Dots and lights

Recently I heard a podcast in which two SME’s were discussing the potential downside of running auto-adjust on an RMR with a weapon light.

For the past seven months, I’ve been experimenting with and carrying this sort of setup- and I have yet to create a situation where my 1000 lumen SF X300U’s have posed a problem with the RMR type 2.

Yes, the problem is definitely there with the SRO- the SRO does not respond to LED light like the RMR. But even a meter from a white wall, no problem with the RMR.

What I found is that both of my 1000 lumen X300U’s actually have a more diffuse center spot (and much wider spill) than my (relatively ancient) X300 500 lumen unit. The old X300 has such a concentrated center spot that it does tend to wash out the RMR, but the 1000 lumen models don’t. In other words the candela of the center spot on the 1000 lumen light is less than the candela of the older light’s center spot.

This also shows up when running the light and shooting “smoky” range ammo (Remington green and white box in particular). The combustion cloud obscures the target more readily with the 500 lumen light than with the 1000 lumen unit in situations like 25 yards at a somewhat dimly lit target at my indoor range.

Wanted to throw this out there for discussion, thoughts and other experiences.

I've no idea how many lumen are my Surefires. They are 300 series but old, so I doubt they are even 500. They washed out my type 2 when shooting a white steel during a no light shoot like nothing else. I had to manually jack up the intensity to be able to hit.

I can easily wash out a 509t on the auto setting with just a 500 lumen Streamlight TLR7. I will only use the manual adjust setting.

Lumens are rarely why a dot washes out, it's the candela that gets ya.

I have far less issues with dot washout with the X300u which has like 11,000 candela as I do with my rifle wml's that range from 23,500 to 55,000. Whether it's one of my Aimpoint micros or RMRs, I keep them on a setting where washout isn't much of a concern.

I recall my old RMR Type 1s RM06 set on auto would wash out when using X400Us and X400UHs when used under 10-ish yards while indoors. Not sure what generation they were, so don't know the exact candelas claimed on those, but they had decent enough throw compared to the current M600DFs.

I'm using RM06, manual setting. I have it pretty bright as the x300V has a significant hot spot even at 350 lumens

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Casual Friday

Lumens are rarely why a dot washes out, it's the candela that gets ya.

I have far less issues with dot washout with the X300u which has like 11,000 candela as I do with my rifle wml's that range from 23,500 to 55,000. Whether it's one of my Aimpoint micros or RMRs, I keep them on a setting where washout isn't much of a concern.

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This absolutely nails it, in my experience.

I don’t have direct information on this, but I really think Surefire designed the 1000 lumen unit with mitigation of this phenomenon in mind. Worth consideration when evaluating the thing.

The 1000 lumen unit definitely provides more overall usable light, while largely avoiding the dot washout issue.

Perhaps not the best solution for a long arm application, but I really feel it’s a good pistol solution. My old 500 lumen unit will end up on a spare carbine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Archer1440

This absolutely nails it, in my experience.

I don’t have direct information on this, but I really think Surefire designed the 1000 lumen unit with mitigation of this phenomenon in mind. Worth consideration when evaluating the thing.

The 1000 lumen unit definitely provides more overall usable light, while largely avoiding the dot washout issue.

Perhaps not the best solution for a long arm application, but I really feel it’s a good pistol solution. My old 500 lumen unit will end up on a spare carbine.

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I have had a very similar experience. My 1,000 Lumen X300-Us with the lower candella pair very well with my Aimpoint ACROs. My older X300-UB is one of the in-between models that is rated at 600 Lumen before they made the jump to 1,000. That light has an incredibly intense hotspot and is well suited for a long gun. Similar to @Casual Friday I keep my ACROs on an intensity setting that will work with the X-300U in low light conditions.