Little guns are becoming more and more capable. Mounting optics and lights to a concealed carry pistol used to seem like a wild idea, but these days it’s the norm. That’s why lights like the SureFire XSC exist.
Guns like the Springfield Hellcat, the SIG P365, and the Glock 43X/48 series are lightweight, optic-ready, and all well-served by the SureFire XSC. Modern holster makers like Safariland have taken note, offering numerous options for micro-compacts equipped with optics and lights.
Demand and support for micro-sized lights is strong, and SureFire faces stiff competition from Streamlight, Nightstick, and others.
So, what makes the SureFire XSC stand out, and is it worth your hard-earned money? Let’s find out.
What Makes The Surefire XSC Different?
Size. That’s the easy answer, but let’s elaborate on that. The SureFire XSC is only 1.94 inches long and weighs only 1.7 ounces. Let’s compare those numbers with the closest competition, the Streamlight TLR-7 X Sub and the Nightstick TCM-365.
The Streamlight TLR-7 X Sub is 2.51 inches long and weighs 2.64 ounces. The TCM-365 measures out to 2.5 inches and weighs 2.25 ounces. The jump from 2 to 2.5 inches doesn’t seem like a lot, but we are trying to maximize concealability and keep weight low when possible on a small gun.
The SureFire XSC blows the competition away when it comes to reducing size and bulk. On my SIG P365, the SureFire XSC sits flush with the end of the frame. On a standard model, this helps keep the gun short, which means your holster can stay short, and you can conceal with greater ease.
The Proprietary B12 Battery
The magic behind SureFire’s design is the battery. The XSC uses a proprietary B12 cell, which allows for an extremely compact light without being limited by the constraints of off-the-shelf battery shapes or sizes.
The B12 battery is an interesting design in and of itself. It doesn’t insert into the light; it’s basically part of the light’s body, being attached to the flashlight.
You can swap batteries on the fly without needing to detach the light, which is quite handy. The battery has a gauge that uses three lights to indicate the battery life. It’s only visible when detached from the weapon-mounted light. Just press a button and look at the three dots.
SureFire includes a proprietary charging system. It’s a battery dock with two slots. You can charge two batteries at once, so you can hot-swap batteries on the fly.
It takes about two hours to fully charge one battery. The dock can be attached to various platforms, from the dash of your car to a nightstand, which makes it easy to keep your light running.
The XSC: Let’s Talk Power
The XSC absolutely dominates the small light market in its size, but what about power? It honestly lags behind a bit.
There are some notable restrictions you have to deal with when using such a small battery. First, we are limited to 350 lumens, backed by only 2,000 candela. That’s not an impressive amount of light when compared to the much more powerful TLR-7 XL-X.
Second, the XSC runs for 30 minutes, and that’s it. That’s a bit lower than the typical hour runtime of other lights. It means you almost need to make sure you have a second battery on hand. An extra XSC battery costs $35.
While the lumens and candela don’t compare well to other lights, what can we say about the actual power? How does it perform when the lights go out and we need to potentially identify a threat?
Even with low comparative power, the 350 lumens and 2,000 candela still provide a fair bit of light. For indoor use, it’s enough light to identify a home intruder. In most urban environments and inside most buildings, the XSC provides enough candela and lumens to light up a room at typical concealed carry distances.
The light is going to top out at about 25 yards. At that distance, you can identify a threat, but don’t expect to be blinding that threat. Within 15 yards, it’s a dominant amount of light, especially indoors.
It’s not a great light for outdoor use, but most micro lights aren’t great for outdoor use. The beam has a nice focused center with a fair bit of spill that lights up your peripheral vision. It’s adequate for the average civilian self-defense scenario, but is not a duty-grade light.
Riding The XSC
In terms of controls, the XSC keeps things simple and ergonomic. It has a pair of switches for ambidextrous use that deliver tactile feedback with a nice amount of resistance and a click when the light turns on.
The design incorporates both a momentary and constant mode. A long press and hold is a momentary mode. The light turns off when released.
A quick press of the button turns on the constant mode. It’s simple, intuitive, and works well on these small lights. The XSC draws on SureFire’s experience as the king of creating weapon lights.
The XSC: Built To Last
Speaking of SureFire expertise, the XSC is built to last. We get that famed SureFire dependability and durability. It’s built to last, and while the initial cost seems high, when you space it out over several years of use, it gets a bit more affordable.
SureFire has ruled the weaponlight world for decades now due to innovative design and durability. The SureFire XSC is their first venture into micro-sized weaponlights, and it’s made a splash. The size and capability combined put it in a league of its own.
