Outdoor flashlight suggestions

[bratch]

We recently moved to a neighborhhod on the far edge of town. Acre lots, houses back off the road, and very dark at night. We are one of the few houses that leaves exterior lighting on.

Tonight we had someone walking our fence shining a light all around. It turns out they were looking for a missing dog.

With this experience I've decided to look into lights for checking the peremiter. My thoughts:

1. Small enough to be managable with a pistol
2. Prefer single mode with momentary on/off but not required
3. Lots of throw we have pretty good distances between houses

Is anything out there a step up from my G2Z?

 

[riceboy72]

Sounds like you want a thrower. The Tiablo A9 or A10 along with any of the Dereelight DBS flashlights are considered to be among the best in the thrower category.

If you Google both, you will be able to compare both. Also, www.candlepowerforums.com is a great source to learn about lights. Just about any of the quality throwers out there are a sure bet to see the furthest of distances in a compact package that's portable, pocketable, and reliable. No more Mag Lite size lights.

 

[LAK]

Just an aside. If you can not light up a target at night with a "two cell" Streamlight or SureFire, they are a good ways off from you.

One could counter and suggest that the light is needed not necessarily for shooting at those longer distances but rather just for identification. The problem though is that once you have lit up a badguy or badguys - who happen to be armed - you may be compelled to do so.

It sounds to me as if you might be better off starting with a shotgun platform at least - perhaps a rifle instead. There are plenty of powerful lights out there. The question is can you shoot as well at those distances with a pistol.

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Je Suis Prest

 

[bratch]

Thanks guys.

CPF is my go to light site much like THR but it seems to be down for maintance. I'll look into the Tiablo lights.

Pulled up Google maps and the neighbor houses range from 50-150 yards so that so give an idea on the throw needed.

Longguns would come out for any known threat, if I'm just seeing what the dogs are barking at it'll be a handheld light and CCW, 99% of the time its going to be a deer, coyote, or squirell.

 

[LAK]

Then why not post flood lighting controlled from inside the house that would illuminate out to those outer boundaries? That would allow some observation - with the aid of a bonocular if needed - from in side the house without exposing you to something un-necessary.

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Je Suis Prest

 

[45crittergitter]

Check out the Streamlight PolyTac HP.

 

[45crittergitter]

Make that the Polytac HP LED (I don't know if there's a Xenon version).

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Another vote for any of the rechargeable Streamlights.

 

[riseagainstforme]

Go to walmart. 110 lumen coleman light with adjustable throw for $25.00 and at that price you can get a few. I just got one for my wife's truck and it's nice. I've had a coleman for my work truck for over a year, other than a few scratches it works great still.

I don't like rechargeable lights cause once they're dead you gotta charge them. Not to mention Coleman lights use AAA's which is what is use for my 72 hour kit and food storage. So all my batteries are the same.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I'd just mount the DC charger in a work vehicle and always have a fully charged light. A spare battery stick is always an option of a very heavy user. A Streamlight Stinger will outperform an AAA powered light. Since I work nights, I carry a full size Streamlight in my car and a Stinger on me. I'm never in the dark.

 

[Matt304]

OK I am going to tell you right now what the best flashlight is you can hold in your hand with a pistol.

BAM: http://www.batteryjunction.com/incendio.html

350 lumens from a CR123 and it's the size of your thumb. Make sure to use 16340 or RCR123s--the 3.7V rechargeable batts. Not 3.0V.

Nothing else touches it. That thing cranks.

End of story.

And P.S.

It throws.

 

[Robert Palermo /Penn Bullets]

Go to light junction and look at the nitecore Infilux II 330lumens at the emmiter and runs on 2 cr123s or one 18650 rechargeable and features a mag ring for infinite variable brightness and strobe function. This thing is unreal for its size and it Throws.

 

[FruitCake]

Streamlight Stinger LEd.
Just get a couple of extra battery sticks and keep them charged.
Talk about nasty light.
Has strobe, momentary, high , low and medium.
Continous will run for 2 hours.
I'm a mechanic and I use it all day and it gets the crap beat out of it and it still works.
And its made in the US of A.

 

[SentinelStrategic]

Look into the new SureFire G2X. 200 lumens for 2hrs, and $55 cost. It's a fantastic deal.
Otherwise, if you want SERIOUS light, get a G2 or 6P, and install the TNVC TX-4 Cree 600lumen LED head. It will turn a 6v flashlight into a 600lumen light for 71 minutes.
http://www.tnvc.com/shop/tx-4-cree-led-600-lumen-conversion-head/

200lumens is about where you want to be on the low end for an outdoors light.

 

[Cosmoline]

look into lights for checking the peremiter

I think this is a key point. You don't want to to blind people out looking for their dog with a high intensity tactical light. Nor is a weapon mounted light quite appropriate, for the obvious reasons. I'd suggest getting a wide-beam spotlight for this sort of thing. Something that's rechargeable and can sit in its docking station by the door. The tac lights can still be on the weapons, of course.