Pictures by the writer
I lately reviewed a couple of merchandise from HiLight Tactical, and the hits, they preserve a’ comin’. This firm appears to be heading in the right direction, providing efficient weapon lights at a great worth.
I used to be lately despatched a light-weight from their Peak Efficiency sequence, with one more newer mild within the works – keep tuned for that one.
The Peak Efficiency sequence consists of 1 mild in a number of configurations. You’ll be able to select what you need straight from the web site, or purchase the lights from third events. Right here’s what is accessible by way of physique and laser colours…
The sight itself is available in black, tan, or OD inexperienced. Right here’s the fascinating bit… You get two lasers, not one, along with your vivid white mild. These may be both blue/inexperienced, purple/blue, purple/cyan (the one I’ve), or purple/inexperienced. Word the widespread denominator colour is purple. That’s an uncommon colour for a pistol laser. We sometimes see inexperienced or pink, with pink predominating, throughout many of the laser market. HiLight Tactical took a little bit of a unique flip by not solely providing the “regular” pink and inexperienced lasers, but in addition purple, cyan, and blue. That’s completely different. I consider that they have been the primary to supply such colours in a weapon mild, after which additionally to mix two of them with a vivid white mild.
Let’s take a look at some specs and options.
LED: Luminus SST20
Lumens: 700
Candela: 9,000, with 190-meter throw distance
Required Clear House: 23mm–32mm (no less than 1.1″ to 1.5″ relying on mannequin)
Runtime: 55 minutes
Visibility: 100 yards
Suits Rails: Customary Picatinny and Weaver rails
Materials: Navy aircraft-grade anodized aluminum (accessible in black and tan finishes)
Battery: Constructed-in rechargeable battery with magnetic charger
Modes: Regular / Strobe
Size: 2.0″
Width: 1.25″–1.4″
Top: 0.75″–1.125″
Weight: 2.3 oz
You get an additional mounting screw/put up and spring, together with the same old Hex keys within the field.
The 700-lumen CREE XM-L2 LED flashlight provides each steady-on and strobe modes with a runtime of 55 minutes. Toggle between modes by urgent and holding the sunshine swap for 1 to 2 seconds.
Beam Intensities:
Inexperienced Laser: <5 mW, 532 nm wavelength, Class IIIa. Seen as much as 100 yards, even in daytime.
Blue Laser: <5 mW, 450 nm wavelength, Class IIIa. Tunable for close to targets.
Purple Laser: <5 mW, 405–532 nm vary relying on mannequin. Designed for close-quarters or nighttime situations.
Cyan Laser:<5 mW, 485 nm wavelength, Class IIIa. Shiny turquoise beam seen from a distance.
Duo and multi-laser choices present redundancy and flexibility.
All elements (LED flashlight and laser sights) are powered by a built-in rechargeable battery utilizing a magnetic charging plug for hassle-free charging with out battery removing.
Flashlight and laser sights (blue, inexperienced, purple, cyan) may be turned on/off independently utilizing ambidextrous controls. Permits a number of mixture modes (e.g., flashlight + inexperienced laser, inexperienced + purple, and so on.). Lasers are adjustable vertically and horizontally.
The sunshine is light-weight and sturdy. It’s created from hard-anodized military-grade aluminum alloy and is designed to resist harsh environments.
Observations
I are inclined to see plenty of weapon lights and lasers, as you’ll be able to think about. I’ve checked out lights costing upwards of $400 after which on the different finish of the spectrum as nicely. (I as soon as purchased a pink/inexperienced laser from Amazon for $25 simply to see if it will work correctly… it did, largely…) I’ve come to be conditioned to suppose that if a light-weight prices south of $200, it may not carry out all that nicely, as a consequence of previous experiences.
To place it succinctly, my preconceived notions have been smacked once I checked out these lights. I’ve three HiLight Tactical weapon lights plus one AR fore grip with built-in mild and laser sitting in entrance of me now, and none of them price greater than $82. Plus, all of them work as marketed. That’s all you’ll be able to ask. When you do have an issue with considered one of them, merely contact the corporate, they usually’ll assist you to.
Listed below are some extra ideas…
The laser colours actually stand out. I pointed this mild via a window at a tree about 90 yards away (it’s -1 as I write, so I’ll level it from inside, thanks), and it was completely seen in opposition to the bark. Additionally, the LED white mild is lots sufficient for the job at hand… not overly vivid.
Why would I say that? Isn’t the brightest, hottest white mild you may get higher? Not essentially. An excellent pal of mine, Ed (whom I’ve referenced in lots of opinions), is a former deputy. He instructed me that different LE officers with him when he wore the uniform purchased the brightest (about 1200 lumens) lights they might get. However he mentioned they have been all however blinded by the excessively vivid mild once they entered a darkish home with light-colored partitions, the place it bounced off all the pieces. He mentioned they ended up swapping these beacons for lights within the 500-700 lumen vary, which allowed them to see what they wanted to. So, I’ll be taught from their expertise and mount this mild on my carry Canik MC9L.
One other factor I actually like is the charging methodology. First off, you don’t need to bodily exchange a 2032 or different battery. The lithium-ion battery is contained in the unit, and prices by way of a magnetic contact on the underside of the battery. All you want to preserve the battery charged is to connect the included USB cable to the magnet. This might occur everytime you put your pistol away. There isn’t a motive or excuse to have an undercharged mild.
One other characteristic that helps is that you’ve 4 buttons to regulate the unit with… two on all sides. Orienting it after mounting it in your pistol has the top-left button (beneath your left forefinger, as you level the pistol) triggering the purple laser, and the top-right button turning on the cyan laser. Each backside buttons management the sunshine. This can be a good characteristic, as you could not keep in mind throughout a tense state of affairs which laser is lit by which button (you’ll need to zero them each), however you’ll know that both of the underside buttons prompts the white mild.
One press turns the white mild on or off, and holding it down produces a strobe impact. I’ve to confess I’ve by no means been in a defensive state of affairs the place I’ve needed to “mild up” a foul man, however I’ve been instructed by those that have that the strobe disorients that man and buys you a couple of seconds. It’s a great characteristic that many weapon lights have.
Final, I like this mild’s dimension and weight. It’s fairly tiny, contemplating the horsepower it possesses, and it solely weighed a few ounces. It’s fairly unobtrusive, and it attaches simply and securely to your pistol.
However What About Holsters?
I’m a fan of lights on weapons, as is my pal Ed. He carries a Springfield Armory Hellcat with a light-weight in a selfmade Kydex holster. His expertise as a former deputy taught him that 70% of defensive taking pictures conditions happen after darkish, and he needs to be ready. So, he’s.
HiLight Tactical not solely sells weapon lights, but in addition holsters. I’ve acquired one coming for my small Canik and can write about it when it arrives. I’m a bit completely different than most shooters in that I’m left-handed, which makes it tougher to seek out appropriate holsters for any goal, not to mention one for a selected pistol mannequin with a light-weight/laser combo.
All I wanted to do was contact HiLight Tactical, they usually despatched me one that matches that pistol and my left-handedness. As I mentioned, keep tuned for additional particulars.
Summing Up
Let’s contemplate this line of sunshine opinions unfinished, as I mentioned on the high, since I’m ready for the new-model P4X to return in. Nonetheless, on this regard, we’ve seen that HiLight Tactical provides some very efficient (cost- and performance-) lights and lasers.
In case you are out there for such a light-weight, you may need to examine them out. Contemplate that you could spend much more on only a mild, whereas right here you’re spending much less, plus getting two lasers within the deal. I discussed above that my “it-has-to-cost-a-lot-to-work” prejudice has been altered by my expertise with these lights. I’ve seen a number of of them, they usually all work as specified. You’ll be able to have your cake and eat it, too, right here… an honest mild/laser for beneath 100 bucks. What’s to not like?
