INFORCE somewhat shook up the market when they came out with their WML. Well-designed, very reasonably priced and with an available IR option for much less than the competition, they quickly established themselves as a new contender that should be taken seriously.
A little while back, they did it again when they released their APL (Auto Pistol Light), their first offering of a handgun weapon light. And that is the light we will be looking at today.
As per the usual, let's start with the specs.
INFORCE APL:
Product Specifications:
200 Lumens
Run time: 1.5 hours
Run time: 1.5 hours
Bilateral paddle switches offer:
• On/off switch operation with either hand
• Natural finger movement to activate the switches
• Constant and momentary options
• On/off switch operation with either hand
• Natural finger movement to activate the switches
• Constant and momentary options
Integrated mounting system:
• No tools required
• No tools required
Product ships with (2) rail mounting bars that
accommodate Universal and MIL-STD-1913 rails.
accommodate Universal and MIL-STD-1913 rails.
Length: 3 in. / 7.619 cm.
Width: 1.2 in. / 3.048 cm.
Weight: 2.83 oz. / 80.229 g.
Batteries: 1 x 123A Lithium
Width: 1.2 in. / 3.048 cm.
Weight: 2.83 oz. / 80.229 g.
Batteries: 1 x 123A Lithium
The APL is a very interesting, compact, and easy to use pistol light. Below, we'll look at the video and several pictures that examine the APL in detail.
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| The APL, like the other INFORCE lights, uses a fiber-reinforced polymer for the main body and clamp of the light. This is part of the explanation for their light weight. |
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| The ambidextrous paddle switches are an ingenious and sleek design. |
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| The mounting system is very straight-forward, with the lever seen here, providing a great deal of mechanical advantage for the clamp. |
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| The bar you see in here is the Universal one, for Glock and others. The APL also comes with a 1913 Picatinny Rail bar, that is easily swapped into place by removing the two screws seen here. The APL comes with a little wrench to facilitate this change. |
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| The bezel is matte, anodized aluminum with coarse traction grooves milled into it. The lens is synthetic sapphire, an unusually high-end feature on a light in this price range, and the reflector is a smooth type, with no orange peel. The beam is wide and of excellent quality. |
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| The mount release lever fits completely flush with the body of the light and does not rattle at all. Very positive mechanism. |
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| The battery compartment is metal lined, with the positive battery contact towards the rear of the light. The front contact is spring-loaded and would likely also play a role in recoil mitigation. |
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| The fit of the APL is great and extremely compact. |
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| As sleek as this is, I suspect it would be feasible to even carry with this light mounted on your pistol, in the appendix inside the waistband position. |
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| One of the more brilliant, yet rarely discussed features is this notch on the underside of the APL. |
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| While at first glance this may look like just an aesthetic consideration, it has a different purpose entirely. It is a retention notch for a Kydex holster. This is an incredibly deliberate bit of design. |
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| Activation of the switch is intuitive and effortless. |
Conclusion
The APL is a fine addition to the INFORCE line up and one of the best pistol lights I have ever laid my grubby little mitts on. Sleek, compact, more than bright enough, the pleasant, neutral-white LED casts a surprisingly wide beam with a well-defined hotspot. The switching is just fantastic as well, much better than the rotary switches most seem to employ. It is also worth noting, that unlike all of its competitors, the APL is guaranteed waterproof down to 66 feet.
To top that off with an excellent build-quality and negligible weight, the APL is quite possibly one of the best options out there right now. For approximately 120 dollars, this is an outstanding light that I have no reservations about recommending.
Go get one, now! Highly recommended.
I see Inforce offers 200 lumen versions of their WML - same specification as the APL in other words. So what is the difference between the WML and the APL, in terms of light output, beam shape and such? Are they the same light with different user interfaces, or are there differences in what kind of light the two devices provide?
ReplyDeleteI cannot speak for the white-light only version of the WML, as I have only tested the White Light/IR version. But I would expect the output to be very similar between the two. Reflector size and depth is very close looking at them externally so I would not be at all surprised if there is some internal parts swapping going on between the two. The IR-capable model is an entirely different kettle of fish, however. And I do think that for use on a carbine, the WML is definitely better suited, as it it not quite so blocky and thus protrudes less into the field of view through irons and/or optics. That being said, either would work, depending on how picky you are.
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