In the 12 page thread “Bedroom M4’s. How do you store yours?” there are lots of different conditions that members keep their HD carbine in; round in chamber, safety on, no round in chamber, hammer cocked safety on, etc… I keep mine with chamber empty, hammer down, safety off…
But that is not the question. I am fortunate enough to own decent NV (D-300, Gen 2 Mil Tube) that was available from Vic at Tactical Night Vision in a group buy at TOS a few years back. I mounted it on my HD carbine in a GGG mount recently and my question is, who is using night vision optics on their HD carbines?
Had this rig out in my backyard on a very dark night recently and the performance is outstanding. Four dogs could not hide no matter how dark the corner they were in.
The minimal clearance between the NV and Comp M4 does not allow use of the front protective cap for the NV tube. Assuming I don’t accidently turn the unit on in bright light, is this OK for daily use. The gun comes out of the safe at night and goes back in when the sun rises.
SBR w/Aimpoint Comp M4 and NV
Close up w/ GGG mount
Surefire illuminator (need to change DD mount to a Viking Tactics to reduce profile)
I don’t keep it on the gun regularly but I do have a PVS 14 in a QD weapons mount that I can slip on in a matter of seconds. I also have a Surefire M1 IR light in addition to the mini scout light. Again the M1 doesn’t stay on all the time but is in a QD mount for ease of use.
I’m not sure if I’d run the 14 indoors or not, I’ve always just opted for the white light option. But I have put it on the gun many times to check the outside perimeter of the home over the years.
First of all, seconds can cost lives. I would use it or don’t. Also, I agree with the white light option; If NV is necessary, it will require you to shoulder the weapon. You may be incapacitated in some way and shouldering the weapon may be physically impossible. There are so many what if’s in a HD scenario. I personally go for the mossberg 500 cruiser for HD.
You’re reading deeper into it than what I meant. If something occurs that warrants me grabbing the gun indoors then I doubt that the 14 would ever enter my mind as opposed to white light.
If I wanted to go outside and set up somewhere on a corner of the house and observe whatever situation then the NV would be more of a consideration given the time constraints and location of where any potential threat may be.
Couple of situations with a couple of options is all it is.
My thinking exactly. I should have stated that my first choice for a HD situation would probably be my 870 with 00 LE Buck, which is always ready to go. If I thought there was an immediate threat it would be the gun I grab. The NV on the AR just gives another option. The NV dismounts very quickly with the GGG mount and I could put the AR in play easily without the NV.
I also am fortunate to have an early warning alert system made up of Golden and Labrador retrievers.
My AR is not my only HD gun. My SBR, shotgun and Glock 35 are all easily accessible as I get out of bed and each has its own light. I have several handguns staged at locations throughout the house (no kids, no problem) since an inntrusion can happen at any time. Dogs bark at any movement in the yard so I should have time to get to a gun.
Just trying the NV out. I can move quickly through the house with it in the total darkness. Maybe it is not the best option and maybe it should come off.
Id say if you want night vision on your carbine then go for it. In my opinion its just important to adapt to every mission. Thats the beauty of QD levers. Personally i think its hard to have nv on a hd carbine because it so up in your face and takes alot of time to aquire your target, and in most cases if theres an AR is some dirt bag’s face at a cqb range he’s gunna be on the move, making your taget aquisition and ID even more difficult.
While I actually have a KX3 sitting on a shelf on the workbench I haven’t used it in years. Like IG above I also have a QD suppressor on my SBR.
This is a pic of mine, however some changes have been made over time. The light has been replaced with a mini scout light and the HK magazine is long, long gone.
If you’re worried about light damage to your intensifier tube, why not just slip a section of bicycle inner tube over the gap? Then just roll it out of the way if you need to mount and dismount the NV?
That is way over-simplifying the problem.
It’s easy to stand on the keyboard and beat our chests, but the legal and moral dilemma of indiscriminately shooting anything other than those that share our bed is deserving of much more thought and planning.
a friend of mine likes to tell the the story about the time he was sitting in a tree stand waiting for dawn. Apparently a father and son of about 12 are walking to thier hide and the father says to the son, “now remember, you shoot anything that moves.” so as soon as those two are out of sight, my friend packs his gear and leaves.
Anybody Joe Citizen using Image Intensification equipment such as this, or thermals (unlikely, and also not a good idea) needs to look up the operational definitions for Detection, Recognition, and Identification, particularly if it’s your intent to NOT go to jail after a shoot, regardless as to whether or not it was morally justifiable or not.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say that white light is better for HD, but I think it’s certainly smarter.
Unless you have a fantastic shyster on retainer, and are prepared fror more potential legal drama that you’d have to put up with for zapping anybody, good guy or bad guy, based on a pixelated, projected image interpreted through an intensifier tube and projected on a 2D screen that has to be further interpreted by your brain before you make PID on shoot/no shoot. A law student with barely any memory of how the electromagnetic spectrum works could do a good job of chewing you up on the witness stand, or if you refuse to potentially self-incriminate, have a better chance to convince a jury that, best-case scenario, that you reached your info-overload point while looking through an image-intesified toilet parep roll with no peripheral vision… you can see where this is going. I-Square mounted to the gun, I think in this case, introduces variables into a situation in which you would be better served reducing variables.
Warfighters have more leeway than folks protecting their home, so it’s a judgement call.
Back to the original question and away from everyone’s legal opinion on who you can shoot and why: does anyone else have NV mounted on a gun they would use for HD?
