Of all the weapon light manufacturers in the industry, SureFire is easily one of, if not, the most recognizable ones around. For decades, they’ve been at work crafting some of the industry’s most innovative and sought-after weapon lights and lasers, as well as a slew of other products.
Today, they offer a wide range of weapon lights designed for pistols and rifles, ensuring that there’s something for every enthusiast. However, among their vast lineup of lights, their pistol lights have long been some of their most favored, with the SureFire X300 standing chief amongst the rest. Simply put, the SureFire X300 is one of the most popular weapon lights on the market, with it having a ton of features that make it worth considering.
But just like with any aftermarket upgrade, there are a lot of Benefits and Drawbacks of Pistols with Lights, however, so it’s important to know what exactly makes the X300 so great before you set off to buy a new weapon light.
SureFire X300 Overview:
As highlighted in our SureFire Brand Review, the SureFire X300 is a larger weapon light designed for use on full-, carry-, and compact-size pistols. Engineered with durability in mind, they can withstand harsh use, making them a solid pick for everything from concealed carry and recreational shooting to more intense competitive and duty use. Because of this, they’ve garnered quite a reputation amongst enthusiasts, with them being touted as the gold standard of weapon lights.
Built around a durable aerospace aluminum housing that’s been hard-anodized to mil-spec standards, the X300 is built to take a beating. They’re equipped with specialized O-ring and gasket seals to make them water resistant to IPX7 standards, meaning it’s also resistant to hazardous weather conditions and environmental debris as well. And for optimal clarity, its lenses feature a unique TIR (Total Internal Reflection) design, that maximizes its total light projection. Plus, to keep the emitter protected, the X300 has a separate window of tempered glass to cover the emitter, further sealing it from the elements.
Additionally, while the X300 was designed for use on pistols, it can be used on carbines as well. With the right SureFire Mounts, the X300 can easily mount to carbines and other PDW style rifles, giving you an exceptionally versatile and low-profile weapon light setup. And even though it comes standard with pistol grip switches, it’s compatible with SureFire’s XT07 tape switch too.
SureFire X300 Models
Right now, there’s currently three different variants of the SureFire X300: the X300 Ultra, X300 Turbo, and the X300 Vampire. And as far as performance goes, each X300 model is impressively powerful, but it’s important to recognize that each model offers its own unique advantages.
SureFire X300 Ultra
The SureFire X300U-A Ultra – 1000 Lumens is the most powerful weapon light in the X300 lineup. Boasting an impressive 1000-lumen white light projection, it has a peak beam intensity of 11,300 candela, meaning it projects a wide beam with lots of flood, though it’s capable of throwing light out to 213 meters. Up close, it has a blindingly bright projection, allowing you to easily identify targets in low light. And, despite its immensely powerful white light projection, since it’s powered by two CR123A batteries, it offers up to 1.25 hours of constant illumination.
SureFire X300 Turbo
Next up, the SureFire X300T-A Turbo – 650 Lumens is another solid pick from the X300 lineup. Despite projecting a less powerful 650-lumen white light projection, it has a peak beam intensity of 66,000 candela. As such, it projects a narrower, more concentrated beam of light that can illuminate targets out to 514 meters. This makes it a well-rounded weapon light, offering more-than-enough power and utility for an everyday carry pistol, as well as smaller carbines too.
SureFire X300 Vampire
The most unique option of the bunch, the SureFire X300V-B Vampire can project both a daylight visible and an infrared beam of light. For daylight use, it has a 350-lumen beam that has a peak intensity of 11,500 candela, allowing it to illuminate targets out to 214 meters. And, with it having a weaker white light projection, its batteries can last up to 2.5 hours.
However, it’s important to note that the X300 Vampire is designed for nighttime shooting. Its night vision mode projects a 120 mW beam of IR light that also throws light out to 214 meters. And, when in IR mode, it can run for 16.75 hours, so you won’t need to worry about your batteries running low any time soon. Being a dedicated IR Illuminator, the aptly named Vampire is a creature of the night that’s best suited for nighttime duty use and hunting. But since you need NODs to use this illuminator properly, it isn’t the best choice for everyone.
Which is Best?
Ultimately, the ’best’ SureFire X300 variant is the one that best fits your needs and preferences. If you’re looking for a bright weapon light that can easily illuminate an entire room, the X300 Ultra is by far the best tool for the job. Its lower beam intensity gives it much more flood than other X300 variants, making it best for close-quarters applications.
In contrast, the X300 Turbo is a great all-around weapon light. Despite its lower overall brightness, its higher candela count and narrower beam make it ideal for both handguns, as well as smaller PDW style rifles.
Lastly, the X300 Vampire owns the night, without completely sacrificing white light utility. Although its visible light performance takes a hit since it can switch between visible and IR light, it still offers solid performance. That said, it isn’t the most practical light for the everyday enthusiast since you’ll need NODs to make use of its IR capabilities.
Installation and Maintenance
Installing and maintaining the SureFire X300 is a fairly straightforward process, but, depending on the model X300 you opt for, they can have different mounting abilities. X300 series lights often have an ‘A’ or ‘B’ attached to its name, and these letters are used to denote what kind of mounting interface it uses
X300-A lights use a specialized Rail-Lock® System that essentially works like a quick-release mechanism, and it’s compatible with both universal accessory rails as well as picatinny rails. Meanwhile, X300-B model lights make use of a traditional torque screw that makes use of cross bolt which can be tightened down to ensure it stays in place. Between the two, X300-A lights are best for handguns and light recoiling rifles—since the Rail-Lock System can’t be torqued down like the X300-B mount; with enough force, it can unintentionally fly off the firearm when firing, though this is very unlikely.
X300-B mounts are the move if you’re looking for the most secure lockup possible, making it a much better choice for more intense competitive and professional applications. Still, since it isn’t universal like the Rail-Lock System, depending on the handgun you use, it may require some slight fitting to lock it down in position properly.
Maintenance
Maintaining the X300 is quite simple. As you shoot your pistol, it will eventually get dirty. And while you don’t need to clean it after every time you shoot, when you do, all you need to do is use a cleaning wipe for the light body, and lens cleaner for the lens.
Ultimately, the frequency in which you clean up your weapon light is up to you, but typically, most enthusiasts do it on an as-needed basis. For instance, if you’re just using your pistol for concealed carry use, you won’t really need to clean it all that often, but, if you’re regularly training in harsh conditions, you’ll need to clean it more often.
Lastly, you’ll need to be conscious of your light’s battery life whenever you’re using it, as the last thing you want is your light to fail when you go to activate it. As we mentioned above, all X300 variants have anywhere from a 1.25-hour to a 1.5-hour battery lifespan. While this may seem like not a long time, it’s critical to remember that you aren’t always going to be running your light, only when it’s needed.
So, much like regular maintenance, it’s up to you to decide when it’s necessary to change your batteries. It’s always a good idea to have a couple of spare batteries in your kit whenever you’re in the field, and fortunately, CR123A batteries are some of the most widely used batteries for weapon lights, so stocking up on them won’t break the bank, and it will ensure that you’re always prepared to swap them out as needed.
Conclusion
As it stands, the SureFire X300 is, without a doubt, one of the highest quality weapon lights on the market, earning it the nickname “The Gold Standard”. Its rugged aluminum body makes it a more-than-viable choice for everything from concealed carry to competitive and professional applications, and with their being multiple variants of it available, there’s something for everyone.
For a high-power beam optimized for close-range engagements, the X300 Ultra stands tall as one of the best options for the job, and if you prefer a tighter beam that can throw light across a further distance, the X300 Turbo is the move. Lastly, if you have NODs and train at night, the X300 Vampire offers incredible night vision performance, without totally forgoing white light illumination.
At the end of the day, you can’t go wrong with the SureFire X300 weapon light. That said, if you’re on the fence about whether it’s the right choice for you, our guide, “Choosing the Best Pistol Light For Concealed Carry“, goes in-depth on a multitude of the industry’s most popular weapon light options.
