Elzetta- The industry's best kept secret.

[mckeand13]

Is this an Alpha rotary cap feature? Looking at the cap in front of you, from 12:00 (fully tightened, light on) to 8:00 (loosened), momentary on can be enabled by pushing the cap not the button. The cap moves *across* its threads in and out close to 1mm.

With my grip I can feel it moving under the index finger.

Elzetta likes to call this a "feature" but it's really just axial slop in the threads.

Not consistent, not repeatable, not a feature in my books.

 

[kyhunter1]

For those interested, they never gave specific info on how elzetta's would be better than the 6P/malkoff on battery crushing. They just assured me it would not be a problem with Elzetta's. After I get some range time on the alpha, I will let everybody know how it does.

 

[bykfixer]

Elzetta likes to call this a "feature" but it's really just axial slop in the threads.

Not consistent, not repeatable, not a feature in my books.

I can get my alpha to flash to high every time I try to by just squashing the tailcap with a broad area of my thumb against the light in cigar or overhand grip every time. Or pulling it against the heel of my hand when carrying it under hand grip.
Just takes practice on locating the 'sweet spot' when swapping out a battery. But a pair of markings on the body with a paint pen solved that.

 

[roger-roger]

Is this an Alpha rotary cap feature? Looking at the cap in front of you, from 12:00 (fully tightened, light on) to 8:00 (loosened), momentary on can be enabled by pushing the cap not the button. The cap moves *across* its threads in and out close to 1mm.

With my grip I can feel it moving under (pinching) the index finger.

Elzetta likes to call this a "feature" but it's really just axial slop in the threads.

Not consistent, not repeatable, not a feature in my books.

That was my impression, in terms of repeatability. A bit put offish to a certain extent--especially since I was more than ready to throw down for a Bravo AVS. Its left me undecided at the moment.

(My bold above in the quote, adding more to the description.)

 

[Slightchance]

Every twisty tailcap I have ever used has done that. A couple different Surefires some misc brands and my Elzettas.

Is it a feature? Idk about that, but I have yet to use a twist/momentary light that doesn't have varying levels of sensitivity based on how tightened down it is.

I just adjust the tailcap to the level of sensitivity I want and forget about it.

I always thought it just came with the territory so to speak.

 

[roger-roger]

Is this an Alpha rotary cap feature? Looking at the cap in front of you, from 12:00 (fully tightened, light on) to 8:00 (loosened), momentary on can be enabled by pushing the cap not the button. The cap moves *across* its threads in and out close to 1mm.

With my grip I can feel it moving under the index finger.

Every twisty tailcap I have ever used has done that. A couple different Surefires some misc brands and my Elzettas.

Is it a feature? Idk about that, but I have yet to use a twist/momentary light that doesn't have varying levels of sensitivity based on how tightened down it is.

I just adjust the tailcap to the level of sensitivity I want and forget about it.

I always thought it just came with the territory so to speak.

I haven't been very clear. Varying sensitivity isn't what I'm trying to discuss. In this particular light:

- pressing the tailcap, pushes it inward towards the body, with close to 1mm travel
- descriptively, I can feel the gap between tailcap/body *start* to pinch the finger as the tailcap travels towards the body
- momentary on can be enabled without pushing the rubber switch, but by pushing the tailcap alone towards the body
- With the tailcap loosened 15° from full tight, I can press the edges of the tailcap outside the rubber switch, to use momentary on
- You can hear metal to metal contact when the tailcap (or the rubber switch) is pressed towards, and stops out on body
- in this case, basically the rubber switch is redundant


Do your Elzetta lights do the same?

 

[Slightchance]

I think I might not have been completely clear either.

I have one momentary/twisty tailcap from Elzetta and one from Surefire and they both behave exactly like yours.

The entire tailcap moves slightly and I can activate the light if it is tightened down enough without pressing the button. I can also turn the light on by pressing just the side of the tailcap horizontally after tightening it down so far but before constant on.

I have never been pinched, but my tailcaps make that motion. I honestly thought that was just how momentary/twisty tailcaps were supposed to work. On my home defense rifle, I usually keep the tailcap sensitive so that anywhere I touch it the light turns on. When I carry one I loosen it to where only a press on the button turns the light on.

Elzetta only has one twisty/momentary tailcap and it works on all their lights except for the Bones (or a bored Bravo/Charlie.)

 

[roger-roger]

Is this an Alpha rotary cap feature? Looking at the cap in front of you, from 12:00 (fully tightened, light on) to 8:00 (loosened), momentary on can be enabled by pushing the cap not the button. The cap moves *across* its threads in and out close to 1mm.

With my grip I can feel it moving under the index finger.

I think I might not have been completely clear either.

I have one momentary/twisty tailcap from Elzetta and one from Surefire and they both behave exactly like yours.

The entire tailcap moves slightly and I can activate the light if it is tightened down enough without pressing the button. I can also turn the light on by pressing just the side of the tailcap horizontally after tightening it down so far but before constant on.

I have never been pinched, but my tailcaps make that motion. I honestly thought that was just how momentary/twisty tailcaps were supposed to work. On my home defense rifle, I usually keep the tailcap sensitive so that anywhere I touch it the light turns on. When I carry one I loosen it to where only a press on the button turns the light on.

Elzetta only has one twisty/momentary tailcap and it works on all their lights except for the Bones (or a bored Bravo/Charlie.)

Thanks, you've basically answered my question.

I used the term "pinch" btw, to help describe the action, not that indicate pinching.

 

[Grizzman]

If the threads were a tight fit, then one-handed operation would be much more difficult, if not impossible. I'm quite certain that the threads and tail cap are operating exactly as they were designed.

 

[scs]

If the threads were a tight fit, then one-handed operation would be much more difficult, if not impossible. I'm quite certain that the threads and tail cap are operating exactly as they were designed.

The threads could be a tighter fit, like those on a clicky, so the tailcap wouldn't travel longitudinally and displace laterally to the extent described. A thick o-ring, via friction, would make one handed twisting of the tail cap for constant on difficult or impossible. Proper fitting, or in elzetta's case, tighter fitting threads would not cause operation problems. If they did, then the threads would be considered too tight and not properly designed.

 

[roger-roger]

Is this an Alpha rotary cap feature? Looking at the cap in front of you, from 12:00 (fully tightened, light on) to 8:00 (loosened), momentary on can be enabled by pushing the cap not the button. The cap moves *across* its threads in and out close to 1mm.

With my grip I can feel it moving under the index finger.

The threads could be a tighter fit, like those on a clicky, so the tailcap wouldn't travel longitudinally and displace laterally to the extent described. A thick o-ring, via friction, would make one handed twisting of the tail cap for constant on difficult or impossible. Proper fitting, or in elzetta's case, tighter fitting threads would not cause operation problems. If they did, then the threads would be considered too tight and not properly designed.

I would tend to agree. I can't say as to whether my individual Alpha rotary, is on the maximum or minimum side of design specification, but despite its functionality it feels sloppy enough to raise concern of wear over time due to metal to metal contact.

 

[mckeand13]

What you're describing is the clearance in the threads. It's a fact of life, there is clearance between internal and external threads. There has to be to accommodate tolerances. If you want nice threads in a "tighter" class you buy a Prometheus light or other nice custom.

Again, Elzetta likes to describe it as a "feature" but all lights have this same "feature", some more than others.

 

[roger-roger]

Is this an Alpha rotary cap feature? Looking at the cap in front of you, from 12:00 (fully tightened, light on) to 8:00 (loosened), momentary on can be enabled by pushing the cap not the button. The cap moves *across* its threads in and out close to 1mm.

With my grip I can feel it moving under the index finger.

What you're describing is the clearance in the threads. It's a fact of life, there is clearance between internal and external threads. There has to be to accommodate tolerances. If you want nice threads in a "tighter" class you buy a Prometheus light or other nice custom.

Again, Elzetta likes to describe it as a "feature" but all lights have this same "feature", some more than others.

Thanks--I came here for information. Love the light other than the level of looseness in this particular specimen, the only one I have direct experience with. At this time I hope to order another, but I may consider avoiding the rotary cap and probably the high-low

 

[scs]

Generous tolerances, as in the case of the AK47, are sometimes desirable. If it's loose like that by design, and the reasoning behind that design sound, very well. It would be a shame if it were actually a quality issue.

 

[kyhunter1]

Got some range time in this evening. Ran thru several rounds of full power slugs, and a box of field loads. The battery remained in perfect condition, no issues with battery crushing with the single cell alpha on my 870 HD 12 guage. In the past with my old 6P/M61 setup, one of the cells the button would be totally mashed flat, and the other not far from it. That light had a McClicky upgrade and it's spring may have contributed to the problem. Never got around to testing with a stock Z41.

For those interested, they never gave specific info on how elzetta's would be better than the 6P/malkoff on battery crushing. They just assured me it would not be a problem with Elzetta's. After I get some range time on the alpha, I will let everybody know how it does.

 

[vadimax]

By naming that "feature" a "feature" Elzetta contradicts with its own principle of separate functionality in UI: all of a sudden high mode mixes with high-low twist, button press and cap axial/lateral press.

Most likely this comes from an outdated triangle thread profile when most of manufacturers have already switched to rectangular or trapezoid profile. Those are much more precise and wear resistant.

 

[Modernflame]

Looks like I'm about a week late to join the discussion on the silent switches, but I own two Elzetta High/Low tail caps. One is nearly inaudible. The other one is somewhat older and makes about as much sound as the soft press McClicky switches in my Malkoff tail caps. Since I am neither a tactical operator nor a Chuck Norris wannabe, I don't really care about the sound. However, I've often wondered if the gradual erosion of the sound proofing indicates a deeper structural problem that could result in failure. Has anyone ever been left in the dark because of an Elzetta switch failure?

 

[roger-roger]

Looks like I'm about a week late to join the discussion on the silent switches, but I own two Elzetta High/Low tail caps. One is nearly inaudible. The other one is somewhat older and makes about as much sound as the soft press McClicky switches in my Malkoff tail caps. Since I am neither a tactical operator nor a Chuck Norris wannabe, I don't really care about the sound. However, I've often wondered if the gradual erosion of the sound proofing indicates a deeper structural problem that could result in failure. Has anyone ever been left in the dark because of an Elzetta switch failure?

Is that the sound of the switch, or the metal to metal sound of tail cap to barrel?

 

[Modernflame]

Is that the sound of the switch, or the metal to metal sound of tail cap to barrel?

I'm referring to the sound of the switch.

 

[Modernflame]

Is that the sound of the switch, or the metal to metal sound of tail cap to barrel?

I'm referring to the sound of the switch.

By naming that "feature" a "feature" Elzetta contradicts with its own principle of separate functionality in UI: all of a sudden high mode mixes with high-low twist, button press and cap axial/lateral press.

Most likely this comes from an outdated triangle thread profile when most of manufacturers have already switched to rectangular or trapezoid profile. Those are much more precise and wear resistant.

What's more is that the newer, still silent switch can still access momentary high mode while loosened a few degrees off constant high. Meanwhile, the older, louder tail cap must be fully tightened for any access to high whatsoever. If it's loosened even a micron, it will revert to low regardless of the pressure exerted on the switch or the tail cap. Strange?