Combat Absolute on the Best Weapon-Mounted Light Options

This will be my quick down and dirty discussion regarding weapon lights and accessories. Take it for what it is, as these are simply my opinions and experiences. Plenty of options, to say the least. 

I have found Surefire makes incredibly reliable weapon lights and related components. I have also found Modlite to make incredible weapon lights and related components.  Streamlight certainly makes affordable and reliable lights, but I do not use their light activation switches as I've encountered multiple failures with them in the past. A breakdown of the lights will follow below. 

With regard to pistol lights, I have been a longtime fan of the Surefire X300U series. A more affordable pistol light that still performs very well is the Streamlight TLR-1HL. As long as one properly torques down the mounting screw on the TLR1-HL, the light is good to go. I personally run both the Surefire X300U (both A & B versions) as well as the Streamlight TLR-1HL and have had all positive results. The Streamlight and Surefire both provide decent overall lumens and candela, and both allow for quick battery changes as they both use disposable CR123 batteries. I am eagerly awaiting the release of the new Surefire X300U Turbo as it has a massive improvement in candela, which seems to be competing with the Modlite series of lights referenced below. The soon-to-be-released SF X300U Turbo also reportedly retains the same size as their standard X300U, which is helpful for holster compatibility. 

Many are now running the newer Modlite PLHv2 pistol-mounted weapon light. I have yet to run this light simply due to holster compatibility issues (longer overall length). With 54,000 candela and 1350 lumens, it is certainly a performer. It uses rechargeable battery technology, so one must stay on top of charging and/or keep topped-off spares on hand in the field. 

Regarding rifle-mounted lights, I have primarily been running Modlite weapon lights since their gen 1 models hit the market. Their newer gen 2 PLHV2 rifle light provides an incredible amount of candela for the overall throw and plenty of lumens for sufficient spill. They are built tough, very compact, lightweight, and utilize Surefire Scout series mounts and switches, which makes things far better for many end-users. The Modlites can use SF tail caps and pressure pads, which many prefer. I spent time using the Modlite ModButton for my rifle but have since gone back to the SF SR07 dual activation pad. I find the SF SR07 and tail cap assembly to be the most intuitive. I realize the SF SR07 may SLIGHTLY reduce the overall light output of the Modlite (due to the reduced current flowing through the legacy cables), but I find the tradeoff is worth it as I just can't find a more intuitive light activation pad. With that said, if one were to run a momentary only pad (like the Modlite ModButton), I highly recommend the use of an SF DS00 tail cap, so the user has the option of constant on/off. An entire discussion could be made regarding constant on versus momentary. In my humble opinion, constant on capability on any weapon light is a MUST. I find it far more important than momentary. Your mileage may vary. 

Surefire rifle lights are certainly reliable in my experience. With that said, they haven't kept up in overall candela performance. That will likely change with their soon-to-be-released turbo series. For that reason, I still recommend Modlite, and they are my current "go-to" for rifles. 

I have not been running Cloud Defensive weapon lights, primarily due to their proprietary systems. They utilize their own mounts, caps, and pressure pads. With that said, they do provide incredible light output both in terms of candela and lumens. Their lights are incredibly powerful and compete directly with Modlite in that arena. However, the proprietary systems have kept me in the Surefire and Modlite camp. 

Streamlight rifle lights are a lower-priced option. They provide decent light but nowhere near the output of Modlite or Cloud Defensive. Streamlight rifle lights are usually a bit bulkier and heavier but are reliable (in my experience) when used with a tail clicky cap. 

I've had multiple failures with their pressure pads and cannot recommend those. If budgetary issues are of concern, their Rail Mount HL-X rifle light is a decent option, as long as it is used with the aforementioned tail clicky cap. One brand of light which surfaces from time to time in courses is Olight. While competitively priced, I cannot recommend their pistol or rifle lights. I personally purchased and tested two Olight pistol lights. Of those two, one failed within the first hour of use. The second has intermittent switch activation. In addition, I just witnessed an Olight rifle light fail in the June 24th low-light carbine course. Again, just my opinion, but they are a "no go" in my book. 

As indicated above, this is simply my experience and opinions regarding weapon-mounted lights. We are certainly spoiled nowadays, as there are plenty of options for weapon-mounted lights and accessories. At the end of the day, it is up to the end-user to decide. Choose wisely.

Kyle Gentry is the owner and lead instructor for Combat Absolute. Kyle served as a Law Enforcement Officer for 17 years, where he was collaterally assigned as the lead firearm instructor for his police department. In addition, Kyle was a SWAT operator and SWAT sniper. He was assigned as the SWAT Rangemaster/lead firearm instructor for SWAT and lead instructor for the sniper team. He is a certified Simunition instructor and less lethal device instructor. Kyle is a certified Glock, Colt and Sig Sauer armorer. He was responsible for creating and implementing a red dot sight (RDS) pistol training program for his agency, which allowed officers to utilize a pistol mounted RDS on patrol. A forever student, Kyle has trained with many of the country's top tier trainers and organizations.