New to these lights. I know LE uses the Streamlights that I've seen.  The Streamlights seem to be more expensive.  Also a DPMS rep told me that Surefire wants sell there own light, hense cut out the middle man, she said they will not offer them on there weapons after Jan 1, 2003.

Thx FireBlade

i have a surefire 9p and a scorpion.

if i had to choose i would go with the scorpion because of it's push button push hard to stay on feature.  i don't like twisting the light to make it stay on.  

Quoted: New to these lights. I know LE uses the Streamlights that I've seen.  The Streamlights seem to be more expensive.  Also a DPMS rep told me that Surefire wants sell there own light, hense cut out the middle man, she said they will not offer them on there weapons after Jan 1, 2003. Thx FireBlade

Are you asking about weapon-mounted lights or hand-helds?

Personally, I like the Surefires for both.  But to be fair, I haven't had much experience with Streamlights.  I started off with Surefires, and liked them so much I've stayed with their products.

Oops, I should of said. I would like to know about both, handheld and weapon mounted.

Thx
FireBlade

BTT, I'm interested too. Weapon mounted.

Quoted: if i had to choose i would go with the scorpion because of it's push button push hard to stay on feature.  i don't like twisting the light to make it stay on.

In real world use, the Surefire's seperate controls for constant on/off and momantary on/off is far superior to Streamlights combining the two. On the Streamlight, if you dont hit the button hard enough, it may not turn constant on, or go totally off when you need it. On the other hand, if you hit it too hard when you only need it on for a moment, you will be sitting there with the light contant on when you dont want it. That's not a good thing.

Surefire's have seperate controls so you wont make those mistakes. Mistakes that are easy to make in a high stress, adrenalin pumping situation. Surefire hand held and weapon lights are just built better. A lot more thiinking goes into the Surefire lights.

Streamlights have a adjustable focused beam. This creates impurities in the beam. Surefire's perfectly focused beam puts out a purer light. In addition, Surefire's can be used with either of their high output, or low output bulbs. A Streamlight may be about as bright as a Surefire with the Surefire's low output bulb. But put a high output bulb in your Surefire and you easily have a noticably brighter light.

In additon, if you have both pistol, rifle and/or handheld lights, Surefire systems all share the same bulbs, bezels, batteries etc. You can buy a single bezel and bulb type that will work on all of your lights.

Streamlight isnt a BAD light. It is a good light for the money. But the Surefire is clearly the better light. Its built tougher, with better materials and excelent engineering, with more perfect and brighter light than anything else out there. Not all the other options are bad, but none are as good.

Love the sure fire. I have one mounted on my issue M16A2 (of course we have to buy them cause the gov is cheap). After i got mine most of the other guys in my platoon went out and got one too, they`re an outstanding product. We use em in Cordon and Search, and on night patrols(light discipline calls for white light here) We have yet to have any problems, and they take all the abuse we ditch out throwin em in the backs of humvees, droppin em out of trucks, and of course operating in a constant outdoor enviroment. I`d recommend the surefire to anyone.

Ditto, SUREFIRE posters, 9P w/ me at all times.

Mike

I use Streamlight for normal "duty" flashlights and have seen all kinds of stuff go wrong with them, but that is also counting lots and lots of heavy-duty patrol grunt type abuse. They fix up easily and continue to keep chugging along. Every car has an Sl-20 or two mounted, and everyone also gets a stinger issued as a "back-up." I also have an issued Scorpion, which tends to be my favorite. I had a really nice SL-20X (the lightweight plastic full size), but I finally managed to break it, after driving off from a scene for about the 10th time with it still on the hood of my patrol car; it still lit up, but the tube was broken. Streamlights are great for constant use because of the fact that they can mostl be recharged.

I use Surefires for weapon lights. They also tend to have problems, especially with the pressure sitches. Most of the Surefires we use are around 10 years old, though. The reason for that, and the reason we haven't replaced any of them, is because Surefire will continue to repair them, forever. They have excellent service, and out standard turn around time is about a week and a half. Heck, they even completely replaced a forend light for me a while back.

The newer Surefire weapon lights seem to be much more expensive, but much more of a "mature" technology. We are buying some this year, if they don't cut my budget anymore, but I am having a hard time convincing my boss; the really old lights we have work just fine, and Surefire keeps fixing them. I don't doubt that some of the lights we are using now will still be around in 15 years when I retire.

natez, interesting way to look at it. I appreciate your feedback. Thanks!

I have several Surefire's, both weapon-mounted and hand-held, and I love them all.  Here's some pics of the weapon-mounted lights:

M900AB


6v on Sig 229


6v on Rem 870


I also have an M4 Devestator hand-held combat light (sorry, no pic).  All of the Surefire's are extremely rugged and durable.  Ergonamically, they are well-thoght-out and engineered.  The quality of the beam is excellent--solid and clean.  I will keep buying Surefires until they give me a reason not to.  For me, the higher price for the Surefires is well worth it.

   BOTH LIGHTS ARE EXCELLENT, HANDHELD AND WEAPON MOUNTED. I GIVE THE EDGE TO SUREFIRE ON THE WEAPON MOUNTED LIGHTS. THEY DID A GOOD THING WITH THE ADDITTION OF THE LED ADDED TO THE 500 SERIES. I HAVE SEVERAL OF EACH INCLUDING A STREAMLIGHT V.L.I. IT HAS THE VERSATILITY OF USING EITHER 6AA OR 3LITHIUM BATTERIES. I UNDERSTAND THE LIGHT IS FOR L.E.O. NOW AND I ACUIRED MINE FROM AN IMPROPERLY SHIPPED LIGHT TO MY POLICE SUPPLY. THE CHEAPEST AND MOST VERSATILE IS THE M3 THAT WORKS WITH THE HANDGUNS, I ALSO ADDED A FEW OF THE RAILS TO A COUPLE OF ARS FOR CONVIENENCE. THE BEST "DUTY" LIGHT I HAVE EVER HAD, SL35X , I LOVE THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT IT PUTS OUT AND THE 5-CELL LENGTH FOR "LEVERAGE" APPLICATIONS AT WORK.

   BOTH LIGHTS ARE EXCELLENT, HANDHELD AND WEAPON MOUNTED. I GIVE THE EDGE TO SUREFIRE ON THE WEAPON MOUNTED LIGHTS. THEY DID A GOOD THING WITH THE ADDITTION OF THE LED ADDED TO THE 500 SERIES. I HAVE SEVERAL OF EACH INCLUDING A STREAMLIGHT V.L.I. IT HAS THE VERSATILITY OF USING EITHER 6AA OR 3LITHIUM BATTERIES. I UNDERSTAND THE LIGHT IS FOR L.E.O. NOW AND I ACUIRED MINE FROM AN IMPROPERLY SHIPPED LIGHT TO MY POLICE SUPPLY. THE CHEAPEST AND MOST VERSATILE IS THE M3 THAT WORKS WITH THE HANDGUNS, I ALSO ADDED A FEW OF THE RAILS TO A COUPLE OF ARS FOR CONVIENENCE. THE BEST "DUTY" LIGHT I HAVE EVER HAD, SL35X , I LOVE THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT IT PUTS OUT AND THE 5-CELL LENGTH FOR "LEVERAGE" APPLICATIONS AT WORK.

My Surefire works fanastic.  

I bought the mounting kit for it.  

The only thing I would do different now would be to mount it on the foregrip with the GG&G under rail.  Beside that, never a problem, even with 1000s of rounds through it.

308wood, you can get a new z49 tailcap with rubber cone boot to protect from accedintal and is harder to lock light on,its harder than my z3 with tunr lockout which i hate!