Law enforcement flashlights

[black bear]

MAGLITE 3 D

I have received some e-mails and PM’s asking me to do a beam shot of the maglite 3 D, a light that is very popular in the law enforcement circles and with outdoorsman.

The light is billed as outputting 39 lumens; this is true with fresh high quality D batteries; however as alkaline batteries sag a lot under load, this output is maintained for only seven minutes, when it drops to 75 % of the output.

After one hour, the light is doing 50 % of the output (or close to 20 lumens).

Yes, I know this is probably a surprise to many fans of this light, so here is a chart that will explain graphically what I just wrote.



Here is the beam shot, from 26 yards and coming from the second story window, as always my deer and bear are at 12 and 18 feet from the camera.

Maglite 3 D 39 lumens (fresh, new batteries)



And here as a way of comparison, the
BOREALIS 1050 lumens (made on the same 3 D body)



Cheers

Black Bear

 

[black bear]

THE FENIX L1D
AA KEY CHAIN LIGHT
WITH CREE EMITTER

I finally remembered to order one of them, as I am not in any sense keychain-light poor, having several of them from the ARC AAA passing through the CMG (Course Made Good) to the Streamlight key mate and Fenix’s L1P and LOP AAA.

Not long ago, I reviewed the Jet beam II Mark VIII, which is a very similar light to the Fenix L1D. Any of the two can be considered revolutionary, and it is hard not to get excited about them.

I opted to have the Fenix L1D that works with 1 AA battery, as I like the size and shape which is the same as the Fenix L1P that I have been using for the last 18 months.
The L1P is a 40 lumen light that runs on one AA battery. I never did a timed run test because I always carry a couple of extra batteries in my pocket anyway to get extra run time from my lights, but wherever it is, it can never equal the multi-functional powers of the Fenix L1D.

The extreme power is achieved by a Cree 7090 XR-E LED emitter with a life of 50,000 hours- the little torch has two models of output selected by turning the bezel.
The first mode (as you click the light on) is 9 lumens and will last for 25 hours in the AA battery. The second mode (as you soft-press the switch) is 40 lumens and will last for 5 hours, and another soft press on the switch will access the 80 lumen power and your battery will last for 2 hours.
There is also an SOS mode (with another soft press) using the 80 lumens power.

Here are some of the lights, at top is a McGizmo modification (a collector’s item light worth $250 USD) it outputs 135 lumens and the big 32 mm reflector throws the light well at the 26 yards distance.
Next is the Fenix L1D which shows it is a tad longer than the Fenix L1P , below.
Next is the ARC AAA and the Fenix LOP, great keychain lights, all.




The second mode of the light system is accessed by turning the bezel ½ a turn. It is a steady 90 lumens that will last for 1 ½ hours and with a soft press of the switch the 90 lumens becomes a very quick strobe, that can disorient people or help in disco dancing.

Most chores inside the house can be handled with the 9 lumen mode. For walking the dog or hiking a trail at night I will use the 40 lumen mode; in fact, I can see that attaching it to my cap with Velcro will beat all the head lights in the market, as it is so light and so convenient without the restricting head band around my head- and anyway, I always wear a cap to shade my eyes or protect my glasses from rain, branches, etc.

The SOS or the strobe mode will always be there if I need to attract attention in an emergency. It is even useable in the suburbs, like recently, when a member of my family fell and broke her arm in the rear entrance of a church, she landed between two pine trees and the pain was so strong that she was unable to move, or even scream for help, and a key chain light used as a signal called the attention of people nearby and she was able to summon help that way.

Here are beam shots with the L1P on left and the L1D on right both at 40 lumens, the L1P is more yellow in the corona, but at the center are of the same intensity




The 80 lumen mode or the 90 lumen mode puts a tremendous amount of light NEARBY. Yes, I emphasize the word because due to the small reflector (that will diffuse the light into a flood), the reach of this little light even at that power is very restricted. Oh yes, it will serve to illuminate a big room well, but when tested at the 26 yards distance where I have my deer and bear it was just as the poor results that I got before with the Jet beam, so you can check that post if you are curious about the amount of light reaching there.

For that long distance you just need a bigger reflector of a bigger flashlight. My PR Turbo head by McGizmo running two Lithium Ion 123’s is much more efficient in putting illumination in the 26 yard spot just because the Pelican reflector of 32 mm is so much more efficient in canalizing the light.

So, a long distance light it is not, but all the other common chores can be handled very easily with the new Fenix L1D light. The battery will last a long time on the nine lumen mode (25 hours) and will probably be my choice for hanging from the ceiling of the tent all night long, in replacement of the CMG LED that I was using until now.

I paid $52 USD for the light and I consider the cost a bargain. With one in my pocket I just need two or three more powerful lights to cover all lightning situations that I can possible think of; for example, I will use a 200 lumen light in my belt for animal control (in the wild and in the street- and I mean two and four-legged animals) this could be a Surefire Centurion III with the optional P-91 lamp, or even better the rechargeable Bear Cub 220 lumen 90 minutes run time.
For my truck or cars, I am never too far away from a Borealis flashlight, 1050 lumens and 50 minute run time, the most powerful flashlight in the world with the power of a two million candlepower spotlight.
With that I am in control of riots, accident sites, search and rescue, and WWIII.

Coming back to the Fenix L1D, yes I am very happy with this light. Hopefully it will give me even better service than the Fenix L1P and the LOP that I have been using until now -lights that are very good and I have nothing but praise for them.
Respectfully
Black Bear
__________________

 

[black bear]

SUREFIRE A-2 AVIATOR
DIGITAL PLUS SERIES

Here is one of the higher quality Surefire lights, the A-2 Aviator which is a regulated light capable of running for 20 hours on the 3 LED’s that produce 3 lumens and for one hour on the incandescent bulb that outputs 50 lumens.

The light is available with white, green, yellow, red or blue LED’s, my version is the white LED’s as I need the light for navigation in the woods, the other popular choice is the red LED’s for the pilots of airplanes to use in the cabin, in the tarmac the main incandescent bulb comes in handy to check the tail and wings of the plane.



The light has a switch with two stages press a little on it and the 3 LED’s come first, a little more and the incandescent bulb will be on, this is the momentary phase, also you can twist the switch for steady on for the 3 LED’s and a little more twist for the incandescent bulb.
The switch also has a lock on position, aligning two marks on the body and tail-cap will immobilize the switch for safe storage or carrying in luggage.


BEAM SHOT FROM 26 YARDS




The light works with two of the 123’s batteries that are supplied with it, length of the torch is 5.50 inches and it weights 4.10 oz. the finish of the light is military hard anodized type III that makes it highly scratch resistant and it comes with a long clip that makes unnecessary the use of a holster.

As the light have a regulator chip the incandescent bulb get a soft start, which make it last longer than regular incandescent bulbs.

Surefire sell the light out of his web site and at dealers for $195.00 my light serial number is A-19737 which tells me that they don’t have any trouble selling them to selective customers.
Cheers

Black Bear

 

[Autolycus]

These lights are very impressive. I wish I had not just bought a Surefire. I will definately keep this in my tag list so that I can get one soon.

 

[ABTOMAT]

Roll your own. The parts are off-the-shelf items and you can build it to your specs. Just Lego-like parts swapping for the most part. If you start with a Magcharger it's even more convenient and durable.

 

[fletcher]

How did I miss this thread? Great info - thanks for all the work black bear.

 

[black bear]

fletcher,
Thank you for your appreciation of the thread.

Here is one more.

RAYOVAC SPORTMAN XTREME
2AA 3 WATTS LUXEON FLASHLIGHT

I found this one at Wal-Mart and a fortunate find it was, the light is about the size of a Surefire L-4 or Surefire E2L, it even has a switch similar in operation to the Z-52 switch of the Surefire, press once for momentary, and twist the tail cap for permanent.

The package claims 80 lumens and it probably is, but of course, due to the small reflector and being a diode, the light is diffused and doesn’t have good throw, but good enough to make it comparable with other Luxeon III’s that I have seen at much higher prices.



Yes, the price was $25.00 and therefore makes this light a bargain, and another great feature is while others lights consume the expensive 123’s, this one works with two AA batteries.

The body holds a nice clip that makes it unnecessary to carry the light in a holster. It even has a lanyard if you want to keep it with you when you open your hand to do any other task.

The run time is given at two hours, which is good and even better than others lights of this power can give even using 123 batteries.
If you need more runtime than this, you can buy the exact light in the 1 watt version with an output of 45 lumens and a runtime of five hours.
For a long time I have been using rechargeable Nimh AA batteries. I use them for all my power-hungry gadgets, GPS’s, two-way radios, cameras, etc. The Nimhs provide me no-guilt runtime and, at the same time, helps the environment.

Beam shot at 26 yards, camera at 18 feet from the target. I moved the deer up front a little, so the background and the leaves from my cherry tree will not interfere with the picture. I should cut the overgrown bushes that are taking over the fence, but the weather hasn’t cooperated lately for doing yard work.



Cheers,

Black Bear

 

[black bear]

MAGLITE 2 D LED
I was intrigued by this light for a while; I knew that the only difference from a regular Krypton 2 D model was in the self contained “bulb” of Luxeon LED.

Still I wanted to try it against a regular Krypton bulb model to see if the increase in price was going to provide an increase in performance.
Recently the Krypton White Star bulb specifications was upped to 36.5 lumens and 16,200 candlepower, I have in my arsenal a brand new Maglite 2 d with Krypton bulb and I just bought a new 2D LED model for the test, you can see them in the picture side by side, they are the two black lights.
The red is also a Maglite “shell” or “host” as I like to call them, but the interior have been changed into a Black Bear 720 lumens powerhouse.
If you are not familiar with the modifications of Black Bear Flashlights, they are full of special components and some skilled labor to convert the regular 2 D’s, 3D’s and other formats, into incredible bright lights outputting 220, 426. 720, 856 and 1050 lumens.




In playing the new LED against the Krypton model, my observation is that the LED light produces a more smoother beam than the Krypton model, the intensity of the beam is, in my opinion not changed, but is of course, whiter.

You can see the results here in my pictures taken at 35 yards distance. I have not seen any place in the package or in the instructions where it mentions the amount of lumens emitted by the three watts Luxeon diode of the new light, but the pictures will help to visualize it.

THE 2D KRIPTON BULB



THE 2 D WITH 3 WATTS LED



AND THE BLACK BEAR 720 LUMENS




The package mention the increased battery life and the more rugged emitter (LED’s doesn’t have a filament to burn and can last for 100,000 hours) so the light is an improvement over the Krypton model.
The light has a good throw thanks to the two inch diameter reflector that really help to deliver a beam at long distance, it is the best thrower of all the 3 watts LED in the market, it is an ideal light to keep in car or truck for emergencies and even if necessary, to use as a whacking tool (who knows, you may need it to check for proper inflation in the tires).

The light was on sale at Wal-Mart and I paid $25.00 for it, I think that for that price you get a LOT of quality in a very rugged light that will take abuse and even work underwater.
I recommend the new Maglite 2 D 3 watts LED highly, at 23 oz and ten inches long it is not too heavy but it makes a good impact tool, I know, I have used one to drive tent stakes when camping in the wild.

As for the Black Bear 720 lumens of Black Bear Flashlights, this is a light in another dimension, the internals parts are made with infinite precision and the highest material quality, the Rolls Royce battery carrier (it carriers six rechargeable Nimh batteries) is a work of art, the reflector is a heavy walled solid aluminum and the bulb holder is a quality aluminum and ceramic component, the lens is Pyrex and the torch is heavily modified for the lowest internal resistance.
This Rolls Royce of a flashlight largely hand made, is driving a super-bulb producing 720 lumens of light, only superated by the BOREALIS 1050 lumens, another Black Bear product that is made on the host of the 3 D, 12 ½ inches long and 28 oz.
www.BlackBearFlashlights.com

Back to the Maglite 2 D, LED this light is a quality product made proudly in the USA, the threads are cut with precision and without play and the interior is anodized as well as the outside, the tolerances are minimal and to think that all this quality can be had for less than $30 USD is a miracle of new manufacturing techniques. If some of you are old enough, you may remember that when the new Maglite came into the market in the 1980’s the retail price were $60 USD and the government agencies were flocking to buy them at that price, for the increased quality and innovation that it represented over the other lights in the market then.
www.Maglite.com

For years I had kept a 2D in the glove compartment of my cars and in the trunk the more powerful 6 D’s; I had two of them, one fitted with an orange traffic cone for road emergencies.
The addition of LED technology make the Maglites better than ever, there is many more lights using 3 watts LED’s on the market, but none with the reach of the Maglite and as affordable as they are.


All the best
Black Bear

 

[black bear]

SUREFIRE MILENNIUM SERIES
CENTURION M-2 WITH P-61 LAMP

​

This is the “combat” version with the shock absorbing bezel; it uses two of the 123’s batteries and comes with two lamps, the P-60 for 65 lumens and the P-61 for 120 lumens.

Run time is 60 minutes with the 65 lumens lamp and 20 minutes with the P-61 lamp.



This shock absorbing bezel is supposed to take the blast and the heavy recoil of big guns. I haven’t try mine this way, but I have seen others in my group of shooters at the night range, using these lights and never hear a complaint about they performance.

In comparing it with my Centurion C-2 with the regular bezel and the P-61 lamp, I have noticed that the recessed shock absorbing head of the M-2 put out a more concentrated light.
This is because even than the reflector/lamps are the same, the reflector is more inside the light than in the Centurion II model.
Consequently it put out just a little bit less of a flood than the C-2.

This is at the 26 yards distance, camera 12 feet from the deer and 18 from the bear.



All the best

Black Bear

 

[Sistema1927]

I am not an LEO, but I do love flashlights. I have a Sure-Fire by my bed, a Streamlight Scorpion mounted to my AR15, and a couple of Brinkmans, Mag-Lites, and others floating around the house. I also have low output 1AA LED lights in my various 72 hour bags as well as one in my Disaster Relief "Go" bag along with a good shake light from Duluth Trading.

However, the light that I use the most, and the one that is on my belt 99.44% of the time is a Fenix Cree P1D. What a great little light for the size, much better than the Nuwai QIII that is still a little larger with much less output and much shorter battery life.

 

[PPGMD]

I like the Fenix P1D (Cree) as a general flashlight for non-tactical uses, but without a tailcap switch it's not that great of a tactical belt light IMO.

I use a Surefire G2Z with a Gene Malkoff drop in P60 Cree LED head. It puts over 100 lumens of light for 100 minutes, and a lessor amount for a total of about 3 hours of light. It has the same throw as my M3 on my AR.

 

[black bear]

I like better the Fenix L1D, it uses one AA battery that is available anywhere, even in third world countries, which is not the case with the 123 Lithium battery.

I use rechargeables Nimhs AA in my lights and it a good feeling of using them guilt free and without polluting the enviroment.

Cheers
Black Bear

 

[PPGMD]

I like better the Fenix L1D, it uses one AA battery that is available anywhere, even in third world countries, which is not the case with the 123 Lithium battery.

True that is if you are going to a third world country that would be a consideration, but for most people a flashlight is something you toss somewhere and only pull it out when you need it.

NiMH and even Alkaline aren't suited for that, lithiums are better with their long shelf life. This isn't just a random concern, it's happened to me on a couple of occasions. That's why I use all lithiums, sure I can get AA lithiums but they run twice as much as the 123's that I order.

 

[black bear]

DORCY METAL GEAR
1 WATT LUXEON LED FLASHLIGHT

I was walking by the flashlight aisle at Wal-Mart, when I spotted a side rack of these lights and I was instantly attracted because the Dorcy name is recognized as an innovative and progressive name in flashlights having put out in the market quality items before for no too much money.

The light is all made out of metal and is quite heavy (no aluminum here) the package will not say how much it weights, and my electronic fish scale refused to work today Sunday, so I am only guessing it at about 7 oz.




The light works with three AAA batteries that are included in the package, after unscrewing the clicky tail cap you discover a battery carrier for the 3 AAA and after installing them and closing the tail cap you have good illumination.

It is given in the package at 45 lumens and I think that is right, the beam is white enough without any tint of yellow or purple, nowhere in the package is run time mentioned, but I estimate it at five hours, which is a lot.
As I always use Nimh rechargeable batteries the runtime I get is guilt free, this light is a good value and is well made, yes the clip look a little cheap, but it works fine and is very sturdy, it was clamping my pants without a belt securely enough that I was not afraid of losing the light.

It is plenty of flat surfaces in the light, so it is anti-roll, a good feature, another thing I like is the “tactical” click tail cap, the action is very positive.

As always I took a beam shot at 26 yards from my deer head, you can make comparisons with the others lights in the thread, to see how this one perform.



Before I close, I want to tell you about one of the nicest features of the light, the price.
I just pay only $4.00 for it, a bargain for a light of this quality.

Best

Black Bear

 

[Bruce333]

DORCY METAL GEAR
1 WATT LUXEON LED FLASHLIGHT

I've had one of these lights for about 1 year now. Your guess on the weight is pretty close, my postal scale shows 6 oz. with batteries.
I've used it daily in a heavy manufacturing facility for up close work (6 feet and under). Overall durability is very good, some finish wear and the clip has sprung out a little (not enough to affect holding power, it stays where I clip it). I'm not sure what the lens material is, but it shows less scratches than my mini-mag light that I had used for about the same length of time.

However the rubber cover on the switch has worn through, still functions fine, may be from getting dunked in diesel fuel. After cleaning the outside, I opened the battery compartment and did not find any trace of fuel. The rubber began to wear away shortly after getting dunked, I'm thinking the fuel softened the rubber.

I'm very pleased with the light output and run time, and the non-roll shape is a definite plus. Think I'll go buy a couple more.

BTW, awesome thread, thanks!

 

[black bear]

Not exactly for law enforcement but a great light to walk in the woods to you tree stand during hunting season, I have been using the red light for that purpose and it is great!

Inexpensive too.

SPORTMAN XTREME HEADLAMP LED
BY RAYOVAC

I also got this headlight at Wal-Mart. The light is really small and lightweight, it works with one AA battery that drives a one-watt Luxeon with considerable brightness.
It also has two red lights and a blue light (probably Nichias 5 mm) that are set up at a side of the main reflector, and the main reflector has a filter to diffuse the light and make quite a big flood. This feature permits this headlamp to be a thrower of considerable brightness and a flood light to do close-up chores while camping or even reading a book in bed.



Very versatile, the red light is a good feature for those that are considerate and will not shine a light in the face of others campers, and will preserve your night vision. Unlike others that I have seen before, this red light is good enough for walking.

The Nichia LED with the blue tint is billed as a tracking light. Good luck if you try to use the blue light for that purpose only: the main beam without the diffusing filter (that just moves to one side) is much better for tracking, as the white light will show the blood as a natural red color, while the blue light shows it in black.



This light will appeal to the most ultra lightweight backpacker; it is really small and light in weight. The run time is given at two hours, while the lumen output is given at 45.

I am very impressed with the ample flood given by the diffusing filter at close range. It so happened that I was showing my car’s battery terminals to my brother-in-law that is a mechanic, and the little light was giving out plenty of illumination. I have found my new light for changing tires and looking under the hood, as well as hiking some trails.



I decided to make a new distance standard for head lights and I fixed it at 16 yards. Some make it that far and some don’t; I believe that if a head lamp can’t make 16 yards it is not worth having. This light makes a good throw to the 16 yards where my deer target was, as you can see in the picture of the beam shot.




I consider the price I paid for this light a bargain ($18.83) and it is available at Wal-Mart and I imagine in many other places. It uses easily available AA batteries and is almost unnoticeable in weight and bulk. I highly recommend it as an alternative to more expensive lights, and although the two hour runtime will not seem to be enough for serious hikers that spend several days in treks, I think it is okay for a day hike.

Best wishes,
Black Bear

 

[black bear]

Hi guys,
I did this piece for a hunting forum, but I thought I will share it in here.

TWO, BLOOD TRACKING LIGHTS
BEAR CUB 220 LUMENS AND SUREFIRE M-4, 225 LUMENS

Hi guys,
I am the official tracker for our little group of seven bow hunters. Because of the small patch of private woods that we have for hunting, and to preserve the unpolluted area, all tracking is done only after dark when the hunt is over.
Our rules are that no more than two persons will retrieve the deer; this is to keep the woods as free of human odor as possible, not to spoil our chances for the next morning hunt.

I have had a lot of experience with blood tracking lights, since my father first taught me how to do it with the old gas Coleman lantern.
One thing that the old timers had right was the need for intense WHITE light. As time change, there was not need anymore to go back to the truck for the old lantern; the new crop of intense white light pioneered by the tactical lights used for SWAT and Special Forces can do the job of making that blood trail as clear as during the day.

At this point, a word about the blue lights now in use for this task, and is that in many situations they are completely useless, as I learned when I tested one of them by following a wounded bear in the Maine woods in late August. The black drop of blood blended so well with the dark green vegetation of the Maine woods, that it was impossible to track it using that light.
BLUE LIGHT




WHITE LIGHT




I am a flashaholic, a disease that is kept in check only by buying and using lights, as I own more than two hundred of them; I am well aware what is good and for what purpose. That is why I am telling my readers that for blood tracking you need a very intense white light of not less than 200 lumens.
That figure rules out LED lights, not only they don’t make the grade in lumens output, they are poor penetrators in fog and are poor distance throwers.
Enter high output incandescent lights with good throw.

Not many of them out there, Surefire for sure was the pioneer with the M-4 and the M-6 lights; the M-6 with the 350 lumens lamp can run for 60 minutes, but it uses six of the expensive 123’s batteries, costing $12 per hour run. The M-4 with the 225 lumens lamp is what I have used for years with satisfaction, except for the cost of $8 per hour, as some tracking jobs sometimes took more than 60 minutes.

THE SUREFIRE M-4 AND THE RECHARGEABLE BEAR CUB




The M-4 is 9 inches long and quite light in weight, it have a stippled reflector that diffuses the light into a flood, which in my opinion is more flood than it is needed, I would like to see this light marketed with a smooth reflector for more useable throw, as sometimes the wounded deer circle back toward the open fields, and to spot one lying dead in the middle of the field more throw is needed.
For more about the Surefire M-4 ($330) contact Surefire at www.surefire.com

BEAMSHOTS FROM 26 YARDS, CAMERA AT 12 FEET FROM DEER

BEAMSHOT OF THE SUREFIRE M-4




The rechargeable Bear Cub is made by Black Bear Flashlights; it uses two state of the art Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries for 90 minutes run time outputting 220 lumens. This light is made

using the “host” of a maglite 2 C, which means than after years of hard use when the light is scratched or dented, you can renew it just by buying a new “host” for about $14.00.

The light is also 9 inches long, it has a smooth reflector that concentrates the beam and shoots it a long way, no problem with this light in spotting a dead deer in the middle of the field. The light is sold with a Li Ion charger that will charge the batteries in 3 ½ hours, so it is no problem to have it ready for the next morning, fully charged. These batteries last for 1,000 recharges so you have 1500 hours of use before needing another set of batteries. Before the M-4 can run for 1500 hours it will have spend $12,000 in batteries!

Extra lightweight Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries cost $30 per pair, so carrying an extra pair in a pocket will give you another 90 minutes of white intense tracking light.
When these lights are not used for tracking they make a formidable tactical light for home defense, with the capability of momentarily blinding an opponent.
The Bear Cub is available from the maker for $130 shipped, for more about this light contact www.BlackBearFlashlights.com

BEAMSHOT OF THE BEAR CUB





Both of these lights will beat handily a 250,000 lumens spotlight; they are very convenient to carry in a pack or fanny-pack or even a large pocket. I use a red light to enter the woods without polluting them with light; I make a habit of always carrying my Bear Cub in my pack, ready for the most important chore of the hunting season, the retrieval of a wounded deer. I think that is our obligation to the game to make our best efforts to retrieve the deer we shoot, the use of the proper tool for tracking blood is imperative to aid in such efforts.

All the best

Black Bear

 

[Hutch]

What a gold mine of information. Thanks for the information, and all the effort that went into developing it.

 

[black bear]

A HAIR TIE FOR YOUR TACTICAL LIGHT

Hi guys,
Many tactical lights come with a lanyard, so you can let go of them while you are reloading or opening doors, etc.

However these long lanyards give the light too much freedom of movement, and sometimes can cause some problems as they can get hang on something or as I saw it happening, colliding the light into your head when trying to clear a stove-pipe jam.

The inexpensive hair tie can be knotted into a light that doesn’t have a point of attachment, so it more practical in all situations.
Its short length, help to keep more control on your light, and it is very easy to use; one flip of your wrist and the light is in the back of your hand, another flip and is back into your palm.

The pictures show it attached to my thumb (due to my large hands is in my case more comfortable) but it also can be used in the middle finger, or even in the index finger.

Visit your GF or wife and give the hair tie a try.










Cheers
Black Bear

 

[black bear]

DEAL EXTREME VERSUS P-60 LAMP
FOR SUREFIRE TWO CELLS

A while ago I bought one of the Deal Extreme new Cree lamps advertised to fit the Surefires for two cells, like in the 6P, G-2, Z-2, C-2 etc.

Yesterday I installed it in a Surefire G-2 (the yellow one). The fit is not exactly perfect, as you can see in the picture, the lamp is a little longer than necessary and the bezel doesn’t close all the way, like in the green G-2.
I guess I can fix the gap by instating an O ring, a trip to Home Depot to get one in necessary.




Inside the house, at short range the output is considerable; I think that at the short distance inside the house I will prefer it over the P-60 lamp.
Outside, the P-60 lamp is giving me more range and more picture detail up to maybe 45 yards, at my usual range of 26 yards (where I test all my lights against the deer head) I will say that they both go head to head, as you may see in the pictures in the general illumination department, BUT the definition of the foliage to the right of the tree (at the height of the posted sign) is better with the P-60 incandescent lamp.





Many G-2’s gets to be mounted in carbines like the M-4 or M-16, I have people ask me if I will use the Deal Extreme lamp in them, (As they suppose to resist recoil better), well, no, I still prefer the P-60 lamp for the extended range and even better the P-61 lamp for the increase brightness and coverage with their 120 lumens.

G=2 WITH DEAL EXTREME, RANGE 26 YARDS, CAMERA 12 FEET.




G-2 WITH P-60 LAMP





Any way it is not recoil that break filament lamps, but it is the vibration of many rounds while the filament is very hot, that explain why during the 1920’s and to the 60’s tigers were hunted from machans using regular 2 and 3 D flashlights clamped to the barrel in powerful rifles like the 470 Nitro Express, without any trouble with the bulbs. It seems that one or two shots, will not affect the filament, no matter how much the recoil is.
After all the filament is very lightweight and the inertia is just not there, because the lack of real weight.

All the best

Black Bear

 

[black bear]

DEAL XTREME LAMP, AGAIN

HI GUYS, THIS IS A COLLABORATION FROM
CHEVROFREAK

The problem with the Deal Extreme modules is that none of them use thermal regulation to reduce the drive current to the LED to control the temperature of the lamp. LED's do not like high heat. It reduces their efficiency, shortens their lives, and can cause the tint of the light output to change.

The Nitrolon body of the G2 acts as an insulator rather than a conductor, so that heat just stays inside of the lamp and cooks the LED. These modules are better suited for use in aluminum bodied flashlights like the 6P. They'll work alright for short bursts in the G2 (I'd say a max of 5 minutes) but extended use is not recommended outside of an emergency.

Surefire recently released a G2L and 6PL that uses their P60L LED module. It has a sensor under the LED to cut the current back when the LED gets hot, in order to prolong life. Well, the G2L has only been out for a few months now and Surefire has already made a change in it. They swapped the Nitrolon bezel out for an aluminum one in order to help dissipate heat.

Since they did this with a light that uses a thermally regulated module, it makes you wonder just how incredibly hot the non-thermally regulated modules actually get. Actually, I don't have to wonder since I tested a Deal Extreme 4068 module in a G2 and after just a few minutes it was too hot to hold in my hand, and the tint of the beam had shifted blue. It was perfectly fine in an aluminum bodied flashlight, though.

 

[black bear]

THE BEAR CUB
SMALL LIGHT BIG PERFORMANCE

Not long ago to get magnum illumination out of a flashlight, I had to drop down the tube, six of the big D batteries on a Maglite 6 D size.
That the light weights three pounds one ounce and measures 19 ½ inches was just incidental to the use if I wanted to get a really good, powerful beam.

Later Surefire come up with small lights that could take two and three or four small but powerful 123’s camera batteries, some of those lights, come up and surpass the 181 lumens of the big Maglite 6 D.
I am thinking now of the specialty tactical light than Surefire have as the M-4 that uses four of the 123 batteries for 225 lumens for one hour run time.
Incidentally the M-4 is not precisely inexpensive, costing $330 USD from Surefire or their dealers.

The only problem is that the little 3 volts batteries are quite expensive, and using four of them for one hour run time can cost you $8.00 for that hour.
And that is if you buy them at discount over the Internet, when purchased in the camera stores (such as Wal Mart) the little 3 volts batteries cost as much as $4 each.

So a light of the size of the Surefire M-4 (9 inches long) was highly desired if it could be made to run on rechargeable batteries, to avoid the big battery expense of the M-4.

Enter the Bear Cub, a nine inches light, with a 13 oz. weight that is rechargeable and uses Lithium Ion batteries.
This little light makes 220 lumens for 90 minutes of run time, and then recharges its two batteries with a fast charger that is included, in three and a half hours.
The Lithium Ion batteries can be recharged up to 1,000 times and when they eventually get depleted can be replaced with $30.

HERE IS A PICTURE OF THE BLACK BEAR CUB LIGHT, NEXT TO THE SUREFIRE M-4.



AND HERE NEXT TO THE MAGLITE 6 D



And here a couple of beam shots at 26 yards for comparison.

MAGLITE 6 D



BEAR CUB



Yes the little rechargeable Bear Cub is characterized for an intense white light, and a run time of 90 minutes, all in a small size that can fit in any glove compartment or trench coat pocket.
Best Wishes

Black Bear

 

[ETCss Phil McCrackin]

So does the deal extreme review posted above pretty much apply to the 200-275 Lumen Cree Drop-ins listed on E-bay from Places like International Trading Company? If not, how do these drop-ins compare to the base Surefires?

 

[black bear]

I haven't tested any of the drop ins you mention, so I can't comment on them.

Cheers
Black Bear

 

[black bear]

ULTRA FIRE FMR1 REBEL LUXEON
200 LUMENS
ONE CR 123 A BATTERY

I bought this light from Deal Extreme for $23.24 shipped. I was very curious to try one of the Rebel 200 lumen new Luxeons and I think this is the best way to try one inexpensively.

The light has a click on, click off switch and five modes of intensities. The low mode is 30 lumens and is said to last for 24 hours. Another is 100 lumens for six hours, and the 200 lumens mode is three hours; then you have a strobe mode and an SOS mode.

I used a new Battery Station 123 and in the high 200 mode it lasted for ½ an hour, and it gets hot very quick. I don’t know if the poor run time is the fault of the battery that was under-charged, or if the light will perform the same with others 123’s, but that is the results I got.




Due to the small head, the flood effect is quite pronounced and the throw is poor for a 200 lumen light, but I was expecting it to be that way based on experience with other small headed keychain-type lights.




Two hundred lumens in a two inch head of an incandescent will put a level of illumination that is tremendous in comparison to the small head of the Rebel 200 lumens. So we are in a time when we can no longer make an assessment based on the lumens figure, that is when the comparison pictures that I have been taken show the value, as the viewer can see for himself how the different lights with the same value in lumens output perform in real life.

If I consider the low price I like the little light in general, excepting the side switch that can be a little hard to find in a rush, as it is kind of recessed in the head of the light and difficult to find by feel alone. I will have preferred a tail switch such as I have in my Fenix L1D, but it is a tremendous price difference between the two lights, so all things considered I think that the Ultra fire is a great value, and I can put up with the side switch.

After trying to like the clip for a couple of weeks, I ended throwing it away, it is too flimsy and I will not trust it to keep the light in my pocket. The light is regular anodized, but had stood well the use in my pocket with keys and coins.

Here is my usual 26-yard beam shot against my deer head with the Ultra Fire 200 lumens




And here is a beam shot with the 220 lumens Bear Cub rechargeable that sport a two inch head and have a range of 150 yards.




All the best,
Black Bear