Paul_in_Maryland
Flashlight Enthusiast
Seeking to let my LEDWave Z-3 miniturbo thrower convert to a slim pocket light, I bought two glass-lens tactical heads: Surefire's Z-44 and G&P's Tactical Head. The two heads are similar in diameter, length, and construction. Each sells online for about $20 to $23. I found my G&P head at the bargain price of $11 from Redwolf Airsoft in Hong Kong.
Both heads are also found on stock flashlights. The Z-44 comes standard on Surefire's C-2 and C-3. The G&P tactical head is similar to the head found on G&P's T3, T6, T9, and T12, but on those bodies, the head comes with a plastic lens and ships without the crenelated bezel and Surefire adapter rings.
The packaged G&P is shown from the front and rear.
The Z-3 fitted with the Surefire Z-44 is shown here.
The Z-3 fitted with the G&P Tactical Head + crenelated bezel is shown here. The bezel will NOT fit the Z-44; the bezel's threads are slightly too wide to seat into the Surefire head.
The Z-3 fitted with the G&P Tactical Head without the crenilated bezel is shown here.
The G&P comes with a separately packaged metal O-ring and hard rubber ring for use on Surefire bodies. These rings won't fit the LEDWave / G&P T-series body.
Let me cut to the chase: Even though the Z-3 body is made by G&P, the Surefire head fits better and works better! It threaded onto the Z-3's body with silky, wobble-free precision and seated firmly. It firmly held the G&P-made 9V 175-lumen lamp assembly. Turn on the light, and everything works.
The G&P head? Sad to say, it failed the fit test and the function test. Compared to the Z-44's precision fit, the G&P needed more coaxing to seat and to thread. Once seated, it stopped threading after about three twists, leaving the body's two main threads still showing. Result? The G&P lamp wouldn't light!
Verdict: The G&P must be a decent head, since it's used to house G&P's 3W and 5W LED modules and was specifically mated to the 5W module for its ability to shed heat. Perhaps, as the package label suggests, G&P has tweaked its dimensions to work best on Surefire bodies; I can't say, for I have no Surefire body on which to test it.
It hurts this cheapskate to say this, but based on this limited test, I recommend the Surefire head over G&P.
Both heads are also found on stock flashlights. The Z-44 comes standard on Surefire's C-2 and C-3. The G&P tactical head is similar to the head found on G&P's T3, T6, T9, and T12, but on those bodies, the head comes with a plastic lens and ships without the crenelated bezel and Surefire adapter rings.
The packaged G&P is shown from the front and rear.
The Z-3 fitted with the Surefire Z-44 is shown here.
The Z-3 fitted with the G&P Tactical Head + crenelated bezel is shown here. The bezel will NOT fit the Z-44; the bezel's threads are slightly too wide to seat into the Surefire head.
The Z-3 fitted with the G&P Tactical Head without the crenilated bezel is shown here.
The G&P comes with a separately packaged metal O-ring and hard rubber ring for use on Surefire bodies. These rings won't fit the LEDWave / G&P T-series body.
Let me cut to the chase: Even though the Z-3 body is made by G&P, the Surefire head fits better and works better! It threaded onto the Z-3's body with silky, wobble-free precision and seated firmly. It firmly held the G&P-made 9V 175-lumen lamp assembly. Turn on the light, and everything works.
The G&P head? Sad to say, it failed the fit test and the function test. Compared to the Z-44's precision fit, the G&P needed more coaxing to seat and to thread. Once seated, it stopped threading after about three twists, leaving the body's two main threads still showing. Result? The G&P lamp wouldn't light!
Verdict: The G&P must be a decent head, since it's used to house G&P's 3W and 5W LED modules and was specifically mated to the 5W module for its ability to shed heat. Perhaps, as the package label suggests, G&P has tweaked its dimensions to work best on Surefire bodies; I can't say, for I have no Surefire body on which to test it.
It hurts this cheapskate to say this, but based on this limited test, I recommend the Surefire head over G&P.
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