Surefire serial # ?

Every surefire I have seen in person or in photos has had a serial number starting with an A.
I have one that starts with a B.

I've tried the search engine with no luck.

I spend a lot of time with part and serial #'s at work and the prefix is usually a code, ie. intended market, place of origin, grade, ect.

Any ideas ? Or is it just another letter ?

Thanks

Just a guess but I think it is another incrementing letter. The only SF I've ever seen with a B is my 6P, and I believe they've sold enough 6Ps over the years to warrant a serial number bump.

Pretty amazing feat to build and sell over a hundred and fifty thousand 6Ps (five numbers, one letter, and my number's close to the 150K mark) in something like 17 years, because on average that would involve placing 10K lights per year.

My incandescent Surefires all start out at "B" (C3 and 6Ps). All my LED Surefires start at "A". Since the incandescent models came out first, it appears that Surefire does NOT serial number by any order, probably randomly instead.

My X200 and E2D both have a B but none of my older lights do?

i was told by surefire that the "AXXX" and "BXXXX" are not serial numbers.

i just checked the email and they said that it is just "body number". errr.. is it the same as serial number? if yes, pardon this blur noob...

[ QUOTE ]
amlim said:
i just checked the email and they said that it is just "body number". errr.. is it the same as serial number? if yes, pardon this blur noob...

[/ QUOTE ]

Must be the same concept as serial number though. Surefires each have a unique number on a light. That is essentially what a serial number is.

On many SureFires, there is a serial number of the body.
On models made up of a specific bezel that you can buy, this bezel will also have a serial number.

For example, the L4 has a body number and a KL4 bezel number.
For example, the Z32 Shock Isolated Bezels also have bezel numbers.

The primary reason for having a unique number is to differentiate between one light and the next. They do not represent a sequential production number because the parts are etched (and numbered) usually before they are assembled. That's why the L4/L5/L6/L7 will have different numbers on the body and bezel.
[a side note here is that it would be really cool to see one with the same numbers!]

Anyway, the majority of serial numbers are a single character (usually A or B) followed by five numbers.

The 9AN uses six digits, as does the M4 and M6.
I have an E2e that has only four digits.

With regards to what "A" and "B" signify - I like to think that "B" indicates that it is made in SureFire's Bradford (UK) facility but everybody at SureFire will deny any knowledge of such a place.

I have seen a "B" and "A" 'numbered' E2d-bodies.

No pun intended, but we can't call those numbers as 'serial numbers', as they are not release or made in series. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif As what Al [size15s] says, "unique number is to differentiate between one light and the next." /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks guys