Scope Mounted Spotlights

[Jase]

Guys,

Which is the better choice between the Predator Night Hunter Pack, and the Lance 140 Night Hunter Pack?

Looks like the predator has a 30w and the 140 lance has a 75w, but they are the same price?

Jase

[Adios]

a

Edited September 21, 2019 by Adios

[fangster]

Don't be worried about getting a Predator 30w light, I actually have one and it has only a smidgeon less penetration out at 200m than a handheld SL170 100w light that I have spare to lend to friends.

And the SL170 is only a fly sh1t behind the 240's I use on the vehicle.

And the 170 has aligator clips and needs a car battery, not a rechargeable.

That's how much performance these small diameter lights have nowadays.

An outstanding light to use, and lightweight too.

The 30W walkabout jobby has an outstanding reflector, weighs SFA and lasts for a good nights walking about on one battery charge, particularly with the LED low drain feature on when sneaking about and not actually illuminating a target.

And don't listen to the wrong advice from the brochure brigade - my 30W preddy has an orange sticker on it from the factory that says if you use a higher wattage bulb, look out, it'll go too hot past it's design temperature.

So don't change the bulb for a bigger one. These things aren't old HQ Holdens with sealed beams getting upgrades to halogens by the flanno brigade years past. And didn't some little wires go up in smoke!

If you think more wattage means more distance, you need to see how design has a big influence, more wattage does not necessarily mean more light output at the target. That's handled by the globe design and type, and the quality of the reflector as well.

More wattage means a quicker battery drain, and an earlier return to camp.

[Jase]

So comparably, the Predator and the 140/170 are pretty much on par? It doesn't matter if I have to forgo a wider beam, I personally like the more narrow focused beam, and if thats what the predator gives, the extended battery life will be the factor that sells me.

Jase

[Gigitt]

The 140 can only use up to 75 Watt globe, the 170 can use up to 100 watt globe.

If you Lightforce kit has a Dimmer then you win no matter what globe you have.

Also pick a globe for your hunt. In close <50m in bush and trees then it is no use using a 100W globe, and a 30/55 watt will be better as it will not blind you as much every time you swing the light past a tree - even better put a red lens on the light

[Adios]

a

Edited September 21, 2019 by Adios

[Adios]

a

Edited September 21, 2019 by Adios

[fangster]

Penertration of a pencil spot is not the only issue and there is no way a 30 watt globe in a small reflector can nearly equal a 100 watt globe in a bigger reflector that is plain rubbish!

Size of the spot and its adjustment range is also important for picking up the game when not looking through the scope . The flexibility of the unit is also important.

The predator might be a good light for what it is but it is not as flexable as the older system and can't equal a 140 reflector with a 50 watt globe .

Not listening to bad advice is good advice.

Hey, it's the brochure brigade! What's you're answer to the misleading sh1t regarding changing the bulb for a bigger one, when the manufacturer advises against it, and seeing someone else burn their spotty out??

Just like to reiterate that my light, and my Enforcer too, came with an orange sticker on them warning against changing the bulb for larger wattage. Advice from someone else to do so, and melting your light, will hurt you, not the person throwing bad advice around. I'd hate to see someone cause that sort of grief to someone else.

[fangster]

Now that's good advice . Thats why I say the 140 lance as I know the refector can be easily removed and refocused and bulbs switched. I don't know that for a fact with the Preadator series .

You give advice but yet again, you don't even have one of the things.

Oh, I get it now, if you saved yourself from commenting about stuff unless you actually have physically experience with, your computer would be stone dead cold.

[Gigitt]

Now that's good advice . Thats why I say the 140 lance as I know the refector can be easily removed and refocused and bulbs switched. I don't know that for a fact with the Preadator series .

In the Lightforce Range the 140/170/240 lights have a focusable reflector... keep turning the reflector and they unscrew allowing you to easily replace the bulbs. The only the XGT Light does not have a focusable reflector, so changing the bulb is a bit harder.

Lightforce quote the maxium bulb for 140 series is 75 Watt. I think they come standard with 55watt bulbs.

I bought a Lightforce 170 Scopemount (not a kit with battery and dimmer) and this came with a 75watt bulb, but 100 watt is max bulb which I currently use.

I also have 170 driving lights for the car and these came standard with 100watt bulbs.

(I might also assume that Handheld lights and Scope mount light kits come with a lesser watt bulb, and car driving lights come with max rated bulb for the light size)

Also there are 2 kinds in bulbs... Horizontal and Vertical Filament

Horizonatal Filament Bulb gives you an OVAL beam - spread about 50% wider - Good for Driving lights on a car.

Vertical Filament Bulb gives a SPOT beam - ie pencil beam. good for spotlights - especially with a red filter.

[Adios]

a

Edited September 21, 2019 by Adios

[fangster]

Jase,

I know you never asked to hear cr@p about bunging bigger bulbs in your light if you bought one, vert or horiz fillaments and all other stuff you didn't want to know. You asked about which light would be better, are they any good, and price difference etc.

To those out there looking at buying a new light for their scope or a handheld rechargeable, don't write off the smaller diameter lights.

We do a bit of spotlighting, whenever we feel like it, and have all the different diameters of LF lights, so switching from a 240 on the roof, to a 140 battery job to leave the car to follow something up, you tend to get a realistic performance opinion between them. And there's not much, less than anyone would think if you haven't actually used them side by side.

As with anything else, if you go by old models performance, you could miss out on the great performance of these new little lights, these guys who make these things are always trying to make a better product.

Better refector designs extend range, and great leaps forward in bulb design mean smaller drain bulbs are almost as bright and white as bulbs of old with three times the power consumption.

This is fact, and is easy to see when comparing the new stuff next to the bigger gear.

Don't write off the little lights, they're smaller, super bright and efficient, don't overbalance your rifle with top heavy weight and don't snag so easily on branches etc.

Try and see if you can have a go of a few of them at the LGS before you buy.

[Hurls]

Read this thread yesterday and headed down the shop to check the Night Force out in person. He just happened to talk me into it so I went home to try it out.

Very nice to work with, cant believe I hadn’t seen these before. Lovin it.

Look out Bunnies ;-)

[fenring]

Before you spend too many bucks, check out some of the new LED torches like Eagle Tac - those things are off their nut. The new LED torches crap on halogen gear and are so much smaller.

[Hurls]

Yeah good call. I have the option of trialing gear so will give it a go

Cheers

[epitome]

You could get a Wolf Eyes 260 Hunter pack for $195 and it should work as well as most other spotlight, with out the need for a battery pack.

I just bought a MAGlight 3 watt LED torch and it throws out tons of light using only 2 AA batteries.

[Hurls]

I ended up with the Night Force. It is big but it has a great beam!!

What life do you get out of the MAGlight you have epitome? The main reason I went for the battery pack is that it would last a fair while while out and about. Well thats the plan anyway!