Best Weapon Mounted Light?

I'm l;ooking to add a light to my AK and wondered if any of you guys are into weapon mounted lights and could point me in the right direction?

I want something unbreakable (within reason) something that has a ton of throw, with some sidespill.

The idea is to have a light that can be used for "game" on a forrest trail (cleared 10 ft to sides) that will illuminate it and the trail like a train in a tunnel.

The HD45 5W X-bin I just won would be perfect if it had a PB on the back but I assume there are better more use specific lights out there.

I don't need any pressure pads etc, just a momentary on the back I can work with my thumb.

Any suggestions? Anyone with actual run time on various lights out there?

Is Surefire the only option, or does Pentagon give them a run for the money?

Thanks for any info you can give me.

oregonshooter,

Personal experience with the Surefire M3 on an AR15. SFM14 or SFM16 barrel mount is attached permanently to the rifle. Only weighs about 1 oz. - very small. On the light itself, and permanently attached, is the SFM31 "high" mount. This is what they call a "classical" mount for the flashlight. Pictures on Surefire's website. Mounts available (and pictures) from LPS Tactical (lagger-pro.com). The SFM31 "high" mount does not prohibit the flashlight from being operated by hand when desired. SOEgear.com M6!!! holster is needed (there is a new website name for John's holsters but I don't remember what it is). Flashlight has a football-shaped beam that can be oriented horizontally or vertically according to taste and need by loosening/re-tightening, loosening/re-tightening until the football is oriented the way you like it. From then on, you will change batteries from the tailcap end to avoid disturbing the orientation of the football. Tailcap is a "lockout, rotate-to-arm, push on, rotate-further-for-constant-on" tactical tailcap. 125 yds. distance with the regular head, 175 yds diatance with a turbohead. All distances cut in half if you close one eye when you shoot. 20 min. runtime with the high-power /125yd. bulb @ 225 lumens. Same for the high-power /175 yd. turbohead bulb. The only thing I am not sure of is whether the SFM14/SFM31 combo will clear the AK47 stock just underneath. You need 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch vertical clearance for the flashlight handle to extend back and underneath the forestock to where your left hand grips the stock. Activation of the light will be by a fraction of an inch forward rotation of your left hand against the tailcap. Recoil will turn the light off.
If there is a better gun light, with easier attachment and activation, I haven't found it yet.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Flash,

I'm having trouble finding your parts though. SFM14 or SFM31 are showing up on a search of SF's site nor in google. SOEgear.com is dead, but SOgear.com is a paintballer site which the search for SFM31 does not return anythign either.

The M6 is huge, but I'm liking the idea of the M4 with 350lum head if the torch head will clear the barrel. I'm wanting to have something in a 1" tube for ease of mounting with a QD scope tube to a 1913 rail on the forend grip so I can easily remove it if need be, but am willing to go dedicated for extra throw.

Anything bad about the M4 besides run time? If I can get 225lum @ 60min with a long throw, I'll be a happy camper.

So does anyone else compete with SF in this area?

oregonshooter,

1. Go to Wayne Lagger's site @ LPS Tactical (lagger-pro.com), and look up the parts under "Universal Housings and Options". There will be a picture of the M14 and M16 mounts in the left hand column. I prefer the M14 mount because it has a little more purchase area on the barrel than the M16 mount. These are the barrel mounts. Underneath the pictures will be a list of all of the mounts, and in this list, you will find the M31 "high" mount that goes on the flashlight itself. Mine M31s stay on my M3s permanently and still allow the lights to be used as a hand light without too much trouble. Surefire will have a picture of the completed assembly on their website under "weaponlights/rifle and carbines/classical mounts", but I think you are right - they will not have part numbers. I just buy all of my parts from Wayne and Micky at LPS Tactical. SFM14, SFM16, and SFM31 are the formal part numbers (for "Surefire Mount") but Wayne Lagger justs list them as the "M14, M16, M31" on his website. He knows what you mean once you explain it to him. IT DAWNS ON ME THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY SPECIAL MOUNTS JUST FOR THE AK47 IN ONE OF THE OTHER COLUMNS. IF SO, WE ARE INTO "PLAN B" POSSIBILITIES. Sorry, I think in solutions for AR-15 only.

2. I would VERY MUCH advise against the M4 for the following reasons. The M4 was developed, I believe, to be a high-power, long-range, sniper light, and in this role it performs very well. Unfortunately, it doesn't do anything else. It is too long to carry in anything, too heavy to move over distance, too heavy to swing when mounted on a weapon, too limited in function and purpose, and a pain-in-the-*** in general. If you only have to move a short distance, or function from a barricaded position, this might be an option.

The reason that I recommended the M3 is because of the versatility. In 60 seconds, it can become an M4 by screwing on a Surefire A-19 battery extension, or a "lighthound.com" MC123, hard-anodized battery extension, using the KT-4 turbohead and then choosing your bulb for performance - The MN-60 for 225 lumens for 1 hour, the MN-61 for 350 lumens for 20 minutes, or the N-62 for 500 lumens for 3 minutes (and M6 performance before thermal shutdown for 3-4 minutes for battery cooling). This is all in addition to the other M3 configurations and capabilities: M3 with regular head and the MN-10 or MN-11 bulbs, M3 with KT-4 turbohead and the MN-15 or MN-16 bulbs, M3 with the KL-2 (for 15 hours of runtime) or the KL-6 for 90 minutes of runtime in a great, shockproof shotgun light. I run all of my M3s with a regular head and high-power MN-11 bulb all the time for size, weight, ease of carry. I can always "configure up" for dedicated throw or whatever as needed. I just "creep" a little closer, that's all.

The SFM14/SFM31 mount combination WILL clear the barrel (in a turbohead configuration) by about 3/16 of an inch or so, but you will NOT be able to get a filter cover on this configuration. It will not clear the barrel without modification and if you DO modify the filter cover, you will incur heat damage with subsequent firing. This is one reason that I always use the regular M3 head. It lets me "filter up" with any option, as well as give me minimum weight and size.

The M3 DOES have a 1" tube for mounting purposes. I am not sure what a QD scope tube to a 1913 rail on the forend grip will look like or how it would function, so I cannot recommend anything there. I tend to be prejudiced towards simplicity, quick-disconnect, light weight, and ease-of-carry and operation. I absolutely would NOT go "dedicated function" with a permanent configuration. I feel that this limits the use of the weapon too much. I have to carry this thing 14 hours a day and I can tolerate the addition of 1 oz. of weight in a barrel mount for a simple quick-disconnect and a foolproof operation by pushing against a tailcap. Anything more begins to tax my sense of humor. Sorry, philosophical hardening-of-the-arteries.

3. Nobody competes with Surefire for dedicated weaponlights or mounts. This is their "raison d'etre". Everyone else is a pretender.

4. Sorry. After I posted this, I realized that I forgot to address your holster problem. Apparently, "John" from the former "SOEgear.com" separated and went his own way. He is supposedly building his own website to sell holsters but is not yet organized. Some people have reported a problem getting in touch with him. I have not tried. I have 30-40 of their holsters and some are great, others needed re-design. Their M6 holster is great! This is the holster that you need for the M3, no matter what confuguration the light is in. This holster will fit all configurations of the M3 or M6 (BUT NOT THE M4 - IT IS TOO LONG!!!). If you cannot get this holster, the "Blackhawk M6 holster" should be a nearly identical option in both form and function.

Hope this helps.

Flashdark,

Thanks for the great post, I'm with ya now. Your points on the M3's versatility have convinced me it's the way to go.

I take it you don't find the turbo head to be that much better of a beam? Does it spread the beam more. or create better throw?


EDIT: Found the answer...

If you need to use this light for long distance spotting instead of close quarters combat distances, you can purchase a "Turbo Kit" separately which includes a replacement head and lamps that focus the light into a much tighter beam.

Click to expand...

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/surefire_m3.htm

I have been using a sremlight tl-3. have it mounted on my ar-15 and my 870. The one in the ar has been modified with 2 li-ion 17500 and a h1499 bulb. It is rated at 370 bulb lumens and it out throws any of the factory weapon lights. Being rechargable it saves you a lot of money, I am getting abiut 45 minutes run time, I have left the stock bulb in the one mounted on my 870. 211 lumens is plenty bright on a a 50 yard weapon. Best of all you can get mount, bulsrecharges, preassure switch all cheaper than just a surefire light.

m4 will have tons of throw
and up to the task as a weaponlight

Flashdark,

I bought the M3T and am very happy with it and it's throw. I can easily ID 55gal drums at 100yrds + that were completely hidden in shadows, and I have an off weapon light with lots of functionality which the M4 would not give me.

Good scoop, thanks again!

oregonshooter,

You are very welcome sir.

Flashdark sends