There is a peculiar discourse surrounding weapon-mounted lights (WMls) on handguns, driven by misconceptions about their role, low light tactics, and the benefits they bring. As a proponent of white lights, I view them as tools I might never need, but I see no harm in having one.
Currently, I run the Inforce WILD2 — a solid choice among full-sized weapon lights and my first experience with an Inforce product.
The WILD2 competes with popular full-sized models like the Streamlight TLR-1 and Surefire X300U, vying for a place on your duty-sized handgun. I use the WILD2 on my Glock 17 Gen 4, carrying the whole kit in a Safariland 6304RDS.
With a 3.5-inch length, 1.1-inch-wide bezel, and a weight of 4.7 ounces, it’s a bit heavier than its main competitors. For comparison, the X300 weighs in at 4 ounces, and the TLR-1 at 4.37 ounces.
Those basic stats are only part of the story. The real draw? Well, the WILD2 casts a 1,000-lumen beam backed by 25,000 candela, which is impressive for a handgun-mounted light. It’s not the most powerful light, but it has a lot of power at the sub-$200 dollar price point. It outperforms the TLR 1 HL and the Surefire X300U but can’t beat lights like the X300U Turbo. But numbers aside, what really matters is how this light performs in actual low-light conditions.
So, what can you expect when the sun goes down?
The Purpose of A Weapon-Mounted Light
Before diving into performance, let’s address the purpose of a weapon-mounted light. For me, it’s a tool to help me do two things.
- Threat Identification: The ability to clearly identify a threat is crucial. Sure, when it’s dark, we should all tuck in and go to sleep. Unfortunately, violent criminals don’t tend to keep good sleep patterns. A light ensures that I know that a threat is a threat and not my cat knocking over a vase.
- Accuracy: The second purpose is to allow me to aim and shoot with great accuracy. A light lets me clearly see my target, making it easier to use my sights and take accurate shots when necessary.
Light it Up With the Inforce WILD2
I’m lucky to have a private range in the middle of nowhere. This allows me to play goon squad without needing a public range. My only problem is that in summer, I have to wait forever for the sun to go down so it’s dark enough to shoot with a light.
With the sun’s finally down, I can work on several live and dry fire drills. Under the cover of darkness, I focused on incorporating the light activation into my draw and target identification.
During the day, I’d become quite familiar with drawing from the 6304 RDS and getting on target, but adding the light into the mix presented a challenge. The act of activating the WILD2 during the draw forced me to rethink my previously refined and fast draw technique, throwing a bit of a wrench into my routine.
Inforce blessed the WILD2 with excellent ambidextrous controls that fit right over the side of the trigger guard. My finger naturally finds the switch to activate the light and activate the bright white beam. The buttons are textured, and they’re unmistakable, so you won’t have to guess if you’re touching them or not.
The WILD2 provides two modes of operation: constant on and a momentary mode. The momentary mode is activated by a long press of the button, and the constant mode is activated by a quick press. The buttons press inward toward the trigger guard.
When you hit those buttons, the world before you lights up!
The beam from the WILD2 rips and tears into the dark. If you’re afraid of the dark, you won’t be with a WILD2 on your gun. That 1,000 lumens of power and 25,000 candela do a fantastic job in the field.
The WILD provides a very distinct hotspot in the center of the beam. It’s powerful enough to overcome most common lights.
Have you ever been driving, and some jerks don’t dim their brights? That oncoming glare is called a photonic barrier. The WILD2 is powerful enough to overcome those barriers and for you to be the guy who doesn’t dim their brights.
The beam is strong enough to let you see through headlights, other flashlights, and more. That power level also allows you to identify threats regardless of the situation around you.
That kind of power gives you an impressive range. At 25 yards, I can easily identify and differentiate targets. Out to 50 yards, I can still see the targets; even further, the light delivers decent performance. Beyond 50 yards, I could still see someone, but unless it were an obvious threat, it would be tough to identify anything beyond person-shaped and not person-shaped.
Going Indoors
Outside of the hot spot, the bevel is wide enough to cast a good bit of spill. It’s more noticeable indoors. If you hit the Go button on the WILD2 indoors, the light slips into every crevice and eliminates the darkness.
It’s incredibly bright indoors and more than capable of filling the home defense role. The power of the light allows you to ‘bounce’ light from the floor, the walls, and the roof, so your firearm doesn’t have to flag anyone or anything, but you can still have illumination.
The WILD2 is easy to use with a single hand, so you can control the gun and light as you call 911, usher children away, or work with doors, etc. The WILD2 delivers excellent home defense potential for your handgun but could also be a viable long gun light if your goal is home defense.
Getting Wild
The WILD2 delivers in a way many Inforce lights haven’t. We have great ergonomics, an all-metal, durable aluminum body, a bright white light, and a price tag that’s not killing your credit card. Problems like parasitic drain are no longer a problem with the WILD2. Inforce has a winner on their hands, and it’s an excellent option for self-defense and duty use.
