Bored Surefire 6P or FiveMega body for 1x18650

[etc]

I need a 1x18650 body, cannot decide between bored SF 6P or the FiveMega body.

I already have a few Leef/FiveMega bodies and it seems while made very well you can see there are not totally to SF spec here and there, for example they have less thread than Surefire. With Z41 twisty, the lite cuts on and you still have room to turn the TC on the Surefire, while Leef/FM cut on and run out of room instantly.

Plus the dimensions of the head are a bit different.

On the other hand, is the bored Surefire strong enough? Is it as strong as FiveMega?
(Leef doesn't seem to make 1x18650 bodies anymore)


I intend this for Malkoff M60 and AW P-18650 2600 mAh cells.

 

[Zainal Abidin]

I think if 6P is bored to make way for 18650, we may spoil its structure or at least its strength, though I have read others have done it. I prefer to use AW 17670 for my 6P, C2 and Z2 and I stick it that way. It may loose some runtimes but I still kept its original strength, the main reasons I bought Surefire in the first place

 

[tx101]

Would had thought a Malkoff M30 is better on a single li-ion cell

 

[etc]

I know FiveMega is pretty strong... though I did not drive over it with a truck, nor throw it on the concrete. In theory, shouldn't bored 6P be just as strong? Or is it thinner than FM if bored?

 

[bigchelis]

My all time favorate is the Surefire 6P bored. They are readily available for sale in the custom section. An M30 and AW 2600mAh 18650 cell are a perfect set-up. If you want more just add an 18650 extention from Solarforce and run 2 AW 18650 cells with a M60 or P91. The P91 with 2 18650 cells does over 470 turn-on lumens as tested by MrGman.:twothumbs

Or a M60 MC-E cool does 470 out the front too w/ 2 18650's and UCL lens. At only 1.7A of current you will still get well over 1 hour of 400 plus lumens in what looks like a 100% Surefire light. If you get a 9P body bored (also sold in custom section) you could also use 2 IMR 18500 cells, then you will have a complete sleeper.

 

[yellow]

By now I have a 6P, a few Inova T1 and a T3 bored for 18650.
Consider the remaining sidewall thickness as being about 0.2-0.3 mm.

Survived numerous uses as main mtb light clamped to bars, numerous uses in caves and night hikes and even a few falls (happens not often and usually I have my foot between the ground and the falling light).

means: that works for flashlight chores, even rugged ones,
but when You are a person used to put stress on the back of the light (kubotaning, hitting with light, ...), the body will fail.
There even is the chance present to kill the body while milling - if the person doing it is not very cautious.

--> strenght --> Leef/FM 18650 body

 

[etc]

By now I have a 6P, a few Inova T1 and a T3 bored for 18650.
Consider the remaining sidewall thickness as being about 0.2-0.3 mm.

--> strenght --> Leef/FM 18650 body

That doesn't seem right.
1mm is 1/25 of the inch.
0.25 mm is roughly 1/100 of the inch or 0.01". That is paper thin.

 

[ElectronGuru]

Would had thought a Malkoff M30 is better on a single li-ion cell

Depends on the goal. An M30 is meant to be on one cell, so you get maximum, regulated output for the duration of the discharge. But you also get max continuous amp drain, so less runtime. An M60 is meant to run on 2 cells, so running it on 1 means that part way through the discharge, it drops out of regulation with output that declines along with the voltage. So less output but much more runtime.

 

[Sgt. LED]

I have a bored 9P here now.
It's body remains thicker than many other manufacturers stock tubes.
Testing a good hammerfist into concrete has not caused the body to fail. The bezel sure does after a dozen whacks but the body is fine.

 

[yellow]

That doesn't seem right.
1mm is 1/25 of the inch.
0.25 mm is roughly 1/100 of the inch or 0.01". That is paper thin.

doh, You are right, messed up the data
therefore took some measurements:

thinnest part of body (o-ring seat at back end): 19,7 mm (with my old P6 body)
inside bored: 18,8 mm
makes 0.9 mm remaining in total,
makes 0.45 mm sidewall thickness

still, I would not use the bored body as a stand to support my (little) weight.


sorry, I am not able to give the value in inches.
its the upper scale, the lower is mm (set to ~0.45-0.5 mm):

 

[etc]

I don't have access to a bored 9P but here I measured a FiveMega 3x123 body, at the rear O-ring, assuming it's the thinnest part:


0.785" - outside
0.750" - inside

0.035" - difference

Given: 1" = 25.4mm

0.889mm difference / 2= 0.4445mm the thickness at the rear O-ring. Identical to bored SF data above. But must also allow for a margin of error.

 

[Sgt. LED]

Yep, no suprise here.

 

[Moddoo]

I have personally bored over a hundred Surefire bodies today.

I have never had a complaint.

If anyone somehow has a problem with a bored body, we will take care of it.

 

[kramer5150]

I have personally bored over a hundred Surefire bodies.

I have never had a complaint.

If anyone somehow has a problem with a bored body, we will take care of it.

FWIW my Moddoo modded 6P is going strong. I was initially very skeptical of the wall thickness, but my concerns have been COMPLETELY put to rest. I have dropped my 6P a couple times since modding it (hard enough to gouge the Z41 against concrete) and it works great.

 

[bigchelis]

I have personally bored over a hundred Surefire bodies.

I have never had a complaint.

If anyone somehow has a problem with a bored body, we will take care of it.

Well consider this your first complaint....


I dislike enjoying them sooo much and find myself ordering over and over from you. Your work is like fine art and 1 is never enough. If you didn't do such a good job I would have more money in my account. So, it is technically your fault..

P.S. You owe me another one along with a R2 tripple:thumbsup::thumbsup:

lovecpf

 

[Midnight Oil]

In terms of electrical contact and a flush fit between the bezel and the body, which is more likely to be compatible with most P60 drop-ins, the 5mega 18650 host or the bored Surefire 6P from OverReady?

I take it the brand of the bezel also has an effect?

With regard to fitment and electrical contact, it seems the head socket design like that the Solarforce L2 is more flexible than the tapered contour of the Surefire socket, because the margin from the outer spring provides a lot of play, accommodating a range of drop-in lengths and pill contours, as well as guaranteeing electrical contact.

Correct me if I'm wrong: the 6P socket cannot accommodate the typical P60 outter spring? If so, then electrical contact completely depends on a good fit between drop-in and socket?

Thanks.

 

[etc]

FWIW my Moddoo modded 6P is going strong. I was initially very skeptical of the wall thickness, but my concerns have been COMPLETELY put to rest. I have dropped my 6P a couple times since modding it (hard enough to gouge the Z41 against concrete) and it works great.

FWIW, FiveMega bores the bodies to exactly 19mm. Leef bores (bored) the bodies almost as much. (close to 19mm). I measured the inside diameter with a micrometer.

Anyway, given that Moddoo bored 6P is bored to 18.65mm, it should theoretically be stronger than either FiveMega or Leef and result in better cell fit without rattle. In practice, I don't know, it's just a hypothesis.

 

[etc]

In terms of electrical contact and a flush fit between the bezel and the body, which is more likely to be compatible with most P60 drop-ins, the 5mega 18650 host or the bored Surefire 6P from OverReady?


Thanks.

I can tell you this much. I have several Malkoff modules and being a fan of FiveMega bodies, I filed the modules on the bottom for a perfect fit in FM bodies. No more 2-3mm gap. Not just for looks but dust does not gather there anymore.

Well, I was in for a surprise when I tried the filed Malkoff modules in a Surefire 9P and it would no longer light up at all. Had to wrap them in alum foil to work. The inside dimensions of FM and 9P are different. In fact, you have 2 non-surefire components trying to work together, since Malkoff is not Surefire either, keep in mind, and he has to accommodate both Surefire hosts and aftermarket hosts, not an easy task.

Truth is, none of the aftermarket bodies either from FM or Leef or anybody else it appears are up to spec of the original Surefire 6P/9P. The inside the bezel dimensions are different. The other thing that is vastly different is the thread for the tailcap. My Leef almost runs out of thread before it turns on with the Z41 tailcap, in the last fraction of the millimeter it seems. FiveMega is a little better but not by much. With 6P, you have a generous almost full to half a turn before you run out of thread. Plus you get 2 rubber O-rings instead of 1 that FM and Leef have.

In fact, I had to wrap up a non-filed Malkoff modules with alum to light up reliably in 2x18650 Leef host. Its inside the bezel dimensions appear to be more off than FiveMega.

So there is a reason to bore a 6P body instead of going with aftermarket.

On the plus side for the aftermarket FM and Leef, they have vastly better knurling than Surefire, IMO and a pleasure to use for that reason. I like Surefire 6P but don't like their sorry excuse for knurling, it's more for looks than functionality, plus what's the two flat sides.

 

[Midnight Oil]

Thanks, etc, for the details.

I thought the way to match exactly the inside dimensions of the SF 6P or 9P was to sawcut either lengthwise, right down the center. Then just transfer the dimensions to the stock bar on the lathe.

Either that was too difficult or it was done, but for some legal or financial reasons, did not materialize in the product offerings.

What about general compatibility with the other aftermarket P60 drop-ins, e.g., Thrunite, Nailbender, Dereelight, etc..? Thoughts anyone?

 

[ElectronGuru]

I can tell you this much. I have several Malkoff modules and being a fan of FiveMega bodies, I filed the modules on the bottom for a perfect fit in FM bodies. No more 2-3mm gap. Not just for looks but dust does not gather there anymore.

Another option is 'filing' the host itself:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=228157