Tac flashlights?
 

So I know of people putting lights on their guns but is there any kind of limit on the lumens? Maybe this is something minor but are places strict about blinding people with them? I have a couple lights ranging from 200-1000 lumens. So would it depend or does it really not matter?

If it's too bright all you're going to do is blind yourself with the reflection from any wall etc.

Here's a video to watch. Haley Strategic Darkness Solutions - YouTube

Excellent, no-bullshit video. I like it.

What you should remember is: Lumen is how much light total you can output, imagine from a water hose. How you spread that water is either by throw, to reach farther, or by flood, to reach everything around.

Throw will impress your friends with it's bright spot, flood will cover more area.

I don't know about site rules but for indoor anything over 300lm is prob pointless. probably just blind urself in the process. Outdoors I've used 1000+ lm but found my 200lm fenix was just as effective with less bulk and better battery consumption. Also it has strobe while my bigger light doesn't. strobe is fun outdoors, never used it inside.

I want to give Fenix a shout here. Been using their TK-15 for a few years now and it's been great for CQB. Had it shot out once at point blank range, Fenix shipped me a new head for 20$.

http://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-tk15S2

If we are talking pistol lights then the TLR-1 gets my vote.

Unless you're buying a flashlight from a reputable company from the list below, don't bother trusting the published lumen output:
Surefire
Streamlight
Inforce
Elzetta
Olight

Would also at Insight to that list.

I've got a olight t20 that I picked up when I first started playing 5 years ago.
Hasn't let me down yet
bright as hell.
High-Low-Strobe.

To the guys that field tac lights on the field, how easy is it for you to get replacement parts when the light is shot out or damaged?

I'd like information on Streamlight products if possible, I have a TLR1 but have been hesitant on actually fielding it.

I'd add Fenix on this list.

I own a Streamlight TLR-1, the "new" model with 300 lumen. Bought it for the look, before I did researchs. Light is throwy, that's for sure. Hotspot is extremely bright, too bright to be useful. Personal preference, but the hue is too blue to my liking. It'll brighten a whole room, but don't look at the hotspot directly or you'll be as disoriented as your target. Good outside, bad inside. This light will probably see the classifieds for someone who will really appreciate it.

I've been eyeballing the Zebralight SC600 Mk II L2 as a personal EDC. Not because of the extreme lumen, but because of the nice thermal regulating. Not my only choice, but a good choice still.

Fenix is on my list of maybe-EDC, too.

I edc my fenix... it's a nice size and adjustible brightness makes it useful for when you need to look in your engine bay late at night :P

I find 150 lumens to be great for the sport, enough that you can hit what you can see, while still low enough to maintain some level of natural night vision. 500+ is ridiculous, and over 1000 you will annoy half the field, including your team.

I run all Surefire, that way when I get a light shot out, it gets fixed, for free. Worth the price every time.

I think Streamlight products have a Unlimited Warrenty.

Most places are under 250 - 500 lumens depending on focus, etc. Tac lights are a great tool when playing the dark. Never give up an opportunity to shine one in the face of a guy using NVGs. Unless they're auto-gating, then you're boned.

Only speaking for my Surefire M952V and Streamlight TLR-1, zero issues.

With the streamlight they just sent me parts, no questions asked.
with surefire, I shipped it back to them and they dropped a whole new head on it and shipped it back. I only paid to mail it to them.

My only experience is with Surefire. They replaced my X300, I paid to ship it to them, and they sent it back with a box of batteries which were seized/removed by USPS/Canada post :(

my fenix was shot out but light still worked. apparently fenix would have replaced the lense but i just cut a piece of 3/8 plexi i had kicking around to fit. she'll never break again. as for my other lights and optics, I just cut a piece of plexiglass (usually a bit thinner if i've got) and secure it over existing lense b4 using. as long as it's good quality it doesn't even cause distortion on a scope, so i recommend it to everyone.

Thanks guys. Now I want to get a Surefire light too.

I have a surefire too, and it's a good light but not nearly as bright as my fenix that's half the size, also a bit of a battery pig.

Keep in mind, you don't want a fuck off crazy "mini sun" light. Turn that shit on and you not only blind the guy on the other end but the light will splash back and blind you.

180 to 200 lumen max for CQB fighting. If you're looking to flood lamp a field, different story.

i like the streamlight lamps.. i have a polytac led on my aeg and have used the protac pt2l in my free hand below pistol when playing with secondary. i carry at work a protac hl.. its stupid bright but eats batteries. my edc is a protac 2aa and i may downsize that to a protac 1aa at some point.

I'd say 200-300 max
there is a point where the luxes (not lumens) are so high it WILL cause some kind of damage to your eye.
So you can't be all pissy about people using 5mw lasers and you yourself use a 2000lumen taclight at the same time lol

I currently run a SF620v.. great light superior quality. I still prefer the INforce WML over it unfortunately :(.

Gato do you know if the m952 head fits the m951?

There is a deal going on right now with the Surefire G2X Tactical.
Its the 200 lumen version for $45.
I picked one up myself and now im trying to find cr123a rechargables, plus a wall charger.

I grab a bunch of cr123a's whenever I'm down in the states, $4.55 for 2 pack of surefire brand at lowes.

Inforce WML. Best weapon mounted light I've owned.

Where ? :P

You can get them at a store called Warriors and Wonders...kinda of a weird name but they probably have the best knife prices in Canada.

You can buy them for about $2 each at Warriors and Wonders ; Its the Surefire brand and they only sell in bulk like packs of 12/24. Milsig is also selling a few batteries but are $3 a pop. Well forget what I said, your located in Manitoba.

I customize my own flashlights, I don't buy from those specific brands as you can take a Chinese made flashlight and mod it to be even better or at your own spec. But that is if you are a handy guy at electronics. I buy certain BIN'd CREE emitters and custom made circuits boards to power my lights, upgraded the wiring to a thicker gauge. Small things that make a chinese flashlight run just as good as any other.

But indeed if you have no clue what you are doing, then sure that is a good list to begin with.

Add FENIX to that list.

Try to get a flashlight with many modes so you can set it up depending on what your engagement distance is. Like Danke said, too bright will kill your eyes in a too dark situation..

So here's something.
I encounter LOTS of flashlights in the little amount of CQB I do, but the bright white lights never bother me that much.
Something surprising though, 300 lumens of pure RED light, fucks you up.
It's not something you're expecting, and it's just BAM single spectrum eye wash

So weird, but seems to work very well. Don't think I can trace BB's against it though lol