Lights And Lasers
See It — Aim For It!
Being sure of your target means seeing your target — and seeing your target has never been easier. From gun-mounted to handheld lighting solutions, you can easily have the edge when it comes to target identification and general lighting tools. Trust the technology, but don’t scrimp on quality.
Nightstick’s 550-lumen white beam TCM-55XLS Weapon-Mounted Light will light up targets almost 500 feet away, offering a steady light or strobe in a waterproof, aircraft-grade aluminum housing. Weighing in at 2.5 oz., it offers a bezel-activated safe mode battery lockout. The light won’t turn on and drain the battery in storage or during transportation. Easy-to-reach switches at the back provide tactile click activation to the user. Retails for $110. www.nightstick.com
TruGlo’s Tru-Point light/laser combo brings versatility to your rail-equipped handgun, enabling you to simultaneously light up your target and most of the area around it with a brilliant white light. It also identifies your point of aim on the target with a bright green laser. This unit retails for about $209, and a quick detach lever and right- or left-handed mounting options make customization easy. www.truglo.com
When the goal is high-powered but handheld tactical lighting, the “device” is Malkoff Devices. With a CREE LED powered by a CR123 Lithium battery, their “EDC” light’s tail-operated switch offers a clear feel for momentary or permanent on modes. The hard-anodized finish will last a lifetime and the robust clip hangs on to pockets, webbing and belts. Smaller, handheld models like this retail for $114. www.malkoffdevices.com
For a subtle approach to a personal lighting device, BriteStrike’s Executive Precision Lighting Instrument (EPLI) looks and carries like a pen in your shirt pocket. Once deployed, its CREE LED proves to be very bright and its aluminum construction (shockproof and waterproof) adequate to the task. Casting your choice of a steady beam or a strobe, the EPLI retails for $80 and runs on two AAA batteries — handy! www.brite-strike.com
Retailing for $55, First Tactical’s Medium Duty Light (“medium” for size, not capability) provides an all-around decent solution to tactical lighting. The 274-lumen light, activated by a superb tail switch, will run for almost four hours on two AA batteries. The anodized aluminum construction, aggressively knurled for maximum purchase, offers great purchase. Add the removable strike bezel and you’ve got a last-ditch strike weapon to be reckoned with. www.firsttactical.com
When your lighting needs surpass smaller lights check out the Lightforce Handheld Searchlight. Retailing for around $200 this amazing light can recharge in your vehicle. The searchlight offers a Fresnel lens and reflector enabling wide angle and a long-distance spot for two to four hours of runtime, plus up to an hour of reserve. A built-in LED charge level and charging status gives you the status of the light at all times. www.lightforce.com
