Insight makes some good and sturdy stuff--most of your better gun shops carry that line. Read reviews on how easy the various brands/models are to turn on and off, adjust settings, if they're made of aircraft aluminum or plastic, etc. OpticsPlanet.com is a good place to begin research and Amazon.com isn't bad either.'Google it'.
I prefer a tactical light that has a settable strobe function. Even at 120 lumens, the strobe function will disorient whoever's on 'the other side', causing them to see spots for quite a while. They can induce a serious headache.
Look around to and try and see how the model/s you like actually look on your gun. Some don't care for ones that protrude way beyond the muzzle, ( a little too "Star Wars for my taste) but then again, some do and even go so far as to add an extra metal bezel to the lights end that has sharp, jagged edges for gouging people they're not particularilly fond of. Again, I think that's a bit much.
Whether you want a tactical light on the gun or if a hand held one instead (typically held over your non shooting shoulder) is a better choice, is good question to ask yourself.
If you have one on your gun and it's on lighting up the 'bad guy' as you take aim, it pretty makes your head out to be an evident target for him. As such, you'd better be damn sure that you can make a VERY fast decision as to whether or not he REALLY is the bad guy and is armed, assuming you want to fire before he's able to.
I think I read here where a guy came home, saw the lights were strangely all out, saw that a man was in his house and had what looked like weapons or burglar tools in his hands and he shot him dead. Turns out the guy was there to fix the elecricity to get the power back on while his wife went next door.
That said, most shootings happen at late at night, many at home in dark conditions. Whether a 'suspicious' person inside your dark house is a crack head burglar, armed with a 45 and more than ready to use it, shooting at your tactical light, or is actually your nephew, coming to your house unannounced at 4AM smacko drunk from a kegger, raising his mug as he tries to mumble incoherently "Hi Unc" is something you're going to have to make your mind up in a split second--and all the while your head will be groggy and your eyes very sleepy. The wrong decision can be devastating.
Most cops I know, carry a tactical hand light. Most military, even for close quarters warfare, carry a gun mounted one.
They make some great small ones too for your 40c. I know you don't want a laser/light combo, but I really like my Veridian brand green laser light combo. It's got all the features I like best, yet can fit S&W M&P compacts and sub compacts, without it even extending beyond the front muzzle. Looks very neat--like it came from the factory as an integral part--as orginal equipment. Tacloc even makes a holster for the M&Ps whole set up with it, in a security holster that's designed quite well. They make the same design holsters, but made to fit other brands such as Glock and Springfield Xd/m as well.
Do your homework to decide what you want, what works best with the design of your gun and you'll probably be happy with it. Several guys have seen my set up and especially knowing that I can switch it from a S&W, to a Glock or Springfield in a couple minutes and that it's very bright, has a great strobe, is versatile to gun brand/size, is accurate and if necessary, easy to fine tune the accuracy, with two supplied tools, they've bought their own.
Good luck!
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