Gun owners spend hours, if not days or weeks deliberating over the status of the “perfect load” for home defense. Stopping power balanced with overpenetration and felt recoil all take part in a complex dance that lends some shooters in favor of buckshot, others in favor of birdshot, and still many more split down the middle of rifle and handgun cartridges. Gun owners spend hours, if not days or weeks deliberating over the status of the “perfect load” for home defense. Stopping power balanced with overpenetration and felt recoil all take part in a complex dance that lends some shooters in favor of buckshot, others in favor of birdshot, and still many more split down the middle of rifle and handgun cartridges.
But if the projectile and charge merit that type of attention, why not the furniture on your gun? For instance, you can’t connect with a target that you can’t see (reliably, at least) so why aren’t weapon lights for home defense subject to the same scrutiny as cartridges, action mechanisms, and the like.
We think they should be, and here are the main considerations you need to make when choosing one.
Optimal Brightness (and Focus)
First, it’s brightness and focus. These are two of the most important factors to weigh in a weapon light for home defense, but they are not the same.
Brightness is how much energy – in quantifiable terms – is released by the emitter of the weapon light. A 500 lumen light is technically brighter than a 300 lumen light, for example, but the light output is also subject to focus.
Consider candela rating in addition to brightness at the light source. Candela rating refers to how well the beam is focused. An 800 lumen light with a 10,000-candela rating would shine a useful beam farther than an 800 lumen light with a 5,000-candela rating.
As far as raw light output, look for a light with 1000 lumens or higher. You’ll need that to illuminate a room and establish positive identification of targets.
Durability and Flexibility
You also need a weapon light that is durable enough to handle hard use, and that goes beyond clicking a pressure switch a few thousand times. You need a light that can be dropped, scraped, knocked, you name it. Preferably, you should be able to drop it in water or use it in the rain, snow, or even ice.
Looking for a tough weapon light that is shockproof, drop-proof, dustproof, and waterproof, ideally one that can be submerged and has a sealed circuit. That way, even if water gets inside of it, nothing happens.
A weapon light with a nitride coating is another bonus because of how hard and corrosion-resistant nitride is. It’s also pretty easy to keep clean and maintain, all things considered.
You also need a weapon light that is flexible enough to work as a gun light. A light that only accepts one type of rail mount, for example, is not necessarily a good thing. Many weapon-mounted lights are compatible with more than one type of rain mount, making them not only suitable as rifle and pistol lights but for all different sorts of worst-case scenarios. Some weapon lights also sport the ergs to make them useful as handheld flashlights for personal protection.
Ability to Kill the Lights Immediately
Interestingly, you want a light that’s just as easy to deactivate as it is to activate. There is a saying: “What you can’t see can kill you.” Well, what can’t see you would have a hard time getting to you – sometimes darkness is your best cover.
Certain weapon lights for home defense have kill switches or can be put out instantaneously, without needing to cycle through several different settings. That can be a huge benefit in a hostile encounter.
Learn More at Cloud Defensive
Weapon lights for home defense like the Cloud Defensive OWL, REIN, and REIN Micro have many of the features mentioned here, making them ideal. If you’re interested in learning more about any of them or seeing what additional features they offer, visit CloudDefensive.com today or contact them directly at [email protected].
