Long throw 18650 powered budget light

As nquinn recommended I vote the Sofirn C8T.

You asked for budget priced and modded C8, this is basically a factory modded C8 at a budget price.
Sofirn-C8T-Tactical-LED-Flashlight

Only thing I’d like for different for the purpose is a forward momentaty switch, but probably not necessary unless your were going to use a pressure switch, which most of thoses wouldn’t handle the current of this or a modded C8 anyhow. -But I think Lexel has a solution for that. (requires modding ability / knowledge)

Maxtoch M24 Sniper

Maxtoch Shooter 2s

Maxtoch 2X Shooter

Maxtoch Shooter 2x Red

Maxtoch Shooter 2x Green

If you look at the lights in my signature, that was the order in which I progressed as purchased.
Mostly all throwers.

You say you want to see some reviews?

Hey Throw Me… - why you so mad???

You are (obviously) very opinionated and like what you like, fine. But no confusion here sir— rest assured, I HAVE tested and used this light ON A GUN and I’m pretty sure— you have not. My opinion IS based on SOME testing and actual use of THIS light on a GUN— is yours?

I KNOW this rig will work to 200 yards (for me, just fine) despite your negative rhetoric. But why don’t we let Salt Water (and other readers) decide what they want to decide. We ALL have opinions— including MINE which differs from yours— but you don’t need to take this all down the the level you have, TWICE now.

To clarify… I have tested this light (daytime with recoil at my range) and it held turbo, shot-to-shot AND it’s been tested at night (at range) and my scope picks it up just fine (out to 200 yards). So I have no reason to think it won’t do the same— WHEN I take it on my hunt this spring. This is because I HAVE ALSO killed (out to 120+ yards) with an older C-8 style light (a cheap one with the cheap older tail-switch). It worked fine enough and was WAY less powerful than this light I have now— LOTS of pigs in the last 30 years (with lots of cheaper lights being used)… I have put several thousand lbs. of pork in my freezer- most shot (or trapped) at night.

So my experience is indeed based on MY many years of night hunting (with all kinds of lights). Can I get more light out there??? YES… but there is what CAN be done and what NEEDS to be done. I’m a “need enough” kinda guy who makes due with what I have (being a 7th generation rancher, I know how to use limited resources to get MANY things done with what I have).

Maybe you should stick to making points (agree or disagree) and trying to be reasonable (and friendly) with your proposals here (Vs. attacking me).

I think the majority of BLF folks would ALSO agree (in any case)… that there is no need to get rude while you express your VERY differing opinion (which I don’t share based on more time in the field than most people).

And again… my original post was MOSTLY addressing remote tail switch losses! Despite WHAT light I (or you) use… that FET board from Lexel IS a REAL advance to we who wish to push SMALL lights hard on a GUN (like MANY here).

Let us agree to chill (and disagree if we must) Long Throw. But let’s be civilized while we are at it, ok?

Russ in Kansas

Good tips and info here. But no need for the pissing match. Thanks for all the help guys.
Any chance u could send a detailed parts list with links Zapp?

And people never listen when I suggest they get a nice simple stoopit 1-mode driver… :smiley:

Lightbringer... I LOOKED EVERYWHERE for a GOOD single mode light in a brighter C8 form factor-- can't agree more with you there! And, as Saltwater is looking for an off-the-shelf light with that mode, I'm sure he'd be interested in knowing of any out there. I asked around here and looked around on the internet, but shy of $100+ I really could not find anything (that also ran on a 16850-- not ready for the NEXT battery yet I guess ;)

And I NOW know that a "simple" (boost) driver is a must have for MY single LED C8 using the 50.2 LED. Hard to find one anywhere with a single mode (or the cost goes up with "custom" drivers that have the memory to do single mode-- IF one is willing to do SOME modifying).

Again, always balancing cost and performance-- why BLF exists I think!

Cheers Ears!

Yep, but I’ll need a day or two to dig it all up.

WHEN you see my rig, you will see how I used these cool 1” mini-rails to set up 1) the red dot and 2) the C8 light. Here is the rails I talk about:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/261289597716

Cheap yes, but they are GREAT, clean rails with good solid fasteners- they hold nicely and the finish is excellent. Both mounted to my Weaver 1” perfect. (ship from China, so 2 weeks to get them). - I shopped around and bought a FEW rails— these were the clear “wieners” because you can FIT them nicely onto limited scope tube real estate… and still hold a red dot or light VERY firmly.

You know where to get your Tail FET boards (just PM Lexel).

Like I said, I scrapped using the run-of-the-mill pressure switch (they REALLY do glitch too much too). I HAVE a good solid button switch I AM working on drilling into my handle (need a day without distractions). But tested this switch and I will use VERY TINY FLAT (black) ribbon wire (through one of my AR’s Yankee Hill barrel’s bolt holes- like the gas tube runs through) to get from my button switch to the back of the light. This wire will go just out far enough to get through my hand rail- then pop-out right at the back of the light (and I am using a fast disconnect plug there so I can easily disconnect and pull the light itself off quickly- without needing to unscrew the tail cap before taking it off. SO it’s a CLEAN (light) “trigger job” since with the FET board— no need for larger wires- remember. They stay UNDER the hand rail and are OUT of the way compared to the usual (12” phone cord) pressure switches!

I’ll get a pic up soon- with MOST stuff mounted and ready, except for the custom switch. Then we can answer any other questions you have.

I KNOW how long this can all take, but once you get your light picked out— it will go pretty fast AND if you go with a larger reflector, you can use a “tall” scope ring to mount it (if you use the rails above the way I did- pic to come). My C8 needed a “medium” and it’s reflector is just behind the forward (40mm) bezel of my scope — perfect spot). BUT… I will say that IF you go with a way larger light— you’ll need to maybe look for something that will mount to your main rails (all depends on your AR set-up); I use a smooth solid handle on my weapon. I hate mud and gunk getting up in there and it cools fast enough as I’m not a 50 round in 1 minute shooter. So no quad rails for me… too many and extra places that hang up on everything I have to go through on any night hunt about anywhere. Guess I’m old school as far as ARs go.

Stay tuned for a pic in a day or two.

Cheers!

Easiest to mod is the older C8 (type I) with the brass pill. Treat it like any drop-in with your choice of emitter and (17mm) driver. The type II has the integrated shelf, also 17mm hole for the driver. Even newer ones might take larger drivers, don’t recall (ie, ain’t got).

You can use a real 1-mode driver that only really goes up to 1750mA or so, or lobotomise a 105C by hardwiring the 7135s constant-on (a small solder-blob does it) to get up to 2.8A. If you want to go the FET route, dunno if any are 1-mode, but you can try it.

Go crazy…

This is good info… wish I had it last month too :wink:

On single mode drivers: I started with several messages to Lexel when working on my gun light here last month. He said he (and another forum member) are working on a NEW driver that will be able to run “one mode” settable (into memory) and nicely boost a 50.2 (and maybe a 70.2) running on a good 16850. I am buying a pair of his Narsil drivers (for my C8F kits on the way— yes I’m addicted at this point) and they ALSO will hold memory for one (on/off) mode (and I think also manage the side switch on that particular C8 too- a neat benefit.) But as I understand it, I’ll still need to switch back to the old tail cap (no FET clicky switch) to use the Narsil drivers with multi-modes and that side switch on the C8F.

Very cool driver, I’m looking forward to getting it. I could use it with a Lexel FET board modded clicky in one mode for say HUNTING (in full Turbo), then take it when (not) hunting… simply flip the tail switch back to the original (non clicky) tail cap, and then have a multi-mode, full featured light.

On another note… the C8 host I ALSO ordered WITH the C8F kits from Sofirn, had a choice of a 17mm or 20 (or maybe 22mm) driver space and I went with the larger one. I got it because it was cheap and I figured I could always fall back on it (with my C8F or another light) if needed. I can always glue (or “pot”) a board, but if it doesn’t fit to begin with— let’s just say I don’t own a lathe :smiley:

No such thing as a free lunch mate. Long throw comes from big reflectors or lenses that catch and collimate the maximum amount of light the emitter produces.

The KL52 / B158 isn’t a big light by any means and with the likes of the XP-L Hi in it, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything to out throw it. with a smaller head.

Which one do you suggest to buy, prices are for both the same around 18 usd?

Sofirn C8T

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Sofirn-C8T-Tactical-LED-Flashlight-18650-Powerful-Cree-XPL-HI-High-Power-Flash-light-Portable-Torch/2933049_32836696177.html?spm=2114.12010608.0.0.78ca9ff4n0FRFz

or

Astrolux C8 XP-L HI

Or maybe something else for around 20 usd?

Sofirn C8T, because people push the Astrolux as if the C8T doesn’t exist.

Main differences, from what I can tell is that the Sofirn has the springs bypassed from the factory, while the Astrolux has a driver with more modes/features, but steps down from Turbo prematurely.

Modded lights vs unmodded are completely different arenas.
For great basic narrow beam thrower— I like my old $16 Jacob A60’s just fine.
Not exactly hot rods in the league of what you are doing….

Also HD2010 still a great stock contender - but body tube is kinda wide…

The sofirn c8t has a 3min stepdown as well - I chose the c8.2 as it has no stepdown

Doesn’t the Astrolux C8 have a 45s step-down, or have they fixed that in more recent production.

Yep! Why I have one on my gun. The driver squeals a bit, but it puts out a LOT of light for it’s size and in my tests it holds turbo mode as long as the battery has the juice to keep it there. The throw WILL surprise you too.

However… IF one is wanting to build a C8 light for a gun (my need), they might look at the C8F host kit from Sofirn (for a very good price/performance project). Here is a post with great info! (- Dale is da’man!)

I have two C8F Sofirn hosts on order and SIX XP-L2 LEDs ready to be flowed and de-domed to make a matching pair of these lights. I’m also using Lexel’s Narsil drivers (AND his FET tail switch board too… of course!). So these will replace my C8.2 on my hunting gun as soon as I get the parts in and a few days to build them all up.

I could have gone the XPL HI route easier (no de-doming), but I’m going to see how it runs doing it this way (the hard way… like always :disappointed: ). AND YES (Long Throw)… I know there are longer throwers out there— but you’re going to pay for them and they get big FAST too! In any case, I’ll get about as much output from a C8 as I can while keeping cost down from any retail version. I’m looking forward to posting pics very soon on the weapon light discussion.

One thing I like better with the Astrolux is it has knurling on the tube. But if you’re using it for rifle mounted I guess that wouldn’t matter.
On the other hand I prefer the simple UI of the Sofirn.

[quote=Throw me in to darkness]

No (again), it works fine. I’d show you a view through my scope (with the C8.2 light at 200 yards) if I could- you’d THEN see what I see. But I can’t put you behind my gun (which you see is REAL and EXISTS).

DID I EVER say there were not longer throw options? no. What I said then is exactly the same NOW:

— that FOR a SMALL light, this one C8.2 stands out for the C8 form factor and hits WAY out there for my rig (the way I tested it).

Please notice… the C8F is ALSO not a “big thrower” (but it requires building & SaltWater asked for a thrower he could buy for a good price that worked for his needs, I simply offered him something smaller than most LONG, HEAVY throwers… that cost $30 shipped!). And finally… I QUALIFIED my answer to him- in the form of a well described and clear OPINION.

The C8.2 WORKS for me… and Lexels TAIL switch is AWESOME- that WAS my post!

NOTHING changing here much with the C8F either- same basic (small light) used for a combination of: good pig hunting field-of-view, ENOUGH throw, and in a small (lightweight) form factor that WILL KILL PIGS (on my gun) nicely.

Does anyone have contact with Sofirn? Can we request an xpl hi model? With those led and a more simple UI (l/m/h) and no step down this would be my ideal hunting torch