There are different types of Night Vision Scopes, categorized by their power. The Gen 3 Night Vision Scopes are the most powerful, ahead of the Gen 1 and Gen 2.
They are made with similar technology as the Gen 2 but have added gallium arsenide for increased sensitivity. These scopes offer the brightest, clearest images of all other Night Vision Scopes.
The best Gen 3 night vision scopes will provide an extremely sensitive photocathode, 10,000+ hour tube life, and the highest SNR, and resolution performance among other features.
Why Choose the Gen 3 Night Vision Scopes?
- They are versatile, adaptable, and highly durable
- They offer a great range of up to 300 yards
- They offer the best performance even in the lowest light conditions
- Gen 3 scopes have a great resolution that provides the brightest and clearest images
- They are the best choice for passive operations
- They have the longest life expectancy and great battery life
Choosing the Best Gen 3 Night Vision Scopes
- Standalone Scope – this weapon sight is recoil resistant and is meant to work without any other optic. It is designed with a reticle, and adjustments, and must be zeroed.
- Clip-On Scope – this one sits forward on the rail and must be used with either a collimated red dot or daytime rifle scope. This is because it does not have a reticle or adjustments. It can be attached to the objective bell of daytime scope and tend to be more costly than standalone scopes.
- Monocular – this scope must be used with a collimated red dot or laser sight. It has low recoil resistance. It sits behind the red dot although not designed to be a red dot sight. It should be attached to a compatible weapon.
Best Gen 3 Night Vision Scopes Review
1) Bushnell 260140MT 4.5×40 Equinox Z Night Vision
The Bushnell 4.5×40 Equinox Z Night Vision Monocular is designed with digital features to provide outstanding optical clarity and a wide field of view. It is an ideal companion for both day and night, featuring high-performance glass objectives, zoom capability, and extremely long battery life.
The Bushnell Equinox Z Digital Night Vision Monocular comes with a carrying case for easy movement and offers powerful infrared illumination. It also includes special features such as Image Capture, Video Recording, Daytime Color, and tripod-mounting compatibility.
Key features
- It provides image capture and video capture
- It has a 1x-3x zoom
- It offers daytime color for day use
- It features adjustable IR brightness
- It is tripod mountable
- It has a glass objective
- It provides up to 750ft viewing with infrared illumination
2) ATN X-Sight 4K Pro Smart Day/Night Rifle Scope
ATN X-Sight 4K PRO is designed to provide a digital hunting experience. It uses a blend of the latest technology and the more traditional scope form to offer you the best of both worlds.
The riflescope is powered by a Dual-Core processor with a low-light 4K sensor offering the greatest image performance one would expect from an ATN scope.
It features an HD Sensor that gives enhanced image sensitivity and razor-sharp quality of view in whatever distance or light condition you are shooting in. The enhanced night vision mode helps by bringing any hidden prey in sharp focus for precise target acquisition in total darkness.
The scope’s ABL Laser Rangefinder sends data to the ballistic calculator via Bluetooth thus making all POI adjustments for your reticle.
Key features
- It has a classic ergonomic design with a user-friendly interface and a wide field of view
- It features a Ballistic Calculator that allows the user to set up 6 profiles. It enables you to account for range, angle to target, temperature, humidity, and more
- The riflescope has smart features including recoil-activated video, recording at 120 FPS, Wi-Fi dual-streaming, smart Mil-Dot reticle, and an ATN radar
- The riflescope is easy to mount on virtually any platform with 30 mm standard mount rings
- It offers long eye-relief
3) AGM Global Vision Wolverine Pro-6 3AL1 Night Vision Rifle Scope
The AGM Wolverine Pro Riflescope is the newest series of military-grade level Night Vision sight. The scope is made with a high-strength aluminum design that makes it rugged enough for day-to-day requirements and ever-changing environments.
The scope has a non-reflective black matte finish on all the external surfaces. Its external objective lens and eyepiece lens elements are protected with a scratch-resistant coating for extra durability.
This AGM riflescope features easy-to-operate adjustments that include reticle brightness, eyepiece focus, range focus, plus windage and elevation adjustments.
Key features
- It has 4x or 6x magnification
- It is easy to operate
- It has an adjustable projected reticle
- It is powered by 2 AA batteries with 40 hours of continuous operation
- Waterproof performance
- A limited 3-year warranty supports it
4) Night Owl Optics NightShot Digital Night Vision Riflescope
This Night Owl Optics Riflescope is a go-to option for a low-cost, high-quality night vision rifle scope. It is designed for hunters and shooters who require night vision power, offering a range of 100-200 yards in typical nighttime environments.
Its performance exceeds the performance of other scopes priced 3 times higher. The scope is made of a lightweight polymer construction, with a flat spot on one of the cross-bolts. These can be reversed to work in different mounts such as the weaver mounts, where the spot spacing is different.
This Night Owl scope is easy to use on a rifle, shotgun, crossbow, paintball, airsoft, or pellet gun.
The scope’s rifle compatibility is as follows:
- for any rifle below 30 caliber bullet (magnum or non-magnum)
- for any rifle with a 30 caliber non-magnum bullet
- Not rated for any bullet over 30 caliber
Key features
- It is easy to use: mount, sight, and shoot
- It has a high-resolution, 640X480 display
- It features a built-in infrared illuminator
- It is completely weatherproof
- Has a 3X magnification
- Weaver or Picatinny rail compatible
5) AGM 11P14123453031 Model PVS-14 3NL3 Mil Spec Gen 3″ Level 3″ Night Vision Monocular
The AGM 11P14123453031 Model monocular is made with a waterproof and lightweight design, suitable for all-weather use. It is weapon, head, or helmet mountable for easy hands-free usage.
The product comes with ergonomic, simple, and easy-to-use controls that make operation a breeze. It also has a built-in infrared illuminator and flood lens, a bright light cut-off, and an automatic shut-off system.
The monocular also comes with a brow pad, eyecup, system soft carrying case, daylight filter, shoulder strap, lens paper, diopter lens cap, sacrificial window, demist shields, operator’s manual, and battery.
Key features
- It has a compact, rugged design for durability
- It is waterproof
- It features a manual gain control
- Built-in Infrared illuminator and flood lens
- Magnification: 1x (3x and 5x optional)
- Lens System: 26mm; F/1.2
- It offers a 40° field of view and a focus range of 0.25m to infinity
- Diopter Adjustment: -6 to +4 DPT
- The product uses one AA Alkaline battery with an operating battery life of up to 50 hours at 20°C
- Operating Temperature Range: -51°C to +49°C
- Storage Temperature Range: -51°C to +85°C
- Weight: 0.7 lbs
- Dimensions: 4.4″x2.4″x2.4″
Some Gen 1 Scopes You should Check Out;
6) Firefield NVRS 3×42 Gen 1 Night Vision Riflescope
This Firefield NVRS 3×42 Gen 1 Night Vision Riflescope is a high-power scope that allows you to hit targets in the darkest of nights. The scope is made with a built-in, high-power IR illuminator that enhances image details and increases the viewing range in total darkness.
This Firefield scope also has a quick-detach weaver mounting system, making it easy to change optics or switch to iron sights while still maintaining return-to-zero reliability. It has a 42mm lens that ensures maximum light gathering and a powerful 3x magnification that provides a clear picture of medium- to long-range targets.
The scope’s rock-solid, lightweight titanium body, and flip-up lens covers protect it from impact and harsh weather conditions. The flip-up lens covers are also open to reveal enhanced, multi-coated optics and an illuminated red duplex reticle with incremental brightness adjustment, allowing the shooter to quickly adapt to their surrounding environment.
Key features
- It is made of a rock-solid, lightweight titanium body and flip-up lens cover shield for impact resistance
- It features an ergonomic design and quick power-up
- It features a 42mm lens for high-light transmission and a 3x magnification
- The lenses are multicoated for high-quality image and resolution
- It has a water-resistant IPX4 Rating
- Features a quick detach weaver mount
- It has a built-in high-powered IR illuminator
- It has an incremental reticle brightness adjustment
7) Armasight Orion 5X Gen 1+ Night Vision Rifle Scope
The Armasight Orion 5x Riflescope is a high-performance, night vision weapon sight suitable for mid-range shooting. It is ideal for the most demanding sports shooters, hunters, and security personnel with its excellent observational, target acquisition, and aiming capabilities.
The 5x sight is very dependable in the field, although in the Gen 1 category. The scope has a rugged design, with a rubberized aluminum body that is highly durable. It also features precision top wheel focus for improved accuracy and ergonomics.
Key features
- It has a powerful 5x magnification
- Shock-protected optics
- It features an illuminated red cross reticle
- Easily mounts to standard weaver rail
- It has a detachable IR810 infrared illuminator
- Simple, easy-to-operate controls and adjustments
- Water-resistant design
- Rubberized body
- Variable reticle brightness
- Battery Life 40 hours
- A limited two-year warranty supports it
- Dimensions 323 x 118 x 104 mm / 12.7 x 4.6 x 4.1 in
- Weight 1.7 kg / 3.7 lbs
Best Gen 3 Night Vision Scopes FAQs
- What is 3rd generation night vision?
Of all the Night Vision Scopes, the Generation 3 category scopes offer the best night vision currently on the market. They offer a range of beyond 300 and are ideal for operating without the use of IR illumination on covert operations. A Gen 3 device can last up to 10,000+ hours.
- What night vision scope does the military use?
The military mainly uses Gen 4 and some highly-advanced Gen 3 night vision scope models. These scopes are not available for purchase by civilians.
- Is night vision better than thermal?
Thermal imaging is used to detect the desired target while night vision is used to recognize, identify and harvest the target if recognition is required. Thermal imaging is the best solution for round-the-clock use.
- How long do ATN night vision scopes last?
ATN scopes mainly use lithium batteries which have a runtime of 8-12 hours, depending on settings. You can also purchase an external battery kit, the ATN Power Weapon Kit, which adds up to 22 hours of runtime.
Final Thoughts
Shooters and most especially hunters will prefer to carry out their hunting activities in the dark when most animals are out looking for food. For this reason, many companies have seen the need to provide riflescopes that will enable hunters to have a clear view of their targets even in low-light conditions.
The Gen 3 night vision scopes are so far the best in the market in night vision. They are built with powerful night vision technology that makes acquiring targets easy regardless of the lighting and environment.