Night Vision Need some help w/IR Pointer Selection for M4

[beltfed34]

All,
Need a little help, new to the NV thing and am a bit confused on the ITAL and OTAL thing. Just bought a PVS-14 and helmet, now looking to buy an LDI ITAL or OTAL IR laser pointer only- dont see any need for a visible laser dbal (right????) if I'm using my trijicon M4 optic during the day? Ive never been much of a day/visible-laser fan anyway, is there any true tactical advantage to these visible lasers?????? Anyway, I have a M4 carbine w/ a free float rail front handguard with a removable flip front sight (I dont use and can remove no problem), and a surefire IR light on the 3-o'clock position. Which would you recommend?, the OTAL or ITAL, knowing I will only have the 9 or 12 oclock positons to mount it. Will the laser unit obstruct the day optic any?? if in the 12'oclock position? I cant run a BUIS rear sight with the trijicon so my buis front sight is just dead weight anyway so I my just toss it. Recommendations?

TIA,
Austin in Texas!

 

[shooter6.5]

As far as the day optic being obstructed-depends on what you get and if you put it on the top rail. A DBAL-D2 certainly can as it is larger. If you get the LDI CQB L1 it won;t as it is smaller and has a slaved vis and IR laser. Believe me you will use the day laser if you get into shooting a lot in close. I always keep my BUIS sights with the weapon. I just remove them and put them on a side rail. You may not need them for shooting pigs or coyotes but if you get into a jam and everything else fails you will always have that option. Make sure and sight them in at 25 yards, and you are GTG out to 300, on a m,an size target.

 

[CS223]

The ITAL is for use without a front sight mounted to the top of the rail which is SOP. This centers the beam with the bore. The OTAL is designed to be used with a front sight mounted to the top of the rail, it is offset to project around the front sight.

From what I've read, the general consensus it's preferred to have the laser mechanically aligned in one plane with the bore axis so you only have to tweak either the windage or elevation screw. In the grand scheme of things you can mount it to either side of the rail or under. You would want the ITAL for those positions as well.

If I understand correctly, keeping the beam aligned with the vertical (or horizontal) bore axis leaves you with just one plane (elevation) to contend with, you can judge your hold over easier. Think of it like a paint brush beam '|' (or '--') If offset in the X and Y like with an OTAL, outside of your zero, you'll have something like this / or this \ So with something like a 50 yard zero, your POI could be low and left inside 50 yards and high & right past 50 yards (depends on the side of the rail you have it mounted).

Someone more experienced can clarify.