I received my M500AB today and even though it's secured within the the slip ring, there's a noticeable gap between the handguards.  Is there a step I'm missing to properly seat the system?  Also, in the instructional pamphlet it says to use the surefire batteries to achieve maximum light output.  Is it just Surefire plugging their own batteries or do other manufacturers have "different" 3v lithiums?

Thanks!

I believe the advice given is to hit  the handguards together using a rubber mallet or similar. I suggest you call SureFire Tech Support just to be sure though.

With regards to only using SF123A.
SureFire have tested and researched batteries for many years. The SF123A is custom designed and specified by SureFire to be the most powerful and safest of the 123A batteries.  Made in the USA SureFire have control over the performance and safety features.

It has been found (and reported here on AR15 and other discussion boards) as well as in the wider world that some versions of the 123A battery - usually the really cheap ones that are made in Asia are not safe. They have exploded, leaked, caught on fire, etc etc.

I will only use SureFire SF123A batteries in my flashlights. Better performance, and better value but above all, USA made and safer.

Al

With regards to only using SF123A. SureFire have tested and researched batteries for many years. The SF123A is custom designed and specified by SureFire to be the most powerful and safest of the 123A batteries. Made in the USA SureFire have control over the performance and safety features.

Can anybody say Panansonic / OEM? Give them a shout and get your own batteries manufactured in the U.S. with your label on it.

www.panasonic.com/industrial/battery/oem/

Research this and that, testing this and that, developing this and that, custom designed eh?....Show me the white papers.  Where are they?

The only thing I believe is custom designed on these batteries is the label and packaging.

The total number of batteries any individual flashlight company purchases is a drop in the total market bucket.  Are you seriously telling me and want me to accept that SureFire 'developed' their own lithium 123A battery?  

Here is what actually happens.  A manufacture looks at the batteries that are out there (there is your research), and matches their lamp assemblies and illumination tool criteria to maximize the potential of the existing batteries.  They obviously want to ensure that manufacturer maintains quality control.  I think Panasonic has that capablity at this point.  It used to be Duracell, but price points forced some companies to look in other pastures.

BTW there are other really good lithium batteries out there, and there are overseas factories pumping out less satisfactory cells.  

No matter how you slice it, I would venture to guess that every flashlight company is purchasing batteries actually developed by battery manufacting companies...NOT developing\contolling safety\performance improvement of batteries themselves as your language\commercial seems to indicate.

SureFire makes excellent systems, no doubt about it. But in terms of the battery story you are constantly providing all over the net,  I am sorry the B.S. flag is flying on this one.

Looking forward to be recalibrated based on facts, not marketing hype.

Leather pad and a 7oz brass hammer did the trick.  Should've read the FAQ first.

As for battery reliability . . . I'm more than happy to pay a little extra to get American products, but I too would like to see some tests that show the quality of the Surefire battery compared to other batteries of the same specifications.

Thanks for the responses!

For the record I am not saying the SF battery is not good.  It is a great battery in my opinion.

However, this ridiculous "development" story really needs to stop.

Facts are usually a good thing.

Another question along the same lines as the original thread, what are the "special" vent holes for on the handguards (two towards the receiver on the top, and two towards the muzzle on the bottom)?

Quoted: I received my M500AB today and even though it's secured within the the slip ring, there's a noticeable gap between the handguards.  Is there a step I'm missing to properly seat the system?  Also, in the instructional pamphlet it says to use the surefire batteries to achieve maximum light output.  Is it just Surefire plugging their own batteries or do other manufacturers have "different" 3v lithiums? Thanks!

There's "toungue and groove" features built into the hanguards. They will fit togther quite snugly. They key is getteing everything to line up, and it has to be exact.

See if you can take the tension of the handguards by pushing the slip ring away from them, and lining them up. Once they line up let go of the slip ring.

Quoted: There's "toungue and groove" features built into the hanguards. They will fit togther quite snugly. They key is getteing everything to line up, and it has to be exact.

Commonly referred to as "Lesbian construction" here in the trucking industry!

Well I can't show any white papers but I have seen stacks of research in to batteries when I visited SureFire.

The safety features of the SureFire SF123A battery are not used by them only. American made 123A batteries such as Duracell and Panasonic also have these features I believe.

Regardless of how much input SureFire may or may not have had into their SF123A battery, there are brands of batteries coming from the Far East that do not have the same performance characteristics in terms of being safe, and powerful in high drain applications. I'm not saying that all imports are lower quality since I've not tried them all. I just don't think it's worth taking the risk.

I would be happy using Duracell, Panasonic and Energiser batteries in my lights. It happens that SureFire have priced their SF123A such that they are very attractive.

Al

Like I said,  facts are a usually a good thing...

I have seen those same "stacks" of "research".  For the most part they are graphs of how existing batteries work with lamps that are being considered for release into the product line.

Al, tell me specifically what are the new/different/better/safer inputs SureFire has implemented into "their" battery based on this extensive research after your detailed review.

Another choice, you might consider is to simply modify your rhetoric associated with your infomercial on SF batteries.

Again good batteries, but nothing they did.  

Ken,
It's good to know I have choices. Thanks.
Is not my rhetoric posted :: 8/28/2004 5:18:35 AM modified enough?

Kuo34 asked whether there are differences between the various 123A batteries and the answer is yes there are. Otherwise 123A batteries supplied with Browning and Dorcy flashlights for example wouldn't have been recalled because they had been found to explode. I don't have research but I do trust that SureFire have tested their batteries in their products just like I trust  Strategos brand batteries are being tested in Strategos products. The demands on the 123A battery are different when three or more are used in a high output flashlight compared to when a singe one is used in a camera.

The whole issue of battery performance is difficult to find facts on. Rigorous testing and comparison in terms of quantity of samples and variety of tests has not been published that I'm aware of.

Al

Al,

Nothing personal.  You have demonstrated to be great source of helpful information regarding the SureFire product line, clearly an aficionado.

Your statement:

The whole issue of battery performance is difficult to find facts on

Especially when individuals simply regurgitate the party line from the factory.  You made some specific claims that SureFire did such and such in regard to their batteries.  The casual reader would conclude you have the specific data to back it up.

The SF123A is custom designed and specified by SureFire to be the most powerful and safest of the 123A batteries. Made in the USA SureFire have control over the performance and safety features.

It appears you offered this information in an authoritative matter.  I challenged those claims.  You have never addressed any of my requests for specific information challenging your original statements.  It appears from my limited perspective you have little actual information on what, where & how SureFire gets their batteries.

My perspective, SureFire is most likely getting their batteries from Panasonic’s factory here in the U.S. They are private labeling those batteries. That is really irrelevant to this exchange.

If you want to say, SureFire batteries have been extremely reliable, safe, last long in me and my buddies flashlights, and they are a good value, you would not hear a peep out of me.

What I really cannot stand is market driven statements as opposed to factual information that operators need to evaluate and select equipment.  In this case, equipment that may end up saving their lives.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming…

I've been told at SureFire that the SF123A is specified by SureFire. I am no battery expert and can not prove this. However, I also have no reason to doubt what I've been told. There has been plenty of time for my friends at SureFire to let me know I'm going out on a limb and suggest that I modify my language to stop me looking foolish. You'd think that I'd be showering in SF123As but I actually find getting hold of SF123As (and good quality 123As) very difficult.

It would be fantastic for a supplier to capture the UK market and make bulk buying of 123A batteries easier for us Europeans. If SureFire aren't going to do this, I hope that somebody else does!

Al