So the general consensus is host of choice and red XR-E overdriven. No filters?
Finding a red XM-L might be the best thing for a C8 but i never saw XM-L emitter in anything else but wihite.
Cool. I would have suggested an over-driven red XR-E in a C8 but someone earlier said the colored XR-Es aren’t that bright compared to the white ones.
In general Cree red leds suck, red filtered white leds excel at poor performance. Even overdriven Cree red are marginal at throw. I use 1 or two 3up red cree on my static feeder lights. The pic in the above link shows the comparison of the PT54 vs 6 XPEs. For a true flashlight red varmit light with good throw at range exceeding 100 meters only the Luminus red leds have lumens. Of the choices offered by them three stand out for flashlight use. Although Luminus does make smaller and larger colored leds the red PT39, SST90 and PT54. Price/performance goes to the PT54 at $20 on Ebay.
The most driver friendly is the red SST90. The PT series leds are positive ground and some drivers may take some ingenuity to work properly. The PT120/121 are the top capable of 30A. Built my green PT120 but it is a novelty light rather than practical one but fun none the less.
for what it's worth, a professional hunter I know just told me on the phone that a red filter would be nice, but not nearly as nice as a coloured LED. I think that he was thinking of throw and uniform wavelength.
Whatever experience he has, he must have gained it in Czechia and Romania - in Germany, coloured lenses are offered for "game viewing" only, as attaching any kind of light to a firearm would get your hunting license permanently revoked faster than you might imagine, here. Not just that - weapon lights in general are considered prohibited items by law, and even mere possession of a dedicated weapon light is actually a felony. Bloody shame, would love to add some to my collection of torches - you know, "just because!"...
**edit: if your local laws permit, I'd go straight for a night-vision rifle scope. All tricked out, IR illuminator, hair line graticule, everything. Those aren't budget, though - but mighty convenient they are!
We can use lights static, hand held or weapon mounted for feral hog and varmints in Texas. I have Russian Gen1 weapon scope, binoculars and IR luminator. These are good only to a little over 100 meters. Good Gen 3 setup would run several thousand dollars per set. Thermal devices even more.