Teufelhunden
Member
Let me precede my questions about pistol mounted lights with the caveat that I believe that having a pistol mounted light is not a way to meet all of your lighting needs. A quality, dependable, bright hand flashlight is still beneficial to the executions of one's duties in a dark area. I've read many threads about hand flashlights/pistol shooting techniques and I've also read an equal number of threads about how pointing a light mounted on a weapon at something you only want to illuminate, not engage, has some safety issues. As far as law enforcement is concerned, I believe that the two tools are complementary, not mutually exclusive, and can reside perfectly happily together on a duty belt.
Now on to the meat of the topic.
I need opinions on pistol mounted flashlights. There has been a recent battery of new products that all look interesting, but since I don't exactly live in Gotham, no local merchants stock any of these lights. I normally like to handle such purchases first, but aggregate opinions here have not steered me wrong in the past.
Surefire has their X200/(A)(B). Apparently the A series has a longer throwing, tighter beam, and the B has a wider less intense beam. I understand that the concern with a tight beam is that there won't be enough side-spill to locate threats peripheral to the focus of the beam, but just how tight is the A's beam? Web-folks have criticised the Inova T3 before as having a too-tight, spotlight-like beam for CQB/room clearing, but I have one mounted on my shotgun, and between its small sidespill and refracted light from interior walls (which are usually light colored) I don't feel that I am blinded beyond the focus of the beam. I am concerned about the lesser throw of the B version simply because I have to consider moving in and outside, not just being in a 15' room. Both lights are rated by the manufacturer at 60 lumens.
Streamlight has come out with their TLR series. I'm not terribly interested in the TLR-2, as I don't really have a use for a laser bulking up my pistol more. Though I have been disspointed by Streamlight products in the past by their inconsistant beam profiles (off-center hotspot, dark spots etc.), I am intrigued by their new light, mostly in the fact that it puts our 80 lumens for 2 hours. Is this accurate, or marketing BS?
There are many other pistol lights out there, but I am mostly interested in LED ones since informal surveys have found the intense white light of a LED to be more blinding than incandescent light. Most of my co-workers find my 40 lumen Inova T2 to be harder on the eyes than my 140 lumen Surefire 9AN. However, if you feel that your personal choice in pistol lights has a feature or ability which makes it worth mentioning, please do so. Given the cost of these things, this is going to be a one-shot deal for me.
Thank you,
Teuf
Now on to the meat of the topic.
I need opinions on pistol mounted flashlights. There has been a recent battery of new products that all look interesting, but since I don't exactly live in Gotham, no local merchants stock any of these lights. I normally like to handle such purchases first, but aggregate opinions here have not steered me wrong in the past.
Surefire has their X200/(A)(B). Apparently the A series has a longer throwing, tighter beam, and the B has a wider less intense beam. I understand that the concern with a tight beam is that there won't be enough side-spill to locate threats peripheral to the focus of the beam, but just how tight is the A's beam? Web-folks have criticised the Inova T3 before as having a too-tight, spotlight-like beam for CQB/room clearing, but I have one mounted on my shotgun, and between its small sidespill and refracted light from interior walls (which are usually light colored) I don't feel that I am blinded beyond the focus of the beam. I am concerned about the lesser throw of the B version simply because I have to consider moving in and outside, not just being in a 15' room. Both lights are rated by the manufacturer at 60 lumens.
Streamlight has come out with their TLR series. I'm not terribly interested in the TLR-2, as I don't really have a use for a laser bulking up my pistol more. Though I have been disspointed by Streamlight products in the past by their inconsistant beam profiles (off-center hotspot, dark spots etc.), I am intrigued by their new light, mostly in the fact that it puts our 80 lumens for 2 hours. Is this accurate, or marketing BS?
There are many other pistol lights out there, but I am mostly interested in LED ones since informal surveys have found the intense white light of a LED to be more blinding than incandescent light. Most of my co-workers find my 40 lumen Inova T2 to be harder on the eyes than my 140 lumen Surefire 9AN. However, if you feel that your personal choice in pistol lights has a feature or ability which makes it worth mentioning, please do so. Given the cost of these things, this is going to be a one-shot deal for me.
Thank you,
Teuf