Odic Force Laser Designator

[nobbybonez]

ok, having looked at the laser genetics ND3, i was tempted. however, the price really put me off, for what many reviews said was no more than a posh torch... i just couldn't justify the cost. (currently £330 at uttings: http://www.uttingsoutdoors.co.uk/Pro...tor-ll-nd3-sz/)

however, it wasn't long before some alternatives started popping up on ebay, for considerably less (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/tactical-h...ht_3360wt_1139 for example)

i had seen a link to odicforce lasers who also made a designator, http://odicforce.com/shop/article_OF...OFL23%2F001%26 (edit 24/1/12: link not working, word is that odicforce are trying to source stock) which stated an output of 50mw instead of the 5-20mw for the ebay item. the stated laser class was also different.
what put me off was the lack of a suitable mount. with a bit off digging, i have hopefully sourced one from china for just over a tenner. so, for the total cost of £83.17 i took a punt.

I phoned odicforce at approx midday on friday, and confirmed that the output was as stated. i also enquired about its suitability as a range finding laser, and it was suggested that the unit will produce a 5mm dot easily seen in daytime at 40y. following this i placed an order from their website at 12.07pm. laser was with me at 11.30 the following day. TOP service so far...

the item was well packed in sealed bubble wrap bags inside a foam lined cardboard box. this was in turn inside a jiffy bag. little chance of damage in post. on opening, the unit is anodised black, dull finish and 186mm long x 25.4mm diameter. the tail cap has a remote switch permanently attached. the cord is approx 250mm long and extends to 350mm with a bit of stretch in the coiled part. the action of the switch is positive, with areas for on/off and momentary illumination. there was no sticky velcro supplied with the remote switch, but this is easily obtainable. a Li-ion rechargeable battery was included in the package, but no charger. the unit as a whole feels solid, and worked fine after a drop from an extended arm (gotta try these things )

so, battery in, turn on. a nice green dot appears. it is indeed around 5mm across and can be focussed using the rotary dial on the laser. closest focussing distance to get a nice clean dot is around 1 metre. turning the dial fully clockwise widens the dot slightly. going anticlockwise, the beam narrows, then widens again into a larger circle. the circle of light produced has clean edges and is pretty even in intensity right across. there is a slightly dimer area on one side, but barely noticeable. when producing a larger beam, the intensity drops rapidly - it is barely visible outside on an overcast day. when focussed to a dot however, it can be clearly seen at over 100m. i believe this would be adequate to range find with at air rifle ranges (fac air also). the large beam produces a circle that is 280mm across at four metres. another play outside reveals that it will illuminate dark areas (inside shed, dark corner under trees etc) in daylight. overall, very pleased so far.

i had a shine about with it near my chickens. one initially tried to peck the dot, but they are now both pretty freaked by it. shine a dot near their feet and they run - that will save me having to chase em outta the garden with a broom if nothing else...

i'll stop here, and post a few pics. will elaborate on use in dark when i get the mount through....













picture is a1 size, taken at approx 3m

any questions, picture requests, please ask away...

[Titchgamer]

Ide like to see some night time shots if possible?

[nobbybonez]

no problem, will see what i can do...

edit: not much time to get pics last night, had people round. i did manage a quick play though, and a few things become apparent. when wound down to a dot, it is clearly visible at dusk out to pretty much whatever distance you can still see it at. the beam is clearly visible as well as dot. as the light falls, the wide beam becomes much more visible, think this will be very good at that time where its too dark to see properly, but not proper dark. in complete darkess, the wide beam is much more visible and is illuminating trees at approx 100m. not sure if it will be enough to shoot with at that distance, but at 50y on 10 mag it seems fine to shoot with. i did hold the laser to the buddy bottle on the mfr and this was good enough to let me have a scope around the garden. the beam really does give a night vision effect when looking through the scope, and at 15 yards or so, what you see is very clear. will play a bit more tonight...

edit2: managed to get out again tonight, still no pics as battery died in field. i did get it pointed at a couple of rabbits at around 60-70 yards, nice eye shine, but still too much light to test illumination properly. rabbits seemed to be aware of beam, but not disturbed by it at all.... really looking forward to getting a proper session with the illuminator now.

[nobbybonez]

righto, last night i made it out again with the designator. mounted it with cable ties to the buddy bottle, so that at my zero it was spot on.

out on my permission i got to have a play with range finding, and have to say, it seems a very effective way to overcome the guesswork. i counted my zero distance away from gates/hedges etc, then turned and lased them. despite the primitive mounting, it works to within a couple of yards no problem. very impressed.

i managed to find a rabbit with an unsafe backstop so lasered him full in the eyes with the beam as focussed as i could get it. he stayed still for plenty long enough to get a shot off, but the light did disturb him. i think it draws attention to your position which in turn makes them wary. after 30secs or so, he hopped slowly into the hedge.

as the light started to fade, i found a rabbit or two in a horse paddock by looking for eye shine. scanned the field/hedge line with about half beam diameter and instantly spotted rabbits out to 100y. with enough light for me to have just managed a shot with normal scope i was able to stop as i stalked closer, every 10y or so, and check rabbit's awareness. the light (adjusted now so the beam filled the scope on 9x magnification) seemed not to spook quarry. i think again though it did draw attention to where i was, which in turn led to it hopping down a hole, not bolting, just getting underground. to be fair i was probably a bit noisy getting prone for a shot.

getting pretty dark now and could barely see rabbits by eye if they were not moving. spotted just one, no details visible, just that shape that looks a little different. scan the laser round from the hip though, and oh what a difference. straight away i can spot six rabbits around the paddock in various places. looking through the scopes gives a very good impression of night vision. horses are a bit wary/curious, after a few sweeps round they're not bothered if its not too close. i lasered the nearest of the six from the hip, he was fully aware of light, but this time i kept in on him and started walking the 50 yards. with the rabbit rooted to the spot and the beam wandering about a bit as i walked, i managed to get to 20/25 yards. would normally have had a shot at 35, but thought i'd see how close i could get. as i sat for a shot i think he heard me... and bolted. i got the beam in front of him and stopped him momentarily, then he was off again, back to diggyland...

so, dinner in the oven, need to get back home. had a last slow stealthy walk to the hedge and a looky into the next field. light almost fully gone, can just see last remnants of sunset. as i rise over the hedge, i hear one not five yards off get into the hedge. let him go. put the laser on full beam to reduce the brightness as much as possible and had a scan for eyes. there's one - halfway across, must be 40 yards. i'm rested on the hedge, so aim a 1/4 dot high, squeeze slowly, and thwack, bunny down. i am stunned by the sight of the pellet making its way down range, lit superbly as it makes a slight arc straight into rabbit head. instant kill, and one i would NEVER have seen or made without the designator. i'm chuffed.

thoughts:

- superb for daytime range finding. when mounted above scope, should be good out to 100y in full daylight. the way it sort of seamlessly takes over as you run out of light is really nice.
- at night, laser is a continuous beam from unit out to a very long way. would make a good signal if you ever required rescue.
- i'm not sure yet how much it is spooking the rabbits. i think i was being a bit noisy, didn't really have a plan of how i would use the laser.
- you can see CLEARLY out to 40y. you can see what's what to 80y (eg gate bars, stones visible, plants a little fuzzy and indistinct).
- for sub 12 this will give you a superb view of quarry for all sensible ranges on largest beam.
- for FAC air, with a little more scope mag and less beam diameter, i would think you'd get a shot out to 100y.
- on about 2/3 beam you would see eyeshine to 150y at least.
- seeing pellet travel to target is superb. will allow you to see where you missed in complete darkness. (daystate Li's do have a flat rear which might reflect particularly well)

- i've ordered some rechargeable batteries as it looks like a keeper.

sorry no pics yet, its hard to do it any sort of justice...

[nobbybonez]

been out again tonight.

more thoughts:

- rotary dial to change beam diameter could do with less turning to change beam, its about a turn and a half from dot to beam.
- tried higher magnification on scope tonight, 16x with beam large enough to fill scope let me view taps clearly on a bath used for water trough at 100 yards...

drew a blank tonight, only saw one rabbit approx 150 yards off. i think mr fox had been about...

[muzzy76]

Cracking review so far mate. Where's these night time pics you promised? Might be tempted by something like this myself after your findings.

[nobbybonez]

taken from indoors, looking at bushes approx 12 yards away.
longer range gets dimmer, usable to distances outlined in posts above.
image is blurry, but you can see all the detail no problem.

[Jimbob88]

Looks pretty good and an excellent review

[lyndon2472]

cracking review . very detailed sir thanks going to look for the links and order one did you post a link for the mount yet ? company i work for does buisness in china if i can get a decent mount i can have it copy,d :-) (there are no applicable copyright laws in china lol hence all the copy,s of the nd30 )

[baconbuttie]

Suitable mount on the bay, item number: 220881814493 ??