SF KM3 and Vampire

Ok is it just me or SF is sort of a rip off? Dont get me wrong, I love SF but their prices are just ridiculous.

Here is a good example.

the V2 Vampire costs $310 on their website.

The KM3 head, to upgrade M952XM weaponlights costs $299.00

Some of you may know that the V2/K2/U2 bodies are all the same. So if you do the math, the V2 body only costs $11.

why spend $299 forthe KM3 when you get a V2 body for only $11 more?

However if you try to buy the V2 body or tailcap, they wont sell it.

So if you want to upgrade a weaponlight, buy the V2 and you have $11 of fun SF lego opportunities.

Why not look at it the other way?
The V2 is excellent value - you get a whole flashlight for just $11 more than the KM3 Lamp Module.

Given that the V2 has the two-stage push button pressure switch, what else can be used on it? Of course you could get a clickie TailCap for it if you wanted to make wider use of the V2's housing body...

Al

in b4 lock


No, but seriously, these type of threads never come to any good. They always become stuff-slinging crap-fests that bring out the worst sides of our members...

Surefire's are expensive, yes, that is true. Neither do they provide the most": output/modes/runtime/gimmicky stuff, etc... But you can buy one and KNOW that if it breaks in 10 years time they will be able to fix it, and that if it breaks again ten years after that they will fix it. You're not paying so much for the light, but for the years of R+D, the prototyping, re-designs, the testing, and trouble shooting, and the re-testing, but, most of all, for their Customer Service, which is often seen as some of the best in the business, compared to Peak and Ra/HDS Systems...

Take out of that what you will, but you can't argue that they make a good product.

Surefire 620V $550?????

Ok, I have several tactical rifles each with surefire scouts on them. I use night vision so each has an IR filter. when surefire relased the KM2 at $229.00, i thought that was way over priced. I purchased each of my scouts at $310.00 (well below retail ~400.00 +) how is it that surefire thinks that 229 for an IR/WL head or 550 for the 620 is remotely fair? I love the concept of the KM@ but I would not drop more than 100.00 for it, the 30.00 flip up ir filter does what I need it to do.

BTW, this is my 2nd post here so I should be able to hit the some of the other areas on this site. If anyone knows of a place that has the KM2s for way less than 229 or the 620s for way, way less than 550 I would appreciate an IM or Email.

Thanks, and I appreciate the insight of this forum

Re: Surefire 620V $550?????

Surefire can charge whatever they want, maybe Size15 can provide some insight here. Besides still waiting for all the other manufacturers to come out with their visible & IR combination weaponlights. When that happens we'll see some competition and maybe cheaper prices. Then again, the IR filters work too and are cheaper what's wrong with using that?

Size15's said:

Why not look at it the other way?
The V2 is excellent value - you get a whole flashlight for just $11 more than the KM3 Lamp Module.

Given that the V2 has the two-stage push button pressure switch, what else can be used on it? Of course you could get a clickie TailCap for it if you wanted to make wider use of the V2's housing body...

Al

Click to expand...

True Al, the Vampire is excellent value. The two stage tailcap could be spare back up to my Kromas.

Re: Surefire 620V $550?????

I am in agreement with you. However I have to say that I never have doubts about my surefire lights. They work 110% all the time. My offbrand non SF lights give me pause as to their reliability.

Inherently I know that any of the KMX heads will work all the time, every time.

But with regards to using an incandescent and a NV filter, I dont see any problems. But battery life clearly suffers.

I have two IR setups. My scoutlight with IR filter and my Darpa Turbo Kroma.

The Turbo Kroma works like any other kroma. I can half press for IR or full press for full LuxV white light. something I cant really do with the KMX lights or the Scoutlight.

Re: Surefire 620V $550?????

jp2515 said:

...Then again, the IR filters work too and are cheaper what's wrong with using that?

Click to expand...

Quality IR filters such as the material SureFire uses is rather expensive. Even with SureFire's 'Millennium' type BeamFilters that are beefier and more versatile compared to traditional tip-off beam filters, they are prone to impact damage and can be a pain to secure 'shut' under stressful conditions.

SureFire's revolutionary new concept - their Vampire Lamp Module removes the liabilities of BeamFilters, dramatically improves efficiency and reduces the size/bulk of the bezel/filter combination as well as providing an easier and faster transition between the white light and IR beams.

FYI
I've merged two related threads together here

Re: Surefire 620V $550?????

Size15's said:

Quality IR filters such as the material SureFire uses is rather expensive. Even with SureFire's 'Millennium' type BeamFilters that are beefier and more versatile compared to traditional tip-off beam filters, they are prone to impact damage and can be a pain to secure 'shut' under stressful conditions.

SureFire's revolutionary new concept - their Vampire Lamp Module removes the liabilities of BeamFilters, dramatically improves efficiency and reduces the size/bulk of the bezel/filter combination as well as providing an easier and faster transition between the white light and IR beams.

Click to expand...

Yep I know they are expensive, I use the us night vision flip up BK100 IR filter, it works and is only 29.00. I would just prefer the LED duel role, it saves on batteries. Anyway, I guess once everyone else comes out with duel role leds then the price will drop. I also have a warrior light that is duel role but you have to reverse the batteries to switch between the IR and white light. I know its not rocket science so why has it taken so long for these duel role light to come out and why has it taken so long for duel role weapon lights to come out?

Surefire has done this before. They want you to buy the whole light instead of just a head, and their pricing reflects that. I once returned a KL5 head to the B&M shop where I bought it. Got store credit which I later used to buy an M6. But I still wanted a KL5 head. For a few bucks more, I bought an L5 complete light.

Monocrom said:

Surefire has done this before. They want you to buy the whole light instead of just a head, and their pricing reflects that. I once returned a KL5 head to the B&M shop where I bought it. Got store credit which I later used to buy an M6. But I still wanted a KL5 head. For a few bucks more, I bought an L5 complete light.

Click to expand...

That's the strange part ain't it? For the price of one part, you can pay a little more and get the whole light. Guess SF really wants to see you a whole new light (or now a whole new replacement head/LED module)

Is the KM3 compatible with the SF Universal Weapon Light: http://www.surefire.com/ClassicUniversalSystemWeaponLights

Yes and no. You can get something similar. XM tailcap on a SF A21 you might need an A19 extender. The important part needs to mate to the KM3 which has male threading like the Kroma or U2 Heads. I could be wrong on the A19 but I think the A19 allows a 1x cell to mate to the Kroma head.

Solscud007 said:

Yes and no. You can get something similar. XM tailcap on a SF A21 you might need an AN19 extender. The important part needs to mate to the KM3 which has male threading like the Kroma or U2 Heads. I could be wrong on the A19 but I think the A19 allows a 1x cell to mate to the Kroma head.

Click to expand...

Just to clarify this, there is no "AN19". There is an AN14 (N for Nitrolon)

If you remove the L60 Lamp Module from the 660 you're left with the A21 Universal Housing Body and the XM TailCap.
The L60 Lamp Module consists of the shock isolated bezel, lamp assembly and Lamp Module Housing Body (the knurled section in the photo on SureFire.com).

There are two main ways to build the WeaponLight back up to accept the KM3 Lamp Module.
1) XM + A21 + A12 + KM3
2) XM + A19 + A21 + KM3

So the A19 fits between the TailCap and the Body (A21), whereas the A12 fits between the Body (A21) and the Lamp Module.