Night shooting

[chippyray]

Firstly hello all, this my first post and would appreciate some advice. I have just retired and returned to serious shooting. I have a Tika T3 in 222 and Anshutz 1416 22lr I have two shoots, both golf courses. I have an add on night vision kit which I bought some time ago (nightstalker) I have done some research but am undecided as which would be the best type of scope for using the add on. I am asking now as I am about to upgrade my scopes for both rifles and need to ensure I get it right. My intention with the 222 is to reduce load the 222 to 17hmr / hornet specs to keep the noise down.
Any help and or advice would be much appreciated.

[Bob57]

Welcome ray,
just buy dedicated n/v like pard 008 which is also very good in daylight, and if you have a decent mod on your 222 it won't be much noisier than a17 hmr or hornet, downloading sometimes goes against you with ricochets depending on the bullets you use, I'd have it running flat out with light ballistic tipped bullets on a golf course.

[phoenix]

Recommending a scope depends on what you want the scope to do during daylight hours.
If you want a scope that has good low light performance for deer stalking at dawn and dusk, then none of the top brands (Swaro, Zeiss or S&B) make scopes that will work well with your add-on.
If you want a general purpose scope that still gives a good daytime image, and which works well with the add-on then look for a scope with the following characteristics
Minimum 50mm objective
Side focus down to 20 yards or less
Low base magnification - definitely not more than x4.
Some scopes known to work well with add-ons and which have reasonable glass include:
Delta titanium 2.5-15x56HD
Sightron 4-25x50
Hawke Sidewinder 4-16x50

AS Bob57 says, also consider a PARD NV008. It works very well both during daylight and darkness, and allows you to mount the rifle normally, something that doesn't look possible with your rear add-on.

Cheers

Bruce

[chippyray]

Thanks very much for the advice Bob and Bruce.

Probably saved me a few bob, I will look up the addon you both recommend. I was actually looking at S&B second hand or new Leupold so thanks again for that. I had Hawke 17hmr specific scope 4-16 on my cz 17hmr and a Hawke 8x56 on another cz 223 some years ago and found both ok for daytime shooting. I think I still have the 8x56 in my work shop. I was hoping to get fixed power as I find them easier at night, no fiddling but from what you are saying I will need PA. I have taken on your advice and will do some more research based on that.

Thanks again.

[Bob57]

Pard 008 are hard to come by at the moment but kevgun's mate has some pard 008 lrf for sale by the looks of it, would be good for your 22lr, to see how you like it.

[phoenix]

Thanks very much for the advice Bob and Bruce.

Probably saved me a few bob, I will look up the addon you both recommend. I was actually looking at S&B second hand or new Leupold so thanks again for that. I had Hawke 17hmr specific scope 4-16 on my cz 17hmr and a Hawke 8x56 on another cz 223 some years ago and found both ok for daytime shooting. I think I still have the 8x56 in my work shop. I was hoping to get fixed power as I find them easier at night, no fiddling but from what you are saying I will need PA. I have taken on your advice and will do some more research based on that.

Thanks again.

I don't think you find a fixed magnification scope that has either side focus or adjustable objective, except maybe for some high magnification target scopes
For a night vision add-on, adjustable objective, or preferably side focus is absolute must because IR focuses differently when it passes through a scope when compared to visible light.
As an example, a target at 100 yards when viewed in daylight using a scope with adjustable objective or side focus, will be in focus when the focus control on the scope is at or near the 100 yard marking.
Look at the the same target at the same distance at night using IR to illuminate the target and you'll find the focus control on the scope will need to be set somewhere around 20 yards to get the target in focus. if you leave the focus set for 100 yards, the target will not be in focus, and it will become further out of focus as the scope magnification is increased.
Frankly, I don't think your Hawke 8x56 will be very good.

Cheers

Bruce

[chippyray]

Thanks again lads,

My mistake I misread the Pard as an add on have since had a look and now have a better understanding. Wasn't intending to use the 8x56 so don't know why I mentioned it really.

Thanks again

[jthyttin]

Is your unit from him? How long ago did you buy it?

https://www.digitalnightstalker.com/

Have you tried it with current scopes? If yes I guess you were not satisfied (?), please tell us what issues did you have. Forgetting the reticle sharpness (if no AO/SF) you can get quite good idea what the performance of the add-on is.

If you're going shoot seriously for several years I'd say forget what equipment you have now and start from clean table with open mind. This is not to say your stuff is not fit, but please consider also selling them and buying something else. Otherwise you might end up spending more and still not getting what you really need.

From what I can gather you'd like to use both rifles at night i.e. prefer add-on? Buying two new scopes is serious money if you want also nice daytime pic so for the same kind of money there's lots of options.

[chippyray]

Hi JT

I got it last year as I said on a bit of a whim. The problem I have found with it is distance. I think though in all honesty this could be down to the NV torch or maybe the batteries. I tried it first with a Debden Tracer wouldn't work. Contacted Nightstalker who suggested I get another NV torch from his contact as the Tracer may not be compatible. Have tried this again last night, after advice on here from a couple of lads with regard to parallax which made a huge difference. But is still only good enough for 50 yds. Noticed with the new torch that it is not adjustable for for beam, whether that is the problem or not I don't know. I tried the Tracer again and it was OK (Now I know about the parallax) but only to 50yds again on tight beam, then the bulb went. So not having a lot of luck. The Nightstalker unit I think would be OK as It can see fine during the day but suffers I believe with not either a good enough torch or I am beginning to think it could be crap batteries.
I have just upgraded my rifles and wanted to upgrade my scopes to suit. Just wanted to treat myself when I retired really.
Am seriously thinking about just using a red lamp and good quality scope. I am an old fashioned bugger who likes uncomplicated kit with less things to go wrong. Would prefer fixed power scopes (No fiddling) but looked for advice on here for a scope that would work with an add on so I could move it from rifle to rifle.
The advice on the Pard 800 I found was spot on when I did the research and would fit the bill. it would be an improvement and give a better shooting position (Not a screen above the scope, I felt a bit like a contortionist). I just have to make my mind up. Do I want all the bells and whistles which I can see is a very clever bit of kit. Or keep it simple, somewhat like me.
Sorry for the war and peace and thank you for taking an interest. Any advice always welcome

[warbucks]

Hi Ray.
So you have a .22lr, and 222 to use on two golf courses --------one assumes this will need to be night shooting only ?

To me you want either rifle ready to go without swapping and having to re zero scopes/n/v, to me the trouble with just one Pard 008 swapping from one rifle to the other even though you can use the pre set rifle zero's you still need to check and adjust ? before shooting live quarry (been there done that -------not for me).

If you fitted either rifle with say a Hawke sidewinder 4-16x50, or similar (you really do need side focus , and down to 10 yds) with a Pard 007 (in 12mm would be my recommendation) and illuminated with a Sirius xtl laser, or similar, they will do everything you need.
If you buy a spare scope adaptor and a spare scope weaver torch bracket you can swap the Pard and Laser from one rifle to the other is seconds and your ready to go.

Dave (warbucks)