Surefire M2 or L5...Which one?

I have a question for all of you flashlight 'junkies'...

I currently own a Surefire E2E-HA light with the standard 65 Lumen incandescent head, plus a Surefire KL4 LED head. I love the light, but can see that the LED head has a different 'quality of light' than the standard head. I think that they're both great, but for different purposes. I have an 'itch' to but another light, and I was contemplating either a Surefire L5,M3 or an M2. The L5 also puts out the same 65 Lumens as the KL4 head, but supposedly had a more directional 'hotspot'. The M3 is a bit stronger than the others. The light will serve as a general purpose light as well as a tactical light for shooting. Which one would be better?

Thx

I like the L5 due to its hotspot

For tactical purposes, get the brightest light that you can. Having said that, I have used the KL5 on my carbine. For weapon mounting, I prefer the LED due to its shock resistance at the expense of a less intense hot spot. However, having looked into the business end of a good LED vs an M2 or even M3, I can attest that to the night adapted eye, the LED is painful to look at. It may be due to color temp, I don't know.

maddog69, Welcome to CPF!

I suggest you get the L5 and the M2 bezel & P61 Lamp Assembly.
You could also ask your SureFire Dealer whether it would be cheaper to get the M2 (comes with the P61) and the KL5 as the accessory. Granted, the L5 comes with the Z58 Clickie TailCap which the M2 doesn't though.

Anyway, it sounds to me like you're after the output of the P61 Lamp Assembly and so the M2 would be my suggestion over the L5 - especially if you keep the M2 for "tactical" use with your firearm and carry the E2e or E2e+KL4 as your "everyday use light) as well.

However, you should strongly consider the G2Z & P61 Lamp rather than the M2. Unless you're going to be using the M2's PocketClip, the G2Z gives you excellent performance in a more light-weight flashlight. It can also accept the KL5 if you want to try that later on.
Again, using the G2Z with the P61 will be a "tactical" light for use with your firearm. It will also need a belt pouch or holster for carry really.

I should point out that I have no experience shooting, nor of carrying flashlights or firearms in such a way as to deploy them "tactically". Which ever you decide on, I would expect it would mean becoming familiar with the new setup through training and practice etc

Please let us know what you decide and how you get on!

Al /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I am interested in this question as well.

I am heavily leaning toward the L5 as it looks like a sweet little light. Does anyone know off hand how much the M2 Bezel is??

I did exactly what Al said.
Bought an L5 and then an M2 bezel w/ a P61 LA.
The best of both worlds.

Tim: I believe you have to request the M2 bezel from your favorite SF parts supplier. Should be about $32, but remember you need to get yourself a P61 to go with it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

GR: I'm a bit worse than you. I first bought an L5 with the M2 bezel, but then ended up piecing together an M2 as a back-up /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

Al: Hmm.. I may need to get myself a G2Z to compliment my growing SF collection /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I have both and really like the KL5 plus you have options as Al mentioned. I believe that the KL5 is underated by the CPF community. It's not an expert at all but it does everything very well. IMHO the KL5 blends blends both the throw and spill camps an as an added bonus it's Pila friendly.

I would get KL5, since you have an E2E body then get E2C adapter with Mc2ES tailcap. With these you can create a two stage brightness L5 setup. With P60/61 you won't get 2 stage brightness.

Flash_Fan,

Forget the L5 unless you are talking pistol-only. It is better than the L4 in throw because it has a more narrowly-focused hot spot in a deeper reflector, and worse than the L4 in flood because of the same. (For pistol only, it is excellent). The M2 is not made to be mounted on a firearm and is limited in range and power (although better than the L5 in both).

If there is a rifle involved in all this, you only have one choice - the M3 - for both power and design. Whether you go with the 125 yard standard M3 or the 175 yard M3T is up to you (also accepts a KL6 LED head which is perfect for a shotgun light). (Ranges are cut in half if you close one eye, as many people instinctively do). The M3 standard or KL6 head will accept the FM14 filter cover and still have the clearance to mount under the barrel, but the M3T will NOT accept a filter cover and still have the clearance to mount under the barrel. The SFM14 and SFM31 Surfire mounts from Surefire or Lagger-pro.com are the ones to get for a classic barrel mount. The M31 "high" mount stays attached to the flashlight at all times and is quick-attached to the SFM14 barrel mount in seconds. The SFM31 mount attached to the flashlight is not all that inconvenient when the flashlight is used for utility purposes. The flashlight, in any configuration, fits in an SOEgear.com "M6" holster in O.D. or black.

With 7 different incandescent levels (MN10 & MN11 with the regular head, MN15 & MN16 with the Turbohead, MN60 & MN61 with the A-19 extender and Turbohead [M4T], or the A-19 extender and the N62 bulb for 500 lumens!!!), it is the most versatile shock light that I have ever seen and is the only light that I use for this purpose.

Now add the KL2 long-duration LED head or the KL6 longer-throw LED head (which also works on the M4 or M6), throw in the various utility/tactical tailcaps and switches, and there really isn't much this light won't do. What's not to like??

Hope this helps.