I’ve been eyeing a Streamlight LTR-2 for the rail on my 1911, and I started wondering if there are any smaller budget tactical lights that are recommended as quality but affordable. I really don’t need the laser, but I’d like a good bright light that won’t protrude beyond the end of the barrel. Anyone have anything they recommend?
It may not exactly be budget but it’ll be cheaper than some of the other offerings is the Inforce APL. My buddy has one for his Glock. It “might” fit the bill.
Since your in the US, Wallmart has a rail light for sale at about 40$.I think that it is made by Nebo but seems ok for a cheap second light.Between me and my friends we have 4 of them and they have all been ok and held up just fine.The specs on the package are about right and the XR-e works well in this application.I have been abusing one of mine for about 4-5 months right and it hasn’t failed or come loose from the mount.Hope this helps!-Rick
TLR-3 is affordable and pretty good quality. I have it and I like it. Takes CR2 though.
Thanks, guys. That gives me a couple of options to look at. I appreciate the input!
There is also the tlr-1 which is the no laser version of the tlr-2. It can usually be found for sub 100.
Are you planning to use the light for home defense? If so I would strongly recommend you don't put a flashlight on it. The reason I say that is that you will look like a search beacon when you look around the house. You are very easy to target when you have a flashlight mounted on your gun.
This is why I believe in a laser mounted to the pistol and a small forward-clicky flashlight held in your opposite hand under your wrist.
Here is my ghetto light setup for under $20 and a little labor.
I start with an MXDL 3W from DX $6.73
http://dx.com/p/mxdl-3w-flashlight-black-2083
I add an R2 XRE from LCKLED $3.65
Some quick release scope mounts work great $5 for 2
http://dx.com/p/25mm-gun-rail-mount-2-pack-4772
I remove the stock emitter from the light and add the R2 with heavier wires direct drive and Fujik the whole pill together
Once it’s all together I leave the base loose so I can just push on the base of the light to get it to turn on. It’s much brighter than the $100 factory Glock light and handles the recoil fine.
I don’t believe you will find professionals recommending that. The amount of pistol control you lose by taking your off side hand from the gun is considerable.
I like the TLR-3 for a budget pistol light. The rotary switch has momentary on and constant on in opposing directions.
Or just say fugg it, mount an XML light on your AR15 and clear the house with that J)
That’s what I have next to the bed. And 30 rounds of 75 grain hollowpoint ready to go. Of course I live outside city limits, so any time I’d need police I would be waiting for the county sheriff to arrive…….could be some time.
Or you could mount a triple XML to your shotgun and not worry about the possible over penetration of the .223
Haha, nice.
I am going to compare an XP-G2 at ~1amp and my XML at 3amp when I get home and see if the extra light is worth the reduced run time for a weapon light.
At the risk of going off topic, I’d like to say a bit about the over penetration.
Any round that will effectively penetrate an intruders rib cage and cause massive internal trauma, will also penetrate multiple walls. There is no way around it. Any round that can not “over penetrate” through walls, will not be an effective man stopper.
When I say effective man stopper, I mean a round that will physically halt the attack asap. Not a round that will leave the assailant with the choice of fighting through pain. I want incapacitation.
Now some 5.56 rounds like the 62 grain green tip tend to penetrate more walls, but that is because the bullet does not break up. It also tends to leave small holes in targets. 75 grain BTHP tends to fragment violently a few inches into flesh.
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Love your setup Erik, here’s mine with a TLR-3
Depending on training, you don’t use the light to illuminate the house while you’re walking it. You use it to “flash” the object you plan to shoot…or not shoot.
Yeah it’s extremely unwise to use a weapon mounted light as a search light if anything for the fact that your now swinging your muzzle around at everything (And if it goes off…).
You shouldn’t point your weapon at anything that you don’t intend to destroy or kill and weapon mounted torches should only be used for target illumination/verification. I still think it’s a good idea (It’s best to see what your about to shoot and have a light on hand even if it is limited) but it’s no replacement for a search light.
Best case it’s an additional source of light to provide illumination, worse case you hopefully looked at what you shot before you shot it. Too many accidental shootings from people who don’t watch their aim.
I wonder if a L2M mounted on an offset mount with a tape switch would work… It wouldn’t be compact but the power from such a small light J).
An L2M or 501A with an offset mounts a great choice for a handgun. The switch falls in the natural safe position for your trigger finger to turn on or off while identifying your target.
Ya "green tip" bullets are hard to find and they perform similar to FMJ rounds. They are terrible for home defense because like you say there is little fragmentation.
For fast/violent fragmentation I would look towards ballistic tips, HP, and SP bullets. Bad thing about ballistic tips is possible "under" penetration especially if the bullet hits bone. My favorite bullet for expansion and trama is the SP (soft point) and then HP (hollow-point). For home defense you can't go wrong with either option. For home defense we are talking ranges at 5 to 20 yards. Any of these 3 will be sufficient.
For home defense I would prefer a Maxus w/ extension tube loaded with 3" Hevi-Shot Coyote. You should see what it does to 3/4" plywood at 40 yards!
Back to flashlights. Many police officers that I have spoke with and myself prefer a laser on the gun and flashlight in your hand. The reason being that most encounters happen late at night after your eyes are fully adjusted. Shining a bright light even momentarily removes you night vision. So you are only good for 1 check and after that everything is black without the aid of artificial light.
This is why if they are unsure whether or not the intruder is armed they prefer a hand-held light. Many of them have also made comments about putting the light on a table or tail standing it in a main room and then standing in the opposite corner of the room. Simply because the intruder will assume someone is behind the flashlight and fire in that direction first.
They admit that for scenarios where they know the intruder is unarmed a mounted flashlight is much better. The reason being it allows them to have a free hand for opening doors, moving objects and clear hand gestures.
I posted a thread looking for something similar only with a a laser combo but that exactly what I was looking for and no recoil issues? I am looking for something for my G-17 (9mm) and G-20 (10mm) and as far as being a shinning beacon for bad guy? Nah not if you use intermittently and slice the pie with a hivh enough lumen with enouh flood, try it go in a pitch black room and then have someone come with a high lumen light see uf you don’t get caught like a deer in the headlights, it takes anywhere from 2-10 seconds for your eyes to adjust and if your scooten and moving while using light intermittently it wreaks havoc on eyes. Thanks I reallyneeded that info for picatinny rail mounting for my friends budget AR/15 setup we are doing and the mount was the last piece of the puzzle!