SHOT Show NEW Laser Aiming Modules

Summary

In this video, the host reviews several new laser aiming modules revealed at Shot Show 2024. He discusses the EOTech Ogle, noting it still seems like vaporware. He provides details on the new Holosun Iris, praising its size and price but critiquing its controls. He also covers the ZEBOL AAL, saying it looks more refined than the D2 while remaining compact. Finally, he examines the AGM laser, suggesting it may just be a drop-shipped Chinese laser. Despite criticisms, he expresses excitement about advancements in laser aiming technology.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video discusses new laser aiming modules shown at SHOT Show 2024
• 👍 The EOTech ogle looks promising but may be vaporware currently
• 🔦 The Holosun Iris is very small but its true power output is unknown
• 💡 The Iris has simple controls - off/high/low power and vis/IR mode
• ❓ The Iris's mode indicator LEDs are hard to see under night vision
• 👀 The Zebralight AAL looks refine and smaller than expected in person
• 🔋 The AAL is lighter than the DBAL and boasts 30mW power
• 🚨 The Holosun Iris and Zebralight AAL are not final production units yet
• 🤔 AGM showed a rebadged Chinese laser but may be limited on power in the US
• 😴 The presenter is exhausted after days at Shot Show

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic is upcoming laser aiming modules that were shown at SHOT Show 2024.

What does the presenter say about the EOTech oogle laser module?

He says it feels like vaporware at this point and to call him when it's actually going to be released.

What are some features of the Holosun Iris laser module?

It has a up/down dial to control off/high/low power modes, a button to toggle between visible and IR modes, and a focus patterner slider.

What is the concern over the illuminator power on the Holosun Iris?

The brochure indicates only 7mW which would be very low/weak. But the presenter thinks the battery may have been drained during demos, making it appear weaker.

What does the presenter say about the size of the Zebol AAL laser module?

He says it is smaller in person than it appears in photos online. About the size of a PEQ-15 but holds the size well.

What is the output and beam pattern of the Zebol AAL?

30mW and a 4 degree cone beam, with potential to add a diffuser for flood.

What is the concern over the Holosun Iris and Zebol AAL being pre-production units?

Things like design, specs, etc could change before final production versions. So some uncertainty remains.

What does the presenter say about the AGM laser that is seemingly a rebrand?

He is critical about it likely being a drop-shipped Chinese unit just rebranded. Concerned it may not actually be FDA approved.

What problem does the presenter have recording the video?

His hotel room AC is broken so he is hot and worn out trying to finish recording and editing there.

What is the presenter's overall view on these new laser modules?

He seems very excited and optimistic about them IF they deliver on their promises and potential.

Outlines

00:00

😊 Intro and context on obsession with new lever guns and laser aiming modules at Shot Show 2024

The narrator acknowledges being worn out after two days at Shot Show 2024. He notes that everyone is excited about new lever action rifles, but his obsession is with the new laser aiming modules being showcased. He previews discussing cheaper options that aren't great, expensive options out of reach for most, and new mid-tier options that look promising.

05:00

🎯 Overview and initial impressions of the Holosun Iris and Zebol AAL laser aiming modules

The narrator provides an overview of the new Holosun Iris laser aiming module, noting its small size, simple controls, and concerningly weak illuminator output. He also discusses the newly resurrected Zebol AAL module, which is smaller than expected and refined compared to others, making it a promising option at $1500.

Keywords

💡laser aiming module

A laser aiming module, or LAM, is a device attached to a firearm that projects a laser beam to visually indicate where the firearm is aimed. LAMs are discussed extensively in the video as new models are being shown at SHOT Show. The presenter is very interested in the power levels and performance of the illuminator emitters on these latest LAMs.

💡illuminator

The illuminator is the part of the LAM that projects a bright beam of light, along with the laser. The presenter is curious about the strength of the illuminators on the new LAMs, measured in milliwatts. More powerful illuminators allow seeing targets at longer distances.

💡full power

Full power refers to lasers that exceed the legal power limit of 5 milliwatts. Chinese manufacturers often make 'bootleg' full power lasers illegally. The presenter wonders if the new LAMs from companies like AGM will also contain full power lasers.

💡eye safety

With high-powered lasers, eye safety is a concern. The presenter jokingly refers to the danger of damage from viewing full power lasers. Companies making LAMs have to consider eye safety regulations.

💡vell

VELL stands for visible emitter laser locator. It is a special technology that allows companies to create brighter illuminators that exceed normal legal power limits, making devices like LAMs much more visible.

💡diffuser

A diffuser is an attachment that goes over the illuminator to spread the beam out for a wider, flood-like effect. The presenter suggests using a diffuser with one of the LAM models to have both focused and flooded options.

💡battery drain

The presenter suspects some LAMs at SHOT Show seem underpowered because people kept activating them, draining the batteries. This demonstrates the importance of battery life for practical use.

💡vaporware

Vaporware refers to products that are announced but never actually released. The presenter is skeptical that one of the early LAM models (the EOTech) will actually make it to market.

💡production

None of the LAMs covered are final production models yet. As the presenter notes, changes often happen between early debuted units and final released products. Real-world manufacturing can alter the designs.

💡warranty

The presenter comments that an advantage of the LAM from AGM is that it's from a real company that could provide a warranty, as opposed to grey market China products. This provides consumer protection.

Highlights

Excited about new laser aiming modules from Shot Show

The EOTech oogle laser seems like vaporware

The Holosun Iris looks promising but output power is unknown

The Iris UI design seems shortsighted

The Zebralight AAL looks like a refined D2 laser module

The AAL is smaller than expected and combines well with diffuser

The Iris and AAL are not final production units yet

Excited for the potential of the Iris and AAL lasers

The AGM laser seems to be a Chinese laser dropshipped

Unclear if AGM can legally sell full power laser in US

Having a warranty is a plus for AGM laser

Disappointed in AGM for seemingly dropshipping Chinese laser

Many products at Shot Show are not finalized

Hopeful but cautious about new laser products

Excited for the potential of new laser aiming modules

Transcripts

hey brass fact here I'm uh completely

worn out after two days of shot barely

hanging on by a thread but I wanted to

get a video out so pardon the impromptu

nature of this or the fact that I'm

using what is essentially a lapel mic

held up to my face my voice is dying my

feet no longer work and I'm running out

of booze let's do this everyone is

excited about 42 different lever guns

that are coming out of it Shot Show

because apparently that's the thing this

year but my obsession and I think cuz

you watch me your obsession is a little

more

autistic so laser aiming modules the

cheap ones suck the good ones cost more

than your night vision and the only

mid-tier recommendation is something

like a gray Market full power PEC that

if it breaks you can never fix it ever

again power-wise all of these units I'm

about to discuss are on par with the

$3,000 $4,000 five engs are like what

$5,000 devices on the market right now

they'll they'll be able to keep up you

know you know assuming these products do

what they say they're going to do or in

some cases do what we think they're

going to do because not even the

manufacturer surely knows yet right a

lot of this stuff is up in the air yeah

it's a shot show right like what do you

think come on give me break so let's

let's let's crack straight into it uh so

the ugle you know the the the L3 or who

EOTech is not going to be happy that I

messed that one up the EOTech oogle I'm

calling it oogle because that's all

you'll ever be able to do with it oogle

it on the website cuz uh it really feels

like vaporware at this point I'll say

what I said last year call me when it's

uh on the horizon to be released the

actual point of this video this is where

things get interesting the hollow sun

Iris let me give you the rundown real

quick if you haven't seen 42 different

shot videos about this thing super small

uh it's a little longer but less tall

than you know say a dball engal whatever

on the left you have a up and down dial

it's just Center is uh off up is high

power and low is low power that's it

right so three modes off high low on the

top you have your press the fire and

then on the rear you have another button

which I I thought at first was also a

fire button but that's actually the

power selector honestly it sucks it's

not very good basically hold for about 2

seconds and it swaps between either the

viz or IR mode and the only thing the

only thing that really indicates which

mode you are on is the LED emitter on

the back the really small one that

basically all LS has blue for ir and

green for the viz laser unfortunately

when you're under night vision you can't

it looks the same right that's that's

not how Color Works under night vision

so I suspect a lot of people are going

to act at the wrong mode many times it's

not the end of the world uh but it's a

it's a very shortsighted design in my

opinion anyways who cares on the top you

have a Focus patterner right so it's

basically just a slider forward brings

it in pulling back uh loosens it out so

you get your flood and then all the way

to what seems to be a very tight beam

more important thing that I was trying

to figure out and honestly everyone is

trying to figure out with this thing is

what is the power level behind that

Illuminator that's why we're so excited

about this thing because it's a Vale

illuminator the laws that limit it to

about 7 Ms to prevent eyeball damage do

not apply because uh really stupid

reasons honestly but it doesn't matter

Vell allows us to get around it and

allows us to get 20 30 40 50 Ms on our

Illuminator which is really what we want

no one at the booth has any idea what

this thing is powered at the best I got

was look at the brochure and the

brochure is even more worrisome because

it just says in a single line at the

back laser and or emitter 7 m that is

awful if that's the Illuminator even

worse Nick Chen compared this at a one

of the range days and it looked like a

complete Civ power laser I mean they're

all Civ power lasers but you know what I

mean maybe this is cope but I think the

initial answer is uh it just had a weak

sauce battery in it right it SHOT show

everyone is pressing this thing no one

knows how to turn this [ __ ] off uh so

maybe it drained its entire battery a

little impromptu test that I ended up

doing was I came back this a little

later with a pbs1 14 and a fresh battery

we we Juiced it up and then pointed it

at the wall and you can actually see the

Illuminator right it looks weak and

anemic but remember this is a daylight

bright Booth so the tube is auto gated

to all hell so the fact that we can see

it means this is certainly more powerful

than 7 Ms that the the brochure tends to

indicate so anyway I I don't know it

this thing looks insanely promising at

800 bucks [ __ ] even if this was sub 1500

bucks i' I'd be stoked about this thing

if it delivers and if it you know

fulfills all the promises that's where

contestant 2 enters the AAL from zebol

this thing was almost a tragedy well it

was a tragedy they teased in sometime in

2022 then out of nowhere it just died

multiple comments from what I believe

was the CEO stated that yeah it's you

know DOA or it didn't even arrive it's

just dead but turns out uh the skies are

parting and we are in the year 2024 the

year of our Lord and savior laser aiming

modules and it's back on track baby uh

looking at the pictures online I was a

bit you know you know it'll be good but

it it just looks like a D2 right it's

got that big bulbous emitter on the

sides but I'm telling you seeing this

thing in person this thing is a lot

smaller than the images lead on it's

about the size of a PEC 15 but it holds

that size very well with the laser

itself being directly over the bore so

there's nothing off on one side and the

big you know emitter thing is pushed to

the side but also down a lot so it ends

up being a very useful shape or design

if you want to mount a white light on

one of the sides you know whatever and

it it just ends up being a much smaller

unit than I was initially led to believe

it's also so a good bit lighter than the

D2 at 9 oz it's something like 30 m and

a 4 degree cone all the way out to a

decent flood we get the afterm marketing

here get a villain systems diffuser and

we can probably leave it on the 4 degree

mode and then snap over the diffuser to

get full flood and we got a we got a

pretty cool combo here and at 1,500

bucks uh this thing looks like to be

kind of the Step Up from the hallon

right hollon has their reputation for a

reason and it's a little more flimsy

this thing looks solid right it's a it's

a piece of metal it it looks good it's a

little more complicated than

manufacturer look it's I mean at the end

of the day this is just a refined D2 and

the D2 is actually a pretty decent laser

aiming module it just happens to be kind

of large and chunky so getting that even

a little bit smaller with a nicer

admitter hey that's a win in my book

getting into a little bit of brass fax

reading between the lines with the holon

iris and the zolt

AAL these things are somewhere in a

weird in between these are not

prototypes by any means but they're also

not final production models so a lot of

what we see here today may change in the

future but it also means these things

aren't ready to rock and roll time now

there's going to be a little bit of a

spool up period where things can change

for the Better or For Worse when the the

harsh reality of you know putting one of

these things on a manufacturing line

happens right so you know fingers

crossed right it's looking good Bros but

we're not quite there yet uh so keep

that in mind okay the final laser uh

this one's from AGM and honestly was a

bit of a Dark Horse ah [ __ ] I mean I

knew as soon as I saw this I I knew what

this was it's a laser speed fl5 version

two with the cap turrets right the same

thing I reviewed a couple months ago

it's not a terrible laser I I don't know

how much AGM is doing them or they're

just drop shipping these things to be

honest I I'm not seeing any external

differences but may maybe there are

right it's all subtle and I haven't

messed with the version two yet an

interesting aspect I'm actually I should

have probably asked them about this

though I'm sure they can't really answer

the whole reason we like the the Chinese

lasers or the Chinese laser speed lasers

is cuz they're all you know bootleg full

power lasers it's not actually legal to

sell something like that in the United

States but it's a you know Chinese

companies it doesn't give a [ __ ] it's

ebaying that [ __ ] and the rest is

history and so are your eyes but AGM

they're a real company I don't think

they can actually sell this at full

power lasers in the US without the FDA

bending them over yeah I don't really

know what's going to go on here but even

if they do make it at full power yeah

it's going to be a little nicer CU now

you have a real company that you could

probably warranty these things with

standing behind the product but all in

all I sorry AGM I'm really excited to

try out some of your thermals they look

really cool and some of the stuff you

teased was was super neat really looking

forward to that but it's also my job to

bully the [ __ ] out of companies when

they do something incredibly stupid

essentially drop ship a Chinese laser

which is what's seemingly going on here

I'm about to die but I still need to

edit this video now here at the SHOT

show floor well I'm not the SHOT show

floor I'm I'm by myself in the in the uh

in my hotel room that has a

non-functional AC because that's that's

welcome to Shot Show so thanks for

watching and uh we'll see you guys in

the later hopefully as excited about

these lasers as I am see you