AA flashlight on a weapon?

[MudPuppy]

I love high lumen flashlights, but I am a real big fan of the AA batterie over the C123a.

Why?

If things go south, it is going to be a lot easier to find AA batteries than anything else.

Now, I have some 180 lumen lights like they Fenix Ld20 and am willing to buy any other as long as it is 150. Lumens or more, and uses AA batteries.

So the question is..

Is there a light that has a weapon mount, remote switch, more than 150 lumens, and uses AA Batteries, and can handle being knocked around with 5.56 recoil?

Thanks

Mud

[goteron]

Insight was showing off a new AA powered weapon light at SHOT. I played with it, seemed to be pretty decent.

[patriot_man]

Like goteron said Insight is a good choice. Insight is the only company that I can think off the top of my head that makes AA weapon lights that are G2G

[MudPuppy]

I will see what they have

[mrtoyz]

MuddPuppy,
I've been thinking the same thing. I want rechargable and uniformity. RCR123's dont work in most lights because of high voltage. I want to use AA/AAA Eneloops, very good rechargables) and get away from CR123's all together. One factor to keep in mind. Weapon mounts generally come in 2 sizes .8" or 1".

BTW I measure all lights output and burntime by the Olight M20s XPG R5. (Three brightness levels plus strobe, 5 lm(600h)~115 lm(12h)~340 lm(4h)). Other than size and look its my favorite light to date.

I really think there is a need for a triple AAA light. When you put three AAA's together I'm pretty sure you could get a 1" light with great burn and output.

Here are some AA lights I've found that look interesting.
Insights new AA Weapon light. Little long but going in the right direction!
http://www.botachtactical.com/inwltaweli.html

Quark AA
http://www.4sevens.com/product_info....oducts_id=1620

Spark AA
http://goinggear.com/spark-sl5-180ow...lashlight.html

Zebralight works with AA or CR123! Very cool idea.
http://goinggear.com/sc80-220-lumen-...lashlight.html

Great sight that sells a ton of lights, even allow you to sort by battery type.
http://goinggear.com/

[Clint]

I wouldn't count on anything being available in stores if things go south.

CR123 Lithium batteries have a 10 year shelf life.

Buy a couple dozen online and drive on.

[EzGoingKev]

From what I have read, 123's are not effected by cold like AA's either.

[JSantoro]

That's a lithium vs. alkaline thing, not size/configuration.

I'm not aware of any 123 analogues in alkaline, but you'll see AA lithiums have more stable performance in the cold than a AA alkaline, in addition to many-but-not-all-of-them pushing more voltage (Energizer L91 = 1.5v, but there's 1.7v and 3.6v. offerings; be sure to read your labels!).

BUT, one has to make sure that whatever device you may cram AA lithiums into is capable of taking lithium. Not all devices out there can dual-hat batteries, or triple-hat, if one wants to toss rechargables into the mix; there's stuff out there that'll say alkaline-only, and it's best to pay attention to that, or risk...we'll call it an energetic complication. Gotta read the "Manufacturer's Opinion."

[maximus83]

I looked at the insight WL1 AA weapons light specs. The highest light setting isn't bad (150 lumens), but it only gives you 90 minutes.

This sort of highlights one of the dilemmas of going to AA battery-based lights vs CR123a. With AA you get lower cost (since AA rechargeables are available) and better overall availability of replacement batteries. However, it seems like you give up a lot of performance in the light itself. It seems like when you compare a CR123a based light to an AA light of the same approximate size and lumen output, usually the CR123a light is brighter and lasts longer.

For now, I'm staying with CR123a based weapons lights, for the reasons above. I get a more compact light with longer life and great brightness. It's worth the slight added cost of keeping some CR123a batteries on hand. Usually I just buy a big box of them at Battery Junction every so often.

[markm]

I wouldn't count on anything being available in stores if things go south.

CR123 Lithium batteries have a 10 year shelf life.

Buy a couple dozen online and drive on.

Yeah... this logic is completely absurd. Go to TheBatteryStation and buy a pelican case to hold cr123s in whatever quantity you need.

I keep one in my deployment bag, and spares in my carbean stock compartments.