dBal-I2 Green/IR Laser...what optic to pair it with?

[Tim]

I just picked up a Steiner dBal-I2 green/IR laser. I'm struggling to decide what primary optic to pair it with for a lightweight, Run-n-Gun setup. For those of you with NV gear and a laser similar to the dBal, what do you run as a primary optic?

 

[steelciocc]

I have several Midwest Industries NV mounts with either Aimpoint T-1s or Vortex Crossfire IIs. Plenty of room to get behind the optic with NV on and not too bad shooting in the day time without NV. I have a DBAL I2 (all IR) on the front of the gun.

stock pic:




Link to NV Mount - $80 https://blackwolfsupply.com/product...k-anodized-finish-fits-aimpoint-t-1-mi-t1-nv/

 

[surrealone]

I just picked up a Steiner dBal-I2 green/IR laser. I'm struggling to decide what primary optic to pair it with for a lightweight, Run-n-Gun setup. For those of you with NV gear and a laser similar to the dBal, what do you run as a primary optic?

An Eotech EXPS3-0 mounted atop KDG's Sidelok riser (which perches the EXPS3-0's reticle 2.44" high making it easily usable with binos) is what's on my setup ... accompanying a PERST3 and a SureFire Scout for white light.

Key to my selection was the following:

• IMHO NV modes on my Sig Romeo 5 XDR red dots are too bright under NODs for work requiring accuracy beyond minute-of-badguy
• Same story on my Holosun red dots
• Same story on my Primary Arms red dots
• My Aimpoints are the only red dots I own that seemed to be dim enough for MOA-level accuracy, but I prefer 65moa circles w/ dots
• I got to see a friend's EXPS3-0 in action ... and liked the fact that it wasn't near-bloom-inducing-bright like my mid-level red dots were. Plus it has the circle/dot I prefer. And it has a dedicated NV button on the side (instead of on back as with earlier Eotech units) to make it easy to instantly switch into (and back out of) NV mode. So ... I bought my first Eotech. (I had always steered clear because I never liked their plasticky housings or relatively craptastic battery life.)

There are some downsides/tradeoffs:

• Price -- listed first among downsides for a reason
• Battery life (or lack thereof) -- listed second among downsides for a reason
• It doesn't remember brightness levels between uses (same as other Eotech red dots, which is baffling to me in this day and age)
• Lacks MOTAC (also baffling to me in this day and age)

Note:
I'm heavily invested in high quality rechargeable batteries of many types, so while I listed battery life as second biggest tradeoff, it's a mostly mitigated issue for me since I can always start off with a fresh charge. (I just prefer to be lazy about it in most cases, if I can!) Also, I replaced the OEM housing on my EXPS3-0 with an aftermarket one that has flip-up covers ... because I figure it's gonna get pretty beat up at night and there's no point exposing the glass if I don't have to.

Hope that gives you some more food for thought...

 

[amnesia]

Aimpoint pro on a 1.93 mount

 

[Studentofthegun]

I did an MRO on this one:

ADM Trijicon MRO NVG Height Mount

QD Super Tall Red Dot Mount for MRO

tnvc.com

But the parallax really sucks on the MRO, so probably move it to some other rifle and rethink the optic. It is fine for most things but maybe not for NV.