So I was a little confused when I read this press release.  I had always thought that you could use lithium batteries in the same place as alkaline assuming the same output and size…?  I’ve been using Energizer Lithiums in most of my gear for years now–should I not have been?

That is the actual name for this product. New Weapon Lighting System is an integrated light built into a free float AR handguard. They also included an integrated red laser at the 12 o’clock position of the LED array.

It’s imperative that if a firearm is expected to be used at night, that the user have the ability to see at night. This is why flashlights are such important firearms accessories, but weapon-mounted lights, while highly convenient, present a problem: What if you want to illuminate something, but not also point a firearm at it?

When visiting the NC Star booth at SHOT Show this year the big attraction was the company’s introduction of their new “Tactical Blue Laser” devices . Touted as the “first blue laser technology”, NC Star is hoping to promote blue light lasers over traditional red, or even green lasers. The NC Star “Tactical Blue Laser” comes in a laser/flashlight combination, or as a stand-alone blue laser in standard and compact models. Each has a Picatinny rail mounting attachment.

SureFire is coming out with a new pistol light. This one was designed with X300 user complaints in mind. SureFire received many requests for a pistol light that does not protrude past the muzzle of common pistols like a Glock 17 or 19.

SOG had their newest knives and flashlights at Industry Day at the Range as well as a few of their popular staples such as their throwing knives, Fling, and their Tactical Tomahawk. Among those available to look at were the Zoom series compact folding knives and the Instinct series wearable fixed blade knives. SOG has a well-deserved reputation for quality, and it’s evident in each of their knives, both those new for 2015 and those that have been around for some time. Their throwing knives are nicely balanced and perfect for improving your knife throwing skills while their wearable and folding knives have a wide variety of uses, and you can be sure they’ll not only get the job done but last for a very long time.

PWS made this video last year. It is hilarious. It seems they put a full length handguard on a short barrel. His expression is priceless.

For your consideration is the Streamlight ProTac HL®3 flashlight. This is one “beast” of a bright light at a rated 1100 lumen. Based upon the readings from my integrating sphere, the light makes good on the lumen claim, at least at initial turn on with fresh batteries.

Powertech, a Collierville, Tennessee based company markets these 3 lights under the Smith and Wesson brand name. All 3 lights are manufactured in China.

This is an interesting take on a familiar theme, the Cyclops Sirius 500 hand held rechargeable LED spotlight.

Surefire, a company founded in 1979 and known for manufacturing high-end tools and tactical gear for the military and law enforcement, is coming out with a new flashlight, the Dominator. They’re saying it’s the most powerful LED flashlight ever sold in the company’s history and have also labeled it as a “tactical” flashlight.

Here are a couple of nice looking, solid lights from ExtremeBeam as well as a “silent” remote pressure switch.  ExtremeBeam shows their corporate headquarters in Utah, with the packaging of the lights indicating that they are manufactured in China.

A local club, Pitcairn Monroeville Sportsman Center aka PMSC, hosted their 6th annual Zombie Dark Shoot this past week. I have participated in the past three years and staffed it for the first time this year. My first year was when I discovered the Poorman’s Night Vision.

The Tactical Night Vision Company (TNVC) has released their new LDI-DBAL light and laser system. The system is categorized as a “Class 1” laser, meaning it is legal for civilians to own. The DBAL comes with a plethora or outputs:

Trop Gun turns a Noveske Mk18 with an AAC Mini4 suppressor into a Lightsaber.

This guest post was written by my friend Ryan Houtekamer

 Nothing like putting a statement like that right up front in a review. I have been mulling over just how this review would be written since the test light was received almost a month ago. And please note that this is a long review.

Manta, known for their gel-like temperature resistant rail & suppressor covers is bringing its navigation light around Modern Day Marine. Soldier Systems has photos, but in short, its a low-profile fully configurable LED light that fits into a rail cover. At only 1/4″ thick and 6″ long, you get options to adjust the output.

SureFire announced two new weaponlights with infrared (IR) capabilities: the X300V and the X400V. Both model lights are rated for 150 lumens of white light, and 120 mW of IR illumination. SureFire states the lights’ lens creates a beam with “significant reach.”

One of the latest dandy little items from Rosch Works is the SLM1 – a fixed front sight for free float rails that just happens to double as a mount for a 1 inch light.  Included in the package are 2 allen wrenches as well as a sight tool.

Caleb Giddings gives some advice on adding a weapon mounted light and laser on your home defense gun.

Simple ideas have a tendency to “just work”. In this case the simple idea is the Raven Concealment “ModuLoader” Pocket Shield. Basically just an injection-molded polymer frame, the ModuLoader is designed to simultaneously mounts & organizes EDC items and smooths out the pocket to avoid detection.

This new Chinese sight, made for the QBZ95-1 Bullpup, recently appeared on various Chinese internet forums.The sight is developed by Zhongshan SheJian Police Equipment Technology, a private company.

Hyskore, known for their shooting rests and hearing protection, has released a novel solution to mounting a light to a J-Frame revolver. The “Compact Revolver Grip Light” is a grip set replacement that incorporates a 130-lumen LED light onto duty-sized J-Frame systems.

Okay, y’all…let’s get this out of the way right up front. This little lantern is relatively expensive when compared to the likes of a Rayovac or Streamlight. With all due respect I suggest that you stop reading now if you are not of a mind to spend a bit more for what this little light offers.

Many of us have done business with Brownells through the years. When they notified TFB of their new flashlight, it seemed only natural to give it a look.

Assuming their data is spot-on, Elzetta flashlights has called out the bear in the industry, Surefire. Sure, its a convenient marketing ploy, but if the data holds true, its an interesting analysis of an industry-standard specification that many consumers may not be familiar with.

PK aka Paul Kim, is the creator of many of SureFire’s flashlights when he was VP of Engineering at SureFire. Now he has a new light, the FL2 LE.  The FL2 LE is similar in size to the traditional SureFire 6P. It is a 2 cell light powered by 2x CR123 batteries.

In a recent Denver Post article, the reporters addressed the potential problems of white lights mounted on handguns based on their research of accidental shootings by police officers.  Do weapon mounted lights increase the likelihood of an accidental shooting, or is this a case of incomplete journalism?

While at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) in Tampa, FL, I got a chance to handle the new ARC-2 searchlight from SureFire.  The ARC-2 is an extremely powerful handheld light that can also serve as a vehicle mounted light.