Deciding on a weapon mounted light

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10-Ring

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Ok, I'm down to a UTL or a Surefire for my USP 45. The UTL fits ALOT better and has a pretty nice beam. The Surefire light is less expensive, has a better, upgradable beam and utilizes a nicer pressure switch.
I know it looks like I'm sold on the Surefire (and I almost bought one last summer, but the shop I freqent was sold out), but they bulkier than the UTL and that's a concern of mine.
Suggestions? Experiences?
 
The primary application will be for home defense. I'm leaning towards the Surefire & the Nitrolon w/ upgraded bulb. The only reservation is in its bulk.
 
I have very limited experience with the UTL so I can only give you some insight on the Surefire :)

If primarily for HD, bulk should not be an issue. I would go with the Millinium system for an output of 225 lumens. If you're sold on the Nitrolon, definitely go with the P61 HOLA for 120 lumens.

I like a minimum of 105-140 lumens for a light to deal with "problems". 225 seems to be the high end for me indoors. Any brighter and I tend to get too much splash ofs of light colored surfaces, especially white walls.

Surefire pro's: Build quality, 1st rate customer support, tight beam hotspot, versatility

Cons: Not a big fan of the pressure switch. I prefer the switching system on the Streamlight/IT M3.

Bottom line - if your life depends on it, make it Surefire. Battery prices are down and look to stay that way so the shorter run time of the HOLA should not be an issue.
 
So Vern, the shorter run time when using the 120 lumen bulb isn't an issue? Just a matter of changing out batteries 3X more often?
 
Run time isn't an issue for me. In the balance of having enough light vs not having enough at the expense of run time - I go with the higher output bulb on all my Surefire w/the exception of 1.

Defense of self and those you care about isn't cheap or easy. Spend the $$ for the best equipment you can afford. Lights are that important and at 15 bucks for 12 SF123's you can afford it :)

Your amount of actual use will determine how long "20 minutes" of run time will last. Since we're talking intermittant use who knows? What I do is write the date on one of the batteries when I install them. When you replace them, that will tell you how long you used that set. With other lights at your disposal for general use i.e. E2e or any other 6 volt with the LOLA (or even an M3 with the LED head), I think you'll find the gun mounted light will last quite awhile.
 
Which of these flashlights is best/most economical?

Folks, I've been considering a hand held lite like the Surefire, but I'm on a budget and don't want to spend a fortune for a good flashlight. I've got Mag lights and such, but I've seen how convenient it would be to be able to have a short but powerful flashlight to hold for night-time searches, etc., for home defense. I'd be holding it in my hand, not mounting on a gun, because my CZ 75B .40 cal doesn't have any accessory rails. Does anyone have any recommendations? Ideally, I'd like to have the most powerful light in the smallest package. Are LEDs an advantage over regular krypton bulbs and such? I don't know much about these specialized flashlights, but I'd certainly appreciate your advice. Thanks so much in advance, for all your advice, and please reply to [email protected]. Thanks again!
 
Go check out the Surefire G2 Nitrolon. I recently picked one up for $30 and I'm seeing more & more places w/ them at that price.
 
There was a recent discussion on SureFire battery life here.

If you're concerned about runtime on a weapon mounted light, don't be. You'll get more than the quoted 20 minutes with a P61 bulb if used intermittantly like it should be. But if you're working on your car with the muzzle pointed at your engine block, you've got other issues that need to be worked on... :D
 
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