A Surefire G3 LED question...

I need a new light for my duty rig (police officer) and I'm considering a Surefire G3 with the new 120 lumen LED lamp.

I had one of the old 105 lumen Xenon G3s and loved it, but I was worried about lamp breakage.

I also had one of the 80 lumen G2s which used the exact same lamp as the G3, but it didn't throw worth a damn. :scowl:

I'm curious...does the "new" 120 lumen LEDs throw any better than the "old" 80 lumen LEDs?

Why can't Surefire make a decent LED? :shakehead My pocket carry light as we speak is a Streamlight PT2L. It throws like crazy!

Please don't recommend that I do this, tweak that, bore that - I'm just not flashlight savvy like you guys. I'm just a dumb cop. :sigh:

If you want throw, have you considered an LX2 or an E2DL?

The new G3L has pretty decent throw for a reflectored light. It's noticeably brighter than the old 80 lumen G2L. It maintains a good brightness level for roughly 2 hours. I could bore you with all these better options you could do, but won't at your request. I will recommned getting a secong light that is strictly throw, like the two mentioned above, or even the E1B. These light throw alot farther than the other lights you have mentioned since the heads are different, and will make great, compact search lights, where as your G3 could fill the "general purpoe light" role.

Oh, and :welcome:

I have the PT2L, the G2L 80 lumen, the G2L 120 lumen, the G3L 120 lumen, some G2's, the LX2, the E1B Backup, and the PT1L. (I do have other lights, but I mention only these ones because of their relevancy).

The skinny black PT2L out-throws the G2L 120.
The G2L 120 is lightly brighter, throws a few feet more, and the tint is a more whitish-blue, instead of the soft blue of the G2L 80. Yes, it's an improvement, but only slight. Nice thing, the G3L 120 and G2L 120 should serve you a bit better in car searches and indoors because its flood is better than the PT2L's intense pointy spot.
With the G2L 120 (which uses the same LED unit as the G3L 120), don't expect to illuminate a person any further than across the yard. As I said, the beam is less throwy, compared to the PT2L. It is more floody-- in comparison.
ps Glock fan as well!

If you need clarification, please ask. I used a bunch of similar-sounding acronyms, which may be confusing . I was a bit redundant with the numbers and such, but I did so to illustrate the lumen output of the various lights.

fresh eddie fresh said:

If you want throw, have you considered an LX2 or an E2DL?

Click to expand...

Those are both awesome lights, but I need a BIGGER light for my duty belt. I already have the Streamlight PT2L or my Surefire L4 for my back-up light, I just want a larger light for my primary.

I like the G3 because it fills my meathooks better than a G2 does. I like a handful of light and the pocket sized ones tend to disappear in my fists.

As long as the G3L will illuminate a potential threat around the 50 yard mark (+/-) that's all the throw I need. Like I said earlier...the old 80 lumen LED that Surefire used to use in their P series just did not cut it for me. :ironic:

I am not a cop, but I would buy a G3 Incandescent (looks like you can get them on ebay for about 60 bucks new) And i would put a malkoff M61 into it. No sense in paying a premium for a surefire LED when they are marginal at best. (I think the Malkoff will go into a G3 just fine pending its the same head as a G2) Awesome power...I have mine in a 6P and love it. Lights up out to about 75-100 yards easily. Nice wide beam too. I would suggest getting the (W) version. Much nicer tint and makes it easier to see things at night especially in the woods. I got my malkoff from battery junction for around 65 bucks i think. Youll be around 120 bucks total, but MAN you will love it!! Check out the Malkoff thread and youll see why!

In the Marketplace, someone is selling a similar G3 frankencombo kit. The G3 there includes the holster and a 200 lumen LED, but the body of that G3 is yellow. Not exactly what you're looking for, but very similar...

IMO, If you didn't like the 80 lm G2L, you won't like the 120 lm G3L. They use the same emitter and the beam pattern is very similar. No one likes to have to buy multiple lights to accomplish a task (ok, some of us do, haha) but in this case while the GxLs are awesome lights, (I have 3 G2Ls, two old, one new) I don't think they are the right light to take care of all your needs. You may need to supplement your duty belt with another brighter throwier light.