npolley Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 all i see in mags are the surefire light mounted on the ar's. are there any lesser priced options out there that are the quality and size of the surefire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revopop Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 Well, I'll be the first to say that Surefire lights are friggin' awesome. I've got a 6P that hasn't been outside of my arms reach for almost 4 years, and I just recently got an X200 for my house gun. Both of these are the cat's ass. However, I see your point. They are spendy. The only reason I have the X200 was that I got a great deal on it. I'd check out the Insight M3X, and also the Streamlight TLR-1, though you should make sure you get the newer C4 LED version as it's significantly brighter than the older one. I had a Glock brand light/laser before, and there's no comparison to the Surefire unit. The old one had a lot of dark spots in the beam, and was nowhere near as bright as the X200 is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
npolley Posted November 21, 2009 Author Share Posted November 21, 2009 rev, i think i just need to ask you when ive gotta question. yeah i picked up a streamlight for my house gun. this new light i want to have a switch on it for say a tango down grip. i think surefire will be the one, im just gonna have to wait. after buying the new gun, clip, carry case and ammo. i think the eotech red dot or 1-4 something will definitely be the next purchase. did you go to the match in lewisport today? thanks neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskapopo Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 all i see in mags are the surefire light mounted on the ar's. are there any lesser priced options out there that are the quality and size of the surefire? Yes in my opinion Surefire still makes the best stuff. You pay for it though. I like the x300 and x400. Plenty of light at 110 lumins and it will run 4 hours and the LED bulb is pretty much indestructible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 (edited) all i see in mags are the surefire light mounted on the ar's. are there any lesser priced options out there that are the quality and size of the surefire? I bought a Surefire X300 for my duty guns and I like it so much that when I come home I pop it on the nightstand gun....it's an awesome light! I have a TLR-1 on my issued M4 and while it's good, it's not nearly as good as the X300. I've tried an X200 before and it's also pretty good, but the X300 is a lot better. R, Edit to add: so I guess that means no, there aren't any lesser priced options that are the quality and size of the Surefire. If they were as good, and the same size, they'd likely cost as much. Edited November 21, 2009 by G-ManBart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busyhawk Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Surefire for sure...and they also support our sport alot! I have used all of the Surefires (Military sure is good to me:-)) and have also tried some of the lesser brands. In saying this when I have to spend my hard earned monies, it will say Surefire, or JP or Meopta...ect... Hope this helps, RLTW, Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spearogun Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 I have the X300 and its a great light. Surefire has much better switches, beam and actual lumen output, along with overall quality compared to streamlights. I orderd the new E2d LED Defender with 200 lumens to put on my 3 gun rifle because we are going to start running low light stages next month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 There are a lot more options for a rifle than a pistol because you can mount an actual flashlight ! One of the most flexible and least expensive options is to get a Safariland RLS (without the light) and a Nitrolon G2 LED. You can put it on and take it off in seconds and clip the light to your belt and your total cost will be less than an average pistol light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avezorak Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 I like my x200 surefire. Its very bright, doesnt eat batteries and you cant break it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogmaDog Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 I just bought another Wolf Eyes "sniper" weapon light to put on my shotgun, after having one mounted on my patrol rifle for almost a year. They're well constructed lights, and very bright. Figuring out what to do with the coiled wire leading to the tape switch took some ingenuity--a few zipties secured it to the rail on my rifle. Can't say for sure that they're as good as a surefire, but I would say they are very good. And for $80 you could mount about 4 of 'em to your rifle for the same price as one surefire. http://www.pts-flashlights.com/products/pr...39-142-144-6534 DD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulamike Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Ive tried every light and honestly the best out there is surefire, its there bread and butter, all there products are quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shooterready Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 This is my setup. I run a Streamlight TLR-2 mounted in front of the front sight. Has wired switch. Also run a backup Streamlight TL-2 in Thunder Ranch quick detach mount as backup. This setup has been running great especially in the dark houses. Just shoot the red dot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spearogun Posted November 28, 2009 Share Posted November 28, 2009 Surefire makes good quality lights. I have an X300 that has been on my pistol, shotgun and my rifle. Now it mostly stays on the pistol. For my rifle I recently needed a light because we are going to start doing indoor IPSC style matches and there will be a low light/no light stage. My set up is a Surefire E2D LED Defender with 200 lumens, mounted in a Vltor mount that you don't have to use tools to put it on the gun. This is all mounted on a PRI 3 inch rail at the 1 to 2 O'clock position on my PRI tube that way it doesn't affect my grip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaymondMillbrae Posted November 29, 2009 Share Posted November 29, 2009 (edited) Brother, SureFire makes some great lights, but there are lights out there that blow them away in lumens...for cheaper. Check out this thread (CLICK HERE) for a response I gave another poster. Not knocking Surefire - cuz they are the bomb - but always keep an open mind when learning. Don't be a Kool-Aid drinker! Then go find yourself a good light mount, and you'll be Cookin' With Crisco!! In Christ: Raymond Edited November 29, 2009 by RaymondMillbrae Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oregonshooter Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 The only non-Surefire light I have are TLR-1's and find them very bright/white/tough/cheap @ $80.00 delivered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Anderson Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 We run a couple hundred guys through low light quals every year. Every year Streamlight and Insight lights fail while shooting. Every year SureFire doesn't. I run SureFire on everything. I guess if it was a play gun I might try another light. But if I have to put my life on the line SureFire gets the nod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oregonshooter Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Chuck, the Steamlights fail on an AR15 in 223 or Glocks in 40S&W? Recoil makes a big difference in durability, just wanted to clarify that you are comparing apples/apples. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetant Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Malkoff I'm surprised no one has mentioned Malkoff lights. He has his own flashlights now and I have been using them since they first came out. Very high quality at a reasonable price. He also has drop ins for the Surefire lights that I have been using for years. I have yet to have any of his products fail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Anderson Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Chuck, the Steamlights fail on an AR15 in 223 or Glocks in 40S&W? Recoil makes a big difference in durability, just wanted to clarify that you are comparing apples/apples. Primarily pistols. I'm not a fan of trying to go cheap by using a pistol light on a rifle. Most of them are only capable of throwing useable light 25 or so yards. Especially the LED lights. Way too limiting on a rifle IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oregonshooter Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 (edited) The 125lumen TRL1 throws better than a stock Surefire SCOUT or incandescent P60/P90 bulb in a Surefire 6P IMO. The 10% hot spot and 90% fill beam seems like a great combo to me outside of the house. Cheap is one thing, inexpensive is another. The last light I had fail on a carbine was the SCOUT mentioned above. Another two Malkoff M60Ws also failed. YMMV BTW: What light are you running on your carbine? Edited December 8, 2009 by oregonshooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Anderson Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I run a SureFire M951 now. But I'm not doing much outdoor work. 65 Lumen is plenty for inside of a house. If I need to reach out further I have a 9P on my raid vest. When I was on general patrol I ran the M952. I've had them for a couple years now and they're old tech. Doing it again I'd look at the current gen Scout which is running 200 lumen and based on the new Defender line. I've never been impressed with the original scout light. It's almost the lowest powered light in the SureFire line. It's only rated for 60 lumen. I could never figure out why anyone would buy it. Really expensive light for what was essentially an E2E with a mount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oregonshooter Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Amen to the 65lumen limit indoors! That is a hard sell to guys that want the biggest/badest they can get. The only exception to the rule is the 400+lumen Malkoff MCE-warm which is one nice room clearing device! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BPiatt Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 (edited) I really like the way my Safariland RLS sits on my LaRue handguard. I slide it on my upper rail and hang in on the left side of the gun. The swtich button is right at your thurmb. Momentary or constant on. Bright, out of the way when leaning on barricades and it slides on/off in just a second. It can go on your rifle, pistol or clip on your belt without any mods. Edited December 17, 2009 by BPiatt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 I've also gone the easily removable on/off approach on my light. A short of piece of G&G equipment rail mounted to the A2-type round handguard at the 1:30 position gets the job done for me, I can install the light quickly and easily when I need it, and then remove it when not in use. Just not a fan of having too much extra stuff (read: weight) on the gun when I don't need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike P Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Just went and looked at the difference in light from the 952 and the X300. The X300 is a good bit brighter. I had bought the X300 for a pistol, but it comes with a specific adapter for picatinny rails. The QD rail that it come already on the light though seems to work fine on a carbine rail. I suppose time will tell if it is rugged enough for this application, I should know by the end of March. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now