Pistol light/1st post

[Preacherman80]

I'm new to this site and I need some help with a light for my pistol. I own a .40 Taurus 24/7. I would really like a light and laser combo. I also want something that is pretty bright too. This seemed like the place to find the answers. Thanks for any help you might have.

 

[SoCalDep]

My personal recommendation (take it for what it's worth) is as follows:

Surefire makes the most bomb-proof handgun weapon-lights I've tried, and I've tried a few. The X400 (light and laser) isn't cheap at all, and in fact might cost a bit more than your pistol. Another option is the Streamlight TLR-2 or TLR-4. They are both durable and work well, though if someone gave me the choice of either or the Surefire, and I had the money, I'd go Surefire.

If you go with the TLR options, make sure you tighten the rail lock and check it...I've seen them come loose and detach from the pistol during shooting.

If you don't "need" a laser, the Surefire X300 gets my top vote, but the Streamlight is a good value at around $100....Same warning re: locking screw. Who knows when they will become "retail available", but Surefire has now introduced the X300 Ultra which has a 500 lumen output. It's super cool and I was very impressed with the samples they sent us to evaluate.

 

[SoCalDep]

P.S. Welcome to the forum! Be advised....This place will become addictive.

 

[bnemmie]

+1 for the X300 or X400. I have both the X300 and older X200 and love them both. All aluminum construction makes it durable and being a Surefire means it should work when you need it to. Just my .02. Oh, and Welcome.

 

[madecov]

Surefire and Streamlight are the two best choices depending on budget.

 

[tfbit]

This.

Surefire and Streamlight are the two best choices depending on budget.

 

[Preacherman80]

Thanks for the great advice. I was leaning towards the streamlight but wanted some advice from someone that actually owned one. With that being said do you guys know of a good place to buy this light. Cheapest I've found is 249.00 frI'm Optics Planet.

 

[tj4xfun]

my tlr-2 takes a beating and has never let me down. i have seen some shooters have feeding issues (rounds jamming or not loading from the magazine into the barrel) while shooting with a light mounted to a handgun. most issues were solved with a tighter or different grip and more focused trigger control. other issues required replacing the slide spring with a stronger one.

basically what i'm saying, if you mount a light on your handgun, practice, practice, practice with it. 99% of handgun shooting issues are operator error!!!

 

[SDM44]

I have both the X300 (170 lumens) and the TLR-1s (160 lumens). Both are great lights and both have their pro's and con's. However, they're both about the same brightness when illuminating up a 30x30 ft room, but the TLR has more spill and the X300 has a brighter hotspot.

There are lots of comparison reviews out there, including videos, but I will say this. The material on the X300 is much more durable, and you notice this when you're shooting a pistol with the lights on it. On my Glock 19, both lights stick out further from the muzzle, and both get quite dirty when I shoot with them. However, everything just wipes away on the X300 but you can see a small hazy 'burn' on the TLR surface. It doesn't affect anything on the light itself, just the finish on the light.

Both are really good lights. Overall, I prefer the TLR-1 because of the way the controls work for me and how the light is emitted, but I like the look & finish/quality of the X300 better.

 

[chaparral]

I have an Insight Technologies M6 mounted to a railed 1911 that I bought used several years ago. I like the user interface since I can use either my index finger from either hand to activate it. The housing is plastic but it survived a six foot drop about two years ago and has continued to function since. Output is supposedly 160 lumens with an incan bulb and I feed mine Tenergy RCR123s that are 3.0V with no problem.

Last April I had the undesirable opportunity to use it to chase a known rapist out of my yard at around 9PM. I'll say that I wished I'd had an Olight SR90 mounted to the damn gun...160 lumens seemed like pipsqueak output but actually looking at the light in a mirror, I can safely say that he did not see me, only my light and that yes, his scotopic vision was indeed disrupted for some time afterward. I'll say one other thing about that warm incandescent light; it preserved enough of my own dark-adapted vision that I could see his accomplice a few doors down hiding behind parked cars. I'm not sure a cooler blast from a more powerful light like my BC 40 would have allowed me to pick up on that.

 

[Rocky1927]

Surefire x300 is great. I own two and when the Ultra comes out I will buy it with no reservations because I have never been disappointed with a Surefire product. And as mentioned before, both lights and this website are highly addictive. Welcome!:D