Weapon Light

[Abrams.357]

Which is a brighter, more durable, waterproof, all around better weapon light. The Glock Tactical lights or the surefire X200® LED Weapon Lights? Regardless of price For a Glock 21
-Any and all comments
-Thanks

[avizpls]

No personal experience, but I have heard that the Surefire is.

[Suburban]

No experience here either, but the main complaint about the the Glock light is that it's not very bright compared to the competition.

I put a Streamlight TLR-1 on my G21, when I'm not carrying it.

[TonyF]

I've never seen a glock tac light so I can't comment on the brightness issue but I would find it hard to believe that it's in the same league as the surefire regarding durability. However, the X200 went through some growing pains with the backplate but it's since been corrected going from four screws to six.

I was sent a TLR-1 to T&E from a vendor and it wasn't any brighter than my X200A but it may have an edge over the X200B because of the difference between the X200A and X200B reflectors. The TLR-1 is definitely a step up from the M3/M3X series.

[den9]

i can put my money on surefire.

i have a surefire a2 and i did alot of research on these lights and they are absolutely flawless. expensive but its a crazy light. it will definetly blind some1 when u shine them in the eye. i flashed it in my friends dogs eyes and it walked into a wall lol.

i went to the gun store and looked at the streamlights mounted on glock dummies. it was pretty good.

id highly recommend a surefire.
i think it will run u over 200 bucks though

[Abrams.357]

i went to the gun store and looked at the streamlights mounted on glock dummies. it was pretty good.

- so would you agree that the streamlight TRL 1 and 2 are the most bang for the buck with out costing 1/2 of the actual gun?

[JIMMYC308]

My friend has the Surefire weapon light and it is very impressive. If cost is an issue try the Insight Technologies M3 weapon light. I have one and it works great.

[DPB]

The P60 bulb is the bulb in most of the common 2 cell SF lights, so that's what I'm using for output comparison.

I have carried a ITI/Streamlight M3 downrange. While I have heard stories about their lack of durability under hard use, I have not experienced it myself. I wouldn't leave it on the gun for a high round count train up, but I have no problem rolling out of the gate with it it assuming it spent most of it's time in a hard holster. Durability can be an issue, but this is offset by the fact that the price is now like $80. Output is comparable to an SF P60 bulb. I've tried to use their remote switch, but it is a pad on a wire, which is inferior to the rigid remote switches offered by SF. I don't think they are particularly waterproof.

I am currently playing with a SF X200B on both a Kimber Warrior and a Glock 19, with the DG switch on both guns. It is very solid, and the endplate issues seem to have been worked out. I checked out both the A and B, and ended up with the B (which is another discussion entirely). I haven't pounded any nails with mine. Output is a little different since it is an LED. The A has a very focused beam with NO spillage, which is probably about as bright as a P60, but the LED doesn't "throw" as far as the incandescent. The B version has a hot spot that is slightly less bright, but has enough "spillage" to illuminate a decent sized room. The general opintion is that the B is better indoors and the A is better outdoors, but, again, being LEDs, neither really had the kind of throw/range you want outdoors, but either is probably sufficient for use at typical handgun ranges (<25M) just got the DG switches, and I am mostly liking them, although it requires some re-training on the draw so as not to light up prematurely. The light pad is under the middle finger. The DG switch is a $65 option. The lights are running $250+, so they aren't cheap. I believe they are probably the most waterproof of the choices.

I haven't used the TLR, but it looks fairly solid. The Glock light looks like a pig. The other problem is that neither of these has much holster availability right now. It's relatively easy to get a holster that accomodates an M-3 or X200. I suspect that in the future, this will also be true for the TLR. Good luck with the Glock light.

ITI/Streamlight is saying that remote options will be available fairly soon for the TLR, which will improve this as an option.

Right now, the SF X200 would be my first choice. I believe that once holsters and remote switches are available, the TLR will be a good choice as well. The M-3 will work, but you need to be aware of the durability issues.

Regardless of which one you use, you need to practice gun manipulation with the light attached. It's hard to explain, but the dynamics and "feel" of the gun just don't feel the right when you first put the light on. Also, you want to get a good feel for how you are going to activate the light, either with a remote or rocker switch, and how that affects you draw and firing grip on the gun.

As always, this information is worth exactly what you've paid for it. The views expressed herein are those of the poster and do not reflect the views of the PAFOA or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

[den9]

- so would you agree that the streamlight TRL 1 and 2 are the most bang for the buck with out costing 1/2 of the actual gun?

if u dont want want to spend alot of money go with the streamlight, it will do the job.

if u want an absolutely flawless well designed light that will last you forever. get a surefire. 250 bucks these lights are designed well.

if you dont plan on using the light that much id go with the streamlight.

the surefire will blind the hell out of the bad guy. theres 2 models for surefire, one is a wider beam and one is a narrow beam.

the wider one is brighter and i guess its better perphial vision, but the narrow one u can see real far.

[JLStorm]

I have the TLR2 and it is amazing. The laser can be seen at night for at least 100 yards easy and the as for the flashlight, it was bright enough to use to shoot a video from a digitial camera on a cloudy night with no moon. I have talked to streamlight a bit and they are great and stand behind their prodcuts 100%. the TLR2 is the best red laser that they make better warranty and quality than the M6X. Surefire is great as well, if you need a flashlight and you dont want to have to point your weapon at something to light it up surefire is great, but for weapon mounts go with the TLR-2.

BTW, Streamlight makes the isnight lights the M6 and M6X are stremlights that are made out of house for insight which is why they are so much mroe expensive, but the TLR-2 has better performance with a better warranty.

Here is a photo if you are interested: