The M61 replaced the M60 and I have to say, while I'm sure it's a fine product, I have no intention of buying any of the M61/91/SHO/etc since they all use reflectors AFAIK. I really like the optic used in the M60 and I would rather have that than a reflector. I'll take 235 lumen in an TIR optic over 260 out of a small-ish reflector.
Keep in mind that I have more than a few Malkoff products, including a P7 DD in a 6P and a Hound Dog XML. But I miss the optic modules.
+1
Elzetta is effectively making them under license. The case, optic, driver, etc are all the same, so potential improvements are from the LED. And the xre is/has not been improved so they are essentially identical.
It's acrylic, as far as I know. If you're concerned about damage, you can put a thin glass lense in front of the optic to prevent hot powder from burning into the optic.Do you happen to know the material that the optic is made from? Mainly I am concerned with scratch/abrasion/chemical resistance as it will live in a VME head (open face) as a weapon-light a few inches from the back end of a suppressor on a 5.56x45 caliber 10.5" barrel SBR. It is going to get blow-back, CLP, and other things on it, and it will be cleaned with a T-shirt, pencil eraser, or other field-expedient thing of similar ilk.
Maybe I'm crazy, but I still like the tint of cool-white XR-Es. I don't know what it is about them, maybe it's because they're the first high-power LEDs I ever experienced, but I like the tint. It strikes just the right balance between not being harsh but still being obviously an LED.
That being said, the M61 is available from Illumination Supply with a Nichia 219 Hi-CRI emitter, and that I'm going to have to try.
It's acrylic, as far as I know. If you're concerned about damage, you can put a thin glass lense in front of the optic to prevent hot powder from burning into the optic.
IMO the M61 is a considerable improvement over the M60 - the technical improvements are a somewhat greater overall output as well as a slightly more efficient emitter. The lower Vf of the newer emitter permits measurably greater output with a single LiIon cell compared to the older M60. Furthermore, many find that the beam from the M61 to be more useful (i.e. having considerably greater spill), myself included.Is this still identical to the module I bought back in 2008, or have any quiet improvements occurred with current production modules? What tint are the current ones?
I have owned both & compared them side-by-side, I've seen what your talking about.I like the M60, but I've never been too fond of the beam variations...for example, I have an M60 which has a super tight compact beam, while another M60 I have is more rounded and less precise...
Anyone else notice this?
That's not much of a test, actually. Even though the alcohol is burning, it evaporates at such a low temperature that it will actually prevent the lense from getting very hot.I did some googling...holy crap!
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_20/544631_Burned_Lens_Polished_Back_to_Like_New.html
That's not much of a test, actually. Even though the alcohol is burning, it evaporates at such a low temperature that it will actually prevent the lense from getting very hot.
Sounds like you lost the tint lottery with your M61. Both mine have a slight greenish tint immediately surrounding the spot, but said spot is very white and the spill is slightly cool. It's there, but I only notice it on white walls, not in real use.
For well over a year, I've been considering getting an M60 to put into an M951 with A12 adapter for a 308 AR. The three CR123s would give nice run time. What's stopped me is the E2DL, with its low weight (in a LaRue offset mount), likely superior throw, and good run times.
I'll probably end up getting one for no other reason than to add to the Malkoff collection.
Grizz