Inforce Owners Experience with Reliability/Ruggedness?

[3MTA3]

I'm looking to add weapon mounted lights to a -pair of new upper builds. These uppers are light weight low drag design philosophy that also place the balance point on my lowers at center or close to center of the mag well. This is something I try to do so the balance of the rifle does not change as I go through rounds.

Keeping with my design philosophy when looking at lights I want low weight and a streamlined shape. I'm considering a few lights including the Inforce WMLx Gen 2 or Gen 3. I already have a Gen 2 and like it, but have read many horror stories about lack of ruggedness I'm hesitant to buy another. Mine has held up very well but at the same time hasn't been abused, and perhaps it's just a good one that got through? I dig the light weight, streamlined design, light output and ergonomics. I do know the original WLM had issues with the polymer they used when it forst came out and it's possible the horror stories are mostly repeating what they read on the Internet.

Inforce owners - what has your experience been like? Any housing cracks, funky switches, etc?

People recommending Surefire, etc.. - Thank you and I'm not looking for a $400+ solution if I can get what I need for a buck and a half. Just looking for the dope on Inforce from people who have experience with them and not what they read or watched.

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[Member 53328]

Had one. Wasn't a fan. Felt super cheap. So I sold it.

I'd say the same about the streamlights I've ran. I've broke (3) TLR-1s. Streamlights customer service is great though.

 

[Tony617]

I am using a Protac Railmount single cell for my AR. I like the one cell since it also the light can be run with a alkaline AA battery as well. I use the Lithium battery. You can also buy a 2 cell light as well but I don't believe you can run the 2 on AA batteries.

ProTac® Rail Mount 1 | Weapon-Mounted Light | Streamlight®

 

[IndyPrepper]

I have the 2nd gen..had no problems with it, bright, ergonomic, easy to reach, tactile switch. Have it on my 50 shades of FDE build.

Having said that, I haven't tried anything anything else and wouldn't spend $400+ on a light..just me. I know some here love their lights.

 

[3MTA3]

I have the 2nd gen..had no problems with it, bright, ergonomic, easy to reach, tactile switch. Have it on my 50 shades of FDE build.

Having said that, I haven't tried anything anything else and wouldn't spend $400+ on a light..just me. I know some here love their lights.

View attachment 1762014

Thanks for the input - does this rifle get a lot of use/abuse?

I'm kind of there as well on the economics. I don't want to waste money on crap, but also believe that if I can't break it and replace it without saving up then it's out of my price bracket.

Another similar option I've been looking at is the Streamlight TLR RM2 which is similarly priced and has the option for adding a pressure switch. Metal, so may be more rugged, but only comes in black and the rifles I'm looking to light up are foliage green and FDE and I'd like something that fits in better. Black surprisingly stands out more even at night.

I've thought over the pressure tape, but it presents another point of failure and they are prone to accidental light discharge giving away your position. Nice option to have, but likely not something I would utilize.

 

[IndyPrepper]

You're welcome.

No, it doesn't see any use outside of running a few mags thorough it at the range occasionally, so I can't attest to tactical/abuse/heavy-dutyness ;0 I also don't keep all that cr&^ attached, just put it on for fun to take a picture. It's a HD rifle, defense ready with the red dot and light.

I'm fond of streamlight myself, have a macrostream usb and love it. If I were to go with them for the rifle, I'd probably get the ProTac 2.0 with pressure switch and do a krylon fde/forrest pattern on the whole gun. Streamlight 89009 is the PN $160

 

[Member 53328]

Out of curiosity what is your max budget for a WML?

 

[3MTA3]

Out of curiosity what is your max budget for a WML?

WMLx (two batteries, more power) - and want to keep the cost for the light under $200 and the two lights I'm looking at are well under that. I just don't want to get into the dollar range where I'm worried about actually using the rifles.

 

[Member 53328]

WMLx (two batteries, more power) - and want to keep the cost for the light under $200 and the two lights I'm looking at are well under that. I just don't want to get into the dollar range where I'm worried about actually using the rifles.

Im not sure I'm tracking….

You want a weapon light. But if the weapon light cost too much you won't use it…..

What's the purpose of the weapon light/mission set behind the rifle it is going on?

You can get great lights for around $200. They won't be new but they will be quality.

 

[3MTA3]

You're welcome.

No, it doesn't see any use outside of running a few mags thorough it at the range occasionally, so I can't attest to tactical/abuse/heavy-dutyness ;0 I also don't keep all that cr&^ attached, just put it on for fun to take a picture. It's a HD rifle, defense ready with the red dot and light.

I'm fond of streamlight myself, have a macrostream usb and love it. If I were to go with them for the rifle, I'd probably get the ProTac 2.0 with pressure switch and do a krylon fde/forrest pattern on the whole gun. Streamlight 89009 is the PN $160

The ProTac is a great light, but I'm looking for low weight and and a low profile. The balance on both rifles is at or near mag well center and I'd like to keep it as close to that as possible.

The other streamlight I'm looking at will work, but no FDE option and it doesn't look conducive to painting. I think I'm going to pull the WMLx off my shotgun and torture it a bit before I buy a second or third. That;s kind of another point - I like to standardize to in an emergency everything works and feels the same

 

[3MTA3]

Im not sure I'm tracking….

You want a weapon light. But if the weapon light cost too much you won't use it…..

What's the purpose of the weapon light/mission set behind the rifle it is going on?

You can get great lights for around $200. They won't be new but they will be quality.

The two rifles are AR-15's that will be used as my "go to" defense rifles. The light is to get positive identification if it's dark so I don't accidently shoot the missus sneaking ice cream at 2 AM

 

[IndyPrepper]

The two rifles are AR-15's that will be used as my "go to" defense rifles. The light is to get positive identification if it's dark so I don't accidently shoot the missus sneaking ice cream at 2 AM

Yeah..lol..that's pretty much my use-case too.

 

[Member 53328]

The two rifles are AR-15's that will be used as my "go to" defense rifles. The light is to get positive identification if it's dark so I don't accidently shoot the missus sneaking ice cream at 2 AM

Not something I would go cheap on, especially if my life/the life of a loved one was depending on it.

But more power to you. Hope you find what you're looking for.

 

[3MTA3]

Not something I would go cheap on, especially if my life/the life of a loved one was depending on it.

But more power to you. Hope you find what you're looking for.

That's why I'm going to torture the one I own before committing. Inexpensive and cheap are two different things. If it takes a $500 light to do what I need it to do then so be it, but if I can get the same results for <$200 I'm better off spending the difference on ammo, practice, and training.

 

[3MTA3]

Yeah..lol..that's pretty much my use-case too.

And the rifle is attached to the light in case she's taking the last of the rocky road...

 

[IndyPrepper]

Not something I would go cheap on, especially if my life/the life of a loved one was depending on it.

But more power to you. Hope you find what you're looking for.

I'm with the OP on this one. I don't see $150-$200 as "cheap" for a HD weapon light. I see it as mid to high-mid tier.

Cheap is:


Inforce has, from the research I've done, a pretty good track record. You want the light to come on in the rare chance you'll need it.

There's also the fact that having an AR doesn't mean just buying the rifle. There's mags, bags, ammo, scopes, etc etc. My Saint was an $800 rifle, but I have a bit over $2K into it now. And that's pretty low looking at what alot of the NWF readers have. Had I started with a Daniel Defense, it would be over 4K with all the goodies added in.

My point is everyone has a number they're comfortable with. I'm not made of money, so I pretty much land on mid tier.

Now, if I were kicking doors down after parachuting into goshdangistan..my purchasing would be different.

 

[Member 53328]

To each their own.

 

[P7M13]

WTF does "light weight low drag" mean? Do you plan on leaning out of a car window at 80mph to start shooting?

 

[Koda]

The two rifles are AR-15's that will be used as my "go to" defense rifles. The light is to get positive identification if it's dark so I don't accidently shoot the missus sneaking ice cream at 2 AM

I just don't want to get into the dollar range where I'm worried about actually using the rifles.

im guessing you dont heavily use and abuse your rifles dont waste your time torture testing your Inforce just go buy another one. If later on you find yourself running and gunning and heavily abusing your rifles then go get the expensive lights then.

Mine has held up very well but at the same time hasn't been abused, and perhaps it's just a good one that got through?

This means it held up to the level of use that your used to putting your gear thru.

Youve managed to afford two AR15s and one Inforce light, I would get another to outfit the second rifle and then plan to save up for a more expensive light if you can even break the Inforce lights along the way.

 

[3MTA3]

WTF does "light weight low drag" mean? Do you plan on leaning out of a car window at 80mph to start shooting?

It means I'm skipping the QD tactical pic mount electric pasta fork and only putting the things I need on the rifle. Low drag also means minimizing things that easily snag which always happens at the worst possible time.

Rebuilding these rifles with a lot of thought reduced their weight considerably and greatly improved handling. Ounces add up.