The Down Range Forum

Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: fightingquaker13 on August 12, 2009, 10:33:53 PM

Title: Gander Mt. Shopping Trip
Post by: fightingquaker13 on August 12, 2009, 10:33:53 PM
Ok. Tonight I took my mom out to dinner. The deal was I had to make a "quick" run into Gander Mt. on the way. This was not a problem as they have a great selection of stuffed critters and she loves to spoil her very young great nephews. So while she was looking at the stuffed beasts,I was looking at the the ammo and tac lights. Good news, ammo wise was that .556 PMC was there for $10 per 20 rds. Not a bargain but no complaints either. The Tac lights were a complete revelation though. They had a house brand 200 lumen model on sale for $39. I had always been sceptical of this stuff, figuring my mini mag and 3 D cell mag had lasted me this long and damned if I was going to drop $100+ on a flashlight.
WRONG! This thing is small enough to be hidden by my hand, vanish in a pocket and lights up the back yard. No joke it is far brighter than my three D cell mag light and makes my my mini mag look like a joke. It was worth every penny. I would reccomend checking them out even though I have owned the thing less than a day and so can make no claims regarding durability. It really does turn night into day inside of 20 yards and thats all we need.
FQ13
Title: Re: Gander Mt. Shopping Trip
Post by: blackwolfe on August 12, 2009, 10:51:16 PM
What country was it made in?
Title: Re: Gander Mt. Shopping Trip
Post by: fightingquaker13 on August 12, 2009, 11:00:26 PM
What country was it made in?

The light is made by a company called CREE. Nowhere on the packaging or light body does it say country of origin. I thought this was required, but apparently not. Judging by the price, I think we can guess. 220 lumens, $39 = China. My bad, but I did want to test out a high out put light before dropping the cash on something like a surefire. This one, wherever it was made tells me that I was a hopeless old fart to rely on a mini-mag. It is far superior.
FQ13
Title: Re: Gander Mt. Shopping Trip
Post by: True_Texan on August 13, 2009, 10:07:57 AM
You may need to re-read the packaging FQ. CREE manufactures the LEDs bulbs that flashlights use, which that is one heck of a good bulb. They have fantastic run time and are extremely bright. The CREE brand LEDs are used in numerous brands of flash lights.

Other then that bit of info, I have no idea who makes rest of the flashlight components for the Gander Mt. branding. You could always check out http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ and see what they say about it.

It honestly doesn't matter either way really... If you're happy with it, and it will light up the night then it's a good flashlight.
Title: Re: Gander Mt. Shopping Trip
Post by: jnevis on August 13, 2009, 10:29:13 AM
Welcome to the land of truly great flashlights.  I am a confessed gear head when it comes to flashlights and knives, among other things.  I have a couple of Surefires and love them.  I have also picked up "off brand" lights to see how good they are.  I picked up a "Smith and Wesson" one at Sports Authority for about $25 that I have beat to hell but it still works.  I have a few Gerber pocket lights too.  Now a mini-mag or even a C or D cel Mag is for working on the car or plane but a "Tactical light" is for everything else.
Title: Re: Gander Mt. Shopping Trip
Post by: Walter45Auto on August 13, 2009, 12:36:43 PM
I have a Streamlight TLR-1 that I got from Sportsman's Guide for $89. I actually know a Dallas police officer who carries one on his Duty weapon, a SIG 226. I like My Streamlight. But it sounds like you got a good deal on a good flashlight. Does it come with any kind of warranty??
Title: Re: Gander Mt. Shopping Trip
Post by: fightingquaker13 on August 13, 2009, 12:52:49 PM
I have a Streamlight TLR-1 that I got from Sportsman's Guide for $89. I actually know a Dallas police officer who carries one on his Duty weapon, a SIG 226. I like My Streamlight. But it sounds like you got a good deal on a good flashlight. Does it come with any kind of warranty??
It doesn't say, but in my limited experience (1 broken fishing rod, which also had no warranty attached) Gander is good about their house brand stuff. They just gave me a new one and didn't even need the sob story and this was on a $30 rod. Second best service I've gotten next to loomis and that rod cost a wee bit more.
FQ13
Title: Re: Gander Mt. Shopping Trip
Post by: Timothy on August 13, 2009, 01:50:22 PM
Are Gander Mtn's bigger in other parts of the country?  I visited one outside of Cleveland and it was a bitter dissapointment.  It was about half the size of our Dicks Sporting Goods and didn't have much to offer!
Title: Re: Gander Mt. Shopping Trip
Post by: fightingquaker13 on August 13, 2009, 02:16:34 PM
Are Gander Mtn's bigger in other parts of the country?  I visited one outside of Cleveland and it was a bitter dissapointment.  It was about half the size of our Dicks Sporting Goods and didn't have much to offer!
Well, if we start talking about the size of Dicks, Mlette will have us in the corner for months (and everyone will lie). ;D And yes folks I'll be here all week, please tip your bartender. Seriously, my local one, the only one I've been to, is almost the size of a Bass Pro. Big enough for boats, an archery range and a restatraunt.
FQ13
Title: Re: Gander Mt. Shopping Trip
Post by: Kid Shelleen on August 13, 2009, 02:40:06 PM
My Brother-in-Law (Johnny Bravo) recently gave me a 160 lumen TechLite, Lumen Master. It is available from Costco at 2 for 19.99. It is a great light and a real flame thrower.

Here is his post about them:

I've got a new Tac light that might interest you guys. To begin with it is chocked full of features.

Now the specs: It has an aircraft grade annodized aluminum body. It has a LED bulb. It has a polycarbonate lens and vacuum plated reflector. It has adjustable focus. It puts out 160 lumens on the 3 AAA batteries that come with each of the two lights. It is water resistant for 30 minutes at 1 meter. It is shockproff. It has a striking bezel. It has 4 settings; 160 lumen full power, 80 lumen half power, strobe and momentary switch, all tail cap operated. It has a low battery indicator in the tail switch that illuminates at 20 % power. It also has an electronic optimizer to maintain constant lumen output for the life of the batteries. It comes with an attached lanyard.

I tested the battery life on the 160 lumen full power setting. The 3 AAA batteries lasted for 1 1/2 hours at full output. I shut the light off and I was surprised to see that it came back on and operated at half power. Pretty good for a 160 lumen light on cheap AAAs.

Now the price. They come in a package of 2 for 19.99. You can pick them up at your local Costco. Item # 406343 FLASHLIGHT.
Title: Re: Gander Mt. Shopping Trip
Post by: Hazcat on August 13, 2009, 02:47:24 PM
My Brother-in-Law (Johnny Bravo) recently gave me a 160 lumen TechLite, Lumen Master. It is available from Costco at 2 for 19.99. It is a great light and a real flame thrower.

Here is his post about them:

I've got a new Tac light that might interest you guys. To begin with it is chocked full of features.

Now the specs: It has an aircraft grade annodized aluminum body. It has a LED bulb. It has a polycarbonate lens and vacuum plated reflector. It has adjustable focus. It puts out 160 lumens on the 3 AAA batteries that come with each of the two lights. It is water resistant for 30 minutes at 1 meter. It is shockproff. It has a striking bezel. It has 4 settings; 160 lumen full power, 80 lumen half power, strobe and momentary switch, all tail cap operated. It has a low battery indicator in the tail switch that illuminates at 20 % power. It also has an electronic optimizer to maintain constant lumen output for the life of the batteries. It comes with an attached lanyard.

I tested the battery life on the 160 lumen full power setting. The 3 AAA batteries lasted for 1 1/2 hours at full output. I shut the light off and I was surprised to see that it came back on and operated at half power. Pretty good for a 160 lumen light on cheap AAAs.

Now the price. They come in a package of 2 for 19.99. You can pick them up at your local Costco. Item # 406343 FLASHLIGHT.

We don't have Costco here.  Can ya help a brother?  ;D
Title: Re: Gander Mt. Shopping Trip
Post by: PegLeg45 on August 13, 2009, 08:16:22 PM
We don't have Costco here.  Can ya help a brother?  ;D


And at those prices, Kid can dole 'em out like crack.     ;D
Title: Re: Gander Mt. Shopping Trip
Post by: cookie62 on August 14, 2009, 07:46:50 PM
They built a new gander mountain about a hour from me, it's as big as any bass pro I've been in. Gun selection was awesome ;D
Title: Re: Gander Mt. Shopping Trip
Post by: ericire12 on August 14, 2009, 09:18:49 PM
They just put a 70,000 sq ft Academy Sports neat where I live.... WOW ITS GREAT!  :o
Title: Re: Gander Mt. Shopping Trip
Post by: Pathfinder on August 14, 2009, 09:42:21 PM
They built a new gander mountain about a hour from me, it's as big as any bass pro I've been in. Gun selection was awesome ;D

They just put a 70,000 sq ft Academy Sports neat where I live.... WOW ITS GREAT!  :o

Not that we're playing 1-upmanship or anything, but we have a Gander Mtn., a former Sportsmen's Warehouse (now Canadian-based Warehouse Sports), a Scheel's (Regional chain's anchor/HQ store, big enough to have a Ferris wheel in the middle of the store - two stories of all manner of outdoor goodies - and guns, Guns GUNS), and a Mom and Pop gun/outdoor  shop - all within 2 miles of each other. Plus another Scheel's across the river in Moorhead, plus a TSC and a Mills Fleet/Farm with great hunting/camping and GUNS departments.

Oh yeah, and a Cabela's across the river in East Grand Forks about an hour north. Have to unsaddle the CCW when I cross the river though - bummer!  >:(

And here I am unemployed with no money for goodies - huge bummer!!!!  >:(  >:(  >:(