Is a flash hider necessary with night vision optics? I don't want to spend the
Money for a nice scope if the sudden flash is going to shorten the life
Of the scope. Thanks in advance.

I would think that it would help out a ton! + a really good flash hider is only around 60-80 bucks and its well worth it

necessary no...
helpful? wouldn't hurt.
burn out your scope? if you've got digital NOPE...

If you find a good one let me know. the only thing I don't want is gas flying back in my face...

It won't harm a nightvison scope. When your ready to buy one, let me know. I sell Pulsar, Yukon, ATN, Sightmark and ITT nightvision and I will beat any price out there.

Yes you want a flash hider.

It won't hurt a top tier product that is autogated, but I would not want to shoot without a flash hider with a non-autogated tube.

Here is my field testing with a flash hider and a NON-autogated tube.

First off the ammo is Wolf and without a flash hider it is like the 4th of July.

Here is a vid with no night vision, just the camera in night mode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti5WefxojGI

Here is a vid with the night vision monocular ahead of the video camera.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKG95iRR9TU

Lastly here is a vid from the shooters perspective. Thats ALOT of flash WITH a flash hider, I won't even test my tube without a flash hider, I like my equipment to work...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm97B4DbJP8&NR=1

You will notice that followup shots produce significantly more "flash" that initial shots (see 2nd shot in night mode video and third shot in NVD video).

I don't know what setup you are going with, monocular behind day scope or night vision clip-on ahead of day scope or a dedicated nightvision scope, they all react differently to muzzle flash and are designed accordingly.

Hope this helps.

BB

Thanks for all the info. Sound like I need to get a threaded muzzle.