Thread: Night vision as primary day scope

Anyone using a night vision scope as thier primary do anything scope. Currently I'm using a Eliminator 4 but for similar money (or less) similar specs and weight would the likes of a Pard Nightstalker pro or Nightstalker EX be up to scratch for daytime hunting.

You wont get quite the same optical clarity from an NV scope when compared to your Burris, but I have done exactly this often enough in the past and been perfectly happy with the sight picture on Deer size game, plus the Ballsitics have always been spot on. I find that with the NV scope there is more than enough clarity in the image for longer range shooting (which I assume is why you have the Burris).

Originally Posted by zeropak

You wont get quite the same optical clarity from an NV scope when compared to your Burris, but I have done exactly this often enough in the past and been perfectly happy with the sight picture on Deer size game, plus the Ballsitics have always been spot on. I find that with the NV scope there is more than enough clarity in the image for longer range shooting (which I assume is why you have the Burris).

Thanks for the insight. I originally got the Burris to save old, tired eyes having to look through a rangefinder then the small numbers on a dial up, not so much long range as I've come to realise I don't really take any long range shots but thought it would be good if the opportunity arose. Presumably NV will over time reduce in weight and increase in clarity. What would you say is the practical range of a NV scope on say a chamois size target.

Originally Posted by cantyguy

Thanks for the insight. I originally got the Burris to save old, tired eyes having to look through a rangefinder then the small numbers on a dial up, not so much long range as I've come to realise I don't really take any long range shots but thought it would be good if the opportunity arose. Presumably NV will over time reduce in weight and increase in clarity. What would you say is the practical range of a NV scope on say a chamois size target.

NV and Chamois: remember you can’t take them into DOC controlled areas. With a good NV you aren’t limited for range by the sight picture at all. I have a Zulus mk2 and I prefer it to an ordinary scope for the actual vivid sight picture. I dislike having to remember menus and everything that goes with electronic gadgets, but it’s worth it.

Originally Posted by Tahr

NV and Chamois: remember you can’t take them into DOC controlled areas. With a good NV you aren’t limited for range by the sight picture at all. I have a Zulus mk2 and I prefer it to an ordinary scope for the actual vivid sight picture. I dislike having to remember menus and everything that goes with electronic gadgets, but it’s worth it.

Just giving chamois as an indication of size and theres a few about on private land ;-)

I have a Pard TD 32 Multi spectrum on my 308 and have used it on goats several times during the day but the rangefinder is a bit hit and miss. When I spoke to Fraser about it I was told that the laser is not that great for what I was doing, often the scope could not give distance on a hill only 300m away but it was bright sunlight. I was able to hit rocks on a cliff 400m away. The scope is good and clear for daylight and great at night.

Ive used a DNT multispectral scope in day mode a bit and its totally fine. Clear enough to see as far as I can shoot. Easy to make out deer sized animals at 600m etc. I would be totally happy using it in place of an optical but obviously DOC don’t allow it so still use optical for all public land.

Originally Posted by cantyguy

Just giving chamois as an indication of size and theres a few about on private land ;-)

Good-o.
I shoot wallaby out to 450 yard and they are very clear.
Wallaby at 400 yards, 20 power evening-ish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC7z8Ad1jxg
519 yds, 20 power, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWbqSY0jwIk
250 yds Falcon scope: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP65yEhqdM4

Well I have seen a hunting mate miss an opportunity on a stag due to having to fiddle with his electronic optics.
By the time he got it turned on and focused it was gone. He wondered why I didn't shoot but he saw it so I considered it was his stag. I didn't get set up for it at all

Originally Posted by csmiffy

Well I have seen a hunting mate miss an opportunity on a stag due to having to fiddle with his electronic optics.
By the time he got it turned on and focused it was gone. He wondered why I didn't shoot but he saw it so I considered it was his stag. I didn't get set up for it at all

I can understand that. You need them in "stand by" and that drains the battery. And yes, they can be fiddly to focus.
Thats the advantage of the Zulus, it has a large capacity battery and will go all day in stand by. Just a touch of a button brings the screen up instantly.

Originally Posted by csmiffy

Well I have seen a hunting mate miss an opportunity on a stag due to having to fiddle with his electronic optics.
By the time he got it turned on and focused it was gone. He wondered why I didn't shoot but he saw it so I considered it was his stag. I didn't get set up for it at all

Depends on how used to using it you are I guess. Can run them on standby for a quick turn on and the focus stays fixed pretty well on mine. Closer range it might take longer than an optical, but for longer range the electronic has the time advantage as saves time switching between rangefinder and scope/dialling etc.

No experience myself but a mate in the UK has ALL of his rifles on full time digital scopes, I think that's about 10. It's an eye watering amount of cash to spend but buying power of the pound makes it less so and being in the middle of everywhere suppliers have to compete on price. When asked he said he can't see the point in going back to an analogue scope as he finds the digital scopes give him everything he needs with regards clarity of picture etc. All of his digital scopes are top end mind, nothing from Temu!

Originally Posted by Tahr

Good-o.
I shoot wallaby out to 450 yard and they are very clear.
Wallaby at 400 yards, 20 power evening-ish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC7z8Ad1jxg
519 yds, 20 power, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWbqSY0jwIk
250 yds Falcon scope: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP65yEhqdM4

Thats impressive! Thinking maybe a cheap second rifle as a dedicated NV setup to avoid being caught out during the day on DOC land.

Originally Posted by Zedrex

No experience myself but a mate in the UK has ALL of his rifles on full time digital scopes, I think that's about 10. It's an eye watering amount of cash to spend but buying power of the pound makes it less so and being in the middle of everywhere suppliers have to compete on price. When asked he said he can't see the point in going back to an analogue scope as he finds the digital scopes give him everything he needs with regards clarity of picture etc. All of his digital scopes are top end mind, nothing from Temu!

We often get the latest tech here first. The Zulus and Falcon NV were here before the States and UK. Ken at NightvisionNZ (55Six on here) often gets beta models before they are even in full production.
And really, NV is as cheap as chips compared to thermals.

Originally Posted by csmiffy

Well I have seen a hunting mate miss an opportunity on a stag due to having to fiddle with his electronic optics.
By the time he got it turned on and focused it was gone. He wondered why I didn't shoot but he saw it so I considered it was his stag. I didn't get set up for it at all

I would put that down to lack of experience and familiarity with the scope. All it takes is a quick press on the power button to bring it out of standby. the focus is a little more critical than a conventional scope but still no slower than sorting focus and parallax on a conventional scope and then a couple presses on the range finder button to bring up the correct holdover. Getting a firing solution with a digital scope is actually significantly faster than using a range finder and a dial up scope. You need to be totally familiar with your gear so that in a hunting situation the process becomes second nature.