Far throw in 2 & 3 cell CR123A

I am a noob with high tech flashlights and I just got an Olight Warrior M20 and a Fenix LOD Q4. I must say I am really happy with both lights. I think the flood and throw on the M20 is awesome, it is a great overall light and the LOD Q4 is a grear AAA light. I was just curious of some 2 and 3 cell CR123A lights that have high throw but not the $300 price tag. My buddy has a Surefire M3 combat light and that thing is insane from what I can remember. What are some cheaper options for flashlights with high throw?

You should try an E2E/E2D with a Lumens Factory EO-E2R bulb (works with RCR123A). You get a nice bright hotspot and the flashlight is very comfortable in the hand. Another option, brighter but with less runtime would be a fivemega's socket with a Streamlight TL-E bulb, again on RCR123A. This is really bright!

Lot's of throw you ask?
With CR123, would recommend the DereeLight DBS V2

insanefred said:

Lot's of throw you ask?
With CR123, would recommend the DereeLight DBS V2

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This is the incandescent forum here. If he wants a LED light, then the topic is in the wrong forum.

Go for a SF 9P. It runs off 3 primaries and has good throw. Lamp assemblies are easy to replace either with a SF p90 lamp assembly or a Lumens Factory lamp assembly of your choice (D26 series). You can't go wrong with a Surefire 9P.

Far throw in a 2 cell light you ask?

Surefire 6P with KT2 (or KT1) Turbohead and a FM Bi-Pin MN Adapter with a WA1111 bulb. Driven by 2x AW IMR16340 (LiMn Rechargeables, CR123A size). Somewhere around ~1000 torch lumens. There won't be many 2 cell flashlights brighter or farther throwing than this light.


- Surefire 6P ~ $50 (used)
- Surefire KT1/2 ~ $80 (used)
- 2x AW IMR16340 ~ $16.50 (new)
- FM Bi-Pin MN Adapter ~ $51 (new)
- 2x WA1111 ~ $20.50 (new)
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Total: ~$218.00

Pretty cheap considering the massive output and small size.

Here's that light with a Surefire MN16 lamp assembly instead. (I haven't bought the FM Bi-Pin MN Adapter and WA1111 bulb yet.)

The Streamlight TL-3 (Incand) uses 3 cr123a, and has great throw. It's one of my favorites. I like it even better than a Surefire when I want a incan light with super throw.

shomie911 said:

Far throw in a 2 cell light you ask?

Surefire 6P with KT2 (or KT1) Turbohead and a FM Bi-Pin MN Adapter with a WA1111 bulb. Driven by 2x AW IMR16340 (LiMn Rechargeables, CR123A size). Somewhere around ~1000 torch lumens. There won't be many 2 cell flashlights brighter or farther throwing than this light.


- Surefire 6P ~ $50 (used)
- Surefire KT1/2 ~ $80 (used)
- 2x AW IMR16340 ~ $16.50 (new)
- FM Bi-Pin MN Adapter ~ $51 (new)
- 2x WA1111 ~ $20.50 (new)
---------------------------------------
Total: ~$218.00

Pretty cheap considering the massive output and small size.

Here's that light with a Surefire MN16 lamp assembly instead. (I haven't bought the FM Bi-Pin MN Adapter and WA1111 bulb yet.)

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Now THAT is an interesting setup! What kind of runtime might one achieve with this setup :naughty:

RobertM said:

Now THAT is an interesting setup! What kind of runtime might one achieve with this setup :naughty:

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Around ~10 minutes I'd assume.

It's not meant to be a primary light though, more along the lines of an extremely high-output tactical-entry/long-distance illumination light.

I have a Surefire C2 with a Lumens Factory HO-9 or Malkoff M60 as my primary light and a RA Twisty 85-TR as my backup as well as an Arc-P AAA on my keychain (backup to the backup.)

shramj said:

I was just curious of some 2 and 3 cell CR123A lights that have high throw but not the $300 price tag. My buddy has a Surefire M3 combat light and that thing is insane from what I can remember. What are some cheaper options for flashlights with high throw?

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Assuming red words are must.
Use 3 of primary CR123A in a 2C M*g and potted 1499
This is cheapest possible set up which works with 3 CR123A and throws far.
Good for short burst only and total run time will be 20~25 minutes.
There are dozens of other set ups if you step to rechargeable batteries and spend more $$$

The KT/Surefire 6p looks great!

One question, I have a C2 body that I would like to use with one of these Turboheads. Which one will fit? KT1/2/3/4? Do I need an adaptor?

Edit: So it seems that the KT2 or KT1 will fit...is this correct? What's the difference...just the LA that is included?

cryhavok said:

The KT/Surefire 6p looks great!

One question, I have a C2 body that I would like to use with one of these Turboheads. Which one will fit? KT1/2/3/4? Do I need an adaptor?

Edit: So it seems that the KT2 or KT1 will fit...is this correct? What's the difference...just the LA that is included?

Click to expand...

There is no size difference between the KT2 or KT1 Turboheads. They just have different voltage lamp assemblies included. No adapter is needed.

Oh and since you have a C2 body...

(Sorry for the terrible picture, I didn't have any good lighting around.)

Just what I needed to see...thanks!

Thanks everyone, I actually bought an Olight M20 and I am very happy with it. I have been lookng at the Deree lights already. Thanks for all the help, these forums rock!

In my experience, if you want to keep the head size similar to the M20 or other "non-turbo" size reflectors, an good Q5 or R2 LED is going to produce a tighter beam than anything you can get in an incan. Keep in mind, that as you increase the wattage on an incan, you increase the size of the filament, which causes floodier beams. It takes about 12 watts of incandescent power to match 5 watts of LED power in sheer output. So less runtime for the incan.... however, with incan setups, more of the available light is being focused into the center beam, while with LED setups, more is expelled as spill beam. This is a natural characteristic of the difference in the way they emit light when coupled to a reflector. So even with a floodier beam, an incan can often reach out just as well as an LED, because it has more of those lumens in that beam.

Welcome to CPF, shramj.

Your question belonged in the LED Flashlight section, but as you posted it in the Incan section, the thread attracted some interesting contributions about Incan alternatives.

The thread has therefore ended up as something of a mixture, so I'll move it to the General section.

I've yet to venture into rechargeables so I only use and have lights that accept CR123A's. I'm also into throwers, so I'd go with those who have recommended the Dereelight DBS since the pill can be interchanged easily. I also own two Tiablo A9's which I favor greatly, but the DBS really is a tank of a light and throws amazingly far.

Streamlight supertac, $80 and I can lit up things 600 ft away, even with a warehouse full of exterior sodium lighting near by.

The reflector on that Surefire light doesn't look very deep compared to its width, how much better would it throw a beam if the reflector was deeper!

Surefires are not usually throw champions. They tend to have a wider hotspot, which can make the beam more useful for close to medium range. That's not to say they don't perform very well, because they do. Surefire could make throw champions if they wanted to.