Surefire Rifle/Carbine Recommendations Please

[acco]

I am looking for experience/recommendations on Surefire lights for rifle/carbine use. I am looking ONLY at Surefire brand lights as they have proven reliability over other brands (in my personal experience). Also, I am looking for a light that has a tape switch tailcap. The way I operate with my rifle is a vertical foregrip with the switches (light and laser) on top of the handguards which I activate with my thumb- thereby lessening the possibility of an accidental triggering of the light. Also, I'm only looking for something using 123 batteries (not rechargeable).
So, can anyone recommend a Surefire which can use a tape switch tailcap? I have emailed Surefire and asked for all of the possible options they sell, but haven't heard back from them. If anyone can compare two of them that would be excellent. Thanks for your help.
(this post is because I don't like what I'm currently issued, and if I'm going to pay out of pocket for something I would like a few recommendations before buying)

[SDDuc996]

Acco,

Wow, nobody responded to this huh? Currently I love Surefire lights and they're all I use. I have M3's, (older) Milleniums, Scouts, X200-300's, M900's and they all work.

I don't want to bash anybody's kit, but the new SOPMOD kits come with Insight weaponlights for the M4's and NOBODY wanted them. Prior to our 08' deployment I was installing a Larue FF rail on one of the "O's" 10" M4's and his buddy said, "What is that, your third light your on?" Sure's shit the other two had failed him AND THEY WERE JUST ISSUED BRAND NEW!!!

Personally I don't like the tape switch as there's too great a risk of a light AD/ND (especially without the IR filter or it cracked open) so I go with the tried and true click on/off switch.Harder to accidently switch on and off and you can keep it on if need be without your hand being on it. Let me make clear, I don't like tape switches for lights unless they have an IR filter and even then, it's risky.

I feel the M900 is too heavy for some guns, (XCR) but it's stout as hell and I swap the bulbs out for the 225lumens. My end all favorite is the Scout. Small, light and dependable. I'd love to get the new mini scout as well. I see one in my future. Both Scouts can operate with tape switches, but REMEMBER.... IR Filters only work with the Incandescent bulbs. As far as I know LED's don't have the ass to push through an IR Filter well enough to do any good.

 If you like the X300s they even make a rifle/carbine backplate for those that have both manual and tape switches as well and it's an even lighter package. Down side is I don't believe they make an IR filter that small.

Obviously this is for your military use. If you're a civ you sure's shit won't need IR Filters unless you run NVD's.

Hope this helps.

[o313]

I like all my surefire lights but it really depends on the situation you plan on using for.

I like my M4 Devastator for carbine use outdoors but indoors it's way to powerful. For indoor use on pistols and rifles my favorite is the Streamlight TLR-1.

I hate the surefire M900 & 910 series.

[terrorist hunter]

I like all three of my lights but just as o313 mentioned, it's all about what you're going to do.  I'm currently running an M3 on my XCR with the tape switch and it's honestly overkill.  If I could remember what I did with the lower power bulb it would probably be much better but with the higher power bulb, you'll go blind in a heart beat.  I've got an NVG filter on it too, not because I'll ever really need it or have NVG's, but because it was free and if any force ever tries to come in to my house with optics, they'll be blind and I'll have my own methods of target acquisition. 




If you wanted to get a good tactical light for outdoors or urban, that would be the one.  My post in '06 had an abandoned hotel which I could basically sweep from below.  For reference, the building in the center of these two (by the evergreen tree) was where I'd hold meetings with IPs and BP.  When I came out, I could light up where those two were standing. 

It was also good for sweeping for IEDs (when we still high back HMMWV's) and the high beams weren't bright enough, so again, probably not a great house light.

If you want a simple nightstand light, the $45 plastic one is what we were initially issued and it's been plenty durable through a couple tours (maybe the G3??).  You can find the red lens cover for pretty cheap and it's light weight with good battery economy. 

The executive (I think?) is the last one I've got with a 1 cell capacity.  It was a great light until the bulb died and some a$$ dealer sold me the wrong bulb.  It's nowhere near as bright as it once was, but I'm sure it's because the wrong bulb is in it.  For some reason that's a more expensive light, but it's got a cool little clip like a pen, it's great on batteries, and it's very easy to carry/conceal if you want a low profile light for around the house or camp.

The tape switch can be purchased for relatively little and I think most are pretty much universal.  The Surefire one is incredibly expensive and I'm not sure it's worth it.  I know I've never had my tape fail and I've used it pretty extensively.  I have a GGG light mount and it works perfectly.  Off the top of my head I don't know what I paid, but I doubt more than $30.

All that said, the one I would recommend against is that $500 monstrosity with LEDs and the grip built in.  We were issued those at one of the units I was with (thank you GWOT funding...) and they were incredibly heavy and not worth it.  You get the same thing out of an M3 with a broom stick and tape for half the price.  It's also more adaptable if you ever want to take the light off and use it as a hand held (or look for IEDs in the back yard).  Hope that helps!
 

[SDDuc996]

One thing I failed to mention that 0313 and TH did cover was the lumen output. I think a high lumen output is fine if you're running an IR filter. As they mentioned above, wayyyy too much for unfiltered, indoor use.

You know whats great about the Surefire M900 series of lights? When you get them issued, never use them, and later on sell/trade them to somebody for different kit. That's about as much use I'd get out of them anyway.

[acco]

I didn't mention output specifically, but you're right 60-80 lumens is probably the max that I'd want.  The IR filter will be a maybe, as I want to get this when I'm in the U.S. in the new year but if I can't and have to get is shipped here ITAR prohibits IR filters being shipped outside of the U.S. (really it isn't a priority)  I will likely have a PEQ-2 on the other side of the carbine with this so I won't require the IR capability from the taclight itself.

As for use, outdoor yes, but more importantly doing interior searches is what I am concerned with. What I am currently issued I don't like, some guys don't care/ didn't have problems- but I care.  As I said the PEQ-2 will have the IR flood capability that I will require.

Looking at most lights, I would prefer a 2 cell light simply to keep it compact and light as this will be going on a carbine (Heavy barreled Canadian version of the M4). But I haven't really used a 3 cell light for a decent comparison. I plan to mount this on the left side of my rifle as my PEQ will be on the right, and nothing on the bottom. (I won't give up the ability to mount a bayonet, I like the classics)

I also am hoping to find a decent price break in the U.S., a genuine Surefire tape switch is 140 bucks up here- but like I said I will wait until I'm in the U.S. and shop around, hopefully even a PX can help me out.

[aziator]

I got to play with the new x400 today, a realy nice little combo light but I wish it had green laser instead of red.

[Cruzzer]

Here is my two cents.

Since Hurricane Ike 2008 I've been using a Surefire Scout Light (M600C, $425.00). It is most definitely on the pricey side but it is small, light, LED bulb and you can get an incandescent bulb that can be made IR compatible. I also use a remote dual switch (SR07, $80.00) that snaps directly onto the rails, which gives me the ability to have a constant on light or momentary. I've noticed that with heavy shooting it starts to work itself loose so I've added some zip ties to hold the light in place.

Semper Fi! Cruzzer

[Underground]

Oh man, someone snuck in and drilled a bunch of holes in your MP5 suppressor!

I like to have plenty of lights around, so I have a number of less expensive lights stashed at various places.  One in the car, one in my pack, and a couple of places around the house.  You never know when you might need to grab one.  The Coleman LED flashlights are pretty decent, and bright, and I believe are <$25.

[fnfnc64]

I have several G2 LED's on guns with the CAA tape switch on tango down forward grips and the surefire rail mount at a little over $100 (not including the grips). My POF has a $500 9v surefire Millennium series light on it, and I have a streamlight TLR2 under a samson railed stag at something in the $300 neighborhood. The G2's work just as well for lighting any room in my house up. Im going the G2 route from here on out. I have another TLR2 on a handgun that just went south on me. Its going to have to go back to get fixed. I dont think I have ever fired the gun with it mounted up........

[acco]

Finally made a decision and found a great deal on a scout light. Looks great so far.

[Underground]

but REMEMBER.... IR Filters only work with the Incandescent bulbs. As far as I know LED's don't have the ass to push through an IR Filter well enough to do any good.

It's not that LED's aren't putting out as much or more light, but that the white LED's do not emit into the near IR spectrum.  When you put that filter on an incandescent bulb, you're filtering out everything but a narrow band of light in the near IR, and you then have a much weaker IR light.  When you put the same filter on a white emitting LED, you're filtering out pretty much all the light because it isn't emitting as broad a spectrum as the incandescent.

There are IR emitting LED's, but they're specifically for that purpose, they don't emit much if any visible light.

[acco]

Luckily I avoided this problem by picking up the Scout light "kit 01".  The kit has the original scout light, plus an extra incandescent head with a p60 bulb and an IR filter- basically so I can choose which one I want on the rifle.