Cant decide between the SF G3 and M3. Please help.

[aussiebob]

Ive got a bit of birthday money left over and will be bying some new lights. Now i cant decide between the SF G3 incan or the SF M3, the M3 is alot more expensive, is it worth it or what, is it much brighter.
..Pros..Cons????
I had a G3 before i loved it but sold it to a friend and i miss it alot.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Supernam]

Same brightness and ruggedness. One is aluminum which will show its wear over time, one is a composite material. The M3 has a rubber gasket around it for "shock isolation" but the G3's nitrolon absorbs shock also, and there doesn't seem to be anyone crying out about blowing bulbs due to shock in one light over the other. The G3 is definitely a better value in my opinion, but the M3 is just plain sexier. If you're willing to pay for luxury then do it, but as far as performance, they're the same to me.

 

[ugrey]

The G3 is a good light. Lightweight, nitrolon feels great in the hand. It can take a P91 high output bulb. The standard P90 lamp assembly is good. BUT, the move in SureFire lights is toward LEDs. Get a 9P, it can take the heat from an LED much better. It is also expandable to a 12P (see my signature below) or to an M4 with an extender and a turbo head. If you stay in this hobby long enough, you WILL play Surefire leggo. Nitrolon does not play leggo well.

The M3 will not do anything a 9P will not. It is only more expensive. You do not need the lamp assembly cushion in a hand held light. The one advantage to the M3, is the soon to be released KL9 LED head. It is supposed to be 350 lumens. My guess is run time will be close to an hour. That will make for an amazing hand held light. A 9P could be converted to the M size head so you could use the KL9 head on it. Lighthound had these adapters.

Look on Ebay or try to find a used M3 on our BST forum. I bought a great used M3 for USD $160.

God bless you Australians. You have been good friends to the US. Next time you see her, tell Olivia Newton-John I am still in love with her.

 

[aussiebob]

God bless you Australians. You have been good friends to the US. Next time you see her, tell Olivia Newton-John I am still in love with her.

Next time I bump into her in the street ill be sure to let her know.

P.S, I think im gunna go the G3. The KL9 head sounds good but i didnt want another LED light. Plus the G3 is the cheapest of the lot so more money for extra lights.

Have a good one.

 

[leukos]

The G3 is a good choice. Get a pair of 17500 Li-ions from AW or Pila and you will really love it.

 

[cqbdude]

Isn't the G3 now LED?

I think the G3 is a better deal, you can even pick one of the Malkoff's drop in and you should be good to go..

 

[Knifekulture]

The G3 is an excellent choice!:thumbsup:

 

[tsl]

I have both the C3 (sibling to the 9P and G3) and the M3. The spill on the C3 with the P91 bulb is a bit bigger (i.e., more flood) than the M3. The M3 with the MN11 has a better defined hotspot and throws a bit further.

The C3 (and G3) is easier to carry than the M3. From the SF catalog, the bezel diameter of the C3 and G3 is 1.25" while that of the M3 is 1.62". Neither light is small, but the M3 is 0.8" longer (7.3") than the C3 (6.5").

The M3 definitely is the sexier light, but I seem to reach more often for the C3. Easier to carry. Just my 2 cents ...

 

[Yoda4561]

Any reason the C3 or 9P won't work? I suggest sticking with P60/90 bulb lights as they're very easy to upgrade in the future as LED lamps advance. The C3 in HA looks almost as sexy as the M3 and has a pocket clip. 9P isn't that much more than a G3 and is all aluminum, which will help with LED heatsinking should you chose to go that route.

 

[KeyGrip]

The G3 is a good light, but so are the other 9v SureFire incans. It all depends on what you like.

 

[aussiebob]

Any reason the C3 or 9P won't work?

Ive just never liked the look of them as much.

Thanks

 

[cernobila]

Ive got a bit of birthday money left over and will be bying some new lights. Now i cant decide between the SF G3 incan or the SF M3, the M3 is alot more expensive, is it worth it or what, is it much brighter.
..Pros..Cons????
I had a G3 before i loved it but sold it to a friend and i miss it alot.
Thanks in advance.

.....does it have to be a Surefire? or can it be something else....something that may take the 18500 or 18650 cells perhaps.

 

[Yoda4561]

Well then in that case I recommend the G3. Depending on your priorities you can get some really nice aftermarket drop-ins (I recommend the malkoff m60l and LL) for extended runtime, or a lumens factory bulb and rechargeables for output and color rendition. Of course the stock P90 with primaries is perfectly servicable The M3 is an awesome light, and I would rather have one than a G3. For utility though the G3 is every bit as good and probably better in some cases.

 

[aussiebob]

.....does it have to be a Surefire? or can it be something else....something that may take the 18500 or 18650 cells perhaps.

Im not a big fan of rechargable lights other than AA's,
I wanted another light to replace my old G3, either another or something similar. I liked that when it went flat just chucking in new batts and away i go, no hassles about charging, not having a charged replacement ready, etc.
Thankyou.

 

[Fusion_m8]

I reckon the M3 is the go for what you're looking for, sure the plastic G3 is cheaper, but the quality and design of Surefire's Millenium series makes them the HSV and FPV of flashlights! I've got the KL6 and M4, and compared to my 6P & 9P, its like chalk and cheese mate.

If you get the G3 again, you'll always be wishing you'd bought the M3 instead, save yourself the hassle and just get the M3... you know you want one!:devil:

 

[aussiebob]

If the millenium series are the HSV and FPV then what compares to say a Ferrari or a Porsche??

 

[KeyGrip]

Ferrari and Porche... hmm. McGizmo and Cool Fall?

 

[supes]

Depending on the way your going to use the light, I favor the G3 for easier pocketability because of its lower profile. When I had my M3-CB, it was what I grabbed most of the time for a general light for outside. It is absolute 100% SOLID. It served me well. Damn, I miss it.

But now because of budget constraints, I have a G3 in a Night Ops u-lock holster. I know you said you don't like the look of the C3 or 9P but I would still throw it in the option's box, the 9P since its a more solid version of the G3. It opens up the choices for P60 LED drop ins(Malkoff!). Imho, its the between of your 2 choices.

I've used the M3 and G3 but not the 9P yet though.

 

[Aussie Cheese]

If the millenium series are the HSV and FPV then what compares to say a Ferrari or a Porsche??

something made from titanium