How to maximize new Surefire m3t

[Cornkid]

After several years on the forum, I finally purchased my favorite incandescent, the Surefire M3t. She should be here in a few days, and I was wondering if there are any recommended accessories that I should look into for this light.

I was thinking about possible r123 options or LED options as well. I did a few searches and came across entire head assemblies, but I'm looking for a drop-in ( i want to keep the head). Any advice?

Tom

 

[Justin Case]

For an LED drop-in, you can use this kit or put your name on the feeler list for this ready-built tower.

 

[nzgunnie]

Get two 17500 cells and run your MN15 on those. It will be brighter, and wont chew through those CR123s.

Unfortunately you can't run the MN16 on these cells, but it sure is a better way to run the MN15.

 

[Owen]

But you can run the Lumens Factory HO-M3T.
Unfortunately, the M3T is not great for upgrading unless you use a different body.
2x17500, or 3x16340 just don't drive a very wide variety of available lamps.

Mine is bored for 18mm cells, and uses 2xIMR18500 to drive a Lumens Factory HO-M3T, but in the M3 body boring opens up a lot of potential problems with battery length and contact. I can't reliably use SF lamp assemblies in it, can't use AW's protected 18500s, and have to use a larger than stock negative spring with the HO-M3T. Leave a rim instead of boring it fully, and you don't have contact issues, but become very limited on battery choices. It's gotten a little frustrating a time or two.

The Leef 2x18650 C-M body is the best thing I ever bought for mine, and will probably go back to using it, eventually.
I really love the form, feel, and looks of the M3T, though. It was my "dream light" for a couple of years before I actually bought one, but I didn't take the plunge into the M series until there were Lumens Factory bulbs and Leef bodies available.

 

[Justin Case]

An LED turbo tower can work great using NiMH, alkalines, 1xLi-ion, 2xLi-ion, 3xLi-ion, 2x123A, 3x123A, or 4x123A, depending on specific LED and driver configuration.

Here are some examples of AW turbo towers I've built:

Cree MC-E, 3xC NiMH, KT1 TH

Cree MC-E, SF T-62 TH

Low voltage SSC P4 tower

SSC P4 tower, Link 1 and Link 2

 

[Cornkid]

Nice! How do they compare with the stock bulb when considering thrown and runtime?
Are rechargeable 123s not an option?

Tom

 

[Justin Case]

Sure, 3xRCR123A in your M3T will work fine. The limitation is that the smaller RCR123A cells typically have a capacity (C) of about 500mAh and the max recommended current draw from a standard Li-Co Li-ion is 2C (about 1A). This is right around the current draw if you want to drive an MC-E at full power (e.g., 1.4A for a 2S2P MC-E) using 3xLi-ion. If this is an issue, an alternative would be use the Li-Mn based IMR16340 cells, which can be driven at 8C. I am fairly conservative and don't run my MC-E towers at full power. Full power means a lot of heat. See this post. Since your M3T uses the KT4 TH, I would avoid full power to an MC-E tower.

Run time using the LED is much longer than with the incan. In an old SF 12ZM, run time with 4x123A and the stock N62 lamp is around 10 min with decreasing lumens with time. I can get over an hour for one of my MC-E towers with essentially constant output.

Hot spot lux is typically better with the incan lamps, at least initially. Remember, the incans steadily decrease in output vs time. An SSC P4 tower runs a close second in hot spot lux. The bigger die MC-E is known to be a floodier emitter for the same reflector. Still, the MC-E still has good throw.

Unfortunately, making a good apples-apples incan vs LED comparison using a KT4 is hard. My host is a SureFire M900 3x123A sized weaponlight. I don't have a KT4 incan lamp that can run using 3x16340 Li-ions. This is the data I do have:

KT4, 2S2P K-bin MC-E, SOB1000 driver, 3xAW16340, 6500 lux at 1 meter
KT4, 2S2P K-bin MC-E, SOB1227 driver, 3xAW16340, 6700 lux at 1 meter
KT4, SSC P4 U2SWOH-bin, SOB1000 driver, 3xAW16340, 9100 lux at 1 meter
Z46, MN11, 3x123A, 7800 lux at 1 meter
Z46, MN11, 2xIMR16340 (SF E2 host), 11000 lux at 1 meter

Even though the MC-E towers don't have the peak lux of the others, the MC-E hot spot is very large, the spill is bright, and the overall light output is high. And the MC-E hot spot lux is still comparable to my Malkoff M30 (and about 3X of my old Blackhawk Gladius), so it's no slouch. The P4 hot spot, in contrast, is smaller. That's why the P4's peak lux is much higher -- its beam is focused down to a smaller point.

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

Get the HO-M3T for super-throw, you will love it! (run on 2x17500 AW li-ion batteries).

 

[Cornkid]

I'm looking around for what exactly the HO-M3T is, and I'm finding it hard to find. Is it an LED drop-in? Are they custom made?

 

[gswitter]

With one of fivemega's bi-pin towers and 3x IMR16340 cells, you can run a WA1185. The runtime's not much to speak of, but I think that's the brightest drop-in option right now. You can get a spare tailcap and swap in one of AW's multi-level, soft-start switches to make the set-up a little more usable.

 

[Sgt. LED]

Don't forget to find some super thin shims to go around the bulb tower so you can fine tune your spot.

Sometimes backing the bulb out a mm or 1/2mm at a time can focus the spot more and get you more throw. Each bulb has a slightly different filament height so some need it and some don't.

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

I'm looking around for what exactly the HO-M3T is, and I'm finding it hard to find. Is it an LED drop-in? Are they custom made?

Here you go-->> http://www.lighthound.com/Lumens-Fa...ns-Lamp-Assembly-for-SureFire-M3T_p_1026.html
Or this for an extra oomph-->> http://www.lighthound.com/Lumens-Fa...ns-Lamp-Assembly-for-SureFire-M3T_p_1011.html

But if you buy this body-->> http://www.lighthound.com/LeefBody-C-Tail-M-Head-3x18650-Battery-HA-III-Natural_p_942.html then you may run insanely bright and far throwing bulbs such as the HO-M6R or the IMR-M6.

http://www.lighthound.com/Lumens-Fa...reFire-M6-with-IMR-Batteries-ONLY_p_2840.html
http://www.lighthound.com/Lumens-Fa...ens-Lamp-Assembly-for-SureFire-M6_p_1028.html

Cheers.

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

With one of fivemega's bi-pin towers and 3x IMR16340 cells, you can run a WA1185. The runtime's not much to speak of, but I think that's the brightest drop-in option right now. You can get a spare tailcap and swap in one of AW's multi-level, soft-start switches to make the set-up a little more usable.

With a Leef Body and the new AW 2600 mAh cells, the runtime with the WA1185 is around 50 minutes.

 

[Justin Case]

IIRC, the Lumens Factory ratings are bulb lumens, so knock off about 20% from the advertised output.

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

IIRC, the Lumens Factory ratings are bulb lumens, so knock off about 20% from the advertised output.

Yeah, that's not exactly top secret material.... But I don't care for numbers, I go for real life performance, so having said that, nothing I've ever tested beats the HO-M6R. It is a monster. Every one with a KT1/KT2/KT4 should own one.

 

[leukos]

I turned my M3T into a regular M3 simply because of the lack of battery options.

The M6 body offers a few more options to support higher powered bulbs. FM has offered a 3x 18650 body as well as a 2x C body for the M6. He just needs to offer a 2x D body for the M6 and he would have a winner with me.

 

[kelmo]

Get a SF beam diffuser to protect the lens and attach the lanyard. An A19 battery extender and MN60 LA would be fun. A M3 bezel and MN10 LA would be nice. You'd be suprised how far that setup throws!

I have a M3 and keep it stock, the output is plenty for me and I can carry 2 sets of spares in an SC2.

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

I turned my M3T into a regular M3 simply because of the lack of battery options.

The M6 body offers a few more options to support higher powered bulbs. FM has offered a 3x 18650 body as well as a 2x C body for the M6. He just needs to offer a 2x D body for the M6 and he would have a winner with me.

Lack of battery options? I run an MT3 on 2x18500, 2x18650 and 3x18650 (not to mention 3xCR123, 3x16340, 2x17500 or 2x17670 + SF extension-- in I case I want to use the stock body tube). There you go, SEVEN different battery options! Just get a Leef Body or FM body, they are available at Lighthound.

 

[leukos]

Lack of battery options? I run an MT3 on 2x18500, 2x18650 and 3x18650 (not to mention 3xCR123, 3x16340, 2x17500 or 2x17670 + SF extension-- in I case I want to use the stock body tube). There you go, SEVEN different battery options! Just get a Leef Body or FM body, they are available at Lighthound.

M6 body is an alternate body just like a Leef body. Stock M3 body only allows 17mm cells, so to get additional battery configurations you need to bore it, add an A19 or A14, or purchase another body. M6 body, IMO, is more flexible, but to each his own.

 

[Cornkid]

I really like the style of the m3 body; I don't want anything too big.

Tom