Night hunting is an excellent way to get up close and personal with game animals. To make it even more effective, add night vision capabilities to your rifle scope for enhanced accuracy.
Converting your standard rifle scope into a night vision scope is simple. All that’s required is the appropriate attachment and some spare time on your hands.
1. IR Illuminator
Enhancing scopes with night vision is an excellent way to enhance their performance. Infrared (IR) lights enable these devices to see in low or no light conditions, making them indispensable for hunting and other activities that require nighttime observations.
On the market, there are various IR illumination devices. These range from integrated illuminators built into some night vision devices to external ones used for various tasks. Either powerful enough to project a spotlight-like beam of infrared light out to distances up to 500 yards or small and compact so they can be used as handheld flashlights.
These illuminators may be pricey, but they provide great illumination and can make a major difference when observing at night. A great addition to any night vision device, they help spot wildlife and other creatures when there’s no light available.
Illuminators can be constructed with LEDs that emit IR light in the wavelength range of 760nm. Usually made up of Gallium Arsenide or Aluminum Gallium Arsenide LEDs that operate at 1.4V voltage, these illuminators come standard as part of night vision devices but may also be purchased separately as separate accessories.
Another option is an IR laser system that fires a concentrated beam of IR light. These are often combined with night vision devices, but they can also be useful for aiming at targets and spotting people in the dark.
An IR illuminator can make it easier to locate ducks and other water birds in the dark. By shining a bright light directly into their eyes, you may encourage them to come out of hiding more quickly.
On the market, you can find various IR illuminators. Some use LEDs that emit infrared light in the range of 760nm, while others require 18 Infrared LEDs with individual current limiting resistors R2 – R19. This circuit requires minimal components and should be easy to construct: just 18 LEDs plus current limiting resistors R2-R19.
2. Red Dot Magnifier
When looking to enhance night vision in a scope, red dot magnifiers are one of the top choices. These optics can range in magnification from 3x to 6x or more and have become common among law enforcement personnel and Special Forces units for close-quarters combat. Furthermore, hunters using red dots often benefit by being able to spot small targets hidden away in wooded areas or brush.
Red dot magnifiers come in many varieties, each offering its advantages and drawbacks. A magnifier scope can extend the range of a red dot sight, facilitate zeroing, and allow you to shoot farther away with less eye fatigue.
The Primary Arms 3X Magnifier is an excellent option if you’re looking to add night vision to your scope at a budget price point. It’s waterproof and features wire tethers that keep the windage and elevation adjustment caps secure on both turrets. Plus, its user-friendly design boasts multicoated lenses which enhance light transmission.
This adaptor is designed to work with a wide range of rifles and optics. It’s fully compatible with Aimpoint red dots and can be mounted on either Weaver or Picatinny rails.
Aside from being extremely affordable, the Primary Arms magnifier is also incredibly lightweight. At just 3.74 ounces without a mount and 9.55 ounces with its flip-to-side mount, this red dot magnifier ranks among the lightest available on the market today.
In addition to being an excellent choice for tactical firearms, the Primary Arms magnifier is also ideal for CQB and short-range target acquisition scenarios. Its wide field of view and coatings on the lenses allow you to quickly acquire your target in confined spaces.
Another great option for adding night vision to your scope is the Holosun HS503R and Vortex Micro 3X magnifier. This combination combines two of the industry’s premier optics in an easy-to-use plug-and-play solution that saves weight and time. It works best with lower 1/3 co-witness heights and works with all Aimpoint red dot sights.
3. Video Recorder
If you’re searching for an inexpensive way to add night vision to your scope, video recorders may be the solution. These recorders can be attached to various devices like digital or analog cameras and store the footage on a local storage medium such as a hard drive. Furthermore, many come equipped with features like search functionality or time/date sorting.
Some DVRs can be connected to multiple cameras and record video simultaneously, which may be advantageous in cases where multiple people need to view the same area.
You can invest in a camera specifically designed for night vision use, like the X-Vision Optic XANS550 KRAD Night Vision Digital Scope. This scope has an impressive 350-yard field of view when in total darkness and up to 950 yards during daytime. Plus, it’s Wifi compatible and comes with a free app that lets you view it remotely from your phone or tablet.
When selecting a camera for your scope, ensure it has an expansive field of view and is waterproof. Doing so will guarantee clear vision even in low-light conditions.
The DVR is an essential element of night vision scopes, as it records video and images onto a local storage device. These digital recording systems use the same technology as VCR tapes and can store thousands of pictures or hours of video without degradation.
A DVR differs from a camcorder in that it can be connected to multiple cameras and configured to automatically replace old footage when storage becomes full. This helps avoid having to constantly reset the camera.
Additionally, DVRs enable you to set different schedules and alerts. These can be set up to notify you when an event occurs or when a specific time approaches.
You can record video on your computer screen using screen capture software. This is an invaluable asset when performing home inspections, hunting, or any other job where documentation is necessary. Many programs will even let you add a watermark to the video so it cannot be copied.
4. Camera
Cameras are optical devices that convert light into images. They can be used for night vision purposes in a variety of scenarios, from fishing and camping to hunting and nature observation.
Night vision devices are most often found in scopes, which can be freestanding or mounted on a rifle. They come in monocular (one eyepiece) and binocular (two eyepieces for stereoscopic image quality) versions, plus some that have been integrated into helmets and goggles as well.
One of the most crucial considerations when purchasing a night vision scope is its detection and recognition ranges. These are distances from which a device can detect objects and spot details about them, like tree trunks or people. This information is invaluable when trying to get close-up shots at game animals or unsuspecting humans in low-light conditions.
Thermal Imaging
Thermal imaging is another popular consumer use of night vision devices, which allows the detection of infrared radiation or heat from all kinds of objects. This makes it ideal for military operations, helicopter pilots in desert conditions and anyone needing to see through dense foliage at night.
Night vision devices capture infrared radiation from objects by passing light through a special lens and scanning it with a phased array of infrared-detector elements. This information is then converted into electric impulses which can be sent to a receiver, producing an image on your camera’s screen or using an IR illuminator.
This technology differs from the classic green-and-black phosphor images used in older night vision devices, yet it still provides impressive performance. This is thanks to CORE, or “Ceramic Optical Ruggedized Engine,” a special ceramic core that makes them much more resistant to mechanical damage than models built with glass components.
