Inexpensive LED tacticle light.

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raw6464

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
85
I have one of these lights from OpticsPlanet NC Star AQPTF LED Flashlight for Pistols/Rifles w/ Weaver Style Mount and Quick Release FREE S&H AQPTF. NcSTAR Flashlights.



Sells for $35 free shipping, 1 Watt LED. Uses a CR123 Li-ion battery that will give you around 4 hours, you can buy extra batteries on the internet for less than a buck. It's very well made rugged construction. There's reviews on the web for additional info. Considering these lights go into the hundreds of dollars, this light is a steel.

NcStarLight.jpg
 

ConradM

Blackhawk
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
512
What's it output? One thing you have to consider with a weapon light is how well it will stand up to shock over time.
 

raw6464

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
85
ConradM":30zpgbsz said:
What's it output? One thing you have to consider with a weapon light is how well it will stand up to shock over time.

Read the reviews at the web site.
 

railroader

Single-Sixer
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
147
I have the same light on my p95. I like it and it is plenty bright. It wouldn't lock on the rail without some filing on the rear of the light so it would go on the rail far enough though. Mark
 

raw6464

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
85
railroader":1tcwf2ds said:
I have the same light on my p95. I like it and it is plenty bright. It wouldn't lock on the rail without some filing on the rear of the light so it would go on the rail far enough though. Mark

I put mine on a Glock 17 without any modifications. The brightness is more than adequate for home defence which is my application.
 

waynejitsu

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
112
1 watt led is 35 lumens.
IMO, 60 lumens is MINIMUM for any tactical use.
You want to be able to blind "the bad guy", see through shadows, etc., not give up your location.
I looked at it before settling on a Streamlight 135 lumen light.
It was 3x the price, but had 4x the output (135L)
More importantly was the issue of reliability when faced with a true life or death situation..., I did not want a light that may or may not work when needed most.

PS, I say this as a light collector. I have over 600 lights (compulsive? LOL!!) and when it comes to protecting family and home, it is best NOT to skimp on quality of a light.

What I mean is-
We buy the BEST gun we can afford (or at least what we "feel" is the best).
Then buy crazy high priced ammo (Hornady TAP or Critical Defense, Gold Dot, Hydroshock, etc, etc)
But skimp on accessories that "could" get us killed if they fail when needed. (scope, sights, lights, lasers, etc)

I say this by experience.
When you NEED your equipment, you do not want to worry IF it is going to work "this time".

This post is in NO WAY a put down, etc.
By all means, if that is the very best you can afford, that's cool, but if there is ANY way yo can get a higher quality light (or any other life saving devise for that matter), save, borrow or use credit to buy a higher quality tool and buy generic soda, chips and cereal.

I have had failures from "lesser" quality components, such as lasers, lights and scopes and ALWAYS when it is "needed"..., I mean, if it was not "needed", you would not have been using it.

For example-
Lasers that do not hold zero,
Lights that do not come on when needed (but work in the warm house just fine)

Just my .02 on the subject..., your opinion may be different and that's cool. Not to argue, just a different view to consider when picking items used for emergency use:)
 

ConradM

Blackhawk
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
512
Wayne... well said.

I wouldn't skimp on an HD light either. Save up and get a reputable one that's at least bright enough to blind your target IMO.
 

revhigh

Hawkeye
Joined
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Messages
5,590
Location
PA
ConradM":1g1e27g2 said:
Wayne... well said.

I wouldn't skimp on an HD light either. Save up and get a reputable one that's at least bright enough to blind your target IMO.

And one that has a momentary switch, and strobes ....

REV
 

ConradM

Blackhawk
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
512
revhigh":2j7vip4c said:
ConradM":2j7vip4c said:
Wayne... well said.

I wouldn't skimp on an HD light either. Save up and get a reputable one that's at least bright enough to blind your target IMO.

And one that has a momentary switch, and strobes ....

REV

Rev are you being sarcastic? :?
 

revhigh

Hawkeye
Joined
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Messages
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ConradM":at0v8n9p said:
revhigh":at0v8n9p said:
ConradM":at0v8n9p said:
Wayne... well said.

I wouldn't skimp on an HD light either. Save up and get a reputable one that's at least bright enough to blind your target IMO.

And one that has a momentary switch, and strobes ....

REV

Rev are you being sarcastic? :?

Absolutely not. The most efffective way to 'clear your house' is with momentary bursts of light, and moving in between. It has two effects, that of potentially blinding the perp, as well as not highlighting where you are at all times. A light that strobes can visually incapacitate a perp as well, and disorient them.

I'm being totally serious. Most higher end personal defense lights do strobing, and ALL should have a momentary switch.

Google 'tactical flashlights'.

REV
 

ConradM

Blackhawk
Joined
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Messages
512
revhigh":337zgmq5 said:
ConradM":337zgmq5 said:
revhigh":337zgmq5 said:
ConradM":337zgmq5 said:
Wayne... well said.

I wouldn't skimp on an HD light either. Save up and get a reputable one that's at least bright enough to blind your target IMO.

And one that has a momentary switch, and strobes ....

REV

Rev are you being sarcastic? :?

Absolutely not. The most efffective way to 'clear your house' is with momentary bursts of light, and moving in between. It has two effects, that of potentially blinding the perp, as well as not highlighting where you are at all times. A light that strobes can visually incapacitate a perp as well, and disorient them.

I'm being totally serious. Most higher end personal defense lights do strobing, and ALL should have a momentary switch.

Google 'tactical flashlights'.

REV

Oh, I thought you were taking jab at me cause I just got a light with momentary and strobe. :D
 

waynejitsu

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
112
I have ordered from them in the past for "play lights".
I agree, "Cheap flashlights" and absolutely horrible customer service (if you can even call it that, LOL!!)
For a flashlight on the cheap to throw in the tackle box, etc, they are fine, but again, not for use when you are betting on your family's life
 

revhigh

Hawkeye
Joined
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Messages
5,590
Location
PA
ConradM":1e6v2b7w said:
revhigh":1e6v2b7w said:
ConradM":1e6v2b7w said:
revhigh":1e6v2b7w said:
ConradM":1e6v2b7w said:
Wayne... well said.

I wouldn't skimp on an HD light either. Save up and get a reputable one that's at least bright enough to blind your target IMO.

And one that has a momentary switch, and strobes ....

REV

Rev are you being sarcastic? :?

Absolutely not. The most efffective way to 'clear your house' is with momentary bursts of light, and moving in between. It has two effects, that of potentially blinding the perp, as well as not highlighting where you are at all times. A light that strobes can visually incapacitate a perp as well, and disorient them.

I'm being totally serious. Most higher end personal defense lights do strobing, and ALL should have a momentary switch.

Google 'tactical flashlights'.

REV

Oh, I thought you were taking jab at me cause I just got a light with momentary and strobe. :D

No way Conrad !! I didn't even know yours had those features ... glad it does !!

REV
 

kscott

Single-Sixer
Joined
Apr 30, 2008
Messages
473
Location
Southwestern Indiana
I wouldn't ever buy a light I was going to carry or use for home defense without a momentary switch. Never really considered the strobe feature. thanks for the heads up though.
 

Nakanokalronin

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 22, 2008
Messages
127
I would go with TLR-1 with 135 lumens or TLR-1s with 160 lumens. Bright and solid. I currently have 1 on my P95 with no modifications and 1 on my AR-15.

l_45b8c4476601494695a1f3802397af84.jpg
 

Yosemite Sam

Hunter
Joined
Mar 18, 2002
Messages
2,113
Location
Cape Cod, MA, USA
Ever since I saw someone take apart one of the Chinese Aimpoint knockoffs, exposing the electrical tape and bare wires that were sort of stuffed into the body, I've had a different, er, "appreciation" of Asian electronics that seem priced "too good to be true".

There's a reason the real thing costs hundreds of dollars, and the knockoffs are $20. TANSTAAFL.

-- Sam
 

waynejitsu

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
112
kscott":2f8b33ix said:
I wouldn't ever buy a light I was going to carry or use for home defense without a momentary switch. Never really considered the strobe feature. thanks for the heads up though.

Yeah, the "forward" switch, not the "reverse clicky type".

My hand held lights have strobe, but not the gun light. If it comes to where I am pointing a firearm, at night, in my house, in the middle of the night, strobe would "probably" have a worse effect on me, just waking up and I want to be 100% aware of what I am seeing, considering I am the one that will be coming from a deep sleep, to wake, to a dark room, to a bright light, whereas the intruder is fully aware, awake and an adrinalin rush.

You have no idea how many are in the house, what weapons they may have, how much planning went into the break in (ex. do they know where you are at, do they know your home layout, do ther know where your bedroom is, do they know where your kids bedroom is, do they plan to use your kid as a "shield", etc, etc. (a million things to think about)

Home layout is important-
Have your room "before" your kids room if possible, so they have to go through "you" to get to them.
Another is to have a gun at bedside, such as a "bed-holster" that holds your gun out of sight and off of the night stand- just in case you are caught unaware, they do not know you have one "at hand". (if you have kids, you can always lock it every morning, etc)

Rather than rely "only" on a hand held and/or gun mounted light, halogen lights mounted and directed out of your room doorway works good so no one can see in and you have full view out of the room.
A "switch" can be set up so when you pull your gun from the bed holster, the light is triggered and lights up the remainder of the home, down the hallway to your room etc while leaving the bedroom dark (IMO, it is a good advantage to have...,
Just throwing some thoughts out there about lighting:)
 

raw6464

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
85
I heard all the arguments about lumen's and flashing and momentary buttons. All reasons to justify $100-$200 for a FLAHSLIGHT. The fact is any light you can attach to your gun is most certainly a step up from carrying a conventional light in one hand and a gun in another. I'm sure some marketing dept. can find a reason why you "NEED" a $400 flashlight.

So let me make this plain and simple. If there's an intruder in my house, I don't want to blind him or freeze him with strobes and flashing lights nor will I spend the time to press buttons on and off to do whatever. I have a 9mm SA loaded gun with 18 rounds of Speerdot +P JHP rounds which I will blow his freaking head off using my little 35 lumen flashlight which throws more than enough light to accomplish the job for my application.

As far as quality, I don't expect it to be made as well as a $200 light... having said that I don't believe any flashlight has $200 worth of "quality" built in just because you mount it on a gun... even if it strobes. The NCStar light is by no means a piece of junk... it's not a laser sight where accuracy stability is an issue... it's just a flashlight! Any light for my home defense applications only has to light up long enough to "get the job done" and I have no definitive reason to believe the light won't light when I press the on button.... it's just a flashlight!
 

ConradM

Blackhawk
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
512
raw6464":39tlvlwg said:
I heard all the arguments about lumen's and flashing and momentary buttons. All reasons to justify $100-$200 for a FLAHSLIGHT. The fact is any light you can attach to your gun is most certainly a step up from carrying a conventional light in one hand and a gun in another. I'm sure some marketing dept. can find a reason why you "NEED" a $400 flashlight.

So let me make this plain and simple. If there's an intruder in my house, I don't want to blind him or freeze him with strobes and flashing lights nor will I spend the time to press buttons on and off to do whatever. I have a 9mm SA loaded gun with 18 rounds of Speerdot +P JHP rounds which I will blow his freaking head off using my little 35 lumen flashlight which throws more than enough light to accomplish the job for my application.

As far as quality, I don't expect it to be made as well as a $200 light... having said that I don't believe any flashlight has $200 worth of "quality" built in just because you mount it on a gun... even if it strobes. The NCStar light is by no means a piece of junk... it's not a laser sight where accuracy stability is an issue... it's just a flashlight! Any light for my home defense applications only has to light up long enough to "get the job done" and I have no definitive reason to believe the light won't light when I press the on button.... it's just a flashlight!

Wow...
 

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