The Surefire 6P used to have press-fit lenses?

fyrstormer

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I just bought a couple NIB Surefire 6P's ("old style"), and I when I opened the packages I was surprised to see they have press-fit lenses, rather than lenses held in-place by bezel rings. I did not anticipate this, because the bezels have the 6 anti-roll flat spots unlike the completely round bezels that the really old 6P's used to have. Judging by the expiration dates on the included batteries, I'm guessing these were made around 2003, but for all I know the batteries were swapped in the packages so these lights might be even older than that.

I'm contemplating swapping the bezels for the type that use bezel rings to hold the lenses. Are these 6-flat press-fit-lens bezels worth anything to collectors nowadays?
 

ven

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I might have 2 or 3 of my bezels like that(older type). Being quite soft, they can dent easily if dropped. Ones with the naff plastic ring, to swap out for a xeno or OR type certainly makes a difference. However , i kind of like the plain no fuss look.
zzVovTDl.jpg


6p in work also does not have a ring, iirc its actually from the z2, just swapped heads.
dgRPUHFl.jpg


Dont think worth much, the smooth heads are desirable(without the flats), but there seems quite a few out there still.
 

rrego

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....and candlelit nights with flashlights, but listening to some nice relaxing tunes and cold beer, not just candlelight and flashlights :twothumbs
 

novice

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fyrstormer, something else to perhaps keep in mind is that the press-fit lenses are not as weather-resistant as the later lenses with the lens retaining ring.
 

fyrstormer

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fyrstormer, something else to perhaps keep in mind is that the press-fit lenses are not as weather-resistant as the later lenses with the lens retaining ring.
Hmm. I was hoping the rubber seals behind the press-fit lenses would keep them watertight even without a retaining ring.
 

yellow

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Interesting.
Because I have the total opposite experience.
Sure, the real heads could get very slight dents on bigger impacts. But they still are dramatically more rugged than those flimsy hex heads.
Without an aftermarket bezel ring (one that covers the whole very thin lip) the 6P hex head is pretty useless and bents easily.
Does not even need use, it is enough when just taken anlong inside a pocket ...
the original bezel ring does not help a single bit; if anything it acts as a lever the lip can bent around

something like that here is a need:
e0l57uia9wv4vxsrt.jpg



Hmm. I was hoping the rubber seals behind the press-fit lenses would keep them watertight even without a retaining ring.
of course they do.
Not meant to go diving with them, but rain, shower (why?) ;), swimming is OK
(the front is more tight than the switch seal ...)
 
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novice

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Does not even need use, it is enough when just taken along inside a pocket ...

I'm glad to know it wasn't just me. I used to carry a Z2 in the inside pocket of a leather jacket. There were some spare batteries & a cigarette lighter in there, too. The jacket got "tossed" onto chairs on a regular basis, but I wasn't "flogging anything with vigor". When I got to the point of realizing that I wanted to put stainless steel protective bezel rings on all my C/P/G/Z lights after I had a close call with a dropped C3, the now-out-of-roundness of the Z2 bezel allowed me to remove the nylon bezel ring (because it "flexed" enough), but I could not replace it with a steel bezel ring, so I put the nylon ring back in. I used to think that the stainless steel rings were just bling, but I know better now.

I had read somewhere on the web (and we know what comes of that) that the press-fit polymer lenses were less weather-resistant. Did the press-fit turbohead lenses not have rubber gaskets?
 

yellow

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PS:
I wanted to add a link to one of the bezel rings but did not find them,
thinking about it, even the models made from delrin - oveready.com seems to only sell these nowadays, no more metal ones - are also way better than the original ring
 

ven

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One little drop is all it takes to dent the press fit bezels to look like
fEhlS54l.jpg

H0WWf3tl.jpg

That one was actually a 20ft drop, the sportac triple survived without even a flicker. But within a day or so, i dropped one from waist height and similar occurred. Mallet taps later...............
LDeHbcWl.jpg


For rings yellow, EDC+ USA side and HKequipment usually have xeno rings in stock.
 

fresh eddie fresh

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Are all of the press fit lenses plastic? I have gotten a few (used) that have been scratched or melted in the middle before.
 

dano

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The early 6P's had pressed in Lexan lenses. Surefire would include a nickel in the replacement kit, and to replace the lens, you'd use a dowel or similar to press against the nickel the pop the lens into the bezel.
 
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