Night vision scope for AEG

[Spock]

Recently I've upgraded an AK-47 AEG to include a night vision scope for the upcoming REZIII game. You can do this too! Here's the finished work:



I added a Picatinny rail to the top of my AK. It was a pain since the battery cover was curved, but I CNC machined some spacers to allow me to attach the Picatinny rail - this part is only for those who doesn't have a Picatinny rail to mount the scope.

Okay, the first thing you need to do is to attach your night vision monocular to your gun. I got mine off of Woot for $40 (no joke), but something similar (and probably better) could be had on Amazon: [url]

http://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-2-5x42-N ... 75&sr=1-21[/url]

To attach something like this to your gun, you need to get a pair of scope mounts. You're gonna need some hose clamps - I got a set of 4.5" hose clamps from Home Depot. To attach the scope to the scope mount, you need to get some M4x 0.7 screws (that's 4mm metric, and it does not have anything to do with the M4 rifle). Then you need to cut apart the hose clamp, drill a couple of holes in the clamp, and attach the hose clamp to the scope mount with the screws from below, like this:



You may have to pull out the nut on the scope mount to get to the second screw. To do this, just put the scope mount in a vise and use some pliers to unscrew the nut off the mount - it can be a little tough, but that's okay.

You also may want to machine a polycarbonate lens cover like I did - I just took a piece of .25" polycarbonate sheet, machined a disc out of it and then turned a 0.7 mm pitch thread on the OD of the disc. I'd hate for a BB to shatter a really expensive lens!

[Spock]

Now, the NVG scope includes some IR illumination (that's how the scope sees), but I like to give it some additional illumination. I hacked apart three of these flashlights http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202252977/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 and removed the laser diode and the LEDs. The easiest way to desolder the original LEDs is to put your soldering iron across both legs of the old LEDs and pull. Now, you need to resolder some new, high powered LEDs, like these: http://search.digikey.com/scripts/dksea ... 75-1200-ND

If you're using these exact LEDs (and I suggest you do - these are the best and the brightest on Digikey), then you need to wire the new LEDs to this schematic:



It just so happens that with a 4.5V alkaline battery, you don't need a current limiting resistor with these particular IR LEDs, since the internal resistance of the battery and the voltage drop across the diode is just right (I also happen to be getting a PhD in Electrical Engineering).

I took out the center laser diode and superglued a LED in there - after all I don't really need the laser on all the flashlights. The flashlight has a SPDT switch that alternates between off, laser and LED. I just rewired the switch according to the above schematic and made the switch a on/off switch.

Note - if you are using these Brinkmann flashlights like I have, you have to cut the PCB traces and rewire them to this schematic. The Brinkmann flashlights have the LEDs all in parallel - this will definitely blow up your IR LEDs! If you cut the PCBs cleverly, you can actually cut the PCB traces to match what's above.

I have two flashlights hooked up in this fashion and the third I had kept the laser diode. With 8 LEDs instead of 9, you will need to replace one of the LEDs with a 15 ohm resistor. I also wired up the laser diode to a toggle switch so that I could have the LEDs on independent of the laser. The laser is useful for your friends if you want to "paint" a target and have them line up their scopes to the dot and "shoot the dot" - this kind of works like laser artillery. It might be a pain to manually align the laser dot, but I was able to true it somewhat and then superglue the whole thing place.

When you're done, here's how it looks:

Now, the real picture is significantly better than what is shown here - that's because a regular digital camera is not designed to take pictures through an NVG scope. I could see up to 150 feet very clearly and if there was illumination (say the flashlight on an enemy's replica), I can see even farther!

I have a reflex sight mounted in front of the NVG scope so that I could get some accurate cross hairs.

Here's the link to the entire album: https://picasaweb.google.com/haiyuehan/AirsoftAK47NVGAddOn?authkey=Gv1sRgCJHe3-Pl74-DlgE&feat=directlink

[Jewish Ninja]

Thats pretty cool!

Post up an AAR when you can!

[Spock]

Thats pretty cool!

Post up an AAR when you can!

Thanks! Also, forgive me for my ignorance, but what does "AAR" stand for?

[Blizzard]

That's really cool. Some great DIY mods in there! I may have to give that a shot sometime.

AAR: After Action Report.

[Spock]

Sounds great! I will give an AAR in about a week and a half!

[Cap n pickles]

Could you get some Detail pictures or the Scope rings holding the NVG on?

This is really neat, and a good idea!

[Reeko]

Awesome idea. But as for the red and silver flashlights and scope rings, i would use some advice from the Rolling Stones ....... and Paint it Black!

[Wisenheimer]

I see a red dot and I want it painted black...

[Spock]

Could you get some Detail pictures or the Scope rings holding the NVG on?

This is really neat, and a good idea!

Sure thing!









To get the screw in on this side (picture above), you have to unscrew these nuts with a pair of pliers - the end of the thread's "mashed in" on purpose to keep the nuts from falling off...(insert witty joke here).

[Spock]

Awesome idea. But as for the red and silver flashlights and scope rings, i would use some advice from the Rolling Stones ....... and Paint it Black!

As it just so happens, I'm having a painting party tomorrow, to paint the red/silver flashlights on my gun black, as well as to paint the flashlight on this CO2 pistol black as well (see picture below)



I machined a clamp to hold a suppressor onto a TSD M1911 CO2 pistol for my friend Danielle (who's coming to REZIII!) so that it can take a 6.03mm tightbore upgrade that I turned on the lathe to fit on this gun. This was for her Christmas present from me and my friend Dave. Haven't chrono'd it yet, but I think it's got a speed improvement as well as an accuracy improvement (CO2 has longer time to push BB). This thing sounds way quieter too (I fired my stock M1911 next to her modified one) because there is less wasted kinetic energy from the excess CO2 since more of the energy went into the propelling of the BB!

Here's the link to the entire album: https://picasaweb.google.com/haiyuehan/DanielleSAirsoftPresent?feat=directlink

[Sahronax]

Lol, I looked at the first picture and the first thing I saw was the scope and two flashlights, thought you were being a troll... Interesting idea though, nice improv work on the rail.

[Cap n pickles]

Thank you for the pictures. This is truly some good hand work and looks like the Project was a fun. Hope it works for you at REZ!

[Spock]

Thankks guys!

[Sho Nuff]

I have gotta say, IMPRESSIVE! great work!