Armory Sponsor
Posted: 12/21/2014 6:31:51 PM EDT
|
Ok. Here is what I am planning to do as to a review of this great new kit. Others should feel free to post your thoughts along this thread as well.
I have a DBAL I2, CQBL Unity unit, ATPIAL-C, and OTAL to compare and contrast. I can set up the CQBL with either a M300V or M620V. 
Here are my test platforms. A LWRC UCIW Six8 - 24" OAL - 8 lbs 0 oz as shown - Fury and ATPIAL-C 
ST Compressor - 26.5" OAL - 9 lbs 2 oz as shown - M300B, CQBL with Unity M620V 
PWS MK110 - 26" OAL - 7 lbs 10 oz as shown - Fury, DBAL I2 
First a few stats based on my mailing scales ATPIAL-C Red Vis Laser / C1 IR 0.7mW / IR Illum 3 mW 7 oz with 123A Battery - 6 hr run time 4.6" x 2.8" x 1.6" DBAL I2 Green Vis Laser / C1 IR 0.7 mW (with Neutral Density Filter 0.1 mW) 7.6 oz with 123A Battery - 5 hr run time 3.5"x 2.75"x 1.75" CQBL-1 Red Vis Laser / C1 IR 0.7mW 6 oz with 123A Battery - 20 hr run time 4" x 1.5" x 1.1" OTAL C1 C1 IR 0.7 mW 6 oz with AA Battery - 5 hr run time 2.8" x 2.4" x 0.75" M300V 120 L White / 110 mW IR LED 4 oz with 123A Battery - 1.2 hr run time M620V 150 L White / 120 mW IR LED 5 oz with 2 123A batteries - 1.8 hr run time P2X Fury 500 L White 6 oz with 2 123A batteries - 1.5 hr run time More to come as I get more time. |
Yes sir. I need a night vision camera operator for a thorough record. You know where I can find one?
I'm working up a test protocol now. 10y, 25y, 50y, 100y, 150y, 200y for each one. Want to see how well the illuminator works and its effect on bloom for the IR laser. We can also shoot some downrange footage to compare the visual signature of the IR laser illum vs the LED illum as a target indicator. I've got the M1, V1, M300V, M620V, X300V, Inforce WML, Da Torch, and Torch Pro to use as comparisons. |
|
Quoted:
Rich is in TX. Have him stop on by. He's a pro at photographing NV. Quoted:
Quoted:
Yes sir. I need a night vision camera operator for a thorough record. You know where I can find one? Rich is in TX. Have him stop on by. He's a pro at photographing NV. I am supposed to be meeting up with him in the next couple of weeks. He's local to me and he has some amazing toys I want to look at! |
|
Quoted:
I am supposed to be meeting up with him in the next couple of weeks. He's local to me and he has some amazing toys I want to look at! Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Yes sir. I need a night vision camera operator for a thorough record. You know where I can find one? Rich is in TX. Have him stop on by. He's a pro at photographing NV. I am supposed to be meeting up with him in the next couple of weeks. He's local to me and he has some amazing toys I want to look at! He's about to have some more amazing toys. 
|
|
Quoted:
He's about to have some more amazing toys. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Yes sir. I need a night vision camera operator for a thorough record. You know where I can find one? Rich is in TX. Have him stop on by. He's a pro at photographing NV. I am supposed to be meeting up with him in the next couple of weeks. He's local to me and he has some amazing toys I want to look at! He's about to have some more amazing toys. Do tell...
|
|
Some subjective review so we can advance the story.
I compared the ATPIAL-C IR Illum to the LED based M300V and M620V last night. The IR illum on the ATPIAL-C is really very good. With the diffuser on, it takes the bloom out of the 0.7 mW IR laser at all typical HD ranges in a really very surprising way. I thought it would be too narrow and bright, but it is not. With the diffuser off, you get much better throw at range than with the LED based IR illuminators. The conditions outside last night (especially with all the damn Christmas lights) were really too bright to evaluate the IR laser illuminator capability > 50 yards.. I can easily say that first impressions are very good though. Paired with a Surefire Fury white light, this is a very lightweight and versatile kit. |
|
Quoted:
So you're finding that an extra IR light like the 952v or 620v is not needed and the atpial provides enough flood? At close ranges (read inside my house or even across the backyard range) with the diffuser in place, absolutely. Without the diffuser at close range, the LED based lights get better flood. Suppression of the bloom of the IR laser appears better with the ATPIAL-C. This is really a very interesting offering. I think the ATPIAL-C is going to offer better performance at extended range than LED vampire counterparts but I need the right conditions to really test that out. Additionally, you don't have to run a switch to get the functionality. I HATE switches. |
|
Quoted:
Yes sir. I need a night vision camera operator for a thorough record. You know where I can find one?
I'm working up a test protocol now. 10y, 25y, 50y, 100y, 150y, 200y for each one. Want to see how well the illuminator works and its effect on bloom for the IR laser. We can also shoot some downrange footage to compare the visual signature of the IR laser illum vs the LED illum as a target indicator. I've got the M1, V1, M300V, M620V, X300V, Inforce WML, Da Torch, and Torch Pro to use as comparisons. I bet I know where you could find one |
|
Quoted:
At close ranges (read inside my house or even across the backyard range) with the diffuser in place, absolutely. Without the diffuser at close range, the LED based lights get better flood. Suppression of the bloom of the IR laser appears better with the ATPIAL-C. This is really a very interesting offering. I think the ATPIAL-C is going to offer better performance at extended range than LED vampire counterparts but I need the right conditions to really test that out. Additionally, you don't have to run a switch to get the functionality. I HATE switches. Quoted:
Quoted:
So you're finding that an extra IR light like the 952v or 620v is not needed and the atpial provides enough flood? At close ranges (read inside my house or even across the backyard range) with the diffuser in place, absolutely. Without the diffuser at close range, the LED based lights get better flood. Suppression of the bloom of the IR laser appears better with the ATPIAL-C. This is really a very interesting offering. I think the ATPIAL-C is going to offer better performance at extended range than LED vampire counterparts but I need the right conditions to really test that out. Additionally, you don't have to run a switch to get the functionality. I HATE switches. This is good to hear. I find the 952v white light anemic and would prefer to have the white light I have now on my rifle. |
|
Some learnings from tonight as I stalked my cats around the property -
Some rifle test bed changes are in order. I'll correct the photos tomorrow. The IR illuminator won't clear the front iron sight base so it had to come off. Additionally, the Haley Thorntail with the P2X Fury casts shadows with the IR illuminator. Fortunately I had a Larue LT707 to try. It keeps the white light at 9 oclock and out of the way. The white light is still able to be actuated with my left hand when so mounted. Removing the front iron sight also allows the ATPIAL to come forward toward the muzzle a bit and makes using the fire button more ergonomic on the ATPIAL with my normal firing grip. A more narrow Scout light might work with the Thorntail and keep the switch at 1030. I'll experiment more with that one in the future. I strongly prefer the 500 lumen Fury white light though for both its power and its spill so it will probably stay at the 9oclock for now. I hate the reliability issues with pressure pads so I'll avoid those as well. I've decided to keep the cap ON the IR laser for short ranges for certain (< 50 yards). This significantly reduces the bloom AND prevents a red visible laser AD if you have it on the wrong setting switch. The diffuser cap on the IR illuminator is best used for short range scenarios - particularly inside structures. When outside of 25 yards or so, rotating the diffuser out of the way improves the throw of the IR illuminator considerably. Still very happy with the performance of both the illuminator and laser. Just getting to know her a bit. More to come. |
|
My only gripe is that there seems to be a little bit of slop in the slaved lasers. I zeroed the IR with the EOtech. Then switched to Visible/daytime EOtech and noticed the visible laser was a little off. Doesn't bug me too much though as I am mainly concerned with the IR laser. Pretty badass toy to have!
PS. The visible laser is not quite as bright as my DBAL-I2. It's the diet coke of DBAL, just +/- .5 mW.
|
Here is what I consider to be the closest competition for the ATPIAL-C: the LDI CQBL-1 with Unity Tactical mount for M300V.
I added the DBAL I2 just for size reference as it does not have any IR illumination as of yet. The ATPIAL-C currently runs $1299. The CQBL setup as shown is $1263. Both have coaligned VIS/C1 IR lasers as well as IR illuminators and are roughly the same dimensionally (the ATPIAL-C is a slightly smaller footprint). The ATPIAL-C weighs in at 7 oz with battery vs the CQBL combination at 9 oz. The CQBL setup has the advantage of also having 120 lumens of white light on board so, once you add that in, the ATPIAL setup is clearly heavier. I strongly prefer the ATPIAL actuation since it can all be triggered off of the onboard FIRE button and requires no external switch. The CQBL requires a SR-D-IT switch for simultaneous use of the IR laser & illuminator. Switches are clearly a reliability weak link in my experience Head to head performance pictures will be shot on the Houston Night get together on 1/10. It will be interesting to compare the LED based IR illum of the CQBL with the Laser based ATPIAL. We will be testing from 10 yards out to 150 yards so check for throw, spill, and very low light performance. Again, more to come. |
Armory Sponsor