Suggestion on a light for law enforcement use

[san~man]

This is my first post here, so please be kind. I did read the Welcome Mat before making this, and have read numerous threads here before this post.

I'm in law enforcement, and am looking for a light for house/building searches, but mainly in houses. This light would have to be worn on my duty belt, so keep that in mind when you get to the size area. We are issued Surefire rechargeable lights (non-LED, approximately 7" long and 1" in diameter at the bottom of the tube) which are total crap, so I'm buying one on my own. Here's my criteria on what I'm looking for:

1. Price: not necessarily an issue, but it has to be a light I can just purchase on the internet and not have someone custom build.
2. Size: Something no longer than 7" (that's the size of the Poorfire I have now).
3. Throw: since it will be primarily used for searches, I would "like" something with a decent hot spot and with good throw, if such an animal exists. Keep in mind I'm not looking to light up something 50 feet away, but more along the lines of 10-20 feet (at most) if not closer at times.
4. Batteries: must be rechargeable batteries. I don't have a preference of
size (123's or 18650's would be fine), but I would like a recommendation on either of the two to use also, along with good brands of rechargeable batteries. I'm guessing I'll be in the 2pc 123 light size/18650 size, so if I read correctly, the 2 123 size lights will offer more run time than the single 18650 light, right?
5. Run time: I purchased an ROV SEW43C for the times I need good light with a long run time (after reading a few threads on it here), so very long run time isn't a big issue. I need a bright beam for no more than an hour at a time (and that's the very end of the run time spectrum for me).
6. Did I miss anything else?

This is a great forum, and thanks for any help in advance. :thumbsup:

 

[kilgor]

How big in girth can it be? Maglite sized or must it be 123 sized?

 

[san~man]

How big in girth can it be? Maglite sized or must it be 123 sized?

The current light (Poorfire) is about 123 size in diameter (edited the original post).

 

[Gunner12]

A 18650 battery has more capacity the 2 CR123 batteries.

There are many lights that will fit in your options(well, most will throw 100 yards no problem so the hotspot might be too bright).

Options that I can think off right now:
Dereelight CL1H
Surefire 6PL, G2L, G3L, L4, L2, L5
Fenix T1(8% off coupon at Fenix Store is "CPG8")
Lumapower M1, M1-R, M1 Q5
Regalight(Ignore the silly pictures)

There are quire a few more but most have a reverse clickie and have multimodes which might be hard to use in a stressful situation(Fenix L2D-CE Q5 is an example).

:welcome:

 

[USM0083]

Something along the lines of a G3L with 2 x 17500 cells would work perfectly. I like the color rendition of the P60L, and 2 x 17500 would give excellent runtime. It has good brightness and throw, more than adequate for what you describe. And you can always change the lamp to a higher output LED or even a stock P90 if you wanted to.

I'm running a Lumens Factory HO-9 in this, a 6P + denotator extension.

I've dropped a P60L in it but decided to keep a couple of incandencants handy, and the HO-9 will light up a hillside at 60 yards. The P60L lives in an old 6Z with 2 primaries.

I'm a LEO and I carry a G2Z with a P4 CREE dropin in a V70 holster on my left side. On my right and behind my holster sits a Tiablo A8S, which replaces a SF 8AX. The 8AX was used for almost 8 years and is still on it's first lamp. One battery last 45 min and the other 20, and it was a good light when issued but has been retired.

 

[Bloodnut]

san~man,

Hi. This question is asked on a regular basis, but no worries - that just means we all have our answers down pat.

My STRONG suggestion is a Surefire G2/6P/9P with a Malkoff Devices M60 drop-in. (Google Malkoff Devices and sign up for the email list.) This will result in a familiar form factor, with sufficient brightness and run time. If you go this route, you will *not* be sorry. This is my standard answer for any LEO looking for a basic "tactical" light.

As far as the performace of your current light. I wonder if your battery has crapped out. Surefires are very robust and durable. This is a big reason why there is such a wide array of aftermarket add-ons available, compared to other brands.

 

[adamlau]

Pelican 7060 LED. Standard LAPD issue, about 8.5-inches in length. Otherwise, a 6PD with a Wolf-Eyes 2-Mode (high mode + disruptive strobe) Q5 assembly.

 

[depusm12]

I am a fellow LEO one of my primary lights is the Pelican 7060 led, fantastic light I would whole heartedly recommend it. Or a Surefire 6P/Z2 with the Malkoff Q5 drop-in. I have a Malkoff dropin in my C2 now that's my backup light.

 

[afraidofdark]

hi san~man :welcome:

+2 for the surefire 6P with the Malkoff M60 dropin. I'm not a LEO, but this light is one of the brightest single emittor lights I own, with a perfect combination of throw and flood, wrapped up in the legendary 6P host.

I run mine on two RCR123 cells.

 

[Sir Lightalot]

what is the model of your current surefire? have you considered just getting an led p60 drop in? that ought to spruce it up! :thumbsup:

 

[Ducati]

san~man,
Why do you think your poorfire is crap? Light output? No clicky? I was in the same boat as you a few months ago. I bought a $10 Dealextreme.com dropin (6090) for my crappy 6P. It's almost as bright as the Dereelight CL1H I had bought at around the same time. Here's my comparison of both https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/186133. If you like your form factor of your poorfire, just get a $10 drop in and go from there.

Oh yeah, :welcome:

 

[PhantomPhoton]

If you're looking for an LED around the size of a Surefire, but want brighter, rechargeable, some decent throw and heavy duty construction, I'd recommend Wolf Eyes lights.

I'd go with a 9A raider w/ Cree Q5 dropin. The 9D Raider will probably work well too. Linked is the whole package with cells and charger. Don't forget PTS gives a CPF discount. Mike@PTS can give you plenty of good advice so if you have any questions give him a ring.

 

[woodrow]

You might try the Wolfeyes fox Q5 focusable led light. It will take a 18650 and has a forward switch. It has a very bright spillbeam and decent throw for the ranges you are looking at. Mike at Pts flashlights carries them...$99.

 

[LukeA]

Pelican 7060 LED. Standard LAPD issue, about 8.5-inches in length. Otherwise, a 6PD with a Wolf-Eyes 2-Mode (high mode + disruptive strobe) Q5 assembly.

I came in here to recommend the 7060 as well. You don't have to deal with exposed cells to charge it and it's mad bright.

 

[woodrow]

........We are issued Surefire rechargeable lights (non-LED, approximately 7" long and 1" in diameter at the bottom of the tube) which are total crap, .......
This is a great forum, and thanks for any help in advance. :thumbsup:

I might advise not trashing one of the favorite light brands of lights by a majority of the members here on your first post. I also had the light you now have, and it not the brightest in the world by any means...but I would not call it crap. It was still made well and has a lifetime warrenty. It just is not bright enough for you.

Think PC....maybe brightness challanged

 

[kilgor]

I might advise not trashing one of the favorite light brands of lights by a majority of the members here on your first post. I also had the light you now have, and it not the brightest in the world by any means...but I would not call it crap. It was still made well and has a lifetime warrenty. It just is not bright enough for you.

Think PC....maybe brightness challanged

You should rethink priorities if you are personally offended because someone dislikes a particular brand of flashlight.

 

[san~man]

I might advise not trashing one of the favorite light brands of lights by a majority of the members here on your first post. I also had the light you now have, and it not the brightest in the world by any means...but I would not call it crap. It was still made well and has a lifetime warrenty. It just is not bright enough for you.

It is crap, that's my opinion of it. The thing is 9 years old, it's crap and needs to be replaced. I did not say all SF are crap, just the light I have.

To everyone else, thanks for the suggestions. I'll look into the ones recommended.

*Edit* I found my old 6Z-anything I can do to this one or is it a lost cause?

 

[san~man]

what is the model of your current surefire? have you considered just getting an led p60 drop in? that ought to spruce it up! :thumbsup:

I'm not sure of the model. The paint markings have all been rubbed off over the years.

 

[Beastmaster]

Get a Malkoff M60, or a Bug Out Gear Super Premium Cree P60 drop in.

Your 6Z will be happy.

-Steve

*Edit* I found my old 6Z-anything I can do to this one or is it a lost cause?

 

[kongfuchicken]

You mentioned you have a mrv. How much brighter do you want this one to be than that?

Also, depending on what your old rechargeable sf model is, you can probably convert that one with a LED drop-in and swap the battery with a better nimh or li-ion pack and keep exactly the same light but improve the performance drastically without having to rebuy a new one.