What do you look for in a flashlight for a carbine?

[Fightingfish]

I’d like to put a light on my PC carbine. She’s all dressed up with that MLOK handguard with nowhere to go.

I see some options ranging into the hundreds of dollars, some in the couple dozen bucks, a whole lot in between.
It would be for basic home defense/fun duty mostly inside 25yds, occasional stretches out to 50+yds, but that wouldn’t have much to do with the light for my purposes.

is it battery type that convinces you?
Is it lumens? Spread?
Size?

ideally, it wouldn’t be too heavy, since the platform is already a little front-heavy. The big flood light systems don't really thrill me.

What do you like/use? Why do you like it?

 

[BDinPutnam]

Fenix PD35.

End of thread.

 

[dwa12479]

For a home defense light, I personally like something that's relatively compact and not too bright . I don't need to set the wallpaper on fire, and I don't want something that's like a boat anchor on the front of my gun.

For my HD shotgun, I went with a light integrated into the forend from EO Tech. It's 220 lumens and perfect.

For carbines my current favorite is the Streamlight ProTac with a Cloud Defensive tape switch mount. 350 lumens, and not too expensive. $100 fgor the light, $70 for the mount.

 

[Fightingfish]

Fenix PD35.

End of thread.

That’s a nice looking piece, thank you for the recc. Is there a mount you prefer for it?

 

[PutnamCharlie]

 

[BDinPutnam]

That’s a nice looking piece, thank you for the recc. Is there a mount you prefer for it?

OLIGHT is what I have on my patrol rifle. I think it was part of a package when I bought my light (not pictured here it's currently in my pocket). Its nice and solid but annoying that I have to remove the light's butt cap to get it into the mount.

 

[meketrefe]

That is reliable and virtually indestructible.
I like the idea of all my devices to be AA batteries as it is the most popular battery in the world for consumer products so
in a scarce situation the chances are AAs will be found much easier, including rechargeable ones.

I have expensive ones but I stopped buying them after I read some tests in the consumer reports where they tested a bunch
of them and they take this $24 battery and they run them over with a car and it is like nothing....
I have serveral of these rayvac heavy duty model everywhere and they are very though as described in the consumer reports tests.

 

[Edwardteach72]

Dont just look at lumens.. also try and find out candela

For example the Modlite OKW head has only 680 lumens but pushing about 69,000 candela.

At the same time the surefire m600df. Has 1,500 lumens but I belive around 16,000 candela

Or there is the Cloud Defensive OWL has 1,250 lumens and 50,000 candela

 

[Podmonkey]

I much prefer something small, simple and lightweight. I have an Elzetta and a custom scout 300 pattern light by Arisaka. Both are single cr123 cell lights, anything that has room for more than than that is too big in my book. Keep in mind a light is something you will likely never need but it will always be there, hanging out at the end of your gun.
I also like lights that bolt directly to the mount as opposed to sitting in a ring.

 

[Edwardteach72]

I much prefer something small, simple and lightweight. I have an Elzetta and a custom scout 300 pattern light by Arisaka. Both are single cr123 cell lights, anything that has room for more than than that is too big in my book. Keep in mind a light is something you will likely never need but it will always be there, hanging out at the end of your gun.
I also like lights that bolt directly to the mount as opposed to sitting in a ring. View attachment 77558
View attachment 77559 View attachment 77560

Have you checked out the 18350 versions from Modlite of either the OKW and or PLHv2

 

[Podmonkey]

Have you checked out the 18350 versions from Modlite of either the OKW and or PLHv2

You mean 18650? So far the 18650 lights I have seen are too bulky. Also I'd rather have primary cells in a light that is likely to sit unused for extended periods. These high current, high capacity Li-Ion cells are not particularly stable creatures.
However if there were a light that had a similar form factor as my Nitecore P18 I would interested.

 

[Edwardteach72]

You mean 18650? So far the 18650 lights I have seen are too bulky. Also I'd rather have primary cells in a light that is likely to sit unused for extended periods. These high current, high capacity Li-Ion cells are not particularly stable creatures.
However if there were a light that had a similar form factor as my Nitecore P18 I would interested.

No the 18350

 

[Edwardteach72]

You mean 18650? So far the 18650 lights I have seen are too bulky. Also I'd rather have primary cells in a light that is likely to sit unused for extended periods. These high current, high capacity Li-Ion cells are not particularly stable creatures.
However if there were a light that had a similar form factor as my Nitecore P18 I would interested.

Same output as the 18650 but shorter run time

 

[Podmonkey]

Same output as the 18650 but shorter run time

View attachment 77564

Well, give me some links man! Runtime isn't super important for a weapon light that will see only monetary activation.
I bet a 18350 still has more capacity than a CR123 anyhow. Self discharge rates for Li-Ions is low too, not quite as low as lithium primary cells but a good deal lower than most other chemistries. Its just just that Li-Ion cells have a habit of shorting and catching fire if allowed to completely discharge.

 

[togmaster]

I went with a streamlight rechargeable HL-X 1000 lumens. Brightest Tactical Gun Light | ProTac® Rail Mount HL-X

And I mounted it with an arisakadefense scout mount Inline Scout Mount KeyMod - Arisaka

Keeps it tucked close to the hand guard.

 

[Edwardteach72]

Well, give me some links man! Runtime isn't super important for a weapon light that will see only monetary activation.
I bet a 18350 still has more capacity than a CR123 anyhow. Self discharge rates for Li-Ions is low too, not quite as low as lithium primary cells but a good deal lower than most other chemistries. Its just just that Li-Ion cells have a habit of shorting and catching fire if allowed to completely discharge.

Here is the PHLv2 package over at Big Tex Outdoors.. i like the OKW output more personally (and the package is about the same price)

Modlite PLHv2-18350 Weapon Mounted Light | 54,000 Candela (New Slim Head) | Big Tex Outdoors

The Modlite heads have undergone an in-line upgrade. The new head is slimmer but still provides the same output and runtime as the original heads. Performance is NOT affected. This light will ship with the new head. All Modlite lights now come with ONE battery and an optional charger. …

www.bigtexoutdoors.com

Also the modlite are backwards compatible with surefire and equivalent pressure switches and tailcaps and what not

 

[Edwardteach72]

@Podmonkey

OKW head - 680 lumens and 69,000 candela
PLHv2 head - 1350 lumens and 54,000 candela

 

[Podmonkey]

Here is the PHLv2 package over at Big Tex Outdoors.. i like the OKW output more personally (and the package is about the same price)

Modlite PLHv2-18350 Weapon Mounted Light | 54,000 Candela (New Slim Head) | Big Tex Outdoors

The Modlite heads have undergone an in-line upgrade. The new head is slimmer but still provides the same output and runtime as the original heads. Performance is NOT affected. This light will ship with the new head. All Modlite lights now come with ONE battery and an optional charger. …

www.bigtexoutdoors.com

Also the modlite are backwards compatible with surefire and equivalent pressure switches and tailcaps and what not

Well sir, after having a look at those Modlites I have to say I am quite interested and at some point I will be looking into switching over to these. I particularly like the compatibility with the Arisaka mounts.
@Fightingfish whatever you get I do highly recommend the excellent Arisaka mounts, particularly the scout style mounts that bolt directly to the light body. Said mount is based around the Surefire Scout series footprint and Arisaka sells custom scout bodies for this purpose.

 

[Podmonkey]

@Podmonkey

OKW head - 680 lumens and 69,000 candela
PLHv2 head - 1350 lumens and 54,000 candela

Which is more floody?

 

[Edwardteach72]

Well sir, after having a look at those Modlites I have to say I am quite interested and at some point I will be looking into switching over to these. I particularly like the compatibility with the Arisaka mounts.
@Fightingfish whatever you get I do highly recommend the excellent Arisaka mounts, particularly the scout style mounts that bolt directly to the light body. Said mount is based around the Surefire Scout series footprint and Arisaka sells custom scout bodies for this purpose.

Yea modlite (along with cloud defense) are the new king of wml

 

[Edwardteach72]

Which is more floody?

The PLHV2 is going to have more flood, and the OKW will have one awesome hot spot

 

[Podmonkey]

Yea modlite (along with cloud defense) are the new king of wml

That cloud defense seems way too bulky to me. I like lights to be tight up against the handguard and mounted a little lower so as to be out of line of sight. My preference has always been to mount optics as low as possible, I don't like the whole "heads up" thing.
The Modlights seem to suit my preferences better. The integrated switch of the OWL is a very good idea though.

 

[Edwardteach72]

That cloud defense seems way too bulky to me. I like lights to be tight up against the handguard and mounted a little lower so as to be out of line of sight. My preference has always been to mount optics as low as possible, I don't like the whole "heads up" thing.

They are dropping a new light soon the reign or whatever that isn't the all in one owl which I like but its huge

 

[BDinPutnam]

Pardon the interruption but @Podmonkey what is the grip on that second rifle, it looks awesome?

 

[Podmonkey]

They are dropping a new light soon the reign or whatever that isn't the all in one owl which I like but its huge

Yeah I read about that on their website just now. Points off for the term "RAIL-MOUNTED ENVIRONMENTAL ILLUMINATOR"
Its a goddam flashlight!

 

[Podmonkey]

What I would like to see is a rail system that has the light and switch completely integrated.

 

[Podmonkey]

Pardon the interruption but @Podmonkey what is the grip on that second rifle, it looks awesome?

The black one or the green one?

 

[BDinPutnam]

The black one or the green one?

Black.

 

[Podmonkey]

Pardon the interruption but @Podmonkey what is the grip on that second rifle, it looks awesome?

Black.

Ha! That is just the factory Daniel Defense grip. I swaped the furniture between the two rifles so I could mount the Larue cheek riser onto the CTR stock that is now on the DD (scoped one) rifle

 

[Elwood]