Can someone identify the maker of this flashlight body?

[ebuchner]

Where did people get these before Walmart, Lowes, and Cabelas started carrying them?

Around 04-05 The Wanenmacher Gun show in Tulsa, Oklahoma had a dealer that carried their entire lineup plus all imaginable spare parts and accessories. They were only there for a few days but were otherwise based around Springfield, MO when they weren't on travel. Tulsa also had "The Gadget Shop" which usually sold high-end outdoor/fishing items. They stocked E1e, E2e and the 10X Dominator.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Lovely hosts Oveready has. Note double o-ring.

P60 Host - P35+35 Orange Aluminum - OVEREADY

Modern materials and components meet classic compatibility, shape and bezel down carry convenience. Complete host includes everything but the driver. See our Engines section for Triple P60 options.

www.oveready.com

 

[Monocrom]

So back in 2006 Surefires were rarer than hen's teeth as they say around here. You would read about them in gun magazines such as Guns & Ammo but no shop ever seemed to carry them. My friend's father had one but he also had an HK that was also made of unobtanium and a coin dealer in Ohio had a box for one which is probably still there on the shelf only empty.

Where did people get these before Walmart, Lowes, and Cabelas started carrying them?

Wal-Mart and Lowes definitely didn't carry SureFire back in the day.

Personally speaking, nearly every single one of my two dozen SureFires were bought from Brick & Mortar Authorized dealers concentrated in downtown Manhattan. And, I mean very downtown. Late 1990s and early 2000s, you had a surprisingly large number of Brick & Mortar Authorized dealers in Manhattan.

Iceberg Army + Navy went out of business.

One, very small Army + Navy surplus store that mostly sold surplus bags and jackets.... Owner sold the store and retired. It was on a little corner and he was a relatively young guy. Had a nice conversation with him at one point.

Paragon Sports on 18th Street is still around. Last I checked, still has their SureFire Authorized Dealer status.

B&H near Macy's on 42nd street is definitely still around from those good old days as well. Also still has their SureFire Authorized Dealer status.

Literally all the others had their Authorized Dealer status yanked from them, and their inventory was bought back by SureFire. This all happened right around the same time after the early 2000s. Why? SureFire caught them discounting their models. Yeah, as an Authorized Dealer, that's the one unforgivable sin you don't commit! And all of them got caught. (Obviously Paragon and B&H weren't discounting.)

Odd thing is, once their A.D. status got yanked, Inova reached out to each and every single one of them. Seriously, practically overnight, they all became Authorized Dealers for Inova. Keep in mind, this was back when Inova made quality lights. Just not as bright or quite as well as SureFire. Thing is.... Back them Inova was still a company that made their lights in America. Just like SureFire. Yes, this was before Inova was sold to Nite-Ize and became another cheap Made in China brand.

 

[letschat7]

I buy Surefire from B&H now because one of my friends explained that they are Hasidim. They apparently have some shell company selling lights to them that are their own brand but they aren't inexpensive.

I know Inova very well and have a few of their lights. I liked them back in the day as they used to be a cool USA manufacturer. Nowadays I went to Lupine to buy a light instead of the Niteize one that was basically teh same thing.

The Milsurp shop here called Surefire only had Mag bulbs and Fulton angleheads.

Oh and NYC has everything if you know where to look. WV is rather limited in selection it seems.

 

[Monocrom]

Must admit, I still buy from B&H. Though it's actually easier, less time consuming nowadays to order what I want off of their website; and literally wait one day for them to ship it to my address than taking the bus, the subway, and then walking over to get what I want. Followed by the same commute in reverse. That's like 3 hours round-trip on my day-off. Oh, and the added "pleasure" of dealing with the drunks, jerks, and assorted lunatics on the subway whom the City literally does nothing about. No, Thank you.

I'm a Christian. But I respect the openness of B&H's owners with regards to their chosen religion. The fact that they're open and honest about it. Also, zero customer service issues with B&H in the countless years I've bought from them.