Surefire Lights

[thehappyman]

I know there is a bunch of Surefire fans out there. Some questions for you guys..... (this is just for surefire lights)

Which SF light is the "brightest" ?
Which SF light has the longest throw ?
Which SF light has the best "Spill Beam" ?
Recommendations ? (not limited to SF)

Thanks for your input

Thehappyman

[benchmade_boy]

i would say the lonest throw and bightest would be the SF M6 with a hola and for side spill probably the SF L4 just my .02

[cue003]

Surefire KingPin is member Size15's. He has or has had probably every possible SF product.

Curtis

[Illum]

Im not really a Surefire fan...Im an INOVA light fan and a SUREFIRE battery fan...can I still vote?

[Kiessling]

I guess all questions could be answered with the "Hellfire" at the moment.
However, a recommendation it is not, for various reasons, price and portability being the most obvious.

All boils down to some mroe precise questions ... especially what kind of application we are looking at ... pocket carry ... runtime needed ... brightness needed ... etc.

bernie

[dragoman]

Brightest Surefire.....hmmm, maybe the "Beast" or the Hellfire.....

As far as common, reasonably priced production flashlights, an M6 HOLA, 10X Dominator will both put out 500 lumens, with an M4 HOLA all putting out a rated 350 lumens....

Throw wise - not speaking from experience, probably the M4 Turbohead with HOLA will throw furthest

Most sidespill - M6 has a lot, and alot of the Lux5's are spill-monsters - L4, L5, L6, etc.....


dragoman

[Size15's]

Which SF light is the "brightest" ?

Brightest meaning?
Highest colour temperature? Handheld? Beast.
Total lumen output? Handheld? Beast.
Most intense beam? Handheld? Beast.

Which SF light has the longest throw ?

Handheld? Beast.

Which SF light has the best "Spill Beam" ?

This question could be read a number of ways...
'best spill beam in relation to the central beam' Difficult. M6 or 10X perhaps.
'best spill beam regardless of the central beam' Beast.
'best spill beam without a central beam' ? KL2 bezel on M3 or M6 body.

Recommendations ? (not limited to SF)

For a flashlight? For the best flashlight? For what application?

Get a Beast. Get an M6. Get an A2. Get an L2.
Get them all!

[Size15's]

Without being Beastly...

The best, longest throwing SureFire beam ever produced and sold through dealers is the 9NT (imho)

The highest output SureFire is the 10X, and brighter still the 10X with optional high output duty lamp.

Al

[cue003]

Al, are you saying the 9NT because of the 3 inch head? Or is there something else about the 9NT that makes it the "best".

Does SF still sell the "T" portion of the 9N? i could get my hands on a 9N but not sure about a 9NT. Is there someone that still sells these or has these in stock?

Curtis

[Size15's]

Al, are you saying the 9NT because of the 3 inch head? Or is there something else about the 9NT that makes it the "best".

Does SF still sell the "T" portion of the 9N? i could get my hands on a 9N but not sure about a 9NT. Is there someone that still sells these or has these in stock?

Curtis

Yes. Well maybe the 12PM with T TurboHead... Although the extra light makes it difficult under some conditions...

The 9NT beam is bright, intense and narrow. I think that's the difference. The light output is concentrated into a very narrow beam.

I don't believe SureFire has any T3 TurboHeads left in stock.
The T3 is specifically and only for the 9N.
(not for any other model)

Finding one will be like finding rocking horse droppings.

Al

[jtivat]

To confuse it even further there are two versions of the old T1 3" Turbo Head one with a smother or less orange peel reflector that throws even further. I would say this T Head with the N62 is the furthest throwing SureFire. I will say I have not seen it next to the T3.

[Illum]

Isn't it awesome to have the admin dominating the posts?

reflecting the thread, ahem...I think the Beast is possibly the best handhald light made, but what are the chances of someone spending $4G on it...with $4000 you can buy just about all the lights from flashlightreviews and still have change for the bubble gum machines

[schrenz]

Finding one will be like finding rocking horse droppings.

Al

???
Al, excuse my poor English, but to me this sentence sounds Klingonian

My own had been very cheap .

But you are right, the 9NT is a light-sword, relative to throw a 12ZM or a M4 HOLA (I've no M6 (yet )) can't mess with it.
I think only a 3 Inch TH on a 12ZM/ 12PM can beat it (?), but I haven't one, and the only one I have seen in the last months on ebay, the seller had been unwillingly to ship it to europe
Jens

[Size15's]

Can we agree that it is extremely unlikely that we will be able to find Schaukelpferde Scheiße?

Yes, there are two main types of T TurboHead reflector. I don't have the earlier version that is more mirror-like. I am not certain this will make a significant difference to the N62 beam though. Perhaps it will. Perhaps the large amount of light still gets in the way.

[schrenz]

Now I understand what the google-translater has wanted to tell me with its "swinging-horse".
To the toppic:The mirror-like 3inch T1/ 2/ 4 (>>> look in the turbohead threat) with a N62 will beat the 9NT, it only a supposition, how I said it before , I don't own such a head. (pm me if someone will sell one )

Jens

Edit: Just removed a mistake in the turbohead terms, after looking in the old threat

[Size15's]

This is very important!

SureFire supply TurboHead KITS. These are the TurboHead itself, a specific Lamp Assembly and any collar adapter required to attach it to the flashlight body.



The T1, T2 & T4 feature the same TurboHead and adapter collar but the lamp assembly is different.

T1 has the N1 lamp for two-SF123A standard bodies (6P, G2 etc)
T2 has the N2 lamp for three-SF123A standard bodies (9P, C3 etc)
T4 has the N4 lamp for B65 NiCad battery stick bodies (6R, G2R etc)

The T5 has the N5 lamp for use on the 8X/8AX/8NX/L7 flashlights.

The T3 has the N3 lamp for use on the 9N flashlight only.

You must ensure you know what you want, and you know what you're buying to avoid disappointment.

There is no way to tell which reflector version you are buying unless you see a photo of it, post it here and we'll help confirm it for you.

Al

[Size15's]

Currently, SureFire has the KT Series of TurboHead kits:



The KT1 & KT2 are the same KT TurboHead and adapter collar but the KT1 features the N1 lamp (for two-SF123A bodies) and the KT2 features the N2 lamp (for three-SF123A bodies).

The KT3 is only for the 9AN and nothing else.

The KT4 is the Millennium TurboHead (not shown above) and the kit comes with the MN15 & MN16 lamps to convert the M3 into an M3T (or the A into AB WeaponLight)

The KT5 is for the 8NX/8AX/L7.

Al

[Size15's]

Notice that the rim of this T TurboHead (disregard for the moment it is a T3) is straight:


But that the rim of this T TurboHead (on the left) has a 'lip':


These are the two main styles of T TurboHead.
The straight version being the earlier design.

SOME (but not all as far as I can tell) of the straight versions also featured a more mirror-like reflector finish. As far as I recall I have not seen a lipped version with this mirror-like finish.

NONE of these Turboheads feature the mirror-like finish we are referring to:


Al

[schrenz]

Removed my wrong term (T3)and now use the right ones (T1,2,4).

What about a stickie at the old turbohead-lamp-assembly threat?
Very useful for such questions!
Jens

[PoliceScannerMan]

Excellent posts Al (Size15's), it is hard to keepup with all this SF TH stuff! I have a 6P on the way w/ a T1(SRTH) on it I guess. I am looking foward to adding Battery extenders to it and trying different lamps!

[chesterqw]

umm... get a beast II!! not the old beast...

that thing just rocks everyones world...(the price alone will rock your wallet too :P )

[Size15's]

Excellent posts Al (Size15's), it is hard to keepup with all this SF TH stuff! I have a 6P on the way w/ a T1(SRTH) on it I guess. I am looking foward to adding Battery extenders to it and trying different lamps!

Note that the SRTH (Short Rim TurboHead sold exclusively through LPS) is NOT the same as the T TurboHead.
The SRTH is 2.5" diameter. The T TurboHead is 3" diameter.

You may well have a 6P on the way with an SRTH TurboHead & N1 lamp.
That seems more likely.

[Size15's]

umm... get a beast II!! not the old beast...

that thing just rocks everyones world...(the price alone will rock your wallet too :P )

"The Beast" is the generic term for the family of Beasts - I agree - get the latest version - Beast II rather than the limited edition Beast.

[Illum]

"The Beast" is the generic term for the family of Beasts - I agree - get the latest version - Beast II rather than the limited edition Beast.

Is it still possible to fine the limited edition Beast?
ugh, chances are they will be worth way more than the $4000

[Pokerstud]

I can't read all 1400 plus reply's, but I need to ask some questions about Surefire flashlights. I have Inova's, T5(in shop), T3,T2,T1,XO,X5,X1 . I want to start on the Surefire line. WHY? Because I got hooked on wanting a fine collection. I need opinions on the E1L,E2L,L4,L5 from "experienced" owners and users. I will limit myself to a price ceiling, say <$250.00 . I would have never thought flashlights would grow on me, man was I wrong. I even ordered a 3W led for my 2D maglite. Reading CPF every day has reeled me in. There is a ton of experience and knowledge in CPF. If my wife found out what I spend on flashlights, I'd have to "upsize" that glittery thing on her left hand ring finger. Talk to me guys, make me proud! OH! does anybody make a D cell lithium battery? I'm

[Size15's]

Pokerstud,
I think you had better start your own thread rather than turn this one to answering your questions.

Thanks,
Al