Budget Tactical Flashlights

[ShockedNKansas]

I read through a couple flashlight threads.. 200 dollars for a flashlight? Some of you guys are serious about defeating your darkness. For me?



I paid 3.00 for two flashlights W/ batteries at Walmart.

[Mister Freeze]

Drop one, then drop the other finding the first

[ShockedNKansas]

I actually did drop the part that you screw off (lense etc.?) as I was putting the batteries in. I figured it was done, but when I screwed the cap on and hit the switch. Blam! Let there be light.

[Rapier1772]

Bulb life?
Beam strength & width?
Size considerations?
Corrosion resistance?
I can personally attest to lights like those you posted - their bulbs burnout more often than the more expensive lights. The insides get corroded quickly and they're bulky. After a while, I had to frequently have to smack 'em to get them to work. I think the conductor strips lose the tension which holds them against the terminals.

Run over it.
Use it pull tent stakes.
Drop it in the water.
Mount it to a gun.
Still work?

Those in your pic are great for utility drawer and working on the car type jobs. But for carrying around in backpack or in the truck or on the gun, I prefer something smaller but more proven.

[ShockedNKansas]

Yeah I know, I'm just being silly. I bought them for around the house because the previous cheapos were getting dim.. most likely the batteries. But at 3.00 for everything, why buy batteries for the old lights? I'll just toss the old lights in the recycle bin.

[jmz5]

I've had too many cheap flashlights fail on me to go cheap on light anymore.

[Cyberfly]

Well, as long as we are talking el cheapo light sources, I've been thinking of picking up a couple of these for around the house for spring storm season.
I'm sure SnK knows what spring storms are like in tornado alley...

https://www.oldebrooklynlantern.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
May not be able to attach to a weapon, but that isn't the purpose.

[blueorison]

Your title is a misnomer. It's clearly not a tactical flashlight because it isn't completely black.

When I want a cheap light, I smack a stupid person on the back of the head till the lightbulb appears above their head.

Back to flashlights; I use $7 lights I posted on the other thread. They have held up very well from being bounced deep underground over limestone rocks in caves, being dropped into water, etc. Their components do not hold up well against the abuse, as they aren't sealed and are not machined to very holding tolerances. I would not bring a light that cost over $50 into the environments and situations in which I use the $7 lights. I know they will hold up, but I'd rather beat up cheap lights and allow the $50 and up lights to have a longer lifetime.

[Cyberfly]

I would not bring a light that cost over $50 into the environments and situations in which I use the $7 lights. I know they will hold up, but I'd rather beat up cheap lights and allow the $50 and up lights to have a longer lifetime.

And yet you beat the living sh!t out of your $1,200 FsN on a regular basis, grind on it with a Dremel tool, use it like a hammer and grind it through, mud, dirt, sand, gravel and dust because 'its a tool and should be used as one'. :skep:
Dude, I think when you show up for that coffee, Ima slap you upside the head and wait for that lightbulb to come on...

Love ya Jon... :p

[blueorison]

hm. This is true.

WERPS.

I need to write a report on the EA slide cover and how it has held up.

[Mister Freeze]

Lanyard. That's why you don't use the good stuff. You LOSE it. How many cheapies do you destroy before spending as much as you would on a keeper? How many more do you pay for when the keeper would still be kicking? Get a good one, put a lanyard on it, and never look back...

Good call, Fly, on Blue's hyprocrisy :p

[blueorison]

Haha... so I guess I have to clarify something.

I approach each instance with an open perspective, and don't blanket the ruling of "use the good stuff instead of going through a billion cheap stuff" in the instance that 1. my life doesn't depend on it 2. it is built well and has never failed

While many offbrand gun parts suck (PS90 mags whattttt) and I will NOT endorse them, often, you can use offbrand stuff in life that cost much less and work awesome. Just like with generic label drugs Case in point.

I always endorse the rule of "do it right the first time", such as buying FN brand mags vs some china-brand crap mags ("they are having a sale at $10 a mag!" - who cares, the don't work). However, the $5-10 lights I use are built strong enough and don't fail, so I keep using them. Back then I did not purchase a good light because I didn't know enough about them.

When I get a good build for a light, I will keep it in my low-profile pack and still use the $5-10 light for a primary and the expensive light for a backup when my life does not depend on it.

It's rarely ever polar. You should approach each possible solution with an open mind. There is always a margin wherein I value operation. However, as a general rule, I will still "do it right the first time" when it comes to guns and life. It just happens that there are a few exceptions to the rule, though it stands as a whole. I hope my clarification made sense to you. :thumb:

[Mister Freeze]

I guess your haircut is an exception! Just bustin' your chops, bro. But you're right, to a point. I used to go cheap and save the good stuff for something that never happened. Then of course, there's 'fight like you train:' so I use the best of what I've got for everything. Honestly, with lights, it's hard to go back when you know better.

As far as a build goes, we've discussed what I'm working on. The host I wanted was $70, but I found a compatible one for $25. You can go good for cheap, but it's not easy!

[PainKillaX]

You can go good for cheap, but it's not easy!

I tried using cat litter as a polishing media. It actually polished pretty well but the clumping action worked!

[blueorison]

You can go good for cheap, but it's not easy!

I tried using cat litter as a polishing media. It actually polished pretty well but the clumping action worked!

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA

AHAHAHAHHA

oh man.

Dude just get media online. There is this one that works real well. Uhhh I forgot what it was called. Jay posted about it wayyyy a while back. Ask him about it.

Good to hear the good news, Freeze. I'm still in the market for a great thrower. After watching people with Surefires, Fenix, and various lights/makes/models not being able to engage 100 yds at night because the target was 1. small 2. gas from the rifle clouded and occluded the sight picture 3. their lights were not tight-beamed and/or powerful enough, I knew I had to be prepared for the occasion.

[jmz5]

I read through a couple flashlight threads.. 200 dollars for a flashlight? Some of you guys are serious about defeating your darkness. For me?



I paid 3.00 for two flashlights W/ batteries at Walmart.

Maglites are good budget flashlights, and they have a spare bulb in the base.

[Cyberfly]

True dat.
Just don't try to use them as billy clubs. They WILL break.
Don't ask me how I know.

[SpaceCoyote]

I read through a couple flashlight threads.. 200 dollars for a flashlight? Some of you guys are serious about defeating your darkness.

I havn't been actively on the forum for a while so i just saw the 'new' flashlight forum.

I am a certifiable flashlight geek. I own about 15-20 lights ranging in price from about $15-150. Now of course I understand to most people are not as light crazy as I but having first hand experience with a lot of different lights I thought I should chime in.

These days for much less than $200 you can get a lot of flashlight. You can get a decent budget light for less than $40 & a really nice one for around $100. Either one will knock the socks off the the $3 Rayovac in build quality, output & beam quality.

If you really want the top quality American made flashlight look at Surefire & Malkoff. You can get a surefire 6p or malkoff md2 for $50-60. Drop a $60 malkoff m60 head unit into either one & you have a powerful LED flashlight built like a tank for $110. Such a flashlight, like a well built firearm, will give you decades or even a lifetime of reliable usage.

With that being said I fully understand that most people are simply not willing to spend even that much on a flashlight. There are a lot of companies out there now making pretty good lights in the $30-50 range. O-Light, Fenix & Lumens Factory are a few that come to mind. These lights are made overseas & offer comparable & in some cases better output & features than than the above mentioned American brands. However their overall construction, switch design & driver design are generally not as rugged.

Another thing to consider is what type of batteries you would like to use. Primaries or rechargeables? CR123 or AA. There are pros & cons of all battery schemes. Be careful with rechargeables, just because they fit doesn't mean voltages are correct you can fry a flashlight easily this way.

The $3 Rayovac may work just fine for you & your purposes but I doubt it would survive more than a year or so of heavy use (and dropping).

As far as which is the best 'tactical' light, I guess that would depend on your tactics.

Wow I just typed all that with an iPhone. Jeez

[SpaceCoyote]

Apparently all the info I just ranted on was covered in the 'questions' thread. Argh. Now I feel dumb