What happens when the P series Surefires are all gone?

So I ordered a 9P incandescent the other day from LAPolicegear's closeout sale (43.99)...and today I ordered a 6P at $39.99! I plan on using these to host a Malkoff M61 and probably a cheap Solar-force XML in the other. I've come to the conclusion that after messing around with and looking at a LOT of other lights I STILL prefer the good old P-Series body/form-factor better than ANY-OTHER -including the newer PX series. In fact I am seriously thinking about selling my 6PX Pro when I get it back from Surefire (sent in for the bump-mode change problem).

Someone asked this question in another thread the other day and I think it bears repeating:

What happens when all the P series bodies are no longer available? Surefire has quit making these -yes? I sure hope not! I HATE the new NON-modular glued together head/body stuff they are doing now.

The universe collapses in on us. It will be a dark time indeed.

You can either cry non-stop for days or we can all riot outside Surefire's office till they reinstate the production.

Guess I have to call my grandparents and tell them I'm not coming to visit them, I have to use my vacation days to fly to California.

Bring back the C2!

I guess the 18650 bored Surefire hosts that Overready, bugsy or Shaotech offers will go up in price until they're gone And then of course there's the marketplace so they'll probably be a supply for sometime.

I will still have mine. I have a bunch of P60, P90 and Lumens Factory incandescent bulbs. I also have a supply of P60 dropins from cheap to Malkoff! Won't affect me at all. I may even buy one of their new lights..... someday!

My oldest Surefire that I have owned the whole time is my 1st gen G2-OD. It still looks like it did since the first day I bought it, minus some dirt. I will be dead before my "P" series lights/parts quit functioning/being useable...I hope my grandkids can find replacements though...

After toying with E-series, M-series, and a Stratum, I decided to focus on the lights I liked the best. I sold all my Surefires that weren't 6/9P, Z2/3 and C2/3 in black. I bought some spares and parts; bezels and tailcaps. I have Malkoff dropins of various outputs and optics in neutral white for all the lights. Yeah, it's probably a little overkill but just try and buy a Z3 in good condition, they're way over MSRP. Get your goodies before they get scarce.

There seem to be large numbers of 9P's around, but it seems to me that C3's have gotten much more difficult to find recently. (Not just CPF/MP but also eBay and Craigslist.) Anybody else notice this?

... and mbw is spot-on about the Z3's - these seem to be even scarcer now compared to the last couple of years.

Edit: It seems like there are relatively many two-cell SF's out there, but the three-cell SF's were always far less common. And I've always liked them more...

lets stampede their doors! lol

I have parted ways with many lights but one that remains and will remain for the long haul is my SF 6P.
I can't see myself without a 6P... or at least a P60 host. For me the 6P is for flashlights what the HMS Dreadnought was for battleships.
It just seems like owning a piece of flashaholic history.

Incan had its days, LED killed it....
I would like to see SF bring a 5mm P60 dropin direct drive (if possible) that has 1 to 6 volts variable so it can be used in the 6P very efficiently and have no heat issues

If the two versions of the new LX2 are still coming out with different tailcaps, & I can somehow get an LX2-Ultra with the clicky of the other new LX2, I'll probably try to make that happen. Although that will be hard to justify, since the LX2U itself will end up costing as much as the recently discounted M6LT (another one I want for no good reason), much less after taking a loss flipping the 2nd LX2 with the Ultra's tailcap.

Otherwise I'm with the OP, sad to see the old models go, & am finding myself more excited about this latest LLL, even lower output dropin from malkoff for the 6p than I am any of the newer, slicker, glued together rechargeable multistrobes from SF.

I think Oveready have predicted and acted on this situation well. The Moddoolar range are the 6P/9P form factors and therefore accept all the P60 dropins. If you want to use CR123s then there are sleeves to prevent cell rattle.
It is sad to see the end of SF lego but there are other avenues.

brunt_sp said:

I think Oveready have predicted and acted on this situation well. The Moddoolar range are the 6P/9P form factors and therefore accept all the P60 dropins. If you want to use CR123s then there are sleeves to prevent cell rattle.
It is sad to see the end of SF lego but there are other avenues.

Click to expand...

As they say on Family Feud: "Good answer, good answer"

I think my current collection of P-Series lights (Surefire and Solarforce) can last a lifetime (and I am still buying them when I get a good offer). The only thing that really concerns me would be the rubber of the tailcap. No-one knows how flexible it still will be in - say 20 - 30 years, even in lights that are being bought today but not being used.

Cheers
Thorsten

Kestrel said:

There seem to be large numbers of 9P's around, but it seems to me that C3's have gotten much more difficult to find recently. (Not just CPF/MP but also eBay and Craigslist.) Anybody else notice this?

Click to expand...

Yup unfortunately I'm in the same boat... It's very difficult finding a C3 on eBay, much less one that is sealed in its package and HA grey which is what I want for collection sake. By contrast, there appears to be no shortage of M4s and M6s and to a lesser extent, M3s.

I believe this feeds into what I've believed early on: That relative to the C2/M2/6P/9P/M3 users, the C3 users were quietly and happily using their lights with no complaints and it's now showing in terms of how few are coming up for sale.

marinemaster said:

Incan had its days, LED killed it....
I would like to see SF bring a 5mm P60 dropin direct drive (if possible) that has 1 to 6 volts variable so it can be used in the 6P very efficiently and have no heat issues

Click to expand...

Awesome idea marinemaster!!! :thumbsup:

Wait...

The genius that started this thread naughty already came up with the idea a few years ago...

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-yer-own-quot-Battery-Vampire-quot-with-a-P60

Great minds think alike! LOL!

I just hope that they sells Z2 and Z3 again, best replacement for those who cant afford a M3
M3 is nice indeed but its almost $300 and DCed

Flea Bag said:

I believe this feeds into what I've believed early on: That relative to the C2/M2/6P/9P/M3 users, the C3 users were quietly and happily using their lights with no complaints and it's now showing in terms of how few are coming up for sale.

Click to expand...

I've known this for awhile, and have mentioned it in several thread through the years...The 9Z is going on 20+ years and is still one of the most sought after lights on CPF. The C2's/M3's,,,well,,,they have everything...the perfect texture, feel, utility, look. A few more that I KNOW (If I was a betting man) that will definitely be highly sought after through the years:

L1
L2
AZ2
M3LT
9Z/Z3
M3

Why? The fit/form/function is...well...perfect. A lot of people are chasing high lumen foreign "would be's", that will be dead/non functioning in 5 years...10 years from now, my M3LT will still be functioning. My 9Z is ~15 years old...still works with original bulb...1st Gen M3...same thing. If you have them, keep them. They will retain there value, and after a curb, they will go up in value. I bought a mint vintage M3 for $280...sold it (due to financial issues) a few months later for $325...in a matter of minutes. If you don't have them, try to acquire what you can while you can. Get an AZ2 before they go the way of the dinosaur as well.