Surefire throw options

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ADDICTED2LITE

Newly Enlightened
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I want to get a Surefire light with some good throw to it. I was looking at the 6P with the turbo head or the 9P with the turbo head. How do these compare to the P60 lamp in the 6P, thats all I have to compare it to. The overall sidespill is not important, as it will be used to spot at longer distance. I don't want to spend the money for a M6 or M4. I would also like to have the option to put in a rechargeable battery if possible, I think I read where a 9P would work with 2x17670's. I need some advice
 
I have the set ups you are interested in.

I would suggest you get the 9P+KT2 turbo head. The 6P is a nice compact light, but stick a turbo head on it and it isn't compact at all anymore, so you may as well go to the 9P and turbo head. Since you've already lost the compact nature of the 6P light, adding an extra inch or so wont make much more difference!

As for brightness etc, the N1 in a 6P+KT1 is about the same brightness as a p60, but the throw is much better, it projects a tighter beam and the hotspot looks brighter.

On the 9P you have two options, the MN15 or MN16. The MN15 is about the same brightness as the P90, but throws further etc. The MN16 is about the same as a P91, even somewhat brighter, and the same again regarding throw etc.

For rechageables, the 9P will take 2x 17500s. If you get an A19 extender you can make a poor mans M4, and use two 17670s. This is a good setup if you want to use the MN16, as this is quite a high current bulb, and draws a bit much current for 17500s. But this of course makes the light even longer again.

For maximum versatility, you can get the 6P, an A19 to make it three cells long, a KT-2 turbo head with an MN15 LA and run it on two 17500s.

This way you can always go back to the 6P on it's own if you need a smaller light.

lots of choices.....
 
Good advice, I had a C2 with cell extender and KT1+MN15 basically a M3T lola. Very good throw with 3x123's. I then got a fantastic deal on a M3T and turned my lego light into an M4 by getting a 4x123 Leef body from lighthound and WOW! MN61 350 lumens ooooh yeah!
 
If you know you want a turbo head and rechargables I would skip the 6P/9P all together and go straight for a 18xxx body. This will keep you from having a 6P/9P bezel with no body to put it on. This would give you more run time. The choice between Black Type II or HA finish. And you can choose between a 2x18500 or a 2x18650 setup both of which are better suited for the MN16 bulb than a 2x17500 would be. Then just pick your favorite tail cap and you are all set.

I just can't seem to leave SF parts laying around spare bodies magically grow heads and tail caps. (While my bank account magically shrinks). Not that there is anything wrong with having both.
 
xobloof said:
If you know you want a turbo head and rechargables I would skip the 6P/9P all together and go straight for a 18xxx body. This will keep you from having a 6P/9P bezel with no body to put it on. This would give you more run time. The choice between Black Type II or HA finish. And you can choose between a 2x18500 or a 2x18650 setup both of which are better suited for the MN16 bulb than a 2x17500 would be. Then just pick your favorite tail cap and you are all set.

I just can't seem to leave SF parts laying around spare bodies magically grow heads and tail caps. (While my bank account magically shrinks). Not that there is anything wrong with having both.
Click to expand...

Your not wrong there.

I just got a 2x18650 leef body to run my MN16, it's a bit long to be convenient, but the performance is very good.

I also have the same problem with me SF parts, they keep turning back into complete lights!
 
I agree.
As much as I like SureFires, Leef bodies, and turboheads(that's all of my incans except the one I'll mention below), there's no reason to stick with SF for throw, unless you've got a bunch of other stuff you want to mix and match with. SFs aren't geared toward throw, and even the turbohead lamps tend to have wide spots that light up a relatively wide area.
I think a better choice for a quality light in this size range would be a Wolf Eyes M90X with a Lumens Factory EO-9L.
This should give you output along the lines of a MN16 or MN20(the LOLA for the M6) with a 45 minute runtime, and for about $125 you'll have the light, the stock 9V D36 lamp assembly, the LF lamp, 2 protected 18650 batteries and a charger. A 9P or Leef body, turbohead, batteries, charger, and comparable lamp are going to run at least $100 more. It'll be lighter, and about 1/2" shorter, than the M90, but have the bulkier head, and nowhere near the runtime for the brightness, even if you use 18500s.
edit: I take that back. It won't even be lighter. I just put a KT2 on one of my Z3s and it feels about the same as the M90, and not as well balanced.
 
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Anybody have pics of the turbo heads and the Wolfeyes? Is the M90X the same light as the 9M at lighthound? Where can I get the M90X?
 
I like Owen's idea unless your just really sentimental towards the idea of doing it with a Surefire. If that's the case, of course your options will be limited.
 
ADDICTED2LITE said:
Anybody have pics of the turbo heads and the Wolfeyes? Is the M90X the same light as the 9M at lighthound? Where can I get the M90X?
Click to expand...
The 9M is the Rattlesnake's little brother, which was discontinued by Wolf Eyes, it's a 9V 3XCR123 body, while the M90 Rattlesnake is 12v 4XCR123.

Check it out:

http://www.pts-flashlights.com/category.aspx?uid=1-20-40
 
Addicted, I'd call Mike at PTS about the price though. I think that the webpage has the prices reversed for the M90 and M90X, but I'm not sure. If you get the answering maching he's very quick to call people back.
 
Streamlight makes a better light for throw. And you can get a Ultrastinger with 2 chargers for cheaper than a 6P and KT1 will run. It will be a larger light but it will have more throw.
 
Okay, now I'm starting to wonder what is the best option, Surefire?, Streamlight?, Wolfeyes?, are there other options? I quess my requirements are 1. THROW, 2. rechargeablilty, 3. runtime. I don't want something cheesy, I want a quality light with a good reputation and warranty.

What about the Streamlight TL-3? I used to have one and it was great, don't know why I sold it, but I need a rechargeable option. Are there any?

Oh, a Magcharger is way too big and heavy, so its not an option. I don't know how it compares to the surefire and wolfeyes anyways.
 
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Go with Wolf-Eyes you'll get SureFire quality for half the price. Streamlight ins't quite there... The Ultrastingers got plastic lens, no HA finish and you won't have as many--if any bulb/battery/body extenders options.
 
ADDICTED2LITE said:
Okay, now I'm starting to wonder what is the best option, Surefire?, Streamlight?, Wolfeyes?, are there other options?
Click to expand...
Another option is one of the Pila lights, such as the GL-3. High quality, can use rechargeable batteries, very bright, reasonable runtime.
 
My go to throw light normally is a Streamlight TL-3. For most situations it has plenty of throw, it will not have quite as tight a beam as something like a Surefire turbohead with a N-2 lamp assembly but in my experience unless I was using binoculars to make out small details I did just fine with the TL-3. There is a rechargable setup for the TL-3 that others on here will know much more about as I don't have one. If I remember pricing it right, the TL-3 runs around $60 and the rechargable setup adds about another $25 or so.
 
another vote for the WE-M90 with either the EO-9L or extender kit and 3 18500 or 3 18650s and a EO-13.

bringing a TL-3 to a table with WE and SF turbo headed lego, it would not even compare.
 
If you are looking for a real surefire-thrower, try to find an old 3 Inch Turbohead (sometimes on ebay or in the BST section, I don't know if there's any dealer for these items, yet).

Greets Jens
 
WDR65 said:
My go to throw light normally is a Streamlight TL-3. For most situations it has plenty of throw, it will not have quite as tight a beam as something like a Surefire turbohead with a N-2 lamp assembly
Click to expand...
Not too far off, though. For the size, the TL3 is the throw king.
I said earlier that "all my incans except one" were the SF or compatible stuff, but guess I was thinking in terms of users, since I have a TL3. I've got a UltraStinger, too, and it will throw a bit further than the M90 with EO-9L, but doesn't have anywhere near the output.
I've got some beamshots in the big thread about Lumens Factory lamps in the manufacturer's forum, and a thread in the practice forum where I put some of my crappy beamshots. Some of them somehow saved at different sizes, but you should be able to get a good idea of the difference between several of the lights mentioned here.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=145354

Here's a shot from that big thread with the EO-9L and Ultrastinger:
 
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