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Having a light on a defensive pistol is essential, so it's crucial for your safety and the safety of those you love to pick the best pistol light.
But with so many different weapon lights available, making a decision can be very difficult.
We'll go over our top pistol light picks in this guide to help you narrow down your options. Then discuss what you should know to select the best pistol light for your requirements.
Charge Type
Battery type matters in addition to battery life.
While some pistol lights use different types of batteries, the vast majority of pistol lights run on one or two CR123A batteries. In the end, there are only a few ways in which the type of battery affects you.
The pistol light's overall size is affected first, but we'll discuss that in more detail in the following section, so let's put a pin in that for a moment.
Additionally, it affects availability. The majority of battery-selling stores carry CR123A batteries. They are also reasonably priced. You'll need to order other battery types online because they might be more difficult to locate locally.
Extra batteries are always a good idea, but they become even more crucial if the type of batteries your light uses is difficult to find in stores. In this manner, you avoid being without a weapon light while you wait for your new batteries to arrive in the mail.
A few weapon lights have rechargeable batteries as well. This design has benefits and drawbacks.
The advantage is that you can simply occasionally charge the light instead of worrying about stocking extra batteries.
The drawback is that when a battery is dead, there is no way to replace it. Before using the light once more, the dead battery needs to be recharged.
Choose a rechargeable design if you want to avoid having to remove your pistol's light to charge it. Plug-in chargers are less likely to permit this than magnetic chargers do.
Size
A pistol light's overall size is significantly influenced by the quantity and kind of batteries it uses. Occasionally, more batteries are required, for example, to power a brighter light. For instance, don't count on a light with 1,000 or more lumens to run on less than two batteries.
The size of your light is less significant than its weight as long as it can be mounted on your pistol, though.
The weight of a pistol is carefully balanced to be closer to the back. They are now simpler and more comfortable to shoot as a result. Lights that fit beneath the pistol's barrel inevitably increase the weight of the weapon's front end. The lighter your light is, the easier it will be to keep your pistol balanced.
However, keep in mind that brighter lights use more batteries, so there is some balance to be struck.
Fortunately, pistol lights typically have a low weight. You shouldn't have any trouble getting used to the difference from your weapon light as long as you're training with your pistol to get used to the different feel.
Possibility of Using Your Pistol
It goes without saying that your pistol light must function with your chosen pistol. Even if your firearm has a standard Picatinny rail, factors like the trigger guard or frame shape might call for specialized pistol lights.
Thankfully, the majority of lights are made to function with as many pistols as possible and are available in different versions to work with even more pistols. A pistol light frequently comes with various keys or adapters so that it can be used on a variety of guns.
Finding a version of the best pistol lights, like the ones listed here, for your gun shouldn't be difficult as long as it isn't an extremely uncommon pistol or hasn't undergone any strange modifications.
The links above should take you to the most flexible pistol light, but before you buy, make sure the light is compatible with your particular pistol.
The lights that we've provided links for will typically fit most common Picatinny rails as well as Glock rails. When determining compatibility, you should be especially careful if your pistol has a different rail design.
When in doubt, check the manufacturer's website for a comprehensive list of handguns that are compatible.
Durability
The last thing you want is a light that breaks a few months after you use it or can't withstand regular use. You might as well simply set the cash on fire to direct the light to the intended area.
Choose a light that can withstand impacts and is at the very least water-resistant. However, if you want to use your pistol light outside, waterproof is preferable. Durable body materials like aluminum and polymer will aid in protecting the delicate electronics inside the light.
An added bonus is the warranty. Many businesses, including Streamlight, offer limited lifetime warranties, allowing you to have your light fixed or replaced in the event of a problem. Other businesses only provide limited lifetime warranties for their lights.
The Olight: A Reliable Pistol Light
The PL-MINI Valkyrie Tactical Light from Olight is one of my all-time favorite pistol lights. They also offer many other excellent pistol lights, such as the Baldr line of weapon lights.
They are not the only reputable manufacturer of weapon lights, though. Other well-liked manufacturers of pistol lights are Streamlight, Surefire, Viridian, and Crimson Trace.
What Should a Pistol Light Have in Lumens?
Pistol lights typically range from 100 to 1,000 lumens, but the precise lumen level your pistol light should have depends on its intended use.
Stick to the lower end of that range for indoor use. 100 to 200 lumens are sufficient for seeing if that's all you need to do. Choose a light with between 400 and 600 lumens if you want to be able to blind an attacker.
To avoid blinding yourself and your attacker, keep your indoor lighting at no more than 600 lumens.
Live it up with the higher end of that range for outdoor use. You don't have to worry as much about unintentionally becoming blind because there aren't walls on all sides reflecting the light back at you.
A sudden bright light also increases the likelihood that any animals making the noise in the bushes will be startled and flee if they are in fact a pest.
Because everyone has different needs and desires, no one light is the best for everyone. Depending on your specific requirements and preferences, you might discover that one of our other suggestions is a better fit for you.
But with the knowledge and variety of suggestions provided here, choosing the ideal pistol light for you shouldn't be a problem.
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