object before you buy. I know here it is illegal to possess a spot light and firearm at night. If you get caught, even a small AA flashlight is illegal if used while shooting. Weird law, but watch out for it. I've not seen anything in writing in regards to IR or Nightvision, might just E-mail my warden and ask.

Stupid people are like a slinky, they don't serve much purpose in the world but they sure are fun to watch tumble down the stairs!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 December 2003 at 02:37

My son called last night.  Strange coincidence.  He has a permit to 'eliminate deer on an airport property.  Anything goes, but they want only night hunting, and suggest bait.

So I suggested the same 1 M CP rechargeable unit, and a 30-30.  Last night, I bought the light for a x-mas present for him at Gander Mountain ($15) with red and amber lens.  His partner wants to use the 223.  It is very important that deer drop on airport property, for public image reasons.  I still think the 30-30 (150 gr Horned) is superior for dropping on the spot.

BEAR

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