So we've had a couple of actually pretty large threads about people using the China Clones and Airsoft stuff on real firearms. I actually bought one of the SOMOGEAR PEQ-15s a while back and while it DID hold zero for all but VERY brutal runs of extended fire, I ultimately dumped it because I was disappointed with the VIS laser. See here's the thing, and I need to admit this even though I can't really justify it; I just plain old LIKE LASERS. I think LASERS ARE FRIKKEN COOL. I don't kid myself either, I made the decision last month to test the waters with NV and have been putting some pennies aside for my first NOD purchase... and this was largely motivated by how MUCH COOLER IR lasers will be with NV.

pew pew!

It's this somewhat shameful childish love of lasers that got me looking at clones to begin with.... because the civilian <5.0mW restriction sucks, and I was trying to find affordable ways to get more powerful lasers. I'm doubly interested in the clone stuff now that I'm gonna be getting into NV, because it seems sensible to me that my limited funds be directed towards the very best NODs I can afford, rather than more expensive lasers which all share the same limits in terms of output, both VIS and IR ... (illuminators are another story of course, and Steiner's 4.99mW is like a freakin LIGHT SABER compared to Holosun's 4.99mw IME).

So I started looking at some of the folks modding the clones. I bought a PEQ-15 from a guy on Tacswap who'd built a reputation for himself modding the SOMOGEAR units early on, he mods some other unit now. Eventually, I found INVISIBLESIGHT and I ordered one of his NGALs back in February. It's supposed to be here in April, but he also has a reputation for not giving the most accurate ETA's. In the meantime tho, I wanna look into maybe modding something cheap just for jolly. I have ZERO training in electrical engineering... but I have friends, these are not complicated devices, and higher than civilian legal laser diode emitters and other necessary equipment are widely available. The major differences between these clones seem to be their "roadworthiness" and ability to hold zero. That doesn't REALLY concern me for the time being because I just want something to mess around with until my IS NGAL arrives... which is supposedly "Guaranteed" to hold zero and has stated some very high output numbers for both the VIS and IR lasers....This seemed the most affordable way to achieve my goals... sure a PERST is slightly cheaper, but man that remote switch! A BEAST! Too large for me to mount on anything I own easily....

So here's my question for the many of you I know to have deep electronic engineering knowledge... being that many of these clones are not epoxy "potted"... how hard would it really be to buy one of these cheaper aluminum-cased clones, drop in more powerful emitters (and mod or replace the voltage regulators) , zero it on a particular gun, and then hose it with expoy myself? Just for a beater?

THOUGHTS?

DISCLAIMER - If you find you absolutely MUST make some kind of comment about how only poors mess with clones, or about how the only appropriate use for this equipment is super-serious secret operator stuff and I'm just a poseur, or make disparaging but always self-incriminating comments about my being a NEWB for wanting to get into NV without ALREADY being an expert (??) and all the other idiot belligerent stuff I too frequently see on this site, please, go ahead, by all means, I know you can't help yourself. Just don't expect any kind of response. To everyone else, I thank you sincerely and in advance for any input you might have.

Is your idea of potting, in this case, to absolutely fill with epoxy so that all adjustment is locked up?

In this case, probably. Since this would only be for shitting around until better equipment arrives and only on one rifle... if I felt I could zero it, and then lock it in without the potting job effing up the zero-job, then yes.