I'm pairing this unit with the WindFire 940nm IR Illuminator sold here on Amazon. After playing with the Night Shot for a few evenings, I have to give it a whole-hearted "thumbs up"!
I have a really cheap set of digital night vision goggles and two consumer-grade Gen 1 night vision monoculars. This unit absolutely blows all of them out of the water. Using the internal illuminator, I can easily identify objects across the canyon where I live (at least 200 yards, probably closer to 300). Using the WindFire at its "spotlight" setting, I probably gain 20% in light and clarity at long distance (not much difference at 100 yards or less). As well, using the external illuminator allows me to extend the battery life in the Night Owl scope.
I absolutely love the simplicity of the scope. Several of my neighbors have more expensive digital NV scopes. They get only slightly better pictures but are saddled with all of the bells and whistles (recording features, bluetooth, etc.) that require them to work with multiple menus and sub-menus. Drives them absolutely nuts. With the Night Shot, I turn it on, select the reticle and brightness (which are saved until the batteries are changed) and start shooting. Heck, by pure luck, the scope was even dead-on right out of the box. First shot bullseye. No adjustment necessary.
As others have noted, battery life can be pretty short . However, in the user's favor: 1) using an external IR increases battery life, 2) it does work with rechargeable AA's, and 3) the battery compartment cover has been moved to the side (see, the engineers do read the reviews!!) making battery changes a breeze.
I will agree with other reviewers, the scope body is plastic and does not instill a lot of confidence. However, it has been a very effective (and cost effective) way to get into NV scopes. My neighbors with "better" scopes payed at least twice what I did (and some, much more), and I'm as happy with my purchase as they are with theirs. One fella even traded in his mid-priced unit for a simpler one as he became more and more frustrated by all of the menus. As well, I have this unit mounted to my .22 LR varmint/pest rifle. I can't attest to how well it would hold up on a larger caliber platform. That being said, I intend to move it onto an AR (5.56/300BLK) if needed and expect it to continue working based on the seller's description.
All in all, an awesome scope!
| Brand | Night Owl |
|---|---|
| Color | Black |
| Style | Digital |
| Sport | Paintball, varmint hunting, Airsoft, hunting, hog hunting |
| Item Weight | 1.4 Pounds |
| Magnification Maximum | 3 x |
| Objective Lens Diameter | 40 Millimeters |
| Magnification Minimum | 1 x |
| Compatible Devices | Handgun, Shotgun, Rifle, Cross Bow |
| Mounting Type | Weaver Mount |
| Night vision | Yes |
| Eye Relief | 2.7 Inches |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 14.72 x 5.24 x 3.03 inches |
| Package Weight | 0.66 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 14.75 x 5.25 x 3 inches |
| Brand Name | Night Owl |
| Warranty Description | 1 year manufacturer |
| Model Name | NightShot |
| Suggested Users | unisex-adult |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | Night Owl Optics |
| Part Number | NONIGHTSHOT |
| Model Year | 2017 |
| Included Components | NONIGHTSHOT |
| Size | Medium |
