Just saw this on Soldier Systems. Nothing else out there on it that I can find, including Surefire's own marketing materials. Hoping this might be the market's first serious-duty CCW weaponlight. My experience has been the XC-1's durability sucked, the XC1-B sucks less but the throw of the light sucks, the TLR-6/7/8's switches are too far forward, and the APL(c) has too many detractors whose opinion I trust to give it a try.
http://soldiersystems.net/2019/01/21...t-weaponlight/
I really dislike the switching on the XC2, and how it attaches. This looks similar.Originally Posted by ChaseN
Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.
The XC series attachment system is indeed a dumpster fire. This looks completely different.
Can't speak to switching as I've only used the XC-1/B, never the XC-2 with the laser.
Last edited by ChaseN; 01-21-2019 at 10:06 PM.
I don't like the maxvision beam on the surefire stuff..
New switching from streamlight for the TLR7 would be cool... Maybe we'll see something tomorrow...
Nevermind.. today is Monday. I guess nothing was shown
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Last edited by Mirolynmonbro; 01-21-2019 at 10:17 PM.
Switching on the XC's does suck but it is still usable. Mounting is garbage, but illumination is bright enough to be useful and the footprint is near perfect. The fact that it uses Eneloops is a huge advantage, (I'm sick of weird battery sizes for small lights). I wouldn't call the XC's a dumpster fire but wouldn't say they're anywhere near ideal. The new XR1 is of zero interest. I don't understand why there is a fad with USB rechargeable WML's as of late. If it was a large light used for patrol work with a vehicle mounted charging station cool I get it but on a pistol? I'm not going to leave my weapon laying around to freaking charge unattended that is just freaking stupid, just as stupid as having to unmount it with the craptastic mounting system Surefire came up with every time I want to charge the damn thing, (because stupid to leave weapon unattended). Also, I can't see any scenario of unholstering gun to charge up either. More admin handing is bad. Definitely a hard pass as I would've been happy with a better mounting solution and paddles in an updated light instead of a feature that makes little to no sense for a pistol and more lumens, but none of that matters because #morelumens I need the sun.
Rant over.
ETA:
Maybe they are a freaking dumpster fire and I just have heartburn that I bought two instead of just buying a bunch of Malkoff handhelds from the get go.
Last edited by Mike C; 01-21-2019 at 10:50 PM.
Personally I like rechargeable batteries in anything I own. It's 2019, I'd rather charge something than spend money and time ordering multiple different battery standards for my full size WML, carry WML, handheld light(s), etc. I function test and dry fire with light actuation often enough that I feel the need to replace batteries on a light with a 1ish hour full power run time rather frequently.
What do you do with your carry pistol when you sleep? Shower? Take a dump? Argue on the internet? Presumably you could figure out a reasonable place to charge it during some sort of naturally occurring downtime? It seems safe to assume it won't NEED charging significantly more often than replacing batteries on a traditional WML...once a month? Every other month?
And yeah the XC mounting kinda sucks ass. The more you tighten it the more it tilts downward because it physically pushes the front of the light down while allowing the rear to tilt up. If you tighten it enough on some pistols it will permanently mar the frame, and on one of my glocks I'm about convinced I could ultimately make it pop off if I cranked on it enough.
Last edited by ChaseN; 01-21-2019 at 11:17 PM.
I think the issues with the XC series are vastly overblown. We have an entire agency of people issued the XC1, and we don't seem to have the drama that the internet has.
Is the mounting system great? No, but it's perfectly serviceable with SIGs and Glocks, though it's annoyingly dependent with other guns. I prefer the Streamlight style mounting system, but with the XC all you need to do is tighten it until it's snug and level with a standard dose of thread locker. You can make a little hash mark on the screw just as with mounting screws on optics, that way you can easily tell if it's starting to come loose. Don't crank down on it, there's no need to.
As for the lumens, I've found it to be useable. Great? No, but it's better than having no WML.
Switching works totally fine for me, especially with the XC1B.
I'm excited for this new XR1. Although I hope it's compatible with XC1 holsters, I doubt it by the photos. Hopefully they upgrade the XC light head so we can keep the same holsters but have better illumination.
"Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer
There was a time in years past when everything Surefire made was class leading. Now it seems that the only thing that is greatest with Surefire is price, as in high price. I don’t carry my Stiletto because it melts things in my pocket. My XC laser is in a drawer because whenever I holster it AIWB it turns on, and that attachment gives me no confidence the laser will hold zero. My latest E1B style light is much larger than competing lights, and it doesn’t have a clickety tail cap. Plus their CS is poor, starting with the 30 minutes you need to wait to get someone on the phone. I am pretty well done with new Surefire stuff, except legacy Scout and U300 lights which continue to work.
Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.
@ChaseN I like rechargeables I can pull from my lights and recharge in a station. It allows a hot swap and go. I don’t have to unmount the light and swap it for another nor do I have to unholster the weapon unload/reload before and after charging. I'm all for reduced admin handling as it greatly reduces risk of an ND. I also can't leave a weapon unsecured with kids in the house. I realize that it is not a problem everyone shares and that’s cool but there are enough dipshits leaving weapons unsecured that end up in the wrong hands whether that be children's or criminal's. Im not that guy.
To answer specifically your other questions, bathroom gun remains in holster and gets rolled into clothing before pants hit the ankles this does two things, helps secure it and avoids prying eyes. Plus my clothing doesn’t hit the floor. Big bonus there. As for sleep and shower, bed side safe or the hand safe that sits on my side of the sink that annoys the fuck out of my wife, (because it’s an eye sore). I am very serious about locking guns up. I won’t risk the welfare of my children or others that may be in my home for convenience. Again, I do think the XC1B is usable but it still fall short in quite a few areas. Less that what I expected from Surefire and though my initial impressions were excellent I am starting to agree with GJM’s assessment. I do think the 300 and the IR variations are pretty great though. I say all this having owned and using SF’s stuff for a long time for work/play and the XC1 and “B” since those came out.
Last edited by Mike C; 01-22-2019 at 08:37 AM.
What he said. I am all-in with regard to rechargeable batteries, but for serious use I limit that to 18650 cells that have been around for ages and are proven reliable, provided you don't cheap out on them. A rechargeable, non-removable battery might be appropriate for something like the Sidekick keychain light, but not something I want on a gun.
I just want something the size of the TLR8, but with TLR1 switches (which I find easier to activate than X300 switches).
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