What's on your weapon?

Having a battery eating light on a weapon really bites if your out for a few hours. I am thinking of going LED or a longer burning Lamp. (if there is one)
For those of you who have them on weapons, what do you use and how long is burn time?

I have a 1911 and a Mossberg 12 gauge both with Surefire X200s. Surefire claims 60 minutes of "tactical" light with 30 minutes of declining light. Personally I've never timed them so I can't remark on the accuracy of the claim, but I CAN say that your arms will be long dead tired before you run out of battery.

The X200 is very compact... since it's LED, no shock isolation required. But I find it a little harder to identify targets in the dark with the LED instead of incandescent. I also seem to squint a lot more with the LED output when my eyes are dark-adjusted.

I've got a Pelican M6 LED mounted to my Remington 870 12-gauge.



Runtime is about 2 hours to 50% brightness... I figure that if I have to have it on for longer than that, I've got problems that no shotgun is going to solve.


What sort of weapon are you looking for a light for?

I just bought a new Streamlight TRL-1 (on a SIG 226r), which kicks tooshie in terms of output. I'm amazed that they got a fantastic amount of LED li9ght from a 3watt LED. I think I may have a "hot" LED, as it's much brighter than my pelican 3watt LED...

-dan

X200 :rock:

SureFire forend on my HK94. It's basically a 6P and has a P61 in it. It uses an intermittent tape switch, so I only ever use it for short bursts of light.

Tritium Nite Sites

It it my thinking that the weapons light is rarely used and that runtime would not be that much of a factor. Used in practice and used when things get really ugly.

Streamlight Scorpion on my 870.

Have used it in classes/competition for about three
years. No failures. I see no reason to upgrading to
Surefire dedicated lights.

Some of my handguns have tritium inserts.

SF M4 on 11.5 inch DPMS. Streamlight M3x on Glock and SF model 302 (old) on SW 4506 converted to .45 super.

http://img451.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0056small8jg.jpg

All have been used when things have gotten really ugly.
Ron

My pistol has a laser devices Las-Tac II. I am probably going to change from the incan head to the LED

My Shotgun has a Laser devices OP9.

Later I'll probably change to a Pentagon LED light.

vtunderground said:

...Runtime is about 2 hours to 50% brightness... I figure that if I have to have it on for longer than that, I've got problems that no shotgun is going to solve...

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Agree, I don't think you need a super long running light on a defensive weapon. An hour is sufficient IMO.

I have an incandescent but when LED's can finally outperform this setup, I will switch over. Hopefully, the Lumiled K2 will perform as advertised.

Man...all these slick lead spitters with nice lights...my Glock is jealous...and I keep procrastonating on buying a AR.

CHC said:

Tritium Nite Sites

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I concur. I'd much rather have a handheld light, so I don't have to point at something just to see it. If I were entry man on the SWAT team it'd be different..

ACMarina said:

I concur. I'd much rather have a handheld light, so I don't have to point at something just to see it...

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Weapon at the low ready with the proper light (meaning not pencil thin beam) will allow you identify your target without violating safety rules like pointing your muzzle on an unidentified object. For me, I need to be able to ID at around 7-10 yards minimum. I can do it with this light since the spill is very broad. The light one chooses must be up to the task. If your goal is to temporarily incapacitate visually, you need lots of light at a small area. If your goal is identification using a weapon mounted light, a broad beam is what you want. It really comes down to training with your configuration (pistol/rifle mounted light) and knowing your operating limits. I do agree on the safety aspects of how one implements the light for their purpose.

X200A on a Pistol. Don't want to worry about an Incan burning out when I may need it most.

Digilight LXK-53b. Fully regulated, runs on aything you can fit in it, and it puts out about 75 lumens. (TW0J in it)

Those CR123's were pretty weak, with some good ones it should do 90-100 minutes.

CM, what about the old "Bad guy will shoot at your light" theory? Is that applicable?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about buying a new light and all..I just don't know that I want one on my Glock..

ACMarina said:

CM, what about the old "Bad guy will shoot at your light" theory? Is that applicable?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about buying a new light and all..I just don't know that I want one on my Glock..

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Yes, absolutely applicable and excellent point. That's why you never want to leave your light on constantly. Light on to ID, shut off, then move. Never leave it on long enough to give your position away. In one of the classes I took, the instructor keep drilling us "if you're not shooting, you should be moving, if you're not moving, you should be reloading..." or something to that effect. Remember, the Harries flashlight technique as well as the Rogers hold are just as vulnerable methods if improperly done. You can always physically separate your gun and your light (hold light up high and hold gun down low) but if you had to fire, you lose valuable time since you have to bring your hands together to position gun on the target. Much slower than taking the gun from low ready to firing position which is a small arc. You could always fire Dirty Harry style--unsupported single hand. Only works on teevee though. For a handgun, I'd still use the Rogers or Harries with the weak hand providing some kind of support. I don't like mounting a light on a pistol since it limits your holster options. I'm by no means an expert but these are the things that work for me.