Every so often, a new technology comes around that alters the paradigm around the use of firearms. Self-loading firearms was one such game-changer, drastically and permanently altering nearly every application, from hunting to target practice to personal defense. Now, in our generation, night vision scopes and devices are another.
Night vision has fundamentally altered the way we approach nighttime target practice, personal defense, and general observation. While white-light visible illumination still has its place, the value of being able to observe your environment without advertising your position cannot be overstated.
Of course, the low-profile nature of night vision becomes compromised (to other NVD users, at least) the moment you light up a laser to engage a target. This is where night-vision-capable red dots enter the conversation.
Below, we’ll take a look at how red dots interact with night vision and what makes the two technologies compatible.
Red Dot Sights: An Overview
Red dot sights are revered for their simplicity and effectiveness, providing an uncomplicated, fast, and accurate aiming point in a vast range of conditions. Red dots work by projecting a dot or reticle onto a glass lens or surface.
Because they are parallax-free (or close enough to it, in some cases) they are extremely forgiving of head position. Unlike iron sights, they do not require the user to line up multiple components, or require a fixed point of focus on the sighting system: simply place the dot or aiming point over your target, and pull the trigger. Scopes offer a similar simplicity, but unlike scopes, red dots are not restricted by eye relief, offering much more freedom of placement and the possibility of being used on pistols.
These sights come in several designs, each catering to different preferences and requirements.
- EOTECH Holographic Sights: Known for their unique holographic technology, EOTECH sights project a reticle pattern onto a target plane, improving target acquisition speed and precision. These sights offer large viewing windows and are often found to be more forgiving of astigmatism than traditional red dot sights.
- Micro Red Dot Sights: Compact and lightweight, micro red dots like the Aimpoint T2 offer the smallest possible form factor for an enclosed, full-featured sight. Aimpoint sights in particular are prized for their incredible battery life and reputation for utter, unyielding durability.
- Mini Reflex Sights: These small, rugged sights are designed for pistols but are versatile enough for other firearms. The Trijicon RMR series of sights is perhaps the best-known example of this class of optics. They are particularly prized for their durability, especially relative to their size, and glass quality.
- Primary Arms Red Dot Sights: Renowned for their quality and affordability, Primary Arms red dots provide excellent functionality and are favored by both beginners and experienced marksmen. Primary Arms offers a variety of both rifle and pistol red dots, all at a level of quality and affordability that makes them tough to beat.
Each brand and design comes with distinct features intended to address specific needs, so there really can be no single best option. Instead, each offers an ideal combination of features for different purposes.
Night Vision Technology: How It Works
Night vision technology is a game-changer for seeing in the dark. Simply put, night vision takes the small amounts of light that are present in near-dark conditions—like starlight or distant streetlights—and amplifies them to a level where the human eye can easily see.
Imagine being outside on a moonless night; the natural ability of your eyes can only make out vague shapes and shadows. Night vision devices enhance the faint light sources creating those shades of darkness, allowing you to see the environment as if it were lit by a much stronger light. This enhancement is not just about turning up the brightness; it’s about making the invisible perceptible, which is particularly valuable in scenarios like nighttime target shooting or during defensive operations where clarity of vision can make a significant difference.
For activities like nighttime hunting or target practice in dark conditions, night vision means being able to identify and engage targets effectively and safely. It allows users to operate almost as comfortably as they would in daylight, recognizing details and movements that would otherwise be missed. This capability is crucial not just for the tactical edge it provides but also for ensuring safety in potentially hazardous environments. Whether you’re running a course of fire during nighttime training or just navigating a dark trail, night vision gives you the eyes to see what’s otherwise hidden by the night.
Furthermore, night vision gives you access to spectrums of light that would otherwise be invisible: the near-infrared spectrum. This creates the possibility for active aiming and illumination that is invisible to unaided eyes, leading to our next point.
Active Vs. Passive Aiming
In the context of night vision, aiming systems can be categorized into two types: active and passive aiming.
- Active Aiming: This method involves using an IR illuminator to cast a beam of infrared light, visible only through night vision devices, to illuminate the target. The beam may be diffused to offer general illumination over an area or tightly collimated to provide a precise aiming point. Active aiming provides exceptional visibility and target identification even in complete darkness, making it ideal for indoor and dense environments. It is also typically the fastest form of aiming under night vision. However, it does make the user visible to others using night vision.
- Passive Aiming: Passive aiming relies solely on ambient light for illumination, such as moonlight or distant streetlights, which is enhanced by the night vision device. Aiming the firearm is then achieved using a red dot or other optical sighting system that does not project a beam of visible light. This method is stealthier, as it does not require emitting any light that could be detected by others. The trade-off, however, is reduced visibility compared to active aiming and slower overall sight picture acquisition and target engagement.
Users should consider their operational environment and the need for stealth when choosing between these aiming methods. Often, having the capability to switch between both provides the best flexibility.
Compatibility of Night Vision With Red Dot Sights
Not all red dot sights are compatible with night vision devices. A red dot sight that supports night vision will typically have specific settings that adjust the brightness to levels suitable for use with NVDs, ensuring the dot is not overwhelmingly bright.
Mount Height and Night Vision
The effectiveness of using a red dot sight with night vision also depends significantly on the mount height. Standard-height or low mounts are often difficult or impossible to use with night vision, simply due to the size of the night vision device making it impossible for the user to get low enough on their rifle stock to align the various lenses.
Extra-tall mounts can elevate the sight to a level that aligns better with the night vision goggles, facilitating a more natural and comfortable aiming posture.
Benefits of Using Night Vision With Red Dot Sights
Combining night vision with a red dot sight offers several significant advantages that can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of shooters in low-light conditions. These benefits are particularly valuable in scenarios where precision and response time are critical.
The first major advantage of integrating night vision with a red dot sight is the increased level of stealth this combination provides. When using passive aiming with a night-vision-compatible red dot, users can maintain a low profile that is not possible with active aiming. While passive aiming is not entirely invisible—red dot sights do still use some small amount of illumination, which can create a subtle glow or reflection on the user’s face or equipment—but are immeasurably more subtle than blasting infrared light at your target. This capability is crucial in law enforcement or defensive applications where advertising your position could be hazardous.
Another critical benefit is the ease of target acquisition that red dot sights offer when used with night vision devices. Red dots are designed to be simple and intuitive, providing a clear aiming point that quickly guides the eye to the target. This straightforward design means that, even in the dark, the shooter can acquire targets faster than with traditional iron sights or more complex optical systems like scopes. The illuminated red dot is easily visible through night vision goggles, which can transform a potentially challenging aiming process into a more straightforward and quicker task. This speed can be the difference in scenarios where reaction time is crucial. However, even the best night-vision-compatible red dot sights will typically struggle to match the speed of active aiming systems.
Lastly, the familiarity of red dot sights adds to their appeal when combined with night vision technology. Many marksmen are already comfortable using red dots in daylight conditions, and this comfort translates well into night-time use. Unlike laser sights, which might require additional training or adjustment, red dots provide a consistent user experience. This familiarity helps in maintaining high performance as users do not have to overcome a steep learning curve to adapt to new sighting systems. The simplicity of red dots allows users to focus more on their other fundamentals or acclimating to using night vision, rather than the nuances and best practices of active aiming.
By merging the capabilities of night vision with the straightforward, quick-targeting nature of red dot sights, users can optimize their performance in low-light environments. This combination not only enhances tactical capabilities but also maintains a level of concealment that is essential to certain applications, and often the primary reason night vision is chosen over visible illumination for nighttime activities.
Conclusion
Night vision is the next frontier for nighttime tactical training and applications, as well as for more mundane tasks like monitoring farmland or hunting plots. While night vision technology does pair well with IR illuminators and aiming lasers, they compromise the primary advantage night vision has over white light illumination: stealth.
By pairing a red dot with your NVDs, you create a passive aiming solution that allows for rapid, efficient target engagement without sacrificing concealment. But, this doesn’t mean you have to forgo active aiming, either. There’s plenty of room on your rifle for both.
Still not sure about which method to use with your night vision device, or how to set up your rifle for success? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Night Vision, where we cover all these topics and more.
