Page 1 of 7 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 70

Thread: Help picking a carbine light

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Coshocton Ohio
    Posts
    16
    Feedback Score
    0

    Help picking a carbine light

    I’ve never actually had a carbine mounted light. Just curious what everyone is using and why. Any advantages to tail cap activated switch over the tape switch? How many lumens do I want? It will be going on an upper with an 11.5” barrel and a 10” Geissele mk4 rail with fixed BUIS.

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    2,688
    Feedback Score
    40 (100%)
    What's your intended purpose of the light? Home defence? If so do you live in an apartment or a home? Is it urban or rural with land? SHTF / truck gun? Or is the upper for duty use?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    SE KY
    Posts
    4
    Feedback Score
    0
    I Had a tlr1, non strobe, the battery door hinges let go while shooting a few tripple taps on targets. They don’t even answer the phone at streamlight, I won’t be buying another. I’ll be watching this thread too. Gl.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Coshocton Ohio
    Posts
    16
    Feedback Score
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by themonk View Post
    What's your intended purpose of the light? Home defence? If so do you live in an apartment or a home? Is it urban or rural with land? SHTF / truck gun? Or is the upper for duty use?
    It’s going to be my home defense rifle. I live in a rural area. It’s 302 yards from my front door, to my nearest neighbor’s front door. I also live a short drive from the Alliance PD range, and I’d love to do one of the shoot house classes there, which is going to require a carbine light.

    Quote Originally Posted by richief View Post
    I Had a tlr1, non strobe, the battery door hinges let go while shooting a few tripple taps on targets. They don’t even answer the phone at streamlight, I won’t be buying another. I’ll be watching this thread too. Gl.
    I currently have a TLR1 on the Glock 17 I keep in my nightstand.
    Last edited by dperdue; 03-19-19 at 19:48.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Coshocton Ohio
    Posts
    16
    Feedback Score
    0
    I’m a big fan of Surefire lights. I carry an older E2e in my pocket every day when I’m not at work. My employer provided me with an older 6p for work (maintenance in an industrial facility). I keep a Surefire M3 on my nightstand.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Kansas
    Posts
    519
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)

    Help picking a carbine light

    Cheapest
    Surefire g2x tactical and light mount $75-85

    streamlined in front of front iron sight
    Streamlight tlr1 $120
    Streamlight tlr1-hL $142
    Surefire x300u $270
    Streamlight tlr1 series tape switch $60
    Surefire x300 series tape switch $160

    Battery versatility
    Streamlight protac rail mount 1 AA or 1 cr123
    With regular clicky tailcap and tape switch $100
    Streamlight protac rail mount hlx 2 cr123 or 18650 rechargeable with clicky tailcap and tape switch $126
    Surefire m600df 2 cr123 or 18650 rechargeable just clicky tailcap $270
    Surefire tape switch $80-150

    Some are brighter, some have better throw, and some have a wider beam.

    I have all these lights except for the sf tape switches and the sf m600df but have heard good things.

    Some might say that the tlr1 and protac 1 aren’t bright enough at 300 lumens but I still find them to be solid lights.

    I don’t shoot a lot but every light in one form or another has worked great on both my ar15 556 & ar10 308 as I wasn’t sure what type of light I would like the best and they would find homes on other guns. With my limited experience if the light has 300+ lumens I’m happy and I find myself enjoying the lights with tape switches the best as it just makes things easier in my opinion.

    If possible find friends, shooting range or lgs that would has some of these lights so you can see what type of activation and placement you like best or just buy a lot of different lights like me


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Last edited by zombiescometh; 03-19-19 at 20:46.
    "The most important rule in a gunfight is: Always win and cheat if necessary." ~ Clint Smith

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Posts
    539
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    For performance on a budget it's hard to beat a Surefire G2X Tactical. There are enough decent mounts for it that you can have a solid HD light for under or around $100.

    I have the 320 lumen version from a few years ago and it's a tank. It used to be my EDC light before I had a rifle, and I beat the shit out of it. I've dropped it, thrown it, opened bottles with the bezel, and it's survived a couple wipeouts on my bike when I was in college (I fell directly on the light in my pocket both times). Hell, the ~3k 5.56/.223 rounds I've subjected it to seem mild in comparison. It's NEVER quit on me. I have it mounted on my KMR in a rather clumsy way (DD Picatinny mount at 9:00).

    https://imgur.com/a/v5SnvvW

    I bought a buddy of mine the 600 lumen version and an Arisaka inline MLOK ring mount to go on his DDM4V7. He has it at the 1:30 position (lefty), and it's WAY more low profile than the way I have mine.

    I also have an Olight PL2 Valkyrie at 12:00 on my MK18 pistol. It's a good, bright light, but I have a tendency to bump the ambi paddles when I pick up the weapon.

    If you have the money or want to save some weight and/or rail space on an already short rail there's the 1 cell scout lights from Surefire and Arisaka. I've been meaning to replace the G2X with a scout light, but I keep buying ammo, mags, and guns instead of flashlights...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    928
    Feedback Score
    3 (100%)
    What's the deal with the Inforce WMLs? I really like the simplicity and form factor.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    1,220
    Feedback Score
    6 (100%)
    For the rifle you describe and for the intended purposes, the Surefire Scout 300/600 or one of the Arisaka/Malkoff clones are hard to beat. The total set up will weigh between four and five ounces, and get your around 800 lumens with 20,000 candela/lux;




    As already mentioned, you can also mount any 1-inch body flashlight to a rail with the large array of mounts available. The pros of such a set up include a tremendous selection of good lights suitable for WML use, higher output and longer runtime. The other HUGE advantage IMO is with the right mount, the ability to easily & quickly attach/detach the light to keep the rifle as light and snag-free as possible when a light isn't needed and of course the ability to use your light investment as a hand held. If, however the light is going to live on the rifle, these set-ups are larger and heavier than the Scout option mentioned above.

    I prefer the ability to easily mount/dismount the light and not have it on the rifle when not needed. My preferred setup is shown below, a Malkoff Hound Dog 18650 (1,000 lumens/29,000 lux) in a QD Vltor mount;










    In the photo above, when dismounted the light goes in a kydex holster and the mount can be dropped in a pocket. Also shown is a Delrin battery case for carrying a spare 18650 cell.

    Finally, do NOT go simply by lumen output: the candela or lux rating better describes the beam profile, the higher the lux the more focused the beam (longer throw). For typical indoor HD use it doesn't make much difference, but for longer range outdoors the more focused (higher candela/lux) beam will illuminate targets at greater distances.
    EDC Light Builder | No Nonsense Everyday Carry Flashlights

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Not here
    Posts
    8,703
    Feedback Score
    0
    Streamlight is junk. I have broken Streamlights just mounting them on the rifle. I used to work for a company that sold Streamlights and I was the guy that processed all the warranties for customer returns. I saw more Streamlights come back than anything else, usually because they just can't stand any level of hard use. They might be fine for a temporary solution at a low price while you save money or shop for something better, but I would never consider Streamlight capable of HD abuse. I do have one mounted on a Glock--that I keep in a nightstand. But my HD carbine has a Surefure G2 with LED head kit and click button rear cap. It's been GTG since 2010 and has suffered all kinds of bumps and hits.

Page 1 of 7 123 ... LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •