LIGHTS FOR CCW AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

[PropCop]

MY vote,

Surefire 6P (Not led) with red flip up lens from surefire for on duty. And I work a lot at night. The red saves your sight, but when flipped up will illuminate just about anything. The 9p will blind just about anybody. Also have a 3p and a 6v led for close work as needed (not all at the same time). The OP is right on the money with his analysis.

Surefire has a great deal on 3 volt batteries. Buy them by the 12 pack and save tons of money, no matter what 3 volt light you have.

Not to intimate that the other models are bad, just a take on what works for me.

[watchmaker]

Originally Posted by Asmodeus6

I was recently linked to this thread in response to a question I had.

I would like the cheapest, (AA-AAA) light that I can attatch to the side rail on my AK. Something with the best throw I can get while still remaining small. I'd prefer projection over flood if possible. I read the entire thread, but I get confused as to what will mount to a weapon, and what will not. (Something you carry, as opposed to being bolted to a weapon.) I'm a light noob. I'd spend $100 on the light / mount if need be. I'm sure it could possibly come in handy at some point.

I guess you're the guy to ask.

I think your posts led me to the Fenix L1D. Will it take a weapon mount? What about the premium L1D-Q5? Its roughly $5X
Utilizes a Premium (Q5) Cree 7090 XR-E LED with a life of 50,000 hours
• Two modes (6 types) of output, generation/turbo selected by turning the bezel (patented)
• General Mode: 12 lumens (25hrs) -> 53 lumens (5hrs) -> 107 lumens (2hrs) -> SOS
• Turbo Mode: 120 lumens (1.5hrs) -> Strobe

?

Fenix lights are not one inch (to use with an one inch ring) but I get around that by wrapping some electrician tape around the body, just like in this Mini-14 (it has a Fenix P3D that uses 123's)



Or get a Surefire 6PL and use a 1" Weaver ring. As you already have a Picattiny rail on your AK, you don't need to use an UTG trail rail mount # 2 like I did on this AK (The light is a Pelican M-6)



Raccoons!! I had lots of problems with them, and decided to eliminate them.
A .22 on the base of the ear will do the trick every time.
I put a bait station near a window, using a Driveway Patrol sensor near the bait and the receiver inside the house (available from the web).

Afterward I did fabricate a double floor bait station and suspended the upper part on springs, and sandwiched a push bottom from a wireless door chime between them. That way the weight of the raccoom sound the chime inside the house.

As you want your light to run on AA's go with the Fenix light, but if you need more throw, you will have to put a Fenix with a bigger reflector running on 123's, like the new TK-11.

Or you can order a TACM III with remote pressure pad switch, a lightweight incandescent that will throw 75 yards.



The Driveway Patrol PIR motion detecting gadget



Cheers
Watchmaker

[Asmodeus6]

I have the TDI lower hand guard which incorporates a bottom, and two small side rails. Perfect for a light or laser. So I wouldn't need a pressure switch as the back of the light would be perfect for thumbing while holding the TDI folding front grip. I edited my post because I think 'coon can only be hunted certain times a year. I didn't know if I could technically shoot them. I'm just tired of almost running them over late at night and them tearing my porch apart. They fight on my back porch! My dog gives me a warning tho. He hears them and goes to the back door so I know when they are there.

I don't have a .22, so I'm limited to blasting them off the back padio with an AK47. Made me think twice last night about walking out there rambo style at 1:30am. But my patience is wearing thin.

My concern with the batteries is I don't want to get into anything I don't have on hand readily, and I have never even heard of 123 batteries until this thread. (Not so much a gadget guy) So simple everyday batteries seemed like the smarter approach then something I would have trouble finding, or have to order. Instead of walking over to the remote control, or CD player and snaking a battery out of it in a pinch. Plus I wanted something small and light to carry and if need BE put it on the rifle. Something that will double duty working on the car etc. I have a 3D cell maglite typically in the car, but its big and rolls around which is annoying.

[watchmaker]

Asmodeus6,

Lucky for your dog that he is inside. When my dog was alive he had fights with raccoons all the time, cost me a bundle on veterinarian bills, buster rabid shoots, etc.
For some reason the bite of a raccoon is perfectly round and about 1 1/2" in diameter, it removes the skin exposing the flesh.

I am going to get me a new dog, but I am going to exterminate the coons, first.
I have a nuisance permit, so it is legal for me to shoot the coons,

For what you want the light to do, your best bet is the Fenix AA.

To stop your Maglite from rolling around, buy the over bezel, which is rubber and exagonal, also a velcro strip on the barrel and the matching velcro in the rug will keep the light in place.
Otherwise get the plastic clamps that Maglite sells.





Cheers
Watchmaker

[DaveM55]

Originally Posted by watchmaker

DaveM55,
No yet, but I am looking forward to buy one in the near future.



THE CLASSIC SUREFIRE E1E EXECTUTIVE ELITE
FLASHLIGHT

This light is a beauty, short, light weight, with considerable power and with a decent run time for an incandescent light
In today’s market it is a little obsolete in the power department, as the Fenix line of small pocket/key chain lights put out more lumens and have more features.
Still, the Surefire E1e is the “classic” small light that arrived at a time when 15 lumens was only achieved with big lights using 2D batteries.

The E1e is extremely well made and finished in hard anodized type III in an olive drab finish; it weights 2.20 ounces and has a length of 3.40 inches. The lens is Pyrex and the reflector is stochastic, meaning that is finished with a light stippled pattern that makes the beam free of defects, rings and artifacts.

The light runs on one of the RC123’s batteries with a run time of 1.5 hours, the beam is nice, but will not throw far as the reflector is quite small, and small reflectors produce quite a flood.

The tail cap has three positions: unscrewed a couple of turns it will lock up the light (what is considered a safety position); screwed a little more, will allow activation of the momentary position by pressing the rubber button; screwed further, will activate the light on constant.




The little light charges the battery from the front, that means you have to take the head out to install the battery, as there is not enough room for the battery to enter if you remove the tail cap, as in most other lights.

The 15 lumens lamp is called MN01, and is 15 lumens of course; the MN02 is 25 lumens but it’s used in the E series Surefire that carries two batteries, as is the more powerful 60 lumens MN03.

I see this light as ideal for a woman’s purse or a man’s pocket. Although the retail price is $79 USD the light is so well made that is worth it. Finally, the light sports a clip that can be used to clip it to the edge of a pocket for quick retrieval, or to the bill of a cap if you need to do some chore using two hands.
Cheers

Watchmaker

I recently bought it's cousin the E1B and love it for size, weight and illumination. Cost $110.00 but I got it with ten "free" batteries.

[Asmodeus6]

Thank you for the help watchmaker. I'll probably pick up the Fenix sometime soon then. It was a possum tonight. Didn't even care about me until I walked out on the porch not 4 feet away from it. Big pile of mess, and he casually walked away like I wasn't pointing an AK47 at him.

The wifey said no to shooting fuzzy animals. So I said its the last time I clean the porch. If it was a raccoon I would have just shot it. But I can't see a possum posing a threat to my dog. So I let it ride this time, it IS getting old tho.

[Asmodeus6]

I found an LED light in advanced auto parts for $2.50. Fits a 1" ring mount like nobody's business. Found some aluminum ring mounts for $9 at dunhams. Runs on AAA's. This thing is TINY. Labeled Performance Tool. Looks like so;




This isn't a great example, I was holding the rifle, and camera. Lights on,

Lights off

Step or two back


I went out into the field out back, and I could see enough to shoot at my target about 50-60ft away. It is PITCH black out there. For $2.50? I should have bought 3.

I'm sure the quality isn't anywhere NEAR some of these other lights. I bought it to have in the car. Went home, looked at it for about 12 seconds... hmm... yep, its exactly 1" round. And walked right back out the door for a mount. Its a good flood like you said about other LED's in general. I'm about 12ft from the wall in the house. Maybe 15.

[watchmaker]

VERY INTERESTING ARTICLE BY JAMES MAURER
ON THE BRIGHTEST LIGHTS IN THE WORLD
THAT YOU CAN GET OVER THE COUNTER.




THEY ARE ALL THERE
THE TORCH, THE POLARION, THE BOREALIS,
THE SUNFORCE, ETC.

READ IT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN LIGHTS

http://www.jamesmaurer.com/worlds-br...flashlight.asp

CHEERS

[watchmaker]

REMOTE SWITCHES
WITH PRESSURE PAD

Hi guys,
I have been using remote switches in my tactical lights that are mounted in rifles, shotguns, and bows, for quite a few years now.
The most effective of them are the ones with a direct connection to the solder pad that touch the battery (no spring), like the ones in the TACM III tactical lights.
The reason that they are more effective is that they don’t rob the system of any voltage (in the way of internal resistance) as do the ones with heavy springs.

Internal resistance is the name of the game, some of them, for example the TAC STAR pressure switch, can really make a bright lamp like the P-60, looks dim and murky, due to too much internal resistance in the design of the tail cap.

THE TAC STAR REMOTE SWITCH



A good one that I have used for years in mounting lights on my friends’ bows and rifles, is the G&P tail cap with remote. Its design is quite good and the internal resistance is low, but it is not designed for pump shotguns as the cord is just straight and not curly.

THE G&P REMOTE SWITCH



A very good one that I discovered recently is the Aimshot curly cord remote, the spring is copper and quite light and it seems to have very low internal resistance.
I discovered the Aimshot in Cheaper Than Dirt catalogue and at a very good price ($14.97) and it has become my favorite.
I just used one in a Pelican M-6 tactical light and mounted it using a UTG Tri rail mount in an AK rifle, it does the job well.

THE AIMSHOT REMOTE SWITCH



Cheers

Watchmaker

[watchmaker]

THE 200 LUMENS BATTLE

There are now a number of aftermarket lamps for the popular series of Surefire lights.
They will fit the Surefires series: 6P, C, Z, D, G, and maybe others.

I just received a new one that claims 290 lumens and is called a Cree R-2 (it’s supposed to be even more powerful than the Cree Q-5).
I decided to do a shoot out with an assortment of lights that I have in the 200 plus lumens class. That way the members can see how they perform against each other.

Run time was not measured for lack of time and because I am running short on 123’s batteries. The bigger lights, namely the Surefire M-4 with the MN60 lamp (225 lumens for 60 minutes on four 123’s disposable batteries) and the Bear Cub from Black Bear Flashlights (220 lumens for 90 minutes on rechargeable Li Ion batteries) are big throwers and with them you can see clearly objects 120 and 150 yards away.

On the other hand the small reflectors of the Surefires G-2, Centurion 2 and Fenix T-1 are dispersing all those lumens close by, creating a great flood.
Those pocket lights will be great to use as tactical lights by law enforcement personnel, and especially good at clearing houses, while the Surefire M-4 and the Bear Cub will make great lights for car, truck and the open spaces.

The literature of the Fenix states that it’s good for 200 yards, it will probably make a reflective target like a stop sign glow at that distance, but it would hardly illuminate any other object. My perception from trials I made, is that this light as well as the others LED’s can’t be count to illuminate (poorly) objects beyond 60/70 yards.


In any case, a lamp upgrade if you own a Surefire pocket light, is a good idea as any of them are more powerful than the stock incandescent lamp of 65 lumens or the stock LED lamp of 80 lumens.


The lights as they appear in the picture are, from left to right:


Surefire M-4 MN60 lamp 225 lumens for 1 hour (running on four 123’s batteries)
Bear Cub 220 lumens for 90 minutes, rechargeable
Surefire G-2 in yellow. It is 65 lumens for one hour with the stock P-60 lamp
Surefire G-2 in black, Lumen Factory lamp incandescent of 160 lumens
Surefire G-2 in green, Cree Q-5 by Deal Xtreme, 200 lumens
Surefire Centurion 2 in Jungle Camo, 290 lumens (claimed) with the Cree R-2 lamp
Fenix T-1, 225 lumens using a Cree Q-5 lamp




And now the pictures, target is 20 yards away, watch also the amount of side spill as well as the throw.

SUREFIRE M-4 DESVASTATOR 225 LUMENS



BEAR CUB RECHARGEABLE 220 LUMENS



SUREFIRE G-2 YELLOW 65 LUMENS



SUREFIRE G-2 BLACK LUMENS FACTORY 160 LUMENS LAMP



SUREFIRE G-2 GREEN, DEAL XTREME LAMP CREE Q-5 200 LUMENS



SUREFIRE CENTURION 2, CREE R-2 290 LUMENS (CLAIMED)



FENIX T-1 CREE Q-5 225 LUMENS





One word of caution with high intensity LED lights: most are not thermally regulated and they will suffer from their own heat if used for an extended period. They will get very hot and the tint will change. Short use of 5 minutes or less is recommended, especially in lights like the G-2 that has a plastic body and head.

All metal flashlights like the Surefire 6P are better at dissipating the heat, and in them a few more minutes of constant use can be achieved before the heat will damage the module.
The big heavy head of the Fenix acts as a heat sink, and this light can manage to run much longer without the heat affecting the module.

Besides, the Fenix has a second setting that will run the light at 60 lumens for 10 hours.
So, if you already have a Surefire you want to upgrade, the aftermarkets lamps are great.
If you need a new light look at the Fenix line.

If you need a truck, open spaces light, the Bear Cub is a great value as it is rechargeable and very bright as well as a 150 yards thrower.

Cheers

Watchmaker