Advice on which Malkoff drop-in to get...

Okay, so I currently use a modified SureFire Z2 and G2Z, both with a SF P60L LED bulb (which give me 80 lumens) for work/EDC.

I have heard so many good things about the Malkoff drop-in bulbs, that I have decided to give one a try, but I have no idea which one might be best. :thinking: I need one that is comparable to the 80 lumen output that I currently have, or better, but I don't need to a ridiculously bright bulb (which I know is subjective and vague).

I want a bulb that will allow for a decent run out of a pair of CR123s, but as I am potentially brighter, I realize that there will likely be some difference. So, what are YOUR recommendations for a Malkoff drop-in, that is >80 lumens, LED, and will fit a SureFire G2Z/Z2?

The M60L and M60LL will both fit your bill. The M60L runs for about 4 hours in regulation, the M60LL will run for about 8 hours in regulation. The M60LL will be approximately as bright as your P60L, the M60L will put out 50% more light. It won't appear 50% brighter, it might appear 20% brighter.

(This might be in the wrong forum.)

Keep in mind that the malkoffs are not hand made now. Keep in mind that most of the threads you read are old. You can get the best of both worlds with a multi-mode. I bought a an M60 a month ago and i really like it, but since i discovered the nailbenders the M60 will just sit next to my pistol. I am not trashing the Malkoffs, I would trust one with my life. They are just not cutting edge, it would cost too much with the larger scale production. In my opinion, the nailbenders are what malkoffs were.

malkoffs are not hand made now

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Unless robots are doing the assembly, they're still made by hand ... but the hands no longer belong to Gene Malkoff :nana:

Gene has outsourced assembly to KimCo Design & Manufacturing (Boise, Idaho). KimCo is [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif] [/FONT]ISO 9001 & SAE AS9100 compliant. Having dealt with Gene & Cathy quite a few times, I believe he was very careful in selecting an assembly company. The drop in still carries his name, and his guarantee.

http://www.kimco.net/about.html

Does anyone know the lumen output or candlepower output for the Malkoffs?

adbowell said:

Does anyone know the lumen output or candlepower output for the Malkoffs?

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His website lists the lumen output for every single one of his drop-ins. Also he has a integrating sphere so he can state the actual light output of his drop-ins.

precisionworks said:

Unless robots are doing the assembly, they're still made by hand ... but the hands no longer belong to Gene Malkoff :nana:


http://www.kimco.net/about.html

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"In Production, our staff is trained and certified to produce the highest-quality products in the shortest amount of time."
(EDIT: that really means that they make a boat load of them, and most of them meet the specs that they and Gene agreed upon, which i would bet is a little more lax than Gene produced in the past.)

Sure sounds like robots to me. I would guess that they would not loose sleep if they produced a drop in with a beam that is less than perfect. I have never heard of anyone getting a less than perfect beam, until his hands quit making them.

MCFLYFYTER said:

Keep in mind that the malkoffs are not hand made now. Keep in mind that most of the threads you read are old. You can get the best of both worlds with a multi-mode. I bought a an M60 a month ago and i really like it, but since i discovered the nailbenders the M60 will just sit next to my pistol. I am not trashing the Malkoffs, I would trust one with my life. They are just not cutting edge, it would cost too much with the larger scale production. In my opinion, the nailbenders are what malkoffs were.

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Cutting edge definitely doesn't always fit the bill and probably doesn't in this case.

Hello,

Last week I got 2 Malkoff M60s:
- M60LF for in a Surefire C3 Centurion
- M60LL for in a Surefire G3

The flood was meant to be replacement for my trusty Surefire L2 (lux V). I was somewhat afraid that the Malkoff would not be as floody as the L2. When I got the M60LF, is was actually floodier than the L2. Where the L2 still has some kind of hotspot, the M60LF is nearly all flood. Not a good light to illuminate objects at a distance (the L2 actually does this better), but great for filling a room with light.
As you know, the Malkoff flood is caused by the lens/diffuser.

The M60LL is also very appealing. When comparing it with other lights, I found it to be slightly more powerful than a Terralux TLE-5EX in a minimag (with UCL lens), rated at some 80 lumens at startup. It was more on par with my Fenix L2T rebel80, which is rated at a solid 100-110 lumen (see Chevrofreak). I stress that my Malkoffs are used in 3-cell lights, which, in case of the M60LL, may boost output a tiny bit. (there was an output graph by (someone) that came up with these results).

In a nitrolon model I would get an LL, otherwise an L.

Today I have received a new Surefire G2L, I still have to try it out, but I guess it is more blueish than a Malkoff. I actually do not like "warm" tints. I prefer the cool and blue. (it's all about your own personality, I guess )

Kind regards,
Joris

hey guys, don't get too freaked out. I have been creeping around here for a while, and i just recently realized that there were other options that are almost as good, and posibly much better depending on your situation. I never told him not to get a Malkoff. Maybe I am the only one that did not realize that there were other good options, my bad.

The M60LL is also very appealing.

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+1

My favorite drop in if you count numbers (four so far )

Endless run time, wife is unable to mess it up, what else could one want?

I have never heard of anyone getting a less than perfect beam, until his hands quit making them.

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I got one with an off center beam. Gene apologized and exchanged it immediately. Told me it happens every now and then.

At the $1000 price point (SPY-007) perfection is the norm. At the $500 point (some McGizmo's) Don tells all prospective buyers that the lights are not cosmetically or optically perfect - but they are pretty nice.

For $60, it is amazing that Gene (or KimCo) can produce a very high quality product and make much profit. In my small & inefficient shop, that same product would sell for $600 :nana:

Duh...I didn't see this before. Excuse my ignorance.

http://www.malkoffdevices.com/compare-flashlights.php

Thank you all so much for the recommendations!

22hornet said:

Hello,

Last week I got 2 Malkoff M60s:
- M60LF for in a Surefire C3 Centurion
- M60LL for in a Surefire G3

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Joris,

Where is the best place to get these?

This sounds like a good replacement for the Sure Fire dedicated Shotgun Light I have (uses SF's 6P module). The original incan lamps go out way too easy in shotgun application. I have had a brand new one go out on the first shot! It is unusual for one lamp to last through several days of training and only 10 -15 minutes of actual run time during the night shoot part of class.