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The PVS-1 is actually a bit longer than a PVS-2, but is a better scope IMO. Make sure that you replace the HD spring inside the battery cap if using a 4 AA adapter. The original BA1100/U battery (5 1.3 volt cells in a case that looks like a D size battery) is shorter than AA batteries. Using the original spring makes it very hard to thread the cap on without damaging the threads. The pressure from the spring will cause many cheaply made adapters to eventually fail & short out one of the AA batteries. I would either replace the original spring with a weaker one from a cheap D cell flashlight or just use a spacer. I've used half dollars before. It is also a good idea to use something like silicone grease on the threads.
That's an Israeli version probably sold by Morro Vision, if it came with a green non military nylon carry bag. The US version has knurled caps for the battery & oscillator/ABC adapter. It's good it has the black eye cap, as the light gray ones look lame. The US version used the simple broken T reticle & the Israeli version has a large dual 5.56/7.62 reticle. If there is no reticle, then it's got a PVS-1 or TVS-2 tube, as they don't have the reticle bonded on the back of the tube. Look close at the eye piece for a green ring. Sometimes the green get painted over. The eye piece with the green ring has either non radioactive glass or is shielded to absorb radiation emitted from the image intensifier assembly tube. One of my PVS-2's was rebuilt at the old Sac Army Depot night vision repair facility & has some paperwork in the hard carry case with info about the radiation & the updated eye piece with the green ring.
At some point I may look into making some reproduction US Military data tags/plates for the PVS-1 & 2 scopes and their hard carry cases. The scopes look better without the Hebrew/commercial markings & with the U.S. Army/Varo tags on them instead. The USGI tags are made from heavy foil, so they will not be easy to make. I can send you some pics of one, if you want to print out a tag. I did that once at Office Max with high gloss paper & it looked OK.
If your son is into Vietnam era night vision, he should look for an AN/PAS-6 Metescope. They are IR only, but pretty cool & are mentioned in several Vietnam combat vet bio books. The AN/TVS-2 is also Vietnam era & can be had cheap, but they are really big. They were used in guard towers & also mounted on M-2 .50 Cals. They have a cool illuminated reticle that is marked M-2.
The battery design on the PVS-3 is really lame. I've got one & I'm not sure if I'm going to keep it. I don't really like the idea of not being able to find a replacement image intensifier assembly tube. If I was going to run a PVS-3 scope, I'd just use a AA adapter mounted outside of the scope. A better idea would be to find a SC/PVS-300. It's a PVS-3 housing cut down to use a 2nd gen 18mm tube.
Not all PVS-4's were made to use AA batteries. Most use a hard to find military battery or have been converted to use an adapter. The military made a plastic box adapter that screws into the battery hole that takes AA's. Commercial adapters use a longer cap & fit a common 3 volt battery.
That's an Israeli version probably sold by Morro Vision, if it came with a green non military nylon carry bag. The US version has knurled caps for the battery & oscillator/ABC adapter. It's good it has the black eye cap, as the light gray ones look lame. The US version used the simple broken T reticle & the Israeli version has a large dual 5.56/7.62 reticle. If there is no reticle, then it's got a PVS-1 or TVS-2 tube, as they don't have the reticle bonded on the back of the tube. Look close at the eye piece for a green ring. Sometimes the green get painted over. The eye piece with the green ring has either non radioactive glass or is shielded to absorb radiation emitted from the image intensifier assembly tube. One of my PVS-2's was rebuilt at the old Sac Army Depot night vision repair facility & has some paperwork in the hard carry case with info about the radiation & the updated eye piece with the green ring.
At some point I may look into making some reproduction US Military data tags/plates for the PVS-1 & 2 scopes and their hard carry cases. The scopes look better without the Hebrew/commercial markings & with the U.S. Army/Varo tags on them instead. The USGI tags are made from heavy foil, so they will not be easy to make. I can send you some pics of one, if you want to print out a tag. I did that once at Office Max with high gloss paper & it looked OK.
If your son is into Vietnam era night vision, he should look for an AN/PAS-6 Metescope. They are IR only, but pretty cool & are mentioned in several Vietnam combat vet bio books. The AN/TVS-2 is also Vietnam era & can be had cheap, but they are really big. They were used in guard towers & also mounted on M-2 .50 Cals. They have a cool illuminated reticle that is marked M-2.
The battery design on the PVS-3 is really lame. I've got one & I'm not sure if I'm going to keep it. I don't really like the idea of not being able to find a replacement image intensifier assembly tube. If I was going to run a PVS-3 scope, I'd just use a AA adapter mounted outside of the scope. A better idea would be to find a SC/PVS-300. It's a PVS-3 housing cut down to use a 2nd gen 18mm tube.
Not all PVS-4's were made to use AA batteries. Most use a hard to find military battery or have been converted to use an adapter. The military made a plastic box adapter that screws into the battery hole that takes AA's. Commercial adapters use a longer cap & fit a common 3 volt battery.
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