Taking EAG Carbine 2 so need handheld light. Any recommendations? What to look for/stay away from? Searched but nothing relevant came up. Any help appreciated since course date is slowly approaching.
The two (2) celled SureFire flashlights in G|6|Z series are more than sufficient and up to task as a handheld light. Next up from that and if $$$ allows, the SureFire M series would be another.
Personally, just keep the flashlight simple with the On|Off activation. The other gadgety flashlights with multi-click|twist to have varying levels of lumen output and strobe|S-O-S I’d stay away from (my take on it). I do have a few non-SF flashlights with such “gizmo” setup, and I find it’s not for me. Of course, Your Methods May Vary accordingly so.
Hope you find what you’re looking for and stay safe!
Start with something that says “Surefire” on the side. A 6PX Pro or G2X Pro would be tough to beat. Lots of options. Recommend a single-function tailcap for a fighting light.
There are a bunch of threads on individual lights, and their merits and liabilities.
I’ve run SolarForce lights for everything (weapon mounted and hand held) in the last couple of years. I have a Surefire incan Z2 that sits in the safe.
I have 2 G2LEDs with Malkoff M61 drop-ins that have been very reliable through several night classes mounted on my ARs.
I also have a Surefire 6PX that has also been very reliable as a handheld during some night classes.
To be honest, I don’t think you’re going to have much trouble with many of the lights if it’s for a handheld. If you already have a G2 or 6P incandescent, or 80 lumen LED, you can easily purchase a drop-in module that will boost your light output, for less than the cost of a new Surefire.
For EAG Carbine 2, the handheld was run the first night in conjunction with some pistol work. I don’t believe we ran the handheld much the second night.
I haven’t tested the reliability on the ThruNite drop-ins, but I’m going to during an upcoming EAG Carbine 2 class.
I hit that class last month, used a SF G2X Tactical. I concur that anything 80 lumens and up is gonna be just fine at the ranges you’ll be shooting pistol in TD1, but 200L (or whatever is actually coming out the end of that thing) was just dandy. Real nice beam, but then…it f**king well BETTER be. Thankfully, I got the two of those that I have when they were still $55…
I also used the Fenix PD30 that I carry every day. Those things and similar variants have a simple click-on/-off cap (no momentary), and I had no trouble using it, either.
Hell, a Streamlight PolyTac would do GREAT in general, and at those closer ranges in particular…
A multi-mode light that isn’t set up to go straight to max-output is sub-optimal. The few guys with multi-option lights basically optioned themselves into indecision, slowness, and dropping stuff.
I’m no true pistolero, and that was my first time doing white-light pistol work, so I found that the light itself was simple while where and how I carried it was less so (solved, thankfully), but I don’t know if that’s a concern, in your case.
If its just going to be a hand held light I am really partial to my Surefire LX2. For me it just the right size to easily manipulate and its not to small to whack someone with if need be. Plus I think it has a great balance between the hot spot and spill. The negative thing I can say is that the pocket clip breaks to easily. However, you can get a never ending supply from Surefire and a little electrical tape wrapped around the area where it attaches to the light prolongs the clips life span.(Thanks to Tom Fineis for figuring that out.
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Exactly this.
Just like the smart way to get into ARs is to buy a 6920 and go shoot the piss out of it, the smart way to get into lights is buy a basic Surefire and go use it. Light freaks get silly with all these offshore brands, weird recipes of heads, bezels, bulbs, reflectors, tailcaps, etc. If a light recommendation is longer than make and model, it’s not the right recommendation for someone’s “first” light.
I also keep Streamlight Polytac LEDs around the house. I have found multiple inconsistencies from one to the next, which IMO is indicative of why I’d use Surefire if it really mattered. I buy them because I want one light, the same light, in every room and because the inconsistencies haven’t (so far) affected my use for them.
If I may offer another tip, unless you have a need for the light body itself to be ninjafied, get something in a bright color. When you lose your flashlight in the dark that means you no longer have your flashlight to find… your flashlight. and having a bright color helps. I say this after spending the last 5 years, two nights a month (sometimes more) on the range and losing quite a few ninjafied lights and Leathermans before I got smart and stopped buying black shit.
I haven’t mounted it on a weapon yet, but the 280-lumen LED light that Brownells sells is a nice, and appears to be quite well-made. The battery contacts are solid and they don’t rest on a circuit board in the tailcap.
I know, I know. It’s not a Surefire. Hell, it’s not even a Streamlight. As I said, though…looks and feels promising. They also have a 160 lumen model.
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=45175/Product/BROWNELLS-VERSATILE-LIGHTS
OP,
Surefire 6PX Pro, if you want a dual output light.
Surefire 6PX Tactical, if you want a single output light.
Sounds good, but just wondering what the single-function tailcap is all about. Just getting back into lights after not buying one for a long time. Used a Surefire 9P convertible and Streamlight Scorpion for years but the SF went missing at work and the Scorpion is pretty dated.
I bought one of those “offshore” Fenix jobs, a PD32, to get me by until I figure out a new Surefire to buy. I trust Surefire quality, but never really liked the twist cap of my old light- always seemed to light up on my duty belt when I didn’t want it to until I twisted it off, then it was a hassle to activate. That’s when I started using the Scorpion for backup light use.
The Fenix was so cheap I decided to take a chance on it after reading some reviews.
Thanks for any input.
Lots of truth here. Bright orange and yellow are great, and will contrast in any environment.
It’s all about knowing exactly how much light you’re going to get with the press of the button. I like my SF E1B, but I don’t want 15 lumens when I need the 80.
The push-through designs are a great compromise between having a dual function switch without fancy adjustments, and still being able to get the brightest light when you need it.
This. This and this only. This. Quite simply… This. Coming from someone who owns them, has run them on weapons and has carried them daily.
Avoid dual output for weapon-mounted applications. Period. Your options are 6PX Tactical or G2X Tactical. Thats it.
Edit: If you NEED a visible low-output light, it ought to be attached to your load-bearing equipment or hat/helmet.
Yeah… I don’t even like the multi output/mode lamps for hand held.
If I want to go dim, I just use my hand to muffle the light output.
Check out candlepowerforums… with the many P60 hosts and LED lamps, we no longer have to fund the Surefire Machine. You can completely customize a hand held for half the money or less…
These are my hand held and weapon lights… finally got a pic of my beater.
