Shooting with NVG's

Training Training and Tactics
1

Anyone familiar with shooting at night while wearing NVG’s? I had a cheap pair of NVG’s I got a few years ago when I had a little place out in the middle of nowhere but never thought about using them while shooting. Now I am thinking about getting a pair of NVG’s similar to the AN/PVS-31. I have a AN/PEQ-15 as well as an Aimpoint T-1 on a KAC high rise mount.

My questions are:

  1. Can you use a red dot or holographic sight effectively while wearing NVG’s? Or is it better to use your IR Laser?

  2. If you are using your IR Laser as your primary aiming device, do you hip fire or shoulder fire or some type of hybrid?

  3. What is the amount of time it takes to get adjusted to using NVG’s while shooting?

  4. Should you use tracers?

2

Use ir laser as primary. TNVC PVS 14 mount behind a Red Dot works but best is helmet mount and ir on the gun. I fire from the shoulder.

Go to Panteau Productions and get a copy of the DVD NV Skills Builder with Chappy.

A lot of good basic skills in the video.

3

Training from someone who has a lot of time doing work under nods is probably the best answer for your questions…

I’ll give you my limited experience answers:

  1. both, as applicable
  2. both, as applicable
  3. depends on how much time you spend training
  4. no
4

Thanks, watching videos online, from a visual standpoint, it looks as though the shooter uses the IR laser as the primary aiming device and pulling the weapon up on the shoulder, but not bringing the optic to the NVG.

5

That’s typically how it’s done, otherwise it’s pretty hard to line everything up quickly. Having the nods mounted to the gun may work when you’re completely stationary, but it doesn’t help at all if you’re moving.

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6

I’m no expert and use my NVG for hunting and night hikes mostly but I run WPT Sentinels helmet mounted and would highly suggest using a IR laser to aim over the red dot. On my NV gun I have both an Aimpoint T2 and a Dbal A3 and greatly prefer the A3 for aiming. As was mentioned above lining up the red dot and your NVG can be difficult while stationary let alone while moving. NV tubes only give you an approximate 40 degree field of vision so keeping the red dot in your view can be difficult along with the stand off distance from the NVG and I find it rather cumbersome. Once you practice a bit the laser become more natural in my opinion.

7

I agree with the above. Don’t forget an IR illuminator, since just the laser alone doesn’t help with target identification. (civilian shooter here using NVG’s for recreational night time shoots)

8

  1. laser is primary. I was actually joking with a buddy today that NV compatible settings on optics are mostly marketing.

  2. steady position still applies as a fundamental, but sometimes the laser makes unorthodox positions more viable. We fire from the shoulder when possible.

  3. not very long, if you start working with NODs daily for a couple hrs a day.

  4. no.

Yes.

Edit: I don’t mean that optics are useless with NVG’s, just that laser/illuminators are faster. Also, using a magnified optic witn NODs for PID of target is perfectly valid, and I know of at least one instance where doing so saved a life.