Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Weapon mounted lights

If this was already asked I don’t care just repeat yourself because we all know we like to hear ourselves talk

What weapon light do you have now on your AR ?

Pros and cons of less /more lumens

Thanks!

Bob,
This is my goto setup for carbine size AR's:

Streamlight 88066 ProTac Rail Mount HL-X Fixed Mount Ten Tap, 1,000 Lumens, Black & Magpul M-LOK Offset Light/Optic Picatinny Rail Mount Aluminum

ProTac 1000 Lum kit

Not saying it's the best, but it works and I've had nothing but good luck with Streamlight.

My choice was a Cloud Defensive OWL. it's an amazing light.
Son put a Surefire Scout on his. Inside it's plenty, he's disappointed outside next to the OWL.

https://www.clouddefensive.com/optimized-weapon-light/

The thought of putting a light on a gun baffles me totally. An infrared sight I get, but making a target out of one’s self is just strange.

There's a time and place for most everything.

And shooting guys out of a helo didn’t make you a target?

You know these are intermittently activated and they don’t come with flashing neon warning signs or a backup beeper right?

As with everything else, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do things.

Ordered a Streamlight ProTac rail per recommendations here. Due anytime.

Like anything else, can't imagine "one size fits all" approach works here either.

My primary job description was "Bait". I had backup and a lot of armor plate rated to stop .30 cal AP rounds. Shooting dinks was secondary icing on the cake.

I've used IR/Night Vision equipment here in America and it was quite good. 'yotes died. Night combat victors rely on stealth and surprise more than big balls. And shotguns. Keep in mind those slinkin' up on you might have IR/NV.

I realize this is the tactical forum but I think most of us use our AR’s and lights for coyotes and other critters. I learned the value of a “weapon mounted light” in West Texas when a dead coyote jumped up and ran out of the spotlight.

But for home defense or even on my late night or early morning runs, I have a light and a gun. Putting both to use in training and practice is important.

Is that a gun in his hand or a cell phone? We die by the hands so seeing them is very important. Sometimes a light is the only way to justify pulling the trigger. In a home invasion I doubt anyone would need one but you might. Better to have one available and to have learned how and when to use one than to be wrong.

Fenix PD35/Wyoming mount at 12:00, surefire G2x tactical at 10:30ish.

Looking at a modlite or arisaka for another rifle. haven’t decided which one yet, for more candela/throw.

I really like the 12:00 mount with the Fenix, but it doesn’t seem possible to do 12:00 with the bigger diameter lights.

Comparison video of OWL and the Surefire.

Mine should be here today! A buddy and I were looking at ‘em online recently. He bought one and texted me this weekend saying he felt like it was more than worth the price. Based on that, I ordered one myself.

Having one would be a good idea-- bad things happen at night

Hope you enjoy it. Depending on the rail I mount mine in the 1-3 o'clock position with the tape switch at 12 o'clock.
Those Cloud Defense light look really nice, but $400 is a good chunk of change for a light.

Another OWL user here.

If you’re handguard is MLOK take a look at the 45 degree offset mount Midwest industries has for the pro tac, gets the light sucked in nice and tight to the handguard.

It's going on the 11.5" with Eotech jobber. Dug out a predator hunting light since previous discussions and SEE what guys said about being able to utilize irons, with the light on... The glowy front sight post will be installed in fixed offset buis, on this or another.

I have a Streamlight TLR1HL on a Midnight Mossie mount that attaches to the A2 sight. Very slick and plenty of useable light for its role of home defense.



I have a cheap Surefire G2 in a VTAC mount mounted on the top rail. It’s got an LED head on it and is better than nothing.


And I have a Streamlight ProTac rail mount on a 45* offset mount from Impact Weapon Components. A very nice light and a very nice setup.

those hogs don't shoot back Dan. With the light, I can see 'em really good at 2 am down in the swamp.

On my AR I have a Streamlight PROTAC® RAIL MOUNT 2 LONG GUN LIGHT, mounted on a IWC Thorntail SBR Offset Adaptive Light Mount, and the tape switch mounted in a Cloud Defensive Systems LCS mounting plate.

https://www.streamlight.com/products/detail/index/protac-rail-mount-2

https://www.impactweaponscomponents.com/product/thorntail-sbr-offset-adaptive-light-mount-scout/

https://www.clouddefensive.com/product/lcs-streamlight/