To shine a light at home, on duty or on trips is one thing. This can be easily done by flashlight or headlamp. However, If we move to the paradise of shooters, special units, soldiers and others, we get a little different idea of lighting. Moreover, we can not hold the flashlight in hand when handling a weapon. It would be perhaps possible with handguns, but definitly not with long arms. That is why we need to install the light on our weapon, which must be adapted for this. There are many types to choose from.
Tactical lights
With weapon lights we require two basic things – the right size and the on-off switch in the rear. The right size is the size that is compatible with mounting system of the weapon. There are more possibilities. Some of them are mounted directly to the barrel while the others use special rail system. These mounts have a certain diameter compatible with flashlight, otherwise we will hardly attach it. The on-off switch in the rear is also highly important. Switching on and off is usually done with a thumb of weak hand. But wouldn't it be easier to buy a tactical flashlight?
Get straight to the point
It is always better to buy exactly what we need than to make unnecessary compromises. Tactical flashlights have sizes that are compatible with mounts. There is also one great feature – the cap can be dismounted and replaced by the cap with the pressure switch. To be more specific - the pressure switch alows for single handed operation. The best possibility may be to purchase a light that is compatible with specific weapon(s).
And here we are
Such flashlights have one huge disadvantage - they cannot be used for anything else. They include mount designed to be compatible with the specific rail system. It would be difficult to carry such a flashlight with us in the pocket instead of standard flashlight, however, if we are looking for a weapon light, there is nothing better. Such flashlights use different switches. Handgun flashlights usually have a switch that either lights up when held or can be switched on permanently. Weapon lights intended for long arms usually use pressure switches. It is all about personal preferences which one we choose. It is important to mention, that handgun lights can be used on long arms but not the other way round (in most of the cases).
Almost the same
The weapon flashlights do not differ much from the standard flashlights (apart from the construction). They still have a lighting medium, which nowadays should be a super bright LED that provides great properties. Inside is some type of battery. Modern technologies allow long run time and amazing light output – even 300-500 lumens. With high-quality comes higher price tag, but we can also get "more simple" ones, that will not dissapoint us.
Choosing again
It is all about personal preferences. If we want a flashlight that will be still on our weapon, we can purchase the one with mounting system. On the other hand, the tactical flashlight is more variable, however, almost impossible to be mounted on our weapon. The general rule is that we should focus on aluminum type materials and leave out all the plastic that comes our way.