Looking for long throw Cree based weapon light

[sgtlmj]

Hi all. Haven't posted here in a while, but I need a quick recommendation.

Our sniper team is in the process of switching over to semi-auto rifles for a number of reasons and we need a good light source that isn't too expensive.

I'm thinking of something Cree based (just bought a P1D, holy cow!) that has a larger smooth reflector or collimating optics for a long throw. Looking for target ID at 100+ yds. Remote switch is preferred but not required.

I currently have a SF Scout w/ L1 head on it, and I can see targets ok at 100yds, but am always looking to improve.

I see tons of Cree based lights out there on eBay for under $100. LumaPower, etc. We would need something that a mount is available for. VLTOR makes a scout-type mount in a few different sizes. They currently have:

E-series Scout Mount
Model# SM-E
Flashlight widths:
0.810 - 0.826 inches

G-series Scout Mount
Model# SM-G
Flashlight widths:
1.025 - 1.040 inches

C-Series Scout Mount
Model# SM-CK
Flashlight widths:
1.010 - 1.026 inches

So, in a nutshell: Cree light, long throw, good mount available, affordable on a limited budget.

Thanks in advance,

sgtlmj

 

[sgtlmj]

Anyone?

LumaHunter MRV?

 

[GoingGear.com]

The Lumapower D-Mini and M1 both have impressive throw and would probably work well for you. I have bought 10 or so of the CREE and SSC lights available, and the Lumapower ones are easily my favorites in the general utility category. The MRV is supposed to be even better. As far as mounts, I do not know of any that are made specifically for Lumapower lights. Do zip ties count as an available mount?

 

[Jackyl]

I'm dropping a WolfEyes D26 Cree into my Surefire 6P. In order to do so, I replaced the KL3 head with the new "Defender" bezel. 135lumens @ 2 Hr. runtime. They also offer an "HO" model that's suppose to be 160+ lumens. I have the Z59 clickie tailcap with the 6PD in a VLTOR mount @ 9 o'clock to be actuated with my thumb. (No VFG.) Nice setup man.

Might check the WolfEyes lights or a KL3 head with Cree mod...???

 

[TITAN1833]

ultrafire 6p with drop in cree,they also do a remote switch.not as good as surefire but cheaper.

 

[ryball]

http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1555

 

[Jackyl]

FYI, that mount is polymer. (Junk)

 

[riffraff]

Is that an M468 pictured? What caliber?

 

[DaFABRICATA]

Does it have to be Cree or are you open to other options?
What is your budget?

I have bought several Surefire Millenium series Weaponlights that are great!!!
Look on ebay for good deals, you'd be surprised at some of the prices!
For instance, just last night, I called my friend and told him of a Surefire M962 weaponlight for $150.00 Buy-It-Now. It is a 9volt light with A.R.M.S throw lever mount (Soooo much better than the dual thumbscrew(I have both)

For my rifle I have a few different options: I have a Surefire M972XM07, a M962XM07, and a M951XM07 weaponlights with both the SF pressure switch and SR switch.
The M972XM07 features a Arcmania Turbohead module and REALLY Throws, I can also swap it out for a Seoul SSC P4 Turbohead module that I assembled myself.
In the M951XM07 weaponlight I have a Cree Drop-in module(available from Litemania here on CPF) it is only $30 for the module. I bought the weaponlight on ebay. I was lucky to purchase the parts separatly and assembled my light for only $75.00!! instead of $344.00 NEW. The throw on the Cree is amazing, but I decided to make it even better. The drop-in unscrews. I bought a Cree reflector ($18) from the shoppe(also here on CPF) and disassembled the M951 head. Next I put the reflector in from the top and reassembled. Then I used the spring that came with the drop-in and put it around the threaded light engine and put a few O-rings on top to isolate it from any accidental electical contact.
It throws ALMOST as well as the Turbohead.....Very nice beam!!!
I post pics shortly....

 

[benzo]

I bought a wolf-eyes 6hx with the cree drop in. It has a remote switch and the throw is amazing! I just sought a G2 and comparing them side by side, the wolf-eyes is much brighter than the G2. Mike from PTS provides amazing customer service too and gives a discount to CPF members. I have the 6hx mounted on a mossberg and it has taken the recoil from about a hundred slugs pretty well.

 

[CDI]

I have been eyeballing my Millennium light for a couple of days trying to figure out how I would mod it for a Cree. Was that hard to do? Edit: Whoa- someone sells a drop in for the 951 series? Where??

The other thing that I'd like to do is change the incan in my A2 to a LED. Anyone done that?

 

[CDI]

Is that an M468 pictured? What caliber?

No, looks like a DPMS .308.

 

[Patriot]

A 6P with cree drop in would work well because the body is easy to mount on a Picatinny rail. The above link for lighthound works well.

Believe it or not, the Surefire X200A throws very well for a 3W Luxeon. I can shoot white, 12 inch, steel plates at 150 yards through a 3X Leupold with that little thing. I have it mounted on the left rail and actuate the switch with my thumb while holding onto the M900A which is mounted on the bottom rail. I don't use it very often because the X200A works so well. I like the X200A because it has a low profile, is lightweight, has good runtime, and at very close range (7 yards and under) the diamond shaped beam acts as a point of impact indicator.

Someone here at CPF may be able to mod an X200A with Cree or SSC if you're unhappy with the 3W.

 

[warrior]

Super Thrower:rock:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3356

 

[2xTrinity]

The Lumapower D-Mini and M1 both have impressive throw and would probably work well for you. I have bought 10 or so of the CREE and SSC lights available, and the Lumapower ones are easily my favorites in the general utility category. The MRV is supposed to be even better. As far as mounts, I do not know of any that are made specifically for Lumapower lights. Do zip ties count as an available mount?

Agreed. I like Lumapower's stuff, especially if you're looking for Cree, their lights are probably the most well built, at least until surefire releaess their Cree lights. My lumapower M1 has great throw, but the MRV would be even better as a weapon light -- good build quality/durability, and it has a deeper reflector which will lead to a brighter collimated beam, and less overall spill. If you want ot go small, D-Mini has the most "bang for your buck" in terms of throw, for how small it is. But the MRV looks to be the longest throwing weapon-mountable LED light available. Hotspot intensity is 20,000 lux @ 1M, or over 3x the inteisty of the M1 which is my longest throwing unmodified LED. (I have some aspheric lenses that project a square image of the die ridiculously far, but those aren't very practical for a number of reasons).

 

[DaFABRICATA]

I have been eyeballing my Millennium light for a couple of days trying to figure out how I would mod it for a Cree. Was that hard to do? Edit: Whoa- someone sells a drop in for the 951 series? Where??

I had to bore out the LU60 adaptor to accept the Litemania Cree drop-in module. It was a PERFECT upgrade....longer runtimes/ brighter than the p60 or p61 bulb/ won't burn out......The reflector mod was very easy to do. The hardest part was getting the black ring around the top of the bezel off.

 

[boosterboy]

Two potential choices.

1. Lumapower MRV with a Daniel Defense off set mount. When used with a vertical foregrip, you can use your non-dominant thumb to depress the clickie. The Viking Tactics offset mount is cheaper too.
The MRV's external diameter is 25.5mm, which is very very close to 1".
FYI 1"=25.4mm. This would be your best bet since the MRV is a throw monster.

(edit) An offset mount would be better for you, since it makes easier for your thumb to reach the clickie, and it puts the light below the muzzle where the smoke can't distort the beam as much.

2. Cree drop-in module with a Surefire z32 shock isolated bezel?
This just me speculating, but the z32's shock isolation would help, but the throw isn't great. You'll have access to the infinite surefire legoing choices of switches.

Just remember to stock up on lamp assemblies. Lumapower usually sells replacement assemblies for around 30$ shipped.

 

[boosterboy]

Just curious as to why your front Troy BUIS are mounted on the gas block. The gas block is not on the same plan as the receiver rail.

I have the same gas block as you, and the only option is to get the Samson Quick Flip FFS-EXT

 

[DaFABRICATA]

Just curious as to why your front Troy BUIS are mounted on the gas block. The gas block is not on the same plan as the receiver rail.

I have the same gas block as you, and the only option is to get the Samson Quick Flip FFS-EXT

Yeah....gun parts are expensive...I'm saving for a monolithic rail front handguard for it, like the troy industries on the Smith & Wesson M&P15T. I have to buy one piece at a time...

 

[2xTrinity]

Just remember to stock up on lamp assemblies. Lumapower usually sells replacement assemblies for around 30$ shipped.

While I can see the advantage of possibly having a spare (even an entire spare light), why is it needed to stock up on multiple LED assemblies? It's not like incan where the lamp assemblies burn out fairly frequently.

I could see stocking up on different kinds of LEDs, such as a red assembly (night vision preservation), IR (night vision scope), warm white (should cut through fog better), and the standard cool white. I don't think lumapower makes anything like this, but I'd probably buy a red assembly for my M1 if they made one.