All posts tagged Streamlight

Streamlight and it’s competition

I was at several tactical conferences over the last few months from the NYTOA, NJTOA, and the NRA Convention in Pittsburgh.    I got into using Streamlight flashlights because they were well within my price range and seemed to be more worthy of being used with firearms than anything that Radio Shack had in stock.   I really didn’t  know what I was doing when I purchased a CAA mount on my M4 Carbine, but it got it to work after using a good bit of super glue.   I’ve found that everything you need to mount on a M4 rail needs loctite or super glue.  The mount I got for my Streamlight scorpion didn’t hold and it wasn’t just because of the mount, the rubber cover on the Scorpion didn’t grip the mount well at all.

Streamlight seems to have a good foot in the door for Law Enforcement and Firemen.   I was not impressed with the price margins on some of the Surefire flashlights that I cam across because spending more than $200 on any flashlight is something disturbing if you ask me.  Streamlight flashlights are price well and I still primarily push the Streamlight Scorpion and the Polytac flashlights for weapons mounting.   There are pressure switches you can use, but I have not had the need for them. The Profession Series are really nice for CCW because they are smaller to stow in a pocket but not too small they they need to be on a keychain or easily lost.

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Sometimes CCW can be as simple as simple can be

Trying to find the right kind of flashlight to carry while that won’t take up much pocket space and still allows me to wear the least amount of layers of clothing is what Summer CCW should be all about.   As the weather warms up around here, it becomes harder and harder to carry a firearms in any way other than IWB or pocket carry.     One issue that I run into when pocket carrying is that since I’m left handed, my keys go in the left pocket normally, but when I pocket carry, my gun goes in that same pocket, well not at the same time, but it can get confusing if I’m not consistent about which gun I am going to carry.   Jumping back and forth between modes of carry isn’t a good idea unless you do it enough to know that you constantly have to adapt.

I have been moving away from trying to mount all of my gear on the belt line because I’ve found that people do brush up against you and having knives and flashlights on you usually is a heads up that you are a cop.   I recently got that question from a friend I had not seen in a long time and I had to say no, I wasn’t and then was in the awkward position of trying to explain when I carry a flashlight like I do.    There are some really cool Streamlight flashlights that will fit into a pocket, but be warned, you better be careful that you aren’t turning them on unknowingly killing battery life and switch life.   Sometimes the best thing to do is do the simplest things, like put a small flashlight on a key chain and keep your gun in the other pocket.

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CCW options, gun, knife, mace, fists, flashlights and strobes

I think those about sum up your options for fighting and maybe if you are in good shape a good kicking foot will do.   I primarily count on firearms for self defense because there are levels of threats and levels of criminal intent and showing a gun is enough to deter most crimes when a knife or flashlight really might just make a bad guy laugh at you especially if he’s bigger.  I’ve seen first hand that a untrained person with a knife isn’t going to inflict much damage and unless you actually know how to move with a knife, don’t even try and wield it.   A tactical knife is a good accessory to concealed carry, but not something for the amateur to fight with.

Something to consider which is showing up more and more in CCW flashlight courses I have sat in on are the strobe flashlights.   Now, first of all, I’m not going to tell you that it’s something that is going to stop a threat, I’m just saying that it is something else to consider especially when Streamlight Flashlights only cost you about $50+ dollars and might give you something else to use on a dumb drunk that is really just an annoyance rather than a threat.  An unsuspecting drunk isn’t going to like having a 180 Lumen flashlight and a ” Hi, how are you” from a friendly CCW that flashes him in the eyes and then gets into a car and drives off.

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How much life are you going to get from your batteries?

That may not be the biggest question you are going to ask yourself when you are looking into carrying a flashlight, but as someone who  has seen what happens when an Eotech combat gun sight goes dead and the batteries need to be changed, there are times that you may be in a situation and the batteries are too low to be of use or your flashlight has just gone completely dead.   The great think about LED technology is that that the flashlights will fade in strength and not just burn out all of a  sudden at an unknown time.

The Surefire G2 is one of the most popular flashlights i usually see on M4 Carbines, but another company got smart and went with the Polytac cases for strength and durability.   Streamlight flashlights are my primary flashlight even though I know there are manufacturers in the same price range that are pretty good, there are concealed carry or defensive flashlights with a Strobe, and there are flashlights with the strobe that you can use on a handgun or rifle in need be.   It is another tactical worth considering.

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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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Weapon mounted flashlights

I’ve sat in on several IDPA events with flashlight stages and watched people drop their flashlights left and right, while trying to engage targets.   There are better ways to retain a firearm in your hand without having to mount it to your gun.   The Section 8 Tactical device called the URD, Ultimate Retention Device is IDPA legal and a good option for those that still do not like having to mount a flashlight on a handgun.   I realize that putting a flashlight on your defensive pistol will most likely mean having to get a bigger and bulkier holster if you are carrying it, but for a gun safe gun, especially something that is being  used in your home, train to use a flashlight in whichever way you feel most comfortable.

I’m not a big fan of pressure switches being used on flashlights because I’ve seen them become another accessory that will snag on something or fail on  you.   Flashlights can have batteries fail and the bulbs can burn out, and having to worry about another connection isn’t my cup of tea.   Streamlight flashlights have a very popular handgun option called the TLR-1 and TLR-2.   One has a flashlight and the other has the light and a laser mounted in it.   Each has their place in defensive applications, but anytime you add an accessory to a firearm, it’s another thing that can fail on you.

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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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