LIGHTS FOR HUNTING

watchmaker · Jan 6, 2010

THE BEAR CUB
SMALL LIGHT BIG PERFORMANCE

Not long ago to get magnum illumination out of a flashlight, I had to drop down the tube, six of the big D batteries on a Maglite 6 D size.
That the light weights three pounds one ounce and measures 19 ½ inches was just incidental to the use if I wanted to get a really good, powerful beam.

Later Surefire come up with small lights that could take two and three or four small but powerful 123’s camera batteries, some of those lights, come up and surpass the 181 lumens of the big Maglite 6 D.
I am thinking now of the specialty tactical light than Surefire have as the M-4 that uses four of the 123 batteries for 225 lumens for one hour run time. The M-4 was made famous by been used in the CSI Las Vegas series.
Incidentally the M-4 is not precisely inexpensive, costing $330 USD from Surefire or their dealers.

The only problem is that the little 3 volts batteries are quite expensive, and using four of them for one hour run time can cost you $8.00 for that hour.
And that is if you buy them at discount over the Internet, when purchased in the camera stores (such as Wal Mart) the little 3 volts batteries cost as much as $4 each.

So a light of the size of the Surefire M-4 (9 inches long) was highly desired if it could be made to run on rechargeable batteries, to avoid the big battery expense of the M-4.

Enter the Bear Cub, a nine inches light, with a 13 oz. weight that is rechargeable and uses Lithium Ion batteries.
This little light makes 220 lumens for 90 minutes of run time, and then recharges its two batteries with a fast charger that is included, in three and a half hours.
The Lithium Ion batteries can be recharged up to 1,000 times and when they eventually get depleted can be replaced with $30.

HERE IS A PICTURE OF THE BEAR CUB LIGHT, NEXT TO THE SUREFIRE M-4.

AND HERE NEXT TO THE MAGLITE 6 D

And here a couple of beam shots at 26 yards for comparison.

MAGLITE 6 D

BEAR CUB

Yes the little rechargeable Bear Cub is characterized for an intense white light, and a run time of 90 minutes, all in a small size that can fit in any glove compartment or trench coat pocket.
Best Wishes
Watchmaker

mr4shootin · Jan 17, 2010

Watchmaker , Do you have any experience with this light?I want something to use for night coyote hunting.Do you have any other recommendation for this purpose?I would like to be able to see well enough to positive I.D. and shoot to 150-200 yards if possible.Thank you.

http://www.cabelas.com/p-0052609518241a.shtml

Need to be able to attach a red lens.

watchmaker · Jan 30, 2010

mr4shootin said:
Watchmaker , Do you have any experience with this light?I want something to use for night coyote hunting.Do you have any other recommendation for this purpose?I would like to be able to see well enough to positive I.D. and shoot to 150-200 yards if possible.Thank you.

http://www.cabelas.com/p-0052609518241a.shtml

Need to be able to attach a red lens.

No good for coyote hunting, even without the red filter (all red filters will rob you of a lot of range)

This "spotlight" have 3 small reflectors and is an LED which in itself will cut the range considerable.

I doubt this light will shoot at 60 yards, less alone 150 to 200 yards.

For coyoye hunting with a red filter you need one of the scope lights (mount in top of the scope) that Cabela's sell.
Also Optronics have the same or similar models.
Get the big one (as you need a lot of reflector diameter to shoot a beam far). You will have to wear the 6 volts battery in your belt, but the light is fairly light in weight.

The switch attach with velcro to the stock in the position most convenient for you.

That way you don't have to hold the light on your hand.

If you have a pardner holding a light, then you can get a big spotlight (Q-beam 2 million) or a Borealis 1050 lumens flashlight.

watchmaker · Jan 30, 2010

THE BOREALIS FLASHLIGHT
1050 LUMENS

Five years ago the Borealis flashlight was conceived to be the most powerful military/police flashlight in the world. At 1050 lumens the beam of light is very similar to a two million candlepower spotlight, all that power cased in a 12 ½ inches long, 28 oz. light, that will run for 50 minutes before needing a recharge. Then the light uses a fast RC charger that does the job of recharging the high current batteries in 90 minutes.

Five years ago everybody was in awe of the Surefire M-6, a military/police light that makes 500 lumens for 20 minutes run time on six disposable 123’s batteries, at a cost of almost $12 per twenty minutes run.
When the agency pays for the batteries, all is well, but for the civilians that wanted to have those mega lumens of light, there was no option. Black Bear Flashlights wanted to produce a rechargeable light that surpassed the M-6 and still be affordable for those with mortgages and families, and the result was the Borealis 1050 lumens flashlight.

The light was conceived to make use of the Maglite 3 D shell that is available anywhere, that way after years of hard use, the shell can be replaced for less than $20 USD and in ten minutes of the owner’s time.
The super-bulb that is almost 3 ½ amps needs some very powerful batteries; those nine AA batteries of high current are housed inside a Rolls Royce battery carrier that has also a charging port on the negative side. Plugging the RC fast charger in this port for 90 minutes, will recharge the powerful AA Nimh batteries.

THE ROLLS ROYCE BATTERY CARRIER AND THE RC FAST CHARGER

The Borealis also has some especial components to cope with the increased heat from the bulb. A ceramic switch/bulb holder, a solid aluminum reflector and a Pyrex lens, take care of the high temperature issue.

The BOREALIS is the highest intensity incandescent flashlight available in the market. Some HID’s lights throw more lumens, but those are considered searchlights and not flashlights; as a HID can take as much as 30 seconds to start up, they are NOT instantaneous as the incandescent flashlights are.

HERE ARE SOME COMPARISON BEAM SHOTS AT 35 YARDS WITH THE MOST POWERFUL MILITARY/POLICE FLASHLIGHTS.
THE CONTENDERS FROM LEFT;
MAGLITE 3 D, MAGCHARGER, ULTRA STINGER, SUREFIRE M-6, AND BOREALIS

MAGLITE 3 D (the most popular police flashlight)

MAGCHARGER

ULTRA STINGER

SUREFIRE M-6

BOREALIS RECHARGEABLE

Black Bear Flashlights spends several hours on each light working on fixing all the internal resistance issues and pro-gold all contacts and components for an increased conductivity. This results in their trademark of intense WHITE light as more voltage reaches the super-bulb. This bulb is not a flashlight bulb, but one made for powerful medical instruments.

THE BOREALIS ROYAL MODEL, WITH THE NEW LOW PROFILE STAINLESS STEEL CRENELLATED BEZEL AND QUICK DETACH SWIVEL.

Police officers have adopted the Borealis for its tremendous throw and flood capabilities; hunters have abandoned their spotlights for the easy carrying of the Borealis, and civilians looking for a powerful light for the car or for home defense are flocking to the Borealis flashlight.

watchmaker · Feb 27, 2010

Do you have hear about the POLARION HELIOS HID light, that have 5,200 lumens and run for 60 minutes and cost only $2,395 ?

You can read all about the Polarion and the other most powerful lights, in this blog.

http://www.jamesmaurer.com/worlds-brightest-flashlight.asp

Cheers
Watchmaker

watchmaker · Mar 17, 2010

SUREFIRE WEAPON LIGHT
RECHARGEABLE CONVERSION
345 LUMENS

Hi guys,
A member of another forum has this idea of boring the inside diameter of a Surefire 6P to accept a laptop computer Li Ion battery.
I did my own version and discover that I can get a 345 lumens lamp (LED new R-5) at close to two hours run time.

You can mount this baby in a 5.56 mm a 50 caliber or a shotgun, it will shrug recoil no matter what caliber you shoot.
How come?

The heavy spring on the lamp act as a shock absorber and prevent lamp battering by the battery. And been an LED is not filament to break down.

The special machined Surefire body is a part of the equation.
The Lamp is a new one by Thru Nite, it is the new Cree R-5 and output and incredible 345 lumens (well more than any Surefire weapon light)

http://www.surefire.com/M961XM07-with-Dual-Thumbscrew-Mount

This lamp is a flood/throw and is ideal to clear rooms with the AR.
For night hunting I am changing to a 300 lumens lamp that have a better throw (different reflector treatment) so those coyotes have to watch out.

The tail cap has a remote cable switch with pressure pad, so I can place it on the stock of my rifle or shotgun, under my thumb. Yes thumb pressure will activate the light.

Usually this type of light uses 123’s batteries, they go fast under the power of 345 lumens, so I opted for a long run time computer battery, rechargeable, that will last you close to 2 hours of run time.

Moreover, when I am unsure of how much battery juice is in the battery, I just pop it into the charger and you get a full charged battery, ideal if I practice much night shooting with my AR.
You cannot do that with 123’s primary batteries unless you are willing to dump expensive half used batteries.

Li Ion technology will provide extend use if I don’t use the light, an occasional full top charge every 5 months will keep the battery at full capacity.

I have used a crenellated bezel up front, but I am thinking to put a flat bezel as I think the crenellated is able to catch on brush,
I provided the light with a Weaver ring, but I am thinking to change it to some Quick detach lever mount like the Leupold style Weaver style for the AR, as I don’t want it on the rifle when hunting Whitetails during the day in the laurel tickets ( I hunt with a mini 30).
Yes the Weaver detaches quick but I will need a coin from my pocket.
BEAMSHOT AT 30 YARDS AT MY USUAL LOCATION
So you can compare with any of my other beam shots from the past, I use the same camera setting for all beam shots.

This is the Quick Detach ring that I will use in my AR; it will fit the Picatinny or the Weaver bases.

I mounted a magazine picatinny mount in my home defense shotgun, so I will make another light for the Mossberg and I will have this one with a pressure tape curly cord switch, the curly cord have more reach than the straight 9” cable for mounting way out there under the barrel of the shotgun.

Cheers

Watchmaker

watchmaker · Sep 10, 2010

Hi guys,
I haven’t purchased any new light to test for this thread, rather I have been very busy building the Borealis 1150 lumens and a new weapon light based on the post above.

Actually it is also a flashlight, as the weapon light is based on the addition to the flashlight of a quick detach LEVER ring mount and an extra tail cap with the pressure pad remote switch.

Although at first I used the Surefire 6P host, I am now using a much thicker (inside diameter) Surefire clone that is even better in quality and material than the original project.

All the components I use are the best quality, the oversized battery is the best Lithium Ion in the market and produced 2 hours run time with the 350 lumens lamp.

And I have two lamps, (since September 2010) one is a straight 350 lumens (one level) and the other (used mostly in the flashlight) is a 5 level lamp, with 350/175/50 lumens plus strobe and SOS, this lamp will do 9 hours run time in the 50 lumens mode.

A charger is included with the conversion and the battery can be recharged 1,000 times, extra batteries are available.

The lamps are just amazing, due to a new reflector shape the throw is fantastic (making it great for hunters) at the same time the flood is still very good to clear rooms with an AR or pistol.
And the 350 lumens is the higher lumens obtainable in this size head.

No more wasting expensive 123’s batteries to feed this type of light
For example a Surefire 9P (pictured on left) will take three 123’s to run the P-95 lamp (200 lumens) for 20 minutes at a cost of $18 per hour.
The rechargeable battery will work for 2,000 hours in the 350 lumens mode before the battery is exhausted and need replacement (inexpensive replacement).

The lamp life is 50,000 hours, so you can do all the hunting you want or play all the war games with your AR that you want for your entire lifetime and never yet burn this lamp.

And the throw and brightness is just amazing, pictures with a regular camera will not do it justice, but here they are:

The 5 level lamp makes it more versatile when used in the flashlight, and the 350 lumens straight is great for using in the weapon light.

The weapon light has an all steel ring mount with quick LEVER detachment, and a pressure pad cable switch.
And the price for a Surefire weapon light is about $200 more than one of my rechargeable weapon light cost.
The light I offer is waterproof, recoil-proof, and rechargeable, as well as the better thrower in the market in this size head.
For more information, e-mail me at
jcharles11784(at)yahoo(dot)com

Respectfully
Watchmaker

BornToHuntAndFish · Apr 23, 2011

Mega-thanks for your outstanding job with your great flashlights presentation & photos. Very helpful & informative comparisons in your pictures. Appreciate it.

watchmaker · May 9, 2011

THE TACTICAL LIGHT, THE DRIVEWAY PATROL AND THE BEARS

Hi guys,

Been working like a madman for a couple of years, little time to visit or do reviews, besides I am making my own tactical light now, rechargeable and with 350 lumens. I have two lamps for the light, a 1 level 350 lumens to use as a weapon light (I supply the pressure pad switch and the mount) and another lamp with five levels.

In a recent revision of the circuit of the 5 level lamp, the lower setting of 50 lumens was increased in run time to 24 hours!
So the lamp runs 350 lumens for 2 hours 20 minutes, 175 lumens for 4 hours 20 minutes and 50 lumens for 24 hours!
It also has a 350 lumens strobe and a 350 lumens SOS. And all this running on a rechargeable battery.

I have a private, secluded place in the Adirondacks where I fly fish for trout, it is a camping proposition, and in an area noted by a great amount of Bear traffic. It must be the berry patches or another feature of the terrain, but the place seems to be a preferred haunt by black bears. And I camp by myself for two or three days or until my fishing arm falls off.

Over the years I have had to chase several bears out of the campsite in the dark hours of the night. For years I have been using the Driveway Patrol as an alarm system, the PIR infrared of the sensor will detect body heat/movement up to 20/30 feet away, and the alarm chime inside the tent will wake me up.

I usually get up and opening the tent door I shine a powerful light (a Borealis 1,150 lumens) and in a gruff voice I tell the intruder to get out.
It works until now, but I am well aware that one day a cross bear or a mother with cubs can give me trouble or try to make a meal out of me.

So the new addition of the tactical light in the 50 lumens mode, permits me to flood the campsite area with light all night long, and still have battery juice for three more nights.
So when the alarm awakes me, just a look out of the screen door, will let me know beforehand what I am dealing with.

I put the alarm sensor on a ¼ “ pole and on top a piece of wood with a hole for the pole and the light secured on top. Actually I have two sets like that, so I also can see what is going on when I look out the side window.
Here is a picture of the set up.

Of course I have Bear protection with me and I also take all the necessary precautions to keep an odor free camp, to the extend of cooking my meals and storing my food and clothing with scents, 200 yards away from my sleeping quarters.

If somebody is interested in the tactical, rechargeable light or in the weapon light, just send me an e-mail to
jcharles11784(at)yahoo(dot)com

The Driveway Patrol is available all over the net, the last time I bought it was $19.99 from same place in the net.
If you camp where Bears could be an issue, think about my set up, it could save you some aggravation or worst.
Cheers

Watchmaker

watchmaker · Aug 7, 2011

PRESENTING THE NEW
LION BOREALIS 1,150-LUMEN FLASHLIGHT

After 6 years of handcrafting the Borealis Rolls Royce, I have stopped making them in favor of the new LION BOREALIS.

The new light uses a different and new power source: three newly developed Lithium Ion, fully protected batteries.
The new batteries power the 3 ½ amps of the powerful Borealis bulb, and will produce 47 minutes of runtime.

Since it is made with the â€œhostâ€� of the 4C format, it is much lighter than the Borealis Rolls Royce, at 12 ¾â€� long and 19 oz heavy.

It uses the same bulb and reflector of the famous Borealis Rolls Royce, so beam quality, throw distance and flood spread remain the same.
Extensive tests were done in hot, cold, underwater, and muddy environments, and the new LION (short for Li Ion batteries) is as sturdy and dependable as the old Rolls Royce.

Please e-mail me at jcharles11784(at)yahoo(dot)com for more information.

Watchmaker

Black Bear Flashlights is not affiliated with Mag Instrument, Inc., which owns the famous MAG family of trademarks, including MAG-LITE®, and MINI-MAGLITE®,
trademarks in the distinctive shape, style and overall appearance of its flashlights, and in the circumferential inscriptions around the face caps of all of Mag
Instruments Inc.'s flashlights. Mag Instruments, Inc's trademarks are shown on this website for illustration only. Black Bear Flashlights are not made, licensed,
endorsed, approved or recommended by Mag Instrument, Inc.

sawlogsMS · Apr 30, 2012

watchmaker, do you go to the candlepower forums much?

LIGHTS FOR HUNTING

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