Simple, bright, thrower weapon light

Hi, all- I’ve found myself perusing the BLF forums a number of times through the years, but until now I was perfectly happy scrolling through in the background. The last couple of weeks I’ve sort of been banging my head against the wall, just trying to find something that seems so simple:

Very bright, lots of throw, on/off/or momentary. Permanently mounted to a rifle.

I had an Olight M22 (tail switch died), and replaced it with a Fenix TK22 v2.0. Both decent, but both leaving me wanting more brightness and more throw. I have a Nitecore P30 on one of my rifles… 50mm head size is fine, switches work as I’d like, but the brightness is pretty underwhelming, & the throw seems lackluster. I’ve had a few lights that didn’t work at all for me. Sometimes they’re just too “wimpy,” often a user interface that just didn’t work for me. If I activate the tail clicky switch with a half-press/momentary, I want to be able to release the switch, then quickly turn the light back on to it’s brightest setting… and repeat. Seems like most switches use those momentary presses to cycle the light through different settings. I only want the light to run on turbo. Looking through the forums here, it looks like Convoy lights have a lot of fans. I’ve been looking at the M21C with XHP70.2 (5000k) and the C8, also found the Astrolux c8 XHP50.2… sounded like the Astrolux FT03 SST-40 might be a popular option? But I have no clue how the drivers work on these or any other similar. Best I can do is that the XHP 50/70 are about the brightest, and a bigger head diameter oughta give me more throw. I’m not trying to throw a boat anchor on the end of my rifles, but it’s also not like I’m trying to mount this light on a pistol.

I guess that brings me to the question: would those Convoys or Astroluxs work for me, or should I look at different makes/models? I get the feeling that if I were in the know, I could just about program a lot of these lights to do whatever I want? But I would have absolutely no idea where to begin. I just want maximum brightness and throw every time I touch the button, no matter what. It seems like that might be easier to accomplish with a light that has both a side switch (or head twist, etc) to cycle modes? Where do I even start?

Edit: Reading some more on the forums & cruising the web, what about the Lumintop X9L? That sounds like I could keep cycling it from turbo:off:turbo:off…?

Thanks for taking the time to read and consider!

Brad

If you are looking for any kind of long run times I would not recommend the X9L, it’s considered a hot rod light. I would go with an Acebeam or Olight or even Nitecore purpose lights. I have killed many flashlights that could not take the recoil of my rifles and have damaged cells and killed flashlights from just to much shock load.

why not a white laser?
turbo all the time.

I appreciate your feedback. I hadn’t thought about whether circuit boards or whatever are designed more robustly for shooting. I’ve got that dead Olight, and had an Olight Baldr Pro that went bad before I even shot with it… I guess I’m a little gun-shy of getting another Olight? The one Nitecore I have isn’t quite doing it for me… two Fenix lights that aren’t awesome… Do you have any particular recommendations? I’ve looked at the Acebeam T27, heckuva big head, I think I could make it work. But Acebeam has sort of struck me as an “off-brand,” maybe just lack of familiarity. Is their quality better than Olights? Or did I just get a couple of bum Olights? Thanks, eh?

Acebeams quality it up there with Olight. They are tough and well built, there just not as commercialized as Olight but made just as good. I have a few of there flashlights and have had no problems with them. I also own flashlights from Olight and at least 8 different Nitecore lights. I am getting ready to purchase there L17, it’s only 1400lms but it throws it up to 802 meters, great for anything within 400 yards and easy to mount. Acebeam has there L16, L30 and the T36 hunting kits that come with the remote pressure switches. The L16 throws very well at 603 meters with 2000lms.

Your individual preferences may differ, particularly in the UI department, but I think the Olight Warrior X or Warrior X Pro would be strong candidates for your needs. I love my Pro. The quality is so good, sometimes I just sit and look at it.

:+1: The Warrior X PRO is high up on my list! I have the old M22 Warrior and it’s ben a fantastic light that takes a beating and keeps going.

Thanks! Like Majoroverkill, I have an old M22 Warrior. That’s the one that died on me. I loved the light, but now it’s a paperweight. Glad to know that you two have had good luck with yours!

Does anyone know if you can get replacement tailcap switches for the old M22 Warrior? I prefer using the tail switch over a pressure pad. Any interchangeability of tailcaps among brands?

I like forward clicky tail switches for medium-sized throwers because of the simple momentary use.

Have you considered an EagTac model? I have their G25C2 Mk II and really like it.

Lots of EagTac’s models have a forward-clicky in the tailcap, with modes selected by tightening/loosening the head. With a little practice, you can choose the output mode before turning on the light.

You mentioned wanting to run on turbo every time, so you’d keep the head fully tightened and use the tailcap for momentary or on/off.

Most G models have 1.5” diameter heads.

Most S models have 1.9” diameter heads.

Most M models have 2.5” diameter heads.

I recently ordered an M30LC2, which has a single LED. They also have the M30LC2 Pro, a higher-powered single LED model, and a triple LED version called the M30LC2-C.

A lot of their lights can run on 2xCR123 or 1x18650, and most have optional body extensions for running up to 4xCR123 or 2x18650 for more runtime.

There are currently some M30LC2 and the earlier M25C2 models on eBay for a good deal. Andrew-Amanda also has good prices on some M models.

If you are using a pressure switch… check out Lexel’s superb FET tail switch.

Good thoughts & info, thanks.

I have so many interests, I haven’t dared dive into lights before. Using them for a wide variety of things now. Given my lack of knowledge, just cruising the web I’d seen EagTac and figured it was probably knockoff junk, like a Harbor Freight of flashlights. Lots to learn!

Spot on with how I’d like to/have been running. Appreciate your description of the operation… clicked a couple of your links, and I couldn’t tell if the EagTac adjustment was head loosen/tighten, or if it was more of a rheostat/dimmer-style rotation.

Same, your post just got through to me on the difference between forward & reverse clicky. All mine have been forward, hadn’t really thought about it.

Feeling ignorant, but it looks like that M30LC2 and the S25LR MK II have about the same lumen output and same throw distance for the HI versions. Shouldn’t the larger head give more throw?

I’m glad you found it helpful!

EagTac mode selection is not infinitely variable like a dimmer switch, but rather 3 distinct brightness modes selected by tightening the head. Fully tightened is max output, and the lower modes are spaced out over about 1/2 turn of the head. You can identify the models with this feature by the “< Adj. >” label on the head.

There are some other ‘hidden’ modes available by twisting the head back and forth. You’re probably not interested in strobe modes and SOS, but you can learn more about that feature in the right-hand column of the M30LC2 specs here.

The S25LR Mk II has an option to enable strobe with a double-click of the tailcap, which you’ll probably want to leave disabled. Luckily, the option is well hidden and toggled by 20 clicks of the tailcap. More info in the right-hand column of the S25LR Mk II specs page here.

Note that the M30LC2 uses the XM-L2 or XP-L HI emitter, and the S25LR Mk II uses an XHP 35 HD or XHP 35 HI emitter. I’m a bit surprised by the similar beam distance they have listed for the models with the XP-L HI and XHP 35 HI. They don’t seem to list the spot and spill angle for the S25LR Mk II.

The XHP 35 HI is a newer and slightly brighter emitter than the XP-L HI. However, it takes roughly four times the number of lumens for a flashlight to appear twice as bright to our eyes.

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