Saturn rings of L1 beam

Greetings. Just obtained one of the latest generation L1s. On both low and high settings very thin, but bright rings, approximately two, appear at the extreme outer edge of the spill area -- from center beam out I observe a very focused beam, then little to no spill area, then thin outer "Saturn" rings. They tend to become un-noticeable with distance. Has anyone else observed these rings in their L1? Thanks in advance.

O'DubhGhaill sends.

The newest L1s are said to be using the KL1 optic, which would explain the rings you're observing. I had a 4th-generation KL1 for a week, and I saw those rings. They're normal, don't worry about them.

I had it only for a week because I very much preferred the sidespill of the 3rd-generation KL1 to the focused spot beam of the 4th-gen. That's not to say the 4G KL1 or the current L1 is bad, just that my particular KL1 is used at short range, and I have other lights for longer-range work (Mag2HID /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

O'DubhGhaill, even the first generation green LED L1 was rather ringy. One fix for the 1st generation L1/KL1 would have been a reflector, the McFlood reflector (I think the Sandwiche Shoppe still sells them) smoothes it out very nicely.

I prefer the old style KL1 with the Hotchkiss Cooling Fins to the new styles. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Britt

PS: Semper Fi /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

KevinL and BC0311, thanks very much for your responses, I feel much better about my light. I just tend to hold my breath with every SureFire light purchase I make it seems. KevinL, I too, would have preferred much more spill in this new L1 -- I even tried to find a 2d gen. L1, but the last source I thought I had dried up. As it is, this latest gen L1 is a helluva thrower and good for EDC, but I still keep my U2 nearby at all times (in a flashlight pouch on a Maxpedition Fat Boy-S that's serving dual duty perfectly as an urban day bag/clandestine pseudo-tactical E&E bag!)

BC0311, 0311/0321 here, 1980s era. Semper Fi brother!

O'DubhGhaill, out.

O'Dubh, 0311/0369 1969-72. Good to run into a fellow grunt around here. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

You are well equipped, wouldn't it have been nice to have some of the lights available now back in the '80s? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

Britt

Funny, I've been meaning to ask the same thing. I noticed those rings last weekend while playing with an e2L. I figured it had something to do with the new optic.

[ QUOTE ]
BC0311 said:
O'Dubh, 0311/0369 1969-72. Good to run into a fellow grunt around here. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

You are well equipped, wouldn't it have been nice to have some of the lights available now back in the '80s? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

Britt

[/ QUOTE ]

I hear you Britt...only you and I would believe the things we did with and to maglites back then with riggers tape, 550 cord, grease pencils, chaw, you name it, all in the effort to utilize light beyond what chem-lites provided.

I'm trying to tap some connections to find something about those +800 U2 hybrids out for field evals...I'm very interested to know what type of unit(s) are employing the lights.

Ah, technology, the source of that never-ending sucking sound from deep inside my wallet...

I can understand the feeling hoping that every SF is perfect. I freaked out over my P90's beam because at short range you could see some artifacts and slightly darker shadows in it, and I would have very much appreciated someone telling me "this is normal" with the higher powered lamps. All I had to compare was with the P60, which has *THE* most perfect shadow-less beam I have ever seen. If someone had just said "Yeah, P90s tend to be like that" I wouldn't have jumped so high /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Those stories involving the maglite sound interesting.. pray tell if you can /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

And if you get hold of one of those SAIC U2s, ooohh.. hey, do you take Paypal /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

BTW, luckily you aren't into computers (which I gave up on a while back), ahh, lights may be $200 each for the high end ones, computers are $2000 each for the high end ones /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif