Use of a MN11 LA in a SureFire M3T?

After searching the CPF, it is clear that the MN11 (HOLA for the M3) and the MN16 (HOLA for the M3T) use the same bulb. It is equally clear that the bases of these two bulbs are different, in that the base of the MN16 is longer than the base of the MN11.

This information indicates that, while there will be no current or amperage issues resulting from using the MN11 in the M3T. However, it is equally clear that the bulb of the MN11 LA will not extend as far into the reflector on the M3T as will the bulb of the MN16.

My questions, for those with the experience to answer or even speculate, are......If I use a MN11 in a M3T:

1) How will this affect beam quality?

2) How will this affect heat dissipation?

3) Will question 2 above affect bulb or flashlight life expectancy?

Thanks for your help........................Frank

1) Beam quality will suffer horribly. It's likely you won't have much of a beam to speak of, since the bulb filament will be still be somewhere in the stem of the reflector.

2) I'm guessing more IR will be absorbed by the reflector rather than being emitted through the lens, so it might run a little warmer.

3) Xenon filled incandescent bulbs thrive on heat and the M3T is designed for it, so bulb and flashlight life shouldn't be affected.

That said, running the M3T on an MN10 or MN11 defeats the whole point of having a turbohead or a SureFire for that matter, and I really don't think you'd want to do this. Either get an MN15/MN16, or a standard M3 bezel to use with the MN11

Your answers pretty much parallel my thinking, but I have little experience or expertise in the field, so I felt compelled to inquire.

Thank-you for your help....................Frank

What chamenos said.

Chamenos, HOW ARE YOU? Good to bump into you again! Sorry to hear about SF CS not replacing your MN02's. I never got around to getting one for my E2e, and now I'm thinking I won't.

Anyway, Frank, if you have an MN11 and an M3T, you really only have two choices:

1. Trade the MN11 for an MN16, or buy an MN16 outright.
2. Get an M3 head.

This last is worth checking out, actually. It means you have two lights in one. You can swap heads and go from a sexy, long thrower, to a suave and much more compact and pocketable light. And vice versa. IIRC, an M3 head is around $50 or $60.

Hey Jim, I've been great, thanks! It's good to see a familiar screen name around A lot has happened in the past year that I've been neglecting CPF, good stuff mostly.

I've gone full circle, past the LED craze, and back to incandescents. Nothing beats a simple hotwire SureFire with a classic bomb-proof LOTC. It really stinks that the Z52 LOTC for the E series is no longer in production. I won't be getting another E2e if I lose or destroy mine, unless the Z52 becomes available again. Too bad the MN02 didn't work out for me; other than the oval beam, it was perfect in every way. SureFire should have made it available as an add-on option to the E series lights, much the same way the Z58/Z59 clickies are made available as an option to the P60-based models.

By the way, Frank, you could also get a one-cell extender and the correct lamps, and make an M4 with your M3T. I have an M3 myself, and it has one of the best ergonomics and aesthetics of the entire SureFire line-up, IMHO.

Thanks for the help, guys. I appreciate it.


Frank