Preview – Going Dark

So, you've decided to take the plunge into the world of night vision (NV), but as you've quickly found out, trying to figure out what type of NV setup to get for your rifle can be more confusing than understanding how people's ears don't bleed when they listen to Pitbull's reggaeton party anthems. You've also realized NV usage is equipment heavy and not cheap; there's an incredible amount of gear to consider: the NV device, infrared (IR) laser aiming system, IR illumination device, mounts and the list goes on and on. The first thing you need to do is take a step back and figure out what purpose is your night vision-equipped rifle going to be used for. Will you be doing static shooting like a designated marksman, or will you be moving through the darkness with the need to see everywhere you look? Or maybe you're a civilian who wants to hunt at night or be prepared for a SHTF situation, where you have to bug out under the cover of darkness. Once the goal is determined, you can start figuring out your NV solution.

We consulted two night vision experts, Chip Lasky and Kyle Harth from Tactical Night Vision Company (TNVC), to have them help educate you and us on different night vision rifle setups, along with their ideal uses. Lasky served in the Israeli Defense Force and is currently Director of Operations and Product Development for TNVC. Harth is a U.S. Amry veteran and TNVC's Director of Military/Law Enforcement Sales & Training.

For the rest of this article, subscribe digitally here: RECOIL Issue 4