Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P?

StoneDog

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I'm looking for a reasonably powerful light that I can take camping or leave near the door to my backyard. This light will be used primarily for spotting things at long distances (EDIT: up to a few hundred yards). I'd like to keep it under Mag 3D size/weight. The ability to take rechargeables would be great but it has to run on primaries as well. My budget is about $75 and I'm thinking right now that a SF 9P should do the job.

However, lately I've been ignoring just about everything that doesn't use a Luxeon LED so I don't know if there are better options out there.

Given the budget, performance and size requirements, is there anything out there that is better suited than the 9P?

PS - I've already got a SL Scorpion, SF E2e, a Lux3 in a PR-T driven at 1 amp and a LuxV in a Mag 2C driven at 750ma. I'm hoping for something with more power/throw than these lights.

Thanks!

Jon
 

leukos

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The 9P is a nice light and works great for swapping rechargeables and primaries. Even though I think 100 lumens is just about right for most outdoor throw needs, I don't know that it will meet your desire for spotting things a few hundred yards away.

What about doing a mod with your 2C? A glass lens, aluminum reflector, Pelican Big D bulbs and the same rechargeables/primaries as you would use in the 9P? You would have more throw and lumens and it could fit in your $75 price range. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

How about a spotlight?
 

StoneDog

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Re: Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P

leukos,

I guess that would be the Big D alkaline bulb, right? Those are good for what, 200 lumens or so? That would work with runtimes similar to a P91, right?

270winchester,

Is that one still available? If I remember it had a pocket clip, slightly larger reflector and was adjustable. That could certainly work.

Jon
 

Topper

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Re: Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P

SL TL3 is likely the best alternative for a 9P, however that few hundred yard thing sounds more like a Thor 10 MCP kind of thing. Oops I do not think reachargeable is an option for the TL3
Topper
 

JasonC8301

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Re: Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P

I also recommend a SL TL3, but it is not rechargable though.

Distance also goes along with how much ambient light there is. After 100-150 yards my Surefire M6 is washed out, ~ 200 is the limit for my Tigerlight (this is in NYC.) My cousin bought a house in a new devlopment and it gets really dark there at night, all I had was my Tigerlight but the reaction from the non-flashaholics was like "WTF." It clearly went out to 300 yards (estimate across the pond.) This was with barely any ambient light wash out though.

I have a 2C modded with UCL lens, PMR with slight orange peel, and 3 X CR123's in it. I was running KPR112's in it from Radioshack but found they blew too often on me. I have a magnum star 9 volt bulb in there now (Mag's 6 cell bulb) and it is fine sitting there on my dresser with like once a month usage.

I find Surefire's great for up close to medium range work (currently own a M6 and U2, had a E2e and L2 but sold/traded them for the U2) but unless you have one of the turbo heads or the NRTH (I think something like this) heads the beam is not as tight as some people want for throw.
 

Size15's

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Re: Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P

JansonC8301 means the "SRTH" from SureFire Dealer LPS.
The Short Rimmed TurboHead (compared to the 12PM's TurboHead) has a less rippled reflector finish so that Lamps with small filaments such as the N1, N2, N4 & N5 can produce tighter than normal SureFire beams.

This photo shows a selection of three-SF123A SureFires:
P104.jpg
 

Size15's

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Re: Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P

Here is a few other TurboHead models (mostly four-SF123A):
P43.jpg

One of the great things about SureFire is the interchangeability of components!

Al /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

Paul_in_Maryland

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Re: Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P

Wolf Eyes claims that its 9M--a 3x123A xenon model--provides "perfect identification to objects within 200 meters in full darkness." Elsewhere Wolf Eyes claims a 300-yard range, which evidently is the upper limit of the 9M's "usable" throw. You can use the 9M's built-in charging circuitry or three standard CR123A cells. Replacement lamps are just $12.

If you don't need rechargeability built-in, you can save a lot of money by getting the 9MX.

I'm not sure whether a glass lens is used in these 45mm turbohead models. The Wolf Eyes 9AX has a glass lens, but it doesn't use a turbo head.

Wolf Eyes lights are also branded as Pila. But all Pila bulb assemblies are designed for better flood; Wolf Eyes focuses on throw for its turbohead models. I've just ordered a 6MX from Battery Station ($35) to see if it can outthrow a glass-lensed Pelican M6. I'll report my findings in the Incandescent forum.
 

beezaur

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Re: Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P

I have spotted things at "a few hundred yards" with my cyan and red-orange Aleph 3s, but only in conjunction with binoculars. Haze is a problem with the cyan, but it is barely visible with the R/O.

With this kind of a setup you have to consider how you use it with the binoculars. I have a thing for Steiners, which have a long hinge joining the halves. I can set the light on top of the hinge so that it is centered. With some light/bino combinations, you have to wrap the flashlight with tape to get the vertical part right.

If you want to go cheap, you can use a 4-D MagLite, as long as it will mate to your binoculars somehow. You just need to be able to hold them together steadily.

I noticed on Strategos that sniper rifles are sometimes equipped with lights, or used with others' lights in essentially this same fashion. They sometimes have difficulty with a single 40 mm objective at ~10x (I assume, possibly not) picking up enough light to see the target by.

I don't think you'll have much luck with the homo sapiens sapiens standard dual 7 mm objectives at 300 yds though. At least I don't.

Scott
 

270winchester

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Re: Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P

[ QUOTE ]
StoneDog said:
Is that one still available? If I remember it had a pocket clip, slightly larger reflector and was adjustable. That could certainly work.

Jon

[/ QUOTE ]

link
 

Sway

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Re: Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P

Several hundred yards of "useable light" lands you in the 12V 100W spot light territory, should be fine to keep by the back door. For camping and staying in your size and price range look for a used MagCharger in the B/S/T lights forum, it's 3D size and rechargeable but still a big push for it at that range. It's very easily modified into a real HotRod later on if you want by droping in a WA1160 lamp and a high current battery pack, you can find the bulbs at www.light-edge.com and Wilkey is running a group buy on the high current cells here.

Hope this helps /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Later
Kelly
 

davidra

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Re: Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P

I've been using 2C 3X123 mods for several years now. They will give better throw than either the TL-3 or the 9P because of the larger reflector. I use GH24 or Ikelite Pca bulbs which last much longer than the Radio Shack bulbs. Just get a metal reflector, some hose or PVC, the bulb, and you're ready to go. Another thing, if you want to play around, is to get an E2C, a 123 extemder and a C series bezel and make a 3 cell SF out of your E2E. I've done it...works pretty well. By the way, if you really want to see the perfect demonstration of total output vs. throw, compare the beams of the 9P and the TL-3. The 9P is clearly brighter up close, but the TL-3 outthrows it easily.
 

knifebright

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Re: Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P

i'm going to also recomend the streamlight TL-3 incan. Simply put i find it to be the farthest throwing stock 3 cell light ever. It's also very bright and well made. It has a pocket clip and throws somewhere in between a surefire standard head and a turbo head. You can get them at a great deal.
jimmy
 

StoneDog

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Re: Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P

The SF turbo heads are nice but way over my budget. Those are nice pics Al, that's quite a collection!

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Given the great deal that matthewdanger just posted (thanks!) I'm going with the TL-3. It may not reach as far as I think I need, but it's too hard to pass up. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

A good spotlight is next on my list. Something like the Cyclops or Thor 15 MCP should do. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Jon
 

matthewdanger

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Re: Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P

I may order one of those for myself. Glad I could help. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

StoneDog

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Re: Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P

Well, thanks again everyone for your help.

My OD-Green TL-3 arrived today. The package was quite warm (right off the UPS truck) but I loaded in the batteries anyway. It immediately smoked the first bulb. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif I switched it out for the extra bulb that comes hidden in the lamp assembly and voila! TONS of bright, white light. I can't wait to test this out tonight!

I guess because the batteries were so warm they were able to dump a little too much into the first bulb. That or it was just a defective bulb. Now I need to find a local source for replacement bulbs. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Next on the list, a Havis-Shield HID w/ battery pack. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Jon
 

matthewdanger

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Re: Looking for suggestions - alternatives to a 9P

Tell Streamlight! I bet they send you a replacement. They seem to have excellent customer service.
 
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