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Thread: Why not a get MAWL and if not a MAWL than what?

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    Why not a get MAWL and if not a MAWL than what?

    I noticed in the thread link below there were a few stating they wouldn't get a MAWL, in part due to price and delivery time. I wanted to get more feedback specifically on the MAWL vs other IR laser/illuminators, if not a MAWL than which one and why. TIA.


    Seeking advice on night vision
    Last edited by titsonritz; 11-10-20 at 23:01.
    Gettin' down innagrass.
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    Quote Originally Posted by titsonritz View Post
    I noticed in the thread link below there were a few stating they wouldn't get a MAWL, in part due to price and delivery time. I wanted to get more feedback specifically on the MAWL vs other UV laser/illuminators, if not a MAWL than which one and why. TIA.
    I would hope they're using IR (infrared) and not UV (ultraviolet); they're literally on the opposite sides of the spectrum (infrared wavelengths being longer than the human eye can see, ultraviolet being shorter).

    The MAWL is king in the civilian world; only real weakness is price and weight (durability seems to be also something I've heard brought up). The illuminator is far superior to those on older full power units, as it is my understanding that it is literally a fully power illuminator that is used, even in the C1+, and that the use of the VCSEL technology is what allows for this, as it is technically many emitters that do not exceed 0.7 mW, combining for up to 80 mW of output. It also has excellent switchology, allowing you to easily switch illuminator modes between short, medium, and long range; this does limit your ability to fine tune the settings of the MAWL, though, which some people would find as a weakness (though I am told that BE Meyers can tune the power and divergence of the illuminator as needed, based on contracts).

    Your most viable civilian alternatives are either a Steiner DBAL-D2 or else a ZenitCo Perst-3. The former is bulky, heavy, and utilizes an LED for illumination, which will have a downrange visible signature. The latter is a Russian full power unit, and thus has limited warranty, dubious availability, and lack of aftermarket support for tape switches. There is also the possibility of utilizing something like a DBAL-A2 or some other IR pointer without an illuminator and pairing it with something like the Modlite IR-940 or Luna LN-ELIR-3. Pure class-1 units like the Steiner DBAL-A3 and L-3 ATPIAL-C are pretty much garbage in terms of illuminators, and thus aren't viable alternatives without an LED illuminator to pair with it. The only real reasons to not go with the MAWL in the class 1 realm, IMO, is cost, which is admittedly substantially more than the DBAL-D2 and the Perst-3.

    If you have the ability to swing it, there is also the L3 NGAL and the Wilcox RAID-X. The former, as best I can tell, is simply a smaller, lighter LA-5, so despite winning the SOCOM contract, I would consider it the worst of the three next-gen units. The Wilcox RAID-X is much lighter and smaller than the MAWL, with way more ability to fine-tune the laser pointer and illuminator outputs, along with the divergence of the illuminator, at the expense of a less intuitive switchology. Both the NGAL and the RAID-X are more expensive than the MAWL-C1+.

    There is also the tuned down Wilcox RAPTAR, as there is apparently a guy out there that can unlock it for you to be full power now (note that this is not the same as the RAPTAR ES, RAPTAR-S ES, etc.), but that's a very niche MFAL, not really something I would considering on a fighting carbine, but more on a precision rig.
    Last edited by Defaultmp3; 02-12-22 at 11:56.
    Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

    老僧三十年前未參禪時、見山是山、見水是水、及至後夾親見知識、有箇入處、見山不是山、見水不是水、而今得箇體歇處、依然見山秪是山、見水秪是水。

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    I’ve found three vendors in the last few months that are willing to sell FP peq15s, and NGALs to anyone, not stolen, Factory new.

    A little conversation goes a long way.

    also, I won’t be saying who.

    But it’s not hard to get full power products anymore I wouldn’t grab anything less.




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    Quote Originally Posted by Defaultmp3 View Post
    I would hope they're using IR (infrared) and not UV (ultraviolet); they're literally on the opposite sides of the spectrum (infrared wavelengths being longer than the human eye can see, ultraviolet being shorter).
    Yes, derp. Thanks for your post.
    Gettin' down innagrass.
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    Cant really say anything more than has already been said other than I run multiple MAWLs! MAWL wins the illuminator battle as stated. Nice thing about it with the switch layout is you can change the beam patter on the fly or without reaching up to the unit and trying to dial the pattern you want. I find it very well balance as I run my white light on the opposite side of the MAWL.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Defaultmp3 View Post
    I would hope they're using IR (infrared) and not UV (ultraviolet); they're literally on the opposite sides of the spectrum (infrared wavelengths being longer than the human eye can see, ultraviolet being shorter).

    The MAWL is king in the civilian world; only real weakness is price and weight (durability seems to be also something I've heard brought up). The illuminator is far superior to those on older full power units, as it is my understanding that it is literally a fully power illuminator that is used, even in the C1+, and that the use of the VCSEL technology is what allows for this, as it is technically many emitters that do not exceed 0.7 mW, combining for up to 80 mW of output. It also has excellent switchology, allowing you to easily switch illuminator modes between short, medium, and long range; this does limit your ability to fine tune the settings of the MAWL, though, which some people would find as a weakness (though I am told that BE Meyers can tune the power and divergence of the illuminator as needed, based on contracts).

    Your most viable civilian alternatives are either a Steiner DBAL-D2 or else a ZenitCo Perst-3. The former is bulky, heavy, and utilizes an LED for illumination, which will have a downrange visible signature. The latter is a Russian full power unit, and thus has limited warranty, dubious availability, and lack of aftermarket support for tape switches. There is also the possibility of utilizing something like a DBAL-A2 or some other IR pointer without an illuminator and pairing it with something like the Modlite IR-940 or Luna LN-ELIR-3. Pure class-1 units like the Steiner DBAL-A3 and L-3 ATPIAL-C are pretty much garbage in terms of illuminators, and thus aren't viable alternatives without an LED illuminator to pair with it. The only real reasons to not go with the MAWL in the class 1 realm, IMO, is cost, which is admittedly substantially more than the DBAL-D2 and the Perst-3.

    If you have the ability to swing it, there is also the L3 NGAL and the Wilcox RAID-X. The former, as best I can tell, is simply a smaller, lighter LA-5 (it does not use VSCEL, so the illuminator is most likely not as clean as the MAWL and the RAID-X), so despite winning the SOCOM contract, I would consider it the worst of the three next-gen units. The Wilcox RAID-X is much lighter and smaller than the MAWL, with way more ability to fine-tune the laser pointer and illuminator outputs, along with the divergence of the illuminator, at the expense of a less intuitive switchology. Both the NGAL and the RAID-X are more expensive than the MAWL-C1+.

    There is also the tuned down Wilcox RAPTAR, as there is apparently a guy out there that can unlock it for you to be full power now (note that this is not the same as the RAPTAR ES, RAPTAR-S ES, etc.), but that's a very niche MFAL, not really something I would considering on a fighting carbine, but more on a precision rig.
    What's this about unlocking a Wilcox raptar?


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    Quote Originally Posted by mig1nc View Post
    What's this about unlocking a Wilcox raptar?
    Guy does it here: https://www.snipershide.com/shooting...ptars.7029460/

    Again, this needs to be a RAPTAR neutered via a software lock, and not one of the inherently eye-safe variants.
    Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

    老僧三十年前未參禪時、見山是山、見水是水、及至後夾親見知識、有箇入處、見山不是山、見水不是水、而今得箇體歇處、依然見山秪是山、見水秪是水。

    https://www.instagram.com/defaultmp3/

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    I used a MAWL and have this but haven't had the chance to compare them side by side. I'll have to borrow a MAWL one of these days for a video...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mrgunsngear View Post


    I used a MAWL and have this but haven't had the chance to compare them side by side. I'll have to borrow a MAWL one of these days for a video...
    What is that?


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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by just a scout View Post
    What is that?


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    Wilcox Raid X


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