Night Vision Lasermax Uni-IR Class 1?
- Thread starter Solothurn
- Start date
Re: Lasermax Uni-IR Class 1?
The Lasermax UNI-IR C1 is rated at a nominal 0.7 mW. However, compared to other Class 1 IR lasers that I've used, the dot projected by the UNI-IR is quite intense. It is bright enough, that when viewed with Gen III NVD, indoors, at 5 to 10 yards, that the dot will immediately burn [temporary] "worms" into the NVD's imaging.
The typical "bloom" (caused by night vision picking up on the glare of the IR radiating back from the 'dot') diminishes at around 75 yards -- the extended distance required to diminish bloom is a testament to how bright the projected laser dot is. Even with ambient light from several street lights about 100-200 yards from the target, the projected dot is sharp, tight and clear at 300-400 yards. Where the targets are only dimly lit or in what most would call "the dark," the projected dot is clearly visible out to 800 yards.
On the UNI-IR C1, the laser / dot, by default, projects an intermittent, or "pulsing" beam. I like this feature very much as I find my eyes to be very quick to discern movement. I have non-IR lasermax UNIs, in green and red, where the pulsing beam can be adjusted away to achieve a steady, continuous beam. I haven't tried this with the UNI-IR C1, but since it comes in the same box and with the same documentation as the visible beam units, I will assume that the same (steady beam) can be configured for the UNI-IR C1.
The dot size is no different than what you would see, in the dark, at the same distances, with the versions of the Lasermax UNI using the red or green visible lasers. It is what you would expect from a "pencil beam" used for aiming weapons. The divergence of the dot is remarkably limited ... while it does get larger in diameter with distance, the overall increases are very small. At 550 yards, the dot doesn't appear to cover more than a 6" diameter area - and even some amount of that is the corona around the actual projection point. To me, this is evidence of a well-designed lens.
The lens, by the way, is spherical. I find spherical lenses to project the tightest aiming points. The UNI-IR, in my personal opinion, is perfectly suited for hunting at 100-150 yards, and is useful even farther provided that your cartridge and marksmanship skills can go further.
The overall size of the chassis is quite small. The Lasermax UNI C1 is about the size of a match box -- it is quite compact compared to what else is out there for IR lasers in general, regardless of class (e.g. Class 1, Class 3, Class 4, etc.). Constructed mostly of polymer, the weight of the UNI-IR C1 is negligible ... almost like it is not there. Of course, this is very good for use with handguns, especially the ultra-light ones with a large amount of plastic.
The laser and circuitry is set in epoxy, and is very durable and vibration resistent. Despite the very fine windage and elevation adjustments (via tiny hex wrench), I find the UNI-IR C1 to hold zero very well and hold up well even under higher recoil from rifles .308 WIN and up. Activation is via an ambi-dextrous sliding switch at the rear of the unit. However, a cable with remote pressure switch can be put in at any time.
The UNI-IR is water resistent, not water proof. However, Lasermax has made a significant improvement to securing and sealing the cover over the battery compartment by now using two set screws instead of the previous, single screw found on earlier UNI models.
For general comparison purposes, the ITAL is considerably larger than the UNI; the ITAL chassis uses aluminum alloy versus the UNI's mostly polymer plastic chassis, and thus the ITAL is heavier; the UNI's rail mount system which is hightly integrated into the overall chassis design has a lesser profile than the ITAL's which is an add-on LaRue or SWAN mount (depending on when it was produced); and the ITAL has finger adjustable windage and elevation drums while the UNI requires a tiny hex wrench.
Lasermax will sell the UNI-IR C1 directly to persons or businesses holding a Federal Firearms License (FFL). This is a corporate policy not a federal requirement. FFL Dealer pricing is well under $300. On just the performance of the IR laser alone, it is well worth the price -- then when you add in the ultra-compact chassis and ultra-light weight, it is a very good value. For use on a handgun, with night vision devices, the UNI-IR C1 attributes and benefits are difficult to surpass.
The UNI lasers all have the slotted top "covers" which serve as a secondary "picatinny" rail for attaching other 1913 rail and weaver rail compatible accessories ... this further increases the modularity of the UNI.
For eye-safe output, I am really impressed with the brightness and wash-out resistence of the Lasermax UNI-IR C1. The UNI-IR C1 laser does not form a "beam trace" between the output source and the [dot on the] target, but you'll marvel at how bright the laser dot is. It is refreshing to have an IR laser designator / aimer that has sufficient output brightness to be practical for most shooting applications and yet is truly "eye safe" where you don't always have the looming threat of eye damage from deflected laser radiation.
I highly recommend the Lasermax UNI-IR C1.
IR-V
The Lasermax UNI-IR C1 is rated at a nominal 0.7 mW. However, compared to other Class 1 IR lasers that I've used, the dot projected by the UNI-IR is quite intense. It is bright enough, that when viewed with Gen III NVD, indoors, at 5 to 10 yards, that the dot will immediately burn [temporary] "worms" into the NVD's imaging.
The typical "bloom" (caused by night vision picking up on the glare of the IR radiating back from the 'dot') diminishes at around 75 yards -- the extended distance required to diminish bloom is a testament to how bright the projected laser dot is. Even with ambient light from several street lights about 100-200 yards from the target, the projected dot is sharp, tight and clear at 300-400 yards. Where the targets are only dimly lit or in what most would call "the dark," the projected dot is clearly visible out to 800 yards.
On the UNI-IR C1, the laser / dot, by default, projects an intermittent, or "pulsing" beam. I like this feature very much as I find my eyes to be very quick to discern movement. I have non-IR lasermax UNIs, in green and red, where the pulsing beam can be adjusted away to achieve a steady, continuous beam. I haven't tried this with the UNI-IR C1, but since it comes in the same box and with the same documentation as the visible beam units, I will assume that the same (steady beam) can be configured for the UNI-IR C1.
The dot size is no different than what you would see, in the dark, at the same distances, with the versions of the Lasermax UNI using the red or green visible lasers. It is what you would expect from a "pencil beam" used for aiming weapons. The divergence of the dot is remarkably limited ... while it does get larger in diameter with distance, the overall increases are very small. At 550 yards, the dot doesn't appear to cover more than a 6" diameter area - and even some amount of that is the corona around the actual projection point. To me, this is evidence of a well-designed lens.
The lens, by the way, is spherical. I find spherical lenses to project the tightest aiming points. The UNI-IR, in my personal opinion, is perfectly suited for hunting at 100-150 yards, and is useful even farther provided that your cartridge and marksmanship skills can go further.
The overall size of the chassis is quite small. The Lasermax UNI C1 is about the size of a match box -- it is quite compact compared to what else is out there for IR lasers in general, regardless of class (e.g. Class 1, Class 3, Class 4, etc.). Constructed mostly of polymer, the weight of the UNI-IR C1 is negligible ... almost like it is not there. Of course, this is very good for use with handguns, especially the ultra-light ones with a large amount of plastic.
The laser and circuitry is set in epoxy, and is very durable and vibration resistent. Despite the very fine windage and elevation adjustments (via tiny hex wrench), I find the UNI-IR C1 to hold zero very well and hold up well even under higher recoil from rifles .308 WIN and up. Activation is via an ambi-dextrous sliding switch at the rear of the unit. However, a cable with remote pressure switch can be put in at any time.
The UNI-IR is water resistent, not water proof. However, Lasermax has made a significant improvement to securing and sealing the cover over the battery compartment by now using two set screws instead of the previous, single screw found on earlier UNI models.
For general comparison purposes, the ITAL is considerably larger than the UNI; the ITAL chassis uses aluminum alloy versus the UNI's mostly polymer plastic chassis, and thus the ITAL is heavier; the UNI's rail mount system which is hightly integrated into the overall chassis design has a lesser profile than the ITAL's which is an add-on LaRue or SWAN mount (depending on when it was produced); and the ITAL has finger adjustable windage and elevation drums while the UNI requires a tiny hex wrench.
Lasermax will sell the UNI-IR C1 directly to persons or businesses holding a Federal Firearms License (FFL). This is a corporate policy not a federal requirement. FFL Dealer pricing is well under $300. On just the performance of the IR laser alone, it is well worth the price -- then when you add in the ultra-compact chassis and ultra-light weight, it is a very good value. For use on a handgun, with night vision devices, the UNI-IR C1 attributes and benefits are difficult to surpass.
The UNI lasers all have the slotted top "covers" which serve as a secondary "picatinny" rail for attaching other 1913 rail and weaver rail compatible accessories ... this further increases the modularity of the UNI.
For eye-safe output, I am really impressed with the brightness and wash-out resistence of the Lasermax UNI-IR C1. The UNI-IR C1 laser does not form a "beam trace" between the output source and the [dot on the] target, but you'll marvel at how bright the laser dot is. It is refreshing to have an IR laser designator / aimer that has sufficient output brightness to be practical for most shooting applications and yet is truly "eye safe" where you don't always have the looming threat of eye damage from deflected laser radiation.
I highly recommend the Lasermax UNI-IR C1.
IR-V
Re: Lasermax Uni-IR Class 1?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: IR-V</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
The divergence of the dot is remarkably limited ... while it does get larger in diameter with distance, the overall increases are very small. At 550 yards, the dot doesn't appear to cover more than a 6" diameter area - and even some amount of that is the corona around the actual projection point.
</div></div>
If the dot is 6" at 550 yards is the dot less than 2" in size at 200 yards?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: IR-V</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
The divergence of the dot is remarkably limited ... while it does get larger in diameter with distance, the overall increases are very small. At 550 yards, the dot doesn't appear to cover more than a 6" diameter area - and even some amount of that is the corona around the actual projection point.
</div></div>
If the dot is 6" at 550 yards is the dot less than 2" in size at 200 yards?
Re: Lasermax Uni-IR Class 1?
damn...this thing is sounding almost too good to be true! i am really after an ir laser for some night hunting and this thing sounds impressive. i just cant justify a peq-2 in price.
who is stocking these puppies? anyone know....
damn...this thing is sounding almost too good to be true! i am really after an ir laser for some night hunting and this thing sounds impressive. i just cant justify a peq-2 in price.
who is stocking these puppies? anyone know....
Re: Lasermax Uni-IR Class 1?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MitchinOR</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If the dot is 6" at 550 yards is the dot less than 2" in size at 200 yards? </div></div>
Yes.
Remember that the "dot size" your eyeball perceives is a combination of factors. There is always a corona around the projected laser dot. This is caused by the "dot" becoming a radiation source for reflected light (the same way that moonlight is reflected sunlight). Because laser emanations have high coherence, the reflected light is going to be very intense. The reflected light comes away from the projected dot in all directions ... material on the target, near the project dot, will also serve to reflect back light emanating from the projected dot, as a form of "reflected reflection." All these factors increase the size of what I am calling the "corona" (which means 'ring,' usually around a point source).
The closer you and your NVD are to the source of the reflection, the greater the intensity of reflected light that is picked up by your NVD. This can cause a certain amount of "bloom" which appears, from your NVD viewer, as an aura or halo around a bright light source. The amount of bloom varies by the intensity of laser light, which, in the case of the primary projection and secondary reflections, are affected by the distance between you and your NVD and the projection target. The sensitivity of your NVD is also a factor.
Both the bloom and the "corona" variables all work together to affect what you ultimately perceive as "dot size" or "dot diameter" from a laser aiming device.
Highly porous material with "diffuse" surfaces tend to absorb more incoming light rays. This, in turn, minimizes corona and lessen bloom to help provide the most accurate perception of actual "dot" size from laser projections.
At 300 yards, I was able to see the dot projected from the Unimax UNI-IR C1 onto the side of a brick, where the dot did not appear to exceed the perimeter of the brick. My viewing was without magnification via a PVS-14 (GEN III) monocular. Though the ambient, reflected light from the IR lasr dot projected onto the brick was not enough to cause a large corona or bloom, it was sufficient to illuminate the brick such that it could be clearly detected at distance (partly also by contrasting shadows)via my non-magnified NVD imaging.
The projected "dot" from the UNI-IR C1 is as tight (narrow in diameter) as the low power aiming dot on the ATPIAL (PEQ-15), DBAL (PEQ-15A), and GCP-2, when these are set to "eye safe" mode.
I have compared the UNI-IR C1 (0.7 mW) to the UNI-IR C3A (5.0 mW). In my opinion, the output from the Class 3a UNI-IR does not appear anywhere near to twice as bright as that from the Class 1 UNI-IR. The projected dot from the UNI-IR C3A is easier to discern (than that of the UNI-IR C1) at around 500 yards (distance to the target) and beyond.
IR-V
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MitchinOR</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If the dot is 6" at 550 yards is the dot less than 2" in size at 200 yards? </div></div>
Yes.
Remember that the "dot size" your eyeball perceives is a combination of factors. There is always a corona around the projected laser dot. This is caused by the "dot" becoming a radiation source for reflected light (the same way that moonlight is reflected sunlight). Because laser emanations have high coherence, the reflected light is going to be very intense. The reflected light comes away from the projected dot in all directions ... material on the target, near the project dot, will also serve to reflect back light emanating from the projected dot, as a form of "reflected reflection." All these factors increase the size of what I am calling the "corona" (which means 'ring,' usually around a point source).
The closer you and your NVD are to the source of the reflection, the greater the intensity of reflected light that is picked up by your NVD. This can cause a certain amount of "bloom" which appears, from your NVD viewer, as an aura or halo around a bright light source. The amount of bloom varies by the intensity of laser light, which, in the case of the primary projection and secondary reflections, are affected by the distance between you and your NVD and the projection target. The sensitivity of your NVD is also a factor.
Both the bloom and the "corona" variables all work together to affect what you ultimately perceive as "dot size" or "dot diameter" from a laser aiming device.
Highly porous material with "diffuse" surfaces tend to absorb more incoming light rays. This, in turn, minimizes corona and lessen bloom to help provide the most accurate perception of actual "dot" size from laser projections.
At 300 yards, I was able to see the dot projected from the Unimax UNI-IR C1 onto the side of a brick, where the dot did not appear to exceed the perimeter of the brick. My viewing was without magnification via a PVS-14 (GEN III) monocular. Though the ambient, reflected light from the IR lasr dot projected onto the brick was not enough to cause a large corona or bloom, it was sufficient to illuminate the brick such that it could be clearly detected at distance (partly also by contrasting shadows)via my non-magnified NVD imaging.
The projected "dot" from the UNI-IR C1 is as tight (narrow in diameter) as the low power aiming dot on the ATPIAL (PEQ-15), DBAL (PEQ-15A), and GCP-2, when these are set to "eye safe" mode.
I have compared the UNI-IR C1 (0.7 mW) to the UNI-IR C3A (5.0 mW). In my opinion, the output from the Class 3a UNI-IR does not appear anywhere near to twice as bright as that from the Class 1 UNI-IR. The projected dot from the UNI-IR C3A is easier to discern (than that of the UNI-IR C1) at around 500 yards (distance to the target) and beyond.
IR-V
Re: Lasermax Uni-IR Class 1?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Killswitch engage</div><div class="ubbcode-body">damn...this thing is sounding almost too good to be true! i am really after an ir laser for some night hunting and this thing sounds impressive. i just cant justify a peq-2 in price.
who is stocking these puppies? anyone know.... </div></div>
LOL ... I wouldn't say "too good to be true," but I would say, "pretty darn outstanding for a Class 1 laser." The UNI-IR C1 is definitely "bright" compared to other Class 1 lasers I have tested, and holds a very tight (highly focussed) beam.
Made mostly of fiberglass reinforced plastic, it is not going to win any beauty contests compared to the finely machined and brush-finished, aluminum-alloy chassis of the LDI DBAL, LDI ITAL, LDI OTAL, etc. It'll take rain, snow, and sleet and still function 100%, but probably not the diving depths that the ATPIAL and DBAL are designed to handle (for short duration). But, in my opinion, UNI-IR C1 really performs at a superior / high level disproportionate to its tiny size and low price.
I acquired the UNI-IR C1s I tested directly from Lasermax. These were very early production units, and they were built on the same chassis, with the same ITAR warning labels, as the law enforcement units (UNI-IR Class IIIa). Note: the LE model doesn't have the "pretty" green, red, blue, or white "bubble" window for the make / model. Also, they shipped to me in the clamshell package for a UNI red laser.
The Lasermax rep that I work with stated that they recently fulfilled a large order for Bud's Gun Shop (a distributor). I recommend that the civvies run out and grab up the UNI-IRs before the FDA comes in, does a follow-up study, and finds "output too bright" and orders the manufacturer to: "cut from 0.7 mW to 0.35 mW" ... or scares the manufacturer into doing so by some statement of eye hazard and legal liability. Note that I didn't say "cut the <span style="color: #FF0000">output</span> rating" ... wink, wink, hint, hint ...
Note, the Lasermax UNI-IR C1 is restricted for export under the ITAR. Sales and shipping to U.S. citizens at U.S. addresses only.
IR-V
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Killswitch engage</div><div class="ubbcode-body">damn...this thing is sounding almost too good to be true! i am really after an ir laser for some night hunting and this thing sounds impressive. i just cant justify a peq-2 in price.
who is stocking these puppies? anyone know.... </div></div>
LOL ... I wouldn't say "too good to be true," but I would say, "pretty darn outstanding for a Class 1 laser." The UNI-IR C1 is definitely "bright" compared to other Class 1 lasers I have tested, and holds a very tight (highly focussed) beam.
Made mostly of fiberglass reinforced plastic, it is not going to win any beauty contests compared to the finely machined and brush-finished, aluminum-alloy chassis of the LDI DBAL, LDI ITAL, LDI OTAL, etc. It'll take rain, snow, and sleet and still function 100%, but probably not the diving depths that the ATPIAL and DBAL are designed to handle (for short duration). But, in my opinion, UNI-IR C1 really performs at a superior / high level disproportionate to its tiny size and low price.
I acquired the UNI-IR C1s I tested directly from Lasermax. These were very early production units, and they were built on the same chassis, with the same ITAR warning labels, as the law enforcement units (UNI-IR Class IIIa). Note: the LE model doesn't have the "pretty" green, red, blue, or white "bubble" window for the make / model. Also, they shipped to me in the clamshell package for a UNI red laser.
The Lasermax rep that I work with stated that they recently fulfilled a large order for Bud's Gun Shop (a distributor). I recommend that the civvies run out and grab up the UNI-IRs before the FDA comes in, does a follow-up study, and finds "output too bright" and orders the manufacturer to: "cut from 0.7 mW to 0.35 mW" ... or scares the manufacturer into doing so by some statement of eye hazard and legal liability. Note that I didn't say "cut the <span style="color: #FF0000">output</span> rating" ... wink, wink, hint, hint ...
Note, the Lasermax UNI-IR C1 is restricted for export under the ITAR. Sales and shipping to U.S. citizens at U.S. addresses only.
IR-V
Similar threads
