ebow86
Flashlight Enthusiast
It just seems like everytime I did up an older thread discussing the Surefire M4 here there is one common theme I see get the M6, the M4 is just a stepping stone to the M6 or the M6 is a better setup than the M4 etc, etc. Time and time again I always see this. I promise you if you start a poll on the M4 vs the M6 far more people will choose the M6 over the M4, feeling its superior to the M4. So what I wanted to do is start a compairson thread between the M4 and the M6 to prove to myself (and anyone willing to listen) that even though the M4 doesnt get much love around here it is a worty competitor to the mighty M6 and is not inferior as many M6 users might think. Keep in mind this is a compairson between stock lights. Here we go...
Cost- Gotta give it to the M4, buying these retail the M6 cost $75 more. Winner M4
Cost to operate- Again, have to give it to the M4, 4 primaries vs 6 primaries. If running the lights stock those two extra cells will really add up over time. Winner M4
Ease of switching to Lithium ion rechargeable's- Kind of debatable abit, but I'm going to give it to the M4, no special battery carries needed, just slide in your cells and change the lamp, can't get simpler than that, most heavy modification you could do is bore the body to accept 18650's. Winner M4
Overall output- Have to give it to the M6 here. M6 is brighter, whiter, longer with both the LOLA and the HOLA. Keep in mind though that when running the LOLA lamps the MN60 has a much superior beam and hotspot than the M6's MN20, MN60's hotspot nice and round whereas the MN20 is more oblong, so you have to consider that. But being able to run the MN15 in the M6 pushes it over the edge here, so M6 wins, though I believe the M4 does hold it's own. Winner M6
Weight- M4 weighs 11.6 ounces where as the M6 weighs 15.9 ounces, which would be noticably heavier, Winner M4
Length- No brainer here, M6 is 7.9 inches long whereas the M4 is 9.2 inches long. M6 is easier to throw in a glovebox or backpack, etc. Winner M6
Handling- Have to give this catagory a tie seeing as it's a personal preference. Now, there are some like myself who like the longer thinner body of the M4 so for them the M4, whereas some like the shorter fatter body of the M6, so for this reason I'm giving them a TIE
Swaping batteries in the field- This is a big one that I never see mentioned here. M4 hands down. If one's using the M6 in the field and a quick battery swap is needed, unless you have 4 hands, or another person with you, you are crap out of luck. One would have to be very skilled to swap the batteries in the M6 in the middle of night, whereas the M4 is a simple operation. I feel this is a huge catagory for me, especially if one is using lamps with only 20 minutes burn time. Winner M4
Ability to switch to clicky tailcap- As far as surefire tailcaps are concerned, I don't believe the M6 has a clicky tailcap available, whereas you have a wide selection to choose from if you want one for your M4. There may be some type of mod out there to convert your M6 tailcap to a clicky, I don't know, but I have to give this catagory to the M4. Winner M4
So there you have it. The M4 is one truly underrated underloved light IMHO, especially when you compair it to the M6, so that's why I wanted to do this thread. So, IMHO, the M4 IS NOT a stepping stone to the M6. Agree or disagree, but this is my case for the underrated Surefire M4.
Cost- Gotta give it to the M4, buying these retail the M6 cost $75 more. Winner M4
Cost to operate- Again, have to give it to the M4, 4 primaries vs 6 primaries. If running the lights stock those two extra cells will really add up over time. Winner M4
Ease of switching to Lithium ion rechargeable's- Kind of debatable abit, but I'm going to give it to the M4, no special battery carries needed, just slide in your cells and change the lamp, can't get simpler than that, most heavy modification you could do is bore the body to accept 18650's. Winner M4
Overall output- Have to give it to the M6 here. M6 is brighter, whiter, longer with both the LOLA and the HOLA. Keep in mind though that when running the LOLA lamps the MN60 has a much superior beam and hotspot than the M6's MN20, MN60's hotspot nice and round whereas the MN20 is more oblong, so you have to consider that. But being able to run the MN15 in the M6 pushes it over the edge here, so M6 wins, though I believe the M4 does hold it's own. Winner M6
Weight- M4 weighs 11.6 ounces where as the M6 weighs 15.9 ounces, which would be noticably heavier, Winner M4
Length- No brainer here, M6 is 7.9 inches long whereas the M4 is 9.2 inches long. M6 is easier to throw in a glovebox or backpack, etc. Winner M6
Handling- Have to give this catagory a tie seeing as it's a personal preference. Now, there are some like myself who like the longer thinner body of the M4 so for them the M4, whereas some like the shorter fatter body of the M6, so for this reason I'm giving them a TIE
Swaping batteries in the field- This is a big one that I never see mentioned here. M4 hands down. If one's using the M6 in the field and a quick battery swap is needed, unless you have 4 hands, or another person with you, you are crap out of luck. One would have to be very skilled to swap the batteries in the M6 in the middle of night, whereas the M4 is a simple operation. I feel this is a huge catagory for me, especially if one is using lamps with only 20 minutes burn time. Winner M4
Ability to switch to clicky tailcap- As far as surefire tailcaps are concerned, I don't believe the M6 has a clicky tailcap available, whereas you have a wide selection to choose from if you want one for your M4. There may be some type of mod out there to convert your M6 tailcap to a clicky, I don't know, but I have to give this catagory to the M4. Winner M4
So there you have it. The M4 is one truly underrated underloved light IMHO, especially when you compair it to the M6, so that's why I wanted to do this thread. So, IMHO, the M4 IS NOT a stepping stone to the M6. Agree or disagree, but this is my case for the underrated Surefire M4.
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