Weaponlight upgrade

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I try not to be a dinosaur, but sometimes it just happens. Case in point: weaponlights.

This is the G19 I keep on the nightstand:

It’s been sitting by the bed for…mmmm…the last15 years, at least. It wears some night sights that, really, I should be replacing and it also has a Streamlight M3. This is a weaponlight that, in todays world of high-tech, would not even rise to the level of airsoft. At the time I got it, which was probably 20 years ago, it was decent. But, time and tech march on. I was at a gun show today and thought perhaps it was time to up my game.

This is an Olight Valkyrie PL-Pro that I picked up at the gun show. It surpasses my ancient M3 in so many ways that the only real way to express it is through a picture:

And that is not with weak or dying CR-123’s in that M3. The simple truth is that battery and LED technology have advanced so far since I purchased the M3 that, compared to what is available now, the M3 doesn’t even clock in as ‘toy quality’.

And speaking of technology, the M3 has one function: on/off. This Olight has a high, low, strobe, temporary on, constant on, and a lockout function. Even more interestingly, it is chargeable through USB.

And…the unit has a low charge warning indicator, and a charging/full indicator on the charger. And that charger, by the way, attached magentically…which is kinda neat.

And since its LED you get brighter light, longer battery life, and less fragility than with the older incandescent bulbs. Man, how technology has changed.

So…upgrade time for the trusty bedroom Glock. So far it seems like a fine product and I might get another one or two fr some of my other pistols. After all, its dark 50% of the time. Oh…and I need to swap out those faded tritiums as well.

‘Tis the season for holiday upgrades!

32 thoughts on “Weaponlight upgrade”

  1. I bought an Olite mainly as a ‘why not?’ $80 special a couple of years ago and I’m really quite surprised how good it is. I too keep it on my nightstand gun (G30), charge it monthly, and it’s good to go…

    May give the SuperHyperTaktikewl Delta OperatorBerets the vapors, but it works.

  2. I had the M-3 on my G-17(nightstand gun) for years and a few years ago went with the TRL-1 HL. I have one on my duty gun (G-19X) as well. Love em! I know lots of people love the O-light products but sadly I have had 2 different o-lights that had to be returned. Maybe my bad luck. Looks great, wish you the best with this one! Hope you never need it for the bump on the night!!!

  3. I’ve had that same light for about a year. Excellent light. I run olight warriors on my ar’s. The best thing about olight is the usb recharge. No expensive cr123 batteries. I have an olight headlamp too that is stupid bright.

  4. Keep supporting the Chinese. Hell, why bother buying American made anything right? God, what a fucking fraud you are comrade. Enjoy your shekels like the rest of the frauds. Btw, you site doesn’t have a secure connection. And it loads SEVERAL trackers and the like. Lol, honestly not surprised by any of this.

    • Seems perfectly reasonable to me. Adding lights to all my freedom tools comes first. Buying American comes second.

      Once all are equipped, then maybe I consider upgrading to expensive American-made lights.

  6. i still have a M3…if you search the interwebs, i believe you can upgrade the M3 to an led…the Olight is a good light…tested one a year or so ago…on a shotgun, AR, and pistol, about 500 rounds…you could have cooked food on it, it was so hot…we never turned it off…1200 lumens…glock night sights are probably the cheapest, look for them at gt distributors…

    • Glock is using Ameriglo NS on their Gen 5s. Far better than the older Glock NS. He could order them on-line but going to one of their stores would be a challenge since the closes GT store to him being in Dallas.

      The problem with some of these non-mainstream pistol lights is the lack of quality holsters.

  7. If I ever get in a gun fight at night with someone I hope he has a light on his gun so I will know where he is and have a target to shoot at.—ken

    • If I ever get into a gun fight, it’ll be over so fast that his seeing my light will be the least of my problems

    • Clearly someone who does not understand the tactical use of white light to dominate the fighting space. Hope, you never shoot a shadow only to discover it was your wife or kid!!!!

    • If I’m ever in a gunfight, I hope I will be 200+ yards away behind cover with the sun at my back and 150 other guys with me.

      • If I’m ever in a gunfight, I hope I will be 200+ miles away, hiding behind someone eles’s sofa [so I’m harder to find]!

  8. RE: multi-function weapon lights…or even tactical flashlights, for that matter.

    When I want light I want the light of the sun at noon in June and I want it right now. I don’t want to step through the button code to find “bright light” instead of, strobe, blink, dim, medium, coffee, tea, etc.

    Off (dark). On (full light).

  9. Man, who knew weapon lights could be such an explosive topic? My nightstand gun is an S&W M&Pc in .357Sig with a Streamlight TLR-3 on it. I have 4 Streamlight pistol lights and a Surefire Scout Light on a carbine.
    I got the Surefire Scout Light at the Post Falls gun show last year. Paid $150 because the box was dinged up. About half off retail. The light was brand new. That was my major score last year.
    I bought the Streamlight TLR-7 Sub for my Glock 48 earlier this year. 500 lumens in a really compact package. Tucks in nice and tight against the trigger guard. Vedder makes a nice OWB holster to carry it in.

    To you guys trashing CZ’s Olight I say, “Lighten up, Francis.”

  10. So you’re suggesting it might be time to move on from the railroad lantern wired to my Winchester lever-gun too, I suppose?

  11. Off topic. Looking to buy the Honda generator on Amazon. Can you post a link so you get any referral fee?

  13. If might. Not meaning to miss in your Wheaties. But. I’m kind of leary these lights. I think I would rather have NVG abilities. It’s just that when using a pistol equipped with a light and you have to clear a room or piece of backyard. I envision that my head is right behind that light attracting bullets like a candle flame draws moths.
    But. That’s just me.

    • I suppose thats a risk, but whats the alernative? No light and now you have zero target recognition, or you do the ‘hold the flashlight waaaaaaay off to the side’ trick and you wind up with an unsupported shooting hand?

      • Commander,

        Spot on!!!!

        MP,

        Most of your concerns can probably be address in a good low-light training course. Your increased speed and accuracy with a WML over any other technique will more than offset your legitimate exposure concerns. The key in using a WML is that it is bright enough to overwhelms the visual senses of your opponent. Other words, you want it so bright that they have to close their eye or even look away from the light, thus not being able to accurately fire on you. Hence, reducing the risk of the light becoming a bullet magnet.

  14. Bear traps work well. If properly set and dispersed.
    It’s been a long time since I have been in a foot race with a perp. And running full speed through a picked corn field isn’t a great way to spend an evening. In that case I was driving a prowler to three other LEOs. We got him. Stupid kid out trying to become a professional sex offender.
    Point being. When your in that situation you have to react. And hopefully you respond correctly.
    Unfortunately there is no perfect solution. But given the current advancements in tech I’m sure something will come along soon. I’m looking at these thermal scopes. There expensive. But the prices are coming down. Haven’t seen any for pistols yet. But it is a viable option in certain situations.

  15. When you train (i.e. pay for instruction) in low light you quickly realize you want a one function light. All the other stuff like strobe or a lower light setting are marketing features that in operation under stress make you more likely to have issues activating something you do not want at the time.

    As long as those features can be locked out or require some difficulty to activate then its fine.

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