PVS-14 or another thermal?

[JPK]

Lancer's reasons for having a PVS 14 make a lot of sense if, like him, you're driving a lot blacked out or navigating on foot for relatively long distances. If not then maybe a decent Envis hand held will get you by for navigation, Envis aren't readily helmet or weapon mounted, with a little looking you can find one for $600 or so with a decent Gen3 tube.

But with a PVS 14 you can quickly rifle mount for a second rig after making your approach. Makes a fine close range set up with an EOTech or red dot or a pretty nice 3x rig with a USGI magnifier and better using an IR laser rather than an EOTech or red dot to provide a reticle, IMO.

It sounds like a thermal QD scope/spotter would fit your needs best to me though. The REAP-IR or Patrol are designed for the role, but any smaller QD mounted scope ought to do the job.

JPK

 

[keatonskidmore]

I guess it somewhat depends on how much land you have access to. The PVS-14 (mine was not $4500 and it gets used every time I hunt) allows me to blow through the large tracts of land at a faster rate and even on the small parcels it gets me out to the hogs faster. This time savings easily means the difference between getting around to one or two more sounders or not, on an all-night hunt.
My $0.02

I've got a lot of land access. But where most of my wheat and milo is is right off the county road. So I just scan them from the road. I'm not going to drive ranch roads in thick brush while blacked out. I think the PVS14 could really help me get to the hogs faster on the stalk but only by a couple minutes. My friend used to have a PVS14 on a neck cord and we would use it to stalk up to the hogs but he sold it to buy another thermal.
If I got a second thermal it would be used primarily as a scanner and then for a second set up for a friend who doesn't have thermal or NV. Then I'll probably sell my 336 pro to upgrade to the 640 pro.

And also on the price of them I should go ahead and say I get both at dealer price.

 

[keatonskidmore]

i started with digital, then thermal monocular, then sold digital for PVS-14. Then sold thermal monocular for thermal scope. Then upgraded thermal scope.
Now I'm debating between selling my IR hunter MKII for the Reap IR or keeping the scope and adding a thermal monocular.
For me, the PVS-14 added a lot to what I could do overall with how I hunt now and how I couldn't hunt before. It has also helped exponentially added to the properties I have and have had access to hunt. I have a USGI 3x magnifier that clips on the pvs-14 and can be used behind a NV compatible eotech as a 3x optic. I also have an IR laser/light for quick shots with helmet mounted pvs-14/3x when there's no time to transfer the -14 onto the gun. Both options with pvs-14 work well, but getting everything for this set up will add up $$$$ (I also bought this set up from ident, on that note "bigreddog"with ******************* and "hdfireman" from black stone arms have repeatedly given me the best customer service, sales advice, and follow up service). When I bring guests to hunt, I navigate with and use pvs-14 and they follow with thermal scope and stop and scan every so often.
I would say if you're only hunting stationary over big open fields close to city lights or on full moons only and u want a back up scanner/scope and don't care to be able to do a lot more than that, then get the back up thermal. But if u want to be able to drive in the dark and walk around in the woods and have a sweet night time navigation tool that also doubles nicely as a back up scope (way better than photonXT, but not as good (for shooting) as another thermal scope in some instances but just as good in others) then get the -14. the pvs-14 works awesome on those big fields you're talking about btw in my experience.
The pvs-14 doesn't work well for me when I'm lookin for an animal in the dark that's mixed in with some cover/brush/trees (lawman did a great comparison video on this concept).
Good luck and keep us posted on your decision!

Yeah I'm torn between still on it. Because I like the ability to be blacked out and be able to see everything real well and for stalking the hogs and all. But then that doesn't help me with having to use my shooting scope as my thermal scanner and shooting scope. And doesn't help with when I have a friend wanting to come. Besides having to buy an IR light or red dot and I really don't like red dots.

 

[keatonskidmore]

Lancer's reasons for having a PVS 14 make a lot of sense if, like him, you're driving a lot blacked out or navigating on foot for relatively long distances. If not then maybe a decent Envis hand held will get you by for navigation, Envis aren't readily helmet or weapon mounted, with a little looking you can find one for $600 or so with a decent Gen3 tube.

But with a PVS 14 you can quickly rifle mount for a second rig after making your approach. Makes a fine close range set up with an EOTech or red dot or a pretty nice 3x rig with a USGI magnifier and better using an IR laser rather than an EOTech or red dot to provide a reticle, IMO.

It sounds like a thermal QD scope/spotter would fit your needs best to me though. The REAP-IR or Patrol are designed for the role, but any smaller QD mounted scope ought to do the job.

JPK

As much as I like the IR defense stuff, they're a bit more than the Zeus I'm looking at for the scanner/back up scope lol.

 

[JPK]

As much as I like the IR defense stuff, they're a bit more than the Zeus I'm looking at for the scanner/back up scope lol.

I sure as hell understand that. I have been jonesing for a REAP-IR for awhile but can't make myself pull the trigger. More pointing out the size and handiness that anything, though I don't know of competing units that compare directly.

JPK

 

[keatonskidmore]

I sure as hell understand that. I have been jonesing for a REAP-IR for awhile but can't make myself pull the trigger. More pointing out the size and handiness that anything, though I don't know of competing units that compare directly.

JPK

Yeah the REAP-IR looks awesome and I'd love to have one. I really hope armasight puts out a unit with their 12 micron boson core that competes more with it on size/clarity.
The Zeus I'm looking at is the 336 3x 42mm. My friend who runs the guide service has 2 and 2 other friends have one. So I have had a lot of time behind one lol.

 

[Taco]

What about a Predator? It's small enough to scan with although it may be a little awkward. Then slap on another rifle for a guest.

 

[keatonskidmore]

What about a Predator? It's small enough to scan with although it may be a little awkward. Then slap on another rifle for a guest.

Thought about that. My friend had one for a short amount of time and we didn't like it too much. I mean it worked good. But for a few hundred more you can get the 42mm one.

 

[Bakester]

Yeah the REAP-IR looks awesome and I'd love to have one. I really hope armasight puts out a unit with their 12 micron boson core that competes more with it on size/clarity.
The Zeus I'm looking at is the 336 3x 42mm. My friend who runs the guide service has 2 and 2 other friends have one. So I have had a lot of time behind one lol.

My 336 3x 42 is sposd to ship next week. For the $'s, seems to be a good choice.

 

[keatonskidmore]

My 336 3x 42 is sposd to ship next week. For the $'s, seems to be a good choice.

It is a great choice for the money for sure!

 

[keatonskidmore]

Well after thinking about it and talking to friends and my family, I decided that another thermal is best for me right now. With the rebate armasight is offering right now and my cost going down on a few units I just couldn't pass up the deal. I ordered the Zeus 640 42mm 2x. I think it will serve excellent as a scanner with it's wider FOV and still make a great weapon sight when I need it for another gun or as a backup.
Plus now I get to send my Zeus Pro in for a firmware update and to fix those damn cables that hold the battery cover and 8 pin cover and not be without thermal for that long.