FOG HORN
June, 2016 Twobirds Flying Publication
Streamlight ProTacÂŽ Rail Mount 1 and 2
Copyright 2016, Towbirds Flying Publication. All Rights Reserved.
Streamlight ProTac® Rail Mount 1 and 2
2016
Streamlight ProTac® Rail Mount 1 and 2 By: Sal Palma
Streamlight began shipping the ProTac Rail Mount 1 and 2, the company’s newest addition to their family of weapon mounted lights, in May. With their arrival, it is now possible to have all of the ProTac features on your favorite long gun. In today’s complex and changing environments having three program illuminations settings is very useful and unique to the Streamlight Rail Mount lights. So I was looking forward to the opportunity to test drive both of these lights and share my observations and opinions with you. The ProTac Rail Mount lights are Streamlight’s answer to Surefire’s M300B and M600U Scout lights, and what a Perry and Riposte they are. First let’s consider that the Surefire lights will set you back $299 with an additional $89 for the long gun pressure switch. Compare that with Streamlight’s street price of $100 for the Rail Mount 1 and $110 for the Rail Mount 2, both of which ship with a tailcap and long gun pressure switch, that’s value folks. It doesn’t stop there and this story gets better.
The Rail Mount 1 will accept several power sources AA lithium, AA alkaline or CR123 lithium. This is a very nice feature that accommodates those situations where your battery options may be limited. The CR123 lithium is the breakfast of champions though and will drive the Rail Mount 1 to 350 lumens on HIGH for 1.75 hours of continuous use. The AA batteries will power the Rail Mount 1 at 150 lumens for 1.5 hours if you’re using the AA alkaline battery or 4.5 hours with the AA lithium battery. Personally, I’ve given up on alkaline batteries for both their anemic current and durability; not to mention the damage they can inflict on your kit. Make your life simpler; run your lights with lithium batteries and never look back, they’re worth the added expense. The Rail Mount 2 requires (2) CR123 lithium batteries to power its whopping 625 lumen output, on HIGH, for 2 hours of continuous use.
Readers already familiar with the ProTac ten tap programming will appreciate having the same feature and functions on both the Rail Mount 1 and 2. When clearing a space in low or no light Copyright 2016, Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved
Streamlight ProTac® Rail Mount 1 and 2
having the ability to quickly and easily select between output levels, on demand, makes life safer and easier. The ProTac Rail Mount lights, offer three program options: high/strobe, high only and low/high. I found the low/high program to work best for me. I can use the low setting to navigate a space, but if I need the high output it’s just a double tap away. This is true of both Rail Mount lights.
2016
All in all a very slick arrangement made even better by a choice of tailcap or pressure pad activation. Most of the shooters I commune with run their rail mounted lights with tailcap; I like the flexibility of the pressure switch because it allows me to quickly transition from low to high, or high to strobe for signaling – or to light up the dance floor.
Outdoors you’ll want to use high/strobe or high only programs and that’s no problem. Switching is simple with 9 rapid taps and hold on the 10th to move through three program settings. Tremendous flexibility that’s only available with the ProTac lights. From inception, Streamlight’s ProTac lights have been handheld lights. So, if you wanted to use them on a long gun rail system you usually had to purchase a dedicated light mount or a 1” scope ring. Although both methods are workable they weren’t optimal and it usually meant your light extended well beyond your quad rail surface. Streamlight solved that problem in their ProTac Rail Mount lights with an integral Picatinny rail mount. The excellent Streamlight mount positions the lights close to the rail surface presenting a very low profile. It’s also a very stout mount with a large knurled thumb wheel to easily tighten or loosen the light.
Streamlight ships the ProTac Rail Mount 1 and 2 lights with a pushbutton tailcap and a long gun pressure pad. Unlike what you may be used to, Streamlight’s pressure pad offers both momentary and continuous mode activation. Your typical pressure pad does not support continuous operation of the light or requires two presses to get to continuous illumination. Streamlight uses a dual switch pressure pad. The pad itself operates the light momentarily or allows the shooter to select between program modes while the raised switch places the light in to continuous operation. I like this arrangement a great deal because it frees the Copyright 2016, Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved
Streamlight ProTac® Rail Mount 1 and 2
shooter from having to maintain continuous pressure on the pad.
As a side note, Streamlight makes their weapon mounted lights to be IPX7 compliant for water resistance. That stndard is consistent in the ProTac Rail Mount 1 and 2 but it is limited to using the tailcap switch. If you use the tape switch the light’s water resistance is then IPX4 compliant. I’ve found this to be a similar situation even on devices that are military grade for maritime opertions. The key to water resistance is to keep those o-ring seals lubed. A little dab of silicon grease will make all the difference in the world for you.
warrant the sometimes not so trivial cost. Streamlight asks that very same question throughout its product development process, and you will be hard pressed to find a weapon mounted light that delivers the quality, features and performance of the ProTac Rail Mount 1 and Rail Mount 2. There’s nothing currently on the market that can come close to the price to performance ratio that these lights deliver. It’s an easy decision to make. -SP Manufacturer Specifications ProTac Rail Mount 1
Dual fuel - uses one AA alkaline or CR123A lithium battery (both included); also accepts AA lithium
CR123A lithium battery output: o High: 350 lumens; 12,000 candela; 219m beam; runs 1.75 hours o Low 40 lumens; 1,380 candela; 19m beam; runs 14.5 hours
AA alkaline/AA lithium battery output: o High: 150 lumens; 4,950 candela; 141m beam; runs 1.5 hours (alkaline); runs 4.5 hours (AA lithium) o Low: 40 lumens; 1,380 candela; 19m beam; runs 8 hours (alkaline); runs 14 hours (AA lithium)
Strobe for signaling or disorienting
Remote pressure switch features momentary and “constant on” operation
Integrated rail clamp attaches to MIL-STD-1913 rails o Easy to attach, secure mounting
Includes remote pressure switch, push-button tail switch, remote retaining clips, double-sided tape and zip ties
Durable, anodized aluminum construction with impact-resistant tempered glass lens
So, how do these lights perform? The short answer is exceptionally well. Mounting and operating the light is very simple and secure, run times meet or exceed anything the competition currently offers. Both the Rail Mount 1 &2 generate a tightly focused beam with an abundance of peripheral lighting. As with the majority of weapon lights, heat is an issue, so if you are trying to keep your heat signature to a minimum you’ll want to consider that fact. Lastly, and not to be understated, is the ProTac 10-tap feature which places a very generous amount of functionality at your finger tips. In closing, I always like to ask myself, do competing options offer enough utility to
2016
TEN-TAP® Programming - choice of three operating modes: 1.) high/strobe; 2.) high only; 3.) low/high
Copyright 2016, Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved
Streamlight ProTac® Rail Mount 1 and 2
IPX7 rated with the Standard button switch installed; waterproof to 1 meter for 30 minutes.
IPX4 rated with the Remote Pressure Switch installed
Operating temperature: -40°F to +120°F
2016
Limited lifetime warranty RoHS compliant
ProTac Rail Mount 2
TEN-TAP® Programming - choice of three operating modes: 1.) high/strobe; 2.) high only; 3.) low/high o High: 625 lumens; 22,000 candela; 297m beam; runs 2 hours o Low: 60 lumens; 2,000 candela; 89m beam; runs 21 hours o Strobe for signaling or disorienting
Remote pressure switch features momentary and “constant on” operation
Integrated rail clamp attaches to MIL-STD-1913 rails o Easy to attach, secure mounting
Includes remote pressure switch, push-button tail switch, remote retaining clips, double-sided tape and zip ties
Uses two CR123A lithium batteries (included)
IPX7 rated with the Standard button switch installed; waterproof to 1 meter for 30 minutes.
IPX4 rated with the Remote Pressure Switch installed
Operating temperature: -40°F to +120°F
Durable, anodized aluminum construction with impact-resistant tempered glass lens
Limited lifetime warranty RoHS compliant
Copyright 2016, Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved