Best Long Throw AR15 Flashlight

dlqdobro

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Nov 24, 2016
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Hey Guys... I signed up to this forum to try to get an answer on what my best option would be for my situation. I am a farm owner and I have a serious problem with Coyotes. I am looking for the best long thrower light to mount on my AR. I would prefer a light that easily covers 300+ meters. I have purchased a couple of different lights. First, I bought a Streamlight TLR-1s HP. It was OK, but I really wanted more. Second, my current light is an Armytek Predator V3 Limited Edition 1200 Lumen model. I like it a little bit better, but I've had problems with the switch since day one. The light blinks when I fire, and currently it has decided to just 100% stop working. I've read multiple threads on here, but I know technology is constantly changing and I'm curious if there's anything new out there that's mind blowing. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance...
 

Fredo1

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Nov 20, 2016
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I believe 2 of the latest products for long throws are the Acebeam K70 that retails for about $190. Plenty of lumens and shoots a beam roughly 1300 meters. The Thrunite Tn42 has a beam distance of about 1500 meters and retails for about $200. Because of the size of the heads on both of these , about 2/1/2 " mounting on an AR may or may not be an issue. Either of these lights will give you plenty of throw. The Trunite Tn 40 is also a possibility and will give you a bit more flood than the Tn 42 but also a very nice light. If the 3 I mentioned are a bit heady the Nitecore MH40GT is a nice light for a bit less money and has 1000 lumens and a throw of about 800 meters. Perhaps one of the seniors can chime in about the mounting aspects.

Good luck with the coyotes.
 

Illum

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Central Florida, USA
Before going on about whats long throwing.... what is your AR-15 chambered in? You can mount every single light on the forum, even the soda can lights, with an appropriate light mount onto a picatinny [mil-std-1913]....BUT, most lights are NOT DESIGNED FOR RECOIL :)

AR compatible uppers go from .17HMR to.....50BMG [though technically its not an AR anymore... the receivers just holding the trigger group :crackup:]. The biggest upper I've seen is .458 SOCOM. I can almost guarantee you that you'll destroy alot of lights if you disregard recoil as a limiting factor.

I've destroyed a handful of lights shooting straight 55gr 5.56mm, even surefire's on occasion, the battery behaves like a little ram rod that smacks against the bezel and circuit board assembly until something gives. If the driver is not potted to withstand the impact PCB traces may crack, inductors may shatter, and 100 rounds later all of a sudden the light quits. Several weaponlights have tight fits for batteries, or springs on both sides. I had a light once [whose brand I will not mention] that was multimode, 30 rounds downrange will run the modes nearly five times over, once everytime the battery loses bezel contact being held back by inertia.

Right now.... I run a Streamlight TLR-3 HL on the one chambered for 5.56mm. I'm not keen on using lights, but its effective sweeping the acreages at night when things go thud or motion sensors go off at night.
 
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Tachead

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Jan 3, 2015
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Northwestern Ontario, Canada
Hey Guys... I signed up to this forum to try to get an answer on what my best option would be for my situation. I am a farm owner and I have a serious problem with Coyotes. I am looking for the best long thrower light to mount on my AR. I would prefer a light that easily covers 300+ meters. I have purchased a couple of different lights. First, I bought a Streamlight TLR-1s HP. It was OK, but I really wanted more. Second, my current light is an Armytek Predator V3 Limited Edition 1200 Lumen model. I like it a little bit better, but I've had problems with the switch since day one. The light blinks when I fire, and currently it has decided to just 100% stop working. I've read multiple threads on here, but I know technology is constantly changing and I'm curious if there's anything new out there that's mind blowing. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance...

Why don't you just contact Armytek? You have a 10 year warranty on that light and they will gladly fix or replace it. You probably just got one with an issue(lemon) as it is designed for your use. You can even get a pressure switch for it if you want. Also, make sure you are using unprotected high drain cells like the Sanyo/Panasonic NCR18650GA 3500mAh(or primaries) as the recoil could cause issues with the PCB on a protected cell.
 
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TwistedX

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Nov 23, 2016
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How far did your stream light throw? Normally I would pm you for this but I haven't post enough yet, I might be interested in acquiring that light if it's for sale, I need something to throw about 200 yards as that's the furthest distance on my property. It's got to be a good light though, the neighbors dog is some sort of German Sheppard looking thing and I don't wanna mistake it for a yote at night.
 

CelticCross74

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Aug 30, 2014
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Fairfax Va
OP Armytek is the only manufacturer I know of that builds their lights to withstand recoil of a long gun. Now what kind of battery were you using? The best 18650 cell I know of purposely designed to go into lights mounted on long guns are the Fenix ARB-L2 3200mah and 3400mah 18650's. The positive contact point on these cells are raised flat tops designed to not lose contact with the spring at that end of the battery tube. The raised flat top positive end protrudes a touch more than a button top yet is as wide as an unprotected flat top cell. This is to ensure the positive contact under recoil. If you are using a normal button top that is your issue right there. As for the light Armytek is supposed to take care of you. I hope you bought the light from a private retailer and not the AT website. If you bought it of the AT website they will want you to literally take a video of the light malfunctioning before they will take it back and exchange it. Ridiculous I know.

In my own experience I have the original Fenix TK32 bolted to my Mossberg 590A1 and it has not had a single issue even under the recoil of a 12 gauge. Then again the TK32 was purposely designed by Fenix to be bolted to a long gun.
 

dlqdobro

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Nov 24, 2016
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Why don't you just contact Armytek? You have a 10 year warranty on that light and they will gladly fix or replace it. You probably just got one with an issue(lemon) as it is designed for your use. You can even get a pressure switch for it if you want. Also, make sure you are using unprotected high drain cells like the Sanyo/Panasonic NCR18650GA 3500mAh(or primaries) as the recoil could cause issues with the PCB on a protected cell.

Reached out to Armytek today. They are fully replacing the light, with no questions asked. The batteries I'm using are an Eagletac 3400 and a Nitecore 3400. I'm not well educated on what an unprotected hight drain cell is, so I ask your forgiveness on my ignorance. Any insight you have on my current batteries would be greatly appreciated. I will look into a pressure switch. That does interest me. None the less, if there is something around the same size as the Armytek, with a considerable longer throw, I would be very interested in it.
 

dlqdobro

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Nov 24, 2016
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Before going on about whats long throwing.... what is your AR-15 chambered in? You can mount every single light on the forum, even the soda can lights, with an appropriate light mount onto a picatinny [mil-std-1913]....BUT, most lights are NOT DESIGNED FOR RECOIL :)

AR compatible uppers go from .17HMR to.....50BMG [though technically its not an AR anymore... the receivers just holding the trigger group :crackup:]. The biggest upper I've seen is .458 SOCOM. I can almost guarantee you that you'll destroy alot of lights if you disregard recoil as a limiting factor.

I've destroyed a handful of lights shooting straight 55gr 5.56mm, even surefire's on occasion, the battery behaves like a little ram rod that smacks against the bezel and circuit board assembly until something gives. If the driver is not potted to withstand the impact PCB traces may crack, inductors may shatter, and 100 rounds later all of a sudden the light quits. Several weaponlights have tight fits for batteries, or springs on both sides. I had a light once [whose brand I will not mention] that was multimode, 30 rounds downrange will run the modes nearly five times over, once everytime the battery loses bezel contact being held back by inertia.

Right now.... I run a Streamlight TLR-3 HL on the one chambered for 5.56mm. I'm not keen on using lights, but its effective sweeping the acreages at night when things go thud or motion sensors go off at night.

My go to AR is chambered in 5.56. I also have a couple of 300 Blackout Rifles.
 

CelticCross74

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Aug 30, 2014
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Location
Fairfax Va
the recoil of an AR is pretty tame in the grand scheme of things. I am surprised your AT crapped out on you I have 7 Armyteks they are all awesome. That being said I have found the original Fenix TK32 excellent for my Mossberg the light has a pressure switch and works perfectly. I use the aforementioned Fenix ARB-2 3200mah and 3400mah raised flat top cells. They never lose contact under recoil. There is the 2016 TK32 now that also has a pressure switch for it and was also like the original TK32 purpose designed to be bolted to a long gun. I have both the original and new TK32's. Have not bothered putting the 2016 TK32 on my Mossberg as the original works just fine. The new TK32 throws just a touch farther than the original. The biggest change for the 2016 TK32 is that the red and green secondary LED's are 10 times brighter than on the original TK32 and very useful. In my use of both the lights the original TK32 has a wider beam profile and a slightly bigger hot spot. The 2016 TK32's beam profile is not quite as wide as the original and the hot spot is a touch smaller but more well defined. The tint out of the original leans warm. The tint out of the 2016 TK32 leans cool.
 

dlqdobro

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Nov 24, 2016
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Does anyone have any experience with the new Nitecore P30 for my situation?
 

BugoutBoys

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Oct 22, 2015
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Colorado
That's why you use flashlights with dual springs =P

Before going on about whats long throwing.... what is your AR-15 chambered in? You can mount every single light on the forum, even the soda can lights, with an appropriate light mount onto a picatinny [mil-std-1913]....BUT, most lights are NOT DESIGNED FOR RECOIL :)

AR compatible uppers go from .17HMR to.....50BMG [though technically its not an AR anymore... the receivers just holding the trigger group :crackup:]. The biggest upper I've seen is .458 SOCOM. I can almost guarantee you that you'll destroy alot of lights if you disregard recoil as a limiting factor.

I've destroyed a handful of lights shooting straight 55gr 5.56mm, even surefire's on occasion, the battery behaves like a little ram rod that smacks against the bezel and circuit board assembly until something gives. If the driver is not potted to withstand the impact PCB traces may crack, inductors may shatter, and 100 rounds later all of a sudden the light quits. Several weaponlights have tight fits for batteries, or springs on both sides. I had a light once [whose brand I will not mention] that was multimode, 30 rounds downrange will run the modes nearly five times over, once everytime the battery loses bezel contact being held back by inertia.

Right now.... I run a Streamlight TLR-3 HL on the one chambered for 5.56mm. I'm not keen on using lights, but its effective sweeping the acreages at night when things go thud or motion sensors go off at night.
 

Lexel

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Sep 15, 2016
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Location
Germany
He could buy a Convoy C8 XPL-HI new driver version he can set the driver to 100% only
and for 2.6$ some spare drivers if one get killed by recoil
the light has dual springs and us very friendly to mod or replace parts
 
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