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Posted: 4/6/2017 2:44:46 PM EDT
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I have some questions about the Fenix FD35. I have found it on sale. It's the 950 lumen.
Is there a newer version? I thought I saw one that 1000 lumen. How does the batteries recharge? I thinking about buying two of these. I need a weapon light. Is there a mount I can get to mount the light to my AR? It would be going on an AR pistol with rails. My other AR's are not railed. So I will take any and all advice I can get. I have been looking at Surefire, ThruNite and others. I'm on a budget and the ones that I can find within the same budget are 350 lumen lights. I want the brightest light I can find. This will my EDC light. I'm using a cheap light that is so bad I don't know why I use it. My iPhone flashlight is brighter. I'm sure I will have more questions. I just don't want to miss a good light at this price point. Thanks everyone. |
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I have some questions about the Fenix FD35. I have found it on sale. It's the 950 lumen. Is there a newer version? I thought I saw one that 1000 lumen. How does the batteries recharge? I thinking about buying two of these. I need a weapon light. Is there a mount I can get to mount the light to my AR? It would be going on an AR pistol with rails. My other AR's are not railed. So I will take any and all advice I can get. I have been looking at Surefire, ThruNite and others. I'm on a budget and the ones that I can find within the same budget are 350 lumen lights. I want the brightest light I can find. This will my EDC light. I'm using a cheap light that is so bad I don't know why I use it. My iPhone flashlight is brighter. I'm sure I will have more questions. I just don't want to miss a good light at this price point. Thanks everyone. Any 1" scope ring or mount will work. Plenty of them out there, just choose for your need. No input for your budget. I guess whatever works |
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I have some questions about the Fenix FD35. I have found it on sale. It's the 950 lumen. Is there a newer version? I thought I saw one that 1000 lumen. How does the batteries recharge? I thinking about buying two of these. I need a weapon light. Is there a mount I can get to mount the light to my AR? It would be going on an AR pistol with rails. My other AR's are not railed. So I will take any and all advice I can get. I have been looking at Surefire, ThruNite and others. I'm on a budget and the ones that I can find within the same budget are 350 lumen lights. I want the brightest light I can find. This will my EDC light. I'm using a cheap light that is so bad I don't know why I use it. My iPhone flashlight is brighter. I'm sure I will have more questions. I just don't want to miss a good light at this price point. Thanks everyone. Look into Klarus XT series, preferably the XT11GT. Also look at Nitecore's P10GT and TM03. The interfaces are well done. The dual tailswitches are the best part about those lights... I think the XT11GT mode interface is superior to the Nitecore, but you may find the Nitecore useful to you. Just YouTube each light to get an in-depth review of them. |
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Thanks everyone. I will check out those lights. The Fenix I found for $49. I hate to pass it up. I would find another light to mount on your rifle. If you want a easy to use strobe feature then look at the Klarus and Nitecore lights. Dedicated buttons for strobe/mode. Make it easy to use without flipping through modes or side switches... The Klarus XT11S and 11GT has a mode the only uses high for the momentary/constant switch and instant strobe on the paddle button. Quick and easy to use. For the price, features and lumen output, you can't beat the Klarus imo. |
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Yeah, if you've got a place to buy PD35's for $49 buy it and post the link. I could use another. Here is the one I bought from Primary Arms. PD35 960 Lumen 2014 |
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For EDC the Fenix would work for you. I would find another light to mount on your rifle. If you want a easy to use strobe feature then look at the Klarus and Nitecore lights. Dedicated buttons for strobe/mode. Make it easy to use without flipping through modes or side switches... The Klarus XT11S and 11GT has a mode the only uses high for the momentary/constant switch and instant strobe on the paddle button. Quick and easy to use. For the price, features and lumen output, you can't beat the Klarus imo. |
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The 2014 version will be fine for you. I originally bought that version but the vendor sent me the 1000 lumen tac instead. When I told them about the error they told me to keep it. |
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Want to have a weapon light come on in the lowest setting at the worst possible time??? Put a light on your gun that has multiple modes.. A true weapon light has one mode...full on...full off. just mt $.02 Both my Klarus lights have multiple modes, but are set to high only. Streamlight Protac HL has a high only mode as well. Just takes a bit of research. Most lights out that use 18650s will have multiple modes, so it's a bit more difficult to shop for a proper/easy to use light for a weapon. |
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There's plenty of lights out with different modes that start on high or lock only to high. Both my Klarus lights have multiple modes, but are set to high only. Streamlight Protac HL has a high only mode as well. Just takes a bit of research. Most lights out that use 18650s will have multiple modes, so it's a bit more difficult to shop for a proper/easy to use light for a weapon. Quoted:
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Want to have a weapon light come on in the lowest setting at the worst possible time??? Put a light on your gun that has multiple modes.. A true weapon light has one mode...full on...full off. just mt $.02 Both my Klarus lights have multiple modes, but are set to high only. Streamlight Protac HL has a high only mode as well. Just takes a bit of research. Most lights out that use 18650s will have multiple modes, so it's a bit more difficult to shop for a proper/easy to use light for a weapon. Use what you want. |
| And a single mode light might fail, battery run out, etc. I'm half thinking about the Fenix FD41, either for general use or as a weapon light. It also has the memory feature so will come back to previous setting and a separate switch for mode changes. I like the flood possibilities. For use in my home, the light would be primarily, if not solely, for identification, not much illumination. Smallish house, light colored walls, limited distances, could be kept pointed in a more or less safe/lowered position and still cover the hall/stairwell even with the lowest setting. Don't need to carry long distances, not doing searching, not expecting to be lighting up prowlers or predators in the back 40, while on the firearm, etc. |
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And a single mode light might fail, battery run out, etc. I'm half thinking about the Fenix FD41, either for general use or as a weapon light. It also has the memory feature so will come back to previous setting and a separate switch for mode changes. I like the flood possibilities. For use in my home, the light would be primarily, if not solely, for identification, not much illumination. Smallish house, light colored walls, limited distances, could be kept pointed in a more or less safe/lowered position and still cover the hall/stairwell even with the lowest setting. Don't need to carry long distances, not doing searching, not expecting to be lighting up prowlers or predators in the back 40, while on the firearm, etc. |
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So, what might some of those others be? And why? Given my particular set of interests. There's Armytek (Viking, Predator, Doberman), Nitecore (P10GT) Klarus (XT11S, XT11GT, XT12GT). 1000+ lumens and modes that will suit being a weapon light. |
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I've looked up and checked a couple of those. There is, of course, a contradiction between added functionalities and performance reliability. Any/all of these processor controlled lights might be expected to fail in the same sorts of ways. Suggesting a 1000 lumen mode will fail to 10 is much like suggesting 10 will fail to 1000. I would expect a truly mechanical failure, switch failure, wire/conductor open, etc., to be more likely than a processor error. For my application, 1000 (or 900, etc.) is what I don't want as a first or only mode. The house is too small, the walls too light, the distances too short, etc. Ultimately, perhaps the Surefire G2x Tactical might be the "best" in some ways. Failures would seem to be limited to mechanical failures. What I'm finding is mixed listings on whether the tail cap is momentary with a twist for on (or lock out, too?), or a press momentary, press through clicky for on. Beyond something like that any of these flashlights are subject to the same sorts of failures.
Having a TK21, I'm used to the side mode switch, memory, and single tail switch operation. I've handled a TK16 and one of the dual tail switch Klarus (I think Klarus, it was one I found at work and it disappeared from the managers "lost and found" while waiting to determine of the owner would realize where it had been left. Brand new it seemed, in it's belt pouch, on a table. Not the first thing to be taken from the managers office, either.) I much prefer the side switch for mode changes, two switches on the tailcap seem prone to getting the wrong one pressed, especially if wearing gloves or in a stress situation. Getting back to my considerations, the ability to go to a wide flood pattern is important, certainly some other lights have differing sorts of beam shapes. I want flood or wide performance. I expect to use this for identification, that is, to have enough light to identify someone,something at relatively short ranges, without having to go through the concerns of having the weapon sweep anyone in the beam because it's too tight a pattern. You know, the "Don't point a firearm at anything you don't want to destroy." thing.* Having been a participant in an emergency response drill, several times, at work, the "first responders" to a crowded environment were forced to use their weapon lights as "search" lights. So, pointing at everyone. A lot. I want to avoid that. It's not my job, not the expected role here. I could always twist the focus out to a spot if desired. Likewise, I could also change modes to a more powerful mode, if needed. So I've got some more to look at, knowing, of course, that the longer I look/wait, the more models will come out or go away, too. * that's an issue at any point in a dense urban environment. Our stairs lead up to the bedrooms, but directly behind the window on the stairs, about 20 feet, is the neighbors house. So a "safe" direction seemingly is difficult to find because other directions, other neightbors. |
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I've looked up and checked a couple of those. There is, of course, a contradiction between added functionalities and performance reliability. Any/all of these processor controlled lights might be expected to fail in the same sorts of ways. Suggesting a 1000 lumen mode will fail to 10 is much like suggesting 10 will fail to 1000. I would expect a truly mechanical failure, switch failure, wire/conductor open, etc., to be more likely than a processor error. For my application, 1000 (or 900, etc.) is what I don't want as a first or only mode. The house is too small, the walls too light, the distances too short, etc. Ultimately, perhaps the Surefire G2x Tactical might be the "best" in some ways. Failures would seem to be limited to mechanical failures. What I'm finding is mixed listings on whether the tail cap is momentary with a twist for on (or lock out, too?), or a press momentary, press through clicky for on. Beyond something like that any of these flashlights are subject to the same sorts of failures. Having a TK21, I'm used to the side mode switch, memory, and single tail switch operation. I've handled a TK16 and one of the dual tail switch Klarus (I think Klarus, it was one I found at work and it disappeared from the managers "lost and found" while waiting to determine of the owner would realize where it had been left. Brand new it seemed, in it's belt pouch, on a table. Not the first thing to be taken from the managers office, either.) I much prefer the side switch for mode changes, two switches on the tailcap seem prone to getting the wrong one pressed, especially if wearing gloves or in a stress situation. Getting back to my considerations, the ability to go to a wide flood pattern is important, certainly some other lights have differing sorts of beam shapes. I want flood or wide performance. I expect to use this for identification, that is, to have enough light to identify someone,something at relatively short ranges, without having to go through the concerns of having the weapon sweep anyone in the beam because it's too tight a pattern. You know, the "Don't point a firearm at anything you don't want to destroy." thing.* Having been a participant in an emergency response drill, several times, at work, the "first responders" to a crowded environment were forced to use their weapon lights as "search" lights. So, pointing at everyone. A lot. I want to avoid that. It's not my job, not the expected role here. I could always twist the focus out to a spot if desired. Likewise, I could also change modes to a more powerful mode, if needed. So I've got some more to look at, knowing, of course, that the longer I look/wait, the more models will come out or go away, too. * that's an issue at any point in a dense urban environment. Our stairs lead up to the bedrooms, but directly behind the window on the stairs, about 20 feet, is the neighbors house. So a "safe" direction seemingly is difficult to find because other directions, other neightbors. I use pig gloves now when I shoot. I now have mounted a XT12GT, but been running klarus lights for years. I haven't ever mistakenly pressed the mode button on the dual switch tailcap, even with me nearly having a firefight with my printer. The momentary/constant button protrudes out way further than the paddle. Its the only button you will feel. The light has a nice flood beam pattern. A decent hot spot and moderate distance. I think it's perfect for me. It's will illuminate all the rooms in my home... I may take some beam shots for you later. I have nothing against the Fenix FD41. It's a good multi roll light for everyday use. The ability to have search and flood is good. A good light overall. I just think it's not suited for the roll of a weapon light. In the end you know how it works and how you want to use it. As long as your comfortable with the operation, rock on with it. |
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Having a single output light, a light that always turns on to max, or something with a max output lockout tends to be best. Its better to keep lights with memory as general use lights. You don't want to make the mistake of having your light turn on with 10 lumens, rather than 1000, when you need it.... It's not the gospel, but something to think about. With any light choice, you just have to be cognitive of what it will do. There's Armytek (Viking, Predator, Doberman), Nitecore (P10GT) Klarus (XT11S, XT11GT, XT12GT). 1000+ lumens and modes that will suit being a weapon light. |
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I have ArmyTek Predator Pro V3 and Doberman Pro V3 models. Also the Klarus XT12GT. The XT12Gt, I would not rely on due to the mode switch being wrongfully activated. The ArmyTek lights would serve better, but they are large lights to have on a rifle. |
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The XT12GT is a darn nice light. I like everything about it. The tail cap, I think, needs to get revised with a bigger more protruding main as reverse clicky. While at the same time needs to be corrected for tail standing to protect from neg discharge.
Something a little larger diameter, and scalloped would be more suitable. I have the HS Thorntail I was going to try mounting the ArmyTek Predator on my scoped rifle. The ring is too small. There is a ring slightly larger that may work. In fact, I need to get it ordered so I can try it. So thank for sparking my memory! |
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The XT12GT is a darn nice light. I like everything about it. The tail cap, I think, needs to get revised with a bigger more protruding main as reverse clicky. While at the same time needs to be corrected for tail standing to protect from neg discharge. Something a little larger diameter, and scalloped would be more suitable. I have the HS Thorntail I was going to try mounting the ArmyTek Predator on my scoped rifle. The ring is too small. There is a ring slightly larger that may work. In fact, I need to get it ordered so I can try it. So thank for sparking my memory! I just bought and sold a HS Thorntail. The XT11GT head and tailcap was too big either way I put it in. Made the light sit canted, which I didn't like. I ended up going back to the Arsone machine mount. The Armytek is about the same in dimensions. You may have the same issue. |
| PD35 is not a weapon light. PD35 and Nightcore P12's are great EDC's however, I've been ECDing a P12 for 3 years and love them on my 2nd now however the first is shot from multiple drops. I would think the TK series particularly the TK15 would take the abuse of weapons mounting better than the PD series. |
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