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Page AR-15 » Lights and Lasers
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Posted: 5/1/2009 2:00:44 AM EDT
Anyone out there used one of these? Thinking about getting one and need to know if its worth it.
Link Posted: 5/12/2009 7:33:13 PM EDT
[#1]
I ordered one from Botach  and it came today.  Obviously, this is just a first impression and not a range test or endurance test or anything, but I did compare it to my Surefire M900A.

Here are the good things about the ITAC:

 –– The Surefire gives you navigation LEDs, but the ITAC gives you a laser.

 –– You can run the Surefire for about 60 minutes on a set of batteries (120 lumen lamp); the ITAC is supposed to go 8 hours.

 –– The Surefire has a xenon bulb with a pretty limited lifespan; the ITAC has an LED with a considerably longer life.

 –– The ITAC is shorter and lighter than the Surefire.

 –– The ITAC has a cool strobe setting; the Surefire doesn't.

 –– The Surefire has a 120 lumen lamp; the ITAC advertises 700 lumens.  I don't know about the numbers, but the ITAC is far brighter; they're not even in the same league.  The Surefire looks like a penlight in comparison.  The ITAC  is really freakin' blindingly bright.


And here are my other observations:

 –– The Surefire is machined metal where it counts; the ITAC is plastic.  Not cheap plastic, but still plastic.  It mounts securely to the rails now, but I'm not convinced that that's a good way to mount a laser that's part of a vertical fore-grip.  I'd be surprised it it held up well to abuse and the laser kept its zero over time.

 –– The Surefire has a switch on the bottom to turn it off that can't be turned on accidentally.  The ITAC doesn't.  It has buttons on the side and in the back of the unit that turn it on.  It would be very easy to accidentally  turn on the light or laser while it's in a sort case because there's noting really protecting the buttons and there doesn't seem to be any way to lock it out short of removing the batteries.  This seems to me to be to be a really stupid thing to leave off, but it appears they did.


I really like the brightness of the ITAC unit and if Surefire would release a similar LED head for the M900A, I'd buy it in a second.  The ITAC has serious drawbacks that would probably be deal-killers for the high-speed operator types that populate ARFCOM, but for my purposes (which don't include room-clearing or kicking in doors day-in and day-out), I think it's probably adequate.  


Other observations:

 –– I don't recall ever having read anything good about Botach around here, but I ordered from them anyway because they were $20 bucks cheaper than thegunsource.com.  They delivered it relatively promptly and I have no complaints about the service.

 –– This ITAC unit is the same as the SIG STOPLITE(TM) STL-300J

 –– It doesn't say "Made in China" anywhere that I could find, but they're not fooling anybody.


Link Posted: 5/12/2009 8:39:33 PM EDT
[#2]
I thought I'd add some pictures.

Here are the two units for comparison (not a good picture, but one says Surefire on it for those who don't know which is which).  The red button turns the light on, the big black button the laser:


http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/leconspirateur/2006_02160002.jpg

This one's a little less blurry:

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/leconspirateur/2006_02160012.jpg


As for relative brightness, that's what I'm talkin' about.  That ITAC kicks Surefire's ass:

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/leconspirateur/2006_02160001.jpg


But compare how they attach to the rails.  There's just no way that ITAC mount will hold up anywhere near as well as the Surefire:

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd229/leconspirateur/2006_02160010.jpg
Link Posted: 5/13/2009 11:07:00 AM EDT
[#3]
Looks like a good tool for someone shooting vermin at night.
Link Posted: 5/13/2009 1:56:27 PM EDT
[#4]
Quoted:
 –– This ITAC unit is the same as the SIG STOPLITE(TM) STL-300J

 –– It doesn't say "Made in China" anywhere that I could find, but they're not fooling anybody.


ITAC is a subsidiary of Sig, apparently created to market Chinese optics and lights and Israeli plastic gear with the Sig name on it.

Link Posted: 6/29/2009 9:29:34 PM EDT
[#5]
How about an update on this ITAC? How is it holding up, and any problems discovered? More comparison to the Surefire? This seems way more economical for home defense.
Link Posted: 8/29/2009 7:04:15 AM EDT
[#6]
Ordering one today... I'll post results after a comming night time hog hunt.
Link Posted: 8/29/2009 10:51:12 AM EDT
[#7]
My buddy got a P229 and one of sig's STL-900s.  The thing broke right away.  Total piece of junk.  As a long-time sig-shooter, their new tactic of selling this junk is very disheartening.  I'd be interested to know if you have better luck with the Itac.
Link Posted: 9/2/2009 4:49:15 AM EDT
[#8]
I've been wanting one of these for quite awhile (since seeing my mother-in-law's Sig version).

Just ordered mine from Botach (no previous experience w/them).

Best part . . . ? $140 - shipping INCLUDED!

AAR to follow in a couple weeks.




ETA: spelling  
Link Posted: 10/26/2009 5:32:36 PM EDT
[#9]
Any updates?  I'm not normally a fan of FUG, but the idea of one with a light I really like.  Wanting to know how this is holding up.

Thx
Link Posted: 10/27/2009 9:05:41 AM EDT
[#10]
Sorry! I forgot all about it!  

Well . . . the light/strobe work great - and are so bright it's astounding! it was by far the brightest at my "group's" latest night-shoot.

The laser . . . . eh! It just won't stay sighted. I'd guess it's cuz of the fore-grip. The torque must be pulling it off-target.

It'd be nice if the laser would come on w/momentary on/off too: along with the light. But, it's an "on" OR "off" switch.

What I'd REALLY like to find is an IR filter to use with the light! It's certainly bright enough.

And a buddy of mine seems to think he can change the laser module to one that's IR. So, that might be cool - although, with it not staying sighted-in, it might be a bit of a waste . . . !

Anybody help out with the filter?
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