SUREFIRE M3T revival

[thermal guy]

Thank you! You got me really curious there
If it was only possible to keep the stock head!

Exactly! I'd love to put one in mine but that head from malkoff is definitely not my cup of tea.

 

[michaex]

If You want to keep the factory m3 head or m3t I think only option would be the lumens factory LED tower.

I have one, but somehow I like MN16 more
Always on the lookout for other options though!

 

[sween1911]

That M91T unit looks nice. I wonder with some judicious O-rings and spacers if it can be run inside the original M3 head.

 

[Buck91]

Looks like the aftermarket is pretty dry for these MN10 M3's. Pretty much just the fugly as hell malkoff or a couple options from Lumens Factory, none of which are really throwers. Anybody know if the Tad's bi pin adapters work with any currently available bulbs? Seems like the M3 would be a sweet incan throwback running off 2x li ion cells (well, not seems like... it is!).

 

[ampdude]

Not sure why that would be, they made a TON of MN10's. But I saw the writing on the wall a long time ago and began buying up that stuff so I wouldn't be high and dry or have to rely on replacing the incan bulbs with LED drop-ins. The M3 with MN10 and two 17500's is awesome!!

 

[Buck91]

What 17500 are you running? My keeppower fit my C3 but are a hair too long for either of my M3.

 

[ampdude]

I'm glad you mentioned that. I still have some old AW 1100mAh P17500's I use in the M3's. I just checked and the 1200mAh Keepowers I have fit, but do not function in my M3 either. I compared the cells and they are a few MM longer than the old AW cells when you line two up and compare them to the old cells. I guess if I have to find replacements just to use in the M3 I might have to get some Trustfire 17500's, or see if I can find something that is 16500 in size if they make such a thing. I'd rather have the fatter 17mm cells though because of reliability/rattle concerns.

The Keeppowers work in my C3's as well. I wasn't expecting them not to work in the M3. They've been fudging the diameters and lengths of these cells for years now to the point where the specs are just marginally accurate. Sometimes it's hard to find the right one. Unfortunately there are only a few 17500 cells available these days, which is odd because they used to be one of the most popular sizes. And 18500's usually only work in bored out Surefire lights or ones designed for the size.

 

[Buck91]

I have found a couple of my 14500 cells work in the M3. Of course, the capacity is rather poor for a 1.2a Incan.

 

[sween1911]

I've since sold my M3T and the millennium turbohead I had for my M3, but I would love to see if a de-domed LED on a tower module would make the most of the turbohead reflector.

 

[strideredc]

That's strange as I have some new and newish keeppower 17500 and they fit and work fine... That's with the Incan mn10 bulb and also the lumens factory M3 led tower...

 

[ampdude]

That's strange as I have some new and newish keeppower 17500 and they fit and work fine... That's with the Incan mn10 bulb and also the lumens factory M3 led tower...

Yea, I thought my older Keeppowers worked fine in my M3. That's why I was surprised by Buck91's post. I'll have to look through them all and double check my own findings. Maybe some cells are slightly shorter than others.

 

[Buck91]

I spent some time fiddling with it last night. Looks like the reason they are too long is when you activate the plunger on the Z41 to make contact with the tail end of the battery tube the cells are long and wide enough that they are pressed against the large spring on the base of the bulb and lift it off the body breaking contact. This can be replicated with my old AW cells as well, though they usually work due to the marginally shorter and marginally smaller diameter.

I was able to file down a copper washer to fit in the tail cap as a spacer for the z41 plunger and that does work but isn't terribly reliable. I was able to appreciate some accidental activations based on just handling the light, my theroy being that the washer has some play and can complete the circuit without pressing the tailcap.

14500 cells remain very effective. I added a couple o-rings and they are silent and stable. Of course, runtime could stand an improvement.

 

[ampdude]

That's interesting thanks for those bits of info. I would recommend against using the copper washer since the light can be inadvertently activated which could lead to a fire or other not too fun things. If I have to switch to 14500's at some point, I guess it is still free lumens. I probably have a couple battery sleeves for them that might work as well as the o-rings or my solution, which usually involves tape.