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AR15.COM
8/1/2011 5:00:15 PM EDT
I need the best value for a weapon light. Not looking for a $200 light - I'm poor and on a tight budget
8/1/2011 5:12:11 PM EDT
[#1]
Quoted:
I need the best value for a weapon light. Not looking for a $200 light - I'm poor and on a tight budget


look or the surefire X300 clones.
i have a X300 and a clone, they are pretty much one in the same.
for those who cant afford a 200-300$ light, the chicom knockoffs are great.
8/1/2011 5:13:16 PM EDT
[#2]
Will be for the AR. Will basically any LED light hold up to that type of shock?
8/1/2011 5:17:56 PM EDT
[#3]
Used scout light, found mine with tape switch for $125.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile
8/1/2011 5:20:28 PM EDT
[#4]
Pistol or rifle weapon light?

Rifle:

Surefire 6PX Tactical. 200 lumens, tough, and would be well under $200 even with a good mount.

G2X Tac is yet cheaper.

Don't get a crappy weapon light.
8/1/2011 5:21:26 PM EDT
[#5]
Streamlight TLR-1s
8/1/2011 5:22:43 PM EDT
[#6]
I think I've decided on the Fenix TK21:



8/1/2011 5:33:39 PM EDT
[#7]
Surefire M951XM07 off the EE for $100 shipped. Malkoff M61 for $55 shipped. 260 lumens for 2+ hours built in a small tank.
8/1/2011 5:34:41 PM EDT
[#8]
G2X is the way to go.
8/1/2011 5:41:17 PM EDT
[#9]
A 4sevens or Fenix will serve you well.  less than a hundred bucks for most of them, and use the savings for a LaRue mount and tape switch.



You'll be glad you did.
8/1/2011 5:47:16 PM EDT
[#10]
Check eBay.

Used Surefire M951's can be had for $60-$70.
8/1/2011 5:49:28 PM EDT
[#11]
For shits and grins, I ordered a 220 lumen Uniquefire S10 off of Dealextremedotcom.  $12.39

Mounted it on a Mossberg 590a1 and fired 20 rounds of buckshot and 10 rounds of rifled slugs.  Took it off and mounted it on an AR and fired over 200 rounds.  I took the light off of the AR and dropped it from chest level onto a concrete slab three times.  The aluminum case is scratched to hell, but the light is still working.  Not bad for a cheap Chinese knockoff.
8/1/2011 6:13:39 PM EDT
[#12]
Quoted:
Streamlight TLR-1s

QFT
8/1/2011 6:29:18 PM EDT
[#13]
Surefire G2X

8/1/2011 6:29:45 PM EDT
[#14]
Quoted:
Streamlight TLR-1s


8/1/2011 6:31:48 PM EDT
[#15]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Streamlight TLR-1s




QFT , have a tlr1 and a tlr2 , both work great on 9mm and 556 abuse for several months and very bright.
8/1/2011 6:32:29 PM EDT
[#16]
Quoted:
Streamlight TLR-1s


QFT.

Look no further.
8/1/2011 6:33:46 PM EDT
[#17]



Quoted:



Quoted:

Streamlight TLR-1s




QFT.



Look no further.
Yup. TLR-1





 
8/1/2011 6:35:17 PM EDT
[#18]
A surefire 6P LED Defender (with the clicky tail cap) and a 1" ring mount, put it in front of where your thumb sits on your rifle.

That's the exact same setup I have on my Benelli M4 super 90, and 3" magnums don't bother it at all.

ETA

If you have a vertical foregrip, then the setup liberty057 has would work a bit better!
8/1/2011 6:37:28 PM EDT
[#19]
Quoted:

Quoted:
Quoted:
Streamlight TLR-1s


QFT.

Look no further.
Yup. TLR-1



TLR-1 / G2X... I own both. There is no comparison in performance. G2X throws a bright beam at least 50 yards further... TLR-1 is good for handguns, a rifle needs a much better light.


8/1/2011 6:38:12 PM EDT
[#20]


What brand mount is that?
8/1/2011 6:47:02 PM EDT
[#22]
Any more suggestions? I liked the $12.95 suggestion the most
8/1/2011 7:07:40 PM EDT
[#23]
Quoted:
A surefire 6P LED Defender (with the clicky tail cap) and a 1" ring mount, put it in front of where your thumb sits on your rifle.

That's the exact same setup I have on my Benelli M4 super 90, and 3" magnums don't bother it at all.

ETA

If you have a vertical foregrip, then the setup liberty057 has would work a bit better!


I'm not a fan of click switches on weapon lights. I like push momentary/twist on for weapons. You really shouldn't need more than momentary for a weapon light, if used as intended.

I do like the Defender otherwise. And you can get a push momentary/twist on tailcap for it cheap.

Not a fan of lights that cycle through high/low brightness like the E2DL for a weapon light either. A great handheld light though.

TR85.

8/1/2011 7:41:37 PM EDT
[#24]
Quoted:
Any more suggestions? I liked the $12.95 suggestion the most


Careful, now.  There are gear junkies here that will call you everything in the book if you use cheap/knockoff/airsoft stuff on your Tier 1 rifle.  Whatever the fuck Tier 1 is.

Personally, I prefer the G2 light for my carbine and shotgun.  But, it's nice to test out cheap shit just to see how much abuse it can take.

(BTW:  I've got a set of MBUIS that I got off of dealextreme that I would be willing to sell for say $50.  Great deal, huh).....i keed, i keed.
8/1/2011 8:12:58 PM EDT
[#25]
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002CZ0UO2
8/1/2011 8:29:00 PM EDT
[#26]
Streamlight TLR-1s FTW.

I have one on my Glock and my AR. There's no need to weigh down a rifle and/or pay up the nose for a light that outshines the sun; for most situations, 160 lumens will do you just fine.

Also: DO NOT CHEAP OUT ON A WEAPONLIGHT. It is one of those things that you cannot afford to fail. Trust me; I've messed around with enough cheap lights to know.
8/1/2011 9:21:21 PM EDT
[#27]
Quoted:

Quoted:
Quoted:
Streamlight TLR-1s


QFT.

Look no further.
Yup. TLR-1

 


99% of an X300, at half the price.

8/1/2011 9:36:18 PM EDT
[#28]
Quoted:
Streamlight TLR-1s


I like mine.
8/1/2011 9:49:35 PM EDT
[#29]
I like my Maglite XL50 :)

It's compact, bright and only cost about $30. (and it's made in America!) I just got it this past weekend, so I don't have many rounds through the gun with it mounted, but it's working well so far.

http://www.maglite.com/maglite_xl50_led.asp

eta: http://www.amazon.com/MAGLITE-XL50-S3016-LED-Flashlight-Black/dp/B004JJQ3UY/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1312266140&sr=1-1
8/1/2011 11:15:42 PM EDT
[#30]
For pistols, TLR-1s are an excellent choice.

For Rifles, I've had the TLR-1's plastic back plate break at the top where the spring steel keeps it locked in. On a pistol, this area is protected by the front of the trigger guard.  On a rifle, it's exposed.

8/2/2011 1:03:20 AM EDT
[#31]
Quoted:
For pistols, TLR-1s are an excellent choice.

For Rifles, I've had the TLR-1's plastic back plate break at the top where the spring steel keeps it locked in. On a pistol, this area is protected by the front of the trigger guard.  On a rifle, it's exposed.



In my experience, the only pistol weapon lights that actually work halfway decently on a rifle are the Surefire X300/X400. That's actually what I use on my main rifle (X300).

The rest... Just haven't been well suited for it. Of course, I haven't nearly tried them all. But I've tried several, and so far the SF is the only one that has been satisfactory.

TR85.
8/2/2011 1:31:15 AM EDT
[#32]
Quoted:
Surefire M951XM07 off the EE for $100 shipped. Malkoff M61 for $55 shipped. 260 lumens for 2+ hours built in a small tank.


this.

Or an X300...
8/2/2011 7:54:08 AM EDT
[#33]
Quoted:
Streamlight TLR-1s FTW.

I have one on my Glock and my AR. There's no need to weigh down a rifle and/or pay up the nose for a light that outshines the sun; for most situations, 160 lumens will do you just fine.

Also: DO NOT CHEAP OUT ON A WEAPONLIGHT. It is one of those things that you cannot afford to fail. Trust me; I've messed around with enough cheap lights to know.

Take your rifle and weapon light outside your house once. Head out to the woods at night and see how far it throws... a TLR-1 does not compare to something like a G2X. You'd be hard pressed to see much of what's going on at 30 yards with a TLR-1. It's a nice light suitable for handguns... that's about it.

8/2/2011 8:01:03 AM EDT
[#34]
I use a Surefire 6P LED Defender clone with a forward clicky tailcap made by a company called SolarForce. The model number is L2. They have held up pretty well with light to moderate use over the past year. The one on my gun works great still as does the 5 mode light I use around the house which has been dropped onto ceramic tile and concrete more than a few times. My weapon light is sitting in a Viking Tactics mount.

Lighthound usually has pretty good deals on them. I'm going to get the better anodized version (L2P) when they have it back in stock along with the newer AA version and a new drop in LED for ease of replacing batteries.

L2P HA III anodized (flatter finish)
http://www.lighthound.com/Solar-Force-L2-Flashlight-Host-for-18650––L2-Host-HA-III-Black-Finish_p_3473.html

L2 (gloss finish)
http://www.lighthound.com/Solarforce-L2-Host-for-18650-Battery––Body-with-Head-and-Switch-all-Black-Type-2-Anodized_p_2629.html

AA version (gloss finish)
http://www.lighthound.com/Solar-Force-L2R-Flashlight-Host-for-AA-Batteries_p_3474.html

Super bright single mode drop in LED
http://www.lighthound.com/Solarforce-LC-1-Drop-In-with-Cree-R2-LED––Single-Mode_p_1633.html

Foward clicky tailcap
http://www.lighthound.com/Solar-Force-L2-Tailcap-with-Forward-Click-Switch-ver-L2-S8_p_3844.html

Tape switch tailcap (if you prefer)
http://www.lighthound.com/Solarforce-PTS2-Tape-Switch-with-tailcap-for-_p_2472.html

Clicky + tape switch
http://www.lighthound.com/Solar-Force-PTS3-Tape-Switch––Tape-Switch-and-tailcap-for-Solar-Force-SureFire-etc_p_3476.html
8/2/2011 7:18:46 PM EDT
[#35]
Quoted:
Take your rifle and weapon light outside your house once. Head out to the woods at night and see how far it throws... a TLR-1 does not compare to something like a G2X. You'd be hard pressed to see much of what's going on at 30 yards with a TLR-1. It's a nice light suitable for handguns... that's about it.


Mine hits the woodline (40 yards from the house) just fine.  Depth perception can be problematic, but that is the case with all LEDs AFAIK.