Old Flashlight Tech

[Drang]

I remember debates about whether Mini-Maglites were too bright. I have one I bought at the PX, one of the camouflage ones, the paint job is worn off.

Good times.

[rob_s]

Looks like what I remembered as a 6Z is actually a Z2 (as evidenced by the text I didn't bother reading on the barrel). The main difference being the anti-roll flat spots on the bezel. That would also explain why, in my mind, the 6Z came after the 3P since the Z2 came out in 2001 and I obviously bought it after the 3P.

[rob_s]

Another fun pic of some slightly less-old stuff.

[Totem Polar]

I have that same 6P with the "Laser Products" branding. I bought it in 91 or 92 IIRC right after I bought an Earnie Hill Leather Belt and a Blackhawk (USA made) nylon belt.
It sat in my drawer at work until last month when the legos thread inspired me to drop in a Malkoff M61. I have been carrying it nearly every day since.

I’ve been carrying my original recipe 6P with a Malkoff warm every day as well. It’s like a super cool restomod: vintage vibe with near-modern performance.

As I’ve been surfing P-F, it seems to be coming back to me that the very first of the laser product hand helds was indeed called the 6D, because they were marketing it as having the output of the familiar 6d maglight in your hand. The "P” upgrade came out almost instantly thereafter.

Don’t quote me on that, though, I’m running on 3-decade+ old memory, and I’ve slept since then.

[BobM]

In the early 90s, having a 65 lumen light in a duty belt pouch was a great backup to the SL20. I bought a 6R or 9R as the 123 batteries were expensive and hard to find back then. I found the rechargeable battery a pain as it had to be mostly discharged and then recharged for a certain amount of time, outside the light. I eventually converted it to a 6P and carried it off duty in a horizontal carrier from the Lethal Force Institute.

[Thy.Will.Be.Done]

Super cool lights. I have the same 6P. There was one light before the 6P... maybe the 6D? At any rate, the "P" stood for pushbutton (on the tailcap) which was pretty rad at the time. 65 lumens was indeed the rating.

I believe that would be the 6P Classic, then the 9P

http://flashlightguide.com/2013/05/f...re-6p-classic/

[kwb377]

Super cool lights. I have the same 6P. There was one light before the 6P... maybe the 6D? At any rate, the "P" stood for pushbutton (on the tailcap) which was pretty rad at the time. 65 lumens was indeed the rating.

Edit: I type too slow (got distracted by a tornado warning), BobM already mentioned the 6R.

There was also a 6R that used a longer, rechargeable battery...it had a removable body section that would also allow it to be used with 123's as a 6P.

I bought an 8X circa 1994 for a couple hundred $$...at the time it was like wielding the torch of God. Nowadays you get more light from a $25 LED they have displayed next to the checkout at Lowe's.

[Totem Polar]

Ok, I found what I was looking for, with a little digging.

Let’s clear up the history once and for all:

"In 1988, the SureFire brand broke the mold of large handheld flashlights when it released its model 6C flashlight. This compact (4.6" long) incandescent flashlight, powered by two lithium 123A batteries, produced 60 lumens of light output, that’s three times the light output of the widely used D-cell flashlights of the time. The SureFire light was waterproof, shock-resistant, and came housed in a space-age aircraft-grade aluminum body. A model with a pushbutton tailcap, called the 6P, was released a few months later. This is considered the first ever tactical flashlight and it quantified “tactical output.” The age of the illumination tool was born and flashlights would never be the same."

Source: surefire 30th anniversary press release

https://www.surefire.com/surefire/co...nniversary.pdf

[ranger]

I carried a 6P Polymer version in FDE on my belt when I deployed. Probably one of my most used and practical accessories. Still have it.

[rd62]

I thought some folks might find this interesting/amusing.

these are, as I recall, the original 3 models of Surefire handheld lights. The 6P came first, but I can't recall if the 6Z or the 3P came after that, but according to the link the 6Z came out in 1997 so that was probably first. I don't think I ever bought a 9P, but if I did I don't still have it. Looks like the 3P did a whopping 15 lumens, and at the time everyone thought that was like holding the sun in your hand. the link above says that the 6P did 65 lumens, but I'm not sure that's accurate given the 15 of the 3P.

Attachment 47057

Attachment 47058



Later on, 2001 according to the link, came the 6P Polymer lights, called "Nitrolon". Lots of folks modded them like you see in in the pics to put different heads and tails on them ("clicky" caps) as well as things like the flipup red filter you see. There were replacement/upgrade lamp assemblies for all of these that came in the little plastic tube like you see in the pic.

Attachment 47059


I also stumbled on a bunch of mounts in the same box. I don't think any of these are near as old as the 6P, 6Z, and 3P.

Attachment 47060

You just captured my home defense AR weapon lights. 6Ps and G2s using VLTOR mounts and my SBR wears a shaved MI FSB mount for its light. Maybe its time to upgrade a bit. Particularly the SBR setup. Though neither is exactly broken...