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Close range night vision on air rifle

PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:41 pm
by Born Again
I'm looking for a solution to my barn rats. They are around my pigs, very confident, often popping up 4 feet away from me. The close range means that scopes are out, but it's too dark to see open sights. A night vision solution would be best, I'm thinking of a rifle mounted monocular and a laser mounted very close to the barrel. A low powered IR aiming laser might work, if such a thing exists. I have gen1+ monoculars, and a laser illuminator that can focus to a dot, but it's way too bright to use as an aim point and has no aiming adjustments.

If they were 25yds away the rats would be dead, but in such a confined space it's difficult.

Ideas ?

Re: Close range night vision on air rifle

PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 11:04 pm
by 1066
Can't really help you much with your problem but I have fitted a NV monocular to a rifle with a laser pointer.
Image

Re: Close range night vision on air rifle

PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 11:24 pm
by Ray7756
Just an idea, not tried this but if you got a laser pointer, the type used for demos, and mounted it on the barrel somehow, the problem would be getting zero with it so some kind of adjustable mount would be required but if you did get it zero it would be point and shoot
Cheers
Ray

Re: Close range night vision on air rifle

PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 5:45 am
by Buffy Vampire Slayer
Ray7756 wrote:Just an idea, not tried this but if you got a laser pointer, the type used for demos, and mounted it on the barrel somehow, the problem would be getting zero with it so some kind of adjustable mount would be required but if you did get it zero it would be point and shoot
Cheers
Ray

one of the login rifles has one built-in
under the barrel in an adjustable housing,the S16/S16S models I think and that works pretty well when you get it zeroed :thup:

Re: Close range night vision on air rifle

PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 8:58 am
by mathspete
One of those keyring size laser pointers and some electricians tape, fasten it under the mod and fiddle about to get it "on" at your chosen range, (do this in daylight with a can so you can see your sights) should be point and fire and it's easily removable again.

Re: Close range night vision on air rifle

PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 11:56 am
by Shootist
There is a large number of laser pointing devices that mount onto a rifle and are adjustable to get them on aim. Fit one then bodge up the NV monocular to fit on the rifle so that you can see the dot from the laser and have fun. Alternatively, rig up a low level light source and dispense with the NV altogether and just use the laser (It might take a few days for the rats to get used to the light). A good combo might be the laser for the 4 foot away ones and a low mag bright scope for the ones at a distance. Best of both worlds then.

Re: Close range night vision on air rifle

PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 7:34 pm
by Born Again
1066 wrote:Can't really help you much with your problem but I have fitted a NV monocular to a rifle with a laser pointer.
Image


I think that's the solution, a laser pointer with either adjustable power or with a filter fitted, so as not to overwhelm the NV.

Thanks to everyone for the ideas.

Re: Close range night vision on air rifle

PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 8:34 pm
by Lee G
Its a pity you cant get the air shotgun in the UK
10 yards on one of those and ratty would be toast

Re: Close range night vision on air rifle

PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2015 12:18 am
by flintlok
There are ir laser sights available on the market. Optics Planet sells them in the US. There are multiple lasers available at a wide price range. They are adjustable for sighting. A rail mounted version is also available. You should be able to find one in the UK that suits your needs.

Re: Close range night vision on air rifle

PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2015 8:25 am
by 1066
Born Again wrote:
1066 wrote:Can't really help you much with your problem but I have fitted a NV monocular to a rifle with a laser pointer.
Image


I think that's the solution, a laser pointer with either adjustable power or with a filter fitted, so as not to overwhelm the NV.

Thanks to everyone for the ideas.


I don't find the laser overwhelms the NV. The only problem I had when I first tried it was the laser light was just clipping the top of the foresight protector, that certainly flooded the NV.

The way I lined it up was to sight the rifle in at the range I wanted with a normal scope, then juggle around with the laser pointer to line up with the reticule and lock it in place, then remove the scope and fit the NV.

The NV is just a £69 unit from Aldi.

Here's a bit of video shot with the NV. Not completely dark but very low light. It has AV takeoff and was recorded on an old minidisc Sony camcorder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K_T3_T_MTk

Image

Re: Close range night vision on air rifle

PostPosted: Sun Dec 13, 2015 7:58 pm
by T J
I see 2 options for you.
Red dot sight or laser sight. Examples in the 2 links below.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Holographic-R ... Swj0NUbhsh

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Red-Dot-Laser ... SwsFpWTa5D

Re: Close range night vision on air rifle

PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:30 am
by weebeestie
I used a very similar set up years ago.
I used this IR laser dot with a barell mount.
Worked very well.

Still got it kicking about if any good.

Re: Close range night vision on air rifle

PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 10:30 pm
by Andy.I
My solution to this very problem was, like others, to use a red laser as close as possible to, and parallel with the barrel. You don't ven need to life the rifle to your shoulder to pull off stunning "cowboy" shots which bamboozle anybody who doesn't realise you are using a laser designator. ;)

The alternative, if you decide to use an NVD, is to use an infra-red laser designator for short range. :)

Re: Close range night vision on air rifle

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2020 4:22 pm
by kce
@ Born Again.
Can you entice the rats out to a point where you can get a shot at them.?
I had a problem on one of my shoots which is indoors in the Meercat pens so I used some peanut butter/Nutella chocolate spread and vegetable oil mixed tgether and a good squirt of that brought them to where I could shoot them with good back drop.