Samsquanch
Newly Enlightened
Replica SureFire Millennium M3T Combat Light
Review By Jonathan F (Samsquanch)
August 23rd, 2007
There are many replica SureFire lights on this market, notably the G&P knock offs most of you are familiar with. However I have something a little more interesting than usual. I recently acquired a 'Perfect Clone' SF M3T. This is produced by a Chinese company as a personal project. With quality that far surpasses G&P, and at a price that can't be beat, you should almost feel guilty about owning a SureFire that isn't a SureFire… I know I do. I own 2 real SF torches (C3 Centurion with KL5 Head, and an L4 Digital LumaMax). I wouldn't trust my life to anything other than an official SureFire product, but some times you just need to add another torch to the collection and this is the perfect excuse. This clone was originally manufactured not only for collectors but also for the LE and security market in China.
Technical Specifications:
Manufacturer: Unknown
Price: $150.00 USD
High quality 7075 aluminum
CNC machined
Mil-spec HAIII Finish
Shock Resistance
528 Lumens
Full SureFire Trademarks
Inside The Box:
M3T Flashlight
Knights Armament Co style weapons mount ring
One spare bulb
3 x Rechargeable TR16340 880mAh 3.7v Li-ion batteries
Intelligent charger
Replica Vs Real
Ok so why should you feel guilty if there are so many other companies out there producing crappy knock offs? This one has full SureFire trademarks on both sides that's why. There is nothing to indicate that this is a replica unless you are trained to look for it. It is nearly 99.9% accurate in construction and appearance.
Here is a comparison photo I took against the real one. Note the differnces
On the left side you'll find the SureFire logo and the serial number "N206077" (Which is a dead give away here as SureFire serial numbers are of a different font, and usually begin with the letter A). On the right side is "Millennium Series M3T Combat light", "US Patents 5642932. 6222138". And to add insult to injury, the tail cap is marked "SureFire USA", "www.surefire.com". These markings are perfectly laser etched into the finish and look identical to the real SureFire. Creepy it is because I've seen some replicas, but nothing as accurate as this.
There are certain distinguishing features of this replica that are different from the genuine M3T. Some things to look for is the longer strike bezel, the lack of a lanyard clip, slightly shallower knurling on the tail cap and body, different lamp assembly, and the 3 O rings on the body are shinier than the real M3T. So beware of fakes!
Build Quality and Construction
The quality of this replica is nothing to scoff at, I mean… it looks and feels the same as my C3. The components are CNC machined out of 7075 aluminum and it has a beautiful hard anodized type 3 finish to top it off. The build is extremely solid and feels substantial in your hand. Honestly the best way to describe this would to say it's like a SureFire. I haven't seen a replica as nicely constructed as this. However as it IS a clone I wouldn't trust my life to it mind you.
Operation of the light is questionable out of the box, for one the tailcap doesn't work at all… at least mine didn't. I don't know if I have a lemon or what, but I quickly slapped on a SureFire Z48 tailcap switch that gives me constant and momentary on. If you don't have a spare SureFire tailcap lying around you might be screwed. However this flashlight now operates like the rest of mine. And with a slight twist of the cap you can lockout the light for transportation or to prevent accidental operation.
The lighting isn't exactly bang on and appears to have a slightly lighter finish. However the HA3 finish is identical to my C3 for those wondering.
Quality of Light
This light is actually quite white. The beam is well focused, round and has appears to have good throw. Outdoor tests still need to be completed before I can fully comment on its abilities. The advertised 528 lumens is a shaky estimate. However I am using slightly depleted 3v 123A cells. One of my included TR16340 cells is toast and I cannot take full advantage of this light either. When I get my hands on some new cells I will see how much a difference 3v VS 3.7v cells perform. With an extra 2.1v I might very well be able to squeeze substantially more power out of it with fresh TR16340 cells. Until then this light appears to be about 100 – 125 lumens and performs about the same as my SureFire C3 with KL5. Photographs of the beam and tests will be completed at a later time as these are only preliminary results. So far I think it will be a good performer.
SureFire Parts Compatibility
Ok so what works and what doesn't? For one it is unconfirmed if the head or the lamp assemblies are compatible. By the looks of it, they are not, but I will have to confirm this with the distributor to see if it is possible. The Z48, Z49, and the Z58 tailcaps should all be compatible as I am using a Z48 on it right now. There is also the Z33 and Z34 lanyards which should also be compatible. The FM27 beam cover should also be compatible as well. None of these other than the tailcaps are 100% confirmed until I have tested them out myself and posted otherwise.
Conclusion
Is it SureFire quality? Not quite sure honestly but it definitely feels the part. At less than half the cost of the real M3T is it worth it? Absolutely it is. However never settle for anything less if your life depends on it. This is an excellent flashlight to take with you on camping trips, and using to light up various dark scary corners. If used in an actual combat situation it could fail. While there is nothing about this light to indicate anything less than a high standard of quality you have to be careful. There is also no warranty on this light at all versus SureFire's if it breaks, we fix it lifetime warranty.
Any comments or questions are welcome, just message me or post in this thread. Thanks for reading.
Review By Jonathan F (Samsquanch)
August 23rd, 2007
There are many replica SureFire lights on this market, notably the G&P knock offs most of you are familiar with. However I have something a little more interesting than usual. I recently acquired a 'Perfect Clone' SF M3T. This is produced by a Chinese company as a personal project. With quality that far surpasses G&P, and at a price that can't be beat, you should almost feel guilty about owning a SureFire that isn't a SureFire… I know I do. I own 2 real SF torches (C3 Centurion with KL5 Head, and an L4 Digital LumaMax). I wouldn't trust my life to anything other than an official SureFire product, but some times you just need to add another torch to the collection and this is the perfect excuse. This clone was originally manufactured not only for collectors but also for the LE and security market in China.
Technical Specifications:
Manufacturer: Unknown
Price: $150.00 USD
High quality 7075 aluminum
CNC machined
Mil-spec HAIII Finish
Shock Resistance
528 Lumens
Full SureFire Trademarks
Inside The Box:
M3T Flashlight
Knights Armament Co style weapons mount ring
One spare bulb
3 x Rechargeable TR16340 880mAh 3.7v Li-ion batteries
Intelligent charger
Replica Vs Real
Ok so why should you feel guilty if there are so many other companies out there producing crappy knock offs? This one has full SureFire trademarks on both sides that's why. There is nothing to indicate that this is a replica unless you are trained to look for it. It is nearly 99.9% accurate in construction and appearance.
Here is a comparison photo I took against the real one. Note the differnces
On the left side you'll find the SureFire logo and the serial number "N206077" (Which is a dead give away here as SureFire serial numbers are of a different font, and usually begin with the letter A). On the right side is "Millennium Series M3T Combat light", "US Patents 5642932. 6222138". And to add insult to injury, the tail cap is marked "SureFire USA", "www.surefire.com". These markings are perfectly laser etched into the finish and look identical to the real SureFire. Creepy it is because I've seen some replicas, but nothing as accurate as this.
There are certain distinguishing features of this replica that are different from the genuine M3T. Some things to look for is the longer strike bezel, the lack of a lanyard clip, slightly shallower knurling on the tail cap and body, different lamp assembly, and the 3 O rings on the body are shinier than the real M3T. So beware of fakes!
Build Quality and Construction
The quality of this replica is nothing to scoff at, I mean… it looks and feels the same as my C3. The components are CNC machined out of 7075 aluminum and it has a beautiful hard anodized type 3 finish to top it off. The build is extremely solid and feels substantial in your hand. Honestly the best way to describe this would to say it's like a SureFire. I haven't seen a replica as nicely constructed as this. However as it IS a clone I wouldn't trust my life to it mind you.
Operation of the light is questionable out of the box, for one the tailcap doesn't work at all… at least mine didn't. I don't know if I have a lemon or what, but I quickly slapped on a SureFire Z48 tailcap switch that gives me constant and momentary on. If you don't have a spare SureFire tailcap lying around you might be screwed. However this flashlight now operates like the rest of mine. And with a slight twist of the cap you can lockout the light for transportation or to prevent accidental operation.
The lighting isn't exactly bang on and appears to have a slightly lighter finish. However the HA3 finish is identical to my C3 for those wondering.
Quality of Light
This light is actually quite white. The beam is well focused, round and has appears to have good throw. Outdoor tests still need to be completed before I can fully comment on its abilities. The advertised 528 lumens is a shaky estimate. However I am using slightly depleted 3v 123A cells. One of my included TR16340 cells is toast and I cannot take full advantage of this light either. When I get my hands on some new cells I will see how much a difference 3v VS 3.7v cells perform. With an extra 2.1v I might very well be able to squeeze substantially more power out of it with fresh TR16340 cells. Until then this light appears to be about 100 – 125 lumens and performs about the same as my SureFire C3 with KL5. Photographs of the beam and tests will be completed at a later time as these are only preliminary results. So far I think it will be a good performer.
SureFire Parts Compatibility
Ok so what works and what doesn't? For one it is unconfirmed if the head or the lamp assemblies are compatible. By the looks of it, they are not, but I will have to confirm this with the distributor to see if it is possible. The Z48, Z49, and the Z58 tailcaps should all be compatible as I am using a Z48 on it right now. There is also the Z33 and Z34 lanyards which should also be compatible. The FM27 beam cover should also be compatible as well. None of these other than the tailcaps are 100% confirmed until I have tested them out myself and posted otherwise.
Conclusion
Is it SureFire quality? Not quite sure honestly but it definitely feels the part. At less than half the cost of the real M3T is it worth it? Absolutely it is. However never settle for anything less if your life depends on it. This is an excellent flashlight to take with you on camping trips, and using to light up various dark scary corners. If used in an actual combat situation it could fail. While there is nothing about this light to indicate anything less than a high standard of quality you have to be careful. There is also no warranty on this light at all versus SureFire's if it breaks, we fix it lifetime warranty.
Any comments or questions are welcome, just message me or post in this thread. Thanks for reading.
Last edited:
. Surefire take note ;-)
That's true, especially considering you can get the REAL M3 Turbo at some places for a little more than the price of this clone. 
It doesn't really make sense to spend that much money on a fake product, especially when its quality has not been proven, certified by Surefire.. It's kinda like paying 70% of a real Rolex price in order to get a fake Rolex. It simply makes no sense. Lol 
