How many lumens do you need on weapon mounted light?

[Jay Cunningham]

A "no light class" isn't a real setting.

Cops go into other people's houses all the time.

I don't do that.

[Steve S.]

A "no light class" isn't a real setting.

Cops go into other people's houses all the time.

I don't do that.

By "real setting" I mean outside of SHOT Show, local gun shop, etc.

What would you interpret a "real setting" to be, Jay?

[JodyH]

A "real setting" to me is my bedroom at 3 am on a moonless night when awakened from a deep sleep.
Then wandering around my house with my gun and light combination.
Actually it would be my gun, light/laser combination (Viridian C5L).

I've found that the 100 lumen LED light is more than sufficient for exploring every nook, cranny, closet and hallway in my house.
At no time do I feel disadvantaged by having "only" 100 lumens.
Fact is, when I break out my Fenix 850 lumen flashlight and turn it on under those same pitch black, eyes fully dilated conditions it takes me several seconds to "see" anything except bright white.

To add fuel to this discussion, I've found that when it comes time to shoot in diminished light conditions the green laser is a HUGE advantage.
I've found the 100 lumen white LED light, bright green laser setup to be the perfect handgun mounted "home defense" combination.

[TCinVA]

Apparently the lumen rating on my KX2C LED conversion is 200 lumens...which isn't bad for a light that size.

Looking that up, of course, led to some websites...one of which had Some of the new Surefires in stock and on sale. So now I've got 350 bucks worth of new Surefire hotness on the way. All thanks to this thread.

What I'm trying to say, here, is that you people suck.

[rudy99]

As someone who was on the verge of purchasing a X300 when the X300U comes out, this lumens issue drives me up the wall. The $15-20 price difference isn't high enough to make the decision for me and the MOAR (thanks rob_s) side of me thinks going with the X300 is like using a "low" speed on a vacuum (when you just don't want to clean that good). I heard a bump in the night a few days back and used my G2 LED to search the house and felt it was up to the task. I guess I need to take the Fury off my rifle to see if I can blind (yeah, I said "blind", but not the "I just looked inside the Ark" face-melt type of "blind") myself when it is pitch black in the house.

[DaZe831]

I got two TLR-1's and they work great. Plenty of light. Might pick up the x300 Ultra, heard good things.


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[TCinVA]

As someone who was on the verge of purchasing a X300 when the X300U comes out, this lumens issue drives me up the wall. The $15-20 price difference isn't high enough to make the decision for me and the MOAR (thanks rob_s) side of me thinks going with the X300 is like using a "low" speed on a vacuum (when you just don't want to clean that good). I heard a bump in the night a few days back and used my G2 LED to search the house and felt it was up to the task. I guess I need to take the Fury off my rifle to see if I can blind (yeah, I said "blind", but not the "I just looked inside the Ark" face-melt type of "blind") myself when it is pitch black in the house.

FWIW, I bought the Ultra.

[rudy99]

FWIW, I bought the Ultra.

I'll probably do the same. While there is "buy once, cry once", there is also "buy once, realize another quality items would be better for your needs, cry, buy again, cry again", or something like that. $200+ is a lot to spend without being sure (for me). Kind of like thinking you'd like to run a hammer fired pistol and then dropping $1,000 on an H&K rig.

[Odin Bravo One]

Can't believe no one has mentioned the obvious for low light/no light situations........

I mean, if we are serious......and I mean truly serious, wouldn't we all drop the $11k for 15's and an ATPIAL?

Nothing acts as a better signature reduction tool than no light at all. And if it is dark dark, or simply applied properly........it can turn a gunfight into a shooting in short order.



Yea..........

I don't have that kind of money either......but for white lights......once Sure-Fire figures out how to put the sun into a WML or even a good sized hand held.........I'm there.

[Steve S.]

A "real setting" to me is my bedroom at 3 am on a moonless night when awakened from a deep sleep.
Then wandering around my house with my gun and light combination.
Actually it would be my gun, light/laser combination (Viridian C5L).

I've found that the 100 lumen LED light is more than sufficient for exploring every nook, cranny, closet and hallway in my house.
At no time do I feel disadvantaged by having "only" 100 lumens.
Fact is, when I break out my Fenix 850 lumen flashlight and turn it on under those same pitch black, eyes fully dilated conditions it takes me several seconds to "see" anything except bright white.

To add fuel to this discussion, I've found that when it comes time to shoot in diminished light conditions the green laser is a HUGE advantage.
I've found the 100 lumen white LED light, bright green laser setup to be the perfect handgun mounted "home defense" combination.

That sounds like a personal situation.

If everyone wants to go back and read my initial post, I referred to seeing the Ultra for the first time in a real setting AS MEANING in out in the wild.

As for lasers, they're good for night vision and compromised shooting positions. My house is pretty clear of both. If I had NVG... I'd get the new Surefire X300 / X400 Ultra V series. If I had a lot of stuff around to create compromised shooting positions, I'd roll with an X400 Ultra. If I have to choose between a 100 lumen weapon light with laser, and a 500 lumen weapon light without laser (or even 200... or whatever the X300 was) - I'm choosing the higher powered weapon light. For me personally, it allows me more advantage than a laser. If it works for you... rock on! You can have the best of both worlds with the new X400 Ultra though.

Apparently the lumen rating on my KX2C LED conversion is 200 lumens...which isn't bad for a light that size.

Looking that up, of course, led to some websites...one of which had Some of the new Surefires in stock and on sale. So now I've got 350 bucks worth of new Surefire hotness on the way. All thanks to this thread.

What I'm trying to say, here, is that you people suck.

I'm really willing to bet you will love the X300 Ultra, brother. It's not some death ray of light. The added spill is MUCH better though.

Can't believe no one has mentioned the obvious for low light/no light situations........

I mean, if we are serious......and I mean truly serious, wouldn't we all drop the $11k for 15's and an ATPIAL?

Nothing acts as a better signature reduction tool than no light at all. And if it is dark dark, or simply applied properly........it can turn a gunfight into a shooting in short order.



Yea..........

I don't have that kind of money either......but for white lights......once Sure-Fire figures out how to put the sun into a WML or even a good sized hand held.........I'm there.

I would love some ninja toys. Maybe one day. Until then... all I get is this lousy flashlight.....

So I'm getting the best lousy flashlight I can!

Oh, and I'm stealing that line about SureFire putting the sun into a WML. Good way of putting it.