Weapon Light on FS M&P?

Depends on how many lumens you want, how much $$$ to spend and holster availability?

The more popular lights I’ve seen are:

Surefire XC1 or XC1B (compact size)-1 is around 200 lumen $$$ 1B is 400 lumen $$$$
Surefire X300 (big/long)-there are 2 models here 2: lumens cost money X300S $$$ X300U $$$$$ can’t remember lumens on each

StreamLight TLR1-HL (big/long like X300) 800 lumen $120

Inforce APL Gen 3 (mid size) 400 lumen $120
Inforce APLC (Compact) 200 lumen $110

Veridian CTL (Compact) 370 lumen $180
Veridian CTL (light/laser Compact) 370 lumen $250

Surefires are of course, nearly bomb proof but cost an *** load. StreamLight is its biggest contender with similar sized offerings at a fraction of the cost. StreamLight also has their TLR7 at 500 lumens in a Compact size, expect that to run around $150 once pricing is released. Inforce runs middle of the road. And Veridian is good quality but holsters are hard to come by.

Customer service is phenomenal with StreamLight and Inforce. Surefire is for the most part “ok.” Unknown on Veridian.

Do your research as this is just a fraction of the info out there.

Personally, I’m going with a Gen 3 Inforce APL on my 2.0 9C with a Knightfall Customs AIWB light bearing holster. I went with this combo as the light is priced about right, has enough lumens for what I want to do with it, is large enough for stand off to keep Pistol in battery if in a real CQ situation, and holster support is out there.

I’m gonna pick up a TLR7 when available and hope holsters will soon follow. Best of luck with your decision.
 
I have the Surefire X300 on my FS 9 with the grip switch, but only at night by the bed (with an extended mag for 21 rounds on board). The grip switch allows for one handed control of the light and the gun while maintaining a firing grip. When I carry I don’t want the extra size and weight on the gun. I use a standard mag and hi-cap spare to keep the gun trim in the holster.

I always carry a handheld Streamlight ProTac 1L programmed for simple on/off function. A separate light is more versatile and useful IMO for every day carry. There are actually few instances when one would be attacked away from home where there is so little light as to require the use of a gun-mounted light. The “blind him” argument can be offset by the “here’s your target” view of using a light. If you don’t HAVE to use a light, don’t.

Also, I don’t chase lumens. 200-300 is adequate. Strobes, 500 lumen lights and other “enhancements” take a simple concept and complicate it at a time when simplicity will be needed over features. If it’s bright for the target, it’s also bright for you. Moderation is good. Extremes are often unnecessary.

9_D19_D6_BC_C22_D_4_C10_B9_F1_38_FE7_C6415_E6.jpg
 
As much as I like my TLR-1 HL from Streamlight, it was too darn bright in the old house with white walls.

My new house has coffee brown walls so the light doesn't reflect as bad. I woke up the other night and on a whim decided to turn on the light. It did not blind me but was quite bright, again that's with brown walls. I did the same with white walls one time and was blinded.

If you house has white or light colored walls, I'd seriously suggest going with the non-HL lower lumen TLR-1 light, which is superb otherwise, and doesn't cost a fortune like the Surefires. I absolutely love mine.
 
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TLR-1HL is what I have mounted on my pistols.
TLR-2 with the laser is what rules the night.
I'm drooling over a 2HL G.
You can say whatever you want to about the power of the light and white walls, but you become accustomed to the equipment you train with. 300 works for inside, but if you ever go outside, 800 is a lot nicer. Strobe is cool for an extra tool in the box.
 
My ideal weapon light would be a latch type system like in the olight mini valkyrie or whatever it is. Low mode of 300 lumens, high mode of 800 lumens and a strobe mode at 800 lumens. Paddle switches like on the inforce and a wireless magnetic charger. I can do without the lasers, I like my tlr-6 on my shield but if I could just have a flashlight I would. And let's not get into holsters.... seems only the popular gyns/ light get options you can order, otherwise it's custom.
 
Surefire 300 with DG switch on Gen 1 M&P 9, carried in a Raven Phantom holster. Carried with cover garment in Central NY, Northern NY and GA and never spotted. A word of warning on the DG switch, I highly recommend looking at trigger finger placement when not on the trigger. I find that when I tighten my grip to activiate the light, my trigger finger some times tightens up as well. It might just be me or lack of training and experience. Also early on, I would unintentionally activate the light when I tightened my grip to fire. With practice, both became less of an issue, but be aware when the switch is new to you. If/When I upgrade pistols I would look at the SF 300U with DG switch. If price became an issue I'd look at streamlght, I used to have one of their older TL-1s on a SIG 229.
 
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cd228 said:
A word of warning on the DG switch, I highly recommend looking at trigger finger placement when not on the trigger. I find that when I tighten my grip to activiate the light, my trigger finger some times tightens up as well. It might just be me or lack of training and experience. Also early on, I would unintentionally activate the light when I tightened my grip to fire. With practice, both became less of an issue, but be aware when the switch is new to you. I
Click to expand...

Unfortunately a large Sheriff's Department in Southern California found out the hard way about this. The department transitioned from revolvers to Beretta 92s and then Smith M&Ps.
Older deputies had gotten into the habit of resting their trigger finger on the trigger of their revolver and relying on the long trigger pull to avoid a negligent discharge if they were startled while out of the holster.

This also worked for the Beretta but when the final transition to M&Ps AND weapon lights happened their ND rate went from about 9-10 a year to over 40 they knew they had a problem.

Training and a policy change brought the numbers back down but they still occasionally get a complaint about a deputy using his weapon to wave traffic around something blocking the road. The normal response is “I was not pointing my weapon at people, it was the only light I had and I was just waving it back and forth to direct traffic”
 
mscampbell2734 said:
Training and a policy change brought the numbers [of negligent discharges—unrelated to weapon mounted lights?] back down but they still occasionally get a complaint about a deputy using his weapon to wave traffic around something blocking the road.
Click to expand...

Every LEO should carry one or more handheld lights, even if there is a light on his weapon. Weapon lights are for identifying and shooting things. Pointing a weapon mounted light at an object means you are ready to shoot it. If there is no threat level building, light up the object with a hand held light.

A grip switch takes a little getting used to, but not much. Accidentally turning on the light should not have the same consequence as turning on the trigger, but if your finger is off the trigger (up on the frame) until you are on the target, and you train and practice, it’s is not an issue. BTW, practice with the gun in either hand to get the feel for the grip switch.

And don’t carry a light on your EDC unless you are regularly in almost pitch dark conditions. It isn’t necessary. Really. Go about your business for the next two weeks (or four) and identify situations where you could have saved lives with your handgun only if you had a weapon mounted light. I have been carrying for 25 years and have not come across one yet. Even in a movie theater.

In that time period I have carried a 125-250 lumen light in a pocket everyday. I have used such a light hundreds of times, although not for defensive purposes. However, I train to be able to use it with my gun in that very, very low probability off-chance that it would help me. It would work fine.

I can see no advantage to lugging around a weapon light all the time every day unless I was a LEO often working at night and needing to shoot things in the dark. JMO.
 
I often wonder how many homeowners hear a bump in the night, grab their weapon under stress, turn their nifty mounted light on and then proceed to search the house using that tacti-cool item as a 'flashlight' — shining it all over the house and muzzling everything / everyone, including their own family members who might have caused the bump in the night. This is only one of the reasons I don't currently have a mounted light on my pistol, although I realize there are pros and cons to everything.
 
FloridaS&W said:
I often wonder how many homeowners hear a bump in the night, grab their weapon under stress, turn their nifty mounted light on and then proceed to search the house using that tacti-cool item as a 'flashlight' — shining it all over the house and muzzling everything / everyone, including their own family members who might have caused the bump in the night. This is only one of the reasons I don't currently have a mounted light on my pistol, although I realize there are pros and cons to everything.
Click to expand...
If you're smart enough to know a weapon mounted light isn't a flash light why don't you own one? Are you saying you don't because you as well don't know the difference between a flash light and a light with a gun attached to it? Any safe gun owner should know you don't again a gun at anything you don't wish to shoot so the same would go for a weapon light. I'm guessing the people you speak of are not at all trained.
 
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