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Posted: 2/27/2003 3:53:00 PM EDT
| ok its gonna be a sure fire light for my ar. its a short light entry type. i want a blinding light that dosent weigh a ton. i am so confused with sure fire stuff, 3v,6v,9v,bla bla bla! sorry but i own two streamlight rechargables for duty use and they are so easy. this tach light stuff from sure fire is as detailed as the ar. i need sure fire lights 101. any ideas |
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Honestly, You arent going to do much better than the Millenium Series M962. It's 9 volt, and has a shock isolated bezzle, so individual batteries can be used, instead of the Classic Series "sticks" (basically individual batteries inside a paper thin plastic sheath). The only decision you have to make is which type of mount (ARMS throw lever or double screw) and tail cap (Tape switch, momentary or constant on push switch). It puts out an amazing amount of light. It does add weight to your weapon, but there will always be a power v. weight trade off. If you want something barely noticible in weight, its going to make barely noticable light. The only potential downside is that you will need a mounting rail of some sort, either a railed forearm (preferably Knights RAS or ARMS SIR) or one of the aftermarket bolt on rails (which I personally wouldnt trust to be durable enough for heavy duty use). If rails arent an option, then a 9V Classic series would probably be the best bet. Decent light output, but with the battery sticks that are more expensive and not as readily available as single batteries. Surefire has a number of barrel or front sight mounting options for these lights. [url=http://photos.ar15.com/WS_Content/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=6496]My Surefire 962[/url] |
| thanks. so the 9v systems are brighter, but they must also eat up batteries. whats the life span of the batteries in a 9v system, and can you recharge them. i have a firsh hand guard so rails are no problem. now i have to see the weights and prices, but i can get that from the web site i hope. i have a feeling this will cost about 300. but this is a very important add on for this gun so i dont mind it. one last one how does the m900 system stack up to say a 9v light and a grip. can you build a better system separately. i already have a grip. |
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For an entry weapon, it's hard to beat the SureFire 500 series. If you don't insist on having the LED navigation lights, you should be able to pick one up for less than $300.00. I have 500s on both my carbines. One is a new 500A with the white LEDs, the other an old 500 from an early production run. I have had nothing but good service from both of them. I have used them on several entries for search/arrest warrant service or drug raids, and they provide all the light you would ever need indoors, with the std. 125 lumen lamp. The run time on 3 batteries is about an hour. If you need more light, you can install the 225 lumen lamp, but your run time will be about 15-20 minutes. |
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Quoted: You arent going to do much better than the Millenium Series M962. It's 9 volt, and has a shock isolated bezzle, so individual batteries can be used, instead of the Classic Series "sticks" (basically individual batteries inside a paper thin plastic sheath). ALL Surefire weapon lights have shock isolated bezels, including the ones they recomend using battery sticks with. I've just recently been reading Surefire says you dont have to use battery sticks with their Millenium Universal series lights, and am confused as to why not. Internally, they appear the same as the classic series, which as mentioned, also have shock isolated bezels? |
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New arguy, I stand corrected. It appears that all of the Surefire weapons lights come standard with shock isolated bezzels. I even checked my very old forearm on my Benelli, its got an SIB. My understanding is that the original battery sticker were developed for the MP5 forearm because during the recoil of full auto fire, the batteries would slap in and out of contact with each other making the light strobe. Surefires literature, especially when comparing old to new is very confusing on this and what the "need" for the battery sticks is. None of the Millenium Series show as needing battery sticks, yet the Classic Series shows them. Now Im confused. |
| For CQB, I really like the M900 light with a short rear stock or a semi-collapsed rear stock. The setup really tucks your elbows in and allows you you to shoot from more of an Isosceles stance instead of a more traditional Weaver stance. Your body armor protects you better without the gaps in the sides and you can move more effectively while covering your target. It doesn't feel as comfortable at first but it feels better the more you use it. |
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The handgun Millenniums and M5xx series long gun lights don't need battery sticks because they either hold the lithium cells side-by-side or else individually isolated in a battery carrier. The M900 series doesn't need a battery stick because the cells are stored in the vertical foregrip and thus are basically perpendicular to the line of recoil force. The old shotgun fore-ends, MP5 fore-ends, and classic weaponlights need battery sticks because the lithium cells are all stored together in-line with no separate support. The Millennium Universal lights in the SureFire catalog and web site appear to be ok using separate cells also, even though the design looks like the cells are stored in-line. I don't own a Millennium Universal to be able to examine its internals to see if there is something inside of the body (dimensionally or otherwise) that protects the cells from recoil damage. jvn |
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Quoted: New arguy, I stand corrected. It appears that all of the Surefire weapons lights come standard with shock isolated bezzels. I even checked my very old forearm on my Benelli, its got an SIB. My understanding is that the original battery sticker were developed for the MP5 forearm because during the recoil of full auto fire, the batteries would slap in and out of contact with each other making the light strobe. Surefires literature, especially when comparing old to new is very confusing on this and what the "need" for the battery sticks is. None of the Millenium Series show as needing battery sticks, yet the Classic Series shows them. The 500 series lights house the three batteries in a round carousel-style carrier so that they will not bang together. A SureFire rep. told me that there were two problems with using two individual batteries in the MP-5 forend light rather than a battery stick: One was the batteries banging together and making the light flicker during full auto fire. The Second was that he said they had some instances when the batteries banged together hard enough to rupture the outside of the batteries and lead to them leaking and ruining the light itself. FWIW, a SureFire dealer who is also a Class 3 manufacturer and active shooter says he never uses battery sticks in his lights (MP-5s, Benellis, etc.). He says that IHO, it is not a problem, and that there is no need to spend the extra money on battery sticks..... |
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[b]sailhertoo[/b], I just couldn't let this go. By IDing his financial limits, I could tell him what is available to him. My personal choice is the M900A, but that is not in everyones budget. It makes no sense to rattle off a hundred differnt options if he can't swing the cost. Buy a clue buddy.... C4 |
| ok $ wise my limit is 300. but would love to spend less. if the m900 is that much better maybe i could justify it. i already have a foregrip so i dont need that. so if i buy the same light that is in the m900 i would have close to that set up, but not as nice of a package. and i do like the ability to remove my light in case of an emergency. |
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FWIW - on the Batt Stick vs. Singles issue........I was talking to Robert at SableCo just the other day and he happened to mention that in using a light on a scattergun you should prolly use the sticks due to the recoil, vs. using singles in a rifle due to lesser recoil..... Along those lines.....It was always my impression that the "battery sticks" were for protection of the batteries and not for the lamp.....i.e. there's some type of spacer between the batteries that keep them from slamming together under recoil and getting damaged.....I've never cut one apart, so I dunno....maybe a project for later tonite... |
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