Any SHOT Show 2025 requests?

StuGatz

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Any SHOT Show 2025 requests? Not much interest here past few years...
 
That new Megastream looks like a pretty cool light. Yes, I am aware that it uses a bespoke cell, and I still think it looks like a cool light ;-) I don't see 'Ten-Tap' on the feature list, but do see a 2-meter impact rating, and that always gets my attention:

 
That new Megastream looks like a pretty cool light. Yes, I am aware that it uses a bespoke cell, and I still think it looks like a cool light ;-) I don't see 'Ten-Tap' on the feature list, but do see a 2-meter impact rating, and that always gets my attention:

It uses an 18650 doesn't it?
 
After a quick Google they may not have been to SHOT since 2019 or 2020. Guess they haven't had any products to announce in a while.
 
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It uses an 18650 doesn't it?
I believe the short answer is 'No'.

From what I've read / seen, it does not, although I don't yet fully understand the limitation myself.

The light features in-light charging, and the 'port' (opening) in the body is inside / behind an O-ring sealed threaded collar, which is cool. It appears however that there is no USB-C connector mounted in the body, but rather the USB-C charging cable plugs through the port / opening in the body directly into the cell itself, rather than a connector integral to the light housing / body. The cell may also be charged outside the light w/ a USB-C cable.

This light uses the SL-B34 cell, which is apparently only compatible with this new light at present time. The statement about its uniqueness is: "
  • Self-keying battery ensures proper alignment of the charging port
SL also states to only use that cell in this new light, as it's not cross-compatible with any other light. Looking at the available photos I've seen I can't really tell what provides that indexing / alignment of the cell with the charge opening in the body.

I believe the current 'standard' SL 18650 is the SL-B26, which is fine in all my SL 18650 lights. This is not that cell.

A similar charging approach is implemented with the ProTac 2.0, which uses a similar SL-B50 cell, which also provides keying for alignment with the charging port in its body similar to this new light, but in photos of that cell, I can see how the keying is provided.

It appears that in-light charging through an opening in the light body, inside an O-ring sealed threaded collar, but with cable plugging directly into the cell inside, with keying providing the positioning / alignment between the cell and that opening, using a bespoke cell, is a new design solution / strategy being employed by Streamlight, and that does not bode well for new lights using 'standard' 18650 cells, as has been the past strategy (excluding Strion, which has always used a bespoke cell).

I think that's the 'long answer', based on what little I currently know;-)

Cheers!
 
I'd like to request letting us know anything genuinely interesting.
Have heard from others attending SHOT that last year was $#&%, and this year not much different.
 
I believe the short answer is 'No'.

From what I've read / seen, it does not, although I don't yet fully understand the limitation myself.

The light features in-light charging, and the 'port' (opening) in the body is inside / behind an O-ring sealed threaded collar, which is cool. It appears however that there is no USB-C connector mounted in the body, but rather the USB-C charging cable plugs through the port / opening in the body directly into the cell itself, rather than a connector integral to the light housing / body. The cell may also be charged outside the light w/ a USB-C cable.

This light uses the SL-B34 cell, which is apparently only compatible with this new light at present time. The statement about its uniqueness is: "
  • Self-keying battery ensures proper alignment of the charging port
SL also states to only use that cell in this new light, as it's not cross-compatible with any other light. Looking at the available photos I've seen I can't really tell what provides that indexing / alignment of the cell with the charge opening in the body.

I believe the current 'standard' SL 18650 is the SL-B26, which is fine in all my SL 18650 lights. This is not that cell.

A similar charging approach is implemented with the ProTac 2.0, which uses a similar SL-B50 cell, which also provides keying for alignment with the charging port in its body similar to this new light, but in photos of that cell, I can see how the keying is provided.

It appears that in-light charging through an opening in the light body, inside an O-ring sealed threaded collar, but with cable plugging directly into the cell inside, with keying providing the positioning / alignment between the cell and that opening, using a bespoke cell, is a new design solution / strategy being employed by Streamlight, and that does not bode well for new lights using 'standard' 18650 cells, as has been the past strategy (excluding Strion, which has always used a bespoke cell).

I think that's the 'long answer', based on what little I currently know;-)

Cheers!
I think the battery is basically the same as their existing (18650) battery with the USB charging port built in. This makes two ways to charge the light by either the charging port on the light or directly on the battery after removal (3 ways if you include removing the battery and placing it in a charger).
The main difference is the positive terminal which has a straight edge on one side of the circular button. The 21700 batteries that come with the HL6 have this shape also but the positive terminal on the light being flat and unshrouded means you can use any brand button top 21700 of similar dimensions.
The question is did Streamlight install a shroud around the positive terminal on the Megastream which corresponds with this odd shaped terminal?
If so this would restrict a normal circular button top 18650 from making contact.
If not, you should be able to use any similarly sized protected 18650 battery.

IMG_8844.jpeg
 
Copied (and continued) the above over to the Streamlight Megastream thread for anyone interested in the conversation.
 
it seems to me that back in the early days of cpf we had many many many memebrs meet for shot show like have dinner casmping etc etc
It was a Shooting Hunting Outdoor Trade show in it's infancy when flashlights were evolving rapidly. Whether incan like PK's newest mega photon launcher or early LED pioneers, flashlights played a big role. If I recall correct SureFire played a large role in the origin of SHOT show.

These days it's a gun show with others attending including an ATF booth (booooooooo, they suck). And apparently last year certain ATF people were walking around trying to learn what mom&pop operation they could hassle into submission or outright shut down after the show. That began under POTUS 44. (A famous radio personallity hung out at the KelTec booth in 2024 and completely humilated ATF agents who were trying to strong arm its founder George Kellgren at the show).

And yes a group of dedicated CPFr's used to gather at nearby hotels and attended the show.

Maglite was there pre-covid showing off the MagTac2 that didn't actually come out until a few years later. By then SureFire and Streamlight had produced several new models.
 
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it seems to me that back in the early days of cpf we had many many many memebrs meet for shot show like have dinner casmping etc etc
True. SHOT isn't technically supposed to be open to average Joe Blow mugs like us. But getting in was so easy. And, I don't mean sneaking in either. Getting sponsored by one brand attending the show was all that you needed.
 
i love guns to omg that new canik looks sweet its being shown at shot show . caniks to me are the best gun
 

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