The Duty Light that Surefire should be making!

While I appreciate your effort in suggesting and it's a great suggestion I would be surprised if you hear anything. I am a Surefire fan too but not as much as I once was as they have seemed to move away from battle ready lights fir the most part and are doing more gimmicky things rather than improving what they had. There are exceptions but for them to make a move like this will require not you, not me, but MANY folks demanded or requesting the same thing. I ve made suggestions to Sig Sauer before, I ve made suggestions to First-Light USA... and nothing. I have an idea on another option for a First-Light configuration but I need to get back on the drawing board. Will it make em listen? Doubtful but we can only try.
I ve finally learned that rather try to get the company to listen, do something for yourself and be happy with it. Then maybe market it? Either way you have what "you" find beneficial which in the long run will save "you" money and you won't then benefit the company who won't listen because you're not continually buying "their" options because that's all you can get. I m not complaining or criticizing the companies but we aren't the government and we aren't a large group of folks wanting the same thing.

usdiver said:

While I appreciate your effort in suggesting and it's a great suggestion I would be surprised if you hear anything.

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If nothing else, it's got it off my chest!!

Bravo...

"Nitrogen body"
You should write more

Dave D said:

If nothing else, it's got it off my chest!!

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Glad I could help [emoji16]

Have you sorted your light?

altermann said:

"Nitrogen body"
You should write more

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Good one even I didn't notice that one.

altermann said:

"Nitrogen body"
You should write more

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Thanks, I'll blame spell checker for that one!

I like the idea of Surefire re-releasing older model lights such as the L2 or A2 Aviator but larger to acommodate a 18650 or a 21700 battery but sadly if they were to do that I feel they would still muck it up somehow.

I never liked the 8X series of lights, I always thought the spring arraignment was strange and prone to shorting. I don't care for twist-on either unless I can't avoid it like with most AAA lights. The tail switch is also not replaceable like it is with the 9N series.

Years ago I sent an unsolicited suggestion to a guitar company and they explained that they will not look at or confirm receipt of outside ideas to protect themselves legally. If you come up with an idea that they are already working on and they acknowledge your suggestion, you might have a claim that it was your idea to begin with and sue them.

ampdude said:

The tail switch is also not replaceable like it is with the 9N series.

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There is no tail switch in them to go wrong. Which to me is a plus! :thumbsup:

All I need for the Stinger and Strion is USB rechargeable batteries and Streamlight won't make them for us.

I'd like to see the same setup as the EDCL2T but throttled back to about 500-650 lumens on high. I'm really not ok with the batteries being taxed so much they get warm enough to feel through gloves (and stay warm) while the light throttles back to where it shoulda been to start with. I tried a 17650, which throttles it back to about 75% and that was plenty bright with the SureFire optic.

To me it's just not worth the extra few meters of throw to be carrying around a potential hand grenade with the pin pulled as it feels really warm all the way down the body. I used mine last fall for about 5 minutes and it took about 20 for the batteries to cool down to cool again. It's been sitting on a shelf since.

bykfixer said:

I'd like to see the same setup as the EDCL2T but throttled back to about 500-650 lumens on high. I'm really not ok with the batteries being taxed so much they get warm enough to feel through gloves (and stay warm) while the light throttles back to where it shoulda been to start with. I tried a 17650, which throttles it back to about 75% and that was plenty bright with the SureFire optic.

To me it's just not worth the extra few meters of throw to be carrying around a potential hand grenade with the pin pulled as it feels really warm all the way down the body. I used mine last fall for about 5 minutes and it took about 20 for the batteries to cool down to cool again. It's been sitting on a shelf since.

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The Malkoff WCV6 and Hound Dog Super if not used handheld or walking with them, can really get ya. I fully believe Gene when he says after 30 minutes still air 180 degrees F. When walking with them they are fine, but still warm all the way down a MD4 body.

Another burner I have is the Olight X7 on Turbo S before it steps down I think it says about 150-155 degrees. My Surefire P3X and P2X get warm but not as warm as the Elzetta Charlie, but I think it is because the Elzetta has a superior body and body/fit to the pill/drop in than the Surefires do.

I guess most of my lights get hot except the Olight M3XS-UT. The Emisar D4 with a fresh 4.20 cell at 4300 lumens can cause a person to yell and make noises and sounds usually reserved to mechanics when the wrench slips or you stand up and hit the top of your head on the corner of the lift right before things start to go black.

I really got off topic here...

Dave D said:

There is no tail switch in them to go wrong. Which to me is a plus! :thumbsup:

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From what I remember, there was a spring in the bottom and a rubber boot. The switch was all part of the body. Maybe the contact point was something else, but I think it was a spring and in a metal boot.

ampdude said:

From what I remember, there was a spring in the bottom and a rubber boot. The switch was all part of the body. Maybe the contact point was something else, but I think it was a spring and in a metal boot.

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You must be thinking of another light, the 8NX body is just a plastic tube with a rubber boot at the end.

Dave D said:

You must be thinking of another light, the 8NX body is just a plastic tube with a rubber boot at the end.

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Yes, I remember now. The head twisted to turn the light on and off. Had that weird spring setup. That's why it would work with B90's, but not B92's. Or the other way around, I forget.

I have just found this thread topic. The Duty Light that Surefire should be making!


Like Dave D, this is also my experience. He was reading my mind when he wrote this post.

I have extensively used Streamlight SL-20's, SL-20X's, Stingers (incandescent and LED), Surefires, and upgraded Surefires with Malkoff dropins for over 30+ years.
I have to agree the Streamlight Stinger is the current market leader for first responders in the USA. I have to commend Streamlight for producing , improving and supporting a product line (Stinger) over all these years and making a fantastic product. I currently have around 5+ working Stingers of various ages.

However, one of my favorite work lights was the Surefire 8NX. Aside from the initial battery issues, it was one of the best lights for work in my experience. The Nitrolon body material felt so warm, secure with good "feel" in the hand. The tailcap switch was in the right spot. No hunting around for a side mounted button to operate it. Roughly the same size and output of the Stinger (at the time when they were both incandescent). Both fit in the same belt pouch too. I felt the 8NX had a better beam and had a more usable hotspot than the Stinger at the time. I still have mine in stock form with the X80 incandescent bulb. It still works great. The light is KISS simple. Of course Surefire abandoned it.

I also purchased one of the first Lumens Factory 8X-LED drop-ins for the light and liked it so much I bought another 8NX on Ebay to put the Lumens Factory module in. I agree. The 8NX is a nice light in LED form. I wish I had it back then but am happy to have it now. I find myself reaching for it quite regularly. I am mildly worried about running it too long at a time with no metal head to heat sink it.

Surefire could easily produce an updated 8 series LED model with the use of their 18650 battery utilizing their usb charging capability. Surefire though would have an uphill climb of winning back the first responder from Streamlight at this point because I feel they have somewhat abandoned this space to pursue more esoteric product lines. They throw out new models regularly but also discontinue models quickly like my Surefire 10X! This drives me nuts.

The new production Stingers today, with the Dual Switches, no battery issues and assortment of regular, HP and HPL head modules all using the same chargers are really hard to beat. They have developed into a very reliable and capable light at a reasonable price. You can see that Streamlight supports the common working man's use of lights. My 1995 Stinger uses the same battery and charger as the new models today.

My picks now would be the Malkoff M61HOT MD2 18650 or Elzetta Bravo 2xCR123 with AVS head for plainclothes, the Malkoff M91T in the MD3 cell configuration powered with two 18500's on the work belt in uniform. I would use the Malkoff Hound Dog in 2x18650 MD4 configuration and/or a Streamlight Stinger DS model in the car. I own and use all of these lights today.

But, if Surefire made such an updated 8 series LED I would have to buy it.