When you are faced with a big selection of flashlights on the market where the supply exceeds the demand, it’s hard to settle on exactly what you need to accomplish your tasks. That is why we advise you not to be too hasty.
don’t be in a hurry. Study the subject first, so that you won’t regret later for the unnecessary acquisition. Firstly you should anticipate those tactical situations or operations that will require the use of a tactical flashlight.
Every situation is characterized by real conditions in which you will have to act. It is clear that it is impossible to foresee everything. A tactical situation is always characterized by objective and subjective factors evolving at a given moment. That is why it is necessary to take this factor into account when choosing a flashlight. Let’s get to the bottom of it.
What is a tactical flashlight for weapons?
Tactical flashlight. In this capacious word combination a lot of interesting and incomprehensible to the average person. It is not
just a flashlight. It is a special flashlight, which was originally designed for military or police use. They are generally smaller in size than traditional flashlights, made of a lightweight special aluminum alloy, which ensures their durability, emit a bright
quality light, and most importantly, many of them are designed to be mounted on guns for shooting in low light conditions. For example, you have a personal self-defense gun. In the dark, low-light, low-visibility At night, in low light and poor visibility, a tactical flashlight gives you the ability to quickly orient yourself in situation, see the target, and in many cases, identify the sights in the dark and make an accurate shot.
Tactical flashlight for arms is highly durable, maximally protected against water and moisture and equipped with external push button for powerful single or multiple light modes, with long
The housing is made from the latest technology and is equipped with a high quality, durable and long-lasting light. The housing is made of the latest materials, durable alloys, which makes it lightweight and practical. To “soften” the recoil of the shot without deteriorating the light spot, manufacturers use high quality and durable contact groups. This type of lamp has serrated edges or sharp protrusions on the reflector glass rim, called the “crown”. This design has several advantages. First, it effectively protects the front lens. Secondly, if necessary, the hard and sharp edges of the crown make the tactical flashlight an effective means of
self-defense. Thirdly, the manufacturer positions these prongs as a special device for breaking car windows, for example. Undoubtedly, in a combat situation such flashlight becomes an invaluable and formidable weapon.
Still, consider the use of a flashlight on a weapon, in the form of an underbarrel weapon. Connecting the weapon and the flashlight itself, for effective shooting at an illuminated target. There are several options for this. One of them refers to the integrated, or bracketless mounting scheme. The other is mounting the flashlight to the weapon using a detachable system. Both types of mounts are mainly made of metal and high-strength plastic ensuring lightness and reliability in any situation. Both options have their pros and cons. The stationary version minimizes the possibility of losing the flashlight. In the other case, when it is possible to quickly detach the flashlight from the weapon, we get an additional bonus in the form of a separate powerful, mobile and bright flashlight, for using it as a mount to install another necessary gadget in the present situation. By the way, among the convenient removable mounting systems there are new, progressive technically new and progressive solution – mounting the flashlight on the weapon with magnet.
Light and beam
How does a tactical flashlight create bright light with a beam that breaks the darkness? It refers to technical solution in construction of the electronic control system of the light, which is stabilized thanks to the driver that provides uninterrupted and smooth beam. Naturally, if you do not skimp on cheap and low-power batteries, not to mention conventional batteries. The loss of power is especially noticeable when using flashlights with multiple brightness modes. Here, the degree of discharge decreases in steps, depending on the degree of discharge of the battery. From the brightest to the fading beam. So there’s a simple rule to remember: if you want to get good, steady, even light for a long time.
Therefore it is necessary to remember a simple rule: if you want to get a good, steady and steady light for a long time, don’t be stingy when buying batteries from a proven manufacturer. Use nickel-metal hydride or lithium-ion batteries for your flashlight. In the latter These batteries have a smaller size and lower weight and benefit from a higher capacity. In addition to In addition, the range of power in the form of tactical batteries has recently expanded. The line of flashlights has been expanded to include
Solar-powered flashlights, USB connector and even a Powerbank function.
What else should you pay attention to when choosing a tactical flashlight? The LED that provides the light. Here the choice is yours. In terms of glow temperature, LEDs are divided into three color groups. Cold white, warm white and neutral. ВIn the first case, the light is clear, bright with a white-blue cast, clearly highlighting objects at night. However, this light makes objects seem less “feathery” in the presence of fog and smoke. Warm-white light seems at first glance feel soft and less bright at first glance, although this is not a disadvantage, just a visual perception. If you are not
Suit you in any way, shape or form for any of the above options, choose neutral light. This is an intermediate compromise solution between the two indicated colors, which will give the opportunity to enjoy it.
Color, however, is only a certain element in the complex optical system of a tactical flashlight. The generated light flux has to be transmitted to illuminate the object by the beam directed at it. This problem is solved by a light reflector by means of a special form of the reflector – parabolic, structured surface or polished to a mirror. Thanks to this, the degree of light reflection is more than eighty percent. There are, however, certain rules when choosing a reflector. For example, “textured” surfaces form smooth and soft transitions of light from the center to the edge of the reflector, which gives excellent results when working on targets in motion or when shooting stand in an enclosed room. It is clear that the manufacturer performed mathematical calculations to select the right angle of transmission of the central beam, which determines the depth of light range. Such details, of course, are of little interest to the consumer. Knowledge of other things is important. For example, the flashlight heats up a lot when it is working. Strange as it may seem, this is its normal operation. In fact, a large temperature is generated by the LED, which heats up quickly and without cooling will burn out just as quickly. Therefore the lantern is designed in such a way that the generated heat is led to the lantern body by the cooling fins provided for this purpose, thus ensuring its correct operation. A few words about the so called so-called TIR-optics system. This is a new trend of transmitting light through a transparent parabolic lens, which ensures the transfer of more than ninety percent of the luminous flux. This system works well when observing a moving target at short range. A significant disadvantage is that this fixture is heavy and does not provide heat dissipation.
As for the color filters. What are they for and how are they used? There are not many of them. The basic ones – green, blue and red are used depending on the task to be performed. For example, to observe animals, hunters use a green light filter, to which most animals do not react. Red gives the ability to observe an object without losing the function of night vision. Blue light is perfectly absorbed by the atmosphere providing stealthy movement for the attacker, as well as “showing” the blood trail at night.
Longevity
If you want your flashlight to please you with its beautiful and powerful light for a long time, learn how to protect it during usage and storage. The rules are simple. Tactically, the flashlight should be stored properly in a dry place and should always be ready for use. Undeniably, the body of a tactical flashlight is rugged, non-corrosive and highly reliable in extreme conditions. Nevertheless, flashlights are equipped with powerful LEDs and it should not be allowed to become matted or dusty. You should keep this in mind when storing the reflective surface in special dust-proof cases. And before using the flashlight it is better to use a fiber and carefully wipe the reflective and mirror guiding surfaces. When storing, the batteries should be removed and put in a separate place to avoid oxidation. Remember, the lights are waterproof and easily disassembled. Therefore, when carrying out routine cleaning when reassembling the flashlight in sequence, it is important not to miss any seals before reassembly and to dry all threaded joints thoroughly.
Conclusion
After this little acquaintance with the basic principles of operation and use of a tactical flashlight, you can determine the main points that will be useful for you when choosing this gadget. As sad as it is, the principle “cheap is not quality” is fully applicable in this case. It is practically impossible to get a durable and reliable case for pennies. Decide for what purpose you need a flashlight, and then choose the gadget with the right value of lumens, choosing in advance the color that is acceptable to your eyes, whether warm or cool.
And the last thing. When selecting the underbarrel flashlight, focus on the main parameter – the resistance of the flashlight to shooting recoil.