All posts in Flashlights

Streamlight Profession Series 2L

I have been looking to replaced my Streamlight Scorpion flashlight for some time now, but I didn’t really have a clue from where to start.   I see so many flashlights being sold as CCW lights, but I really can’t justify spending $100 or more on something that is easy to loose.   I’d rather tote a $40 flashlight that is just a bright, but I know where it is at all times and it doesn’t disappear.   You’re reading from a guy that has lost gear inside a few tactical vests before because it’s just too easy to do.

I walked into a local gun shop and checked out a few Streamlights and the reason I have stuck with this brand is because I’ve never had a real reason to go to anyone else.  Streamlight flashlights don’t burn a whole in your pocket and the Profession Tactical series has a strobe that I find fun to use on guests as well as use it for CCW.  The prices are reasonable and I didn’t have a very good experience with a Surefire G2 that I first mounted on an M4 Carbine.

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Where to mount a flashlight on your M4?

streamlight flashlightsOk, Ok, I know you might not have an actual M4 Carbine but you do have an AR15 in some sort of configuration.   There are plenty of ways to get a light on a gun and you can always get your own custom mounting system, but there are always do’s and don’ts  when it comes to accessorizing.  The most common thing people don’t do is mount optics, sights or flashlights properly.  I’ve seen so many canted accessories and optics that I don’t understand why anyone would bother to shoot good ammunition when there elevation and windage are going to be off.   When shopping for a firearm, you really should put some thought into getting a quad rail or an MOE system.  I think the Magpul MOE system is a better idea because it lighter from the get go and kind of starts you at a less tactical point in the accessorizing stage.

With the Magpul MOE system you can just buy a rail, attach it to your forearm and then you you don’t need to worry about buying rail skins or rail covers.  I’ve had rail covers on my 3 and 6 o’clock for years because I never need that  now I’m looking into some of the Streamlight Flashlights like the TLR1S or the TLR2 since the newer 2013 models have 80% more lighting power.    Last years model was 160 lumens and this years are 300 lumens.  I always thought 200 lumens was a great lighting limit but it really depends on whether you are indoors or outdoors.  In most situations indoors you don’t need as much throw as you do outside.  Those are other things to consider when selecting a light on your AR15.

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Flashlights have gotten more powerful but the prices haven’t gone up!

streamlight TRL flashlightsThere’s good news for anyone that is looking for a good M4 Carbine light or handgun light but wanted something more powerful than the Streamlight TLR1 Flashlights.  Well, guess what?!   The new Streamlight flashlights that are coming out in 2013 are almost 80% brighter than the previous flashlights, same model and same price.  It’s very rare that something like this occurs in this industry, it’s almost like when Magpul came out with the Generation 3 Pmags that were actually a few bucks cheaper than the Generation 2 pmags.   We’ve been monitoring several of our distributors inventory to make sure we are only bringing in the new flashlight models.   Xenon bulbs are a thing of the past and LED is getting better all of the time.

I’ve been going back and forth between my quad rail LWRC M6A2 and trying to decide on a flashlight that didn’t rely on pressure switches.   I like the Streamlight TLR Flashlights but I thought that if  my Protac 2L flashlight was 180 lumens why would I put something like the TLR1S that was 160 lumens on my carbine.   I’ve always felt that 150 lumens was about the lowest I want on a firearm which is why the Surefire Scout 110 lumen flashlight didn’t cut it for me when I picked one up for testing.  I didn’t want to drop $500 on some of the Surefire products so Streamlight Flashlights and products were in play.

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Weapon mounted lights, handguns, shotguns and Carbines

streamlight flashlights I’m looking at all of the new lights that are coming out in 2013 and I can’t believe the changes that are taking place.  We had a customer that recently told us they picked up a 500 lumen Streamlight flashlight from another dealer and mounted it on their new M4 rifle.  At first I was thinking it would probable be a $500 flashlight and it turned out it was an $80 Streamlight flashlight.  I seriously don’t understand how the heck people can justify some of the flashlights that Surefire and some others have made and I think their is going to be a blood bath in the industry when these new and improved versions of lights hit the market.  I remember the Surefire G2 being a staple for AR15 rifles but not anymore.

I never had much interest in the Streamlight TLR-1S flashlight because I’m not a police officer and and don’t need to carry a large auto on daily patrols.   We have a clear out of the older models of Streamlight flashlights for sale in our Broomall, Pennsylvania showroom so stop in if you want to get some really good deals.  There are still customers that want to smaller Micro-stream AA battery flashlights because they are small and compact and are very EMT and Paramedic friendly.  There are a few guys that run car repair shops and also use various flashlights just so they can in and see the hard to reach stuff.

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LED Advancements in that tactical world

Flashlight technology has advanced more than most other items in the last few  years and LED technology really should make the average home owner, Concealed Carry holder and average citizen think about cleaning out the house and tossing  your older Mag-lite flashlights.   You can get far more out of a CR123 than you  use to get from several D batteries and the same flashlight that you use to take camping is the same one you can mount on your M4 Carbine.

LED technology has advanced so much in recent years that it truely is time to clear out your old flashlights and replace your home and traveling white lights. Fore handguns and Carbines we highly recommend Streamlight Flashlights for home or street defense.  The TLR-1 is one of biggest selling handgun tactical lights and is easy to mount and easy to use. If you are looking for a light and laser combo, the TLR-2 tac-light is what you’re looking for. The Streamlight Scorpion PolyTac is a good companion for traveling or for mounting on your M4 Carbine.

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Stocking Streamlight dealer

We carry a large selection of flashlights, from concealed carry lights that are small and bright, to keychain lights and rifle and shotgun lights. Not everyone needs a flashlight for the same thing and if you don’t need to spend $200 on a flashlight, why would you? There is such a thing as having too much light and features like strobe can be as much of a liability to use as an asset if not employed properly. The Strobe feature on many flashlights can buy you a second or two of reaction time and that can be extremely helpful to law enforcement.

Finding a flashlight in your price that has a history of holding up reduces the competition to virtually zero.   Most local police departments use Streamlight flashlights and the TLR-1S is the primary Glock pistol light. While some may wants more than 160 lumens, these flashlights can be reliable attached to modern handguns with rail systems. There is a reason so many big name firearm manufacturers are making handguns with rails from, Glock, Sig Sauer and Springfield XD. The Streamlight TLR flashlights are our number one selling weapons mounted flashlight.

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LED Flashlights for firearms

Flashlight technology has advanced more than most other items in the last few  years and LED technology really should make the average home owner, Concealed Carry holder and average citizen think about cleaning out the house and tossing  your older Mag-lite flashlights.   You can get far more out of a CR123 than you  use to get from several D batteries and the same flashlight that you use to take camping is the same one you can mount on your M4 Carbine.

LED technology has advanced so much in recent years that it truely is time to clear out your old flashlights and replace your home and traveling white lights. Fore handguns and Carbines we highly recommend Streamlight Flashlights for home or street defense.  The TLR-1 is one of biggest selling handgun tactical lights and is easy to mount and easy to use. If you are looking for a light and laser combo, the TLR-2 tac-light is what you’re looking for. The Streamlight Scorpion PolyTac is a good companion for traveling or for mounting on your M4 Carbine.

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Viridian lasers and Streamlight TLR lights

We have been stocking both products because our customer base has expanded from not just Law Enforcement and civilians using them for handguns or shotguns but also many Special Ops.  The guys that deal with the really bad guys of the world are using the Viridian laser light combos.   Green Lasers have been the trend since so many optics companies have also switched over to offering green reticles.  Whether you are bow hunting or using a Glock 17 in a combat situation, have the green contrast is a proven advantage.   Sometimes guys want to know they the target is identified and in the sights of the operator next to them and you can laser them the same way an air strike is called in.  Identify the target and put the laser on them.

The amount of lumens you might want can vary from person to person.  Some of the surefire flashlights likes the X300 are more money than the Streamlight TLR1-S lights and don’t give you much more power but we have sold many happy customers the Insight flashlights just based on price and power.  Flashlight technology namely the LED improvements have given each operator a large improvement over lighting capabilities and run time.   There’s nothing good about having tons of illumination and then an all of a sudden dead  battery and a non-functional flashlight.  You’d be better off with something lower power that runs longer.  The Crimson Trace Rail master is a small light with lower power but that might be all you need.

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Concealed Carry Flashlights, this time we’ll tell you what to buy

We always get asked for advice from customers about sizing and durability, but like many things, it really is mostly about preference and the job you need to perform that drives the gear you want to use.   There are so many options out there for holsters and firearms and at points, the New Products that we see come out really stress us out because it means adding them to inventory, having to learn about them, and waiting to see if they are any good and people actually buy them.   The new .380 pistol rave is still going strong and we have had to pickup new product lines just to stay on top of the holster buying.  The Smith & Wesson Body Guard seems to have almost caught up with the Ruger LCP.

One of the most common questions we get when customer walk in our stores is do we carry knives and flashlights.  The next most common question is do we have any flashlights like the Streamlight Flashlights available that they can hold in their hands.  I personally prefer the Streamlight Professional series flashlights and we keep them around the store for customers to hold and try  out.  The best feature about them is the hi and low power option.  For concealed carry it is nice to have a flashlight that can really light things up, but you don’t always need that much power to find the car keys you just dropped or to find the keyhole in your backdoor.

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Surefire Vs. Streamlight

I guess that sounds like the beginning of a gun forum post but we get asked about this all the time.  There are many things that I prefer to not divulge to customers because so much of this is about preference and the job at hand.   If you are going to be using a flashlight for any length of time, and you have access to a charger, then you obviously want a flashlight that is rechargeable and has the appropriate battery packs.  Most of the Police around here are using the Streamlight Strion and Streamlight Stinger because they can charge them in their vehicles or the office and know where they are starting from, unlike batteries that have been in the flashlight that are already diminished.

If you have serious use of a flashlight, the differences between having a flashlight at 80% vs 100% is considerable.  If you are using streamlight flashlights for more than 8yrs, you’ll be able to relate to the improvements that have taken place with LED technology.   I originally had a Streamlight scorpion with a xenon bulb that only lasted a few battery changes before it need to be replaced.   I’ve had every ready Radio Shack flashlights that were tougher than that, but things have changed.   Surefire came in stock because of all of the requests for Carbine and Shotgun lights.  The Streamlight TLR-1 Flashlights are still king in this business, but Surefire has the hold on most AR15 and shotgun mounted lights.   We are actively monitoring requests for Veridian lights, but we’ve had very little experience.

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