ANGS replica AN/PEQ-2A

ANGS replica AN/PEQ-2A
by Specwarguy Will

Background: In one way or another, there have been multiple discussions online about how to outfit a Marui M4A1 and RIS with proper battery storage/power to drive the upgraded internals we all yearn to skirmish with. With methods such as using an aftermarket RIS, a fixed stock, redi-mag, M203 assembly and even an M203 shell to outfit large capacity 9.6V’s and higher, the Insight Technologies AN/PEQ 2 replica by ANGS will surely be a great accessory to have in order fill this demand. My review is based on having the real unit which is currently on loan to a friend. It is also a review based on opinions by me with care taken for giving as much accuracy as possible.

First impressions: The unit comes packaged in a typical Japanese clear cellophane box cushioned softly with a piece of closed cell foam. Enclosed is also a sheet of instructions on how to open the unit and how to place the battery into it.

Other than packaging details, the finish on the unit is ‘very nice’ as opposed to the finish on a real PEQ-2A. The real unit is a bit more plastic with signs of variations in the skin. However, with this replica, it carries a smooth, flat finish end to end. The ANGS replica feel a bit sturdy and seems it may be able to take a beating. There are 1/8” to 3/16” inch thick walls made of possibly ABS plastic.

Further speculation: On the real PEQ 2, there are two laser tubes in the unit. The laser tube on the right of the unit functions as the aiming laser and the one on the left of the unit functions as an illuminator, giving a flat shade of ‘color’ to an NVG device with no halo effect with the supplied filter (comparison and possible review of AN/PEQ-2 by Insight Technology in a later submission). The flood is also adjustable via a dial atop the aiming reticle (The ICS replica appears to lack the adjustable dial for the flood light) which also gives it that extra protrusion when compared to the right laser unit. Each laser on the unit has both windage and elevation adjustment dials and function on the replica unit from ANGS. Another great feature in this replica is that the laser aiming pointer is molded with a clear plastic lens. This brings things one step closer for hobbyists who may wish to convert this into a functional aiming device. The flood laser on the other side has a clear lens also but is blocked however when viewing from the inside of the unit. A simple drill will remove the blockage.

To activate the AN/PEQ-2A pointer requires pressing the large center button made of rubber or an external pressure switch. In the replica, the center button does not function and is casted into the unit out of plastic. ANGS did choose to use rubber (or similar material) to cast the straps that prevent the loss to the battery caps at the end of the unit as well as the filters for both lasers in the front. This adds serious realism to the unit.

On the real unit, an external pressure switch may be outfitted by removing a plug from the unit’s rear. On the replica, the plug is also removable but serves a different purpose. Here, the wire of the battery ‘may be’ used to attach from the Marui M4’s front end to the battery inside the PEQ-2A. The reason I say ‘may be used’ is because there is a second hole on the bottom of the unit for a more discreet way to connect your platform to the internal replica PEQ-2A battery. But as discreet as it may get, there is also no shame to show the external cables if a proper rigging job is done to make it look like the wire of a pressure switch. In other words, you may use the wires of the battery to simulate the wire of a pressure switch. The wire of the pressure switch is about the size of one of the wires from the battery. Putting two together may be a bit bulky if one is ‘pickey’ about realism.

To open the unit, you have to turn the on/off/selector switch of the unit anticlockwise. The switch functions as a screw to hold the unit’s end in place. The unit’s end is secured via a metal bracket screwed into the end unit. ANGS used some pretty thick metal for this piece and a metal screw. The only item not casted properly is the switch blocker which supposed to prevent accidental turn-on of the PEQ-2A unit. The real one is higher (thicker) and is blue.

I currently have not rigged a battery system for this unit but it seems it has nice storage capabilities. Further review of the battery storage pending in a later submission by my friend Wawa.
One other thing worth noting is the metal bracket/mount. This is a great feature to have and adds to ANG’s reputation of making quality products. I do not know if the whole mount is metal or not but when I took the half of the mount that is able to be removed from the unit, I realized by dropping it on a hard surface, it made a ‘clink’ noise. The mount base is screwed (3x’s) and glued onto the unit. The whole mount seems to be made of aluminum.

Issues at hand: One feature I think is off is the front mounting screw which seems to be correct but does not match the mount on the bottom. Until I receive the unit back from a friend, I can not confirm this (ahem). What I realized was that the mount of the replica is placed a bit far to the rear than the real unit. When mounting the unit onto the RIS, be sure not to mount it flush with the first teeth of the rail. Comparing pictures of the real one mounted on my M4 versus the ANGS one reveals that the mount placement is off.

One other issue is when the ANGS replica is mounted onto my Mosquito Mold RIS with a KAC panel, the unit slants forward. This is due to the bulging from the bottom of the unit which allows the unit to hit the rail cover. The real AN/PEQ-2A does not have this protrusion on the bottom of it and I believe ANGS added this for purpose of keeping the unit sturdy. The bottom hole for the battery wire is situated on this bulge as well.

Conclusion: I have both the AN/PEQ-2A and the AN/PAQ-4C from Insight Technologies. All these devices share similar attributes and I hope you will enjoy the review I write for these units as I get the replicas from my sources overseas. The results of the Taiwanese replica is nice and the price is great but does not compare with the first batch of ANGS replicas. Slap a class 2/3 laser warning sticker to the side of the unit and it will be tough to tell the difference between real and not.

Additional comments: For those who haven’t worked a real AN/PEQ-2A with gen 3 NVG is missing out on quite an adventure. I used this on my M4 with EOTech 551 (NVG model), VLI and PVS7B NVG and there’s no need for the EOtech. Having a laser unit that the enemy can’t see without NVG is pretty enlightening. It also literally changes the tactics of CQB and land warfare. But using it for combat poses a serious risk to eye injuries (although IR laser is much, much safer than visible lasers) and prone to damage from BB’s. Big ouch. Asides from that, the ANGS PEQ-2A replica is a bit pricey but is worth it when you take into account the void it fills and the solutions it corrects. It is also great to finally have a replica AN/PEQ-2A that functions both as a nice piece of airsoft accessory to have as well as additional battery storage.

Other battery storage alternative issues worth noting: A good friend Wawa, has milled out the Mosquito Mold RIS (realistic version) to outfit a 9.6V 1400 mAh battery. After modifying the outer-barrel assembly, it ‘is’ possible to use a ‘butterfly 9.6V’ used by many for the stock Marui M4A1 foregrip into the modified RIS system with the use of slimmer 1400mAh cells. Great system but not a luxury we all have. This allows the use of a real PEQ in skirmish or allows hobbyists the chance to outfit the replica PEQ-2’s into real ones and still have battery storage keeping their M4A1’s ‘specwar realistic’.

Regards, Specwarguy Will – costume designer/replica gear maker for film and theater; www.specwargear.com affiliate.

External Links: ANGS

Site links: ICS AN/PEQ-2 review

ICS AN/PEQ-2 review2

Comparison shots: Joseph Chen kindly sent in some comparison shots of the ANS model versus the real deal Insight PEQ2). The one on the left side is Insight's PEQ2. Note that the elevation dial is different shape (thanks Joseph!)

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