Surefire 6px matching serial numbers?

[stuart]

Received 3 6px's direct from Surefire today. 2 have matching serial numbers. Anyone ever heard of this? I searched but couldn't find anything. If I bought them somewhere else I would be suspicious, but they were bought from SF's website. 2 are gifts and I'm keeping one. Now I'm wondering if its some sort of anomoly or is this common. I always thought that serial numbers were unique to the individual light. Never bought a bunch of the same light before so I don't know.

 

[thermal guy]

It's the same serial number? It's not the patent number? If it is the serial number then that's odd I'm pretty dam sure they should all be different. Can you post pictures?

 

[stuart]

yes, definitely the serial number and not the patent number. I took a pic but don't think I can post at the moment unless I pay for a subscription.

 

[archimedes]

yes, definitely the serial number and not the patent number. I took a pic but don't think I can post at the moment unless I pay for a subscription.

You can use any online image hosting service.

Yes, duplicate (identical) serial numbers would likely mean either a factory error or a counterfeit clone.

SureFire clones definitely exist.

It is difficult to "prove" a factory error in a repeated S/N, but this has been suspected at least once in the past, here on CPF.

SureFire has used multiple manufacturing facilities in the past, and my understanding is that they may have distinguished these by "letter" thus the number portion might be repeated. They also sometimes used a different letter for prototypes. But the entire complete letter+number should be unique.

 

[archimedes]

Are the numerals quite clear ?

I ask because, say, a poorly formed "3" might look rather similar to an "8"

 

[stuart]

Just got off phone with SF. When I posited the question he asked where I got them, I said direct from SF. (Cyber Monday sale). He said they are not serial numbers and are more like production numbers. I said I thought each serial number was unique but he said they are not. I clarified again that they were not the Patent numbers and he insured me that the "serial number" was actually a "production number". This was news to me. Learned something new. Give me 10 minutes, Im gonna update my subscription so I can post pics.

 

[archimedes]

Yes, that seems odd to me.

Looking forward to your photos, and thank you for posting this.

It would be of interest to know when this switch to "production numbers" occurred.

 

[stuart]

Pics.

 

[thermal guy]

Same number for sure. Looks like two different lights though could be a clone

 

[stuart]

The lights only look different due to the pic quality, I added another pic. In person they're identical. Don't think anything unusual since they came directly from SF. The 3rd light (not pictured) is a completely different number. I guess we can conclude that either: 1. Serial numbers are now production numbers, or 2. Slight hickup in the etching process. One of the numbers is clearly more blotchy than the other.

 

[archimedes]

Wow ... of those two, I know which one I'd keep oo:

Joking aside, the markings look pretty different. May well be from two different factories :thinking:

 

[archimedes]

Does the third one have clean markings, or no ?

Is it also an "E" serial number ?

 

[thermal guy]

. The etchings look totally different to me. They do look more alike in last picture. The 3rd picture looks like it had tooling marks in it.

 

[stuart]

All 3 numbers start with an "E". E141836, and the 2 matching E143329. I decided to open and keep the 3rd one with the non matching number and give the two matching as the gifts. The 3rd one has crisp clear markings just like the one in the second picture. Was just outside in the cold with the one I opened doing my usual routine of asking myself why I bought another light that does the same thing as my existing lights.

 

[archimedes]

We have some major SF collectors on CPF, or did, and I would encourage anyone else who has ever found (presumably valid) "duplicate numbers" to post up here for further discussion.

 

[thermal guy]

Well as each light should have its own unique number there is only two possibilities a screwup at surefire or a clone. Right?

 

[archimedes]

Well as each light should have its own unique number there is only two possibilities a screwup at surefire or a clone. Right?

OP stated above that SF said these numbers are no longer unique

 

[stuart]

Or what the SF guy said, "production number". I think clone is out as they came directly from them.

 

[sidfishez]

Surefire has been switching many products serial numbers to the heads of their flashlights. Do your 6PX pros have numbers on the heads???

 

[stuart]

none, just a big "D" . Its under the "caution hot surface warning. UPC is 6PX-D-BK on the package. Package also says 30-02-751 REV. G