I've looked around and I see that there are a few older threads about this, has anyone created a housing that will use the tubes that come in these surplus (or just older) PVS-7s ?

I would think that something like this would fly off the shelves for the guys who wanted a binocular setup and had a couple $1,000 PVS-7s sitting around..
I've seen these tubes online stand alone for $700-$900.

I know there is an inversion issue with the image, but that is overcome in the PVS7 housing, why not in a "binocular housing" made for the '7s tubes?

Because 10160 (MX-11769 which is a 10160 tube module) tubes are pretty much the standard tube today. 10130 tubes are older tech. Nobody is going to design a dual tube scope around a 10130 tube. Just will never happen. Used PVS-7 housings can be had for cheap. Best way to go !

ETA: Some older rifle scopes used a MX-10130. It is a good tube and can perform equally as good as a 10160 but the size and inverting issue cause problems with modern designs. The tube is still made but not in large quantities. Mostly for replacement tubes in older scopes. Nothing new I am aware of is designed to use a 10130 tube. And by aware of I mean US based designs. God only knows what the Russians come up with.

ETAA : In the PVS-7 the inversion issue is a slightly complicated setup to split the beam into two eyepieces. It uses mirrors and such to accomplish this which does degrade performance to a slight degree. I love and still use a PVS-7 but I am a dwindling fan club. I really like it because I can build a high quality scope on the cheap. My PVS-14 will outperform it but not by a ton.

I've been looking for PVS 7 housings and they all seem to be going for more than a 14 kit.

Where are you sourcing them?

eBay mostly. You just have to check daily. I find stuff on the EE but again you need to be diligent. I was the "king" but am probably not anymore of finding deals. I don't spend the time I used to back in the day but there was a time I was a daily if not hourly examiner.

You just have to seriously look and you WILL succeed .

Honestly, I have all the night vision a small group of men could use in a lifetime. I collected the stuff and was addicted like a crack addict. I have WAY backed off and am slowly selling off what I don't need. The deals are around but you need to spend the time to find them. I supplemented my income selling used parts. It some cases I exceeded my regular job.

some of the front mounted clip-on units use the pvs7 tube - if you are looking for something to use a tube in

Would be nice to have a dual housing 3d printed that could make the 10130 tubes work with std optics.

You need to invert the image somehow, so a dual housing with std optics is difficult, unless you mean with standard any off the shelf optics, that should be doable.

agreed with above, I've seen "ready for tube" housings/kits that are $600-$800 (which seems cheap to me, but I've never made one up).

my thing is that I get that the quality is not what a new '14 or anvis system is, but it's also 1/2-1/3 the cost even with two tubes (compared to anvis).
bottom line is that there are a TON of tubes out there that have a lot of life left in them, it's a shame that no one has decided to repurpose them into lower, entry level equipment (I bet they'd fly off the "shelves")

Yup, with some off the shelf optics. I would give it a try if someone could design and print a housing.

The problem with optics for inversion is that they tend to be rather large - so for a dual-tube housing for a PVS-7, you'd need to use a design a bit like the LUCIE, and mount the tubes vertically.  Or you need to incorporate a roof prism of sufficient size, with optics to allow that much space in the design - either way, it's complicated.

 


DIY solutions for non-inverting tubes would make it easier to build a riflescope out of a FFP scope.

There is a COTS solution for the 10130 if you look for it - you would work with two of those as monoculars in a binocular system, but otherwise you're better off cutting your losses and getting some 10160's.