How to Choose a Tactical Light
In tactical situations, all you have to get you through the situation is your team, your head, your training, and your gear. The gear will get you through to the end if it is designed for tactical purposes. Sure, you can go to any dollar store and get a flashlight for a buck, but they will not be as dependable as a tactical flashlight. Here are choices.
Instructions
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Different situations require different levels of durability. If you are a member of a border patrol agent searching through vehicles or a member of a SWAT team clearing buildings at night, you will need a larger light than if you are an undercover policeman or a citizen with a concealed carry permit. If the situations are disparate, consider purchasing multiple lights (see Step 4).
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Decide on the amount of light needed. Light output is measured in lumens. Tactical lights that are used for long-range searching, clearing buildings with a SWAT team, and for police activities are bright lights. Consider a light output of 500 lumens or more for these situations. If you are a homeowner protecting your premises, you won't need a huge amount of light output. A light output of 75 to 120 lumens would be sufficient for these applications. So compare the number of lumens tactical lights emit. Most of the time, you will not need a huge amount of light. For instance, you probably do not need a portable spotlight, but long-range searching may require a spotlight.
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Determine how long you need to keep the light on. That is, how much total time you'll run the flashlight before it needs fresh batteries or recharging of the batteries. Choose a light based on your needs.
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Choose larger lights for border law enforcement and SWAT situations. These include the MAG light, Hell Fighter LightStorm X-21 and X-19 or Surefire's High Intensity Discharge (HID) Light.
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Choose a weapon light, which can be mounted on handguns, shotguns, and rifles. These include the Surefire X300™ and X400™ LED WeaponLight for handguns; Surefire's 623 series for Mossberg shotguns and 618 series for Remington 870s; and Surefire's M900A and M910A foregrip lights for rifles.
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Choose a concealable light for personal protection and undercover operations. Surefire offers many, including the 6P LED Defender, the A2 Aviator, and the KROMA. Mini MAG lights are always reliable for this application as well.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit http://www.surefire.com/surefire/content/X400_large.jpg
