ExtremeBeam Anti-Recoil system--does it live up to its claims?

While I was at B&H a couple of days ago, I saw a few ExtremeBeam lights which had some proprietary "Anti-Recoil" system. The packaging claimed that the light could handle recoil up to .50 BMG.

One thing for sure is that their impact resistance rating is a bit higher than most of the other lights I've encountered, at 1.8m. (For reference, the Nitecore SRT7 and Fenix LD20 are both rated for 1.5m impact resistance.) Even so, I am highly skeptical as to its ability to withstand the recoil of a gun chambered for the most powerful rifle caliber widely available to civilians. While I hold no ill will towards ExtremeBeam (and I absolutely do not want to see this turn into a brand-bashing thread), I would really like to see an ExtremeBeam light tested on something like a McMillan TAC-50 rifle to see if it really is as resistant to recoil as they claim it is.

I understand there have been some controversies about ExtremeBeam on this forum before and I have read these threads. As such, please keep a cool head and don't bash ExtremeBeam even if their lights fail to perform as specified.

--DragonLord

The only reason extremebeam got into trouble here was there over the top marketing claims, implying that the Vatican Guard or "Royal British Army", etc... for example was buying their lights, as opposed to say, A guard, or A soldier, etc.

It kind of killed interest in them...so, most never got to SEE if they were good, or not.

If they have a great way to handle recoil, sure, bring it. Even magnum pump gun recoil is pretty harsh on some lights, let alone M60 recoil, etc. If the electronics are potted, the switches sturdy, etc, and the threads have enough overlap, etc...after that, its mostly about the cell inside not "jack hammering" back and forth under fire. To control that, and not have the light flicker as the cells is rocked to and fro...you need stiff coils that have a spring rate well matched to the loads. If done right, the cells stay somewhat still relative to the light as the mount goes back and forth, etc.

If the .50 BMG is a sniper rifle, etc, the recoil is not that much different from a 12 ga, etc...in that most have brakes that can reduce the recoil by 30% or more, are very heavy guns that help absorb the recoil, and so forth.

I HAVE seem some cheap lights literally disintegrate from recoil forces, ending up in pieces.

TEEJ said:

If the .50 BMG is a sniper rifle, etc, the recoil is not that much different from a 12 ga, etc...in that most have brakes that can reduce the recoil by 30% or more, are very heavy guns that help absorb the recoil, and so forth.

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.50 BMG is a rifle caliber originally designed for use as an anti-materiel round in heavy machine guns for destroying enemy vehicles and equipment. It has been used as an anti-personnel sniper round for some time (as in the aforementioned McMillan TAC-50 sniper rifle). However, more and more snipers today are using .338 Lapua Magnum, which is purposely designed for maximum long-range accuracy, has significantly less (but still substantial) recoil, and doesn't require an exceptionally heavy (typically 25-lb) rifle to shoot.

--DragonLord

I think he meant a sniper rifle as opposed to a machine gun. And he is right, in general recoil is on par with a 12ga shotgun shooting 1oz slugs.

raz-0 said:

I think he meant a sniper rifle as opposed to a machine gun. And he is right, in general recoil is on par with a 12ga shotgun shooting 1oz slugs.

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Correct. A Barrett 50 cal sniper rifle for example would be another one that is available in 0.50 BMG.

So, sure, some other sniper calibers and brands, and some other .50 BMG weapons, are out there....and, as you expressed an interest in the 0.50 BMG as their example, its confusing to then post something that sounds like you didn't like the example?



So, the point is that if you have a 12 ga as mentioned above, you can get about the same recoil as the Barrett 0.50 BMG/Tac etc....w/o needing to go get anything as exotic for comparison. (I'm in NJ...a BB gun is considered the same as a 12 ga or .338 Lapua Magnum, etc)

In fact, a 12 ga pump gun is about the toughest semi-auto flashlight test bed that most of us might have. For an advertisement though, using a 50 cal I think would impress the great unwashed more.

The .577 T-Rex recoil on the other hand is famously violent, albeit I've never seen one in person....just youtube videos of shooters being thrown backwards, etc. THAT might impress in an ad as well or better than the 50 cal.

TEEJ said:

The .577 T-Rex recoil on the other hand is famously violent, albeit I've never seen one in person....just youtube videos of shooters being thrown backwards, etc. THAT might impress in an ad as well or better than the 50 cal.

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The reason for this is that a .577 Tyrannosaur rifle is not typically equipped with a muzzle brake. .50 BMG rifles almost always have a muzzle brake. Muzzle brakes are often not allowed for hunting in Africa (and elsewhere) because of the increased noise which can damage hearing even with appropriate protection.

--DragonLord

Being in possession of one of the M1000 lights, I thought I would chip in at this point. I did review this light, and mentioned the fact that Extreme Beam do 'certify' the M1000 for weapon mounting on .50BMG. They will replace or repair the light if it is damaged by using it in this way. Though only anecdotal, I have been told that they genuinely have been tested fitted to vehicle mounted .50BMG machine guns.

Though this is all hearsay (so I am not making any claims here), the evidence I have is in the solidity of the build of the M1000.

Have a look at the review, and in particular the terminals. The terminal spring force is really substantial and significantly higher than any other light I have come across.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...0-Fusion-Review-(2x-18650-Li-ion-or-4x-CR123)

I have no doubts that this light will take serious shock and shrug it off. However the cells themselves might suffer. I have already partially crushed a couple of 18650s in this light, as 2x protected 18650s are longer than 4x CR123. Really this light was designed for the CR123s, so for 18650 use you have to undo the head a couple of turns, or like me you end up with 18650s that have slightly caved in negative terminals.

The one test rig I haven't managed to organise for my reviewing is a vehicle mounted .50BMG machine gun. If anyone can help with this I will gladly put it to the test :wave: