Hi buckskin, roger on the HP lights out there. Most of these high power lights are now LED lights which IR filters will not work with LED's, but only incandescents. Also remember using an IR filter one can lose approx. 80% of the light itself which means using IR filters is the most inefficient way to use a light. : -)
Dedicated IR lights are really the best way to go for efficiency and distance. Hope this helps if you were talking LED type lights. : -)
Vic
He's being dead on straight up with you here. They are also staffed and employ vets who still use/have used these extensively. I know, I just placed an order with them and they spent a lot of time writing and talking on the phone with me, but it was more geared toward finding the correct solutions to gear problems and not them trying to sell me shit (I HATE that). So just wanted to let you know these folks are straight up to deal with. (PS, Vic, thanks for the memo --I went to modify my order this morning and the lady already had your note to pick a winner for me! Thanks!)
Anyway, I was issued Surefire weapon lights with the high output incandescent bulb in the shock isolated bezel. These were the older ones before Surefire went flashy and made integrated rail mounted lights. They use 2 batteries and they all came with a rail mount, pressure switch and an IR filter.
The FIRST TIME I used this filter, I understood its drawbacks. We were doing training in Yakima or at some place in Oregon, room clearing, hostage rescue, and then we had to gather up casualties and exfiltrate and all with absolutely no white light. Well, in the room clearing, the filter turned the light into less than a candle. No shit. This light normally lights up a whole room well, very bright. Then I had to poke a guy using NODs. It sucked there too, IR chem lights were MUCH better. When it came to reading a map, it would work, but only if you held it up real close to the map. Chemlights better here too. Total shit if you ask me, I don't know why they bother with them, and they are SO expensive! But TNVC has 'em if you want 'em.
Just for the price, you are better off getting a light that has white or red light and another IR setting. But you still have options I think. Surefire makes some upgrades that I *think* are IR LED upgrades that you can change out the head on your incandescent or IR Surefire lamp. I just did this with my weapon light, the M500 I think? The big QD Surefire forward grip light with 3 batteries? They cost hundreds of dollars. But for a bit over $200, I'll be changing the incandescent white lamp to a fairly high output LED white light with longer battery life (that M500 light sucked batteries dry in just minutes with the high power lamp) and it has the IR LED lamp with twist of a dial. From the pictures, it seems to light up almost as well IR as it does using white light, maybe even a little better. And a DAMN FAR CRY from IR filters.
If I were you and I could swing it and I needed a new weapon light altogether, I'd look hard at that 720V RAID that Surefire makes. It comes in all kinds of configurations (different color lights are good for different things, particularly LED lights) has IR illum. and it is small, a bit bigger than their pistol lights, the X200 an such, but made for a carbine rail system.
On the other hand, to save money, perhaps an IR upgrade would be sufficient. And if money is an issue and all you need is IR illumination and you have one of the more common two battery Surefire flashlights, like the E models or the 6P or GP maybe, then look into TNVC's Torch illuminator head. Just an IR head that will convert a Surefire basic light. That is another option, and it only costs a bit more than the useless filters!
Anything though, is better than the filters, even IR chemlights in a lot of circumstances. Trust me here. If you have your heart set on it though, I'd be willing to part with one of my shock isolated weapon lights (has pressure switch, but I put a tail cap on another, so they are modular to suit your need and VERY well made, I just don't need three). Ironically, I actually use the IR light covers on all these lights, however, it is used to prevent accidental firing of white light. They work really good at that.
Finally, another option is a laser/illuminator. IR lasers have much more usefulness with night vision, and I think some of the illuminators are laser based? Class 1 is what is mostly available, but I do think you can purchase Newcon Optik without FDA regulations on Class 3 and even Class 4 laser products from certain dealers. They make some stellar looking range finders, I'd bet the lasers are nice too, though they don't look like what we consider rail mounted IR laser sights and illuminators.
