pic-rail mounted IR illuminator for night-time pesting

[delooper]

I'm looking for a small pic-rail mounted IR illuminator. i.e. not a big flashlight that hangs off the gun. 

Ideally it would be something like the o-light baldr lights. An IR-illuminator with an IR-laser pointer -- I sent a request to o-light to consider building one.

This would be entirely for night-time pesting, so it does not need to be very bright, but it should have some brightness control as IR scopes are easily over-saturated. At least, all the ones I've seen. 

I don't want something that's insanely expensive -- I'm not looking for one designed to hunt deer at 600 yards, or for fighting wars. Those have ridiculous prices. 

So far the best I've come across is the "Bushnell Equinox IR flashlight". It gets to my basic interests, but it lacks an IR pointer. It's also a bit longer than I would like, and appears a little cheap and plastic-y. But those aren't deal-killers.

 

[esingle]

Hello I am using an Inforce WMLx White/Ir gen 2 light with my night vision setups and very happy with it for the price. Optics Planet has them for $133.99 Hope this helps Eric

 

[N2 Shooter]

Your gonna have to mod an existing setup. It's easy for someone with some technical know how.

Start with this:

Pistol Laser Sight, 350 lm Gun Flashlight with Strobe Mode Green Sight for Handgun,Compact Rail Mount Tactical Flashlight, USB Rechargeable Weapon Light with LED and Green Laser, for Pistols https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TWJST2N/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_48PG4QVX4G0H93SCDA24

Then swap out the visible light LED with an infrared light LED like this one:

I found this part with the Digi-Key mobile app. https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/QBLP670-IR2/5299242

 

[delooper]

Yeah, I've been thinking about modifying an o-light. Haven't worked-up the confidence yet. 

Other than the fussy business of tearing these little lights apart, finding IR diodes that match the specs of the visible-light laser and LED, to avoid burning-out the replacements, would be key. 

Thanks for the Inforce suggestion, esingle. I can probably find them in Canada, but the prices are really marked-up here. 

 

[biohazardman]

I have been looking for the same thing for some years now.

Insanely expensive, for my use, is all I have ever found.

https://ivantactical.com/shop/weapon-accessories/flashlights-and-accessories/flashlights/zenitco-2ikslaser-klesh-tactical-ir-illuminator-with-ir-laser/

EDIT;

A less expensive one says IR lazer and IR light but 520nm. That can't be right?

https://www.opticsplanet.com/beamshot-compact-ir-laser-aimer-w-ir-illuminator.html

 

[Ranchibi]

Deleted...sorry

 

[delooper]

Deleted...sorry

No problem. 

That "ivantactical" looks about right, but probably way too overbuilt and powerful.

The military-grade stuff is nice, but I'm just hunting raccoons. 

This youtube video shows the disassembly of a similar (but not exactly the same) kind of o-light flashlight. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hfh7HyBYVC0

Looks like you have to take off one glued component, then you can pull the lens out, desolder the wires to the LED plate, then you can pull the LED plate out. The BALDR model will probably be quite similar. 

 

[delooper]

Similar to the "ivantactical" there is a very expensive Surefire model XC2-A-IRC

https://www.surefire.com/products/illumination/weapon-lights/xc2-a-irc-weaponlight/

I can find this model in Canada, and the markup isn't insane. 

That said, it's still crazy expensive. 

edit: I can not find the Surefire in Canada. Importers no longer seem to carry it. 

 

[delooper]

Although on the expensive side, the Holosun LE321G and LS321G seem to be pretty good options. 

Both have IR laser pointers and IR flashlights. They both also have visible green lasers. The LS is made of aluminum, the LE titanium. The LE also has a white light. The LS is in the $900 range, while the LE is in the $1200 range. 

I think I'm getting pretty close to exhausting the options. Was hoping for something more in the $200 range. 

 

[delooper]

I'm going to acquire a few. Compare and contrast, then sell the least useful ones. 

The Bushnell IR flashlight arrived today. On the plus side, its nice and skinny. Has good brightness controls (5 settings). I only need the two lowest settings for my purposes -- mostly 20-30 yd pesting. Comes with a little "honeycomb" lens-hider thinggy. The honeycomb item mostly just gets in the way. The flashlight has a beam-spread adjustment, and if you don't make the beam completely straight, most of it is eaten-up by the honeycomb lens-hider. So I just removed that. One other downside is the flashlight is a little on the long side. The pic mount won't work on the Leshiy 2 lower rail without a rail extension. Since the unit is so skinny, there is no problems folding the Leshiy 2 up with it mounted. The other two units I've ordered might have some trouble on that front. The other units I'm looking at both have IR laser pointers, as well. The Bushnell does not. That said, the Bushnell is very affordable, while the other units I'm considering have silly "military-style pricing". 

 

[beerthief]

 Google and look for an IR lens to convert a flashlight to IR then cut to the size you need ? maybe a pen light or some other small flash light 

oops too late 

 

[delooper]

Google and look for an IR lens to convert a flashlight to IR then cut to the size you need ? maybe a pen light or some other small flash light 

oops too late 

biohazardman suggested that. I'm certainly considering it. When I have some time I'll buy an extra O-light Baldr, and see if I can take it apart. Provided I can non-destructively take it apart, hopefully I can find IR versions of the LED and laser diodes that fit, both the physical and electrical requirements. 

I'd maybe consider something other than the o-light. As it does not seem to reliably return to its previous aiming point, when re-mounted. Also the laser adjustment is a little finnicky. It would be nice to have something a little more robust. 

 

[delooper]

The three units I've found available in Canada are the Bushnell, the Inforce and the Holosun. There are other units available in Canada but they all appear to be well into the stratosphere in prices (i.e. over $4k). I don't have the budget to review those kinds of items. The second contender is the "Inforce WML White+IR" flashlight. It arrived today. 

This will win the compactness competition. Much smaller than the Bushnell. Similar in size to an O-light Baldr. I don't have the Holosun in-hand but I anticipate this will be considerably smaller than the Holosun.

For what you get it's too expensive. This light can be switched between white light and IR mode. But it lacks a brightness setting. Will test its useful range tonight. This unit does not have a laser pointer. For its limited design, i.e. white and IR flashlight only, it's pretty well thought-out, though. 

 

[delooper]

The Inforce isn't terribly powerful but it has a useful beam pattern for 20-40 yard pesting. Beyond that it's quite soft. You can't adjust the power setting, nor the beam pattern. 

The Bushnell at its 2nd power setting (2 of 5) is more powerful, so there's three higher settings that are more powerful still. You can also adjust the beam pattern on the Bushnell. 

 

[delooper]

It took about 5 months on backorder, but my Holosun LE321G arrived a few days ago.

This has two flashlights, one visible, and one IR. It also has two laser pointers, one green and one IR. The two laser pointers point in the same direction, so you can zero the green light during the day, and be confident the IR light is zeroed at night.

My first impression of this unit is the IR illuminator is pretty dim. I have an IR Acebeam L19, and on "moonlight" mode, the Acebeam is brighter than the Holosun at its brightest. So my impression is the Holosun is largely designed for **very close** work, like 15 yards max. Perhaps the Holosun output frequency does not match my IR scope. I will look into that to see if I can isolate exactly what frequency the Holosun is putting out. If anything, the IR and visible laser pointers are brighter than one really needs.

Both the visible flashlight and laser pointers are plenty powerful on the Holosun, that leads me to wonder if the IR illuminator's frequency isn't completely compatible with my IR scope. So the Holosun almost does everything I'd like. Having an IR laser pointer is really handy.

Googling around it appears the Holosun might be putting out 830nm in IR mode, while my scope is sensitive in the 850nm range. That might be why the IR illuminator appears dim.

 

[delooper]

Next I'll try out the PERST-4 IR+green laser pointers. That might be the way to go, with my IR Acebeam L19.

 

[mtnGhost]

The LUNA ELIR-3 if you can find one! It'is a frigging light saber with the filter removed!!! Adjustable beam, very good long range dot > spot > flood.

There's also a Surefire adapter that can found online.

 

[delooper]

Next I'll try out the PERST-4 IR+green laser pointers. That might be the way to go, with my IR Acebeam L19.

Not a big fan of the PERST-4. Its laser pointer doesn't seem to maintain zero very well.

 

[sasquatch]

Streamlight used to have a dedicated IR only light on this housing in the link. It looks like they prefer this product which costs more. I used to have the IR version from 3-4 years ago but it eventually died. So I have been reluctant to buy more of their products. But here you go. It's small and has the IR with pic mount https://www.streamlight.com/products/detail/tlr-vir-ii

 

[SHOMER]

On my Kimber 1911 and wife's S&W wheel gun I use a surefire rigs, cause we always care to send our very best.

Laser Devices Inc. makes a very good product for about a $100.00 cheap enough to have a couple to move around on our PCP herd. BAL-PL Tactical IR Laser Light Combo Strobe Light LED Gun Tac Flashlight

DBAL-PL Tactical IR Laser Light Combo Strobe Light LED Gun Tac Flashlight | eBay

Weight: 4.2oz.

www.ebay.com