Have you owned a SureFire?

[cland72]

Because nobody can compete with surefire

Oh, and to stay compliant with this thread, yes I own a surefire, just bought a M6 last week.

[JohnnyBravo]

Yes, and still do. I bought a 9P around 1996/1997. Around 2000-2003 I bought the 200 lumens P91 OEM bulb. But after a power outage and continuous usage, the OEM plastic lens melted. Called c/s and they sent out a replacement bezel w/ a glass lens... Nice.

[Monocrom]

Surefires markup must be huge. Why else do u think stores like Cabelas do not carry competing brands?

Cabela's carries Streamlight, LED Lenser, and a couple of other brands besides SureFire.

[cancow]

Exactly, none of the competition in that price range.

Cabela's carries Streamlight, LED Lenser, and a couple of other brands besides SureFire.

[CLHC]

It's been a few years and a bunch of lights since I started collecting. After reading a thread this evening it occured to me, I've never owned a SureFire. Have you?

Sure! They're spread out here and there with more than quite a few lost and stolen. No regrets purchasing/owning SureFire Flashlights.

[tjswarbrick]

I've got 3:

G2z with M61WL,
6P with M61W and McClicky,
C2 with M61 219 and McClicky.

3 of my favorite lights - if you don't need, or want, multiple modes, I can't recommend them highly enough.

[nbp]

Exactly, none of the competition in that price range.

What competing brands are you thinking of?

And what does it have to do with whether people own/have owned SFs?

[Rat]

Hey I own one or two Surefire lights and just love them.
One of the many things I like about them is all the cool mods you can do to them.
Thanks to all the great people around the world making some great add on parts you guys rule.
It's a bit like owning a cool car and purchasing aftermarket parts for it. Just adds a bit more buzz to the hobby.

I have now sold most of my other band lights exculsive SF forever and a few Custom's

I have a pic


Somebody gave this NIB LT2 to me with a Surefire purchase I never did know what to do with it

Hey I can now post a pic of my Solarforce in the Show your Solarforce Part II thread

cheers


EDIT: for email subscribe to this thread.

[BIGLOU]

Rat I love that photo. Epic! Now we need the one of a Surefires knurreling (sp?) filing down on an inferior light.

[Kestrel]

Rat I love that photo. Epic! Now we need the one of a Surefires knurreling (sp?) filing down on an inferior light.

At your service.

So... Can a Surefire REALLY saw through another flashlight?

[...] It took about 45-50 minutes of constant grinding, cramped hands, and listening to that horrible noise , but I finally saw what appeared to be a small hole in the side of the Mini-Mag. You can see it in the lower right area of the scar.



[...]

OK, so that's all well and good. We know the fate of the Mini-Mag, but how does the Surefire look after all of this?

First some cleaning was in order because this was the mess I was left with when I was done:



Now for some before and after pictures of the L4.

This is what it looked like before I began:



This is what it looked like after. Again, bear in mind that it just went through nearly an hour of constant grinding, all concentrated on this one side of its body:



And a look from the other side:



There is definitely some damage to the finish, and the knurling on that side is a little "smoother" than before I started, but all things considered I would have to say that it really doesn't look too bad.

[BIGLOU]

Thanks for the photo Kestrel. That L4 still looks great. My most worn 6P knurrelling has about the same wear.

[allan d]

Yes,

G2 M61L
G2 M61WL
6P M61
9P M61SHO

[Filjos]

Which two?

An e2 (I don't remember which model exactly, just that it was a two cell E series, I think) and a G2 Nitrolon.

[Monocrom]

Thanks, Kestrel.

You illustrated why I can't stand the new smoother, kinder, gentler, SureFire bodies.

How are we supposed to saw through metal with the new ones?

[fyrstormer]

I remember when Muyshondt did a similar test, using a Nautilus (or was it an Aeon) as a makeshift rotary bit to cut through a Maglite. The problem with that test is the same problem with the test shown above: the wear is concentrated on one point on the Maglite, but it's spread across the a much larger surface on the Surefire. For the test to be fair, both lights would need to be spinning, at right-angles to each other, and see which one wears-through first. Or at least the setup would need to be reversed, with the Maglite having a chance to try to cut through the Surefire in return.

I'm still pretty sure it would fail, but the results would be much more evenly-matched.

[Kestrel]

I remember when Muyshondt did a similar test, using a Nautilus (or was it an Aeon) as a makeshift rotary bit to cut through a Maglite. The problem with that test is the same problem with the test shown above: the wear is concentrated on one point on the Maglite, but it's spread across the a much larger surface on the Surefire. For the test to be fair, both lights would need to be spinning, at right-angles to each other, and see which one wears-through first. Or at least the setup would need to be reversed, with the Maglite having a chance to try to cut through the Surefire in return.

I'm still pretty sure it would fail, but the results would be much more evenly-matched.

If you would bother to actually read the referenced thread you would see that the test in question was also reversed.

[nbp]

Hey I own one or two Surefire lights and just love them.
One of the many things I like about them is all the cool mods you can do to them.
Thanks to all the great people around the world making some great add on parts you guys rule.
It's a bit like owning a cool car and purchasing aftermarket parts for it. Just adds a bit more buzz to the hobby.

I have now sold most of my other band lights exculsive SF forever and a few Custom's

I have a pic


Somebody gave this NIB LT2 to me with a Surefire purchase I never did know what to do with it

Hey I can now post a pic of my Solarforce in the Show your Solarforce Part II thread

cheers


EDIT: for email subscribe to this thread.

Awwwwweeeeesssssooooommmmeee!!

[tam17]

No, I haven't.

Sadly this thread is sliding from its original intent towards dissing other flashlight brands.

Cheers

[mvyrmnd]

No, I haven't.

Sadly this thread is sliding from its original intent towards dissing other flashlight brands.

Cheers

It's bounced back from the brink a few times....

[brianna]

I find it funny that most people who disrespect Surefire always complain about how expensive they are. I can get a china light that does this or that for so much less money. Every light will break, but a Surefire will rarely let you down. Tons of broken china light threads, but very few failures for a Surefire.

I think jealousy is the real reason for most of the I hate Surefire threads. You simply can not afford it so you will do your best to throw poop. If you look at the marketplace. I am pretty sure you will be able to find the Surefire you always wanted at a price you can afford. Then you too can experience a Surefire, and finally understand why people are willing to pay the price for a really great light.

[jorgen]

O
/[]\

[mvyrmnd]

Maybe I spoke too soon!

[brianna]

I own more than 50 flashlights most are made in the good ol' USA but I've never bought a Surefire light. they seem underpowered, outdated and overpriced. I attribute their popularity to their NRA endorsements rather than build quality and features.

So you own more then 50 mag light flashlights. And you think Surefire is underpowered, outdated, and over priced? This is just another sad I hate Surefire because I can't afford it reply.

[Rat]

Maybe I spoke too soon!

[cland72]

Here is a question to keep this thread semi on track: which is your favorite Surefire, if you've had the pleasure of owning one?

I'm kind of flaky on which one I like the most month to month, but right now I'm really digging my E1B.

[Monocrom]

Here is a question to keep this thread semi on track: which is your favorite Surefire, if you've had the pleasure of owning one?

Latest Generation L1.

I had mine modded. But the truth is, even in stock form it's a fantastic light. Output numbers seem low. But specs. are often far from everything. Definitely true in the case of the L1.

[jleedc]

I have not gotten one for me, I did send one to a friend in the Army. I will get one someday.

[cland72]

Latest Generation L1.

I had mine modded. But the truth is, even in stock form it's a fantastic light. Output numbers seem low. But specs. are often far from everything. Definitely true in the case of the L1.

The only reason I haven't jumped on a latest Gen L1 is because it has what looks to be an aspherical lens, and I hate the square style beam it creates (I once had a SF X200 and hated it). Is that the case on the newest L1, or is the beam pattern different?

[Monocrom]

Definitely different. No square beam at all.

One thing I personally like about it is that, unlike every other single-CR123 light with a bezel-up carry clip, you can actually use the clip for what it was intended for. And the light isn't going to flop out of your pants pocket. Ironically, this is due to something that a lot of others have complained about. The fact that it's a bit too long for a light running off of one CR123 cell. Truth is, that extra bit of length also allows me to get a firm grip by being able to wrap all of my fingers around the light. The L1 is great in the hand. The extra bit of length is to accommodate the great U.I.

Plus, it's not that long. Not as though EDCing it in a pocket is going to be an issue. It's as long as a single-AA flashlight.

[Up All Night]

The only reason I haven't jumped on a latest Gen L1 is because it has what looks to be an aspherical lens, and I hate the square style beam it creates (I once had a SF X200 and hated it). Is that the case on the newest L1, or is the beam pattern different?

Latest generation of this light uses the TIR, same beam profile as your E1B.
I've been trying to acquire one myself but the two I've looked at had less than pleasing tints, plus the dealer wanted full retail. I was going to go back to see if an rcr123 would help boost the tint more to my liking, apparently others weren't as picky.....ALL GONE!!
If you come across one and the package specs are 65 lumen high, 10 lumen low, that's the latest version.