# Picatinny rail mounted laser for hunting rifle?



## jeraldjunkmail (Apr 28, 2015)

Hi all, been a while since I needed the knowledge of CPF. I am interested in buying my first rifle (I am Canadian so no practical use for a pistol) at the youthful age of 38. I am going to be hunting small game (ptarmigans, grouse) with it, and know that laws on laser power outputs have been changing in the US. I don't think we are as restricted here in Canada. I understand the dangers associated with lasers, and this will be a part of a weapon, and treated as a weapon. I eat what I point at. Here are my "requirements":

Picatinny rail mount and able to sight it in.
TOUGH, waterproof, able to handle tens of thousands of rounds of recoil from a .22LR, and retain it's accuracy over it's lifetime, and operate in extreme cold (up to -40c).
Daylight visible at 100 meters (yards for you US citizens?), any colour is fine, but I understand green is the most visible in daylight.
Price is way less important than the first three criterion.
Since this is for hunting, battery life is not overly important. Turn unit on, take a few shots, turn it off. A 2 minute auto shutoff feature would be nice.
Weight is important, but not crucial.

I am going to mount it under-barrel, and use a cheap scope for verifying my shot. Shooting from the hip would be a nice option, but not required. Would I need protective goggles of some sort, and if so, can they double as hunting shades? If you need any more info, post it here! Your help, as always, is appreciated!

jeraldjunkmail


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## jeraldjunkmail (May 2, 2015)

280+views and no comments? Anybody???


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## lightholic (May 4, 2015)

I would say depending on exactly which you prefer, there is the VISM VAQVGFLR (Red Laser) or the VISM VAQVGFLG (Green Laser). However both of these are built into pistol grips if you don't mind an extra handle. Otherwise, if you just want a simple under mounted light/laser there's the NcSTAR AQPFLSG Green Laser Sight which can fit on a pistol or a rifle with its weaver style mounting. I'm not totally educated when it comes to the specs but I hope this helped a little.
[h=1][/h]


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## jeraldjunkmail (May 4, 2015)

That is barking up the right tree, but not sure it would be powerful enough for daylight at 100 meters... I don't pop in here too often, but was hoping that someone on here is doing custom work. Any ideas? Thanks!


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## lightholic (May 5, 2015)

Yeah, the NcSTAR AQPFLSG is solid up to 100 ft in the day time. Haven't tried it with a scope though to see if I can see it any further. Have you thought about a laser sight instead? NCSTAR did just come out with the DRGB135T. It has green, red, and blue laser sights. You just turn the knob on the side to pick which one. Plus it looks cool enough where I'm ever so slightly motivated to go buy a picatinny based rifle just to get one of those lol.


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## jeraldjunkmail (May 7, 2015)

More leaning towards a custom build at this point. 100m= ~400f... 100m is about as far as I would ever care to shoot with a .22LR  If you are a custom builder, let me know please!


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## Str8stroke (May 7, 2015)

Intersting hunting technique you have. Off the hip? 

I am sure you know you can have 5 plus inches of drop at 100m with high velocity .22LR. I guess the idea you have is to put the laser several inches above the game and fire away? I guess during the day, I prefer a well placed shot through a scope. 

For night or evening, I would want a bright light like a Armytek Predator or Viking, so I could use Kentucky Windage.


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## TEEJ (May 7, 2015)

If the Green Laser is 532 nm, the most common and with the least divergence, it will be DPSS, and more sensitive to the cold, shock (recoil, etc), etc...so, not the best choice for a rifle application. The mount would also need to be adjustable the way a scope is for windage and elevation, etc.

520 nm can be non-DPSS, and might work better, even if the "dot" will be larger, etc.


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## jeraldjunkmail (May 7, 2015)

Str8stroke said:


> Intersting hunting technique you have. Off the hip?
> 
> I am sure you know you can have 5 plus inches of drop at 100m with high velocity .22LR. I guess the idea you have is to put the laser several inches above the game and fire away? I guess during the day, I prefer a well placed shot through a scope.
> 
> For night or evening, I would want a bright light like a Armytek Predator or Viking, so I could use Kentucky Windage.



This makes several obvious and deliberate incorrect inferences. Foremost, I will not commonly be trying to kill anything from the hip at 100 meters (if ever, but with practice, I should be able to bean things at that distance). I will however be using a laser at 100m if it is adjustable for bullet drop, and aiming those through a scope. The more useful thing about a laser on a .22lr rifle would be for those shots that are close, would take too long to get a bead through a scope, or if I am aiming for a head-shot at under 50 feet. If the laser makes the targets head burst into flames, well that is just bonus 

I guess all this is to say that red-dot scopes don't do anything for me. The "Final Solution™" is of course, a real, powerful laser. If you are hunting up here in the night, you are in deep trouble and will likely not survive if that wasn't the plan. Nobody up here hunts at night or after dark unless they are screwed. (Look up Yellowknife, Northwest Territories on google maps.) All that is besides the fact that if I am ever ending up "surviving" with this rifle, it is likely that the whole point is moot, and I probably would be wishing for iron sights. Weekend warrior that I am, I am not seeking this device on a whim, it just really would suit my needs.





TEEJ said:


> If the Green Laser is 532 nm, the most common and with the least divergence, it will be DPSS, and more sensitive to the cold, shock (recoil, etc), etc...so, not the best choice for a rifle application. The mount would also need to be adjustable the way a scope is for windage and elevation, etc.
> 
> 520 nm can be non-DPSS, and might work better, even if the "dot" will be larger, etc.



Not really familiar with the lingo of lasers, but reliability would trump raw accuracy, so a larger dot would be fine. Wouldn't that be rectifiable with an aperture lens of some sort? Finally, I searched though the threads here on CPF and couldn't find anything that discusses a laser used for a hunting rifle. Just gotta say "Comm'on now folks, we need this". Really, a laser that exceeds 150mw in green would be very useful to head shoot chickens (grouse)!


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## janx (Aug 25, 2015)

This would probably cost more than what you wanted to spend, but have you ever checked out a Glare Mout? The military use to use them. I've seen them go for $500-$700 on Ebay, but directly from the manufacturer they are several thousand. I would check out Lasermax, Viridian, or Crimson Trace. Their are some nice target illuminators out there by Steiner, Eotech, and a few others, but they get pretty expensive as well ($800-$1500 for entry level models on up to $15000 or more for the best). Good luck!


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## A.marquardt (Aug 30, 2015)

Jerald I think you are barking up the wrong tree entirely. Lasers are only good for up close 30 feet or less where you don't need to worry about droppage and are meant for QUICK target acquisition, note that rifle handling is NOT quick. Also, due to the inability to compensate for droppage (how are you going to aim 4 inches over the bunnies head unless he is standing inches away from a barn? the beam would wind up hitting the ground some 20ft away, or not at all if you're laying prone) and the simple fact that you can't swing a rifle around fast enough to keep up with said bunnies zigzagging, you'd be better off with a normal or maybe reflex scope. If you really really want to shoot game with a laser, get a super accurate long barrel .22 pistol and sight it in for 10 yards. You'll have more fun with the pistol anyways.


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