Looking for a Weaponlight

[Dick Manley]

Ok, so here is the deal. I am looking for a durable light for my carbine, because the cheap piece of shit that I have currently no longer works. The criteria I am looking to meet are 1. Must be durable, 2. Use CR123a Batteries, 3. Activated by a pressure switch, 4. Be in a reasonable price range (not really looking to spend $300+ on a f**king flashlight)

I realize this may be a tall order to fill, considering I am only looking to spend about $150-250. I had the opportunity to by a pentagon light MS2-LED for $125 and I passed it up like an asshole.

-DM-

[HighSpeedDreams]

I just installed a Surefire Scout and I love it. It meets all of your criteria. Typically, it will be outside of the prince range you are looking for but I was able to pick mine up on ebay for $140 NIB. Its bright and light.

http://www.copquest.com/18-6000_extra.jpg

I hope this helped to SHINE A LITTLE LIGHT on the subject.

[b_saan]

My Streamlight TLR-1 + Remote end cap + Remote tape switch = about $172 shipped. The mount is locked up tight on the end of my rail through ~300 rounds slow/fast shooting indoor range and some prone outdoor field shooting so far. Again some people will say spend the extra $$ and get a Surefire but I'm happy with what I'm using. At 50 yrds downrage indoor it still lights up the target and at 25yrds the target is fully illuminated, inside my house at night it lights up anything I need to see.

[HighSpeedDreams]

I would agree. My Scout was purchased at a steal of a price. Even my Streamlight M3 meets all my requirements for castle defense. If I can go brighter for the same amount of money.....

[Dick Manley]

My Streamlight TLR-1 + Remote end cap + Remote tape switch = about $172 shipped.

Where did you buy this from and do you have any pics of this set up.

-DM-

[Parabellum9x19mm]

i can also vouch for the TLR-1. i have a couple of them. you can find them for around $80

i know there are pressure switches for them, but i manipulate the paddle switch directly with my thumb.

[ToddG]

Haven't played with it on a carbine yet, but I've been pretty impressed with my new Procyon (Insight) so far. Here's a video of me using it (and Lasergrips) during the low-light portion of Rogers (http://www.rogers-shooting-school.com):

procyon-ctclg-rogers.mov (http://pistol-training.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/procyon-ctclg-rogers.mov) (1.8M QuickTime file)

[rob_s]

By "pressure switch" do you mean remote tape-switch?

[djkj6]

i just picked up the TL2 from streamlight, runs at 110 lumens for @1hr and uses 2 cr123 batt's...it went for $55, got the streamlight mount for $25 and the pressure pad for $35...

for the same reasons i was looking to stay under $125, and the light won't shoot loose in the special mount, as it locks into the grooves of the flashlight, also has the pocket clip and regular push tailcap...from what i've seen, and now that i've mounted it and used it...it can't be beat.

then again, on a long gun i have no need for the adjustable brightness, tac strike face, etc...of the more expensive pocket lights...

[Dick Manley]

By "pressure switch" do you mean remote tape-switch?

Yes sorry I didnt know the technical name.

[rob_s]

Not technical, just didn't want to recommend the wrong thing.

[batgeek]

i swear by Pentagon lights. just as good as Surefire, and you don't have to sell your first born.

i have an MS2 on my 870, and an MS3 on my AR.

http://www.rainierarms.com/img/shop/product/aa3a85a00ab48081efa670de9fa0f14c.jpg
Pentagon MS2 Xenon

[Soulrack223]

I am no expert, but my Surefire X300 appears to be brighter and have a more focused beam than my Surefire Scout or my Larue Battlelight.

[Voodoochild]

Talk to Grant and get one of his light packages.

[RD62]

Surefire G2L or 6PL, VTAC mount, and aftermarket tape switch. Should all probably be available through Grant.

Robust, reliable, inexpensive. Should be less than $100. I run a G2 with shock bezel and standard tail cap, and it works well for me. I will be upgrading to a p60L lamp in the near future.

-RD62


p.s. Just double checked and a G2 in a VLTOR mount was what LAV was running in the most recent Low Light class as recapped in the Training/Tactics forum.

[Dick Manley]

I ended up buying a M600A on ebay for a just under $200. a little more than I wanted to spend but I got my monies worth.

-DM-

[Dick Manley]

i swear by Pentagon lights. just as good as Surefire, and you don't have to sell your first born.

i have an MS2 on my 870, and an MS3 on my AR.

http://www.rainierarms.com/img/shop/product/aa3a85a00ab48081efa670de9fa0f14c.jpg
Pentagon MS2 Xenon

I had the opportunity to buy one of these for $125 and passed up b/c I was being cheap. Look were that got me!

[Gutshot John]

Coast LED lights I think are some of the best but they never get any play.

At SHOT one of the guys at the Coast booth was driving nails with one of their lights.

They take standard batteries and as LEDs have obscene battery life and brightness.

80-100 lumens...100+ HOURS BATTERY LIFE. :eek:

No white spot, adjustable beam and among the most reasonable in cost. They have a switch tape option but the real cap is readily accessible and recessed enough you don't accidentally press it.

With a VTAC mount I think I spent about $70.

http://www.coastportland.com/displayProduct.php?prodid=932&prodnums=%BF934%A1933%A1932%A1936%A1935%A1937%A1262%A1941%A1902%A1268%A1264%A1263%A1260%A1270%A1276%A1271%A1272%A1273%A1274%A1275%A1261%BF&mastCat=5

[El Cid]

I see the OP has already bought a light, but in case others reading want to know...

I just bought a SF G2 ($36), VTAC Light mount ($20), CAA tape pressure endcap ($38). Total (not including shipping) comes to $94.

http://www.commandarms.com/product.asp?pID=127&cID=22

http://www.vikingtactics.com/prod_vtac_lightmount.html

[batgeek]

Coast LED lights I think are some of the best but they never get any play.

At SHOT one of the guys at the Coast booth was driving nails with one of their lights.

They take standard batteries and as LEDs have obscene battery life and brightness.

80-100 lumens...100+ HOURS BATTERY LIFE. :eek:

No white spot, adjustable beam and among the most reasonable in cost. They have a switch tape option but the real cap is readily accessible and recessed enough you don't accidentally press it.

With a VTAC mount I think I spent about $70.

http://www.coastportland.com/displayProduct.php?prodid=932&prodnums=%BF934%A1933%A1932%A1936%A1935%A1937%A1262%A1941%A1902%A1268%A1264%A1263%A1260%A1270%A1276%A1271%A1272%A1273%A1274%A1275%A1261%BF&mastCat=5

i keep that exact model in my truck for emergency flashlight use. perfect for times when the 4 cell Maglight is too unwieldly.

[RWK]

80-100 lumens...100+ HOURS BATTERY LIFE.

I checked their website and read 167 lumens and 130 hours on 4 AA's. Do you happen to know over how much of that 130 hours the 167 lumens is sustained?

BTW, their link to their "preferred online vendor" bombed. :confused:

[Gutshot John]

I checked their website and read 167 lumens and 130 hours on 4 AA's. Do you happen to know over how much of that 130 hours the 167 lumens is sustained?

BTW, their link to their "preferred online vendor" bombed. :confused:

There are different models. So it varies. I got mine I think on amazon.com.

In any event the chip controls the lumen output and I can't find my owner's manual,so I'm not sure how it exactly breaks down, but from what I remember you can actually set the dimming effect. IIRC at SHOT the owner said it that in "non-battery save mode" it produced full power full for 70% of battery life, then dims to 30% lumens until it goes dead.

[John_Wayne777]

Ok, so here is the deal. I am looking for a durable light for my carbine, because the cheap piece of shit that I have currently no longer works. The criteria I am looking to meet are 1. Must be durable, 2. Use CR123a Batteries, 3. Activated by a pressure switch, 4. Be in a reasonable price range (not really looking to spend $300+ on a f**king flashlight)

I realize this may be a tall order to fill, considering I am only looking to spend about $150-250. I had the opportunity to by a pentagon light MS2-LED for $125 and I passed it up like an asshole.

-DM-

Personally I'm fond of the Surefire G2 nitrolon held on by a VLTOR mount and using an upgraded Cree LED element. Cheap (less than 100 bucks total) and very effective. You can also add a tapeswitch to that rig if you want.

[NCPatrolAR]

Personally I'm fond of the Surefire G2 nitrolon held on by a VLTOR mount and using an upgraded Cree LED element. Cheap (less than 100 bucks total) and very effective. You can also add a tapeswitch to that rig if you want.


I've gone to the G3Led in a Vltor mount for my carbines. I'm right at the $100 mark with this. If you added a tape switch, it would push you slightly over the $100 mark.

[cabbynate]

Ok, so here is the deal. I am looking for a durable light for my carbine, because the cheap piece of shit that I have currently no longer works. The criteria I am looking to meet are 1. Must be durable, 2. Use CR123a Batteries, 3. Activated by a pressure switch, 4. Be in a reasonable price range (not really looking to spend $300+ on a f**king flashlight)

I realize this may be a tall order to fill, considering I am only looking to spend about $150-250. I had the opportunity to by a pentagon light MS2-LED for $125 and I passed it up like an asshole.

-DM-

I just found this light for $130.00 shipped. I like Pentagon lights and you get the lifetime warranty just like Surefire. There also American Made. =0)
Don't no what I'm gonna do with it as I have a set up right now But I'm a sucker for a good deal........:D

[uspopo]

Larue or Vltor offset mount with a G2/3 would be a good platform to start with.

[CLHC]

Anyone tried out or know more about Laser Devices Inc. OP-6|OP-9 Weapons Series lights? Their both come in LED and Incandescent. I believe they're also Made in the U.S.A.!

[Buck]

After some serious thought on the realistic use of a 5.56 carbine I settled on ditching the idea of a rail all together and using the factory M4 hand guards with a surefire "tactical iluminator" mount on the hand guards in the 2 o clock position... I combine this with a X-300 that I keep on my belt as my hand held light...

Just my .02

B

P.S. I also almost exclusively use 20 round magazines... The 30s were really designed for machine guns and are far to big to be worn on a waist belt... That and I can not think of anything that I want to shoot 30 times without reloading that I wouldn't be alright with if I could only shoot it 20 times...

[Thermodyn]

P.S. I also almost exclusively use 20 round magazines... The 30s were really designed for machine guns and are far to big to be worn on a waist belt... That and I can not think of anything that I want to shoot 30 times without reloading that I wouldn't be alright with if I could only shoot it 20 times...

LOL! This is great. I wholeheartedly agree. I'm gonna go place an order for some new 20rnd P-Mags from Grant.:D

[wichaka]

That and I can not think of anything that I want to shoot 30 times without reloading that I wouldn't be alright with if I could only shoot it 20 times...


Wait til the elephant comes a trumpeting.........then me thinks you'll wish you had the extra rounds.

[telecustom]

I run the Surefire M900A at home and at work. I I like the fact that nothing is hanging off the side of my weapon.

[toddackerman]

I just installed a Surefire Scout and I love it. It meets all of your criteria. Typically, it will be outside of the prince range you are looking for but I was able to pick mine up on ebay for $140 NIB. Its bright and light.

http://www.copquest.com/18-6000_extra.jpg

I hope this helped to SHINE A LITTLE LIGHT on the subject.

$140 with the tape switch? Come on!!!

[cabbynate]

I run the Surefire M900A at home and at work. I I like the fact that nothing is hanging off the side of my weapon.

I agree I to like this set up. It's gets hard to get around a corner close in if you have a light hanging off the side. the light can also be blocked by the wall.
I have see some people mount lights like the Scout on the bottom rail and run the touch pad on the rail or vertical grip... I have a carbine with a 7" rail so I do not think this will work for me as I like a vertical grip (Scout on bottom rail). Maybe on a mid length AR-15 or longer though it would be cool....

[CLHC]

I have a carbine with a 7" rail so I do not think this will work for me as I like a vertical grip. Maybe on a mid length AR-15 or longer though it would be cool....
Just curious here. Isn't the SF.M900A a VF? It doesn't work in conjuntion with a 7" rail? :confused:

[cabbynate]

Just curious here. Isn't the SF.M900A a VF? It doesn't work in conjuntion with a 7" rail? :confused:

Sorry for the mix up. I'm talking about the Scout mounted on the bottom rail. My set up is M900 like.;)
At least for now......

[Magsz]

Unless you run your VFG all the way up front on the rail i think you should have plenty of room to mount the scout light on a 7 inch rail in the 6 o'clock position.

Anyone care to comment further on this?

[cabbynate]

Unless you run your VFG all the way up front on the rail i think you should have plenty of room to mount the scout light on a 7 inch rail in the 6 o'clock position.

Anyone care to comment further on this?
You may be right as the Scouts mounts are close to the rear of the assembly. I only have a Pentagon MS2 and it mounts in the middle so it makes for a tight set up to say the least...
Maybe some can post a pic of a set up with the light mounted on the bottom rail?

[toddackerman]

Lights on the bottom have an inherant problem, and that is that you can't rest the weapon on any type of support, like a barricade. This includes the SF.

[RD62]

That's why I like the offset mounts like the VTAC and the new VLTOR.

They tuck the light in nice and tight around the 11:00 or 1:00 position depending on preference.

I find it less susceptible to knocks in tight, it's clear of low barricades allowing the forearm to be rested if one chooses, you may have a vertical barrier block some light, but this tendency is definitely reduced, easy activation, and keeps the beam relatively in-line with the bore.

It works well for me.

Ideally I would prefer a 12:00 mount, but with my preferred standard FSB I haven't found a mounting solution I like yet.

-RD62

[cabbynate]

The new Vltor mount is VERY nice. Looks like it tucks in better than anything I have seen so far......

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh186/nateholl3/Vltormount-800x600.jpg