if any of my flashlights leak, a simple cleaning and lubing of the O-rings usually does the job. the problem with the surefire bezels with pyrex lenses, is that if they leak, there's nothing you can about it except get a new bezel since they cannot be easily taken apart.
even if surefire sends you one free of charge, its still an inconvenience to wait the 1 or 2 weeks (or sometimes months!) for the part to arrive before you can use it the way it should be.
i still cannot understand why surefire doesn't use a more straightforward design to their bezels, similar to the maglite and pelican M6 bezels where by the lens is sealed against an O-ring in the face cap, which is screwed onto the bezel. instead, they use an (IMHO) overly complicated method for their pyrex bezels, which is sealed shut. not only is it wasteful since you have to toss out a good bezel due to a leaking seal or a damaged lens, it also doesn't seem to work well all the time.
as i've mentioned a few times before, i had both an E2e and M2 leak through the lens (not through the other O-ring seals). and the M2 is supposed to be a "special operations" light. i suppose special operations means having to worry about getting it wet? and to clarify what under what circumstances they leaked, both lights were exposed to rain. after i dried them out, i used a showerhead to spray water on them and water got in through the lens seals again.
since the A2 appears to use the same bezel design as the E2e, i would expect the water resistance from unit to unit to vary as well. ever noticed that surefire only offers an "N" certification for the 6Ps now? the 6P uses a snap-fit lexan bezel which in my experience is more consistant with water-resistance, and this could be the reason for it. this is the reason i would take a surefire lexan bezel over a pyrex one any day, and its why i chose an old model C2 with a lexan lens as my EDC along with my arc AAA. the new-style 6P which is not "N" certified i have is just as resistant to water as my C2.
anyway i've discovered a useful method to check how waterproof your surefire is. screw on the tailcap tight, remove the bezel, then screw it back on again. check to see if the rubber tailcap cover is bulging out due to the air pressure. if it is, it probably means your surefire is not leaking, since the seals don't even let air through. leave it for a few days or weeks if you want, and if the air pressure still isn't equalized, you can safely submerge it without worrying it about leaking /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
my 6P allows the air pressure to equalize after a few days, but it still doesn't leak a single drop when i submerge it in a pail (about half a metre of water). my C2 does not equalize at all, and i've taken it to the bottom of a swimming pool (about 2 metres) without any problems.
lastly, i don't think the lack of water resistance for some surefires should be excused just because they are aimed at the law-enforcement or military market. by pricing their products as such, they automatically place themselves in a niche market whereby such inadequecies are unacceptable. should i then buy a $5 million ferrari f40 and then accept that it leaks through the windshield when its raining since its a sports car, not an suv? or that if it leaks i'll have to change the entire body shell since the windshield is glued onto the frame? think about it.
