Help! Need a bright, but focused light for LE use

k9hutch

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Jun 13, 2004
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I ran into this last night...suicidal party exited house after shots fired. Surefire Fury provided overwhelming light onto the suspect, but also lit up the arrest team approximately 25 + feet away in the corona. The lumens worked wonderfully and were the right amount; however I would almost like something with a little more focused beam.

Would an XPG setup give me the beam I am seeking? The light has to be belt carried for availability and preferably no larger than a single 18650 sized model.

Any thought or help is appreciated!
 

Gunner12

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If you just want a hotspot and no spill, you'll want an optic or an aspherical light. What price range would you like?
 

k9hutch

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I don't think I have defined a specific price...I am flexible. Aren't all of the aspherical lights fairly long and bulky?

Maybe a Surefire UB3T?
 
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LightCrazy

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Have you tried the Streamlight Strion LED? Not sure how it compares, but I have it mounted on my duty AR. It is also nice on the belt. Be Safe!!
 

enomosiki

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LX2 Lumamax.

It has TIR optics that produce tight spot and minimal, but usable, spill that won't blind everyone around you.

It has roughly half of the amount of output as the P2X, but the fact that the spot is so concentrated means that it has the same throw and spot intensity.
 

Gunner12

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The Surefire UB3T would work, but reviews say it is about the size of a smaller 4 CR123/2 18650 light. It seems bigger then you like.

The Lenslight might work, but it might not have enough output or have too focused of a beam.
 

twl

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Elzetta 2-cell ZFL-M60 with the tailswitch type of your choice.
I use the Hi/Lo clicky, but they have several types.

The light module that it comes with, Malkoff M60 is a focused thrower type beam with about 235 lumens, and throws about 150 yards. It uses a TIR optic with 8 degree beam angle, and it's pretty tight.
The beam quality is awesome which is typical from Malkoff.

The entire Elzetta light is a solid as a rock, and is made to be military and law-enforcement grade throughout, and has tactical switch options.
It's made for the kind of use you describe. You'd be very hard-pressed to find a better light for that use. I think the quality and ruggedness exceeds Surefire.
This is NOT a "toy light". This is a hard-use military grade instrument, Made in the USA.
Also, it is weaponlight rated, and can take all the recoil you want to give it, from pistol to rifle to 12-ga shotgun, and keep on going. Weapon mounts are also available.
All Malkoff P60 style drop-in light modules are interchangeable in this light.

Definitely worth a look, for somebody in your line of work.
 
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k9hutch

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You know, I do have a Malkoff M60 sitting on the nightstand in a Z-3/clicky. It somehow got pushed back to this duty as I had switched over to XM-L lights (Surefire Fury Defenser and Klarus XT-11) for their lumen output. I may have to rotate this one back into the lineup if I can't find something better in the near future.
 

lightfooted

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I still have an XR-E P60 drop in that I keep in a Solarforce L2P because while I tend to prefer floody lights overall...I just can't bring myself to get rid of such an awesome spot light. It's not as bright as my XM-L drop ins but if you want a tightly focused beam this is it...while I'm guessing that the spill might still light up those around the target it won't be quite the dazzling brightness as the xm-l. If you need a new host for your Malkoff and don't have a Surefire around...I can recommend the Solarforce...yeah it's no Surefire but it also doesn't cost near as much and with an S7 switch it will work just like the Surefire twisty caps.
 

nathan225

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Mar 16, 2010
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I think maelstrom g5 is pretty tightly focused and it uses the xpg which would probably be better for that then the xml lights
 

ScaryFatKidGT

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May 19, 2011
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Id get a Deree light Nightmaster and carry it along with the Furry. or maybe a L1 with emitter swap? Milky ML-1 or a LX2
 

anethema

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Mar 21, 2010
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Actually the Armytek Predator might be right the kind of thing you're looking for. The reflector is deep so it does not light up a huge area around the hotspot.

Here it is:

DSC_6073a.jpg


Compared to say, a Maelstrom G5 as mentioned above:

DSC_6074a.jpg


Or Fenix LD40:

DSC_6076a.jpg


The UI is whatever you want to program it to. For simple, just program one mode on, and you have a single mode light. It is forward clicky with momentary too. I really like mine. That being said I'm probably going to sell mine and buy a Maestrom S12 because for camping the lit up area is probably a little too focused. But for your application it sounds perfect.

PS: Images from here, they arent mine: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...ments-and-beamshot-comparison-to-other-lights
 
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