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Requesting Advice On Tactical Flashlights
July 23, 2012 | Jeff Chandler

Posted on 07/23/2012 11:05:49 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler

If you have experience and/or knowledge of tactical flashlights please share with us.



TOPICS: Hobbies
KEYWORDS: flashlight
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To: chrisser
The
Streamlight Stylus series
has a small light that uses two AA batteries and goes for about $20 each. They put out about 48 lumens.

Now that you mentioned it, I can't remember where I put this one...

21 posted on 07/23/2012 11:46:50 AM PDT by raybbr (People who still support Obama are either a Marxist or a moron.)
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To: Biff55

—Are you going to trust your life with a “proven” tactical light, or are you going to carry the 3-pack of flashlights you can buy from Costco for $20?—

I bought the old three pack of these a couple of years ago. They were slightly larger and, I believe, only about 100 lumens. They had a serious flaw: They would suddenly stop working, even with fresh batteries, and I’d have to unscrew, twist the batteries in place and retighten. It was a major pain and, as you say, I could not trust them.

So far, one of the reasons I love the new ones is that that problem has completely vanished. I love these things and use them all the time and they have simply NEVER let me down.

Frankly, because of the low battery use, I use them a lot more than I ever used my old flashlight. I’d trust my life to these. Yes. At any price.


22 posted on 07/23/2012 11:49:01 AM PDT by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
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To: wrench

bfl


23 posted on 07/23/2012 11:52:56 AM PDT by rlmorel ("The safest road to Hell is the gradual one." Screwtape (C.S. Lewis))
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To: Jeff Chandler
I'm looking at this Streamlight. Great reviews, but I can't find a rail-mount adapter for it.
24 posted on 07/23/2012 11:58:22 AM PDT by Rio (Tempis fugit.)
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To: Jeff Chandler

I like this one. One for the wife and one for me. Won’t roll off the table when you’re working on something!

$26 at Amazon
TerraLUX TLF-3C2AAEX LightStar220 3-Watt LED Aluminum Flashlight

Features two light modes: high and low
Operates on 2 AA batteries, which are included
Includes wrist strap, pocket clip, and nylon holster
Has a six-hour run time
Features bright white three-watt LED light and 220 lumens


25 posted on 07/23/2012 12:00:18 PM PDT by listenhillary (Courts, law enforcement, roads and national defense should be the extent of government)
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To: Jeff Chandler

Fenix TK series has a lot to offer. I have used my TK-11 on a daily basis for over two years. I use rechargeable Tenergy batteries that last ten hours in bright mode(255 lumens). IIRC it set me back about seventy dollars.


26 posted on 07/23/2012 12:46:22 PM PDT by jy8z (From the next to last exit before the end of the internet.)
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To: jy8z

My girls would steal my SureFire G2s to go “tunnel rat” for their ferrets under their beds, and they’d leave them on, wasting $5 worth of Surefire 123 batteries every time. I picked up a dozen of the Tenergy rechargeables and they work great.


27 posted on 07/23/2012 1:09:37 PM PDT by SJSAMPLE
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To: All

Considiering that the 3 watt flashlights can be had for six bucks or so and are pretty much as bright as many car headlights, why don’t any of the “auxuliary light” companies sell a light with three or four of these bundled into a high power driving or fog light? I don’t get it. They use much less wattage than halogens and could flood everything in front of you or all be used as a multi light “pencil beam”.

Imagine a row of 20 of these as a single bar, each one with an adjustable beam width.


28 posted on 07/23/2012 2:11:49 PM PDT by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
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To: cuban leaf
—The biggest change is the move to LED emitters— It’s made ALL lightbulb flashlights obsolete. When I see them even being offered for sale it cracks me up.

Not so fast there, CL. Where LEDs still lag behind is the CRI (Color Rendition Index). One of the main reasons LEDs are still 'not there yet' in residential lighting applications. Overall brightness is a good thing but if that bright light does not allow you to discern colors (that unnatural look), a less bright light with a better CRI (i.e. the incandescent light) may be better suited.

29 posted on 07/23/2012 2:11:59 PM PDT by Moltke ("I am Dr. Sonderborg," he said, "and I don't want any nonsense.")
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To: Moltke

Yes. I was talking specifically about flashlights.

That being said, we have some under counter LED strips in our kitchen that give the same color temperature as the LED’s they use in Jewelry stores now. They are absolutely awesome.

I understand that LEDs can give you the ability (or soon will) in home lighting to not only adjust brightness, but also color temperature.


30 posted on 07/23/2012 2:21:17 PM PDT by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
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To: Rio

Just off the top of the head, if the light is 1” in diameter, a single weaver (picatinny) scope ring will do the job.

Cheers


31 posted on 07/23/2012 3:34:24 PM PDT by petro45acp ("Don't" read 'HOPE' by L Neil Smith and Aaron Zelman...it will bring tears to eyes. BORE!!!!!!!!!!!!)
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To: Jeff Chandler

bookmark


32 posted on 07/23/2012 3:43:37 PM PDT by rightly_dividing (We are Scott Walker.)
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To: AlmaKing
From the article linked in Comment 2, this is what a tactical flashlight is:

Flashlight anyone? I have one for daily carry and take it everywhere with me. It’s become another extension of me and has diffused at least two potentially violent confrontations in a non-lethal way. I recommend 200+ lumens./i>

How to use it in this situation?

I would have pulled my high lumens pocket flashlight and blinded this guy. The high powered beam would have taken away his vision for 3-4 seconds, which is an eternity and enough time to flight or fight. There’s also no shame in surviving and getting you and your loved ones out of harm – especially little ones. Be a Hero to your kids and family for surviving, nobody can expect more of you than that. Like we say in Survival Escape Evasion Resistance (SERE) school, “Survive with Honor.”

Cabela's Limited Fall Edition 2012 catalog lists a particularly ferocious model at page 907, a "ProTac L Series," model number (003) HL, with a maximum output of 600 lumens, 400 more than the one mentioned in the quote. It weighs 5.5 oz.and is 5.25" long, just about the length of a pen. The price is $99.99.

A zap from that could do a good job of stoping a lot of people, especial at night. The big advantage is one could shoot on suspicion, without waiting for reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm, stop the target, leave no visible marks or residue on the target, and get away, all in all a lot better than shooting the target, especially since sooting would still remain an option. Right now George Zimmerman is probably wishing he had just such a weapon. Traynon's ghost might even agree.

33 posted on 07/23/2012 3:49:59 PM PDT by libstripper
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To: Jeff Chandler

Is it intended to be an auxiliary weapon as well as a light source? Are you trained in the proper use?


34 posted on 07/23/2012 4:19:58 PM PDT by JimRed (Excise the cancer before it kills us; feed &water the Tree of Liberty! TERM LIMITS, NOW & FOREVER!)
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To: Jeff Chandler

*


35 posted on 07/23/2012 7:53:50 PM PDT by rightly_dividing (We are Scott Walker.)
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To: Jeff Chandler

bflr


36 posted on 07/23/2012 7:58:39 PM PDT by notatard?
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To: cuban leaf

That’s true of course - progress will continue to improve the light quality of LEDs. But so far all the LED flashlights I own or have seen don’t have a particularly great light quality. OK for general purpose use though!


37 posted on 07/24/2012 5:33:40 AM PDT by Moltke ("I am Dr. Sonderborg," he said, "and I don't want any nonsense.")
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To: Jeff Chandler

You might also want to check out candlepowerforums.com. Best resource out there.

Tons of in-depth reviews of ‘tactical’ LED flashlights.


38 posted on 07/24/2012 6:27:57 AM PDT by Moltke ("I am Dr. Sonderborg," he said, "and I don't want any nonsense.")
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To: Moltke

—But so far all the LED flashlights I own or have seen don’t have a particularly great light quality.—

I used to feel that way. They seemed to have a “purple flair” around the edges. The ones I have been raving about (the Costco three pack) eliminated that. They are a higher quality light in every way. In fact, even the old ones that were similar, slightly longer, and only 100 lumens kicked the sh** out of my four D cell Mag Lite. In fact, I replaced the batteries thinking they were going dead. They weren’t. The LED’s are so bright that the beam from mag light looked like the beam of a $1.99 flashlight with the batteries failing.

Yes. The difference is that big. I’m checking on the LED conversion for the mag lite, otherwise it is just an ugly paperweight.


39 posted on 07/24/2012 7:02:27 AM PDT by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
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To: Jeff Chandler

Surefire is my first choice, and my EDC is a Nitecore Infinity single 3v lithium battery.
I designed LED flashlights and had my own business making them almost ten years ago. The Cree emitters is the hot item lately.
For a pistol the Veridian green laser and 100 lumen LED under barrel tactical light.

For a rifle I suggest two lights, one of no less than 500 lumens for intense searing light and another that is low level and or with red.


40 posted on 07/24/2012 7:08:12 AM PDT by Eye of Unk (Going mobile, posts will be brief. No spellcheck for the grammar nazis.)
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