IR laser systems- what we need them to make

[hnoppenberger]

I have been messing around in the night vision hunting community
for about 3 years now, and I have learned a lot of things. First thing I learned is how little I still know.
But second thing I learned is what it takes for a successful hunt- a good pair of nods and a good aiming device. Enter the problem:
I have been using the DBAL-D2 for sometime now, and I really do like it. However its very large and heavy- great for my HBAR with a n550 mouted to it, but how bout for my 14.5 carbine I use when not hatch hunting? I feel like for close action (pvs-14 on helmet) a smaller, lighter laser would be better (think ATPIAL but without the shity plastic housing)

I think what the night vision hunting community needs for a laser is this- basically a dbal-d2 cut in half, no big illuminator stuck to it.

(I feel a surefire m952v is plenty ilu for the close ranges you would be targeting with a nod on your head and pointing a laser at stuff)

Your going to say CQBL-1, but it has no option for a green visable laser (important to me) and has no provision for pattern generators or a ND filter. also its blocked by front sight post on ar's.

Your going to say wait for the CIVL, but the whole thing is plastic, looks like its waiting to break, come to think of it I don't like the feel of anything insight. Also no green visable laser (great for daylight/twilight targeting with a night vision scope mounted to the gun).
I feel LDI makes superior products and I love their housings.

Im very close to just buying an I2 and making it work, which it would, the only negative is not slaved lasers, and well the price I suppose.

And if they are going to make the D2 "Light" lets call it, it also needs to have a low power (.1mw) and 'high power' (.7mw) for the IR laser. I don't think this is too much to ask- I have sent this request to LDI, maybe one day we will have this? Feedback on my thoughts please.

[JEL458]

I am looking for something very similar. I want VIS & IR lasers, but with no need for the illuminator as I use a SF M620V. We T&E'd the DBAL D2, A2, PEQ-15 and PEQ-16B. Like you, I liked that the lasers were slaved on the D2, but have little to no use for the enormous illuminator; it was quite impressive to see though.

[andy t]

Have you considered civilian DBAL I2?

[hnoppenberger]

the A2 is perfect, but you can't own one unless we figure out how to skirt the food administrations useless laws (maybe a revolution like the offlist lower movement of CA might happen ). If they could figure out how to make a legal power illuminator small like that but with decent output we'd be set too.

the I2 is great, but not slaved lasers- which is nice when you swap from gun to gun. This is not that big a deal, but for the price (1000 for green vis) it better have the features I want. I'm getting tired of compromises, but I am considering it.

[Armati]

I never got the slaved vis/IR laser thing. If I am using a vis laser than I also want a white light. That should be a separate device like the Insight M6X with laser with it's own button.

For NVGs I want an IR device running off another button. I would like a civilian legal device with an IR laser and IR (laser) illuminator that runs on AA batteries. The current IR illuminators are IR LEDs that produce a dull red signature.

[hnoppenberger]

OK, so lets have them make us the PEQ-16b then. But the slaved lasers is a must for zeroing, and for moving the device from gun to gun. However I prefer the white like to be seperate from the laser box to help prevent negligent light discharges.
(Plus not needed for hunting)
Also, the day time laser is also a must for daytime practice, and for close engagement with a scoped weapon (be it night vision or not)

IR laser ilu's wont happen with .7mw, it would be far too faint to do anything, not enough power for it to work.

An alternative is simply making the wavelength of the IR Illu output over 900nm (typically they are around 850 so it dips into the vis spectrum somewhat)

[patriot_man]

Take a look at the Wilcox RAPTAR. It has everything you're looking for however it looks freakin' huge. People say it's comparable to the size of a PEQ-15 or 16 but it doesn't look that way to me.

Plus they somehow managed to bring a CIV legal IR illuminator into the whole package and have slaved lasers with a provision to have white light. Not sure how the IR flood performs but hell, I gotta give Wilcox props for doing this much.

[hnoppenberger]

to my knowledge these are not even close to being civ legal. while awesome, and a peq16 competitor, its got a 50mw power outputs.

[patriot_man]

Sorry, should've been more specific. You want to look at that RAPTAR Lite Model #57200G04 which has a .6mw IR laser and illuminating laser.

[hnoppenberger]

ok that thing is rad, but I cant get a pic of the front of it, and I wonder how well a low power laser would work for illumination? Wish I could find more info out it looks awesome.