Scout Light benefits?

[shadow93]

I've been trying to search since I'm in the market to change lights on my ARs. I see lots of people using the scout lights, but going with the current line of thinking that more lumens is better why are they popular? As far as I can tell from spec sheets, they are twice the cost and only 1 really isn't anemic on lumens. So why would one go with them over getting say a P2x or P3x, a ring mount, and saving $100? The Arisaka body's give me the same question. I love their mounts but the lumens seem anemic compared to other popular options.

[Kain]

I'm at work so I can do a real detailed response, but first what Scouts you looking at? current M600Us are 500 lumens and with clicky switch i have seen selling new for sub 200. second there is more to illumination than just lumens. You have to account for throw. My older 200 lunen scout head has more throw with a tighter beam than my 320 lumen G2X. Also there is weight. Also one needs to take into account the mission of the light. It comes down to more than just gross lumen output when selecting a weapon light.

[shadow93]

Honestly, they haven't been at the top of my choices before I started looking into them. I was just looking at them due to their popularity. The Mini-scout is 300 lumens, and the Ultra is 600, and the AA models even less, and in this day and age people are generally looking for 500-1000. I figured their popularity had to due with either their flood or throw compared to others. And while I realize their is more to illumination than just lumens, lumens seem to be the easiest way to judge a lights output without having a bunch of models at your disposal. As a weight saving compromise I can see their benefit as the Ultra is only 5.6 ounces.

My mistake on price, just looked around and they're much cheaper than Surefire's stated MSRP.

[Slippers]

Some of the other light aficionados can chime in, but lumens isn't always the best measurement to go by when selecting a light since it doesn't necessarily correspond with the amount of throw, or how well focused the beam is to get light down range. Lux is a better measurement for this, but I don't believe Surefire lists this data.

If you have a 1000 lumen light that only has 5,000 lux at 1 meter, the performance will be sub par for a weapon light. Something like the Surefire M300C, with an output of "only" 300 lumens, is probably 10,000-12,000 lux, since the TIR lens on it has a very focused beam.

The scout lights are great because they are small, light, and have a wide variety of head choices, tailcap switches, remote switches, and mounting options. They're also built to handle the recoil of being on a firearm.

[Uprange41]

Honestly, they haven't been at the top of my choices before I started looking into them. I was just looking at them due to their popularity. The Mini-scout is 300 lumens, and the Ultra is 600, and the AA models even less, and in this day and age people are generally looking for 500-1000. I figured their popularity had to due with either their flood or throw compared to others. And while I realize their is more to illumination than just lumens, lumens seem to be the easiest way to judge a lights output without having a bunch of models at your disposal. As a weight saving compromise I can see their benefit as the Ultra is only 5.6 ounces.

My mistake on price, just looked around and they're much cheaper than Surefire's stated MSRP.

The Scout popularity stems from nearly unrivaled durability/reliability, and their TIR heads have outstanding beam patterns where the other lights tend to fall short on either throw or flood. They do a better job of getting light where it needs to be than most other lights of similar outputs. The Arisaka lights are right there with the Scouts in terms of beam, from what I've seen. They have a generous output, and direct that output well. IIRC, they mirror the M300 in general beam pattern, but the 2xCR123 version essentially doubles the runtime.

And as said, lumens aren't everything, it's how they're delivered. The Sidekick and M300 have the same 300 lumen output, but compare the beams. The Sidekick has a 1.1k candela rating while the M300 has a 9k candela rating. Guess which one belongs on a rifle? The G2X/6PX is going to be floodier and a little more limited on throw than the M300. Even my older 200 lumen EB1's will definitively out-throw the G2X, at the expense of a narrower beam, as Kain said. I haven't used the newer P2X, but the older 500 lumen one couldn't compete with the M600U in throw. It felt like a great "let me check the yard" light, but not something I want on a rifle. The P3X will get its light a little further without really sacrificing the spill, but in a bulkier and heavier form factor.

On rifles, where I care about things like form factor, weight, interface, and durability, and where I value getting the light to the target more than I value illuminating an entire football field, the M600U is the sweet spot. I've used the G2X, 200 and 300 lumen M300, earlier 500 lumen P2X, P3X, and Inforce WML. The M600U (and X300U) is what I keep going back to for long guns. It does everything well for me.

[Outlander Systems]

OP, I wouldn't get wrapped around the axle on paper specs.

If I lived in Wyoming, I might want as much throw and lumens as I can get.

If I lived in urban Atlanta, I would probably be more interested in getting as much spill as I could, with a reasonable amount of output.

There's no perfect solution available on the market. Choose the compromise that works best for your area and needs, and soldier on.

Either way, I'd want the smallest-form-factor-to-output-ratio-available, which either the M300/M600 deliver in spades.

[Mrgunsngear]

OP, I wouldn't get wrapped around the axle on paper specs.

If I lived in Wyoming, I might want as much throw and lumens as I can get.

If I lived in urban Atlanta, I would probably be more interested in getting as much spill as I could, with a reasonable amount of output.

There's no perfect solution available on the market. Choose the compromise that works best for your area and needs, and soldier on.

Either way, I'd want the smallest-form-factor-to-output-ratio-available, which either the M300/M600 deliver in spades.

I was about to say the same just in a different way.

Back in the early days of the channel I did a video on the Elzetta flood vs. standard lenses on the exact same 650 lumen light. My camera wasn't as good as the one I have now but I think it still shows the difference that a lens shape really makes (although they're both putting out 650 lumens).

[Outlander Systems]

Great example with the Elzetta. An adjustable focus would be awesome on weaponlights, for variable environments. Intellibeam seems like a cool concept, but I'd love even a binary hot-spot/spill setting available.

Side note: you totally need to do a Mustang video.



Slightly on-topic. After having a '13 Mustang with the HID lights (my wife inherited it from me), my Nifty 150's traditional headlights are such a joke in comparison it ain't funny. I considered HIDs gimmicky until I spent a year with them.

I was about to say the same just in a different way.

Back in the early days of the channel I did a video on the Elzetta flood vs. standard lenses on the exact same 650 lumen light. My camera wasn't as good as the one I have now but I think it still shows the difference that a lens shape really makes (although they're both putting out 650 lumens).

[Canonshooter]

As already pointed out: beam pattern, durability, size, weight and UI.

For my carbine, I like the ability to quickly attach/detach the WML (I have other dedicated HD weapons that wear WMLs 24/7) so I use a Malkoff M61T MDS in a Vltor QD mount. It gives me the beam pattern (TIR optics), durability and reasonable form factor with the added ability to easily remove the light when not needed and use of the MD2 in hand-held duty.

For a WML that's going to live on the rifle, the Arisaka 300 is tough to beat.

[trinydex]

i would say the most important feature of a weapon light is how well it integrates for switching, how reliable that switching is and then how well the back up switching works (usually another switch native to the light body).