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Posted: 6/19/2014 8:34:53 AM EDT
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A few buddies and I are looking in to IR lasers for rifles. I like and have seen DBALs, OTALs and PEQs but the cost is somewhat prohibitive. If you just set up a NV helmet rig for $2-3K another $1-1.5K for a rifle laser is a hard hit. I have also read that the close range bloom on these limits their effectiveness somewhat. I would like to bring together a thread for people that are interested in, or have experience with units that cost less for use on a rifle. These are mostly lasers designed primarily for pistols but I have seen people put them on rifles.
Questions I am interested in are related to laser performance CQB-300m or so, but mostly under 100M; durability, ease of zero and maintenance of zero. These are the options I am aware of, if anybody knows more I'd like to hear about them. Lasermax IR Uni Under $200. I actually have this one and am not displeased so far. I like that it is low profile. I do not like that it doesn't have a momentary off. I know that a tape switch is available- I generally don't like tape switches as it is just something else to go wrong. Zeroing is a PITA Crimson Trace Rail Master Around $200. Seems a little higher than the Uni, but may fit really nicely in front of a rail mounted FSP. LDI TAC2 Around $300. The size and cost suggest that it might be a little more durable, but I don't know anything else. I like that it has a momentary on option. Armasight Drakos Around $500 depending on options. This is more DBAL/PEQ like but the cost puts it in the low end. I like the looks of this but wouldn't drop that kind of coin on something like this without some feedback and feedback seems rare. |
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I use several UniMax IR's and they are great for the money. I like that you can use a tape switch with them and I love that they are soooo light and only take up like 4 rail slots.
The drakos is way overbuilt. It is a stout laser, but is pending FDA approval. That is why there is no reviews. What I like about it is the QD mount, slaved vis and IR, and that it has a high and low setting. 0.2mw and 0.7mw I believe. It is closer to $400 I think. I also like the CT, but like the unimax a little better due to how low profile it is and the ability to run a tape switch. I haven't tried the Micro yet, but have a few on order to try on a suppressed Buckmark with MRDS, 22/45 Lite, and a suppressed G19 with RMR. Reason being, I am that guy that will trash a hog hunt by shooting the first armadillo, opossum, or coon I see. People don't tend to be overjoyed about that, but a suppressed .22 makes it more forgivable! |
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I have the CT rail master and honestly was impressed with how well it works.
it depends a lot on what generation night vision device you are using, with a gen 1 max distance I could see the dot was about 75-100 yards with the pvs14 I could easily see the laser well past 900 yards. during daytime I used a rangefinder to hit the ridge across from me that was 936 yards and the rail master was EASILY visible at that distance. I did make and extra rubber piece to fit underneath it and sit up between the on/off ears to keep them from getting caught on anything (its made for a pistol and this is where the trigger guard would be) very streamlined, you can physically feel the button click when turning it on, uses the same batteries as my aimpoint. very small also. |
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Quoted:
A few buddies and I are looking in to IR lasers for rifles. I like and have seen DBALs, OTALs and PEQs but the cost is somewhat prohibitive. If you just set up a NV helmet rig for $2-3K another $1-1.5K for a rifle laser is a hard hit. I have also read that the close range bloom on these limits their effectiveness somewhat. I would like to bring together a thread for people that are interested in, or have experience with units that cost less for use on a rifle. These are mostly lasers designed primarily for pistols but I have seen people put them on rifles. Questions I am interested in are related to laser performance CQB-300m or so, but mostly under 100M; durability, ease of zero and maintenance of zero. These are the options I am aware of, if anybody knows more I'd like to hear about them. Lasermax IR Uni Under $200. I actually have this one and am not displeased so far. I like that it is low profile. I do not like that it doesn't have a momentary off. I know that a tape switch is available- I generally don't like tape switches as it is just something else to go wrong. Zeroing is a PITA Crimson Trace Rail Master Around $200. Seems a little higher than the Uni, but may fit really nicely in front of a rail mounted FSP. LDI TAC2 Around $300. The size and cost suggest that it might be a little more durable, but I don't know anything else. I like that it has a momentary on option. Armasight Drakos Around $500 depending on options. This is more DBAL/PEQ like but the cost puts it in the low end. I like the looks of this but wouldn't drop that kind of coin on something like this without some feedback and feedback seems rare. I have a railmaster, and I like it. Its inexpensive, can be had under 200 if you shop around (I got mine on grabagun for 190 I think). It has an auto shutoff after 5 min, so it wont drain the batteries if you dont want to take out the NVG's to confirm its off. The LDI Las-Tac is complete and utter garbage. The mounting rails are plastic. I bought one for my M&P's and under no circumstances would I trust it to hold zero. Even with the proper picatinny mount, the entire unit could shift back and forth on my rail. I tested it on a KAC URX and it yielded the same result. On top of that, the simple act of turning the laser on would cause a NOTICEABLE shift in the beam at only 7 yards if you were using momentary. It would generally return to where it originally was set, but how can you trust something like that to maintain zero? Sent it back, and got the rail master instead. Much better setup. Shame though, the lower output was really ideal on a pistol, but the mount is one of the biggest jokes I've ever seen. |
| The CTC railmaster works well for me. I love the lightweight and compactness. IT would be nice if the unit had a small slider switch for high and low settings. Blooming is a fact of life with .7mw lasers up close when using Gen 3 NV. A .2mw setting would be awesome. |
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You might look here at Sub Zero Lasers I have a couple, and they've worked fine for me! The price is reasonable too!
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I use several UniMax IR's and they are great for the money. I like that you can use a tape switch with them and I love that they are soooo light and only take up like 4 rail slots. The drakos is way overbuilt. It is a stout laser, but is pending FDA approval. That is why there is no reviews. What I like about it is the QD mount, slaved vis and IR, and that it has a high and low setting. 0.2mw and 0.7mw I believe. It is closer to $400 I think. I also like the CT, but like the unimax a little better due to how low profile it is and the ability to run a tape switch. I haven't tried the Micro yet, but have a few on order to try on a suppressed Buckmark with MRDS, 22/45 Lite, and a suppressed G19 with RMR. Reason being, I am that guy that will trash a hog hunt by shooting the first armadillo, opossum, or coon I see. People don't tend to be overjoyed about that, but a suppressed .22 makes it more forgivable! I like mine thus far, will use it for a pistol when I get a new one for the rifle. I have heard a couple of negative things about their tape switch, what kind of abuse has yours stood up to? I was wondering about the drakos cause I was seeing them on places like Amazon and Optics planet but when I went to shop last night they had been pulled. |
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Las-tac-2 is not useful for anything other than a pistol. It wiggles too much. I bought one from TNVC to put on a .22lr and was pretty disappointed with it. I could make it less wabbly by covering my rail in foil tape, but it still needed to be checked for zero every outing and babied. For pistol distances its probably fine. But i wouldn't buy it again for that purpose.
I have a lasermax ir-uni on a 9mm that so far i have been extremely pleased with. I am probably getting another for the .22lr. |
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This is what you need to buy. I have two of them.. Quoted:
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I've had really good luck with the Crimson Trace. You can find them for less than $200.00 This is what you need to buy. I have two of them.. I think they use the same battery as my aimpoint pro, which would be a plus |
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I think they use the same battery as my aimpoint pro, which would be a plus Quoted:
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I've had really good luck with the Crimson Trace. You can find them for less than $200.00 This is what you need to buy. I have two of them.. I think they use the same battery as my aimpoint pro, which would be a plus Yes they are.. |
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I have been using the Lasermax Uni IR since they first hit the shelf. General statement: It works OK if that's all you have. I have killed a couple of pigs at a little over 150 yards, but missed pigs a lot closer....all from a solid rest. I am giving up on it and going with a unit that cost around 750.
The uni is plenty bright with the PVS-14 out to almost 200 yards It holds zero great for pistol ranges, but not for shooting for 100 yards. The plastic construction and spring tension retention just have too much slop. Although it shuts off automatically after about 20 minutes, the little button batteries are only good for about two of those, so unless you turn that tiny switch off, laying he gun down on the pressure switch a couple of times will leave you without a sight. |
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I have been using the Lasermax Uni IR since they first hit the shelf. General statement: It works OK if that's all you have. I have killed a couple of pigs at a little over 150 yards, but missed pigs a lot closer....all from a solid rest. I am giving up on it and going with a unit that cost around 750. At what distance did you zero the laser at? |
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At what distance did you zero the laser at? Quoted:
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I have been using the Lasermax Uni IR since they first hit the shelf. General statement: It works OK if that's all you have. I have killed a couple of pigs at a little over 150 yards, but missed pigs a lot closer....all from a solid rest. I am giving up on it and going with a unit that cost around 750. At what distance did you zero the laser at? I have an eotech and a 3.5X magnifier on the rifle, which is built on an extended rail VLTOR upper, The Eotech is set 3/4" high at 100 yards. The IR UniMax is aligned by putting the entire mess in a lead sled, with the PVS-14 behind the Eotech, and aligning the IR laser to the Eotech center dot. At 100 yards, the UniMax dot is about 2 - 3 times larger than the 1 MOA dot on the Eotech, so it takes some time to assure it is centered properly. The UniMax is mounted on the top rail, so there is only 3/4" difference in the height above bore between it an the Eotech. You can also see the give in the Unimax mount with with setup. Applying finger pressure to the sight will cause it to deflect at least a a foot at 100 yards...it generally returns close to zero when the pressure is removed, but not exactly and not repeatedly. When stalking or in a blind, with the PVS-14 is helmet mounted, I just do not feel confident that I have a good zero. |
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Looks like I found another contender (still saving money)
Cherokee LAM If that works at all like advertised and like it looks like it should that might be the answer to my prayers. But like the DRAKOS I can find no other info on it. |
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