MERKLIGHT X-Series AR-15 Tactical Lights
Merklight is a new company located in Indianapolis, IN. They have recently launched their first product called X-Series Light. It is a weapon light designed to be installed inside the AR-15 handguard resulting in a set of eight LED lights around the circumference of the barrel.
This product is developed for home defense purposes. It is compatible with free floated AR-15 handguards that have a front cap or cover. When installed, the light doesn’t touch the barrel thus keeping it free floated and keeping the light away from barrel vibrations and heat. The company claims that they test fired the light by dumping several magazines in quick succession and didn’t experience any problems associated with the barrel heat. They guarantee heat resistance to up to 325°F. Of course, if shooting hundreds and hundreds of round you’ll eventually destroy the light, but in a home defense situation that is less likely to happen. Watch some live firing footage in the video below.
The Merklight X-Series lights have a beam angle of 80 degrees with up to 75 yards of effective beam distance. One of the advantages of such a light is the complete elimination of barrel shadow issue. It is also quite a compact setup. It would be interesting to see how this beam angle works with suppressors. Will it still project light even with a suppressor installed? Of course, that will largely depend on the diameter of the suppressor and the distance from the light.
The X-Series lights have 5 settings: 3 power levels, a strobe and SOS setting. The company also plans to introduce a version with a built-in laser and an IR light version. The light also has a mode memory and low battery indicator. Right now it is possible to choose between white and green light options. The X-Series lights are powered by three AAA batteries with an average runtime of three hours. The weight of the light including the batteries is 4 oz. The total light output is 740 lumens.
Note that only the LED light block is installed into the handguard. The battery pack (including the control electronics) is mounted externally on the Picatinny rails of the handguard. The light also comes with a remote control pad.
Depending on whether your handguard’s front portion is threaded or holds the front cap via set screws, the X-Series light comes in 2 versions to fit one of these attachment methods. There are set screw type handguards made by companies like Yankee Hill Machine, Midwest Industries, Monstrum Tactical, Omega Manufacturing and others. YHM and MI also make the threaded handguards. In order to find out whether your handguard is compatible with these lights, visit the manufacturer’s website.
While discussing their future plans with the Merklight officials, they told me that right now they are looking to cooperate with handgun manufacturers. They also consider to team up with other tactical light companies with larger manufacturing capabilities. And they don’t exclude the possibility to sell the rights and technology to a large light manufacturer if such an offer is made.
Merklight X-Series lights are available on the company’s website. The set screw attached version is priced at $169.99 and the threaded version will cost you $179.99.
P.S. Some time ago there was a similar product called LUX180. Merklight is a different company and is not related to LUX180.
Managing Editor Being a lifelong firearms enthusiast, Hrachya always enjoys studying the history and design of guns and ammunition. Should you need to contact him, feel free to shoot him a message at Hrachya@TheFirearmBlog.com
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With the two wires for the battery pack, they should have used high temperature rated wire(didn't see a spec for the wire's max. rated working/exposure temperature), costs a little more but it won't degrade or melt near the barrel. Placing that section inside the handguard/rail system to connect to the battery pack. That would also help reduce the (sharp)bends in the wire which are stress points for wire breakage. With less exposed wire outside to snag on everything. A win win for all. Small tweaks but these would make the product better but a little more complex to manufacture.
That would also add(require) a connector to the battery pack. Latching connectors are not hard to find or expensive. Which then allows an option of different battery packs. What type of batteries do you want, AAA or the 123A? With longer usable illumination life with the second option. Standard batteries across your optics and lights.....Blasphemy!, some say.
Then the tape switch wire could actually be woven in and out of the rail slots to help reduce that annoying extra wire effect, we all have to deal with with tape switches. Ether too short or too long, never just the right length for the preferred orientation placement.
For those that don't understand this advantage of this design of white LED in a ring in the free float rail instead of flashlight, the multiple lights help cast a more even wash of softer light which reduces bounce light leading to distraction glare. Unlike a "sharper" flashlight source which has longer throw advantages. This advantage is like adding a Beam Diffuser bezel on to a regular (older style) light.Since led lights are not focus-able protecting their lenses from scratches and abrasions isn't as much of an issue as with flashlight lenses.
Another advance option that would be nice to have is to use multi colored LEDs, leading to features of being to switch colors by pressure switch or battery pack pad switch. Options would be the white, a red and/or blue(UV output range) light which would protect night vision, give you a lower light signature source, and the last could even help spot trails of blood for hunters. "Home Defense" against thug critters may be the main design but there are many home defense situations where you have to defeat those 4 legged vermin. Sadly this upgrade is on the product production side, unless you go bubba gunsmithing to make your own out stage light color gels. Which wouldn't be a quick switch option., Remove gel quickly? yes Placing and/or replacing the gel to filter the light source with no light leaks? nope.
There is lot of potential for this, which if the features were there it would beat the bulk of Surefire's M962 KIT01 pouch for the carrying the different filter bezels to achieve the same effect. Hopefully Merklight is reading comments and will consider simple improvements.
The 1990s called, they want their 5mm LEDs back.....