NODS use and training

[BravoOneFour]

Night vision and thermal are used widely these days. Just curious how many of you train with yours with a prepping mindset? Anybody have good night ranges around central Indiana? I’m very new to the world of NODS (you might even say I’m…. Green.. ) I’m not totally kitted out yet with lasers but I’ve got the basics down and would love to train with others in the field.

 

[Tactically Fat]

I wish I had the $$ to LARP like this.

I suggest looking up and/or following Bill Blowers of Tap/Rack Tactical and Jon Dufresne of Kinetic Consulting for info about HIGH QUALITY open enrollment NV training. Though I'm not sure how many open enrollment classes they'll have.

Plus, if you follow those two dudes on social media, you'll be able to find other high quality instructors as well.

 

[BravoOneFour]

Went out during the storms and did some more nods shooting the other night

 

[Blackhawk2001]

I wish I had the $$ to LARP like this.

I suggest looking up and/or following Bill Blowers of Tap/Rack Tactical and Jon Dufresne of Kinetic Consulting for info about HIGH QUALITY open enrollment NV training. Though I'm not sure how many open enrollment classes they'll have.

Plus, if you follow those two dudes on social media, you'll be able to find other high quality instructors as well.

I'm not sure I'd denigrate wanting to be proficient with Night Vision Devices as "LARP"ing, but it's certainly a pretty expensive capability to obtain. Most of us aren't going to be able to pursue that capability precisely because it's so expensive to get into, even if you're enough of a DIYer that you can buy tubes and put NODs together yourself.

 

[BravoOneFour]

I'm not sure I'd denigrate wanting to be proficient with Night Vision Devices as "LARP"ing, but it's certainly a pretty expensive capability to obtain. Most of us aren't going to be able to pursue that capability precisely because it's so expensive to get into, even if you're enough of a DIYer that you can buy tubes and put NODs together yourself.

It's not as bad as some think though. A rebuilt PVS14 like mine is 2300 bucks. Not much more than a nice AR is out of the box. You of course will need an optic or laser compatible with it, but you need good optics for any guns anyways.

 

[Blackhawk2001]

It's not as bad as some think though. A rebuilt PVS14 like mine is 2300 bucks. Not much more than a nice AR is out of the box. You of course will need an optic or laser compatible with it, but you need good optics for any guns anyways.

All my NVG training was with dual tubes; not sure how I'd manage with a single tube.

 

[BravoOneFour]

All my NVG training was with dual tubes; not sure how I'd manage with a single tube.

The loss of depth perception is noticeable, but like nay skill, you have to learn it. It's still a significant step up from the handicap of no night vision capabilities at all.

 

[vitamink]

I find I’m less likely to be standing under a streetlight thinking I’m hidden with a single tube.

 

[OZZY.40]

It's not as bad as some think though. A rebuilt PVS14 like mine is 2300 bucks. Not much more than a nice AR is out of the box. You of course will need an optic or laser compatible with it, but you need good optics for any guns anyways.

I’ve been thinking of getting a PVS14. How happy are yours and where did you get them?

 

[vitamink]

I own a set of pvs15s, Anvis6, and a 14.
The 14 I won. If you have IG look up 9minded. Every Friday there’s a raffle. If you have extra money to burn, there you go. Essentially the 14 cost me $300 over a period of 1 month (I got lucky)

 

[BravoOneFour]

I’ve been thinking of getting a PVS14. How happy are yours and where did you get them?

I love it. My buddy is a dealer and rebuilds them. He got me a gen 3 omni7 for $2200. Brand new tube with a refurbed housing

 

[BravoOneFour]

I own a set of pvs15s, Anvis6, and a 14.
The 14 I won. If you have IG look up 9minded. Every Friday there’s a raffle. If you have extra money to burn, there you go. Essentially the 14 cost me $300 over a period of 1 month (I got lucky)

Cool Guy Surplus is my favorite raffle page on gram

 

[OZZY.40]

Cool Guy Surplus is my favorite raffle page on gram

I own a set of pvs15s, Anvis6, and a 14.
The 14 I won. If you have IG look up 9minded. Every Friday there’s a raffle. If you have extra money to burn, there you go. Essentially the 14 cost me $300 over a period of 1 month (I got lucky)

I will have to get an IG account now. Thanks!

 

[ChalupaCabras]

I'm looking for a place to shoot at night as well. I have a rifle setup but I'm not sure about the laser zero past 20 yards or so because of the restricted areas I can shoot.

Lots of people complaining about price of NODs when they have 5 ARs and 10 handguns. Stop buying REDUNDANT guns and start buying new capability. That's just as true for night vision as it is for other oreos.

Try calling the company's directly and make a deal. I called ATN directly and got a gen3 NVM14 with mounts and arms shipped for $2500. Stop buying PSAs and wait a few months till tax time.

Another problem is You Tube. The channels that do most of the night vision content either sell night vision, or are invested in looking cool on Instagram. They want people to get into it... but only at their price point and preferred equipment.

They don't tell you that a $300 TLR-VIR2 actually does a great job for most purposes (it doesn't look good on camera in the Idaho mountains and they can't compete wurh Amazon's pricing). You need to spend a grand on a holosun/ vampire combo at minimum they say.

They don't tell you a surplus pvs7 housing with a newer tube can get you into a usable device for less than a 14 with an equivalent tube - they say its better to get the 14 to preserve natural eye vision... then talk up the 31s with their next breath (they can't mark up a unit if you're buying surplus housings)

It's all bunk and its intentional Gate keeping.

But yes I do try to train with NODs and im looking to do so with like minded people.

 

[BravoOneFour]

I'm looking for a place to shoot at night as well. I have a rifle setup but I'm not sure about the laser zero past 20 yards or so because of the restricted areas I can shoot.

Lots of people complaining about price of NODs when they have 5 ARs and 10 handguns. Stop buying REDUNDANT guns and start buying new capability. That's just as true for night vision as it is for other oreos.

Try calling the company's directly and make a deal. I called ATN directly and got a gen3 NVM14 with mounts and arms shipped for $2500. Stop buying PSAs and wait a few months till tax time.

Another problem is You Tube. The channels that do most of the night vision content either sell night vision, or are invested in looking cool on Instagram. They want people to get into it... but only at their price point and preferred equipment.

They don't tell you that a $300 TLR-VIR2 actually does a great job for most purposes (it doesn't look good on camera in the Idaho mountains and they can't compete wurh Amazon's pricing). You need to spend a grand on a holosun/ vampire combo at minimum they say.

They don't tell you a surplus pvs7 housing with a newer tube can get you into a usable device for less than a 14 with an equivalent tube - they say its better to get the 14 to preserve natural eye vision... then talk up the 31s with their next breath (they can't mark up a unit if you're buying surplus housings)

It's all bunk and its intentional Gate keeping.

But yes I do try to train with NODs and im looking to do so with like minded people.

What part of indiana are you in?

 

[ChalupaCabras]

What part of indiana are you in?

North west

 

[ZurokSlayer7X9]

I’ve been thinking of getting a PVS14. How happy are yours and where did you get them?

There is an entire rabbit hole when it comes to PVS-14's. There are many good sources out there, even the internet elitists give good info, you just have to cut through the BS sometimes. The first thing is deciding if you want Green or White Phosphor, as White is typically better but somewhat more expensive. I went with Green because the cheapest White was over $1,000 above my model. I was once told "White is better than Green, but Green is EONS better than walking around with a toy flashlight in the jungle".

I got a simple AGM Gen 3 Green off of Optics Planet, mainly because I acquired a bunch of OP Bucks. I is still one of my best purchases. I've already had to use it several times, like searching for lost pets in the neighborhood when they got loose at night.

 

[BravoOneFour]

There is an entire rabbit hole when it comes to PVS-14's. There are many good sources out there, even the internet elitists give good info, you just have to cut through the BS sometimes. The first thing is deciding if you want Green or White Phosphor, as White is typically better but somewhat more expensive. I went with Green because the cheapest White was over $1,000 above my model. I was once told "White is better than Green, but Green is EONS better than walking around with a toy flashlight in the jungle".

I got a simple AGM Gen 3 Green off of Optics Planet, mainly because I acquired a bunch of OP Bucks. I is still one of my best purchases. I've already had to use it several times, like searching for lost pets in the neighborhood when they got loose at night.

The night vision sub reddit has been the most useful place to find info in my experience,

 

[HonkieKowboy]

View attachment 290400
Night vision and thermal are used widely these days. Just curious how many of you train with yours with a prepping mindset? Anybody have good night ranges around central Indiana? I’m very new to the world of NODS (you might even say I’m…. Green.. ) I’m not totally kitted out yet with lasers but I’ve got the basics down and would love to train with others in the field.

Also Interested, but the only chance I've really got to use my night vision (MUM14) was at milsim west haha.
Also I learned PVS7s kinda suk so I sold them off and got myself a single tube.

 

[ZurokSlayer7X9]

I'm looking for a place to shoot at night as well. I have a rifle setup but I'm not sure about the laser zero past 20 yards or so because of the restricted areas I can shoot.

Lots of people complaining about price of NODs when they have 5 ARs and 10 handguns. Stop buying REDUNDANT guns and start buying new capability. That's just as true for night vision as it is for other oreos.

Try calling the company's directly and make a deal. I called ATN directly and got a gen3 NVM14 with mounts and arms shipped for $2500. Stop buying PSAs and wait a few months till tax time.

Another problem is You Tube. The channels that do most of the night vision content either sell night vision, or are invested in looking cool on Instagram. They want people to get into it... but only at their price point and preferred equipment.

They don't tell you that a $300 TLR-VIR2 actually does a great job for most purposes (it doesn't look good on camera in the Idaho mountains and they can't compete wurh Amazon's pricing). You need to spend a grand on a holosun/ vampire combo at minimum they say.

They don't tell you a surplus pvs7 housing with a newer tube can get you into a usable device for less than a 14 with an equivalent tube - they say its better to get the 14 to preserve natural eye vision... then talk up the 31s with their next breath (they can't mark up a unit if you're buying surplus housings)

It's all bunk and its intentional Gate keeping.

But yes I do try to train with NODs and im looking to do so with like minded people.

Hmm, I'm in St. Joseph area, and am slightly familiar with the Kingsbury area (mainly the rifle range and the Fish Lake area). If you're still looking for like minded people, give me a PM, though I've only done night hikes and LandNAV scenarios with mine, no actual shooting.