Lights For Ccw And Law Enforcement

[watchmaker]

CABELA’S XPG XENON FLASHLIGHTS

12 VOLTS MODEL

180 LUMENS AND 90 MINUTES RUN TIME

This light uses four 123’s and is 7 ¾ inches long. The claim of 180 lumen output and 90 minutes run time is what attracted me to buy one; besides, the price is only $50.00.

With the 123’s at almost $2.00 each with shipping, running this light is not precisely inexpensive, but is much better than running a Surefire 9 P with the P-91 lamp for 20 minutes to get 200 lumens.



This light went into one of my rifles; that is why it is set up with a Leupold ring.


This light is almost a copy of the 9P, but longer at 7 ¾; the tail-cap differs in that the switch is not momentary. When you press in the XPG switch, you click it on, and to extinguish the light, you click it off.

This feature will remove this flashlight from the “tactical” field; it is very important for tactical use to have a momentary switch so you can strobe it, or so you can control the light the way you want. It is important just in case you drop your light, that you will not get illuminated by your own light.

The lamp of this light is very similar to the P-91 Surefire lamp. The reflector has the same finish and configuration, and at $18.00 for replacements it is not bad at all.

To find out how it compares with the beam of the 9P or Surefire C-3 with the P-91 lamp (200 lumens for 20 minutes on three 123’s batteries), I tested the light at my usual 26 yards against the same bear-and-deer target that I used before for all the other lights, and from the same distance with the same settings.

As the reflector and head are so similar between the two torches, I was expecting very similar results in illumination, as the 20 lumens difference is not really so important to change the results in a big way.

So here are the pictures, and you can see for yourself how they compare.

CABELA’S XPG XENON 12 VOLTS (180 lumens for 90 minutes on four 123’s batteries)



SUREFIRE CENTURION C-3 (With P-91 lamp for 200 lumens. 20 minutes run time)



BEAR CUB 220 lumens for 90 minutes, rechargeable.




Lumen output is not all that is important to have a light that will be useful at a certain distance. The diameter of the reflector has a big influence in how those lumens are going to be distributed.
For example, in the same league in lumen output is the rechargeable Bear Cub, (220 lumens for 90 minutes), but the deep 2” in diameter smooth reflector of the Bear Cub will throw the light much farther and with more intensity than the small reflectors of the Centurion C-3 or 9 P or the Cabela’s XPG can.
Actually the XPG and the Centurion C-3 are very good (as you can see in the pictures) at the 26 yards distance, but at 45 to 50 yards they have reached the end of their useful illumination.

Cabela’s have always offered good value for the money, this light is not the exception, for the price it is a more than excellent light and the long run time offset a little the expense of buying four 123’s batteries to run it.

Best wishes
Watchmaker

[Druac]

I have to ask...how much money have you spent on flashlights? Just curious.

Not being an ass...everyone should have a hobby!

[xd4life]

I know now more than I ever thought I could possibly ever want to know about flashlights. What a good review and write up with some great side by side comparisons. Something you wont find in any gun magazine article.

[thisismyusername]

From post #4... "I don’t have a pool to try it at a few feet, but it survived quite well in my 3 ½ gallon beer glass for several hours."

3 ½ gallon beer glass - very impressive! But seriously, this is great information - thank you for posting. Perfect timing, as I was going to ask some folks for their opinions on a flashlight to store in my handgun safe.

Thanks.

[watchmaker]

Originally Posted by Druac

I have to ask...how much money have you spent on flashlights? Just curious.

Not being an ass...everyone should have a hobby!

I have asked myself the same question from time to time, I just don't have the time to tally all the lights, let's my heirs worry about that one.

Cheers
Watchmaker

[Druac]

Could you recommend ONE light to use for home defense? Something to keep with your handgun?

I go to the store and try to pick one out, and and there are just too many to chose from. All I have at the moment is the good old MagLite. I want something smaller and powerful.

[watchmaker]

Originally Posted by Druac

Could you recommend ONE light to use for home defense? Something to keep with your handgun?

I go to the store and try to pick one out, and and there are just too many to chose from. All I have at the moment is the good old MagLite. I want something smaller and powerful.

SMALLER AND POWERFUL

THE BEAR CUB

SMALL LIGHT BIG PERFORMANCE

Not long ago to get magnum illumination out of a flashlight, I had to drop down the tube, six of the big D batteries on a Maglite 6 D size.
That the light weights three pounds one ounce and measures 19 ½ inches was just incidental to the use if I wanted to get a really good, powerful beam.

Later Surefire come up with small lights that could take two and three or four small but powerful 123’s camera batteries, some of those lights, come up and surpass the 181 lumens of the big Maglite 6 D.
I am thinking now of the specialty tactical light than Surefire have as the M-4 that uses four of the 123 batteries for 225 lumens for one hour run time.
Incidentally the M-4 is not precisely inexpensive, costing $330 USD from Surefire or their dealers.

The only problem is that the little 3 volts batteries are quite expensive, and using four of them for one hour run time can cost you $8.00 for that hour.
And that is if you buy them at discount over the Internet, when purchased in the camera stores (such as Wal Mart) the little 3 volts batteries cost as much as $4 each.

So a light of the size of the Surefire M-4 (9 inches long) was highly desired if it could be made to run on rechargeable batteries, to avoid the big battery expense of the M-4.

Enter the Bear Cub, a nine inches light, with a 13 oz. weight that is rechargeable and uses Lithium Ion batteries.
This little light makes 220 lumens for 90 minutes of run time, and then recharges its two batteries with a fast charger that is included, in three and a half hours.
The Lithium Ion batteries can be recharged up to 1,000 times and when they eventually get depleted can be replaced with $30.

HERE IS A PICTURE OF THE BEAR CUB LIGHT, NEXT TO THE SUREFIRE M-4.



AND HERE NEXT TO THE MAGLITE 6 D



And here a couple of beam shots at 26 yards for comparison.

MAGLITE 6 D



BEAR CUB



Yes the little rechargeable Bear Cub is characterized for an intense white light, and a run time of 90 minutes, all in a small size that can fit in any glove compartment or trench coat pocket.
Best Wishes
Watchmaker

[watchmaker]

And here a beam shot comparison between the Surefire M-4 (225 lumens for one hour on four 123's batteries) and the rechargeable Bear Cub.

SUREFIRE M-4




BEAR CUB



Cheers
Watchmaker

[xdmikey]

I used to have a gun problem; now I'm about to have a light problem. I have become obsessed. At least the wife says so!
Thanks for the flood(pun) of information watchmaker.
Michael

[enfurno]

You are a flashlight god and that borealis is FREAKING AMAZING!!

What would you recommend as a high visibility light for under say 70 bucks?