I have an AR15 with a Dbal IR laser with a Aimpoint T2 on a lower 1/3 LT660 mount.  I run a PVS14 on a Team Wendy helmet.  

I really don’t like shooting with the laser.  I am able to get a sight picture passively with my T2.  

Do any of you just use a dot for passive and skip the laser altogether?

Ummmm … I don’t have expensive electronics but wish I did.

Passive and laser both have their uses.

I shot passively with an vampire and while it works ok a IR light/laser will be much more efficient. While passive aiming is a great skill to have your using a lot of neck/upper body muscle to do so. it's definitely a good skill to have especially if you're trying to have the lowest signature possible.

My default is passive; if you train a lot and do a ton of ready-up reps in the daytime with your optic, it translates to doing the same at night. If it's a more dynamic environment, I just press the switch for my laser as I'm presenting and I can trace the laser onto whatever I want to aim at to be just that tiny bit quicker. As I'm bringing my optic up to my eye, I can see both laser and dot through my optic and there's also the added benefit of the laser providing more illumination on the target to see through the optic.

Passive works great if you're ambushing or initiating a firefight but as soon as lights and lasers and IR illumination start flashing everywhere, it loses a lot of effectiveness and it's better to join in on the chaos. If I'm being engaged and I have to transition between targets and it's really dark, I'm using the laser with powerful IR illumination every time.

I like passive a lot.... especially for over 200.

Most of the free world shoots passive exclusively. I would say within reason, that passive aiming and reducing your signature will prolong life expectancy by an order of magnitude.

Remember that your optic, and your lights can reflect back to an adversary and be proactive about reducing your signature. This is especially true during the day.

If anyone else is nvg capable, then using any kind of light is like a beacon that can be seen for miles.

Passive is best. Reducing muzzle flash is a good idea as well.

Someone here once said "Emitting is gross" and I agree to an extent. I try to shoot passive as much as possible.  Id rather shoot with just IR Illum and no laser if I can get away with it.

I also use a T2 on my go to NV gun.

I mainly shoot passive.  I save the laser for special occasions like shooting out of position and the illuminator for when it's too dark for the tubes to see into.

What? Most of the world doesn't have night vision capabilities.

And most of our own military uses magnified optics and therefore use lasers for night shooting.

There is absolutely no need to pick one or another as your sole method. Both passive and active have applications where they excel at, with that primarily being with active aiming.

I like both.  If anyone needs to find out if they like active aiming and don’t want to spend thousands, the Poor Man MAWL Thread is for you.

Toughsoul IR Light/Laser on Amazon.  Now $68 bucks!!