tactical flashlights?

[sphar]

Does anyone use tactical flashlights for night hog hunting?  The nightblasters and similar types seem to be popular, but I think I'd prefer a lighter more compact gun-mounted alternative.

[Graybeard]

I don't do much night hunting as that's not legal here in Bama. I have done it some in Texas tho on my trips out there. Once I borrowed one of the clamp on lights from Kevin of Texasboars.com and tried to use it on the S&W 629 Classic DX I was hunting with. When the hogs came the light failed to come on for me.

I was by myself that night as Faye had elected to stay in camp. It was much colder than we had expected it to be and she didn't have the right clothes for it and had fallen hurting her knee before the trip and she just wasn't interested in anymore nights in the blind. That left me using the Mag Lite with 5 D-cell batteries which was held in my left hand while I one handed that heavy S&W with scope. It worked well enough I guess as I did get a hog but that sure was the hard way to do it.

On another trip Kevin had us in a high blind and Faye was the shooter. I had the Mag Lite again and was holding it for her but no hogs showed up only coons and deer.

I think if using a rifle a mounted light is good IF it works which Kevin's didn't for me that night but if you have a person with you one shooting and one with the light those multi cell Mag Lites do a fine job. If you have a good scope with bold cross hairs you don't really need a lot of light. Faye's rifle wore a Bushnell Elite 4200 1.75-6 scope that had there been any moonlight on our hunt would have been enough with no light I think. But both hunts at the Reed Ranch were on moonless nights so we needed some added lighting.

[jmayton]

I have a Surefire G2 which I've used occasionally when I saw hogs after dark.  Once with the rifle, and a couple of times with the pistol.  I don't have it mounted to either, but it's small and easy to hold.  You don't get a lot of range with a tactical, they are designed for more up close and personal type of confrontations, but they are plenty bright.  My Surefire is noticably brighter than a 2D maglight, but doesn't quite have the distance.  If I were you, I'd get one because they are really handy to have and if you get in a situation when you need some light, they are more than adequate, just don't think you're getting a spotlight in your pocket, they're not made like that.

[sphar]

Thanks for the input, guys.  I'll be in GA where the legal limit is 6 volts.  I'm seriously looking at the Fenix PD30 - runs on two 3 volt batts and puts out 200+ lumens.  I won't need real long range capacity on my .35 Marlin, and I'm also thinking it will be a nice flashlight to have for general use. 

This will be my first hog hunt and probably won't happen but 1-2 per year going forward.  The light will definitely spend more time off the gun than on it. 

I'm still interested in any other opinions and favorite set-ups (and any other tips for that matter)!

[Arier Blut]

I use the tac lights at work. They have a flood pattern and are pretty well for close up. Say 50 yards. The little cr123 batteries are expensive, I believe $5 a piece. they take 2 and last for only an hour or so.
For predators I use this.
http://www.huntsmart.com/hunt/Hunting-Lights_7/Nite-Lite-Rechargeable-Light-Systems_8/Complete-Nite-Lite-Packages_9/Item_Nite-Lite-Rechargeable-Tracker-6-Volt-Hunting-Light_1095H.html

The same company sells a barrel clamp to hang the light on. Which I also use.
http://www.huntsmart.com/hunt/Hunting-Lights_7/Nite-Lite-Rechargeable-Light-Systems_8/Nite-Lite-Accessories_14/Item_Nite-Lite-Gun-Barrel-Bracket-for-Headlamp_NLBB83.html

They also have scope mounted spotlights.

Years ago I would take a maglight and duct tape it to the barrel with a foam block in between. I never could find a red filter for the maglight and got tired of buying batteries and the 100 yard range so I went with the one above. It is good for a little over 300 yards. You can see eyes well past that but can't make out what it is.

[jmayton]

Arier, buy your batteries from Surefire, they're about $2 a piece, less if you buy a bulk pack...at least the last time I bought them ($21 for 12 batteries).  I agree that a spotlight designed to really reach out is better for night hunting...that means get both.

[Arier Blut]

Thank you very much J. They had them for $1.75. The last I bought were on sale at Walmart for $3 each, I got all they had. I don't have to buy the ones for work but I have nv, lights, lasers and dot scopes at home that use them. Again many thanks! I just ordered enough to keep the toys up for many days to come.

[jmayton]

Glad to help.

[FWiedner]

I use a Streamlight TL-3 mounted to the mag-tube extension on my Remington 870.  210 Lumens.

 

[Savage]

For the tac lights, I use the bulk CR123 batteries I find at places like CTD for less than a buck apiece. Like Arier Blut said, at 200 cp you're looking at a burn time of about 20-25 minutes total, and no more than an hour or so at lower powers.  Better carry extra batteries, or better yet carry an LED light for navigation and save the hot light for lighting them up.
Savage
Lumens---------------Lumens, that's what I meant to say, not candlepower!!!! It's confusing! Some companies rate in CP, and the others in lumens.

[jmayton]

I get 1 hour off of 2-CR123's with my 65 Lumen Surefire. . .  that's why I'm planning on getting the LED conversion for it. 

Maybe a bit off topic, but can anyone explain the difference between lumens and candlepower.  I read something on it one time, and came away more confused than before.  I think it has something to do with the distance at which the light is measured or something like that.  Just wondering because my 1 million candlepower spotlight isn't any brighter at about 15 feet away than my 65lumen tac light. 

[rickt300]

Actually you can get by pretty good with the cheap Rayovac lights that use the square 6 volt battery and change the bulb to a krypton style.  Lots of light and it lasts a long time. Find a method that works for you to hold it in your left hand and rest the rifle somehwere on you hand or arm at the same time.  Much better are the various pistol grip style spotlights.  I have used the Brinkman rechargeable that has the little led on it for walking and a 100,000 candlight main light on many hogs.  This light has a limited runtime on the main light though bit it is worth the $20.  Better is the new 3 Watt LED Husky makes. This is a rechargeable pistol grip style spot light with plenty of range and lots of runtime. It is also very light.  I like to hunt in moonlight and sneak up on feeders, using the light generally for shooting only.  The defect of holding the spotlight in your left hand and resting your forearm on your left hand also is that the rifle you use needs to have moderate recoil as you can't really hold the light and grip the forearm at the same time. I normaly use my 7x57 which doesn't kick too bad or my 308 which is real light and jumps a bit more than I like but don't shoot unless the shot is going to be good.  I don't really like the rifle mounted lights as they make carrying the rifle a bit cumbersome but I have used them with success.

[ccoker]

ARG!
I had typed a LONG winded reply... and lost it

oh man
I do a fair amount of night hog hunting
red lenses over standard flashlights cut the light drastically

go to Texasboars.com and cruise the night hunting section...

I am going out Sunday night...
I use a TB 3 red led setup for over feeders out to 75 yards or so and am getting a gun mounted led light from Kevin as well for my 6.8 SPC which is my go to hog gun


Jim Reed is a first class guy, been there twice with my son and once with my dad and brother


the deal of the century right now is at Natchez on the Weaver Classic Extreme 2.5-10x50 or 56 with the ill ret
seriously comparable to Swarovski, Zeiss, Kahles, etc

[alsaqr]

A high intensity light with a blue filter is very good for tracking wounded game at night.  That blue filter makes the blood drops shine.  Have used this for several years an have found a lot of wounded deer and hogs for other hunters.     

[SHOOTALL]

I have a laser -white light combo with a mount that attaches to the scope on my rifle that works OK .

[Dinny]

Hello everyone,
I have a customized set of scope rings and attached a quick-detach A.R.M.S mount.  I put half of it on my scope tube and can attach the other half whenever I want. The other half set of scope rings has a 3 cell Surefire mounted in it that has a 200 lumen bulb.  I have always used a red filter over the bulb and aim for the shining eyes. Seems to work good for me and not that hard to turn out on a milling machine.  I don't have the rig with me, but will be able to get a picture later.  I have used that set-up extensively while stationed abroad to help take several hogs at night.

Thanks, Dinny