Best Night Vision Scopes & Optics for 2024

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Ethan Smith
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Video night vision rifle scope review

As soon as the sun goes down, you’re faced with an unfortunate reality.

For safety’s sake — or simply to remain on the right side of the law, depending on what you’re use case is — you have to stop shooting.

At least, you did, until night vision optics became a practical reality for recreational consumer-level shooters. These systems are cheaper, better, and easier to use than ever before, and they can make a ton of sense under the right circumstances.

The night vision marketplace can be confusing, but with our guide, you’ll be able to wade through the jargon and figure out what purchases make sense for you. Keep in mind, this isn’t meant to be an exhaustive survey of the night vision optic marketplace.

That would take many thousands of words and is probably beyond the need of most shooters. Instead, we’ll look at a few practical setups you might want to run, either for hunting or tactical applications.

Why Night Vision?

This is a question every shooter has to answer for him or herself.

Are you interested in night vision optics for a theoretical tactical advantage? Are you just a shooting enthusiast who wants to experiment with different situations and use cases?

Maybe you’re a hunter who can legally take certain types of game at night. In some places, deprivation permits allow hog hunting after dark — which is an excellent time to catch wild pigs out in the open … see our guide to pig hunting here.

Or perhaps you have a rat infestation and an air gun waiting for some target opportunities in a safe setting — (you have read our 5 Best Air Guns, right?).

Whatever the case, your intended application should determine what kind of night vision optic setup you purchase, and what you’re likely going to need to spend for effective results.

There are too many possible applications to cover optics for every scenario, so we’ll look at different types of night vision technology and specific optics, along with their range of suitable applications, to help you figure out what you’ll need in the field.

What is NVD?

What are people talking about when they discuss night vision optics? There’s a long history that it’s helpful to understand as you go about making a purchasing decision.

Night vision devices, or NVDs, were developed and deployed for military applications as early as World War II. The Germans put a portable unit in the field called the ZG 1229 Vampir, an active infrared device that was mounted on Sturmgewehr 44 rifles and powered by a backpack battery.

Of course, this type of technology was set to completely change warfare, as night fighting is normally a highly risky proposition without adequate intel and illumination. The U.S. developed “zero generation” active infrared devices in parallel with the Germans, and Sniperscope infrared devices also appeared on WWII battlefields on the Allied side.

Development continued through the Korean War and Vietnam, where first generation passive devices, which rely on ambient light instead of an infrared light source, were put into use for the first time. These offered around 1,000 times light amplification levels and had an effective range out to about 100 yards.

Second generation devices used an image intensifier tube with a microchannel plate, which greatly improved night vision performance to about 10,000 times ambient light levels, or out to about 200 yards.

The third generation saw even more technological improvements, resulting in higher image resolution and greater light magnification, anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 times greater than ambient levels, offering an effective range of about 300 yards and beyond.

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There’s a fourth generation of NVDs out there, sort of, though the U.S. Army went back on this classification after issues arose with the technology. But we don’t need to talk too much about this, except in terms of marketing, as the term does pop up around some devices. Suffice it to say, they aren’t necessarily superior.

I could go into the technical aspects of the technology, but for the average shooter, the result is the same: night vision optics were getting better, and were able to perform in much lower light, such as during a moonless night.

White phosphor technology, which produces a white-and-black, high-contrast image based on amplifying ambient light, is also becoming very popular.

However, for many hunters especially, infrared-sensitive optics are the best bet for hunting at night – where their use is legal, of course. Non-scope-mounted monocular units are also popular for finding game at night.

Why Thermal?

Generally, thermal imaging offers far superior capabilities in terms of detecting animals when compared to light amplification devices. Though the resolution isn’t generally as good, IR units are more than adequate for most applications, and when viewing game through an IR unit, they really stand out versus a light amplifying system.

Additionally, thermal imaging technology can be used in complete darkness, and can also be used during daylight for sighting in, whereas light amplification devices aren’t usable during the day and can be damaged if light sources are too bright.

Gen 2 and Gen 3 night vision devices are excellent, however, and can absolutely surpass thermal imaging devices in some applications, especially in terms of target identification and resolution. This is why you need to be very clear about your goals and intended use cases.

Because light amplification devices are highly versatile and offer greater resolution, they excel for navigational applications and in some tactical situations where higher resolution is paramount.

Keep in mind, however, that gen 2 and gen 3 devices will likely be extremely expensive. Most entry-level equipment is going to be gen 1. So we really can’t compare apples-to-apples in terms of image clarity unless we ignore price.

I know I keep saying this, but it’s really important: It really all comes down to your intended application. Instead of dwelling on all of the technical differences, let’s focus on what the average shooter needs to know.

Best Night Vision Scopes

Let’s start by examining a couple of mainstream night vision and infrared units and what you can get out of them to better understand the market.

You’ll likely not be running a goggle-based night vision system for hunting — though some hog hunters trying to clear overwhelmed farmland will run goggles with IR lasers for quick shots, to eradicate pest populations — and you probably won’t need multiple accessories you’d otherwise find useful for tactical applications.

There are a ton of options available in the marketplace, so let’s look at two to get a better idea of what you might want.

1. Firefield NVRS 3×42 Night Vision Riflescope

This gen-1 night vision scope is more of a budget option, but it gets the job done. It’s a little bulky, and it features 3 times magnification, but for less than $300 in most cases, this scope is a good bet for those looking to enter the world of night vision-assisted shooting.

The unit features a titanium body and is thus lightweight, and the unit also includes an IR illuminator built in (as an aside, be sure to check local laws when making purchasing decisions, because, in some states, infrared illumination isn’t allowed for taking game. In some cases, however, passive units that don’t feature IR illumination are allowed).

See also  .308 Winchester for Grizzly Or Brown Bear Hunting? Best Ammo (Round, Load, Cartridge) for a Successful Grizzly Or Brown Bear Hunt Hunting Calibers 04 Apr, 2020 Posted By: Foundry Outdoors Is the .308 Winchester a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for grizzly or brown bear hunting? The accurate answer is “it depends”. However, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether the .308 Winchester is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest grizzly or brown bear. As with anything, the devil is in the details. To answer the question completely, we would need to evaluate the downrange distance to the grizzly or brown bear, the bullet type, the grain weight of the bullet, the physical condition of the firearm, the size of the grizzly or brown bear in question, the shot placement, the local wind conditions, the expected accuracy of the shooter, the ethics of the ideal maximum number of shots – the list goes on. [Click Here to Shop .308 Winchester Ammo]What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a grizzly or brown bear in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically. Let’s dive right in. In the question of “Is the .308 Winchester within the ideal range of suitable calibers for grizzly or brown bear hunting?” our answer is: No, the .308 Winchester is UNDERKILL for grizzly or brown bear hunting, under average conditions, from a mid-range distance, with a medium grain expanding bullet, and with correct shot placement.Let’s look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. Assumption Value Caliber .308 Winchester Animal Species Grizzly Or Brown Bear Muzzle Energy 2620 foot-pounds Animal Weight 595 lbs Shot Distance 200 yardsWhat is the average muzzle energy for a .308 Winchester? In this case, we have assumed the average muzzle energy for a .308 Winchester round is approximately 2620 foot-pounds. What is the average weight of an adult male grizzly or brown bear? Here we have leaned conservative by taking the average weight of a male individual of the species, since females generally weigh less and require less stopping power. In this case, the average weight of an adult male grizzly or brown bear is approximately 595 lbs. [Click Here to Shop .308 Winchester Ammo]What is the distance this species is typically hunted from? Distance, of course, plays an important role in the viability of a given caliber in grizzly or brown bear hunting. The kinetic energy of the projectile drops dramatically the further downrange it travels primarily due to energy lost in the form of heat generated by friction against the air itself. This phenonemon is known as drag or air resistance. Thus, a caliber that is effective from 50 yards may not have enough stopping power from 200 yards. With that said, we have assumed the average hunting distance for grizzly or brown bear to be approximately 200 yards. What about the other assumptions? We have three other primary assumptions being made here. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .308 Winchester. The second important assumption is ‘slightly-suboptimal’ to ‘optimal’ shot placement. That is to say, we assume the grizzly or brown bear being harvested is shot directly or nearly directly in the vitals (heart and/or lungs). The third assumption is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet.Various calibersA common thread you may encounter in online forums is anecdote after anecdote of large animals being brought down by small caliber bullets, or small animals surviving large caliber bullets. Of course those stories exist, and they are not disputed here. A 22LR cartridge can fell a bull elephant under the right conditions, and a newborn squirrel can survive a 50 BMG round under other specific conditions. Again, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether .308 Winchester is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest grizzly or brown bear - and to this question, the response again is no, the .308 Winchester is UNDERKILL for grizzly or brown bear hunting. [Click Here to Shop .308 Winchester Ammo]This article does not serve as the final say, but simply as a starting point for beginner hunters, as well as a venue for further discussion. Please feel free to agree, disagree, and share stories from your own experience in the comments section below. Disclaimer: the information above is purely for illustrative purposes and should not be taken as permission to use a particular caliber, a statement of the legality or safety of using certain calibers, or legal advice in any way. You must read and understand your own local laws before hunting grizzly or brown bear to know whether your caliber of choice is a legal option.Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online.We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. We have a variety of deals on Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo, Shotgun Ammo & Rimfire Ammo, as well as ammo for target practice, plinking, hunting, or shooting competitions. Our website lists special deals on 9mm Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 45-70 Ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 300 Blackout Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 5.56 Ammo, Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo and more special deals on bulk ammo.We offer a 100% Authenticity Guarantee on all products sold on our website. Please email us if you have questions about any of our product listings. 6 Comments Brian Mumford - May 19, 2021I respectfully disagree, and to back up my opinion, I merely have to point to the agency that probably deals with more polar bears—the largest and most dangerous bears—than any other in the world: the Canadian Arctic Rangers.In 2015, they chose as standard issue in dealing with polar bears the Sako T3 CTR (Compact Tactical Rifle) bolt-action rifle with a 10-round detachable magazine chambered in .308 Winchester. Operating in -50 C weather (-58 F), they cannot afford for a semi-auto to jam when facing a polar bear, yet they are perfectly confident using a .308 rather than a more powerful magnum rifle or even a .30-06. If the branch of the Canadian military dealing with polar bears chose a .308 rifle, then what you are saying about a .30-06 does not appear to be true. Just because the North American military arm dealing such threats chose a .308 does not necessarily make them right, but how many polar bears have you taken?A .30-06 was Teddy Roosevelt’s choice for elephants, and today’s loads are much improved over the ones used by the man who carried a big stick in the early 20th Century. I am not claiming a .30-06 is a good idea on elephants and other dangerous game in Africa these days given our modern options (or even permissible by African outfitters), but to say a 30-06 is underpowered for brown bear is at the very least overstating the point. But when we look further, it appears flat out wrong.The Alaskan Department of Fish and Game states the following on their website (https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.firearms):“If you presently own a rifle chambered for the .270 Winchester, 7mm-08, .308 Winchester or .30-06 and can place all of your shots in an 8-inch circle out to 200 yards from a sitting or kneeling position you can be a successful Alaska hunter. To be as effective as possible, these cartridges should be loaded with premium quality bullets that are designed to pass completely through a large game animal, if hit in the heart-lung area.“Big Magnums Not Needed…”“The rifle you bring hunting should be one with which you are comfortable. Because of the presence of brown and grizzly bears, many hunters have been convinced that a .300, .338, .375, or .416 magnum is needed for personal protection and to take large Alaska game. This is simply not true. The recoil and noise of these large cartridges is unpleasant at best and plainly painful to many shooters. It is very difficult to concentrate on shot placement when your brain and body remembers the unpleasant recoil and noise which occurs when you pull the trigger on one of the big magnums.“The two most common complaints of professional Alaska guides are hunters who are not in good physical condition and hunters who cannot accurately shoot their rifles. Because these hunters do not practice enough they cannot shoot accurately enough. They miss their best chance at taking their dream animal or worse yet, they wound and lose an animal. Most experienced guides prefer that a hunter come to camp with a .270 or .30-06 rifle they can shoot well rather than a shiny new magnum that has been fired just enough to get sighted-in. If you are going to hunt brown bear on the Alaska Peninsula or Kodiak Island, a .30-06 loaded with 200- or 220-grain Nosler® or similar premium bullet will do the job with good shot placement.”Obviously professionals hunting in Alaska do NOT require—or even recommend—magnum calibers, even for Kodiak Bears (arguably the largest bears on average next to polar bears). Moreover, they agree with the Canadian Arctic Rangers that shot placement, whether it be from a .30-06 Springfield, .270 Winchester, or even a .308 Winchester, is obviously more important than magnum power, and the Canadians clearly favor a .308 for the task.Conclusion? A .30-06 or a .308 will get the job done on any bear. Period. Brian Mumford - May 19, 2021In addition to the comment I submitted yesterday, it is important to realize something else. In this article you said, “we have assumed the average muzzle energy for a .308 Winchester round is approximately 2620 foot-pounds.”The Canadian Arctic Rangers dealing with polar bears in recent years adopted the Tikka T3x ARCTIC chambered in 308 (designated the model C19) , and they are issued commercially available 308 rounds possessing the 180 grain Nosler AccuBond bullet like Black Hills Gold 308 Winchester ammunition which has a muzzle energy rating of 2598 ft. lbs. (which is just south of the average you cited above).Again, these rangers are likely running into more polar bears than just about anyone and in the harshest conditions. Coupled with what the Alaskan Department of Fish & Game has to say about using the 308 for grizzly & brown bear hunting and self defense, the 308 is NOT underkill. These organizations—making their living and taking responsibility for others in bear territory—are not just considering the 308 acceptable under the right conditions, they are issuing and recommending this caliber over magnum calibers respectively. Again, the Canadian Arctic Rangers are operating in the WORST conditions (not just average), and they chose a bolt-action rifle chambered in 308 are are issued commercially available 180 grain ammunition.That isn’t to say people who would rather put their faith in magnum calibers are wrong if they are already a great shot with magnum calibers and—along with others around them—don’t mind the noise, but to make the bold/all-caps statement that the 308 is UNDERKILL is not credible in my opinion given what the experts dealing with the repercussions of choosing the wrong caliber are doing in practice (recommending and using a 308 for deadly bears in lieu of more powerful calibers). Foundry Outdoors Admin - May 19, 2021Brian – thanks so much for the thoughtful reply. When writing these articles, we leaned toward the conservative side, but your references and information are certainly compelling arguments for usage of 308 or 30-06 calibers in this regard. For all readers – please refer to the information that Brian kindly provided to fully inform your decision about which caliber of rifle to use in your bear hunt. Brian J Gustafson - Oct 21, 2021You also need to harken back to Mr Jack Oconor. He was a big 270 advocate. Except for dangerous game. Then he used a 30-06. Now look at the velocity energy and weight retention of the ammunition he had at that time. No where near the performance that is available today. My final thought on the subject is this. In 2017 i took a trip to Montana. While there i shot a 600# + elk. After seeing the way my 308 with a 150 grain Hornady GMX ravaged that Elk. I would have no fear of hunting any Big Game in North America with that gun. Lung tissue is Lung tissue and it is fragile. Georgiaboy61 - Jun 02, 2022@ Bryan MumfordRe: “I respectfully disagree, and to back up my opinion, I merely have to point to the agency that probably deals with more polar bears—the largest and most dangerous bears—than any other in the world: the Canadian Arctic Rangers.”To add to your argument, until very recently the Canadian Rangers were equipped with Lee-Enfield Mk. IV bolt-actions in .303 British, a venerable cartridge which has been around for a very long time. If contemporary sources are accurate, the .303 British clocks in around 90% of the power of the short-action .308 – yet the Rangers used them for years apparently with great success. They finally moved on from the rifles not because they didn’t do the job, but because of their age and unavailability of spare parts for them.There is one other group similar to the Canadian Rangers whose experiences are relevant: The Danish Sirius Sledge Patrol, which patrols much of the Greenland wilderness.Greenland is considered a protectorate of the Kingdom of Denmark, hence the Sirius Unit (a part of the Danish Navy), whose personnel are not only wilderness survival experts and outdoorsmen, but paramedics and highly-trained special ops soldiers. The Danish military wants them to be able to handle anything.Patrols go out for 2-3 months at a time, and consist of two man teams, plus their dogs, sledges and equipment and gear. The men are each armed with a semi-automatic Glock pistol in 10mm, and a Model 1917 Enfield rifle in 30-06. These rifles, though older than the men who use them, have worked well, and the Danes continue to sent them out. Their preferred polar bear medicine if it comes to that – is black-tip armor-piercing 30-06.It seems to me that the whole point of bringing enough gun with the right load is to tilt the odds in your favor if your shot isn’t perfectly placed, and thereby provide a humane, prompt and ethical kill – but also if things go sideways, hitting harder is better than not hit harder. A hit with grandpa’s old 30-06, 308 or 270 beats a miss with that big magnum or the like. Mark Millspaugh - Jul 04, 2024Re: polar bear relative to brown, the polar bear trots confidently towards his meal, seldom having faced his match. The brown circled around behind you in tall grass and brush and charged near silently from a few yards. I have not been charged by any bear but have been stalked by both. Our native “body guard” once used a .303 for polar bear but I doubt he would feel the same about that round and platform in a tangle of tall grass and alder. All said, I have more confidence in the ability of a semi-auto to work than I do of my scared ability to operate a bolt for a second shot from feet away. My ideal gun for browns would be a Browning BAR in .35 Whelen but I don’t have that. FN FAL Para in .308 for potentially getting off quick follow-ups. Leave a commentComments have to be approved before showing up Your Name * Your Email * Your Comment * Post Comment

The Firefield has red crosshairs with adjustable brightness settings and features 20 hours of battery life when the IR is active, reaching 50 hours if IR mode is off. Otherwise, this is a simple unit that is reasonably easy to use but is very careful not to use this scope in daylight. The front lens cover has a pinhole sight you can use to zero your rifle in daylight, but it isn’t especially easy to use.

2. ATN Thor 4 384 2-8x Thermal Scope

While anything in the Thor line-up from ATN is going to be quality, the 2-8x magnification is a common sweet spot for hunting. However, you can get ATN thermal scopes ranging from 1.15x all the way to 40x.

Hunting at night has never been easier than with modern thermal scopes. The ability to clearly see and target game in near zero light is a powerful tool, but it doesn’t come cheap.

ATN has packed in a lot of goodies though, from computer-assisted one-shot-zero to a self-correcting BDC, plus being able to record in 60-fps!

You’ll also have lots of options in terms of sensor model and lenses.

3. ATN X-Sight II HD 3-14x

While the Firefield is a great way to get your toe wet in night vision, sometimes it really helps to get the next rung up from the budget option. In this case that means the ATN X-Sight II HD – and the extra cash really makes a difference.

Sporting a ballistic calculator, recoil activated video, night and day vision, E-barometer, gyroscope, and E-compass – this is the scope that coyotes should fear.

And it comes in at a very reasonable price point.

Best Tactical Night Vision

Tactical setups for night shooting run the gamut, and covering every possible setup for every use case is outside the scope of this article (pun intended).

That said, most shooters will either run a full night vision scope on their rifle, or use some sort of head-mounted goggle NVD system, along with a specialized setup on their rails, with a red dot sight, iron sights, an IR laser, and some combination of illumination options, either for redundancy’s sake, or just out of personal preference.

There are far too many potential options and combinations of equipment, but be aware that as you get deeper into setting up a gun for shooting at night, more advanced IR laser systems and sights can become expensive.

4. Sightmark Ghost Hunter 2×24 Night Vision Monocular

The Ghost is a gen 1 monocular night vision optic with a built-in IR illuminator. It features 2x magnification, automatic shut-off when ambient light is too intense, and polymer construction to keep it lightweight.

This is a small unit, and you can use it as a hand-held, mount it directly on a rifle (with a separate mounting bracket), or integrate it into a goggle system (sold separately, obviously). All are reasonable options, depending on your setup, but from a tactical perspective, I’d guess most would opt for a goggle mount. The Ghost Hunter absolutely would serve on a rifle, though.

At around $240, this isn’t the cheapest monocular night vision setup you can get, but it’s definitely within the ballpark for those seeking entry-level equipment, and it’s versatile to boot. You can spend much more on a gen 2 or 3 unit, but for shooting within closer ranges, the Ghost should suffice.

5. Primary Arms Advanced Micro Dot

This night vision-compatible red dot setup allows for versatility with an IR or night vision scope mounted inline. While this sort of system really isn’t optimal as the primary aiming system for a goggle-mounted night vision setup.

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Because of the issues, you’ll have to try to navigate around and focus your optics at distance, all while trying to line up your red dot. In a tactical scenario, this is far from ideal.

That’s why most goggle-mounted night vision setups rely on IR lasers as their primary aiming system, with red dots and iron sights as backups. With that said, the Primary Arms’ red dot system absolutely can serve for various configurations.

It allows for precise zeroing and features over 50,000 hours of battery life on the medium intensity setting. Great for set-ups that you want to leave turned on even when they are stored away in your safe!

This red dot can provide accurate sighting in line with a night vision or IR scope, or act as a redundancy aiming system in conjunction with an IR laser aiming system. It’s built to be rugged, features a long battery life, and has most of the features for a variety of night shooting and tactical applications.

6. Steiner Offset Tactical Aiming Lasers-IR

Most goggle-mounted night vision systems are going to rely on IR lasers to reliably hit targets in the dark. It’s just not practical to try to line up red dots or iron sights down the length of a barrel with goggles strapped to your head.

Again, there are tons of IR laser units available, but the civilian market is generally restricted, both in the U.S. and abroad (so be sure you can legally acquire what you’re looking to purchase), and the units tend to be on the expensive side.

On the cheaper side of high-quality, low-power, civilian-legal IR lasers designed for use with rifles. This unit offers a low profile, light weight construction, and easy functionality for use with a night vision shooting system.

Note that a lot of users report preferring to run this laser with a remote switch to temporarily activate it when ready to shoot. Additionally, some prefer to run it alongside an IR illuminator to help reduce the blooming effect the laser gives off when it hits a target.

This blooming is unavoidable, as the laser light reflects back toward your optic when it hits something, but an IR illumination can help reduce the effect.

Daytime Optic Compatibility

Use caution when paring red dot systems with night vision scopes. Make sure you’re red dot system is compatible with night vision applications because if the red dot is too bright, it’s possible for it to damage your night vision optic.

Lower power settings are available for many red dot systems, but be sure to check with the manufacturer and know how to use your equipment before you make a costly mistake.

Night Vision Enthusiasm

There are a ton of reasons to be excited about night vision shooting setups. For anyone who hunts, the opportunity to track game at night, such as predators and pest species, is a game changer — where it’s legal to use these systems, of course.

For tactical enthusiasts or those interested in self-defense, the ability to safely engage targets at night is revolutionary. It takes some knowledge and understanding, but if you have the funds and the drive to learn, a night vision setup is within your reach!

Hunt with night vision or thermals? Run tactical ops with them? Let us know in the comments! And if you’re looking for some NVGs, take a look at our best Night Vision Googles article!

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Ethan Smith
Ethan Smith is a seasoned marine veteran, professional blogger, witty and edgy writer, and an avid hunter. He spent a great deal of his childhood years around the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in Arizona. Watching active hunters practise their craft initiated him into the world of hunting and rubrics of outdoor life. He also honed his writing skills by sharing his outdoor experiences with fellow schoolmates through their high school’s magazine. Further along the way, the US Marine Corps got wind of his excellent combination of skills and sought to put them into good use by employing him as a combat correspondent. He now shares his income from this prestigious job with his wife and one kid. Read more >>

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