Infrared LED Light Comparison; Surefire M952V vs Surefire M1 IR Illuminator vs AN/PEQ 2A

Posted on November 20, 2011 by danneskjold

I picked up an ITT Camera Adapter for a PVS-14 so decided it would be a perfect opportunity to compare different infrared illuminators.

I tested three different IR illuminators; the new Surefire M952V dual mode weapon light, the Surefire M1 IR illuminator, and a borrowed AN/PEQ 2A infrared laser and illuminator and I compared them each at 2 different distances – 25ish and 50ish yards.

In retrospect I wish I had taken photos during the day to compare the distance under daylight, and I wish I had actually measured the distance. However, I didn’t so please don’t interpret this as a scientific analysis.

For those who care, the camera was a Canon T2i mounted on a tripod with a PVS-14 mounted to the stock kit lens. Each photo was taken under the Large setting.

Here is the setup I ran.

ITT PVS-14 Camera Adapter on Canon T2i with Stock 18-55mm Lens

25ish Yards

Surefire M952V at 25 yards.

Surefire M1 IR Illuminator at 25 yards.

AN/PEQ 2A on LOW at 25 Yards

AN/PEQ 2A on HIGH at 25 Yards

50ish Yards

Surefire M952V at 50 yards - notice how tight the spread is and how strong it is.

Surefire M1 Illuminator at 50 yards - notice how wide the spread is.

I didn’t bother photographing the AN/PEQ 2A as its effect was negligible.

In conclusion; the Surefire M952V is the brightest and most concentrated, the Surefire M1 is in the middle, and the AN/PEQ 2A is barely noticeable outside – I am sure it would be noticeable once taken indoors.

These conclusions make sense – the M952V is a weapon light and thus has an objective to output a great deal of light to both help illuminate or blind a target. The Surefire M1 however was not designed as a weapon light but was instead developed for use more as an admin light than anything else. Given this – they both fit into their respective roles perfectly. Different tools in the toolbox..

As always; my background in this sort of thing is limited. These tests were conducted on an entirely flat area under perfect weather conditions – please keep that and my own (very limited) lane in mind.

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Ops-Core ContourHD ARC Rail Adapter Mount Review and Comparison

Posted on November 19, 2011 by danneskjold

I previously wrote an entry describing a custom ContourHD mount for the Ops-Core ARC Rails because a factory made solution did not exist at the time. Now however, there is a factory mount made by Ops-Core and sold through their website.

The adapters packaging describes it as something that “Attaches ContourHD Camera to your helmet with the lowest possible profile” and “Allows for rotation of the camera to the desired pitch with secure stabilization.” Unfortunately, I think it falls short on both accounts.

IMG 5948

IMG 5949

 

The Ops-Core adapter is essentially made up of two pieces; the first piece attaches to ARC rails and the second attaches to the ContourHD. They both screw together and allow for some adjustment of camera angle – however not while the camera is mounted to the helmet.

IMG 5950

IMG 5951

IMG 5952

 

The statement that it mounts to the helmet “with the lowest possible profile” is false. The mount I made out of parts found at a hardware store was even lower profile.

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You can adjust the camera angle – but unfortunately there is no fine adjustment. Each adjustment results in a drastic angle change of about 45 degrees which seems incredibly useless – if I have a helmet camera on I will want to be recording more or less what I am seeing; I don’t want it pointed at the floor or ceiling. To make matters worse, it is impossible to adjust the camera angle on the fly – you have to fully remove the adapter from the helmet to change the angle.

IMG 5953

IMG 5954

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All in all, I think the Ops-Core ContourHD adapter is a miss. The home made solution I posted about earlier was both cheaper and lower profile, however the angle was more or less fixed. In theory, the advantage of the Ops-Core solution is that it allows the user to adjust the angle of the camera however as noted above their adjustments are useless.

The Ops-Core ContourHD Adapter retails for $13 at Ops-Core’s website: http://www.ops-core.com/product.cfm?Product_ID=78&Category_ID=5&

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Peltor Ops-Core ARC Rail Adapter

Posted on November 18, 2011 by danneskjold

I was the first one to sell the Peltor ARC Rail Adapters on eBay and I mistakenly stated that they would not fit on the Crye Airframe helmets. I have seen this repeated elsewhere since then however they will in fact fit on an Crye Airframe just fine – when i went to try the first time it didn’t work so I gave up, but went back later and it went on fine. Ooops…

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Anyways, here is a small mini review of them.

The adapter kit comes with the two adapters for each side of your helmet. You might be able to convert an over-the-head Peltor Comtac to the ARC-rails but I used a behind the head model which I imagine would be easy.

Installation of the adapter was pretty straightforward and easy. You just take off the headband and replace it with the adapters.

IMG 5944

I was really ambivalent about the adapters at first; I didn’t see what made them so much better than just running them under the helmet (besides comfort), and then you also gave up the ability to have a set of ear pro you could use if you didn’t need your helmet on.

After playing around with them I have to say I like them quite a bit more than I did before but I still don’t necessarily get what everyone is getting so crazy over them for. The biggest advantage I saw with my brief usage was there was a lot less messing around with comms cables and microphones and trying to get them to play nicely with the helmet, chin straps and your face.

Anyways, the adapters themselves slide onto the ARC Rails and then lock via the standard method. The ARC bracket has a swivel on it allowing the ear cups to swivel both clock wise and counter clock-wise allowing you to swivel them up and over your head – however chances are the cable that runs between each ear cup is not long enough.

The really cool thing about them is that they have two settings – a setting for when you need ear pro so you need the ear cups tight against your head, and a setting that pushes the ear pro off your head by a half inch or so which also allows you to put the helmet assembly on much easier.

IMG 5943

In my mind, the biggest downside to them is that they suck up so much space on the rails that you can’t mount anything else like a helmet camera or flash light. The other problem is that unless you want to be constantly swapping out bands you will need two sets of ear pro – one for the range and one for when you need to wear a helmet.

Wether it will work with MSA Sordins or not is unknown..

Pros:

  • Allows you to easily and comfortably integrate Peltor Comtacs with helmets utilizing the Ops-Core ARC Rails
  • Will swivel around to accommodate a variety of face and head sizes

Cons:

  • Takes up a lot of space on the ARC Rail – you won’t be able to run anything else on them
  • Unless you want to have two sets of ear pro you will be constantly switching out the adapter with your headband
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Blue Force Gear Lightweight Modular Armor Carrier (LMAC)

Posted on October 15, 2011 by danneskjold

I have been eagerly anticipating the new Blue Force Gear Lightweight Modular Armor Carrier, or LMAC for short, since I first heard about it almost a year ago. I have been a big fan of every Blue Force Gear product I have owned; numerous 10-speed pouches, Trauma Kit Now!, Micro DAP Pack, SOC-C Belt, and others and I hoped I would like this new plate carrier just as much.

To cut to the chase; in short I don’t. It might work for some people, but it doesn’t work for me. I would not say I hate it; but I am not a fan.

Here we have the front of the LMAC with the side plate pouches attached, notice how they splay out somewhat awkwardly. At the very top of the LMAC you can see the “Plate Pillow” and the multicam printed velcro.

Rear of the plate carrier.

Side plate pouch with elastic cummerbund attached. The elastic cummerbund is the same style elastic as used on Safariland drop leg holsters which I am a fan of.

How the side plate pouch attaches. As far as I know there is only one attachment spot – if you dont like it there too bad.

Front flap is flipped up showing how it is modular and can be removed and replaced – a very cool idea in my opinion, however BFG has not released additional flaps as of this writing.

Shoulder straps, wide and unpadded. Seemed comfortable enough without padding however I was just trying it on; once you start adding kit and moving it might be a different story. The little loop at the base is a cool idea.

Mesh backing.

I REALLY wanted to like this plate carrier, I really did – however there is too many issues I have with it.

What I like:

  • Mesh backing – should help breath and help with sweat wicking
  • Loops near shoulder straps – great for routing comms wire or tieing down hydro tubes/antennas
  • Modular cummerbund flaps – VERY cool idea

What I dislike:

  • Lack of a MOLLE cummerbund – you are restricted to using the side plate pouches. Might be an optional one in the future however I dont want to have to pay $260 for a plate carrier and another $50 for a workable cummerbund.
  • The side plate pouches – I don’t like how they are attached, I don’t like how their position is fixed, and I don’t like how they replace the cummerbund flaps. I would also wonder if having the straps attach to your sides would make the carrier less secure than having them attach on your chest.
  • Lack of an integrated admin pouch + upper chest design – I honestly see this as the biggest flaw in the design. I really like having an integrated admin pouch like on the Crye Precision JPC and the Mayflower APC and I can’t even add a pouch on there because the multicam velcro and plate pocket only allow for two rows of MOLLE on the upper chest and they are low enough that they would likely interfere with magazines on the cummerbund flap. Blue Force Gear seems really sold on the idea of the Plate Pillow, enough to trademark the term, however I am not as hot on it but it is also designed for “airborne operations, vehicle ops, or ballistic impact” none of which I do on a regular basis (nor do most customers I would imagine). I would much prefer the multicam velcro be placed on top of MOLLE rows like the on the Crye JPC, Mayflower APC, LBT 6094 (in other words most modern plate carriers out there).

In short I think there is a lot of really cool design ideas on the LMAC, but there are enough problems with it that I won’t be keeping it.

Please also keep in mind I don’t carry a gun for a living, and never have – opinions are purely from a recreational consumer, not a professional.

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Norotos PVS-14 Dual Dovetail Adapter and Wilcox NVG Mounts/Arms

Posted on October 4, 2011 by danneskjold

If one wants to run a PVS-14 on one of the Norotos or Wilcox Industries ‘dovetail’ style mounts/swing arms they have essentially two options; they can either use the Wilcox J-Arm with the dovetail adapter, or they can use the Norotos Dual Dovetail Adapter.

The Wilcox J-Arm was on the market a few years quicker than the Norotos and allows you to change the PVS-14s position much more than the Norotos however it is not as stable.

In my opinion, the Norotos Dual Dovetail is the best solution as it far more stable – it in fact has zero moving parts which makes it incredibly stable. There is one glaring downside to the Norotos however; it wont work properly in Wilcox mounts. The Dual Dovetail will not properly lock in to the Wilcox mount (you wont hear the distinctive ‘click’) and while it is more secure on some models than others, there is still a risk of your expensive NVGs popping off your helmet.

Supposedly this is a problem only with the older adapters however the problem appears to be fairly widespread and has occurred with every Dovetail adapter I have seen.

Fortunately, there is an easy fix to this. All you need is your dovetail adapter and a file/dremel tool.

You first want to remove the dovetail adapter from the body with a screw driver. Then, turn it over so it rests flat on a surface and file down the edges (see photo).

Be careful, and go slowly – if you file down enough it will be too loose. File a little, then test it. You want to hear the ‘click’ showing it is locked in place.

When you are done it should look something like this.

The downside to this is that it might be a little loose in standard Norotos arms like the AKA2, however the dual dovetail comes with two dovetails (and they will each go on both sides) so you can have one dedicated for Norotos and another for Wilcox.

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Wilcox ANVIS-9 (F4949) and PVS-23 (F5050) Mounting Solutions – Dovetail and L4G01

Posted on September 28, 2011 by danneskjold

What I am going to show, and compare, is two different generations of Wilcox Industries mounting solutions for ANVIS (F4949) or PVS-23 (F5050).

The first generation, shown first, is the 41300G02 which replaces the standard ANVIS ball and spring detent with a dovetail type system allowing you to run the ANVIS on a standard dovetail mount like those used to mount PVS-15s. However, the standard aviation mount also includes a way to power the device via the low profile battery pack so Wilcox has created their battery pack system, using CR123 instead of AAs, that mounts to a ratchet style mount with a dovetail style clip.

In theory mounting the ANVIS on a standard dovetail mount seems like a great idea, however in my experience the reality is not so great. The biggest shortcoming is that when you flip the goggles up they are not nearly as low profile as they were with the standard aviation mount, and in addition to this you need a good, solid mount with little to no wobble.

A possible solution to the profile of the goggles might be the Wilcox L4G21M which is the PVS-21 mount however that is $800 alone.

The Wilcox dovetail mount in the pictures immediately below is the L3G10 which is their mount for single hole “Army style” helmets which has an excessive amount of wobble to it – however like with the aviation mount the use of bungees will help mitigate this.

The other large shortcoming of the mount is the weight and bulk of the system. The system has three parts; the battery pack and power pole/strip, the dovetail mount (L3G10 in this case), and the ANVIS mount itself and for the system to work all of the devices must play nicely with eachother. The fact that there is three parts to the system also makes it much heavier than the standard mount.

It should also be noted that this system is NOT compatible with Crye Airframe helmets – the Wilcox power pole is not long enough to go over the hump in the Airframe. Other helmets like the Ops-Core FAST might have a similar problem as well because they go down farther in the neck than the standard MICH helmet.

This system is available from Own The Night.

The newer system, the L4G01 (or G02 for F5050), is much improved over its predecessor. There are no longer three separate pieces to the system, but instead a one piece system that is self powered requiring no need for an external battery pack.

Compared to the previous Wilcox mount, the L4G01 is more similar to the standard aviation mount. It has a similar profile, and the operation is similar however it has a built in removable power supply (utilizing 1x CR123 battery) which can also be swapped out to use a low profile battery pack with the LEMO connector. There is a knob on the battery connector which controls whether the device is powered or not – basically as you turn the knob it either makes a connection with the battery or not, incredibly simple however there is a slightly rattle because of this when the device is not on.

When the goggles are flipped up they are very low profile, much like the standard aviation mount which is great.

Like the previous Wilcox mounting solution this replaces the standard ball and spring detent, however the replacement is very similar except the ball is no longer a ball – it is now more angled to provide positive locking which did not exist with the standard aviation mount.

With the positive locking the goggles will not fall out of your mount like they can on the standard aviation mount, however the ANVIS goggles are surprisingly fragile so there is still some wobble with the goggles – it should be noted that the wobble is on the goggles and tubes themselves, NOT on the Wilcox mount. The use of two small bungees (as pictured) will help mitigate this tremendously.

The L4G01 uses a standard type mount meaning it will mount to an Ops-Core VAS Shroud, Norotos Universal Shroud, a standard USGI mount, or the new Wilcox single hole mount. The mounting system is identical to that of the L4G24 (Wilcox’s dovetail mount that uses a standard mount) and has a ‘breakaway feature’ however the mount seemed to break away from my VAS Shroud even with the feature turned off.

Given the option between the newer L4G01 or the older system there is no question in my mind – the L4G01 is a much better and more improved system, however that comes at a price of around $1425 from TNVC.

Here is a shot of the three different mounting systems. On the far left we have the new Wilcox L4G01, notice how it is far less rounded than the standard aviation ball and spring (middle). On the far right we have the older Wilcox system with the dovetail mount.

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Eagle Industries MP7 FB Pouches in AOR2

Posted on August 18, 2011 by danneskjold

Eagle Industries MP7 FB Pouches in AOR2.

Shown mounted on VTac Brokos Belt.

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LBT-2586J Quick Release Assault Panel for LBT-6094 SLICK Plate Carrier

Posted on July 29, 2011 by danneskjold

This is a brand new London Bridge Trading Item and they are calling it the LBT-2586J (2586 is their chest rigs) and what is cool about it is it is designed to interface directly with their 6094 Slick Plate Carriers.

The story I got on these is that they came out of a request from DevGru to have a chest rig that interfaced with the slick plate carrier – they called it a “crap panel” (as in you can carry crap on it).

Basically, what you get is a MOLLE sleeve with a radio pouch at each end, two attachment points to the plate carrier, and two “kangaroo pouches.” One kangaroo pouch will hold 4x 5.56 magazines, while the other will hold 3x 7.62 magazines and they slide into and attach to the chest rig via velcro. It should also be noted that these kangaroo pouches are bigger  than the standard one that goes into the LBT-6094A (see picture below).

In short, I think it is a really cool rig. It carries magazines and radios, and nothing more and the way it tightens down on the side is real slick. It is also made out lightweight cordura as well, 500d most likely, which is great.

However, I have three big complaints:

  • The backstrap system seems, at best, to be clumsy to me – it is difficult to attach and deattach. The thicker, 2 inch webbing, is designed so it is less likely to slip off the plate carrier I think but it seems to me like there needs to be some way to attach it directly to the plate carrier. When I ran a Mayflower rig attached I took two RRV attachment straps and tied them off to the rear MOLLE webbing via elastic cord and that seemed to work great
  • I am not a big fan of the plastic piece that attaches itself to the webbing on the plate carrier. It is supposedly durable, I was told it could withstand 100 lbs of pressure, however it comes off at an awkward angle. When I attached a Mayflower chest rig I used QASM buckles which seemed cleaner but also sucked up both webbing points, while this only uses one.
  • There seems to be an annoying amount of standoff between the mags and the vest however that is probably due to the design of the slick, namely the elastic cummerbund and flap, than anything else.

As always, I am not a faceshooter so take what I say with a grain of salt as I have not even worn this rig for more than 5 minutes much less used it in combat.

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MSA MICH Helmet Pad Disassembly

Posted on July 14, 2011 by danneskjold

Ever wondered what exactly was inside MICH helmet pads? I was removing some pads from a MICH the other day and one of the trapezoidal pads decided to tear on me which offered a convenient peak inside.

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Added a Facebook Page

Posted on July 14, 2011 by danneskjold

For more up to date info, please check us out on Facebook!

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