tydephan
January 6, 2007, 09:32 PM
Greetings guys and gals.
Having read about the advantages and disadvantages until I was blue in the face, I finally decided to take the plunge and purchase a weapon-mounted light. I have several weapons that I can use with the light, but this review will show the light mounted on my recently purchased Sig Pro 2022 (.357sig).
Admittedly, I am no tactician or strategist, but it seems as though common consensus regarding weapon-mounted lights is that the use of the light is advantageous in certain situations, but can provide a tactical disadvantage in other situations.
So, as commonly stated on this site and others: “It is better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.”
After a fair amount of market assessment, I decided I would try the Streamlight TLR-2 (http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=81). This is a laser/light combo that has been on the market for awhile.
I was very reluctant when I purchased this because of the LED. I have never been a big fan of LED, having always preferred halogen. I have 2 Streamlight Stingers that I use around the house and in my vehicle. They are great lights. Previously, I had never seen an LED that provided any significant illumination.
However the 80 lumen (equivalent) LED on the TLR-2 is unreal. It provides a very focused beam (albeit bluish) that can quickly illuminate your surroundings. But would it blind, as advertised?
Well, having less brain cells than I used to, I decided to turn the beam toward my own eyes (dismounted from the weapon and without the laser, of course). The beam was astoundingly bright (and I would certainly not recommend this "experiment" to others). IMO, there is no way an intruder could “target the light” as is generally theorized. In a half-lit room, it took me a good 5 minutes to regain normal sight. I have great confidence that this would instantly render the night vision of an intruder completely useless. Furthermore, the intruder may indeed fire shots, but I would suggest, due to the brightness of the light, they would be unguided at best.
The best feature of this light is the selectable modes, including ambidextrous “momentary on” and “constant on” modes.
The “momentary on” feature is perfect for the commonly referenced “blind and move” tactic. With my finger extended, outside of the trigger guard, my finger rests comfortably on the on/off toggle (the large black switch). I can press down on the switch (spring activated) and the light comes on for the duration of my finger-pressure. If constant light is needed, I can slip my finger under the switch and push it up for constant light/laser.
There is also a switch under the on/off switch that allows the user to use only the light, only the laser, or both.
I put 50 rounds through the weapon yesterday and the added weight of the light (4.72 oz) had no effect on accuracy or feed/ejection. I was in a bit of a hurry, so I did not take the opportunity to calibrate the laser.
The laser is bright and steady, unlike the pulse of the Lasermax I have on my Glock 22. The laser was plainly visible in daylight to about 5-7 yards. After that, I really had to search to find it. In a dimly lit room, the laser is very noticeable.
In my opinion, this is a fantastic addition to any home defense handgun with rails. It attaches and detaches within seconds.
Other advantages:
• Powered by two CR123 lithium batteries
• Supposedly has up to 2.5 hours battery life (in dual light/laser mode)
• Shockproof (claimed, not yet tested) and dustproof.
I’m pretty stoked about the light and its versatility. I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Pictures:
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/tydephan/010607_gunpics368.jpg
An overall shot of the Sig Pro 2022 with the Streamlight TLR-2 mounted.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/tydephan/010607_gunpics373.jpg
A close up image of the front of the TLR-2. The unit mounts and dismounts very quickly from the weapon.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/tydephan/010607_gunpics377.jpg
A close-up photo of the light, dismounted from the weapon and resting lense-down. The silver switch on the right of the unit is the mode select. The unit can be set to enable just the light, just the laser, or a dual mode. The black on/off switch is ambidextrous. It has two modes: "Momentary on" and "Constant on."
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/tydephan/010607_gunpics381.jpg
This shot was taken with a flash. The following shot was taken with ambient light only, in an attempt to show the functionality.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/tydephan/010607_gunpics382.jpg
The same shot, without a flash (only ambient light).
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/tydephan/010607_gunpics374.jpg
Please, no comments regarding the decorations. LOL. This is the beam on a wall at a distance of about 8 feet. It was the best I could do, but the picture doesn't really do it justice. This shot was taken with no flash with ambient light only (2 70 watt light bulbs in a 12X12 room).
Having read about the advantages and disadvantages until I was blue in the face, I finally decided to take the plunge and purchase a weapon-mounted light. I have several weapons that I can use with the light, but this review will show the light mounted on my recently purchased Sig Pro 2022 (.357sig).
Admittedly, I am no tactician or strategist, but it seems as though common consensus regarding weapon-mounted lights is that the use of the light is advantageous in certain situations, but can provide a tactical disadvantage in other situations.
So, as commonly stated on this site and others: “It is better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.”
After a fair amount of market assessment, I decided I would try the Streamlight TLR-2 (http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=81). This is a laser/light combo that has been on the market for awhile.
I was very reluctant when I purchased this because of the LED. I have never been a big fan of LED, having always preferred halogen. I have 2 Streamlight Stingers that I use around the house and in my vehicle. They are great lights. Previously, I had never seen an LED that provided any significant illumination.
However the 80 lumen (equivalent) LED on the TLR-2 is unreal. It provides a very focused beam (albeit bluish) that can quickly illuminate your surroundings. But would it blind, as advertised?
Well, having less brain cells than I used to, I decided to turn the beam toward my own eyes (dismounted from the weapon and without the laser, of course). The beam was astoundingly bright (and I would certainly not recommend this "experiment" to others). IMO, there is no way an intruder could “target the light” as is generally theorized. In a half-lit room, it took me a good 5 minutes to regain normal sight. I have great confidence that this would instantly render the night vision of an intruder completely useless. Furthermore, the intruder may indeed fire shots, but I would suggest, due to the brightness of the light, they would be unguided at best.
The best feature of this light is the selectable modes, including ambidextrous “momentary on” and “constant on” modes.
The “momentary on” feature is perfect for the commonly referenced “blind and move” tactic. With my finger extended, outside of the trigger guard, my finger rests comfortably on the on/off toggle (the large black switch). I can press down on the switch (spring activated) and the light comes on for the duration of my finger-pressure. If constant light is needed, I can slip my finger under the switch and push it up for constant light/laser.
There is also a switch under the on/off switch that allows the user to use only the light, only the laser, or both.
I put 50 rounds through the weapon yesterday and the added weight of the light (4.72 oz) had no effect on accuracy or feed/ejection. I was in a bit of a hurry, so I did not take the opportunity to calibrate the laser.
The laser is bright and steady, unlike the pulse of the Lasermax I have on my Glock 22. The laser was plainly visible in daylight to about 5-7 yards. After that, I really had to search to find it. In a dimly lit room, the laser is very noticeable.
In my opinion, this is a fantastic addition to any home defense handgun with rails. It attaches and detaches within seconds.
Other advantages:
• Powered by two CR123 lithium batteries
• Supposedly has up to 2.5 hours battery life (in dual light/laser mode)
• Shockproof (claimed, not yet tested) and dustproof.
I’m pretty stoked about the light and its versatility. I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Pictures:
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/tydephan/010607_gunpics368.jpg
An overall shot of the Sig Pro 2022 with the Streamlight TLR-2 mounted.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/tydephan/010607_gunpics373.jpg
A close up image of the front of the TLR-2. The unit mounts and dismounts very quickly from the weapon.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/tydephan/010607_gunpics377.jpg
A close-up photo of the light, dismounted from the weapon and resting lense-down. The silver switch on the right of the unit is the mode select. The unit can be set to enable just the light, just the laser, or a dual mode. The black on/off switch is ambidextrous. It has two modes: "Momentary on" and "Constant on."
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/tydephan/010607_gunpics381.jpg
This shot was taken with a flash. The following shot was taken with ambient light only, in an attempt to show the functionality.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/tydephan/010607_gunpics382.jpg
The same shot, without a flash (only ambient light).
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/tydephan/010607_gunpics374.jpg
Please, no comments regarding the decorations. LOL. This is the beam on a wall at a distance of about 8 feet. It was the best I could do, but the picture doesn't really do it justice. This shot was taken with no flash with ambient light only (2 70 watt light bulbs in a 12X12 room).