Searching for a perfect hunting LED

[radim_cz]

Hello all, I am seeking advice regarding an optimal hunting torch. The whole thing has several constraints and issues and I am yet to find the perfect piece. I need this torch primarily for wild boar hunting.

Hopefully some of you had the same problem in the past and will share their experience.

Below I have summarized all the requirements I could think off. Can you please check them out and advice me what flashlight shall I get.

Thank you in advance for your hints!

The built:
The flashlight should be a "tactical" type that could withstand shooting from .308W when mounted onto a barrel via gun mount holder.

The flashlight should have a tailcap coil cord; at least as an optional accessory. The regular tailcap should not have any "fancy" operation modes OR it should be possible to fix a particular mode.

Rubber surface would be a bonus (like Inova torches).
--------

The color:
Another interesting issue is whether a different beam color would work better than the normal white beam. I have read some stuff that Cyan color is less disturbing, others said that red-orange color is not perceived by animals at all.

Can anybody give me a resolution whether I should get a torch with a different beam color, and if so what color is the best?

Out of the colored lights, I got attracted by Ledwave torches. Unfortunately I have not seen any other.

There is a post about Ledwave color LEDs, but its merely a promotional stuff so its hard to estimate what is true and what is not.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...owerForums - Knives/Multi-tools/t-115060.html
Out of the white lights I got attracted by
http://www.pts-flashlights.com/products/product.aspx?pid=96-98-99-103-108-6330
--------

The power:
The flashlight should not provide too bright light. Boars, at least where I hunt, are very sensitive to light aimed at them and usually run away. All I need is a "half-to-full moon" illumination from 60 to 120 yards - to be able to shoot safely. I use a 7x56 riflescope with red dot.

What lumen power do I need?
--------
Notes:
The price limit is about $120 without accessories.

Thank you in advance for your advice :huh:!

Radim

 

[Marduke]

I know that this isn't at all really what you asked for, but it's a useful hunting like for after you're done with the hunting part. The Rayovac 1AA Sportsman Extreme headlamp has a bright white beam with rotating diffuser, blue, and red flood. Red will preserve night vision, blue will make blood trails show up much better.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=169690
http://www.rayovac.com/flashlight/flashlight_sportsmanx.shtml
http://www.rayovacindustrial.com/products_flash_sport_xtreme.shtml

 

[looman]

Hello all, I am seeking advice regarding an optimal hunting torch. The whole thing has several constraints and issues and I am yet to find the perfect piece. I need this torch primarily for wild boar hunting.

Hopefully some of you had the same problem in the past and will share their experience.

Below I have summarized all the requirements I could think off. Can you please check them out and advice me what flashlight shall I get.

Thank you in advance for your hints!

The built:
The flashlight should be a "tactical" type that could withstand shooting from .308W when mounted onto a barrel via gun mount holder.

The flashlight should have a tailcap coil cord; at least as an optional accessory. The regular tailcap should not have any "fancy" operation modes OR it should be possible to fix a particular mode.

Rubber surface would be a bonus (like Inova torches).
--------

The color:
Another interesting issue is whether a different beam color would work better than the normal white beam. I have read some stuff that Cyan color is less disturbing, others said that red-orange color is not perceived by animals at all.

Can anybody give me a resolution whether I should get a torch with a different beam color, and if so what color is the best?

Out of the colored lights, I got attracted by Ledwave torches. Unfortunately I have not seen any other.

There is a post about Ledwave color LEDs, but its merely a promotional stuff so its hard to estimate what is true and what is not.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...owerForums - Knives/Multi-tools/t-115060.html
Out of the white lights I got attracted by
http://www.pts-flashlights.com/products/product.aspx?pid=96-98-99-103-108-6330
--------

The power:
The flashlight should not provide too bright light. Boars, at least where I hunt, are very sensitive to light aimed at them and usually run away. All I need is a "half-to-full moon" illumination from 60 to 120 yards - to be able to shoot safely. I use a 7x56 riflescope with red dot.

What lumen power do I need?
--------
Notes:
The price limit is about $120 without accessories.

Thank you in advance for your advice :huh:!

Radim

Durability from recoil and the ability to mount into a holder make this more limited as well as the requirement for a tape switch.

I hunt too and as yet have not been able to find a light that meets these requirements unless you want to spend mega bucks with the likes of surefire tactical lights and switches. Burn times as a rule are not long and how an LED will react to recoil I couldnt say. I suspect it would be better than the incan but there is also a lot more electronics here so therefore more potential to get it wrong.

I hunt best with a lamp (incan) that has a dimmer so i sweep on low with a red filter looking for the eye reflection. then I ram it up so I can see and ID the quarry and ramp it up further to check backdrop.

The quarry species will dictate how far you can push this - some will freeze and some wil spook, select 1st gear and leg it stage left.

Rubber around LEDs isnt common as this insulates and can cause heat build up rather than disapates.

Colour - I found a flip up cover (look at butler creek and similar) and it not difficult to drill through and add a filter colour to the flip up.

a rotary device would be handy but to be honest a dimmer is even better and LED dont really like dimmers and I am not aware of an LED that has a remote dimmer.

I have a Fenix P3D which is very compact and has a goodish throw but not enough for a .308 !!!

I have bought a Tiablo A8 and I like it - very good tight spot and a long throw but I still think you might be better of going 1 or 2 million on incan with a dimmer and a filter than looking at LED. How close are you getting and how far do you have to illuminate to check your backdrop ?

I am UK so my hunting demands and limitations may be very different to your.

I would look at the Lumapower MRV and the Tiablo A8 and the new/soon to be released A9.

The A8 works best on rechargeable 18650's so you will save spend on primaries quickly


Not sure I have helped much here though

 

[BoomerSooner]

Scoped rifle or iron sights?

Why LED over Incan?

 

[Wolfhound 9K]

my LEDs don't do as well as my incans outdoors... I don't hunt, but for anything 100'+ I do not enjoy the eerie spooky tint that my LEDs give

 

[radim_cz]

Durability from recoil and the ability to mount into a holder make this more limited as well as the requirement for a tape switch.

I hunt too and as yet have not been able to find a light that meets these requirements unless you want to spend mega bucks with the likes of surefire tactical lights and switches. Burn times as a rule are not long and how an LED will react to recoil I couldnt say. I suspect it would be better than the incan but there is also a lot more electronics here so therefore more potential to get it wrong.

I hunt best with a lamp (incan) that has a dimmer so i sweep on low with a red filter looking for the eye reflection. then I ram it up so I can see and ID the quarry and ramp it up further to check backdrop.

The quarry species will dictate how far you can push this - some will freeze and some wil spook, select 1st gear and leg it stage left.

Rubber around LEDs isnt common as this insulates and can cause heat build up rather than disapates.

Colour - I found a flip up cover (look at butler creek and similar) and it not difficult to drill through and add a filter colour to the flip up.

a rotary device would be handy but to be honest a dimmer is even better and LED dont really like dimmers and I am not aware of an LED that has a remote dimmer.

I have a Fenix P3D which is very compact and has a goodish throw but not enough for a .308 !!!

I have bought a Tiablo A8 and I like it - very good tight spot and a long throw but I still think you might be better of going 1 or 2 million on incan with a dimmer and a filter than looking at LED. How close are you getting and how far do you have to illuminate to check your backdrop ?

I am UK so my hunting demands and limitations may be very different to your.

I would look at the Lumapower MRV and the Tiablo A8 and the new/soon to be released A9.

The A8 works best on rechargeable 18650's so you will save spend on primaries quickly


Not sure I have helped much here though

Hiya Looman,

thx for your tips. The tape switch might not be the key requirement, IF the torch has a tailcap that can be half-switched to make light only when keep the my finger on it (which would also prevent the "click" sound).

About the dimmer - I have this on my father's Tikka but the whole light is clumsy and with lot of cables from external baterry, which is why I hate it. Maybe I should check for some compact lights with dimmer.

I considered Fenix P3D, but as you wrote, it probably would not survive the recoil of "fire-and-collect" .308W

About the Tiablo A8 - is says 200lumens - isnt it too much?

Cheers, Radim

 

[radim_cz]

Scoped rifle or iron sights?

Why LED over Incan?

I use 7x56 Meopta red-dot riflescope - its bit worse then Zeiss/Swar/S&B/Kahles, but way above anything "Made in China"

To be quite honest, I would not have a problem with Incan. Just from what I have seen most gun mountable lights were LEDs.

Any sugestions on Incan light that could fit into my parameters?

Cheers

R.

 

[BoomerSooner]

Those are nice scopes.

Since you're using a scope I see the need for a less strong light. However, the light still needs to reach far enough.

In incan, you might consider Streamlights Strion (I don't know if there is a remote switch for it) or, the TL-3 shockproof model which does have a remote switch. Of course Wolfeyes makes some nice gun models.

For LED, check out the Sniper, Explorer and Raider Gun Models from Wolfeyes.........

http://www.pts-flashlights.com/category.aspx?uid=1-99-104

http://www.pts-flashlights.com/category.aspx?uid=1-99-103

 

[looman]

Hiya Looman,

thx for your tips. The tape switch might not be the key requirement, IF the torch has a tailcap that can be half-switched to make light only when keep the my finger on it (which would also prevent the "click" sound).

About the dimmer - I have this on my father's Tikka but the whole light is clumsy and with lot of cables from external baterry, which is why I hate it. Maybe I should check for some compact lights with dimmer.

I considered Fenix P3D, but as you wrote, it probably would not survive the recoil of "fire-and-collect" .308W

About the Tiablo A8 - is says 200lumens - isnt it too much?

Cheers, Radim

the unit has a medium and a high setting - first depress hits the med 2nd press takes it to high.

StefanFS has given me tips to convert it to a tape switch and basically there is a resistor in the tail cap that is used to mediate between hih and low.
The tape switch can either be set for hig only or low only (or) i am guessing by wiring in two tape switches, you could wire in one tape for hi and one for low fronm the same tailcap ?

Only had it it few days and been out a couple of times but due to reasons beyond my control, I have used the gun mounted incan for the actual hunting. The A8 has only been used to sweep and to search for dropped quarry when on foot.

Titans mention of the Wiseled devices was very interesting but hardly cheap though. Might have a look at one of those.