The new 4LUX close quarter grip light maybe one of the best products Viridian has produced so far. The forward grip with integrated close quarters tac light offers a slim grip that attaches directly to an M lock rail. It provides a comfortable grip but still integrates a 400 lumen LED light at the end.
After looking the 4LUX over, I took it out to the range and ran some CQB drills to see how it help up. Keep reading to find out more about the results and final thoughts I have on this new grip light.
Two of the most popular and beneficial attachments you can put on an AR-15, PCC or any other weapon with a tactical rail, is some type of grip and flashlight. When it comes to picking a flashlight, it can be difficult choosing the right model. They come in all shapes and sizes and more importantly, they come in a wide price range. Having options for a tack light or grip can be great, but deciding a price point vs. quality can be overwhelming. The new 4LUX lets you reduce the number of attachments on your weapon by combining the two and it doesn’t sacrifice quality.
First look at the Viridian 4LUX CQ Grip Light
This is what I would call a very slim grip/light combo. The grip light comes in at approximately 145 millimeters long, 20 millimeters thick and the grip portion is about 68 millimeters long. It has some texturing on the sides and some slight serrations on the inside of the rear portion of the grip. For me the texturing was adequate without being overly aggressive.
The activation switch for the light is a small white button in the front portion of the grip where the index finger would go. To activate, you simply squeeze the grip slightly with the index finger and the light is activated. With the size of the switch, I was a little concerned it would be hard to activate while wearing gloves. I took several pair to the range with me so I could test this theory. I used a pair of Mechanix and Viktos tactical gloves and a then a pair of thicker winter gloves. I was able to activate the light without any issues with all three pair.
The Viridian 4LUX CQ is designed to mount directly to your weapons M-Lok handguard. An attachment can also be used for those who have picatinny rails instead of M-Lock mounting systems. I mounted the grip light to several different AR platforms and only found one issue. Some of my shorter AR-Pistols only had 4 1/4” of mounting space for M-Lok and you need at least 4 ½” for the grip to seat all they way against your handguard. This was only an issue however on my shortest weapons.
The Light
The LED light on the Viridian 4LUX CQ Grip Light is a single 400 lumen LED with 850 candelas. The light uses a specialty-made floodlight lens for combat situation and runs on two CR2 3V batteries. 400 lumens is not as bright as some of the other high-end weapon mounted lights out there. The Streamlight Protac rail mount for example is 1,000 lumens. It is also one of the larger weapon mounted lights out there and takes up a lot of real-estate on your weapon. If you want to have activation control for that light, you also must attach the pressure switch which uses up even more of your rail space.
movement.
For me, the 400-lumen light is great for what it was intended for, close quarter scenarios. Brighter is always better, but for the size, this is a bright little light. Comparing the integrated light with a large external light isn’t really a fair comparison. In fact, there are not many lights out there you can compare the Viridian with because it is so compact and integrated in the grip.
I performed some close quarter clearing drills and was very happy with the effectiveness of the light. The run-time on the 4LUX CQ is listed at 90 minutes of constant on. I was also happy to see they powered the light with two (x2) CR2 3v batteries. This is a common battery in weapon mounted lights, and I always have plenty of them lying around.
On the range with the Viridian Grip Light
The part I like the most when reviewing guns and gun-related products is taking it to the range and putting it to the test. I mounted the Forward Grip onto a standard AR-15 with a 16” barrel and started putting some ammo through it. I have always preferred the inward c-clamp hold with the support hand and the Viridian Grip Light made this type of hold feel great. With this type of hold, the grip is being used more of a hand-stop then a grip, but this is what it was intended for.
I performed some speed drills at 25 and 50 yards and then made some shots at 100 yards. The grip was comfortable and made the rifle easy to maneuver. Another thing I wanted to test was whether or not the recoil from the rifle would cause me to pull back against the grip with my index finger and activate the light unintentionally. This was monitored for the next 30 rounds and there were no issues.
Final thoughts
The Viridian 4LUX CQ Grip Light is very thin and compact but still allows a good grip on your weapon. It would be nice if the light was a little brighter, although this is also a compact close quarter light. But hey, I can still wish right?
I think the activation button is what I like the most about this system. It allowed me to activate the light with the slightest pull of my index finger to the rear. With a pressure mounted switch for a light, I am either pushing down with my thumb or squeezing the side of the handguard. This allows me to keep a good grip on the weapon and use only my index finger to activate the light. It allows me to remove my current tac light and have one less thing on my rifle to carry around.
Someday I would love to see this grip with a built-in light and laser combo … hint, hint. But regardless, I will definitely be using the Viridian 4LUX CQ Grip Light in the future.
4LUX CQ Grip Light Specs
- Auto on when gripped
- M-Lok mount
- Battery Life = 90 minutes (constant on)
- 2x CR2 3v battery type
- High-strength polymer & machined aluminum
- Operating temperature of -40 to 140*F
- 3.76 ounces
- 7-year warranty
- Lumens: 400
- Candela: 850
Will this fit on the standard mlok Magpul MOE handguard? It looks like it would be a tight fit if it does.