RE: Bridge mounts. Has anyone noticed eye strain using two sets of 14s that aren’t matched? Like one has a blem or different color that gives you a headache over time? I like the idea of a bridge mount for all the reasons mentioned in this thread but I can’t tell what of the above is true and what is said by Bino NV manufacturers to sell 15s
Lol. For the record I do not have stupid amounts of money. I just have stupid low expenses and NV shooting was my only hobby. No kids. No family. No student loans. It took me a while to realize not everyone prioritizes NV in the same way I do.
I don’t fault Wake for not buying NV. I got several buddies into it and while they like shooting, they go maybe once every two years. What a waste of money, but at the same time the option is available to them every night they just choose not to (because they are little bitches)
That’s very interesting. Maybe it’s only line battalions who really use the stuff in the Marine Corps but I’m 100% positive every Marine even the POGs use NV and lasers as part of MCT and for pre deployment training in the last decade. Maybe if you don’t deploy your only experience will be at MCT which is pretty weak and limited. But definitely even POGs who are deploying are getting NV training.
Getting a bit off topic here, but I think being rounded in your equipment and skills is important for being a good citizen. If you how the means and availability to use it, NVGs and lasers make a whole bunch of sense over having 25 AR15s of mediocre quality. That’s my biggest gripe with guys who say they can’t afford it. (Same with good guns and optics). If you’ve got literally dozens of guns in your safe but they’re all Del-ton and holosun stuff…why?
Nobody goes out and buys 25 Hyundai Elantras over a Ferrari…
This may not be much help, because I don’t have much experience with dual 14’s. I have only used them a few times for about an hour each time. I have the N-vision bridge mount. My 14’s aren’t matching and one has a minor blemish, but I didn’t notice more strain than usual. I believe the main consideration is counterweight. I didn’t have enough counterweight, and did get a headache from the added pressure on my forehead. I use a Team Wendy bump helmet.
I wouldn’t bridge PVS-14’s. A dedicated bino should be top priority if you’re contemplating duals.
You’re not a Marine anymore, buy and use equipment that enhances your capabilities. Internet commando bravado with being able to shoot 500m on irons with an M16A2 is for the birds. I’ll use every advantage I can with a fully equipped rail and a Geissele SSA 2-stage trigger. We’re not confined by unit/branch SOP as “civilians.”
Making night vision tubes is more of an art than science, tubes from the same batch made the same way at the same time will all have little differences. Having to grade and match tubes is one reason for the high costs of bino’s and is even worse for quads. Two 14’s and a bridge mount might or might not cause problems after an hour or two of use but bino’s have to be good for all night long and possibly multiple nights. If you can get them now for $8,000 which is not that much higher than the price of two 14’s that’s a really good price, I remember when bino’s used to run $12-15,000.
NOPE cant do that yet, its a BIG decision and has to be yours. Absolutely nothing at all wrong with running dual bridged 14s with a good bridge and properly counter weighted. YES the system is ounces more than the coolest BNVDs. Obviously you want the tubes in dual roll to match but too many guys get all caught up in the numbers when in most cases the differences cant be detected by most. Doubtful you would see the difference in 2500 and 2250 FOM specs and there are other numbers than FOM to consider.
I had and have no issue running dual PVS14s. As long as I have manual gain control I have no eye fatigue issues even after hours of use. It started for me taking a night vision class where I could rent the gear to evaluate what I wanted to buy. Shortly after that I ran into a guy selling all his NV stuff at an incredible price and he ran dual 14s with all the end accessories so that is really where I began. Recently, my son has joined the cause and having duals made it very easy to split and now have the enjoyment of two guns in the fight. Two can be one and one can be two which is really pretty handy. Now, after a six month hunt for the correct unit and really ramping up the nighttime ability I bought myself a set of dedicated binos. Lets call them my Harley only a lot cheaper. In fact less than most spend on additional chrome.
Listen with a single 14 can you do it all and the gain in ability is slight with binos or even White Phos. Its not like having irons vs a red dot difference so says the guy who just spent 10K. If I already had a good 14 my next purchase would be a MAWL. After that I would look into another 14 or dedicated binos.
I 100% agree with your justifying of the cost. Like many on this forum I too had/have a truck load of firearms. When I was younger I thought more was better until I learned that less is more. Handfuls of useless revolvers to me on top of hunting rifles and shotguns in all calibers and gauges for some dumb reason while all along questioning the cost of night vision. I guess those investments made while being younger now pay for and justify today’s desires.
Take the time to think it really through and keep all the options open.
You really need to consider the B.E. Meyers MAWL. Nothing comes close to it for an IR laser/illuminator. If money was an issue I would by a lesser quality tube to afford the MAWL.
Eurodriver, do headaches factor into your decision making process on whether to upgrade to binos?
I was an 0311 from 2005-2009 (2/6 Fox), and using a PVS14 used to give me a headache if I used it for more than an hour. But I haven’t been able to use one since to know if it could be alleviated with a different helmet suspension system, and I didn’t know at the time that turning down the gain could help some.
Did you get headaches in service, and if so, does your current set up alleviate them?
edit : maybe I missed it, I’ve seen other people in this thread talk about fatigue from 14s, just not your experience with it
As my stock investment continues, I watch this thread. I am torn on pvs14 vs binos.
Long story short, I want a mawl and nods for $2800. I put that into the market in march and have now used very limited, a 14 and BNVDs. I’m still torn. 14 with gain turned down was fine. Bnvd felt more natural…but I didnt feel all that more capable…and 3-4k dolla saved is quantifiable capability too…