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Thread: What type of light on LPVO equipped carbine? Why?

  1. #1
    Site Supporter davisj's Avatar
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    What type of light on LPVO equipped carbine? Why?

    July 4th I ordered another carbine, BCM 14.5 ELW upper and a Centurion F-15/Nuke lower because Independence Day. Undecided on an optic at this point. I currently have Aimpoints and a PST II 1x6x24 to swap around until I decide. Currently the PST lives on a 16” gov profile with no light. It previously had a P3X Fury but the weight of the entire rifle was more than I wanted.

    Currently leaning towards another PST II for this carbine and I’m curious how people have decided on the type of light to use, if any, paired with a LPVO. Do you opt for a “red dot” light like a U boat or RML for use at the 1X dot level or go to the other end of the spectrum with something like a Cloud Defense “all the candella” for the higher end of the optic range? Less interested in brand, more interested in why and the use case.

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Site Supporter dontshakepandas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by davisj View Post
    July 4th I ordered another carbine, BCM 14.5 ELW upper and a Centurion F-15/Nuke lower because Independence Day. Undecided on an optic at this point. I currently have Aimpoints and a PST II 1x6x24 to swap around until I decide. Currently the PST lives on a 16” gov profile with no light. It previously had a P3X Fury but the weight of the entire rifle was more than I wanted.

    Currently leaning towards another PST II for this carbine and I’m curious how people have decided on the type of light to use, if any, paired with a LPVO. Do you opt for a “red dot” light like a U boat or RML for use at the 1X dot level or go to the other end of the spectrum with something like a Cloud Defense “all the candella” for the higher end of the optic range? Less interested in brand, more interested in why and the use case.

    Thanks!
    I like the Modlite PLHv2 and use it on everything from my B&T APC9k to 16 inch rifles. The Cloud Defensive Rein would also be a good option as the light output is similar, but they have a bit more weight/bulk. Pretty much everything I like about the PLHv2 also applies to the Rein.

    I like that the PLHv2 has a good combination of throw for PID at a distance and spill for situational awareness. This is what really sets them apart from most of the other options on the market, including Surefire. They are also very durable and can stand up to rifle use. After using a few Streamlight and Inforce lights on rifles, I don't trust them for that use. The Surefire Scout lights are plenty durable, but X300 can have some issues with the battery door if you don't have something protecting it from behind. I like that the Modlite uses Surefire scout mounts, tailcaps, and pressure switches (Rein uses the scout mounts but has their own switches which are also very good if not better).

    The cost of the Modlites and Rein is hard to swallow, but I doubt you'll be disappointed with either.

  3. #3
    THE THIRST MUTILATOR Nephrology's Avatar
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    I have Arisaka E2XTs which give me a nice long tight throw. Still light enough to illuminate a room but not much flood.

    I'm not very tactical but given that I built my SBRs around shooting things up close, I wanted to build my 16" guns with LPVOs around shooting things at intermediate distances with greater precision than a RDS equipped gun, I feel a tighter throw helps me accomplish that but I don't carry a gun for a living so what do I know really.

  4. #4
    Member Wake27's Avatar
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    Surefire M600DFs for LPVO rifles, M300s for RDS rifles. Extra throw makes sense for something with magnification to me. Downside is your now talking about a two cell light vs one cell so it brings extra weight to a gun that is already chonky.

  5. #5
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    My 16" 300 Blackout carbine with a 1-6x24mm Illuminated LVPO, sports a Streamlight ProTac Rail Light 2 (two CR123A batteries), mounted on a Haley Strategic THORNTAIL2 SBR LIGHT MOUNT, coupled with a Cloud Defense Light Control System to manage the tape switch.

    Why?? Because if I need illumination I have it, and it produces 22,000 max candela, which can be pretty blinding to an intruder in the dark, maybe obviating the need to shoot them, and/or helps identify a friendly.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by dontshakepandas View Post
    I like the Modlite PLHv2 and use it on everything from my B&T APC9k to 16 inch rifles. The Cloud Defensive Rein would also be a good option as the light output is similar, but they have a bit more weight/bulk. Pretty much everything I like about the PLHv2 also applies to the Rein.

    I like that the PLHv2 has a good combination of throw for PID at a distance and spill for situational awareness. This is what really sets them apart from most of the other options on the market, including Surefire. They are also very durable and can stand up to rifle use. After using a few Streamlight and Inforce lights on rifles, I don't trust them for that use. The Surefire Scout lights are plenty durable, but X300 can have some issues with the battery door if you don't have something protecting it from behind. I like that the Modlite uses Surefire scout mounts, tailcaps, and pressure switches (Rein uses the scout mounts but has their own switches which are also very good if not better).

    The cost of the Modlites and Rein is hard to swallow, but I doubt you'll be disappointed with either.
    Curious which Streamlight lights you had problems with and what kind of problems?

  7. #7
    Site Supporter dontshakepandas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TWR View Post
    Curious which Streamlight lights you had problems with and what kind of problems?
    2 of the 3 HL-X rail mounted lights I had developed flickering issues after very low round count. I’ve read multiple reports of people having issues with the pressure switch and tailcap so that could have been my issue, but I took advantage of the Brownells return policy and got something else rather than spending time diagnosing the issue.

  8. #8
    Site Supporter davisj's Avatar
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    Ordered a PLHv2 today. Thanks!

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by dontshakepandas View Post
    2 of the 3 HL-X rail mounted lights I had developed flickering issues after very low round count. I’ve read multiple reports of people having issues with the pressure switch and tailcap so that could have been my issue, but I took advantage of the Brownells return policy and got something else rather than spending time diagnosing the issue.
    Thanks, I'll keep an eye on that. I hate pressure switches but decided to try this one on the HL-X after saying I wasn't going to. I might go back to the push button just because.

  10. #10
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    So my “carbine,” a 16” Centurion Arms, wears a PST II 1-6 and a Modlite OKW. My gentrified neighborhood home defense long gun (a 10/22–thanks Growing up Guns) wears a Surefire Scout Duel Fuel and a Vortex dot (one of the Aimpoint micro pattern ones). In my thinking and for my ability, I wanted lights which roughly fit the abilities of the optic. The 1-6 can see more than the red dot, so it gets all the candela. For me, seeing matters most.

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