Can mere mortals obtain the old SIMRAD night vision devices?

[J!m]

i appreciate newer stuff will be infinately better, but if I wanted to get age appropriate SIMRAD device for my A-1 project (mainly for the "deployment kit") are they available? I did some searching and found one for four grand that I have no idea if it's the correct vintage or not... that's beside the lack of four grand...

so do we have a breakdown of the different devices used, years of service etc? I didn't see one but I suspect someone here knows. And may own said devices... if a first gen device is not stupid money I'd like to have one. I believe first gen would be appropriate for a late A-1 probably for an A-3 as well but I'm not sure at all.

i have seen the current stuff is linear, using the long front rail. But the older periscope design is what I'm interested in. Maybe Marty from Badger knows as they made a lot of those SIMRAD caps.

[macethetemplar]

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/704246438

[J!m]

Thank you Mace! I put that on my watch list.

[mjh30]

I think there's two different models of the simrad, not sure what particular model was used by the Corp. But I had an opportunity to use one and was quite impressed.

[macethetemplar]

This thread talks about the differences. That was just the quick you can get one now answer.

https://www.m40rifle.com/forum/m40a1...1-night-vision

[pmclaine]

There is a member here that refurbs/sells them.

Hopefully he will check in and have something for you.

[J!m]

Well I'm still recovering from my A-1 parts collecting so this is back-burnered, but I wanted an idea on what I needed to save up.

But I was also very interested in the differing generations and where/when they were used. Sort of like the information we have on scope bases. I think that would be a useful piece of information for the site as well.

[rlm8541]

In regards to use.....as I always preface my comments with...."I can only attest to my my personal experience through the early to mid 90's."
Of all my deployments with both STA 1/8 and later with STA 1/2, we never deployed with one (even though we did send in several of our A1's to be fitted with the mount/SIMRAD caps because of our MEUSOC / MSPF mission). Reason #1 I believe was that there were "very few" in overall Division inventory that any of us were aware of and "none" in either of the battalion inventories I was with.
The only exposure/opportunity to fire one I had (other than finger fuckin the one we had in the armory at Stone Bay from time to time) while on active duty was a fam. fire during the SS Basic course and one other time during a Dog and Pony show we put on for some foreign military dig.'s.

Overall as a whole, we weren't very impressed with it from an operational standpoint due to its size, weight, durability concerns due to its size and weight as well as the worry of being "that guy" to be blamed for breaking it. We had been told that the individual unit price at the time $20+ thousand dollars. So to say the least you were hard pressed to find a Lcpl. or NCO that wanted to take on that responsibility.
We all agreed and found with our minimal exposure that it would be useful for a static overwatch type of employment but not practical for much else.

Keep in mind, when the first KN models were originally introduces, NVD's used in conjunction with a magnified optic was generally new technology for the US in the late 80's and early 90's. SO back then for what it was, I have to admit looking back it was pretty good. Obviously no comparison to the advancements of today. I still have a manual laying around somewhere for the KN model from back then. It was an SPA provided unit, as I believe that at the time they were the only US based provided/distributor for them. SPA continued to develop, improve the SIMRAD for years after. Not sure of their status to date. Have seen a couple of newer units since that are considerably smaller in size.

[J!m]

Very cool!

if you come across that manual I'm very interested in a copy, or the original if you won't mind parting with it. It would be great to have but I understand if you didn't want to let it go.

I would have been in late 80's-90's (Desert Shield/Storm) so my build and associated tech is from then As well.

[MikeW]

I'd like to see the manual to see the simrad for the A'1's.

[mustbme]

They do show up and certainly legal to own so long as they did not grow legs from a gov installation but the key it to have the correct Simrad bracket, scope and rings or the Simrad stray light shield will not line up over your scope's objective.

[Badgerord]

Marines used KN 200's and KN 250's 203's that are on the market were used by State dept and DEA. and will not fit a correct A1USMC mount