New Snap-On LaserMax Manta-Ray AR Light at NRA Show

1. That first picture shows what looks like a flashlight on a rifle, not a laser…

   But then, their website says it’s a light, not a laser, so I think the article’s text is wrong, not the photo.

   A quick-detach for a light makes more sense than for a laser, anyway. At 140 lumens it’s far from the brightest out there; but perhaps better a fully charged 140-lumen light than a 500-lumen photon cannon with a dead battery.

   • Correct, This is a weapon light, not a laser.

   • LaserMax is the brand, they started with lasers, now they make lights also. TTAG should have made that more clear in the title.

     • Headline amended. Thanks!

2. Lol I read Snap-On and immediately thought Snap-On was entering the market.

   • Meaning, it will cost 4X what it is worth, and the warranty is only for the original purchaser?

     • On the plus side, the salesman will stop at your house every week to sell you more stuff.

       • Snap-On makes some decent tools, I’ve owned some in the past. (Stubby metric wrench set, great for my Honda Si).

         That said, the near-worship status that some folks give them perplexes me…

       • That brand loyalty and near-worship is very common in the “overpriced products” space. When people buy something that’s pretty good, but pay three times more than a similar-performing competitor, they tend to want to justify their purchase. So they create this myth in their head that it really is worth what they paid, and they’re not chumps who got taken in by slick marketing.

       • I think you nailed it, Stinkeye.

         I’m glad I never paid anywhere near what they ask for them, the set I had came through the pawn shop and I snagged them for $35 if memory served, ended up selling them for $90, so I have no complaints…

3. Lets see… I buy chinese flashlights for about 10 bucks on ebay. The quick release rail mounts are about 5 bucks a piece on amazon. 4 good quality rechargeable batteries are about 20 bucks shipped.

   So… quick math here…. my quick detach rechargeable flashlight is about 10% of the price of theirs. Did I miss something?

   • Yes, you did miss something. Good (and expensive) tactical lights are designed with top quality components and manufacturing techniques, made to take a beating. The cheap Chinese crap is not. They will not withstand the tough treatment that tactical use provides.

     My gripe with this product is that it’s only 140 lumens. The tac lights on my rifles are 500

   • Yeah, and then you fire two rounds and the light breaks because it isn’t made well enough to handle the job. I made that mistake once already.

     • You and rabbi are both buying the wrong chinese flashlights then. I have 8 permanently mounted to my long guns, and I have only had to replace 1 in 5 years. Each one has a minimum of 500 rounds on it and they all work just as well as the day I got them.

       • 500 rounds shot on a range is not a test. Dropping, banging against a door frame, wet from heavy rain. Good lights will survive, cheap Chinese junk won’t. I don’t consider 1 breakage in 8 to be good odds when my life is at stake. Not a single light of mine has broken even those that i abuse on purpose for demonstrations.

       • Well it’s a good thing I’m not a tier 0 operator then. I’m still going to hang onto my assertion that it does not take $200 to build literally one of the simplest electic devices known to man.

       • Vhyrus:

         Be grateful it isn’t one of the simplest devices known to man. At least not these days.

         LED lights ain’t simple, by any stretch. But they are solid-state components and don’t rely on a fine filament suspended in a vacuum to work properly. So they, all else being equal, will be more robust than an old-fashioned light bulb in many conditions.

         You and Rabbi both have good points; I suppose the beauty of the free market is that you can each have what you’re comfortable with, assuming you can afford it.

       • Vhyrus,

         If the lights work, they work. I personally use a combination of Streamlight, Surefire, and Olight weapon lights. I’ve broken lights, watches, guns, etc. Olights are Chinese, but decent quality and heft. They aren’t super cheap, though. If I’m searching a building or on a felony stop I want something substantial, and I haven’t seen anything yet that fills the bill in the $20 range. Heck, I haven’t seen a good quality weapon light / mount combo much under $100.

4. Tlr-2 hl g will be on my 300blk sbr once it’s done. Right now it’s on a xdm 4.5 in 40’s&w. I’ve played with it on both in the house and night and I am very happy. Very ergonomic actuation and super bright light and laser is bright as well and even gtg in sunlight, out to 10yds.
   That Manta thinger does look nice and low profile.

   • I’ll stick with Streamlight. Millions of their lights in FD can’t go wrong with the design and quality and they 100% stand behind their kit.

     The new ProTac® Rail Mount 1 looks to be just the ticket. 350lumen on high. Uses one “AA” alkaline or one
     CR123A lithium battery. And when battery dies can replace it and back in business (no looking for a charger). I don’t buy anything that doesn’t have standard AAA, AA, D or 6V lantern capability.

     List is $175 (so I’ll buy at under $90)

     http://streamlight.com/en-us/product/product.html?pid=345

     • Made in China, unfortunately. Killer idea, less than killer execution.

5. I got my grubby little hands on one of these units and am looking forward to putting it through its paces. I’ll probably beat on it for a couple months then write up the review…

   • I really am itching to know what the “unique light signature” is all about.

     • Mint green, according to their website…

       • “Mint green, according to their website…”

         You mean it’s a light and it dispenses FrogLube at the same time?

         Cool!

         *gag*

   • You’re the kid that gets to play with all the cool toys, no fair.

     Having said that, I’ll stick with my Surefire Scouts and Streamlight TLR’s.

6. So I was thinking a little more about this thing, and I have to conclude that LaserMax might have missed the boat on this one, at least a little, by not having a charge cradle. (At least not that I could see from their website.)

   Rechargeable batteries are great, and it’s good to have them replaceable as well; but it’s also great to have the ability to charge the battery while in the flashlight (or whatever). My favorite little taclight has a USB port so you can charge the battery without pulling it; or you can swap it for a standard lithium in a pinch.

   If the whole point of this light is that it can be quickly and securely mounted and demounted, then to me, having a charging cradle for it would make lots of sense. That way you can keep the light in the cradle most of the time, so you know it’s going to be at full charge when you need it; there’s little time penalty to putting it on the rifle, and little laziness-inducing nuisance to putting it back in the cradle when done. As it is, while a rechargeable battery is great, having to pull it out separately and put it on a charger gives me basically the same issues as a regular battery, with the possible exception that I wouldn’t run out of batteries.

   • “Rechargeable batteries are great, …”

     Rechargeable batteries and reliability are non-synonymous.

     Rechargeable LiPo batteries will self-discharge, not good on a firearm you may need to pick up and use *immediately* after it has sat in your gun safe for a few years at a stretch.

     Dry Lithium batteries with a shelf life of 10 years or alkaline batteries replaced yearly are a much better choice for a reliable weapon light…

     • I agree. Rechargeable batteries are great for high load, high use devices like cell phones and camera flash units, but they’re unfit for this kind of job.

       • I second your second. I was out the minute I read “rechargeable” battery.

   • I noted that there was confusion about how the Manta-Ray recharges, and wanted to address it. The product comes with a charger that plugs into a standard wall outlet and Manta-Ray’s onboard micro-USB port. The port is shielded by a rubber cover to protect against dirt and debris when not charging. The Manta-Ray can, in fact, be charged without removal from the rail, if you don’t mind having your rifle plugged in. 😉 I hope this helps, guys. Super excited about this product.

   • Since most people don’t spend hours a month using their weapon mounted light to sweep buildings, the economy of a rechargeable light is pointless.

     Most of these lights will live a life where they do nothing for months or years or tens of years and then are pulled out and expected to work. This is no place for a rechargeable battery. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

7. I fail to see how this is better than a 300 lumen Stream light TLR-1. I think 300 lumen lights are ideal for building search gunlights. The 80-200 lumen lights are too weak and the 500 lumen lights are too bright up close. My $.02.

   • Lumens aren’t the only spec on a light, a 500 lumen light with very wide beam might come in very handy clearing buildings…

     (Also my .02 and worth half that)

     • Of cousrse. I was referring to the high output TLR which will blind the user when you’re sweeping whites walls. Lights are almost like holsters – you find what works best for your needs through trial and error.

Comments are closed.