We live in the age of accessories.
It wasn’t all that long ago that even finding a firearm that allowed for an easy addition of a magnified optics was just this side of an oddity. Now everything from .22 pistols to the heaviest of magnum calibers is equipped with all manner of rail or mounting systems that makes the purchase of the firearm just the beginning.
Nowhere is this more evident than in lights.
It isn’t just weapon-mounted lights where we see this evolution.
As the idea of an EDC loadout has matured, a small, handheld flashlight has become ubiquitous among not only cops and tradespeople, but also to an entire segment of the population that believes in attacking the day with some basic tools always on hand.
What does this mean for you and your shop, and how can you bring your customers out of the dark?
Let me shed a little light on that…
Stock All the Categories
Lights are typically either handheld, or weapon-mounted. Some models can pull double duty, but the days of putting a handheld light in a clunky mount to go on a long gun are largely behind us. As the segment has grown, so too has the customer’s desire for more purpose-designed options.
This means you’re going to be looking at three overall categories: handheld, pistol-mounted, and long gun-mounted. There is some crossover in units that can be mounted on a pistol also working on a long gun, but the actuation switches for these are typically designed for use with a handgun. While some units allow for remote pressure pads to be used, you’ll want to make sure that your assortment marries up to the firearm options you have as well.
Build Packages
For every customer that comes in wanting to put together their perfect setup and pick and choose every piece meticulously, it seems there are five that just want to walk in the store and walk out with a ready-made solution. Your mileage may vary, but that has always been the way it seemed when I was behind a counter. So, it’s baffling to me that more stores aren’t building kits and packages for display and sale.
Obviously, there are downsides. It’s tough to display everything, and someone will almost always ask for something different.
However, there are also those customers who will see the bright and shiny new thing, with all the bells and whistles, and just want to walk out with that. Not only that, but it also gives you an opportunity to have different accessories mounted and deployable, so customers can try them out.
It’s much harder for a customer to convince themselves that the gun they just handled, with the dot, magnifier, angled foregrip, and light needs to be stripped down so they can buy it bare.
Most customers don’t understand the difference between lumen and candela. Even if you try to explain the difference between a hot spot and a spill, some will have trouble visualizing accurately what you’re talking about. Building kits can help drive sales by increasing the average cart value, and they make educating your customers easier as well.
Customers who feel like they’re getting help will always be better customers for your shop.
Concepts to Understand
While we’re on it, make sure that everyone behind the counter can answer some basic questions about choosing a light. The biggest thing we often see people misunderstand or misrepresent is explaining lumens and/or candela.
Lumens are probably the most commonly used figure used for lights. The problem is that by itself it isn’t very descriptive. Because lumens is a measurement of the total output of the light, it’s tough to know exactly what the beam looks like.
Candela, on the other hand, helps us understand the intensity of the light. It is essentially the power of a single candle.
Ideally, lights would give us both figures.
High lumen and high candela will most often mean a very bright, very focused beam of light.
High lumen and low candela will be more of a flood light effect. Bright, but not focused in one area.
Get the idea?
The other major thing to keep in mind is power source. Is it a USB-charged model? Does it run on batteries? Are they rechargeable or single-use?
Whatever the power solution is for lights, stocking those would be wise as well.
Light Strategies
If at all possible, get some practical training with lights for your staff. Even if that just means sharing basic light-handling principles that you already have.
Customers either come in asking for exactly what they want, or they need advice for a use case. If your employees can’t interpret the use case and present the best option for the customer, two things will happen.
The use case will not be satisfied and the customer will be unhappy with the advice they were given.
Lights are tools. Just like screwdrivers and hammers, not all tools can do all jobs. While “making dark areas light” seems pretty straightforward, there are nuances that everyone should be mindful of when choosing the right light.
A customer purchasing a shotgun who wants a light to go with it will not have the same needs as someone buying a handgun for the same purpose. Being able to talk the customer through those uses and options is critical to any product purchase, so the more knowledgeable your people are, the better the experience is for everyone.
Handheld Options
INFORCE TFx – At just 3.7 ounces even with batteries installed, the TFx is not a light that becomes a burden to carry. With high, low and strobe function, it offers the standard fare of handheld lights. The checkering improves grip, and overall, the light doesn’t give off a “tacticool” vibe that may cause issues with TSA or similar security personal that would force a donation trying to go through a checkpoint. Just two CR123 batteries deliver up to 700 lumens. A solid handheld option. MSRP-$99.99
Surefire Stilleto – The Stilleto doesn’t look like most handheld lights, but that is part of its appeal. The slim profile is a little more comfortable in pocket than many lights, and it doesn’t give off the hardcore tactibro feel if you’re going through security or TSA lines often. It’s just 4.5 inches long and weighs less than 3 ounces — you might forget you have it on you. The 650-, 250-, and 5-lumen settings offer a setting for most anything, and being USB chargeable is a feature I’ve come to appreciate. MSRP - $129.00
Streamlight ProTac HL 6 – You want lumens and candela? The Streamlight ProTac HL 6 has both! It’s a little bit bigger than you might want for an EDC light, but if you want to stock for first-responder types, or just want to give a more robust option, this is it. At 10.5 inches and a little over a pound, it isn’t small, but it does pack a punch with 5,300 lumens and 80,000 candela on high. The ProTac HL 6 also has medium, low and strobe settings, and Streamlight’s TEN-TAP programming lets users select the button programming they prefer. It comes with two Streamlight SL-B48 lithium-ion battery packs that are USB-C rechargeable. MSRP - $247.78
Pistol-Mounted Options
Surefire X300T – The X300 weapon lights have become the gold standard of weapon-mounted lighting solutions, but the Turbo, or T, variant takes things to a new level. Delivering an incredible 66,000 candela, the 650-lumen beam is intense. If you’re in a position to need to engage from longer distances, the quality of the X300T beam is a must. As a bonus, the X300T models will mount in essentially the same spots the X300U has been used. MSRP-$369.00
Streamlight TLR-7 HL-X USB – Powered by either a single CR123A lithium battery or a Streamlight SL-B9 rechargeable battery, the TLR-7 HL-X USB gives you some flexibility when it comes to powering your gun light. The SL-B9 provides a little more juice, allowing the light to produce 1,000 lumens and 22,000 candela. You can also program it down to the output generated using the CR123A, which essentially cuts those numbers in half. The rear paddle switches are interchangeable, so you can match your shooting style. MSRP - $215
INFORCE WILD2 – The WILD2 (weapon integrated lighting device) puts 1,000 lumens on your pistol in seconds by securing to any pistol with a pic rail. Encased in a 6061-T6 aluminum housing and still weighing just 4.7 ounces, two CR123 batteries deliver about 90 minutes of run time on high. MRSP-$249.99
Long Gun-Mounted Options
Surefire DSF Shotgun Forend Weaponlight – While this particular model is for the Mossberg 500/590, other models are available that don’t use a rail attachment but actually replace the forend of some popular shotguns, and even a couple rifles. This integrated design is great, especially for pump shotguns in the home defense category, where accessory rail options are somewhat limited by the action of the gun. MSRP-$399.00
INFORCE WMLx White Gen 3 – For those looking for a long-gun solution without needing to route or manage cables, the INFORCE WMLx is a fantastic option. I recently put this particular light to use for a defensive shotgun build and subsequent class. As it was a pump shotgun, cables were a no-go, as I didn’t want wires getting caught in the moving action. The angled tail section of the light allows the shooter’s thumb to naturally rest on the activation switch. With the action forward, my thumb could easily activate the light. A toggle switch allows the user to select between constant or momentary functionality of the of the 25,000 candela, 1,100 lumen beam.
Two 123a batteries offer two hours of battery life. Moreover, the Pic rail clamp is spring-loaded and tightens down with ease. MSRP-$179.97
Sniper Hog Light 66 LRX Gun Hunter’s Package – If you’ve got hunters frequenting your shop, they’ll be interested in the night-hunting lights from Sniper Hog Lights. The 66LRX package includes all the accessories needed with the light itself. The light has adjustable focus, a dimmer slide switch, interchangeable LED modules to easily change color (important for coyote and hog hunters), and infrared mode. It’s not a small light, but Sniper Hog Lights says it’s the furthest-shining LED light on the market for its size. MSRP - $214.99
Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount HL-X Pro – Flexibility is a great feature to have in a gun light, and the ProTac Rail Mount HL-X Pro from Streamlight has it in spades. There’s battery flexibility, with the ability to run on either the SL-B26 rechargeable battery pack, or two CR123A batteries. There’s mounting flexibility, with options for pic rails or M-LOK installation. You have operation flexibility as well, with the Streamlight Jack-Cap allowing you to run the light off the push button on the tail cap, or the remote pressure switch. Finally, TEN-TAP programming lets you choose between multiple operation modes. High, low and strobe functions are pretty standard, with high generating a 1,000 lumen, 50,000 candela, 447m beam. MSRP - $210-266
