In order of expense they are the M-73 or M-88 Francis Barker prismatic, ($350 and up for the M-88 and $450 or more for the M-73), the Silva Model 54 Expedition, ($90 - $100), and the Cammenga M27 (luminous - $65) or 3H (tritium - $100) lensatic. Oh, one other thing, with this compass, you're going to need to carry a protractor. Accuracy +/- 40 mils. If you don't need all-night illumination, then this could be a good option. Cammenga. Item# J582. Clipping is a handy way to collect important slides you want to go back to later. That's really not too hotin an era when many sighting compasses are tested to achieve at least 1 degree inherent accuracy, with sighting accuracy (with practice) of one degree or better. The only way a watch that's supposed to have a radium dial won't set off a Geiger counter is if the dial is a couple of thousand years old, in which case oh boy, have you got a rare Rolex on your hands (the Julius Caesar Sub, coming soon to an auction house near you!). Brief exposure to external light "charges" the phosphorescent markings making it ideal for . meaning, in 12.3 years, it's going to be half as bright as original. April 22, 2009. With the thumbhole holder it is easier to level. They involve using some math and the clicks of the bezel as you rotate it. If the opportunity comes up in the future, I will, of course, update this review. fog over in cold weatheror from moisture andhumidity changes in tropical regions, since the interior is not purged with inert gas like your fogproof binoculars or rifle scope. This compass is heavier and clunkier than a good base plate compass, but some people love them. They are often referred to as self-illuminated, though anymore this is a fairly redundant term. The phosphorescent M27 runs about $62.00, the 3H about $100. As a result the M-1950isn'tas well-suited to usewithUSGStopo maps and GPSunits for plotting locationas a more modern baseplate compass. A new compass? I say it is what you prefer to use. Price Paid: Around $70, Reviewed by Wherever you are on planet Earth, your watches are protected. The half-life of tritium is 12 years so the glow will slowly fade. Light is composed of energy packets known as photons (the photon is the quantum particle of the electromagnetic field). i'm sure i'm talking out my ass according to some of you so i'm leaving. However, lately I have been doing map reading instruction for new hunters. I have several Silva compasses I use. 1960s era black light poster. I don't see a huge, non marine, military, or aviation use for such a compass. To get away with this, you need a phosphor that will glow enthusiastically for hours after exposure to light something that will act as a sort of "light bank," emitting stored energy in a measured fashion. Photoluminescence is the ability of some materials to emit light after exposure to light. Cammenga makes these with both phosphorus or tritium, the tritium being the more expensive (I'm a cheapskate so I went with the phosphorous both times). Perry Clark The 3HC model is Tritium and the luminescent never need charging for ten years then you replace it (note the compass will work just fine but with no or little luminescent). Some of the pricier compasses have a declination adjustment, which means you can "set it and forget it" when it comes to adjusting for declination. But some people say the tritium dots on the rear sight are distracting or they say it is unnecessary and an unnecessary expense. Mohamed M. Dorgham. Tritium has a half life of 12-13 years. August 3, 2017. Rest easy and travel safely. You cant beat the reliability. First, off it was like coming home again. Tritium paint for watch dials and hands will lose its ability to photoluminesce over time, although as with promethium, degradation of the phosphor will take place more slowly, as tritium is a much weaker radiation source. Tritium GI compass cause it is what I know nd am comfy with. This is because in phosphorescent materials, the excited electron is in a special energy state, in which the re-emission of a photon would require a "forbidden" energy transition. Still, it is a disadvantage of the material relative to the always-on glow of radioluminescent solutions (which is part of the appeal of Luminox and Ball). I had my GPS also, but buried itin my pack to prevent cheating. $71.89 . The compass is accurate to 2.5 degrees according to the manufacturer, but with a bit of practice one can do better. Step 6. Performs flawlessly in temperatures ranging from -50 F to 150 F. Uncompromised by temperature changes due to its non-liquid filled needle housing. Cammenga does an excellentjob on meeting milspec standards. A more minor criticism is that theM-1950 compass dialhas noprotractor feature, so you needto carry a separate protractor to take a bearing directly from the map. Overview. VIEW DIMENSIONS. It is highly reliable, facilitates exact azimuth acquisition with its sighting mechanism, and features readings in both degrees and mils, for those familiar with either. If I lived in the Rocky Mountains, I could probably find a use for it. You can, if you practice, split the five-degree increment spacing in half to get a (theoretical) reading of 2.5 degrees between increments, while simultaneously holding the compass steady and the sighting wire fixed on the objective, then checking for parallax error not easy. The compass dial is in both mils and degrees, and as the military uses mils, the degree scale is given second place on the dial. It is water and sand proof, and is functional from -50 F to . It is a bit heaver than you average compass but it worth the extra weight for a piece of mind. Free shipping. The other problem is that radiation from radium causes zinc sulfide to break down chemically (in a way similar to the mechanism by which UV radiation in sunlight causes materials like ordinary paint, vinyls, and other plastics to deteriorate). Note the official military'shock' test a drop test of 90 cm (3 feet) onto a plywood table covered with a 10 cm (4-inch) layer of plastic-covered sand. I do have failing (aging) sight, but am still near 20/20. Folks in avalanche country might like this. The Cammenga Lensatic Compass. Photoluminescence is the ability of some materials to emit light after exposure to light. It also has no adjustable declination feature for relating all compass headings to true north. Tritium. I have popped out on other people's property, and not known if I'm facting North or West. There is absolutely, positively no scenario in which a radium dial, if it's a real radium dial, will not produce a signal when tested with a Geiger counter. I found a good price on e-bay for a new one. Fully opened. But who's going to bother with that? It's the standard issue military compass. Eyeskey Multifunctional Military Army Aluminum Alloy Compass; 2.9 10. The orienteering, or base plate, compass has the advantage of being a compass and protractor rolled into one. However, if the bezel is original it's basically just as radioactive as the day the watch was made an important caution for any collector who owns one. If it's a life support kit, DO NOT skimp. Step 5. Alternatively, it might have the manufacturer and/or a NSN. An accurate and tough compass that will give a lifetime of service. Instead, it incorporates a material known as strontium aluminate, which is an extremely efficient phosphor that once charged, will glow very brightly initially, and with diminishing intensity for several hours thereafter. Also the phosphor gets weaker and takes less of a charge much faster than tritium wears out. The subject is one of the greatest interest to collectors and yet, there is still widespread misunderstanding of how luminous materials actually work. Anyone who's played with a UV lamp has seen materials fluoresce. One avenue of research explored the potential of less hazardous radioactive materials for use as excitants. Product Details Description Specifications Reviews. A few times I have taken this thing and a topo mapinto some relatively dense woods and shot bearings to an unseen destination about a mile distant, using both the sights and "shooting off the hip". In order for phosphorescence to take place you need an energy source, and a so-called "phosphor" a material that will absorb and re-emit light. Source: bought it new Military Phosphorescent Lensatic Compass has been used as an economical alternative to the Tritium model, brief exposure to external light charges the phosphorescent markings for night time use. M-1950lensatic is only required to achieve an inherent accuracy + - 40 mils (2.25 degrees) from actual azimuth under milspec requirements. Suunto A-30L Field Compass I learned to navigate on sighting compasses in grade school (1970s), then in the late '90s went to a lensatic. I just don't understand why Cammenga doesn't put out a version with the degree scale on the outer edge of the dial in one- or two-degree increments for the benefit of its civilian land navigators. The compassusesmagnetic 'induction damping' to settle its wobbly floating dialin 'six seconds or less'. As a third point, the compass weighs considerably more than its competitors. The disadvantage of Super-LumiNova in comparison to radioluminescent material is of course that its brightness fades until it's recharged by another exposure to light.Personally I've found that with most of the sports watches I've owned over the years, if my eye's dark-adapted the watch remains legible, with some difficulty, through most of the night. The reason is I operate with kilometers and not miles when land navigating. As for Tritium, it's half life is 12.3 years. Source: bought it new Uses a copper induction-damping ring that slows, settles and steadies the compass needle quickly. The Tritium Lensatic Compass is built to the demanding specification MIL-PRF-10436N. For the gram-counters out there, this is NOT their compass of choice. Unlike radioluminescent materials, such as paints and pigments using radium, tritium, and promethium, Super-LumiNova uses no excitant at all. One other thing I like about the Suunto M-3G is that it has a "global" needle. From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm. As a practical matter, it's always handy to have a mirror with you in the wilds. (Walking a straight line in any forest with no cleartarget in sightis always achallenge.). Tritium sights glow in excess of 10 YEARS. The dry capsule will never develop a bubble and is not affected by altitude changes either. tritium. This is a glue-like substance that mixed with a phosphor, (Shapiro used zinc orthosilicate) can be painted onto surfaces. Official US Military Tritium Lensatic Compass Box;Waterproof Yes;Carrying Pouch & Belt Clip. Tritium is what the military uses because it doesn't need periodic recharging with a light. Copyright 1996-2023 AR15.COM LLC. Once I downloaded the track to my PC I was surprised how straight the navigation was, including four 90 degree turns 100 to 200 yards apart to route myself around a swamp. Battle tested through rigorous shock, water, sand proof, and functional . *Must have a registered ARFCOM account to win. That's great in when it comes to low light shooting and honestly it's perfect. This compass is identical to the Army model, except for phosphorescent markings instead of the self-luminous Tritium vials. With the compass held to your eye you align a notch on the lens holder, wire, and target much like iron sights on a rifle. They are, however, very durable, made in the U.S.A. Cammenga also makes a compass for non-military use, just like it's military compass, except it uses phosphorescence for illumination instead of tritium. Because the latter is a gimbaled design, I can even take accurate compass readings while walking or riding in a small boat or canoe. Benjamin Hirsch At the time of writing this evaluation the 3H was priced at $89.95 and the Model F27 at $49.99. It's like science truck-nuts for your pistol. Uses a copper induction-damping ring that slows, settles and steadies the compass needle quickly. That's extremely helpful. Lasts about 10-12 years, then donated to scouts. Click a link, buy what you need, and the seller will contribute a portion of the purchase price to support Trailspace's independent gear reviews. I really don't see myself navigating in the dark. My 159-page, fully illustrated book is yours for the asking. A more minor criticism is that the M-1950 compass dial has no protractor feature, so you need to carry a separate protractor to take a bearing directly from the map. The interior is white. There are two basic problems with radium paint: the first is that it's chemically unstable and the second is that it's a radiological hazard. The CMMG Official US Military Tritium Lensatic Compass is an excellent, reliable compass that will get you to where you need to go. :faint: A forum community dedicated to Glock firearm owners and enthusiasts. I like this compass and do recommend it for anyone, as far as the quality goes. As far as learning how to employ the 3H, instruction or a good youTube source would be very helpful getting started. When opened wide (fig. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Vintage Cammenga Phosphorescent Military Compass Model 27 US. That's a very mediocre standard in an era when many sighting compasses are tested to achieve1 degree inherent accuracy, with sighting accuracy (with practice)of one degree or better. Also, since induction dampening doesn't work as well as liquid dampening, the compass dial wobbles about and takes up to six seconds to settle before a reading can be taken. 4 years old with the case and a map reading land nav field manual. Let's examine that. Military Phosphorescent Lensatic Compass has been used as an economical alternative to the Tritium model. Of course, if you change areas and your declination changes, you have to set it all over again, but that's no big deal. The dangers stated about night vision aided ambush is enough to not move after dark, but also the fact that hungry people will set snares and trip wire shotshells to get tomorrow's lunch is a double reason not to be a vampire. Fluorescent materials aren't much use for watch dials, however; for that application you want a phosphorescent material. As a cavalry scout the ability to have excellent land navigation skills is a must. This is a nice feature that extends needle life. It is my backup compass. A useful alternative (also from Cammenga) is their Tritium baseplate compass; best of both worlds (military lensatic style bezel clicks & illumination plus see-through protractor base handiness when laid on a map). Cammenga, Model 27 Compass, Olive Drab US Military Issue pouch. It finds north quickly and consistently. Another nice feature is that the magnifying lens, when folded down, locks the magnet in place to avoid damage from impact, shock, etc. $66.15. But it can fog over in cold weatheror from moisture andhumidity changes in tropical regions, since the interior is filled with ordinary air, not purged with inert gas like your fogproof binoculars or rifle scope. Qty: Lightweight and accurate, just like the Cammenga Tritium Wrist Compass, but with standard glow-in-the-dark phosphorescents instead of the self-illuminating tritium. As a result, the degree scale is only marked in large five-degree increments a dial you'd expect on a $10 compass, not one costing$50 or more. Wrist Compass. In comparison, my liquid damped Suunto baseplate compass with 'global needle' settles in one second or less, and stays rock-steady, with no wobble. Why? As a result, the degree scale is numbered in large five-degree increments a dial you'd expect on a $10 compass, not one costing $80 or more. Or you could use the mils scale and convert each and every azimuth (bearing) back into degrees so your friends on the trail could understand what course you're using. The luminous lighting on the standard model is excellent, once charged with a flashlight, but if you have a flashlight anyway, the luminous feature isn't really necessary. What a difference! I've never actually used it for any military or assault type purposes. +10 I just don't understand why Cammenga doesn't put out a version with the degree scale on the outer edge of the dial in one- or two-degree increments for the benefit of civilian land navigators. It is much more than most people need. It can be a little more difficult to learn on. Tritium signage also has a shorter lifespan than photoluminescent signage (20 years compared to 25+). Price Paid: $150, Reviewed by Trijicon rear sights are $24.00 at Optics Planet which does not seem too expensive. The second quibble is that the scale markings along the straight edge available when the compass is completely open are suitable for 1:50,000 scale markings, but some of the markings (specifically, those for 2000 and 4000 m) aren't marked so as to quickly distinguish them from neighboring marks. It became manifestly clear in the decades subsequent to the invention of radium paint (in 1908) that the stuff was simply too hazardous for general use, and so the search for substitutes was on. Do the tritium compasses show up with NVG? The phosphor deterioration means you can't see a glow anymore, but radium takes thousands of years to completely decay. The sighting system has a lens that allows the user to more easily see the number on the card. It has no romer scales, and only one 1:50,000 metric scale, which isn'tmuch use for USGS 1:24,000 topos. If I were in the market for a new compass today, I. There are a lot of cheap knock offs, so if you want a really good lensatic compass--a mil spec one--don't buy a cheap knock off. Close-up of the 3H closed. Two of the best known users of tritium gas tubes for watch dials are Ball and Luminox. We've minimized the paperwork and maximized protection, so you can stop worrying about your watches and focus on enjoying them. When they are quality built they are accurate and dependable. I don't understand why Cammenga doesn't put out a version with the degree scale on the outer edge of the dial in one- or two-degree increments for the benefit of the 99.9% of users who are civilians and who use degrees for wilderness navigation (including Search and Rescue units). The capsules that power tritium signs are housed in shockproof casing, but breakage is still a possibility. Our patent-pending injection molded sleeve design not only holds our Tritium vials securely in place, it creates a brighter and more durable ring, we call The Perfect Dot, that provides maximum visibility both day and night. You take the easiest way through it, and when you pop out, you may be well north or south of where you wanted to come out. Fine, except that in comparison, my liquid dampened Suunto compass with 'global needle' settles in less than one second, and stays rock-steady, with no wobble. Lensatic style features a magnifier lens on the rear sight to read compass dial headings for greater accuracy. Have Tritium on a couple of 1911s and have never had on a rifle. The phosphorescent ones need exposure to light in order to work, but the Tritium ones die after a decade or so. Step 4. At that point, dials and hands are usually replaced if nocturnal legibility is desired of course, do that to a vintage watch whose high value rests on originality of all parts, and you may have a watch you can read at night, but you will have destroyed its investment value. Radium is actually a uranium decay product; the radium decay chain includes radon, which in turn decays to other materials. 4 stars for accuracy and occasional pivot point/card slip, but for the $, it's great. Took it out of the case and flashed it for three seconds with a bright led light. I have used the milspec/issue Tritium H3 clam since 1979. Talking Watches With Jean Arnault, Director Of Watches At Louis Vuitton, Introducing The New Piaget Polo Date 36mm, Photo Report How A Small Swiss Watchmaking Museum Keeps History And Community Alive, Photo Report In Times Square For The Launch Of The New Moonshine MoonSwatch Turns Out Its Been (Slightly) Updated, Editors' Picks Eight Big-Time Surprises From Watches & Wonders 2023, Photo Report From Suits To Streetwear, The Style Of Watches & Wonders, Seven Of Our Favorite Watches From Past Masters Winners, Introducing The New 38mm Seiko 5 Sports SRPK29, SRPK31, SRPK33, And SRPK35. Well, skiing/snowmobiling in back country areas far from any man made land marks (no Virginia, they don't have cell phone coverage out there!). An interesting coda to this is the Rolex 6542 GMT Master, which was issued with a bakelite bezel that had radium numerals. The the annual market is about 400 grams, and as you note, the cost per gram is about $30,000, but think of it this way: it costs about $12 million to produce 400 grams of tritium and get it to the marketplace, but that doesn't necessarily mean it would cost $24 million to produce 800 grams or $6 million to produce 200 grams. Reviewed by The U.S. M1950 dry lensatic compass currently made by Cammenga gets a lot of good press for being tough, but it's only 'tougher' than most liquid-filled baseplate compasses in that it can't ever develop an air bubble in the housing, since itdoesn't useliquid to dampen thedial. Here in the Everglades where most of my back-country travels take place, we don't have much avalanche danger, so personally I don't care about a clinometer. Quoted: Tritiums half life is 12.32 years. Performs flawlessly in temperatures ranging from -50 F to 150 F. Uncompromised by temperature changes due to its non-liquid filled needle housing. Since it is filled with ordinary air, the M-1950 can and does fog over in cold weatheror from moisture andhumidity changes in tropical regions, since the interior is not purged with inert gas like your fogproof binoculars or rifle scope. +61 Low areas where you must constantly shoot accurate azimuths, etc. Source: bought it new A recent study (discussed here) has shown that radon from radium dials can under some circumstances accumulate to potentially dangerous levels. Military Phosphorescent Lensatic Compass. But what option for the Glow in the Dark is better? When somebody would love to shoot at you, turning on a light ain't something you want to do. I lent it to my son and he returned it missing the lens. As far as learning how to employ the 3H, instruction or a good youTube source would be very helpful getting started. Radium dials usually lose their ability to glow in the dark in a period ranging anywhere from a few years to several decades, but all will cease to glow at some point. Browse Cammenga's top-rated navigation tools and more. It will glow for 1-2 hours after brief exposure to light. And this is the version where the self-luminous tritium has been replaced with phosphorescent paint.
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