Airsoft Lasers / Peqs

What is AN/PEQ?

AN/PEQ (Advanced Target Pointer/Illuminator/Aiming Laser) is the designation for a range of military/police targeting modules that combine most commonly a laser sight, infrared laser and flashlight. These modes can be switched by the user according to the actual need. AN/PEQs are designed to be mounted on small arms and assist in aiming or illuminating targets, especially in night conditions.

This abbreviation can be seen on various laser modules such as DBAL-A2, LA-5, and NGAL.
What does it actually mean? AN - Army/Navy P - Portable E - Laser Q - Special or Combination.
These laser-light modules are great devices for CQB areas and night missions.

LA-5, DBAL-A2, NGAL, PERST, MAWL... Who's supposed to know?

LA-5

LA-5 sometimes in PEQ-15 variant (which is exactly the same in airsoft) is probably the most famous AN/PEQ originally from USA by L3 Harris, you may know it from movies, games or your friends use it just on airsoft rifle as it is the most widely used PEQ in airsoft. The classic LA-5 has a laser, flashlight, strobe and IR laser. The modes are switched with a rotary lever.

NGAL

The NGAL is an upgraded variant of the LA-5 from L3 Harris. For airsoft use, the functions are different, sometimes it has IR light, sometimes it has classic light, but always it has laser.

DBAL-A2

DBAL-A2 is a German compact PEQ from Steiner. The controls are two rotary switches. This version of the AN/PEQ handles the Laser, flashlight, strobe and IR laser.

PERST-4

The PERST-4 is a sort of Russian cousin to the American MAWL, both of which only have a laser and an IR laser. The PERST's design comes from Zenitco, a brand known for making gun accessories. In contrast, the MAWL is made by B.E. Meyers, which is better known for the targeting systems on the Reaper drones or Apache helicopters.

---

What is a laser?

Laser - Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Laser is a single beam light source with high coherence and monochromaticity. This means that the light is coherent and resembles a "pointer", the constant frequency guarantees only one strict colour that does not change.

Is the Laser safe for airsoft?

The lasers we sell are up to (and including) 5 mW. A laser of this power is capable of damaging the retina, but the chance is very small. If you want to be more careful, a red laser is much safer than a green laser in relative terms.

For example... With a green laser, the chance is for example 0.1% , and with a red laser the chance might be 0.003%, which is 30 times less, but in general terms is still vanishingly small. For your reassurance, there were tests done at Harvard University with laser pointers where subjects looked into a laser for 15 minutes and there was no sign of damage to their retinas.

Nonetheless, it is strongly recommended to definitely not shine any type of laser into your eyes!

 

What colour laser to choose? Red, green? Blue?

When choosing lasers and of course AN/PEQ modules, you can usually choose between red and green lasers, but blue lasers are also produced. Does it make sense to deal with the colour of the laser? Yes! Because each wavelength is seen differently by the human eye with different sensitivity.

 

Red laser

In the 1980s, the first laser sights began to be used that shined red. Why? Because they are the easiest to make and the cheapest to produce due to the longest wavelength of the red colour. It is also the most widely used color of laser on airsoft guns. The advantage of this color is that you can't see a line from the gun towards the target. Ignoring smoke bombs or dusty environments.

 

Green laser

Over time the technology shifted and green lasers started to be produced, these guaranteed higher brightness, overall visibility and contrast with the surroundings. 
The green colour is the most sensitive to the human eye and also the most distinctive due to its wavelength somewhere in the middle of the spectrum and can therefore be about 30 times brighter than red.

Of course green lasers are not omnipresent, anyway their disadvantages are not a strong argument.
The first disadvantage is their consumption, as they are simply more powerful. The second disadvantage is the visibility of your laser to your opponent, but this is actually a completely unnecessary concern when using a laser.

 

 

Blue laser

What are blue lasers for? They are the most economical colour in terms of energy consumption, but also the least distinctive colour.
They have one huge advantage though, if you are a person with colour perception disorder (colour blindness) blue lasers are for you.

 

What is the IR laser and do I need it?

IR laser is a very important commodity for night vision users. If you use night vision, it is not exactly the easiest if not impossible for you to use collimators.
That's why there are modules available for you with the ability to switch to an IR laser. Today, most AN/PEQ modules have an IR laser, so it shouldn't be a problem to choose.

Personally, we have tried IR modules from the manufacturer WADSN, and at least for airsoft they work very well in combination with night vision.

 

---

What other features are good to consider when choosing an AN/PEQ?

It's a good idea to choose a device with the ability to turn on a light, as a traditional light will always come in handy, whether in CQB to blind an opponent, or to search for a lost magazine during a night action. Some lights also have a strobe effect, which is useful for disorienting the target, as a rapidly flashing light can cause rapid blinking or eye twitching, even nausea.

 

---

How do I go about selecting a laser / AN/PEQ?

If I am buying this type of device for a secondary pistol, it is a good idea to choose directly from the customized pieces for pistols, they are designed for this use both by attachment and controls they are usually pistol lights, lasers or a combination of both.

When selecting these devices for a primary rifle, it is better to purchase the AN/PEQ directly. The main criteria when choosing an AN/PEQ should be its functions, ideally the ones I need (Laser, IR Laser, White light, IR light - illumination). Nowadays it is no longer an exception that one device can do several functions that I switch between during the action, most often with a lever located somewhere on the device.

After finding such devices, you often have a choice whether you want a metal or plastic product. There is no need to be concerned about plastic devices here, as they are very robust and lightweight, but metal versions have, for example, a more rigid attachment to the designated interface.
Some AN/PEQ versions also have the option of clipping onto the MLOK instead of the picatiny rail, it is a good idea to watch out for this.

 

We recommend choosing modules already in a set with a pressure switch.

Which batteries to use for AN/PEQ and lasers?

For lasers, the type of battery is purely relative to the model. For AN/PEQ modules, the most commonly used type is CR123A.
Beware, if you desire a rechargeable version of this battery, the type is different and it is RCR123A or 16340 but the capacity of the rechargeable version is significantly lower and the voltage is higher. Sometimes the higher voltage on these batteries may not be supported by the manufacturer.

 

PEQ as a cover on AEG/HPA Battery.

If you have cables routed to the handguard on your replica, it is not a bad idea to purchase a "DUMMY" (Battery box) AN/PEQ to save you the trouble of installing a handguard every time you change the battery. 
These battery boxes are made by Titan, for example, with a battery that fits in this small space.

Some airsoft players choose these battery boxes as cheap and lightweight replicas of the PEQ that will only add to the look of your rifle, with no other features like laser, flashlight, etc.