clouddefensive's articles Qualifying a Tactical Gun Light A tactical gun light is more or less a completely necessary redundant necessity for a rifle, shotgun, or handgun, assuming you use that platform in support of tactics or for home defense. The ability to see in the darkness, even when other sources of light have failed you, is critical for identifying hostile targets, establishing […] April 27, 2022April 27, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Why the Best Weapon Light for a Rifle Should Enable You To Service It Yourself Maybe you’re amped because you just got yourself a new weapon-mounted light – we won’t name any names here to keep everything under wraps. Maybe you’re amped because you just got yourself a new weapon-mounted light – we won’t name any names here to keep everything under wraps. Spend a few days at the range or […] March 31, 2022March 31, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Waterproofing in an AR-15 Weapon Mounted Light – Is It Necessary? Of all the things you need to evaluate in an AR-15 weapon-mounted light, it’s unlikely that waterproofing is at the top of your list even if you recognize its potential. Outer durability, coatings, lumen and candela ratings, mounting options, and operability are likely to eat up most of the bandwidth of your attention. But when […] March 25, 2022March 25, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Picatinny Handguards vs. M-LOKs: A Quick Comparison Everyone recognizes the Picatinny rail, also known as the MIL-STD-1913 Rail that was developed in the 1990s and named after Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. It’s been a popular mounting system interface for many years and compatible with a huge range of shooting accessories. Enter the M-LOK system, which was developed by Magpul Industries as […] March 24, 2022March 24, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Let There Be Light (A Quick Primer on Weapon Light Maintenance) Some rail-mounted weapon lights, like the Cloud Defensive OWL and REIN, are built tough. They are shockproof, dustproof, and waterproof. The OWL even has fully sealed internal circuitry, so even if water and dirt do get in, nothing happens. But water and dirt don’t only cause problems by getting in. they can cause problems by […] March 22, 2022March 24, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked How Many Lumens Does My AR15 WML Need? Once you make the decision to get an AR15 WML for your rifle platform, you’re going to need to set some standards. What ingress rating do you need? What type of chemical coating suits you? What types of mounts will you get? How about “How bright does my AR15 WML realistically need to be?” That’s […] March 22, 2022March 22, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked 9 vs. 3 O’clock Mounting for an AR 15 Light Once you commit to the purchase of an AR 15 light, get only the most durable, highest quality equipment you can find. A weapon-mounted tactical light is the type of shooting accessory the reliability and operability of which you trust with the safety of life and limb. What you choose and where and how you […] March 21, 2022March 21, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked An Argument for Offset Rail Mounted Flashlights The majority of rail-mounted flashlights will offer you the flexibility to mount the tactical weapon light at either the 9 o’clock or 3 o’clock position. Most of these will also give you the ability to mount at 12 o’clock or 6 o’clock as well, should you choose to do so. However, a class of tactical […] March 21, 2022March 21, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Lumen Ratings and AR 15 Mounted Flashlights: A Complex Picture Many self-defense-minded individuals and competitive shooters firmly believe that what you can’t see can kill you. They’re not wrong in this conviction, and for this reason, the vast majority of them insist on using and maintaining AR 15 mounted flashlights for personal protection. Many self-defense-minded individuals and competitive shooters firmly believe that what you can’t see […] March 8, 2022March 8, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Choosing a Weapon Light for Home Defense 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 […] March 7, 2022March 7, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked 4 Ways to Get Powder Fouling Off of the Lens of Your MLOK Weapon Light If your MLOK weapon light has a glass lens that is removable and field serviceable, like the Cloud Defensive REIN, here’s some good news. You can clean and even replace the lens at home with basic tools, without the need to send it in for service.If your MLOK weapon light has a glass lens that […] March 5, 2022March 5, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked The Brightest Tactical Gun Light: What This Really Means It’s also to believe that buying the “brightest” tactical gun light will give you the best option. Unfortunately, there are many other features that go into the quality construction of a WML. Even more, unfortunately, “brightness” is a term so overused it has nearly become a buzzword. Many online articles and forums will offer their […] February 21, 2022February 21, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Tactical Rifle Light Mounts: Left or Right Forget the battle between different rail systems, tactical rifle light mounts, and tactical lights themselves for a minute. Whether you need one, what features it should offer, and what type of handguard you should use are all great topics – and topics of other articles. This one is about where and how you need to […] February 19, 2022February 19, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked An AR-15 Laser Light Combo Is One of the Best Investments You Can Make Aside from the value of training at the range, one of the most practical (and potentially life-saving) investments you can make for your home defense weapon is an AR-15 laser light combo. It will offer you a few simple advantages, but they can make you a more confident, more competent shooter, and they could even […] February 5, 2022February 5, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Why the M-LOK System Might Be a Bigger Factor Than the M-LOK WML Itself If you’re reading this and looking for an M-LOK WML, you likely already have an M-LOK handguard on your rifle. It doesn’t make all that much sense to look for the light first and the rifle later. Be that as it may, you’ll still need an M-LOK WML and mounts that are compatible with M-LOK […] January 20, 2022January 20, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Is a Picatinny Flashlight a Necessity? Insomuch as it concerns tactical and shooting accessories one of the most common questions concerning weapon-mounted lights like Picatinny flashlights is this: are they really necessary? Insomuch as it concerns tactical and shooting accessories one of the most common questions concerning weapon-mounted lights like Picatinny flashlights is this: are they really necessary? Well, there are two […] January 11, 2022January 11, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked A 50,000 Foot View on Keeping Rifle Lights Clean Rifle lights like Cloud Defensive’s REIN, REIN Micro, and OWL (rated at over 1000 lumens!) might be rock-solid and nearly bombproof, but they are not foolproof. By foolproof, we mean that fools can still diminish their performance. Don’t be a fool.Rifle lights like Cloud Defensive’s REIN, REIN Micro, and OWL (rated at over 1000 lumens!) […] January 10, 2022January 10, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked A Primer on AR Flashlight Placement Where you place your AR flashlight has the potential to be almost as important as the flashlight itself. The purpose of a weapon-mounted light is to keep you prepared and give you the ability to establish rapid, positive identification of threats; hindering this ability counteracts its purpose. Orienting the weapon light in a manner that […] January 5, 2022January 5, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Why Weapon Light Mounts Matter For those of you looking for an AR15 mounted flashlight, It’s reasonable to put most of your research into the actual light device itself, rather than on supporting hardware. No doubt, some shooters simply buy the best light that appeals to their needs, even overlooking the weapon light mounts entirely. For those of you looking for […] December 22, 2021December 22, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked How Many Lumens Are Necessary in an AR-15 Tactical Flashlight for Home Defense? Many, perhaps most, reputable lists of vital AR-15 accessories include AR-15 tactical flashlights. A weapon-mounted light frees your hands, provides you with better situational awareness, and enables swifter positive ID, even in darker, stressful situations. How much light is enough light? It’s a question that’s been asked many times over. How many lumens are necessary […] December 7, 2021December 7, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked 6 Reasons You Need an AR Weapon Light Ask any group of shooters which AR upgrades and attachments are the most vital and you’re bound to get some variation in responses. Some AR furniture and upgrades, like offset, backup iron sights, and quality optics, are nearly universally popular. Most shooters would agree that they add value. Then there are other attachments, like brass […] December 2, 2021December 2, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked How to Get Your Money’s Worth in an AR 15 Tactical Light with a Pressure Switch The investment you make in your AR 15 is an investment in self-preservation. There is no room to make compromises here. It is a matter of personal safety. For that reason, adding an AR 15 light with a pressure switch to your rifle should not be an afterthought or something you add to your handguard […] November 25, 2021November 25, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Gun Flashlight Waterproofing: How Important Is It? If you’ve justified the expense of a gun flashlight and mounted one to your handguard, a quick word on waterproofing is worth your time. If you’ve justified the expense of a gun flashlight and mounted one to your handguard, a quick word on waterproofing is worth your time. It’s probably common sense why a gun […] November 23, 2021November 23, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked Do You Need a Rifle Flashlight? Tactical attachments can be expensive, and you only have so much rail space on your rifle. There’s a very real chance that you could spend more on your optics, lights, side saddle mounts, bipods, and slings than you spent on the actual rifle. Most shooters will agree that some attachments are more practical than others. […] November 16, 2021November 16, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Qualifying a Tactical Gun Light A tactical gun light is more or less a completely necessary redundant necessity for a rifle, shotgun, or handgun, assuming you use that platform in support of tactics or for home defense. The ability to see in the darkness, even when other sources of light have failed you, is critical for identifying hostile targets, establishing […] April 27, 2022April 27, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Why the Best Weapon Light for a Rifle Should Enable You To Service It Yourself Maybe you’re amped because you just got yourself a new weapon-mounted light – we won’t name any names here to keep everything under wraps. Maybe you’re amped because you just got yourself a new weapon-mounted light – we won’t name any names here to keep everything under wraps. Spend a few days at the range or […] March 31, 2022March 31, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Waterproofing in an AR-15 Weapon Mounted Light – Is It Necessary? Of all the things you need to evaluate in an AR-15 weapon-mounted light, it’s unlikely that waterproofing is at the top of your list even if you recognize its potential. Outer durability, coatings, lumen and candela ratings, mounting options, and operability are likely to eat up most of the bandwidth of your attention. But when […] March 25, 2022March 25, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Picatinny Handguards vs. M-LOKs: A Quick Comparison Everyone recognizes the Picatinny rail, also known as the MIL-STD-1913 Rail that was developed in the 1990s and named after Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. It’s been a popular mounting system interface for many years and compatible with a huge range of shooting accessories. Enter the M-LOK system, which was developed by Magpul Industries as […] March 24, 2022March 24, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Let There Be Light (A Quick Primer on Weapon Light Maintenance) Some rail-mounted weapon lights, like the Cloud Defensive OWL and REIN, are built tough. They are shockproof, dustproof, and waterproof. The OWL even has fully sealed internal circuitry, so even if water and dirt do get in, nothing happens. But water and dirt don’t only cause problems by getting in. they can cause problems by […] March 22, 2022March 24, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
How Many Lumens Does My AR15 WML Need? Once you make the decision to get an AR15 WML for your rifle platform, you’re going to need to set some standards. What ingress rating do you need? What type of chemical coating suits you? What types of mounts will you get? How about “How bright does my AR15 WML realistically need to be?” That’s […] March 22, 2022March 22, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
9 vs. 3 O’clock Mounting for an AR 15 Light Once you commit to the purchase of an AR 15 light, get only the most durable, highest quality equipment you can find. A weapon-mounted tactical light is the type of shooting accessory the reliability and operability of which you trust with the safety of life and limb. What you choose and where and how you […] March 21, 2022March 21, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
An Argument for Offset Rail Mounted Flashlights The majority of rail-mounted flashlights will offer you the flexibility to mount the tactical weapon light at either the 9 o’clock or 3 o’clock position. Most of these will also give you the ability to mount at 12 o’clock or 6 o’clock as well, should you choose to do so. However, a class of tactical […] March 21, 2022March 21, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Lumen Ratings and AR 15 Mounted Flashlights: A Complex Picture Many self-defense-minded individuals and competitive shooters firmly believe that what you can’t see can kill you. They’re not wrong in this conviction, and for this reason, the vast majority of them insist on using and maintaining AR 15 mounted flashlights for personal protection. Many self-defense-minded individuals and competitive shooters firmly believe that what you can’t see […] March 8, 2022March 8, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Choosing a Weapon Light for Home Defense 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 […] March 7, 2022March 7, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
4 Ways to Get Powder Fouling Off of the Lens of Your MLOK Weapon Light If your MLOK weapon light has a glass lens that is removable and field serviceable, like the Cloud Defensive REIN, here’s some good news. You can clean and even replace the lens at home with basic tools, without the need to send it in for service.If your MLOK weapon light has a glass lens that […] March 5, 2022March 5, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The Brightest Tactical Gun Light: What This Really Means It’s also to believe that buying the “brightest” tactical gun light will give you the best option. Unfortunately, there are many other features that go into the quality construction of a WML. Even more, unfortunately, “brightness” is a term so overused it has nearly become a buzzword. Many online articles and forums will offer their […] February 21, 2022February 21, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Tactical Rifle Light Mounts: Left or Right Forget the battle between different rail systems, tactical rifle light mounts, and tactical lights themselves for a minute. Whether you need one, what features it should offer, and what type of handguard you should use are all great topics – and topics of other articles. This one is about where and how you need to […] February 19, 2022February 19, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
An AR-15 Laser Light Combo Is One of the Best Investments You Can Make Aside from the value of training at the range, one of the most practical (and potentially life-saving) investments you can make for your home defense weapon is an AR-15 laser light combo. It will offer you a few simple advantages, but they can make you a more confident, more competent shooter, and they could even […] February 5, 2022February 5, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Why the M-LOK System Might Be a Bigger Factor Than the M-LOK WML Itself If you’re reading this and looking for an M-LOK WML, you likely already have an M-LOK handguard on your rifle. It doesn’t make all that much sense to look for the light first and the rifle later. Be that as it may, you’ll still need an M-LOK WML and mounts that are compatible with M-LOK […] January 20, 2022January 20, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Is a Picatinny Flashlight a Necessity? Insomuch as it concerns tactical and shooting accessories one of the most common questions concerning weapon-mounted lights like Picatinny flashlights is this: are they really necessary? Insomuch as it concerns tactical and shooting accessories one of the most common questions concerning weapon-mounted lights like Picatinny flashlights is this: are they really necessary? Well, there are two […] January 11, 2022January 11, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
A 50,000 Foot View on Keeping Rifle Lights Clean Rifle lights like Cloud Defensive’s REIN, REIN Micro, and OWL (rated at over 1000 lumens!) might be rock-solid and nearly bombproof, but they are not foolproof. By foolproof, we mean that fools can still diminish their performance. Don’t be a fool.Rifle lights like Cloud Defensive’s REIN, REIN Micro, and OWL (rated at over 1000 lumens!) […] January 10, 2022January 10, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
A Primer on AR Flashlight Placement Where you place your AR flashlight has the potential to be almost as important as the flashlight itself. The purpose of a weapon-mounted light is to keep you prepared and give you the ability to establish rapid, positive identification of threats; hindering this ability counteracts its purpose. Orienting the weapon light in a manner that […] January 5, 2022January 5, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Why Weapon Light Mounts Matter For those of you looking for an AR15 mounted flashlight, It’s reasonable to put most of your research into the actual light device itself, rather than on supporting hardware. No doubt, some shooters simply buy the best light that appeals to their needs, even overlooking the weapon light mounts entirely. For those of you looking for […] December 22, 2021December 22, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
How Many Lumens Are Necessary in an AR-15 Tactical Flashlight for Home Defense? Many, perhaps most, reputable lists of vital AR-15 accessories include AR-15 tactical flashlights. A weapon-mounted light frees your hands, provides you with better situational awareness, and enables swifter positive ID, even in darker, stressful situations. How much light is enough light? It’s a question that’s been asked many times over. How many lumens are necessary […] December 7, 2021December 7, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
6 Reasons You Need an AR Weapon Light Ask any group of shooters which AR upgrades and attachments are the most vital and you’re bound to get some variation in responses. Some AR furniture and upgrades, like offset, backup iron sights, and quality optics, are nearly universally popular. Most shooters would agree that they add value. Then there are other attachments, like brass […] December 2, 2021December 2, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
How to Get Your Money’s Worth in an AR 15 Tactical Light with a Pressure Switch The investment you make in your AR 15 is an investment in self-preservation. There is no room to make compromises here. It is a matter of personal safety. For that reason, adding an AR 15 light with a pressure switch to your rifle should not be an afterthought or something you add to your handguard […] November 25, 2021November 25, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Gun Flashlight Waterproofing: How Important Is It? If you’ve justified the expense of a gun flashlight and mounted one to your handguard, a quick word on waterproofing is worth your time. If you’ve justified the expense of a gun flashlight and mounted one to your handguard, a quick word on waterproofing is worth your time. It’s probably common sense why a gun […] November 23, 2021November 23, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Do You Need a Rifle Flashlight? Tactical attachments can be expensive, and you only have so much rail space on your rifle. There’s a very real chance that you could spend more on your optics, lights, side saddle mounts, bipods, and slings than you spent on the actual rifle. Most shooters will agree that some attachments are more practical than others. […] November 16, 2021November 16, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked