Malkoff dropin for Surefire 6P- help me decide!

Okay, I'm back to play the help-me-make-up-my-mind game again!:laughing: I have a 6P with a Malkoff M61L in it already; Amazon had a sale price on the 6P that I couldn't pass up ($35 shipped) so I just picked up a second one! I'm trying to decide what Malkoff dropin to pick up for it. Overall I'm a big fan of the 'N' engines. The color is great and output is very good. But Woods Walker's recent thread has sparked my desire to set this one up with an LED as close to the original incan tint/color as possible. So really it comes down to just two options: The M61WL and the M61WLL.

This is really really tough to decide on! On the one hand the WL makes sense- good runtime (5+ hours) with pretty high output relative to the original incan. On the other hand the WLL is, at least on paper, about the same lumen output (although I don't know the candelas) but with 10+ hours of runtime! In practical terms how much difference will there be between the WL and the WLL?

I realize there's really no "wrong" choice with Malkoff dropins! I've got several of them in various lights (M60 from Elzetta, M61L, M61N, M61L Nichia 219B and one more that escapes me right now). To be clear, this one doesn't need to be a flamethrower- my collection already includes an Elzetta Charlie & Bravo with an AVS head for 900/650 lumens respectively, as well as a few modern Surefires and some 900+ lumen JETBeams. This is more of a fun project and maybe a battery vampire light to keep by the bed.

Thanks for any input!

Sounds like you should go with the M61WLL.

The WL is obviously brighter.

But if you like the amount of brightness the xenon P60 puts out the WLL gets it done.

I played with my 6P a few days before deciding on the WLL. You need to decide if the 6P in it's original form is simply bright enough for your taste. If it is, you'll absolutely love the WLL. If not the WL has enough extra punch to still enjoy that 6P old school flavor while satisfying your craving for that little bit of extra output.

I just hope some Malkoff makes an NLL someday.

Now to the light itself.
I see a lot of folks raving about a bunch of 6P's showing up for $35. It causes me to wonder if a big ole batch of fakes has mades it's way over here and are now being sold as the real deal.

Unless something has changed at SureFire they should US made and be going for no less than $55. Most authorized sellers charge $60+...

For what it's worth, I have both and end up using the LL more. With dark adjusted eyes it is still very bright. I use a floody lens with it for night time reading.

Low low is the best balance of runtime and lumens. It sure about warm, but neutral is nice.

Rob Babcock said:

...Thanks for any input!

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In my opinion:

If you want the closest thing to an incan in terms of output and tint, the WLL is the way to go.

If your battery costs are a consideration, the WLL is the way to go.

If battery costs are not a major consideration and you won't be comparing this light side-by-side to your P60, I think you'll be very happy with the WL.

I'm sure you'll be very happy either way - if you're like me, though, you'll be happiest by simply getting both!

Grijon said:

I'm sure you'll be very happy either way - if you're like me, though, you'll be happiest by simply getting both!

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^^ this!

bykfixer said:

The WL is obviously brighter.

But if you like the amount of brightness the xenon P60 puts out the WLL gets it done.

I played with my 6P a few days before deciding on the WLL. You need to decide if the 6P in it's original form is simply bright enough for your taste. If it is, you'll absolutely love the WLL. If not the WL has enough extra punch to still enjoy that 6P old school flavor while satisfying your craving for that little bit of extra output.

I just hope some Malkoff makes an NLL someday.

Now to the light itself.
I see a lot of folks raving about a bunch of 6P's showing up for $35. It causes me to wonder if a big ole batch of fakes has mades it's way over here and are now being sold as the real deal.

Unless something has changed at SureFire they should US made and be going for no less than $55. Most authorized sellers charge $60+...

Click to expand...

I seen them on military surplus type sites first. They sold out hundreds of 6p fast for prices in the low 20s and then they showed up on the bay and Amazon for a bit more. I got one from the gov overstock and surplus shops and its 100 percent real right down the the new but storage worn SF packaging.

I have an M61N in my 6P running on a 17670 and I love it. If I had to do anything differently, I'd try an M61NL. (I have an M61L in a G2 and I love the runtime. The output is plenty for whatever I need.)

I have several 'regular' i.e. non-N modules that look nice but I think I just got lucky.

I say WL.

To me, the further you go down the LL, LLL, LLLL lineup, the weirder the tints get. Of the LLLL's I've had, they never seem to product the tint you think they should based on the regular or L model. I feel like they all start to move to a grey tint regardless of actual emitter.

Thanks for looking at my thread. I think the M61WL is very near the P60. The tint is probably more near than a M61 WLL (but don't own one) as often tints change as a constant current controlled light has less output with a tendency to shift towards its base nature. Also the higher lumens compensates for the lower throw so for the most part a M61L will for all practical reason throw about the same as a P60 though takes over twice the lumens to do it.

If it were me, I would go for the WLL so not only do I get to try a different tint but also different level. That way you have the L for a brighter light and an LL for more runtime if you need it.

Of course I am assuming with time you will have all of them anyway.

bykfixer said:

Unless something has changed at SureFire they should US made and be going for no less than $55. Most authorized sellers charge $60+...

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I think the market is flooded with 6Ps and not all people know you can easily upgrade them to LED. I see great deals on used ones or new ones with Cage barcodes on them that were obviously issued or "walked away" from military stock. The same reason you see a lot of SF helmet and weapon lights pop up for good prices.

mckeand13 said:

I say WL.

To me, the further you go down the LL, LLL, LLLL lineup, the weirder the tints get. Of the LLLL's I've had, they never seem to product the tint you think they should based on the regular or L model. I feel like they all start to move to a grey tint regardless of actual emitter.

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This is exactly the truth.

fresh eddie fresh said:

I think the market is flooded with 6Ps and not all people know you can easily upgrade them to LED. I see great deals on used ones or new ones with Cage barcodes on them that were obviously issued or "walked away" from military stock. The same reason you see a lot of SF helmet and weapon lights pop up for good prices.

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I got a new 6P from a military surplus site for $20. After shipping and tax it was $26.

Same here. I got a new 6P incandescent with 2 new cells in it. From the same site. If you got 5 lites, you got free shipping.

etc said:

Same here. I got a new 6P incandescent with 2 new cells in it. From the same site. If you got 5 lites, you got free shipping.

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Yeah, that's true- a good price and there's a couple bucks worth of batteries, too. So it was an extra good deal. I really don't need any more but at the price I'm tempted to pick up a 3rd one.

mckeand13 said:

I say WL.

To me, the further you go down the LL, LLL, LLLL lineup, the weirder the tints get. Of the LLLL's I've had, they never seem to product the tint you think they should based on the regular or L model. I feel like they all start to move to a grey tint regardless of actual emitter.

Click to expand...

Woods Walker said:

Thanks for looking at my thread. I think the M61WL is very near the P60. The tint is probably more near than a M61 WLL (but don't own one) as often tints change as a constant current controlled light has less output with a tendency to shift towards its base nature. Also the higher lumens compensates for the lower throw so for the most part a M61L will for all practical reason throw about the same as a P60 though takes over twice the lumens to do it.

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I think you guys have sealed it! Just got on Malkoff's site and ordered an M61WL. To be honest, I think the M61NL would be superior for everyday use but I just want to do a warmer "retro" version for fun. Plus, the W is the only tint I haven't tried yet. I already have Malkoff dropins with the standard, N and Nichia 219B emitters. Might as well try the last one I haven't seen yet.

Down the road I do want to try an LL just to get the best possible runtime. I would think a 3 x CR123a light like my Elzetta Charlie would run forever with an M61LL!

I mainly wanted a spare tailcap and the bezel, a good deal for $20 when just the TC runs that much.

Rob Babcock said:

Yeah, that's true- a good price and there's a couple bucks worth of batteries, too. So it was an extra good deal. I really don't need any more but at the price I'm tempted to pick up a 3rd one.






I think you guys have sealed it! Just got on Malkoff's site and ordered an M61WL. To be honest, I think the M61NL would be superior for everyday use but I just want to do a warmer "retro" version for fun. Plus, the W is the only tint I haven't tried yet. I already have Malkoff dropins with the standard, N and Nichia 219B emitters. Might as well try the last one I haven't seen yet.

Down the road I do want to try an LL just to get the best possible runtime. I would think a 3 x CR123a light like my Elzetta Charlie would run forever with an M61LL!

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For some reason I don't think a M61LL will run all that much longer on 3XCR123. I think it will run brighter though. I got one in a C2 it's a nice combo also what etc said about those 6p deals. The parts cost more. I think you will be happy with the WL.

etc said:

I mainly wanted a spare tailcap and the bezel, a good deal for $20 when just the TC runs that much.

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Yeah, but then you have that spare body just sitting there. Before you know it, it'll start calling to you... softly at first, then it becomes increasingly more insistent.

"Make me whole again!"

Like the ghost of flashlights past.

You're probably saner than me, but it just drives me nuts to have parts of a light just hanging out. Eventually, they all get tailcaps, bezels, and a dropin.

Sigh.