[usa1_chevy]

Look for some advice on a tactical flashlight. I know it is a possible can of worms. The style, is hand held, 123 battery - 2 ok or 1- , dimming LED. strobe. tough. 100-200 Lumens or around that. Something you would buy or have. To many styles to pick from?
maybe why you picked this one?
thanks

 

[KeithD]

Its hard to beat the LX2 lumamax from surefire. 15 and 200 lumen output without a clicking tail cap. The tail cap is pressure activated, press in a little get a little, press in a lot and get a lot. Very simple to use under stress.

personally i dont like a hundred different settings and features on a light. It needs to do what i need it to do NOW not in 5 clicks.

I also stay away from strobing features. Strobes are completely useless in a defense situation.

 

[TheLaw]

I also stay away from strobing features. Strobes are completely useless in a defense situation.

Can you expand on that. Strobes can be very debilitating.

 

[VolGrad]

Personally, I only see 3 names in the hand held flashlight industry. There are prob others but these three cover it for me.

SureFire
Fenix
Streamlight

In that order. SureFire is the standard, you can use their website to narrow down particular models to suit your needs. It's does pretty good narrowing down and comparing the different models. They have a new like too that looks really good. SureFire excels in durability and the fact they have momentary tailcap switches. The downside is most models are very pricey. I have owned several of their hand held models and one pistol mounted model. I personally now own two of the G2LEDs. These aren't putting out as much light as you asked for and don't have variable power or strobe. I still like them and they are relatively inexpensive by "tactical" standards. The batteries last a long time and I prefer the poly bodies to metal ones.

I have a Fenix light that I picked up recently that I really like. Fenix is really growing in market share as they are durable, inexpensive, and put out a lot of light, most at varialbe powers. Many have a strobe feature. The size is great for EDC ... even better than most SureFire models. The down side is most (maybe not any) have momentary on/off tailcap switches. That is a killer for me from a "tactical" standpoint. I carry the Fenix as a EDC for general use but if I go looking for bumps in the night I grab the SureFire from the nightstand. The Fenix website is OK but can be overwhelming until you figure out their "series" designations.

Streamlight ... a consistent player in the market as well. They are nothing to sneeze at and are much more reasonably priced than SureFires but admittedly I don't quite put them in the same level as far as durability. That's just from reading though as I only have 1 Streamlight and it's a tiny 15 lumen MicroStream I picked up at my local gun store. I love that little thing though and carry it even more frequently than the Fenix for general use as it is smaller and runs on a AAA battery, still LED though. It does have a momentary on/off switch. I just find for general use even a low power light such as this serves most any purpose I have. I just purchased a TLR-1s though for a nightstand pistol mounted light. I am anxious to try it out. I previously didn't give the TLR series much look given I liked the way the SureFires and Insight M3X attaches better. At $99 though ... given the output of the TLR-1s ... I couldn't pass this up.

 

[VolGrad]

personally i dont like a hundred different settings and features on a light. It needs to do what i need it to do NOW not in 5 clicks.

I agree with this statement wholehearedly. See my post above. I use my SureFire (single output, momentary on/off tailcap switch) for defensive purposes. The variable power, multi-click units are great for EDC as a general use light. I just make sure I keep it on what I might actully need if I had to use it for in a defensive situation so the first click is the BIG BOY .... if the light has memory.

 

[VolGrad]

Can you expand on that. Strobes can be very debilitating.

I have never trained with a strobe, only white light. However, I can see how the strobe feature could actually be distracting to both parties ... shooter and target. I prob won't use it in a defensive situation.

 

[sfguard]

I use the hand held surefire defender. I don't like lights mounted on my pistol. To awkward to use intermediately and in some cases they interfere with the weapon function. Plus with the defender I have the option of using the light itself as a weapon in a bad scenario.

 

[VolGrad]

I don't like lights mounted on my pistol. To awkward to use intermediately and in some cases they interfere with the weapon function.

Another excellent point sir. If folks haven't researched and thought out the hand held light vs pistol mounted light topic and haven't trained with either/or ... please do so.

Each has it's merits. The best scenario in a defensive situation would be to have both. When I used to have a weapons mounted light (a Insight M3X then later a SureFire X200B) I kept it on my pistol on the nightstand right beside a hand held light. If I heard a bump in the night I grabbed both. I will do the same when my TLR-1s arrives next week. The two lights do not have to be, nor should they be, used exclusively.

 

[KeithD]

Let me preface this with saying the following is my personal experience with students and instruction on ranges dealing with low/no light shooting.


We have had students with strobes in their face put combat accurate hits on target with no problems. It does not have near the affect that most people think it does.

If it did adversely affect the ability to see/shoot/react why would you want to touch one off in a room with white walls? it would serve that it would also affect you as well.


In low/ no light shooting you have multiple dynamics going on all at once. Getting to a gun and a light at the same time, identifying the threat and dealing with the threat. Adding more to that equation in asking for trouble. Especially when you have to make a split decision. With the strobe are you going to be able to quickly identify the target and what they have in their hands?

To much BS for something that does not work.

Most of that is the reason I would have a weapons light over a handheld. You dont have to fish in a pocket or on a belt for a light while going for your gun. You have better positive control over both the light and the weapons system since you have both hands on gun.

Or if you have to carry a child you can still manipulate the light and weapons system with one hand if you need too.

The use of white light in defensive/ offensive shooting is a wide varying topic with multiple opinions on what works best.

My advise is just keep it simple. Get an easy on, easy off hand held no more than 200 lumens that has a good warranty.

 

[KeithD]

Both WM and handheld serve a purpose and have pro's and cons. I personally carry a x300 on the pistol and a SF LX2 in the pocket. For fast use and better positive control of the weapon i like the WM light.

For scanning and accessing after the fact I'll use the hand held with the weapon in SUL. Solves any problem of sweeping with the muzzle.

 

[__jb]

Its hard to beat the LX2 lumamax from surefire. 15 and 200 lumen output without a clicking tail cap. The tail cap is pressure activated, press in a little get a little, press in a lot and get a lot. Very simple to use under stress.

personally i dont like a hundred different settings and features on a light. It needs to do what i need it to do NOW not in 5 clicks.

I also stay away from strobing features. Strobes are completely useless in a defense situation.

I agree with Keith on the Surefire LX2 Lumamax as a handheld tactical flashlight. Matter of fact, I bought mine based on Keith's advice and have been very happy with it.

My only problem is that I pick it up every time I go outside after dark because it's so much fun to play with. Hahaha... It's a great light... Make sure you buy a box of the 123a batteries when you get one!