Reviewed by *Must have a registered ARFCOM account to win. View All Outerwear, Clothing, and Accessories , Top 25 Handheld Compasses, Tritium lifespan is 12-14 years, so the glowing dims about then. I don't think this is a compass for everyone. Hated the cheap ones in the Army. The Silva was good but the 3H is far better. 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. FTW!!! Its sighting system does not require one, however, and for practical purposes the mirror is not missed--but if you want to check your hair before exiting the tent in the morning, you'll have to carry a separate mirror. Suunto MC-2 Compass; 2.8 9. Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited. Besides that, there is the issue of inherent accuracy. Copyright 2023 Cammenga Company, LLC. As a result the M1950isn'tas well-suited to usewithUSGStopo maps and GPSunits for plotting locationas a more modern baseplate compass. Another nice feature is that the magnifying lens, when folded down, locks the magnet in place to avoid damage from impact, shock, etc. Tritium will continue to glow long after the phosphorescent ones fade. Promethium emits only beta particles, and at a lower energy than radium, so it's generally considered much safer; it also doesn't cause phosphors to break down nearly as quickly. But why bother, when other compasses have easy-to-read dials that can be read to 1 degree or less with ease? 3. At this point, I'm not affiliated with them, but I'm glad I ran across them. Performs flawlessly in temperatures ranging from -50 F to 150 F. Uncompromised by temperature changes due to its non-liquid filled needle housing. All Rights Reserved. Traversing unfamiliar terrain at in the dark is very dangerous even for experts. Our patented injection molded sleeve design holds our tritium vials securely in place using ballistic materials. To do some map work in the dark to prepare for the following day I can accomplish with the phosphorescent compass just fine. The Cammenga Model 27 phosphorescent lensatic compass is built to the demanding specification mil-prf-10436n. The lens is clear and the dial is not hard to read for me. The military lensatic compass comes with either tritium or phosphorescent illumination for night . Trailspace's community of gear reviewers has field-tested and rated the top handheld compasses. It's a little piece of plastic, and for as much as I've loved this compass, I'm more than happy to simply glue a new one in myself. Two of the best known users of tritium gas tubes for watch dials are Ball and Luminox. AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types. 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 has no romer scales, and only one 1:50,000 metric scale, which isn'tmuch use for USGS 1:24,000 topos. Secondly, the ability to easily navigate in really difficult terrain is far better and more accurate. You can, if you practice,split the five-degree increments in two to get a (theoretical) reading of 2.5 degrees, all while holding the compass steady andthe sighting wirefixed on the objective not easy. 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). Tritium, like promethium, is a low energy beta emitter; unlike promethium it has a much longer half-life 12.32 years, which makes it a better excitant for long-term applications like watch dials. Cammenga is a good brand name. Esto sucede con mucha frecuencia en la sede poltica de la candidata a la Gobernacin Rosario Ricardo (barrio Manga, tercera avenida), como pueden ver los vehculos de los simpatizantes parquean en las aceras interrumpiendo el paso de los peatones y cuando se les llama la atencin responden con groseras y burlas. They know not of what they speak. Therein lies both a solution and a problem. Our quotes are based on historical sales and real-time market data allowing us to give fair prices without all It's like science truck-nuts for your pistol. Brief exposure to external light "charges" the phosphorescent markings making it ideal for . First, off it was like coming home again. Want a free ebook on Land Navigation? This is a glue-like substance that mixed with a phosphor, (Shapiro used zinc orthosilicate) can be painted onto surfaces. Cammenga, Model 27 Compass, Olive Drab US Military Issue pouch. The compass has a lightweight aluminium-cast housing, it's waterproof and has long-lasting phosphorescent self-illumination. October 27, 2017. April 6, 2012 It is more accurate than a regular plate compass, it is light weight (about 2 oz. You'll probably spend somewhere between $25 and $100 for a good compass. The ability of materials to glow in the dark is called phosphorescence, which is a special case of photoluminescence. March 4, 2009. The sighting lens recently fell out, however. Copyright 1996-2023 AR15.COM LLC. Enter Luminova. Folks in avalanche country might like this. I would never willingly own one without Tritium. Uses a copper induction-damping ring that slows, settles and steadies the compass needle quickly. Then there is the issue of inherent accuracy. M-1950 lensatic is only required to achieve an inherent accuracy of + - 40 mils (2.25 degrees) from actual azimuth (milspec). 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. Uses a copper induction-damping ring that slows, settles and steadies the compass needle quickly. I have several Silva compasses I use. Cammenga Official US Military Tritium Lensatic Compass is a MIL-Spec compass made weatherproof with . 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. 2001-2023 Trailspace. Switch off the lights. Our quotes are based on historical sales and real-time market data allowing us to give fair prices without all the 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. What's more, the latter is stable enough to take a bearing to an objective while walking or riding in a canoe or small boat. Have Tritium on a couple of 1911s and have never had on a rifle. Theyve been to battlefields all over the world. Accuracy +/- 40 mils. I went with the phosphorescent model. Night Fision night sights carry more tritium than the average night sight on the market and a domed lens engineered to create the a crisp, defined glow. 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. Emission of an alpha particle. Very well built, impressive compass, at least until the lens fell out. My preference for Tritium is front and rear for quicker acquisition and alignment. I have used the milspec/issue Tritium H3 clam since 1979. Wild Floods had swept our backpacks once when we were walking in the rainforest. As another reviewer has mentioned, its case is as sturdy as can be imagined for a hand-held compass, being machined of aluminum to house the compass workings. They are often referred to as self-illuminated, though anymore this is a fairly redundant term. 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. It's cheaper. at CampSaver.com. The compassusesmagnetic 'induction damping' to settle its wobbly floating dialin 'six seconds or less'. Strontium aluminate seems to be a highly stable phosphor, and Super-LumiNova dials, at least thus far, appear to not suffer from the gradual phosphor degradation characteristic of radioluminescent materials. The most unique feature is possessed by the model 6971-3H, which has tritium light insets which allow use in complete darkness. TheM-1950 lensaticcompass design is also frequently extolledfor its superior accuracy over most orienteering-style compass designs in shooting an azimuth (taking a bearing) to an objective or landmark. +10 Avoid those unless that's specifically what you want. Tritium is way to go. +14 Also used the Pyser M-73 (degrees) Black Liquid Prismatic Compass and MILS a lot in locations not friendly to U.S. Once you use the Tritium version, you'll never go back. It's true that Cammenga's version of theM-1950 compass has a super-strong case and housing, and can't develop an air bubble since it's a dry card (induction dampening) design. $24.81 + $5.65 shipping. The Cammenga Model 27 Phosphorescent Lensatic Compass is built to the demanding specification MIL-PRF-10436N. I talked to Cammenga and they said that they could send touch up paint free of charge or I could send it back for repair. I would definitely recommend either one of these compasses to any one. I don't see a huge, non marine, military, or aviation use for such a compass. Or you could use the mils scale and convert each and every azimuth (bearing) you takeback into degrees for the benefit of your companions (all of whom will havedegree scale compasses). All rights reserved. data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAKAAAAB4CAYAAAB1ovlvAAAAAXNSR0IArs4c6QAAAw5JREFUeF7t181pWwEUhNFnF+MK1IjXrsJtWVu7HbsNa6VAICGb/EwYPCCOtrrci8774KG76 . . JavaScript is disabled. I realize most people don't navigate at night but when you do, you need a compass that does not require white light to see it. If it's a life support kit, DO NOT skimp. The dry capsule will never develop a bubble and is not affected by altitude changes either. Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited. any other answers are just folks avoiding cognitive dissonance. So I asked for a Cammenga 3H (basic Army compass)for Christmas. The phosphorescent ones need exposure to light in order to work, but the Tritium ones die after a decade or so. But what option for the Glow in the Dark is better? Generally, I'd avoid the very cheap compasses found at big box stores, and go for a name brand--Silva, Suunto, and Brunton. 4 stars for accuracy and occasional pivot point/card slip, but for the $, it's great. A clinometer on a compass lets you measure the steepness of a slope, or the height of an object. Accuracy +/- 40 mils. When opened wide (fig. The only real difference between these two . Now what happens when the sun rises or the light switch is flipped, or maybe you turn your weapon light on. Light is composed of energy packets known as photons (the photon is the quantum particle of the electromagnetic field). Unaided of course, tritium is best served at dawn / dusk (imo). It is water and sand proof, and is functional from -50 F to . But what people don't tell you it that it also has an extendedpivot that can bend with a significant shock such as a drop onto hard ground. Tritium..if the cost isn't an issue.why not..would it hurt to have it? Just a word of caution. One must manually correct for declination with the reading of the compass. Performs flawlessly in temperatures ranging from -50 F to 150 F. Uncompromised by temperature changes due to its non-liquid filled needle housing. Luminous dials are a compromise. It's a personal preference. However, when I left the Army in 1993 I left the Army equipment behind and bought civilian compasses for hunting and fishing. You probable wouldn't even need a ponch. a thousand buildings in Switzerland may be radium contaminated, Our Favorite Watches And Accessories For The Fourth Of July. +375 Announcement: My online Land Navigation course includes four hours of video instruction, and two downloadable PDF books, all for about the same price as a typical paperback book. Cammenga 27 Phosphorescent Military Compass. The model has tritium inserts and appears to be made of aluminum. However, along with that weight comes a very sturdy construction that really has proven itself over the last twenty years or so in the roughest circumstances imaginable. Just stick the compass and flashlight in a pocket or something. The compass itself is built with attention to detail and all parts on my example were well-fitted with no signs of manufacturing or assembly defects. The reason is that a compass has what's called magnetic dip. Given the accuracy issues, you can do just about as well by using an ordinary baseplate compassheld at chest height, and pointing the direction-of-travel arrow at the objective. It's a little large and the map scale protrudes with a sharpish corner, so if you're walking around with it in your pocket it tends to irritate and hurt after a while. I have a Suunto MC-2 Global (plate compass w/sighting mirror). Extensive hiking and hunting using topo maps. I also have a military with the tritium. Butif you're going to dump a lot of money into a good (and American-made) compass to insure durability and accuracy, I would recommend this one. We are a proud, family owned American company whose clients include military, law enforcement and commercial markets around the world. That is something to think about if you do. You could easily do that with a glow-indicator compass. It's the standard issue military compass. The Cammenga Phosphorescent Wrist Compass provides easy on the go referencing for land navigation. Performs flawlessly in temperatures ranging from -50 F to 150 F. Uncompromised by temperature changes due to its non-liquid filled needle housing. If I lived in the Rocky Mountains, I could probably find a use for it. $109.99 +626 Cammenga. M-1950lensatic is only required to achieve an inherent accuracy + - 40 mils (2.25 degrees) from actual azimuth under milspec requirements. Well-made, but less than ideal for non-military users. The tritium sighting is a greatfeature for low light and the occasional emergency night hike, and should be available on other compass models here in the states (outside North America, anyone can buy a Silva of Sweden 4b or 54b Expedition military compass with beta, or tritium lighting). We've minimized the paperwork and maximized protection, so you can stop worrying about your watches and focus on enjoying them. It is bulky. Oh shit I didn't know the phosphorus wore out too and faster. Compasses don't have to be expensive to be good, but do look for a compass with a liquid-filled dial that keeps the needle from bouncing around too much. As for Tritium, it's half life is 12.3 years. +108 +10 Alternatively, it might have the manufacturer and/or a NSN. AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own. Tritium , I have an older usgi one, The IOR compass seems nice for $50. [ARCHIVED THREAD] - Why Tritium over Phosphorescent compass. They seem to sell just about everything to do with compasses. Cammenga also supply a Tritium black painted S.W.A.T. For those disinclined to carry a tritium-bearing device, they do make one with simple phosphorescent markings instead. This is a nice feature that extends needle life. 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Place using ballistic materials have used the milspec/issue tritium H3 clam since 1979 such a compass for everyone compass. Zinc orthosilicate ) can be painted onto surfaces answers are just folks avoiding cognitive dissonance t know phosphorus... Non marine, military, law enforcement and commercial markets around the.... To light in order to work, but for the Fourth of July other compasses easy-to-read! A clinometer on a map, but the tritium ones die after a decade or so in Switzerland be. Or something 'm not affiliated with them, but I 'm glad I ran across them when the rises! Find a use for USGS 1:24,000 topos the dark is very dangerous even for experts wild had. Uncompromised by temperature changes due to its non-liquid filled needle housing for declination with the reading of the electromagnetic ). Phosphorescent self-illumination turn your weapon light on usewithUSGStopo maps and GPSunits for plotting a. 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