Still trying to determine Light Lumen shooting distance???

[uncle buck]

I found the below data on the below listed M3 Xenon Illuminate shooting light...  It has 90 Lumen's and the distance for it use is 25 meters.
25 meters equates to 27.34 yards... So to illuminate something at 100 yards you would need at least a light with 360 Lumen's??
However one has to take into consideration the full moon, new moon, overcast etc etc etc...At best this particular lumen's on this light would make it excellent for the shotgunner...Since it will illuminate to 27.34 yards and a bit beyond..

Item Description

The M3 Xenon Illuminator, by Insight Technologies, has been the gold standard in weapon mounted illuminators since it was first introduced in 1998. With a reputation for rugged reliability, the M3 can be found in more law enforcement and personal defense holsters today than any other weapon light on the market.

•Mounted weapon light
•Battery Type: 3V 123 lithium
•Battery Quantity: 2
•Lamp Type: Tungsten halogen, xenon filled
•Run Time: 60 minutes continuous
•Peak Output: 90+ Lumens
•Range: 25 meters
•Mounts easily without the aid of tools
•Slide-Lock interface
•Designed to fit most pistols
•Ambidextrous rocker switch located on the removable backplate
•Dimensions: 3.4" L x 1.57" W x 1.52" H
•Weight: 3.3oz with batteries

[uncle buck]

I still was thinking about this.... The 27 plus yards of a 90 Lumen light will light up the entire object... What you really need to do is just kind of see the predators outline so...You could get more yardage on the 90 lumen light...Could be? the 90 lumen would be good for 75 to 100 yard shooting light... 

[muttbuster]

UB, I just went to the Lightforce site to find the lumens. They don't have them listed. They go by candlepower. My light, the model 170 has a bulb that makes it 320,000 candlepower. Very bright and great for long distance. They also make a 100 watt bulb that will boost it to 650,000 candlepower. That may be a little to bright. I understand the lumen problem. I wish they could just put into plain words for the average guy that does not carry a slide rule in his pocket.

[uncle buck]

The real truth is in Pa...Any white light aimed right square at the target animals face...It's usually over...Not for the targeted animal...For you....They run off..  You can use the white light but you got to illuminate them with the bottom of the beam only. Now if your fast you can put the white beam on them...Now you really have to be fast too accomplish this...You only have about 2 seconds to illuminate and shoot...



So...maybe a white light with just say 45 lumens might not spook a targeted animal like a 90 lumen light when you hit them with the direct beam... I have a blue lens and I have green pop lens..Don't know if this would buy you more time??

[muttbuster]

I use a red lens. It seems to get the job done. The reason I use such a big light is because I hunt open fields and at a longer distance I need to positively Identify my target.

[ultramag]

The reflector also plays a huge role in the distance of the light,so just the lumens is not enough to make a decision.

[uncle buck]

Good point! Yes the reflector would even help intensify the beam of the light...Post like this can make people start to think...Bigger reflector the more light beam.. Also adjustable head on light to open the beam or make it narrow also is important...

[Buckwheat]

unclebuck

http://www.theledlight.com/lumens.html

 Or you can just by the brightest light you can afford and like with a dimmer and never have to do the math. Just turn it up and down until you can see as good as you want.

 

[uncle buck]

Thank you Buckwheat that just what I was looking for...90 Lumen's+ 90 Feet...30 yards... So you guys with the 350 lumen  cableas lights...should equate to about  350 feet or 116 yards.

Now Buckwheat's comments about the Rheostat thing.. Yes...get one with a high Lumen or and Candle Power and turn it up or turn it down to what ever is just perfect for you based on the conditions..

I printed Buckwheat web link...I'm going to try to comprehend all of that stuff.  thanks I appreciate it... 

[beastman]

I'm not sold on the led lights as of yet, dimming isn't as straightforward as incandescent lights and if it goes bad you have to replace the whole board.  LED's require as a rule of thumb a constant 3 volts across the semi-conductor to work and if you over drive them they burn out and if you under drive them they won't light.  Plus power consumption will go up when you get into colder weather.  How they get around it to make a dimming effect is to use a system that basically turns it on and off really fast.  Now the human eye can't pick it up but I've wondered if a fox or a coyote's will.  I thought about getting one of the LED gun mounted lights last year but for my .22 mag the little light I got from burnham brothers works pretty good.  I got a tactical light from cabelas for my shotgun that is pretty slick and I've always used a mine style light  for scanning so I don't have to wave the gun around.
I wonder if someone was to write a spec as it were what features would they want?
The one thing I would like for my rifle is a system that is linked to my headlamp that would shut down my headlight and turn on my gun light with a single switch.

[Buckwheat]

Beastman
call John51 he can hook you up.
Ernie

[uncle buck]

I looked at Buckwheat link and did learn a lot more now...It would be good to read.  Candlepower(American Term) Lumen  (Metric Term) for Candlepower)
Then there is Footcandle, Illumination, Reflection,.  All of this together makes up light... So you just can't try to break the Lumen code to coming up with the perfect shooting light...You truly need to experiment...
I was looking in Nitelite catalog to compound it more..For their head lights and shooting lights they do not even talk about the units of light measurement...They talk volts and the talk types of bulbs..So when you do buy this stuff..Do you truly know what your getting for a shooting light? They, Nitelite does not talk how far you can shoot with the Nitelite brands of lights.. The spot lights they give you the Candlepower.  However learned now Candlepower is nothing more the the light intensity right at the bulb source..
Add hoods, and maybe the perfect reflector, and candlepower/lumen and footcandle and you have it.."The Perfect Shooting Light!"

[ultramag]

The is a definatily a market for a light made specifically for predator hunters,most of the lights out there are designed  for another prupose and adapted to predator hunting.Why some of the bigger companies dont jump on it is beyond me....

Mike Dillion where is the FOXLIGHT ?  

[Whitefeather]

Ultramag, how long has night hunting been popular?  How many people across US night hunt?  In order for a co to invest in a sellable product, they need a MARKET worth the expense in manuf costs.  Maybe co's in the spot light or weapon light business are ignorant to the numbers?
I would be interested in seeing how many of us there actually are!

[scott]

I would say if Primos is marketing a light there has to be money in it.