DM51
Flashaholic
Big Hitters: BigLeef and Surefire M6
The arrival of the BigLeef system, with a neck fitting for Surefire 'M' heads, enables a close comparison to be made between popular hotwire bulbs and Surefire's top-of-the-range M6 HOLA bulb, the MN21.
The following lights were chosen for comparison in this test:
1. Surefire M6 (6x SF123A Lithium primaries, MN21 HOLA)
2. BigLeef 2C-11 (2x BigLeef 'C' body, 2x AW 'C' Li-Ions, KT4 head, Fivemega MN Bi-Pin socket, WA 1111 bulb)
3. BigLeef 3C-85 (3x BigLeef 'C' body, 3x AW 'C' Li-Ions, KT4 head, Fivemega MN Bi-Pin socket, WA 1185 bulb)
Details (with links) of where to obtain these lights and components are given below in this post. Some parts are difficult to obtain at the time of writing, but perseverence can bring results.
Top: BigLeef 3C-85
Center: BigLeef 2C-11
Below: Surefire M6
BigLeef 3C-85 component parts:
Similarities
The heads of the 3 lights are the same – the Surefire Millenium Turbohead (KT4). The filament height of each bulb was carefully adjusted to the optimum position. Variations in beam characteristics were therefore minimized if not eliminated – the only significant remaining variation was bulb output.
The 'C' Li-Ions drive the 2 hotwire bulbs hard; with their compact shape they allow for a shorter light than 18650s would, and with their extra capacity a longer run-time is achieved. Even the form factor is reasonably close to that of the M6, with the BigLeef 2-cell WA 1111 light being similar in size, just 1 inch longer but with a slimmer handle.
These two lights are not the only ones that could be compared to the Surefire M6. There are Mag mods and other creations which will rival the M6 for brightness and throw; but like the Surefire M6, these two BigLeef lights utilise top-quality components and are really classy lights in every way.
The two BigLeef builds discussed here are also, of course, lego material – the flexibility is there to convert from one to the other quickly and easily. It would take less than 5 minutes to do this, with no tools or skills required. Many other combinations are in theory possible with the BigLeef system, but it is not the purpose of this post to list more than just these two.
Bulbs
The Surefire MN21 is a 9-volt bulb, drawing ~5A from 6x SF123A (CR123A) Lithium primaries, configured 3s2p. With voltage sag, the operating voltage is ~7.2V. Surefire rate The MN21 at 500 lumens. However their method of rating LAs is very conservative, and you would need to nearly double that to produce a bulb lumen figure. It is at least 800 blm, probably nearer 1,000.
The Welch Allyn 01111 is a 6-volt / 3.35-amp / 100-hour bi-pin bulb, producing 465 bulb lumens at that factory rating. It is overdriven here to 7.2V and 3.80A. At this rating it outputs an estimated 800 blm, and bulb life will be ~10 hours.
The Welch Allyn 01185 is a 9.6-volt / 3.15-amp / 50-hour bi-pin bulb, producing 817 blm at that rating. It is overdriven here to 10.8V and 3.35A. At this rating it outputs an estimated 1,200 blm, and bulb life will be ~12 hours.
Batteries
The M6 was loaded with 6x SF123A Lithium primaries. These had less than 1 minute of use at the time of the test, so they were at ~95% capacity.
The AW 'C' Li-Ion cells in the BigLeef lights were charged to 4.15V each. This is 95% capacity for Li-Ion cells.
Beamshots
All camera exposures were 2 secs at F2.8. The lights were aimed at the base of the left-hand of the 3 big trees in the photos. This tree is 95m away. The tree on the right is 80m away.
Surefire M6 HOLA
BigLeef 2C-11
BigLeef 3C-85
Rotating shot of the above 3 photos (many thanks to Daniel_sk for doing this):
Below is detail from the center of the above shots. Behind the 3 trees there is a 100m stretch of water. On the other side of the water there are more bushes and trees – these are 200m (220 yds, 660 ft) from the camera. In these zoom shots you can make out one of the pale-colored tree-trunks reflected in the water.
Surefire M6 HOLA (detail)
BigLeef 2C-11 (detail)
BigLeef 3C-85 (detail)
Verdict on beamshots
The 3C-85 is the clear winner in output, as one would expect.
The difference between the 2C-11 and the M6 HOLA was so marginal that it is insignificant. I honestly couldn't tell with the naked eye which was brighter, and it is by no means clear even from the beamshots. That in itself is an interesting result.
Cost
Let's look at the relative cost of these 3 lights.
Surefire M6
· Surefire M6 complete
· Total cost: $399.00
BigLeef 2C-11
· KT4 ($178, less sale of MN15 [$29] & MN16 [$31] = $118)
· Fivemega bi-pin ceramic socket for MN lamp assembly ($46)
· WA 1111 ($9)
· BigLeef Tail, gray ($50.99)
· 2 x BigLeef 'C' cell body, gray ($37.99 x 2 = $75.98)
· BigLeef SF 'M' Neck, gray ($40.99)
· 2 x AW protected 'C' Li-Ion cells ($22 x 2 = $44)
· Total cost: $384.96
BigLeef 3C-85
· KT4 ($178, less sale of MN15 [$29] & MN16 [$31] = $118)
· Fivemega bi-pin ceramic socket for MN lamp assembly ($46)
· WA 1185 ($6)
· BigLeef Tail, gray ($50.99)
· 3 x BigLeef 'C' cell body, gray ($37.99 x 3 = $113.97)
· BigLeef SF 'M' Neck, gray ($40.99)
· 3 x AW protected 'C' Li-Ion cells ($22 x 3 = $66)
· Total cost: $441.95
Please note that the above prices do not include shipping charges, or any discounts you may be able to obtain. They are a guide only.
As already stated above, some items may be out of stock and difficult to obtain.
Advantages and disadvantages
Surefire M6
Advantages
· Availability
· Primary cells for greater reliability and shelf-life
· 3 fine LAs available – MN21 HOLA, MN20 LOLA, MN15 X-LOLA
· Tactical twisty tailcap
· Kits available to convert to WA 1111 and 'C' Li-Ion cells
· M6-R rechargeable option currently in development by js
Disadvantages
· Expensive to run on primaries
· Expensive replacement LA
· Large diameter body size
BigLeef 2C-11
Advantages
· Similar size to M6 (~1 inch longer)
· Approx same brightness as M6 HOLA
· Approx same cost as M6, including all parts
· More than 2x the run-time
· Free lumens on rechargeables
· Cheap replacement bulb
· Just as tough and solid as M6
· Forward clicky tailcap
· Body diameter less than M6, will suit smaller hands
· Complete flexibility - other build/bulb possibilities
Disadvantages
· Some parts not currently available
· Rechargeable option only
Bigleef 3C-85
Advantages
· Much brighter than M6 HOLA
· Nearly 3x the run-time
· Free lumens on rechargeables
· Cheap replacement bulb
· Just as tough and solid as M6
· Forward clicky tailcap
· Body diameter less than M6, will suit smaller hands
· Complete flexibility - other build/bulb possibilities
Disadvantages
· Some parts not currently available
· Rechargeable option only
· ~3 inches longer than M6
· Extra initial $$ outlay
Alternatives
Mag11, Mag85
· Much cheaper – good bang for buck
· Beams will be different with Mag reflectors
· Run-time differences (depending on batteries used)
Conclusions
I keep an M6-CB by my bedside, fitted with the MN21 HOLA and Surefire SF123A cells. Nothing would make me change from this. A "bump in the night" is the one situation when, if I need a light, I might REALLY need it. I would not want to have to find myself with flat batteries in such a situation.
One or other of the BigLeef lights, the 2C-11 or 3C-85 (as I have called them) are ideal for heavy-duty everyday use when you need a light with big, big power.
There are other hotwires with greater output, but they are either bigger in size, or they do not have that very useful 45+ minute run-time.
These BigLeef system components and the SF KT4 shock-absorbing head make a top-quality combination. The resulting lights are beautiful to handle, and hugely impressive in action.
The arrival of the BigLeef system, with a neck fitting for Surefire 'M' heads, enables a close comparison to be made between popular hotwire bulbs and Surefire's top-of-the-range M6 HOLA bulb, the MN21.
The following lights were chosen for comparison in this test:
1. Surefire M6 (6x SF123A Lithium primaries, MN21 HOLA)
2. BigLeef 2C-11 (2x BigLeef 'C' body, 2x AW 'C' Li-Ions, KT4 head, Fivemega MN Bi-Pin socket, WA 1111 bulb)
3. BigLeef 3C-85 (3x BigLeef 'C' body, 3x AW 'C' Li-Ions, KT4 head, Fivemega MN Bi-Pin socket, WA 1185 bulb)
Details (with links) of where to obtain these lights and components are given below in this post. Some parts are difficult to obtain at the time of writing, but perseverence can bring results.
Top: BigLeef 3C-85
Center: BigLeef 2C-11
Below: Surefire M6
BigLeef 3C-85 component parts:
Similarities
The heads of the 3 lights are the same – the Surefire Millenium Turbohead (KT4). The filament height of each bulb was carefully adjusted to the optimum position. Variations in beam characteristics were therefore minimized if not eliminated – the only significant remaining variation was bulb output.
The 'C' Li-Ions drive the 2 hotwire bulbs hard; with their compact shape they allow for a shorter light than 18650s would, and with their extra capacity a longer run-time is achieved. Even the form factor is reasonably close to that of the M6, with the BigLeef 2-cell WA 1111 light being similar in size, just 1 inch longer but with a slimmer handle.
These two lights are not the only ones that could be compared to the Surefire M6. There are Mag mods and other creations which will rival the M6 for brightness and throw; but like the Surefire M6, these two BigLeef lights utilise top-quality components and are really classy lights in every way.
The two BigLeef builds discussed here are also, of course, lego material – the flexibility is there to convert from one to the other quickly and easily. It would take less than 5 minutes to do this, with no tools or skills required. Many other combinations are in theory possible with the BigLeef system, but it is not the purpose of this post to list more than just these two.
Bulbs
The Surefire MN21 is a 9-volt bulb, drawing ~5A from 6x SF123A (CR123A) Lithium primaries, configured 3s2p. With voltage sag, the operating voltage is ~7.2V. Surefire rate The MN21 at 500 lumens. However their method of rating LAs is very conservative, and you would need to nearly double that to produce a bulb lumen figure. It is at least 800 blm, probably nearer 1,000.
The Welch Allyn 01111 is a 6-volt / 3.35-amp / 100-hour bi-pin bulb, producing 465 bulb lumens at that factory rating. It is overdriven here to 7.2V and 3.80A. At this rating it outputs an estimated 800 blm, and bulb life will be ~10 hours.
The Welch Allyn 01185 is a 9.6-volt / 3.15-amp / 50-hour bi-pin bulb, producing 817 blm at that rating. It is overdriven here to 10.8V and 3.35A. At this rating it outputs an estimated 1,200 blm, and bulb life will be ~12 hours.
Batteries
The M6 was loaded with 6x SF123A Lithium primaries. These had less than 1 minute of use at the time of the test, so they were at ~95% capacity.
The AW 'C' Li-Ion cells in the BigLeef lights were charged to 4.15V each. This is 95% capacity for Li-Ion cells.
Beamshots
All camera exposures were 2 secs at F2.8. The lights were aimed at the base of the left-hand of the 3 big trees in the photos. This tree is 95m away. The tree on the right is 80m away.
Surefire M6 HOLA
BigLeef 2C-11
BigLeef 3C-85
Rotating shot of the above 3 photos (many thanks to Daniel_sk for doing this):
Below is detail from the center of the above shots. Behind the 3 trees there is a 100m stretch of water. On the other side of the water there are more bushes and trees – these are 200m (220 yds, 660 ft) from the camera. In these zoom shots you can make out one of the pale-colored tree-trunks reflected in the water.
Surefire M6 HOLA (detail)
BigLeef 2C-11 (detail)
BigLeef 3C-85 (detail)
Verdict on beamshots
The 3C-85 is the clear winner in output, as one would expect.
The difference between the 2C-11 and the M6 HOLA was so marginal that it is insignificant. I honestly couldn't tell with the naked eye which was brighter, and it is by no means clear even from the beamshots. That in itself is an interesting result.
Cost
Let's look at the relative cost of these 3 lights.
Surefire M6
· Surefire M6 complete
· Total cost: $399.00
BigLeef 2C-11
· KT4 ($178, less sale of MN15 [$29] & MN16 [$31] = $118)
· Fivemega bi-pin ceramic socket for MN lamp assembly ($46)
· WA 1111 ($9)
· BigLeef Tail, gray ($50.99)
· 2 x BigLeef 'C' cell body, gray ($37.99 x 2 = $75.98)
· BigLeef SF 'M' Neck, gray ($40.99)
· 2 x AW protected 'C' Li-Ion cells ($22 x 2 = $44)
· Total cost: $384.96
BigLeef 3C-85
· KT4 ($178, less sale of MN15 [$29] & MN16 [$31] = $118)
· Fivemega bi-pin ceramic socket for MN lamp assembly ($46)
· WA 1185 ($6)
· BigLeef Tail, gray ($50.99)
· 3 x BigLeef 'C' cell body, gray ($37.99 x 3 = $113.97)
· BigLeef SF 'M' Neck, gray ($40.99)
· 3 x AW protected 'C' Li-Ion cells ($22 x 3 = $66)
· Total cost: $441.95
Please note that the above prices do not include shipping charges, or any discounts you may be able to obtain. They are a guide only.
As already stated above, some items may be out of stock and difficult to obtain.
Advantages and disadvantages
Surefire M6
Advantages
· Availability
· Primary cells for greater reliability and shelf-life
· 3 fine LAs available – MN21 HOLA, MN20 LOLA, MN15 X-LOLA
· Tactical twisty tailcap
· Kits available to convert to WA 1111 and 'C' Li-Ion cells
· M6-R rechargeable option currently in development by js
Disadvantages
· Expensive to run on primaries
· Expensive replacement LA
· Large diameter body size
BigLeef 2C-11
Advantages
· Similar size to M6 (~1 inch longer)
· Approx same brightness as M6 HOLA
· Approx same cost as M6, including all parts
· More than 2x the run-time
· Free lumens on rechargeables
· Cheap replacement bulb
· Just as tough and solid as M6
· Forward clicky tailcap
· Body diameter less than M6, will suit smaller hands
· Complete flexibility - other build/bulb possibilities
Disadvantages
· Some parts not currently available
· Rechargeable option only
Bigleef 3C-85
Advantages
· Much brighter than M6 HOLA
· Nearly 3x the run-time
· Free lumens on rechargeables
· Cheap replacement bulb
· Just as tough and solid as M6
· Forward clicky tailcap
· Body diameter less than M6, will suit smaller hands
· Complete flexibility - other build/bulb possibilities
Disadvantages
· Some parts not currently available
· Rechargeable option only
· ~3 inches longer than M6
· Extra initial $$ outlay
Alternatives
Mag11, Mag85
· Much cheaper – good bang for buck
· Beams will be different with Mag reflectors
· Run-time differences (depending on batteries used)
Conclusions
I keep an M6-CB by my bedside, fitted with the MN21 HOLA and Surefire SF123A cells. Nothing would make me change from this. A "bump in the night" is the one situation when, if I need a light, I might REALLY need it. I would not want to have to find myself with flat batteries in such a situation.
One or other of the BigLeef lights, the 2C-11 or 3C-85 (as I have called them) are ideal for heavy-duty everyday use when you need a light with big, big power.
There are other hotwires with greater output, but they are either bigger in size, or they do not have that very useful 45+ minute run-time.
These BigLeef system components and the SF KT4 shock-absorbing head make a top-quality combination. The resulting lights are beautiful to handle, and hugely impressive in action.
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