All posts tagged LED Flashlights

Radio Shack and EverReady

We all remember when we saw the sales at Radio Shack and Dad or Grandpa went out and picked up some new doo dad to tinker with.    I remember the flashlights that I always though were the most powerful were the big long D flashlights that could basically be used as a baseball bat if you were dealing with a home invasion.   Now everyone knows that those flashlights worked well for that time period, but you can get the same brightness from CR123 batteries and have 1/10 of the weight and bulk.   I think my biggest problem with modern flashlight technology is that the flashlights are getting easier and easier to misplace and lose.

Flashlights these days are virtually bullet proof and most are water proof.   The Streamlight flashlights are something I keep in the tool box, in the car and carry from time to time, especially when going to a mall or park late at night.  The PolyTac is my primary lightweight go to white light.  I would not recommend going with the smallest thing you can get your hands on because losing a $200 flashlight is going to be pretty painful.  Although I do keep some weapons mounted lights,  it’s always good to tote around something that isn’t attached to a gun.

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Combat rifle scopes and a backup plan

When you mount your rifle scope, please do some research on how to properly level and mount it.  A properly mounted combat optic should not be over torqued and should have loctite on the screws.  I have yet to see a mount come loose on a gun that used loctite.   When you go out an spend $1000 on a combat rifle scope, ask yourself, what will you do and how will you remove the scope and aim it if the optic goes down.   If one your Trijicon rifle scopes takes a bullet, are you going to be able to see through it and still be able to lay down effective fire if you can’t see through it?  Even if you have a rifle scope that does not allow for co-witness, would it be a good idea to still attach flip up sights to the gun if there is room for them?  Always have a backup plan for your defensive carbine.

The vast majority of M4 Carbines I see at the range have optics that are top of the line.    Aimpoint and Eotech along with the Trijicon ACOG are probable the top 3.   All of these are good for a certain purpose which is mostly for close up fighting.   The Trijicon ACOG is more of a medium range combat optic depending on the type of reticle you choose.   They do have a line of red dot or even green dot optic options, also.   If you are are a weekend warrior and new to defensive shooting and tactical gear, I would suggest you think about this next statement, whenever you attach an accessory to your Carbine, think about what you would do if that accessory mount broke or the actual item failed.

 

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Looking for a white light?

streamlight flashlightsIf you have ever taken a course at Thunder Ranch, one of the things you will hear from an instructor is to put a white light on your gun.    I think there are valid arguments about how to use lasers and lights on a firearm, but there are mostly liabilities in not having  a light available in defensive situations, especially in your own home.   Why would anyone not put a light on a firearm in there house?  Police are trained to move and turn lights off and on as they move white pretty much voids the argument that it gives the bad guys a place to aim, well, if the guy with the light spots the guy in the dark first, his gun is probable already pointed in the right direction.

If you wanted to, you can use duct tape on a lever action or a double barrel shotgun and use your grandfathers Radio Shack flashlights and it may do the trick, but for only another $25-$30 you can get a white light from Streamlight flashlights that won’t burn a hole in your pocket, and given modern advancements in battery and bulb science,  you will save money on batteries in a very short time period,   The new Streamlight flashlights called the Polytac have a C4 LED that are 2-3x brighter than other LED.   I’ve done side by sider comparisons with my Surefire G2 and I do see the difference.  These flashlights are easily attached to most modern flashlights and can be used on Combat rifles without problems.

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Time tested and on par

Tactical LightsWe was flipping through a few gun magazines and noticed I was living in a new era of flahslight technology.   The age of ever ready flashlights and mag-lite flashlights seems to have passed.   Battery technology has also improved, but we still haven’t gotten to wear we need to be to really break into a new era.   The major advancement is in light bulb technology.  LED bulbs are thousands of times longer lasting and don’t drain batteries like the previous designs.  Flashlights are almost all water proof these days and the beam and throw is increadable.

The Streamlight SL20X is my replacement for all of the maglights I use to carry around.  I don’t have the weight of 3 or 4 D batters and I get one heck of a beam of light.   I’ve held a few really nice smaller flashlights like the G2 from Surfire, but sometimes a small light means hard to find and easier to lose.  The Streamlight SL20X has 3 white LED bulbs with up to 30 lumens and 1 LED with up to 200 Lumens at peak performance.  Sure these tactical lights aren’t $20, but if you are using one for security or for work, it’s time to invest your money in something that pays for itself.

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Streamlight Flashlights

Streamlight Flashlights

Streamlight Flashlights

Powered by two 3-volt CR123 lithium batteries with 10-year storage lifeC4® LED technology, impervious to shock with a 50,000 hour lifetime LED Rating: Up to 7,000 candela peak beam intensity and up to 135 lumens measured system output. Deep-dish parabolic reflector produces a concentrated beam with optimum peripheral illuminationRun Time: 2.5 hours regulated run time. Solid-state current regulation for consistent illumination level.

DUAL SWITCH TECHNOLOGY – Access any of the three variable lighting modes and strobe via the tail cap or the head-mounted switchHead switch operates Streamlight Flashlights independently from the tail cap switchThe combination of a rechargeable battery and a 50,000 hour lifetime C4 LED results in the lowest operating cost of any flashlight made.C4® LED technology, impervious to shock with a 50,000 hour lifetime.

 

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