I was browsing a local pawn shop yesterday, when I came across this:
The sales person said it was some kind of weapon laser device, but couldn't tell me any more specifics. He said it was a good deal. He let me have it for $180 cash. (There were actually 2 identical lights except for serial numbers. No box or paperwork. Both have a few cosmetic scuffs, but functioned properly)
From what I can tell, it looks like a Surefire M952V. It has the rotating bezel to switch between white and IR lamps. Before I purchased it I checked the IR setting and I could see the diode (LED) light up red. I posted this find on AR15.com earlier yest. and someone raised the possibility that it was a cheap Chinese knock-off. Inside there were the expected batteries for an original real deal, but I realize that doesn't prove anything:
Upon closer inspection I HAVE found some subtle differences between this light and the pictures I have seen around of the M952V:
1. The rubberizing on the tape switch plug extends farther onto the plug than other pictures I've seen of Surefire tape switch plugs.
2. The arrow on the rotating bezel is a hollow triangle instead of a solid arrow.
Later tonight I took a pic of the light while the IR was on. Unfortunately I don't have a NVD yet, so couldn't test it properly, but in the dark the light has a slight red glow to the naked eye as I would expect from an IR lamp. However, when I tried to take a pic with my cellphone camera, it completely whited it out when shining directly at the lense. I had to take the picture at an angle in order to get any kind of definition:
So, did I get taken for $180, or did I get an amazing deal?
The sales person said it was some kind of weapon laser device, but couldn't tell me any more specifics. He said it was a good deal. He let me have it for $180 cash. (There were actually 2 identical lights except for serial numbers. No box or paperwork. Both have a few cosmetic scuffs, but functioned properly)
From what I can tell, it looks like a Surefire M952V. It has the rotating bezel to switch between white and IR lamps. Before I purchased it I checked the IR setting and I could see the diode (LED) light up red. I posted this find on AR15.com earlier yest. and someone raised the possibility that it was a cheap Chinese knock-off. Inside there were the expected batteries for an original real deal, but I realize that doesn't prove anything:
Upon closer inspection I HAVE found some subtle differences between this light and the pictures I have seen around of the M952V:
1. The rubberizing on the tape switch plug extends farther onto the plug than other pictures I've seen of Surefire tape switch plugs.
2. The arrow on the rotating bezel is a hollow triangle instead of a solid arrow.
Later tonight I took a pic of the light while the IR was on. Unfortunately I don't have a NVD yet, so couldn't test it properly, but in the dark the light has a slight red glow to the naked eye as I would expect from an IR lamp. However, when I tried to take a pic with my cellphone camera, it completely whited it out when shining directly at the lense. I had to take the picture at an angle in order to get any kind of definition:
So, did I get taken for $180, or did I get an amazing deal?
