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Thread: Green Light for a Weapon Light?

  1. #1
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    Green Light for a Weapon Light?

    In reading about night vision (human night vision, not night vision equipment) they say red or green light preserves human night vision better than white light does. Humans see more detail using green light than red. So if they preserve your own night vision, why would not weapon lights in green be superior to white? Has anyone used a green weapon light?

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    Because green light doesn’t illuminate near as well as white. The goal of a WML isn’t to illuminate some details while preserving natural night vision, it’s to spotlight the **** out of all the details so the shooter can have the best information to make the best decision.

    If you’re worried about low signature or maintaining natural night vision, that’s almost the opposite goal of a WML.


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  3. #3
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    Lasermax makes the Spartan series which has a minty green light.

    I've never used one myself, but the reviews I've read folks seem to really love the light. Only problem is lasermax has sometimes spotty quality control.


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  4. #4
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    Get one, try it out, and compare it to a high quality white light and let us know what you think. Be aware, though, that if you are asking this question, you are in the don’t know what you don’t know phase of low-light training and education. Maybe go to a good class on the subject with a good white light first, then try to apply what you’ve learned at home with a green light. Aaron Cowan might have some You Tube videos to interest you about light use and desirable characteristics.

    What Wake27 said applies. I’ll add that a powerful white light can be a sort of weapon in itself, gaining compliance. They can also be used to provide lighting in a room while performing a secondary search or SSE.

    Dudes that **** **** up for a living use white lights, and its not because green is unavailable.
    RLTW

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    Disclosure: I am affiliated PRN with a tactical training center, but I speak only for myself. I have no idea what we sell, other than CLP and training. I receive no income from sale of hard goods.

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    1168, yes, those are all the reasons I was looking into an LEP light (not LED). Comments about LEP lights are they are too bright and pinpointed. Then I ran into the hog hunting world and they like green light. Nobody has mentioned it but it just looks from pictures like green light leaves more of a light trail back to the shooter than white light which is a huge downside if true. The hog world may not apply since hogs do not shoot back.

    In reading up on human night vision it is said it takes 1/2 hour to adjust to the dark. A few seconds of bright light spoils this and you have to re-adjust. But in shining a weapons light, you are not being illuminated, your target is being illuminated. Does this mean you only marginally suffer this temporary loss of night vision and your target suffers more?

    Lights are expensive. It would be nice to get a green light just for experimentation. But it would be cheaper to ask people who have used one, say for hog hunting, if that green light was tactically applicable.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Bullseye View Post
    1168, yes, those are all the reasons I was looking into an LEP light (not LED). Comments about LEP lights are they are too bright and pinpointed. Then I ran into the hog hunting world and they like green light. Nobody has mentioned it but it just looks from pictures like green light leaves more of a light trail back to the shooter than white light which is a huge downside if true. The hog world may not apply since hogs do not shoot back.

    In reading up on human night vision it is said it takes 1/2 hour to adjust to the dark. A few seconds of bright light spoils this and you have to re-adjust. But in shining a weapons light, you are not being illuminated, your target is being illuminated. Does this mean you only marginally suffer this temporary loss of night vision and your target suffers more?

    Lights are expensive. It would be nice to get a green light just for experimentation. But it would be cheaper to ask people who have used one, say for hog hunting, if that green light was tactically applicable.
    Dude, no one uses a green WML for HD/SD. That’s a clue. Sure, you’ll lose your natural night vision but unless we’re talking about fighting off gangs after the world collapses, flipping on the lights should be done pretty soon after you’re done shooting. Even with multiple attackers, it’s super rare that people stick around for a gunfight after they’ve been shot at.

    1. Get a bright ass light.
    2. Illuminate intruder and decide if shooting.
    3. Shoot until safe.
    4. Turn on lights.

    The brightest flashlight in any color won’t give you what your normal house lights will.


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    OK Just exhausting it as an idea.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Bullseye View Post
    1168, yes, those are all the reasons I was looking into an LEP light (not LED). Comments about LEP lights are they are too bright and pinpointed. Then I ran into the hog hunting world and they like green light. Nobody has mentioned it but it just looks from pictures like green light leaves more of a light trail back to the shooter than white light which is a huge downside if true. The hog world may not apply since hogs do not shoot back.

    In reading up on human night vision it is said it takes 1/2 hour to adjust to the dark. A few seconds of bright light spoils this and you have to re-adjust. But in shining a weapons light, you are not being illuminated, your target is being illuminated. Does this mean you only marginally suffer this temporary loss of night vision and your target suffers more?

    Lights are expensive. It would be nice to get a green light just for experimentation. But it would be cheaper to ask people who have used one, say for hog hunting, if that green light was tactically applicable.
    I’ve heard that hogs can’t see some color lights. I don’t know if that’s true, but it would explain why those dudes use those lights. LEP would make sense in that case. For swine, not humans.
    RLTW

    Former Action Guy
    Disclosure: I am affiliated PRN with a tactical training center, but I speak only for myself. I have no idea what we sell, other than CLP and training. I receive no income from sale of hard goods.

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    Green Light for a Weapon Light?

    Quote Originally Posted by 1168 View Post
    I’ve heard that hogs can’t see some color lights. I don’t know if that’s true, but it would explain why those dudes use those lights. LEP would make sense in that case. For swine, not humans.
    You know....I wonder if anybody has made an LEP in infrared? It wouldn't have as much bleed into the visible spectrum as regular LEDs.

    Edit: I'm going to go Google this

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    Are you looking for a light to conduct searches or simple navigation? If you really need to search while preserving your night vision then a handheld light with a filter is probably the best option. As already stated a weapon light is primarily used to ID threats and disrupt their OODA loop. You want bright white light for that IME. Also weapon lights shouldn’t be used for general searching since the muzzle goes wherever the light goes.

    For simple movement in the dark, I use one of these on my duty rifle. It’s perfect for approaching a location for an arrest or search warrant without broadcasting I’m there. It keeps me from tripping over sprinklers, exposed roots, etc.

    https://princetontec.com/product/switch-rail-mpls/
    Before you suggest that licensing, background checks, or other restrictions for the 2nd Amendment are reasonable... Apply those same ideas to the 1st and 4th Amendments. Then tell me how reasonable they are.

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