Cree/SSC light for a pistol??

[Hallorann]

Hi guys,

I've been out of the flashlight world for a few months, so I'm a little behind on what's new.

When I first started reading the posts here back in April of last year, the Cree/SSC LEDs had recently become available, and where causing quite a stir!!

I purchased an AmiLite T5 as well as a Fenix P1D-CE, and have been very happy with the Fenix (the AmiLite burns out emitters when used with R123As).

So now I have a new question. I'm interested in purchasing a light that can be attached to a pistol with an accessory rail. Given my satisfaction with other Streamlight products, at this point I am most interested in the Streamlight TLR-1:

http://www.midwayusa.com/mediasvr.dll/highresimage?saleitemid=711505

Is this one the best available at this time?

What would REALLY be cool would be a pistol light that uses a Cree/SSC LED!! Has anything like this become available??

Thanks!

 

[USM0083]

I have one on an AR. It's compact and bright. The 80 lumen rating would appear to be torch lumens, and the throw is excellent for such a small reflector. I've seen it as low as $95.00 on sale, so the price/performance ratio can't be beat.

For use on a handgun, I would recommend it. For a rifle, less so, simply because it doesn't quite have the output and throw for anything beyond 30 yards (in comparison to a Tiablo A8S and a G3 with a LF SR-9 and HO-9). That being said, it stays on my AR because its a decent light, and any light is better than no light, IMO.

I believe the Surefire X300 uses a SSC emitter.

 

[Hallorann]

Thanks for the reply.

Since the TLR-1 uses 2 of the 3.0v batteries, would it be appropriate to use a 17760 in this light?

 

[USM0083]

Do you mean a 17670 battery? With a length of 67mm it replaces 2 CR123s, but only in applications where the batteries are stacked one on top of the other, and where the voltage, ~4.2 Volts off the charger is supported.

Like many weapons lights, the batts in a TLR-1 are side by side. I'm not sure if a TLR-1 can support 2 x 3.0 volt RCR123s. I'm pretty sure standard RCR-123s at 3.7 volts would blow the LED.

 

[CM]

I've converted many TLR-1's and some TLR-2's to Seoul LED. With a typical Luxeon T bin, I've typically seen over 100% increase in total output. With the proper shim, the beam (throw) is virtually identical. A Seoul SSC LED swap is what the TLR's need to make them outperform.