Night vision

[bazzab]

Hi all. Would like to give night vision a bash think it will make a huge difference with lamp shy bunnies. Anyone use / used NV? Am looking into making my own at the min. Wanted the NS50 but that will end in divorce i think. (mmmmm win win then!!!)

 

Bazza.

[FalconFN]

You can make your own, but there are other, easier ways to get cheap NV.

 

I use a Sony camcorder with niteshot (cheap non-recording fleabay jobbie) and a 12 v spot with IR filter and you can see rabbits clearly out to 60 yards and eyeshine out to 90 ish. Total cost under 20 quid.

 

I use it all the time now, won't go back to a lamp unless I have to.

[Gimlet]

I use an N550. It certainly does make a difference with lamp shy rabbits. But its not a magic solution. Fieldcraft is just as important, its harder to estimate range than with a lamp, and unlike an add-on, which needs high qaulity optics and variable parallax to work properly, you have to get used to using much lower mag.

It works, it does increase the bag, but it takes some getting used to.

 

The N550 has a built in red lazer which works well to about 60/70 yards, but the rabbits can see it and they get shy of it. You can buy a Pulsar IR flashlight to go with it but it doesn't work very well. Other makes do better but they all start at about £100. Or you can add a powerful gun lamp with an IR filter which greatly increases range but you will be back to a lamping rig with battery packs and wires to contend with. The best thing about the Pulsar is that the tube isn't damaged by light, so it can be used before its properly dark. Its brilliant at dusk at the point when conventional optics give up.

 

So its all ifs and buts. It works, but at a price - financial and practical. I never use my lamp for rabbits now and I wouldn't go back to it after NV. So buy one but don't expect miracles. The best systems are true day/night scopes, but if you don't like a grand for an N550 don't even think about those. Can't comment on building your own.