Recommend Me a 2xAA Weaponlight

[AAlight]

1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?

I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.

2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest! :-)

Less than $250.
BUT
I’m flexible, tell me what you gotJ.

3) Format:

I want a Weaponlight.

4) Flashlight-specific format/size:

2xAA so 6-7 inches. The lighter the better.

5) Emitter/Light source:

LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)

6) Manufacturer:

Either, as long as it is reliable

I want to buy a light from a traditional mass producing manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
I would consider getting a light that is pieced together (for example a “host” or flashlight body from one manufacturer, and a “drop-in” emitter from another source). Under the right circumstances, this path can provide more options to the consumer to meet specific needs, and can often be easily upgradeable as technology improves.

7) What battery type do you want to use?

I intend to use alkaline batteries (AA) as an emergency backup
I intend to use lithium primary batteries (Energizer Advanced/Ultimate Lithium AA) as the main source of power

8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).

I want to illuminate my entire backyard or a campsite (150-300 lumens).

9) Throw vs. Flood: At what distance will you be most likely to use this light? Select all that apply.

Less than 1 yard/meter (reading, other close work)
Less than 5 yards/meters (looking for something inside a dark shed/garage/basement)
5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
30-50 yards/meters (I have a big backyard)
50-150 yards/meters (I live in a very rural area/farm with wide open spaces)

To be honest I have no business shooting at something farther than 100 yards away from me.

10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum output).

60-90 minutes seems like a decent balance between brightness and runtime

11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase “you get what you pay for” is very accurate for flashlights.

Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Caving, Survival).

12) Switch Type and location (choose all that apply):

I want a forward clicky (Helpful for momentary activation and signaling).

13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.

A simple on-off with only one output level is fine for me.

I don’t know.

14)Material/Finish/Coating

I don’t care.

15) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any below.

Must have a 1" or .8" diameter so that it can be mounted to an AR-15 (This is because almost all the lightmounts are made for the Surefire P or E series flashlights).

For logistical reasons (mainly just tired of buying CR123a's for two flashlights), I have decided to move my pistol light (X300) and AR-15 Weapon-light (6P LED) over to AA alternatives. For my pistol I plan on ordering an Insight WL1-AA. However for my AR-15 the weapon-light choices seem much narrower, as in there aren't really any dedicated purpose built weapon-lights.

An AR-15 is not exactly a harsh recoiling rifle so I'm not TO worried about the light becoming damaged. However from what I have read the recoil MIGHT cause a light with multiple settings + a clicky switch to alternate between the modes. Is this true or internet rumor?

Next up are the Chinese manufactured lights (Fenix, Eagletac, Olight, Quark, etc) reliable enough for a two way range? I trust Surefire with my life, cause guys who run into danger trust them with their lives. Would a Fenix or other Chinese light crap out in any sort of serious or prolonged use? Have they been around long enough to be tested?

Next up mounting the lights and run time. The Quark X Tactical looks interesting but only .8 hours of run-time on Lithium batteries seems very low to me. Right now the Eagletac P20A2 MkII looks like the best choice. 1.5 hours ~280 lumens, .8" diameter, but Eagletac seems fishy as hell to me. There website is poop, and their contact info is a joke. In addition there flashlights look nearly identical to many of Fenix's. I am suspicious that it is just some Chinese company rebranding Fenix or another manufacturers lights.

 

[GaAslamp]

For logistical reasons (mainly just tired of buying CR123a's for two flashlights), I have decided to move my pistol light (X300) and AR-15 Weapon-light (6P LED) over to AA alternatives. For my pistol I plan on ordering an Insight WL1-AA. However for my AR-15 the weapon-light choices seem much narrower, as in there aren't really any dedicated purpose built weapon-lights.

Couldn't you mount another WL1-AA on your AR-15, or is it lacking in throw range for you?

An AR-15 is not exactly a harsh recoiling rifle so I'm not TO worried about the light becoming damaged.

I guess that's true, but as a shooter I prefer to stick with flashlights that were designed and tested (at least the design was tested, if not every flashlight) to withstand the shock of recoil repeatedly--it's additional insurance for reliability when your life may depend on it. Weapon lights are definitely a multidisciplinary subject, and while there appear to be a fair number of shooters on this forum, I daresay that most of us, as shooters, would agree with what I just said (same as on the many firearms forums).

On the other hand, there is a notion held by some that we're getting gouged by manufacturers of flashlights that claim to be suitable for mounting on weapons because this is such a niche market, and that otherwise well-built flashlights can withstand recoil (especially from an AR-15) just fine. :shrug: I wouldn't take that chance, personally (enough things go wrong with properly designed equipment as it is), but for instance nutnfancy over on YouTube is comfortable with using 4Sevens flashlights on his rifles, and I suspect that he shoots a fair amount, so he has the experience to back up his point of view. As far as I know, there is nothing special about the Quark Turbo flashlights he's demonstrating in this video with regard to shock resistance, which probably implies that many flashlights could withstand such abuse, although if you're not going to go with a purpose-designed flashlight, then you might as well go with something else that has a proven track record with at least one person.

However from what I have read the recoil MIGHT cause a light with multiple settings + a clicky switch to alternate between the modes. Is this true or internet rumor?

I couldn't tell you from firsthand experience, but I've read several firsthand accounts of this happening, and it is at least theoretically possible. In general, prudent shooters tend to avoid things that are theoretically possible whenever practically possible (clearly cost is a factor for nutnfancy, though--I guess my life is worth more than his...or I'm a sucker... :thinking:).

Next up are the Chinese manufactured lights (Fenix, Eagletac, Olight, Quark, etc) reliable enough for a two way range?

The good Chinese or Chinese-manufactured flashlights are pretty well built and reliable, I'd say, but few of them have design features that make them and their power cells more resistant to shock, such as potted electronics and springs on both sides of the battery tube. Are such additional measures necessary, just nice to have, or are they merely a way to justify exorbitant prices? Well, in the shooting world, as you're undoubtedly aware, there are few firm answers when it comes to things like reliability, and weapon lights are no exception. The most reliable firearm can jam when your life depends on it, just like you can hit a bad guy's center of mass with five .45 slugs and fail to stop him, while people are killed virtually every day by a single shot from a puny .22 handgun of questionable reliability (it happened to work that time). What you "go to war" with depends on your individual, subjective comfort level with the equipment you use and the price you paid for it (not that a higher price always means that something is better).

I trust Surefire with my life, cause guys who run into danger trust them with their lives.

They're one of the best, but they can still fail.

Would a Fenix or other Chinese light crap out in any sort of serious or prolonged use? Have they been around long enough to be tested?

Some of these flashlights have been tortured beyond what anybody would reasonably expect to encounter, and have managed to keep functioning--do a search on the various brands and "torture test," and decide for yourself what this proves. On the other hand, sometimes they simply fail on their own without being abused because these are imperfect mass-produced items (even happens sometimes with SureFire--many people say that they have good customer service, which means that many people have needed it, same as with every manufacturer).

I wish that I could answer your question statistically, but at the moment I can't--hopefully somebody else can. I would expect that more rugged flashlights such as SureFire and HDS, for example, will fare better than most others, statistically speaking, but there are people who have used Fenix and 4Sevens flashlights and others in the field (as in battlefield), and are quite satisfied with them.

Next up mounting the lights and run time. The Quark X Tactical looks interesting but only .8 hours of run-time on Lithium batteries seems very low to me.

With your throw range requirement, you wouldn't want the "X" Tactical anyway, you'd want the XP-G R5 Turbo version instead--that should get you to approximately 100 yards, maximum, for identification and shooting purposes, and with longer runtime.

Right now the Eagletac P20A2 MkII looks like the best choice. 1.5 hours ~280 lumens, .8" diameter,

Not exactly:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?272036-EagleTac-P20A2-amp-P20C2-Mark-II-(XP-G-R5)-Review-RUNTIMES-BEAMSHOTS-and-more!

The XP-G S2 version, which you'd want anyway over the XM-L T6 version, gives you a little more output and a little longer runtime than the Quark Tactical due to its higher-binned LED, and it throws a lot farther by design, but the Quark Turbo still out-throws it with its larger, deeper reflector (not by a large amount, but the Quark Turbo is already marginal for your purposes).

but Eagletac seems fishy as hell to me. There website is poop, and their contact info is a joke.

They're in the middle of a bunch of things right now, which happens to include revamping their catalog and website. However, there are more than enough satisfied owners on this forum to show that they're legitimate, I think.

In addition there flashlights look nearly identical to many of Fenix's.

Many flashlights of this class have the same sort of look. While some of them may share manufacturing facilities or even designers, they often look similar even when they come from completely different manufacturers that have nothing in common. :shrug: For what it's worth, EagleTac has some models that nobody else has, so I think that they're not merely a rebrander.

I am suspicious that it is just some Chinese company rebranding Fenix or another manufacturers lights.

As far as I know, EagleTac is an American company that has their manufacturing done in China (like most companies these days). I'm not sure where the flashlights are designed, but it hardly matters anyway because designs can be "borrowed" (especially in China :whistle:) no matter where the designers happen to live.