{"id":2146,"date":"2024-05-03T21:00:35","date_gmt":"2024-05-03T21:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=2146"},"modified":"2024-05-03T21:00:35","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T21:00:35","slug":"streamlight-stinger-2020-review-displacing-the-darkness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=2146","title":{"rendered":"Streamlight Stinger 2020 Review \u2014 Displacing the Darkness"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By Will Dabbs, MD<\/a><\/p>\n

A<\/span>s any frightened three-year-old will tell you, monsters live in the darkness. The capacity to push back that darkness is a critical aspect of any survival situation. Hence, why we value light so very much. Light is life.<\/p>\n

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In this Streamlight Stinger 2020 review, Dr. Will Dabbs takes a look at a powerful, yet compact, flashlight that throws 2,000 lumens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you live someplace other than around the two poles, chances are at least a third of the time it will be dark. Whether you find yourself navigating a blacked-out house during a power failure, searching for something precious lost outside after dark, or confronting something bad or scary during a time when you are at a disadvantage, having a rugged, bright, reliable light can make all the difference in the world.<\/p>\n

\"Streamlight\n<\/picture>
Weapon-mounted lights are excellent, but you still need a handheld light for things that do not require the immediate application of force.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The landscape is littered with portable flashlights, the quality of which ranges from superlative to crap with everything in between. What we will talk about today is the former.<\/p>\n

The Stinger Flashlight<\/h2>\n

Streamlight has carved out a comfortable niche in the rarefied world of tactical illumination. It offers a bewildering array of onboard weapon lights for handguns, shotguns and rifles. Their handheld illuminators range from Lilliputian versions that snap onto your keychain all the way up to big night-crushing beasts. I live in this world, and their Stinger 2020 sits on my bedside table. I have no higher accolade.<\/p>\n

\"Streamlight\n<\/picture>
A flashlight should be part of your defensive gear. If you employ a gun for self-defense, it\u2019s your responsibility to know what you are shooting at. In low-light conditions, a flashlight will help you do that.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For starters, the Stinger 2020 doesn\u2019t look much like your Grandad\u2019s flashlight. Offering an ergonomic design that interfaces beautifully with the human hand and won\u2019t roll away when you set it down, the Streamlight 2020 is the product of years of technical and mechanical evolution. The aluminum alloy chassis features aggressive stippling on the sides for a firm grip when you are sweaty or terrified. There\u2019s a power switch up front under your thumb as well as another in the tail, so you can activate and deactivate the light from any conceivable position. An intuitive mode selector is also thumb-selectable among low, medium, and high settings.<\/p>\n

Streamlight Stinger 2020 Details<\/h2>\n

Until somebody really smart figures out a way to safely put a cold fusion nuclear power cell into a handheld flashlight, batteries will always be the limiting reagent when it comes to a tactical illuminator. The Stinger 2020 is powered by a built-in rechargeable SL-B26 protected Lithium-ion battery pack. The light comes with a dedicated cradle where it can be safely stored either flat or hanging on the wall. The thing incorporates enough onboard computing power to regulate itself and maximize its battery performance over time, all the while remaining ready to grab and go in an instant.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Streamlight\n<\/picture>
Be sure to get quality instruction on the use of a flashlight with your firearm. Low-light shooting skills are unique and include tactics you may not have considered.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On its maximum setting, the Streamlight 2020 puts out 2,000 lumens and is effective out to 315 meters. In this configuration, it will run for about two hours on a charge. The medium setting offers 860 lumens for about four hours. Low power output will produce 100 lumens for a full 24 hours. Learn more about flashlight runtime<\/a> and the the difference about candela vs. lumens<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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In addition to the standard offerings, the Streamlight 2020 also has a disorienting strobe setting. This mode will get the attention of someone far away or foment confusion up close. The strobe will flash for nearly 3.5 hours on a full charge. Toss somebody into a box with this thing thusly configured and you will eventually get a crazy person back out.<\/p>\n

Stats<\/h2>\n

The Stinger 2020 is a bit south of 8\u2033 long and weighs 12.3 oz. The light is waterproof to IPX7 standards and drop-tested up to two meters onto a hard surface. It also looks like something out of the movie Aliens.<\/p>\n

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The Streamlight Stinger 2020 works with old Stinger chargers as well as the new ones. This allows you to upgrade your light without needing to reinstall a charger in your truck, office or workshop.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Like any advanced tactical instrument, there is a manual of arms. A light press will activate the light at the power setting determined by the thumb switch. The light then extinguishes when you release the switch. A full press creates an audible and tactile click and produces a constant-on state. A quick double press engages the strobe. A further solid press in any mode turns the light off.<\/p>\n

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The Streamlight Stinger 2020 features switches that are easy to use and very instinctive.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the features offered on a number of high-end Streamlight lights is called the TEN-TAP programmable switch. This widget is more versatile than an Eagle Scout and allows you to optimize the light to your personal specifications. However, the Stinger 2020 replaces the TEN-TAP system with the more basic mechanical switchology previously discussed. The Stinger 2020 is simpler to use as a result.<\/p>\n