Is the M6 really a "quality" product?

LEDBE
1

123a

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Nov 30, 2002
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25
Location
florida
I have had my m6 for about a month now at tops. With The first set of batts I got with my m6 I blew my 500 lumen bulb. Bad luck? Well, yesterday On my second set of batteries which were surefire brand, my 250 lumen bulb melted/exploded, fusing glass to my bezel. Now I have a basically brand new flashlight that has to be sent back for repair and two wasted bulbs. Is this typical of the m6? I have had an m3 for over a year now and haven't even had to replace a bulb yet. Not trying to rag SF I LOVE the light output and HIGH quality machining of these flashlights, but form should follow function.

Jeff
 
I think it all stems from the price of the lamps. The lamp assembly's cost so much, taking one out and swapping it for another can make you feel burned out with the worry of dropping the lamp and wasting $30!!
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When using the light, you have to think that you are eating into the lamp life.

Granted that when you buy a SureFire you know you are buying an expensive to buy, and expensive to run light. However, if the lamps were cheaper the over all ownership cost of a SureFire would drop greatly, and you would only have to worry about burning batteries not lamp life!!!

This is probably just me, but I don't mind the cost of the lights (there quality!
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) but I really would like cheaper lamps. Especially, if there going to start blowing like poor old Jeff's!!
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Jeff: SureFire has some really foolproof and bombproof designs and quality machining but they get to get the QC kinks worked out. trust me, you're not alone in this.
 
My M6 has so far been flawless. I have one of the older ones with a Lexan lens, and have had no problems at all.

My 10X has had two blown high power lamps. It kinda bummed me at the time, I admit.

The upside is that Surefire Customer Service is top notch. I called them up, explained the situation and they sent me two new lamps, no questions asked.

Hmm, Surefire outsources the lamps. They can't exert direct quality control when someone else is doing the manufacturing. Also, these lamps are quite overdriven in order provide such high levels of light output. Some lamps are going to burn out, and quite spectacularly. It happens.
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I suffered a similar misfortune with my clean and new 250 lu. The reflector was also damaged slightly. I sent the M6 in for repair and just got it back two days ago. It has been fixed very nicely; in fact the reflector is now even better than it was when new. Needless to say SF has replaced the lamp assembly; they also cleaned up the lens and bezel assembly. Count on 4-5 weeks turn around time (door to door).

The most common cause of explosion is skin oil (from finger prints) or other dirt on the lamp envelope. I now use a lint free cotton cloth to wipe the lamp envelop down before installing it followed by a quick burst of electronics grade compressed nitrogen (from a distance). If you happen to touch the lamp with your skin then use a 50/50 mixture of water and alcohol to clean it up before drying it thoroughly. Then inspect it under a light to ensure no residue remains on the envelope. A pain in the *** but better safe than sorry.

Cheers.
 
Originally posted by nihraguk:
skyline: are surefire's flashlights themselves produced by surefire, or are they outsourced as well?
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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">From the SureFire site:
Today SureFire employs nearly 200 technicians, engineers, assemblers, machinists, clerks, salesmen and administrators. The company manufacturers all of its key components. It boasts a state-of-the-art Machining Center where the aerospace-grade aluminum bodies, bezels and tail-caps are machined on 11-axis CNC Index lathes.
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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Hope this helps,
 
Bart:

thanks...was having doubts there for a moment because on the box that my M2 came in, it reads in fine print at the bottom: "Produced under license by Pyramont North America for Sure-Fire, LLC, Inc. 2001. All rights reserved", and that's what made me ask. i found out the company does web design or graphics stuff, so i guess they designed and manufactured the box. has anyone else noticed it?
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Originally posted by monanza:
[QB]The most common cause of explosion is skin oil (from finger prints) or other dirt on the lamp envelope. I now use a lint free cotton cloth to wipe the lamp envelop down before installing it followed by a quick burst of electronics grade compressed nitrogen (from a distance). If you happen to touch the lamp with your skin then use a 50/50 mixture of water and alcohol to clean it up before drying it thoroughly. Then inspect it under a light to ensure no residue remains on the envelope. A pain in the *** but better safe than sorry.QB]
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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Well with automotive headlamps (halogen) if you touch the bulb with your hands while installing them, you WILL blow the lamp. I wouldnt see why a 500lm lamp wouldnt also explode if you touched it or even the 225lm bulb too. Good advice monanza.
-ERiC
 
Originally posted by Skyline:
Apparently, Surefire outsources the bulbs, and manufactures the completed lamp assemblies themselves.
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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Is this statement only referring to the M6 lamps? The reason I ask is I have a P60 LA that is clearly marked "Made in Mexico".
Also the TACM-III's LA is almost identical to SF's LA's, the difference being the diameter of the LA.
 
That's what I was told.

Are there any flashlight manufacturers who make their own bulbs?

I assume that since Pyramont North America http://www.pyramont.com/ are "World Leaders in Marketing Services", the small print refers to the packaging box not the flashlight itself.

Al
 
The M6 is the best! The lamps suck IMO
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or I have not had good luck with them. I am on my fourth MN20 one dropped one blew with less than two hours and one blew with less than two minutes on it.
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PS. SF did replace the two that blew at no charge.
 
I think the new SF bulbs are crap! I had one go smoky on me in my brand new M6 last week. It hasn't even had an hour on it yet. However, like always, thier customer service is top-notch! I called, and they sent me a new MN20. Haven't gotten it yet, but I hope it comes pretty soon, I am going through 123's like mad with the MN21!
 
It's because they cost so much. I've replaced dozens of bulbs in M*gs, Brinkmanns, etc but they are a couple of bucks each so I don't even think twice. But man when a $25 SF bulb goes out, I'm thinking that SF flashlights suck!
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Hmm, Surefire outsources the lamps. They can't exert direct quality control when someone else is doing the manufacturing
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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Oh man, THAT's hooey. Thousands of companies exert their own quality control standards over outsourced components every single day.
 
though Surefire has top-notch customer service(they sent me 2 P60 and 1 P90 for prematurely failed LA
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), I hate the fact that I have to worry about the bulb more than the batteries.
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I'm not saying the batteries are cheap, but the lamps cost so much!

NO SF owners will not get a fear deep in the heart that the lamp may
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when you drop the light...
 
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