Troubleshooting a Surefire

Years ago, I acquired a SF weapon light (scoutish). It worked fine but it seemed the tail switch wasn't consistently working well. It went in a box and years later I had it cerakoted. The threads were taped and there is no product in the body. The light still didn't work well and it went back in the box.

Fast forward and and I took it out of the box to put a new M61 drop in in it. Not working. I ordered a new tail switch for it and that didn't work. So I put that new tail cap on my G2 and it worked perfectly. That m61 drop in also works perfectly in my G2.

My g2 cap went on the "broken" one and it won't fire. I switched engines, batteries, tail caps, all to no avail. It seems like something isn't making connection on the scout body. Any pointers for what I should check?

M61 works, tailcap works. But together in the weapon light body it doesn't. Only connection point left is the m61 with the flashlight body. Does it rattle when it's in the light?

No it sounds tight!

I should add I also tried two known working p60 incans and they didn't work either.

Does completing the circuit with foil or wire work? Do you have some pics?

Do you mean putting foil or wire in the body somewhere?

If I understand you correctly, you have a Scout body, E series threads and are putting a C/M series head with P60 drop in? So you are using a E to C adapter? If I am right, sometimes you need a thread extension for the drop in to make a ground contact. If I recall, it is a 17mm to 16mm brass ring adapter. Also, if a M head, check that your shock ring is seated correctly.

Str8stroke said:

If I understand you correctly, you have a Scout body, E series threads and are putting a C/M series head with P60 drop in? So you are using a E to C adapter? If I am right, sometimes you need a thread extension for the drop in to make a ground contact. If I recall, it is a 17mm to 16mm brass ring adapter. Also, if a M head, check that your shock ring is seated correctly.

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I haven't changed heads. Just the drop in. And that wouldn't explain why the factory incan p60 worked originally but not now ?

http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums...4-94B7-49F0-AE3F-6EFF311A3E1C_zpsiykryapg.jpg

http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums...1-1115-4A28-A2A4-432E36525A80_zpsixsajo6t.jpg

Jbraman said:

Do you mean putting foil or wire in the body somewhere?

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If you remove the tailcap, you can check that the body/head is a completed circuit by bridging the foil with the battery and body. If it doesnt activate, the problem may be as str8stroke mentioned, a conductivity issue in the head area

So remove the tail cap and bridge battery neg - to body essentially bypassing the switch ? If the head and body had conductivity, the light should come on in that case?

Jbraman said:

So remove the tail cap and bridge battery neg - to body essentially bypassing the switch ? If the head and body had conductivity, the light should come on in that case?

Click to expand...

Yes!

I'm still a little confused as to your exact setup, since your description doesn't seem to match the photos you posted :thinking:

I'm guessing that the M61 dropin spring may not be reaching far enough to make a solid connection, though ....

Has this light worked (under any conditions) since being cerakoted ?

Try the ole spring stretch. Might just work.

archimedes said:

Has this light worked (under any conditions) since being cerakoted ?

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Yes but it was so sporadic I thought it was a switch issue

archimedes said:

I'm still a little confused as to your exact setup, since your description doesn't seem to match the photos you posted :thinking:

I'm guessing that the M61 dropin spring may not be reaching far enough to make a solid connection, though ....

Click to expand...

well the head on photo shows the Incan p60 bulb but I thought I described it like the picture lol

Does not look like a Scout Light to me ....

My point with the cerakote is that if the threads and/or mating faces got accidentally coated (even partially) , that might cause contact problems.

I was assuming it was Scout. What might it be then? I seriously don't know