I love high lumen flashlights, but I am a real big fan of the AA batterie over the C123a.
Why?
If things go south, it is going to be a lot easier to find AA batteries than anything else.
Now, I have some 180 lumen lights like they Fenix Ld20 and am willing to buy any other as long as it is 150. Lumens or more, and uses AA batteries.
So the question is…
Is there a light that has a weapon mount, remote switch, more than 150 lumens, and uses AA Batteries, and can handle being knocked around with 5.56 recoil?
Like goteron said Insight is a good choice. Insight is the only company that I can think off the top of my head that makes AA weapon lights that are G2G
MuddPuppy,
I’ve been thinking the same thing. I want rechargable and uniformity. RCR123’s dont work in most lights because of high voltage. I want to use AA/AAA Eneloops, very good rechargables) and get away from CR123’s all together. One factor to keep in mind. Weapon mounts generally come in 2 sizes .8" or 1".
BTW I measure all lights output and burntime by the Olight M20s XPG R5. (Three brightness levels plus strobe, 5 lm(600h)~115 lm(12h)~340 lm(4h)). Other than size and look its my favorite light to date.
I really think there is a need for a triple AAA light. When you put three AAA’s together I’m pretty sure you could get a 1" light with great burn and output.
That’s a lithium vs. alkaline thing, not size/configuration.
I’m not aware of any 123 analogues in alkaline, but you’ll see AA lithiums have more stable performance in the cold than a AA alkaline, in addition to many-but-not-all-of-them pushing more voltage (Energizer L91 = 1.5v, but there’s 1.7v and 3.6v. offerings; be sure to read your labels!).
BUT, one has to make sure that whatever device you may cram AA lithiums into is capable of taking lithium. Not all devices out there can dual-hat batteries, or triple-hat, if one wants to toss rechargables into the mix; there’s stuff out there that’ll say alkaline-only, and it’s best to pay attention to that, or risk…we’ll call it an energetic complication. Gotta read the “Manufacturer’s Opinion.”
I looked at the insight WL1 AA weapons light specs. The highest light setting isn’t bad (150 lumens), but it only gives you 90 minutes.
This sort of highlights one of the dilemmas of going to AA battery-based lights vs CR123a. With AA you get lower cost (since AA rechargeables are available) and better overall availability of replacement batteries. However, it seems like you give up a lot of performance in the light itself. It seems like when you compare a CR123a based light to an AA light of the same approximate size and lumen output, usually the CR123a light is brighter and lasts longer.
For now, I’m staying with CR123a based weapons lights, for the reasons above. I get a more compact light with longer life and great brightness. It’s worth the slight added cost of keeping some CR123a batteries on hand. Usually I just buy a big box of them at Battery Junction every so often.
I must be missing something, aside from the pelican case this seems very similar to clints idea? Not being a dick just maybe you might be able to elaborate. I understand having spares but how is his does his logic differ from yours? Are you saying only but what you need,( in bulk)? Not to worrie about the shelf life?
Thanks
When all the buildings are rubble, there will be more AA batteries lying around in Walmart - Target - Walgreens - Costco rubble than there will be C123a’s.
I agree 100% with your rationale for standardizing on AA. I have done this myself.
I run a FourSevens Quark X AA2 Tactical in an offset 1" mount. I just wrapped the body with a few turns of McNett Camo Form to bulk it out a bit. The mount clamps right down on it . . . doesn’t move.
P.s. For the tight bezel mode, I use max output 280 otf lumens. For loose bezel mode, I use low mode 24 otf lumens. (for use in total pitch black darkness to maintain some amount of night vision)
(OP) I think I will go with cr123s for the simple fact that not many people will need them. If (when) shit starts getting bad everybody and their brother will be picking all stores clean for your AA AAA C and D battries. If you think you wont find cr123s what makes you think you will find any other battries.
Many stores carry CR123’s, including convenience stores, pharmacies, grocery stores, hardware stores, electronics retailers, so on so forth. Years ago before they were popular for tactical flashlights, Duracell and Energizer sold them in two-piece blister packs for $10-15!
They were used in SLR and DSLR cameras. You can still find them today in the two-piece blister packs for the same ridiculous prices, but Energizer now sells them in 12-piece blister packs like Surefire for about $30…much more reasonable if you can find those. Most consumers have never seen a tactical light…so why should Duracell and Energizer stop raking in the dough on CR123s?
If you want an AA light on a weapon and you’re afraid of going outside of established brands like Surefire, Surefire makes the Outdoorsman AA which runs on a pair of AA’s. I don’t know if they make an adapter that will mount it because it looks like an oddball diameter, but it’s one possible path. Obviously you’d want to run lithium AA’s or high quality rechargables like Eneloops and not junky alkalines.
