Pistol WMLs, general advice

[titsonritz]

looks like I will have to go easy on the Streamlight I ordered today.
Im curious what kind of paces you put your guns thru, I trust your experience and knowledge but my light probably wont get a lot of heavy use it just needs to be functional to learn WML tactics.

I use my guns, they do not sit in a safe or even on a nightstand. Yesterday I was Goldendale with a brand spanking new BCM, EoTech, MALW and Modlite WML. All four are now marred and scratched up and cover in red dirt, so they are now officially broken-in.

I've had SF lights with no finish left on them, gouged bezels, cracked lens and they would still work. The sad part about that Streamlight in pic I linked broke while changing the battery, it still looks brand (aside from the break), zero actual hard use. If the POS can't stand up to a f' battery change I sure as hell wouldn't trust it with my azz on the line to preform any real work.

 

[Koda]

I use my guns, they do not sit in a safe or even on a nightstand. Yesterday I was Goldendale with a brand spanking new BCM, EoTech, MALW and Modlite WML. All four are now marred and scratched up and cover in red dirt, so they are now officially broken-in.

I've had SF lights with no finish left on them, gouged bezels, cracked lens and they would still work. The sad part about that Streamlight in pic I linked broke while changing the battery, it still looks brand (aside from the break), zero actual hard use. If the POS can't stand up to a f' battery change I sure as hell wouldn't trust it with my azz on the line to preform any real work.

This is what I like about your advice I know you use your guns. If I find the advantage to using WMLs I will upgrade to the Surefires.

 

[Tony617]

Almost every gun that I would most likely use in a SD situation has WML mount to it, including rifles, shotguns and handguns. The notable exceptions are small guns intended it highly concealable, such as my S&W 442 and G43.

Here is my 3rd and final issue with a failed Streamlight...
https://www.northwestfirearms.com/threads/laser-light-combo-for-glock-19.354610/#post-2815904

I have a few spare switch plates for my Streamlights in case they break. I have only had one TLR-1s switch plate break and in was on my USP 40 since does not have a real rail and I had to buy rail for it first before buying a light. The rest of my pistols have Picatinny rails and non-have broken the switch plate yet. I would be nice if the switch plate was made of of metal instead.

https://www.streamlight.com/

I did lose the metal pin but I found a suitable replacement with a small finishing nail which I cut the head an nail tip off.

 

[NeSeR13]

Pistol WMD's are cool too.

 

[Member 53328]

I had 2 TLR1s and both switch plates broke. At that point I changed over to surefire x300s. But like I said they have great customer service and replace broken parts at no charge. Unfortunately I can't run something on a defense pistol that has that kind of record.

 

[Heyjoe]

Just remind yourself that the world is at war with China and every penny used on Chinese goods will absolutely be used to subjugate you and your children.

 

[Member 53328]

Just remind yourself that the world is at war with China and every penny used on Chinese goods will absolutely be used to subjugate you and your children.

View attachment 1205384

I like your style.

 

[Heyjoe]

I like your style.

You would.

Same to you, sir

 

[Old Dog]

Some of us have actually used Streamlight products in the real world for years and depended on them with our "azzes" on the line. As I stated in one of my initial posts in the thread, lights will break, sometimes early and often during real-world hard use. I have known a number of professionals over the last couple decades who've used Streamlight hand-helds and WMLs and not heard any of them crapping on the brand.

Much like handguns, I've had lemons from multiple manufacturers. I don't typically go out and declare all one's products as garbage because I've had bad experiences, preferring to judge a company's body of work over time.

The SL TLR-1 HL and the Pro Tac are great lights. Many Streamlight products come in at half -- or even a quarter -- of the cost of comparable Surefire lights. I would stay away from Streamlight's more budget offerings, and I mount Surefires on my ARs (I'm fond of the M300 and M600 Scout Lights), but I've used Streamlights on duty pistols for the last seven or eight years and had occasion to witness them in hard use.

Some of us are just not dilettante hobbyists.

 

[Old Dog]

I do like the X300 Ultra, but it's still ridiculously overpriced.

 

[Member 53328]

Some of us have actually used Streamlight products in the real world for years and depended on them with our "azzes" on the line. As I stated in one of my initial posts in the thread, lights will break, sometimes early and often during real-world hard use. I have known a number of professionals over the last couple decades who've used Streamlight hand-helds and WMLs and not heard any of them crapping on the brand.

Much like handguns, I've had lemons from multiple manufacturers. I don't typically go out and declare all one's products as garbage because I've had bad experiences, preferring to judge a company's body of work over time.

The SL TLR-1 HL and the Pro Tac are great lights. Many Streamlight products come in at half -- or even a quarter -- of the cost of comparable Surefire lights. I would stay away from Streamlight's more budget offerings, and I mount Surefires on my ARs (I'm fond of the M300 and M600 Scout Lights), but I've used Streamlights on duty pistols for the last seven or eight years and had occasion to witness them in hard use.

Some of us are just not dilettante hobbyists.

Luckily we all make our own money and can choose to spend it how we wish. Whether it is streamlight or surefire. Doesn't really matter. One of the two does have a better track record in the community. Not to say the other is bad. But I wouldn't say they are equal. All my handheld lights are streamlights. I'm currently still using the ones that I used for my entire enlistment. Washed them in the clothes washer and everything. But when mounting a light on a firearm I will always go surefire and on rifles I normally lean to cloud defensive lights. I think it's worth the wait to save up and pay more on the initial purchase.

 

[Darby Darrow]

I started carrying Streamlights on duty in 1986 and used pretty much only Streamlight for many years even using hose clamps to attach a Streamlight SL15 to my Benelli Super 90 for SWAT work. All of my WMLs have been SureFire and any problems with them have been handled through their excellent customer service. As a counter example with Streamlight I found their customer service to be appalling:

On January 14, 2014 at around noon I received a phone call from Lauren at Streamlight. I had sent in my 30 year old Streamlight SL-20 for a switch replacement under their lifetime warrantee. They replaced the switch but noticed that the bulb was dead and they wanted to know if I would like to purchase a bulb from Streamlight. I told them that I would purchase the bulb from them.

She then told me that I would have to pay for the return shipping. She explained that if the only work Streamlight performed was under warrantee, they would pay for shipping, but if I had work done outside of warrantee I would have to pay return shipping. I found this policy unbelievable. I told her that it would cost Streamlight no more to ship my flashlight back to me with a new bulb, than with the old bulb and thought that she might be misinterpreting the policy so I asked to speak to her supervisor. She transferred me to George who explained that corporate policy was indeed that. I told him that I could order the bulb from Amazon, Streamlight would then pay to ship my light back to me, and they would have alienated a long time customer and George agreed that it didn't make sense but there was nothing that he could do about it.

I ordered the bulb from Amazon, it cost me $1.50 more but had free shipping and arrived well ahead of the flashlight from Streamlight.

This just does not make sense. It wouldn't have cost them any extra to ship the light to me under the warrantee shipping, and they spent way more time talking to me about this than they would have spent selling me a new bulb and replacing the old one.

This was probably a one off problem and of no real value to the discussion here today, but thought I would share.

So put me down as a SureFire fan for an equipment that I would depend on for my life.

 

[Old Dog]

I started carrying Streamlights on duty in 1986 and used pretty much only Streamlight for many years even using hose clamps to attach a Streamlight SL15 to my Benelli Super 90 for SWAT work. All of my WMLs have been SureFire and any problems with them have been handled through their excellent customer service. As a counter example with Streamlight I found their customer service to be appalling:

On January 14, 2014 at around noon I received a phone call from Lauren at Streamlight. I had sent in my 30 year old Streamlight SL-20 for a switch replacement under their lifetime warrantee. They replaced the switch but noticed that the bulb was dead and they wanted to know if I would like to purchase a bulb from Streamlight. I told them that I would purchase the bulb from them.

She then told me that I would have to pay for the return shipping. She explained that if the only work Streamlight performed was under warrantee, they would pay for shipping, but if I had work done outside of warrantee I would have to pay return shipping. I found this policy unbelievable. I told her that it would cost Streamlight no more to ship my flashlight back to me with a new bulb, than with the old bulb and thought that she might be misinterpreting the policy so I asked to speak to her supervisor. She transferred me to George who explained that corporate policy was indeed that. I told him that I could order the bulb from Amazon, Streamlight would then pay to ship my light back to me, and they would have alienated a long time customer and George agreed that it didn't make sense but there was nothing that he could do about it.

I ordered the bulb from Amazon, it cost me $1.50 more but had free shipping and arrived well ahead of the flashlight from Streamlight.

This just does not make sense. It wouldn't have cost them any extra to ship the light to me under the warrantee shipping, and they spent way more time talking to me about this than they would have spent selling me a new bulb and replacing the old one.

This was probably a one off problem and of no real value to the discussion here today, but thought I would share.

So put me down as a SureFire fan for an equipment that I would depend on for my life.

As I've come to expect as a regular on several internet firearms forums, when the subject of "tactical flashlights" and weapons-mounted lights comes up, things always seem to devolve into the Surefire vs. Streamlight debate and posters generally fall into one camp or another. But, like I said, I've used each brand's products in both the military (including two OIF deployments) and law enforcement.

So, eight years ago you had one bad experience with Streamlight? Hmm. Couple years ago, I broke an Gen 1 Streamlight TLR-4 (light/laser combo), my bad. Used their website, got an RMA to print (no charge), sent the light out in a padded envelope, about 10 days later, received a brand-new light. No, not the greatest light/laser in the world, certainly not a very expensive one, but I thought that was pretty good service. A ways back, I got pretty much the same service (after a phone call) for one of their mid-range flashlights.

Conversely, I had one negative experience with Surefire that I don't need to go into detail about. But -- I still use Surefire products.

My point is, if a company's customer service was the deciding factor for equipment I would depend on for my life, well, in today's manufacturing and consumer climate, that just wouldn't make much sense.

So, in conclusion: even the premium products break. And in the 2000s, customer service sucks. Get over it, and move on.