night vision spotter

[hignet]

hello new member to forum was looking to purchase night vision spotter from some bloke with black sun pill and 50mm lens would also like to ask for anyones thoughts on suitability of photon xt with doubler for foxing on sako 85 22/250 not looking for long range less than 200yards if my callings any good closer the better also suitable mounts got optilocks at the mo lot of questions but night vision virgin and dont want to waste money on unsuitable gear thanks

[Radagast]

Links to all Somebloke's spotter builds are here, just scroll down a bit:
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=14279

Fitting a doubler to the Photon can be a problem, they have started gluing a locking ring in the front of the scope to prevent you from mounting a doubler:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=16070

Clive Ward will supply the Photon with doubler fitted:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=16228

Or you can muck around with removing the front lens and replacing it with a better quality SLR lens, we call that conversion the Photon Extreme:
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=14144

[hignet]

thanks for the reply thinking of photon xt from clive ward or maybe wdv 800 as have various rifles .17 hmr 22 etc.theres a lot to take in

[rodp]

I had a photon, admittedly the first version, and gave it my son. Nothing wrong with it but I wanted to use a day scope during daylight and as with you, I use several rifles. I bought a Ward D 700 as the 800 wasn't out then. Suits me just fine as I shove it in my pocket and fit when it's getting dark. Takes seconds to fit and does the job perfectly You won't go far wrong with either a Photon or a Ward D, just what suits your shooting.

[Radagast]

If your scopes have side parallax adjustment, then go with the Wardy. Non parallax scopes may not focus with IR.
On top of the cost of the Photon you would need picatinny rails for each rifle and QD mounts for each scope. That quickly adds up.
Build quality / durability is probably better with the Wardy, the Photon is built to a price point that allows importers and resellers to put their margin on top. With the Night Vision Store the manufacturer is the seller. the only real thing you lose on the Wardy is cheek weld / eye relief, you need to set your head further back on the stock, so snap shooting off the shoulder is not as easy. From a vehicle or rest its not so much of a problem.

[rodp]

If your scopes have side parallax adjustment, then go with the Wardy. Non parallax scopes may not focus with IR.
On top of the cost of the Photon you would need picatinny rails for each rifle and QD mounts for each scope. That quickly adds up.
Build quality / durability is probably better with the Wardy, the Photon is built to a price point that allows importers and resellers to put their margin on top. With the Night Vision Store the manufacturer is the seller. the only real thing you lose on the Wardy is cheek weld / eye relief, you need to set your head further back on the stock, so snap shooting off the shoulder is not as easy. From a vehicle or rest its not so much of a problem.

To be honest Radders, I don't notice any difference with or without the Ward D fitted. Possibly do have to have my head further back with the nv fitted but if so it's so slight as to be unnoticeable. This is behind a MTC something or other.

[hignet]

cheers for replies lads probs go down wdv 800 route will have to change scope got a leupold vx3 4-12x50 at the moment .not much good at shooting off the shoulder anyway unless it involves a shotgun think its my age

[hignet]

forgot to ask is night master 800 ir any good with wdv 800

[Radagast]

Rodders, I hunch up behind the scope, shooting with my home brew add on was unnatural for me.

Hignet, The Wardy works fine with the Night Master, but the Nightmaster is old tech with much lower output for much more money than the torches the rest of us use. Night Master 250 Microwatts per sqm, T20 Black Sun from Clive is 1130, B501 from the same is 1492mw/scm, a custom 74mm diameter torch from IR Light Builds is 4020.
Links to tests and builds here:
viewtopic.php?f=31&t=14690

[hignet]

Thanks for the heads up have a nightmaster was going to buy ir pill for it but might as well buy new one off Clive for similar money there's a lot to learn but some very helpful people on forum thanks for your help lads