Light on DMR?

[hg8057]

Does anyone put a light on a precision rifle/DMR? I'm not talking like a rifle I'd use out to extended ranges, but rather one for short to medium range (500-600 tops). If so, can anyone make a light recommendation?

[UWone77]

Does anyone put a light on a precision rifle/DMR? I'm not talking like a rifle I'd use out to extended ranges, but rather one for short to medium range (500-600 tops). If so, can anyone make a light recommendation?

What's the plan for the light? Illuminating targets at 500-600 yards? Or if the target was closer?

[hg8057]

Probably closer. I'd like to be able to positively ID the target before firing. Semi rural with some space. Is there a light that would reach out to 5-600 that's practical?

[hg8057]

Unwanted (four legged) critters almost exclusively with the ability to ID the two legged variety if need be. This isn't going to be a concealed sniper type rifle at all. More like a critter eradicator/standoff home defense rifle.

[Slippers]

500 yards and let you ID through a scope at night? Your typical 2 cell CR123 light like a Surefire Scout M600 Ultra won't do much past 100 yards. You'd need something like the Surefire Hellfighter.

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There are several companies that make laser illuminators that can reach out to 500 yards, usually using green lasers. They're hunting oriented, so I don't know how rugged they are, and are ill-suited for self-defense applications, but they definitely can reach out. Laser Genetics (http://lasergenetics.com) seems to be the leading manufacturer, at least in terms of web presence.

[UWone77]

Slippers is spot on. The typical light won't let you see past 100 yards. Even at 100, you may not be able to ID your target.

I don't usually put lights on my longer range setups. Then again mine are only designed to punch paper at distances.

[hg8057]

Slippers is spot on. The typical light won't let you see past 100 yards. Even at 100, you may not be able to ID your target.

I kinda figured something along those lines would be the case. Thought I'd try just in case there was something available. Thanks for the help all.

[fledge]

I'm rural. I use a Surefire fury when walking the yard at night. I can identity animal species at 50 yards. At 100, I can only see eyeballs and study their behavior to identify the animal. I've seen the fury on rails. But I'd prefer a 16" or shorter setup when hanging stuff off the end.

Or look at Armasight.

[gatordev]

There are several companies that make laser illuminators that can reach out to 500 yards, usually using green lasers. They're hunting oriented, so I don't know how rugged they are, and are ill-suited for self-defense applications, but they definitely can reach out. Laser Genetics (http://lasergenetics.com) seems to be the leading manufacturer, at least in terms of web presence.

Fairly regularly, I operate with NVGs and some sort of illuminated light source while looking for critters crossing my path. Personally, I'm just worried about hitting them, but to give some perspective, I typically run with a light that is NOT NVG compliant, so very bright. At 1500 feet (500y), I'd be able to see eyes and shape, but probably not be able to tell species (other than non-human). On a high-light night, it might be a little easier. When I switch to a NVG-compliant light, my acuity goes way down on darker nights.

I understand this isn't helpful for your linked company, but when I'm operating with a constant 400hz AC power source and this happens, I have my doubts about about a rifle-mounted illuminator to reach out that far. But, I've been wrong before.

[JGifford]

500 yards and let you ID through a scope at night? Your typical 2 cell CR123 light like a Surefire Scout M600 Ultra won't do much past 100 yards. You'd need something like the Surefire Hellfighter.

I think the M600U is good to about 2-250 yards if you have quality optics and 4-8x magnification and night-adjusted vision. This is based on a Nightfighter course I took where just such animals were involved. Would I want to be recognizing faces? No. but I mean for say, shooting "a thing" such as a coyote. I could not tell if it was a neighbor's dog, or a coyote, but I could tell you it wasn't a person down on all 4's.

[JGifford]

I'm rural. I use a Surefire fury when walking the yard at night. I can identity animal species at 50 yards. At 100, I can only see eyeballs and study their behavior to identify the animal. I've seen the fury on rails. But I'd prefer a 16" or shorter setup when hanging stuff off the end.

Or look at Armasight.
The fury has a lot more spill than the TIR lights.

[fledge]

The fury has a lot more spill than the TIR lights.

Always interested in improving but searching "TIR lights" isn't pulling up anything useful. Got info?

[Slippers]

Always interested in improving but searching "TIR lights" isn't pulling up anything useful. Got info?

He means the m600 ultra. I don't agree that it is usable to 250 yards based on my personal experience.

[RiverRat]

Gonna pop in here with some near nightly experience in a environment similar to yours - I can see the Milky Way at night, for reference on type of environment.

I've screened a lot of options for throw and spill, many in a form factor that could be weapon mounted. I'm going to echo Slippers and UWOne. There really isn't anything I've tried that I would want to weapon-mount and throws past 125 yards with enough intensity to discriminate between targets. You can get eye reflections and very vague shapes from further out, but trying to identify anything at 150 yards isn't practical even in good, low dust conditions. I'm usually left wondering "deer, elk, coyote, fox, bobcat or dog". I think it's important to remember ANSI specs for throw equate to roughly the light of a full moon at the distance quoted. Simply put, that is enough light to tell something is there....but a long way from being able to make any kinda of discriminating trigger decision.

The best head options I've found if you're trying to push throw in a mountable sizes are XP-L HI based heads running off 18650 cells. You'll give up ruggedness, simple interfaces and compact size...then it still won't get past 150 yards with any reasonable ability to discern shapes. Any expectation of reaching 250+ yards is, IMO, unreasonable.

[hg8057]

Thanks all for the "illuminating" input. It's obvious that I know very little about flashlights and their abilities. I had hoped technology had progressed enough to make illumination at medium ranges practical. It seems that it hasn't yet. I'll check through all of your suggestions and find what I believe to be my best option. Thanks again for the constructive input and lack of near instantaneous snarkiness that I've found on many other forums.

[JGifford]

He means the m600 ultra. I don't agree that it is usable to 250 yards based on my personal experience.

The lights differ. Mine is a beast, probably putting out 600+ lumens. I and everyone at NF could tell a NOTABLE difference between it, and the X300U's and other M600U's in use.

[JGifford]

Gonna pop in here with some near nightly experience in a environment similar to yours - I can see the Milky Way at night, for reference on type of environment.

I've screened a lot of options for throw and spill, many in a form factor that could be weapon mounted. I'm going to echo Slippers and UWOne. There really isn't anything I've tried that I would want to weapon-mount and throws past 125 years with enough intensity to discriminate between targets. You can get eye reflections and very vague shapes from further out, but trying to identify anything at 150 yards isn't practical even in good, low dust conditions. I'm usually left wondering "deer, elk, coyote, fox, bobcat or dog". I think it's important to remember ANSI specs for throw equate to roughly the light of a full moon at the distance quoted. Simply put, that is enough light to tell something is there....but a long way from being able to make any kinda of discriminating trigger decision.

The best head options I've found if you're trying to push throw in a mountable sizes are XP-L HI based heads running off 18650 cells. You'll give up ruggedness, simple interfaces and compact size...then it still won't get past 150 yards with any reasonable ability to discern shapes. Any expectation of reaching 250+ yards is, IMO, unreasonable.

Take age into consideration. I am 30. With a full moon, and magnification, I can discern quite a bit. I'm not trying to be ageist, it's a medical fact. Also, everyone's eyes differ.

http://seniordriving.aaa.com/understanding-mind-body-changes/vision/light-requirements/

[Slippers]

The lights differ. Mine is a beast, probably putting out 600+ lumens. I and everyone at NF could tell a NOTABLE difference between it, and the X300U's and other M600U's in use.

I'm confused. Is yours different than an off-the-shelf m600u? If so, why would you recommend the m600u to someone if they can't get the exact same thing? He'd be disappointed in the light.

[Default.mp3]

Thanks all for the "illuminating" input. It's obvious that I know very little about flashlights and their abilities. I had hoped technology had progressed enough to make illumination at medium ranges practical. It seems that it hasn't yet. I'll check through all of your suggestions and find what I believe to be my best option. Thanks again for the constructive input and lack of near instantaneous snarkiness that I've found on many other forums.Again, if it's for hunting, I would not use a typical WML, and would instead try out one of the hunting-oriented laser illuminators. I'm actually curious as to how animals would react to sudden white light coming on, even if you did have a beast of a light, like a HellFighter.

Or, if you have vast amounts of money, I'd suggest looking at some kind of clip-on night vision sight, such as the BNS sold by TNVC: https://tnvc.com/shop/bns-boresighted-night-sight-gen3-pinnacle-clip-on-weapon-sight/

You may also want to check out http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ and ask their opinion, again keeping in mind that this is for hunting and not self-defense.

[UWone77]

The best head options I've found if you're trying to push throw in a mountable sizes are XP-L HI based heads running off 18650 cells. You'll give up ruggedness, simple interfaces and compact size...then it still won't get past 150 yards with any reasonable ability to discern shapes. Any expectation of reaching 250+ yards is, IMO, unreasonable.

I agree with this.

No matter how good your eyes are or how young you are. When I was on graveyard in my 20's and early 30's I had 20/15 uncorrected vision. When we walked around the local High School tracks to get out of the car and stretch our legs, sometimes we'd flash our lights from our SL20's down the field when something furry ran across. It was hard to ID the target even back then. Think about it, even in daylight can you ID a target at 100, 200 yards easily? Other than being able to tell it's a person?

[SINNER]

Lightforce Pred9 series lights will get you out to 250 yards. Completely impractical for anything other than stationary predator hunting.

[radar707]

I think 50 yards max for a gun light. I've used scouts and x300s. Anything beyond, especially with no ambient light will be hard to ID.